Review by Booklist Review
Before her near-death experience, personal-injury lawyer Nora November lived life according to the expectations of those around her, especially her demanding and demeaning father. To make matters worse, she works for his firm. But after getting a brief glimpse of what the afterlife could be like following her surfing accident and time in a coma, Nora now wants more from life itself. So she creates a reverse bucket list for herself that contains all the things she wished she had done before her accident. Then Nora sets out to cross off every single thing on her new list. A cleverly crafted, chemistry-laden meet-cute turns into one woman's search for the one that got away. But this novel is so much more than just that. London also thoughtfully explores the different ways people process grief and death as well as how family and friends can lift us up, but also hold us back. The challenges in dealing with depression are realistically explored, as are the life-enhancing powers of gardening and the resiliency of hope. London's latest triumph is a book that asks a lot emotionally of the reader, but it gives back so much more in return.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Nora November was dead for several minutes. Now she divides her life into two distinct parts, the Before and the After. Before Nora was unhappy, unreliable, and meek; After Nora feels renewed. She has a new lease on life and resolves to make the most of it. Armed with a reverse bucket list--things to do after she died--Nora sets out to right regrets from the Before, which turns out to be harder than she thought. Relationships that she let languish are hard to mend. Quitting the job she hated felt great, but bills still need to be paid. Most importantly, even though Nora knows she's changed, the people in her life are unconvinced that the new Nora will stick around. Also on Nora's list is the corner store robbery guy--a man she met while locked in a storage closet during a holdup. They'd hit it off, and the man gave Nora his phone number. The Nora of Before never followed up, but After Nora is determined to track him down. VERDICT A hopeful exploration of living with depression and seizing second chances. Prolific romance author London (Highland Scandal; It Started with a Dog) has crafted an uplifting and engaging story with a plucky and likable heroine.--Vicki Briner
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