A musician facing the untimely end of his career. An end-of-life doula with everything, and nothing, to lose. A Star Is Born meets Me Before You in this powerful novel by the author of A Million Reasons Why.

As an end-of-life doula, Nova Huston’s job—her calling, her purpose, her life—is to help terminally ill people make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, who swears by her system of checklists, free-spirited Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult clients: the ones who are heartbreakingly young, or prickly, or desperate for a caregiver or companion.

When Mason Shaylor shows up at her door, Nova doesn’t recognize him as the indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. She knows only what he’s told her: That life as he knows it is over. His deteriorating condition makes playing his guitar physically impossible—as far as Mason is concerned, he might as well be dead already.

Except he doesn’t know how to say goodbye.

Helping him is Nova’s biggest challenge yet. She knows she should keep clients at arm’s length. But she and Mason have more in common than anyone could guess… and meeting him might turn out to be the hardest, best thing that’s ever happened to them both.

The Next Thing You Know is an emotional, resonant story about the power of human connection, love when you least expect it, hope against the odds, and what it really takes to live life with no regrets.

Review:

Poignant, hopeful, and sweet!

The Next Thing You Know is a tender, moving tale that immerses you into the life of grief-stricken, end-of-life doula Nova Huston as she navigates the shock, heartache, sorrow, guilt, regret, blame, secrets, and questions that come to life after the sudden death of musician Mason Shaylor a man who started as a client but quickly became something a lot more.

The prose is sensitive and smooth. The characters are multilayered, genuine, and conflicted. And the plot is an absorbing tale about life, loss, love, grief, family, friendship, introspection, heartbreak, romance, and the intricacies of end-of-life care.

Overall, The Next Thing You Know is an intense, compelling, touching tale by Strawser that does a lovely job of highlighting just how powerful love is and reminds us to always savour every moment because life can often change in a heartbeat.

This book is available now.

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