The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser

The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser

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.

"Grab the tissues." - People Magazine


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.

Jessica Strawser's 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.

Jessica Strawser is the editor-of-large at Writer's Digest, where she worked for nearly a decade as the editorial director and became known for her in-depth cover interviews with literary figures. She's the author of the book club favorites Almost Missed You and Not That I Could Tell (all St. Martin's Press), as well as a Book of the Month selection and a Barnes & Noble Best New Fiction selection for March 2018 (both St. Martin's Press). The St. Martin's Press). She has contributed to The New York Times Modern Love column, Publishers Weekly, and other prestigious publications, and she is a sought-after speaker at writing conferences and festivals. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two children.