The Next Thing You Know: A Novel

Jessica Strawser

Mar 2022 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Christa Lewis

About this audiobook

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.

"Unflinching and unforgettable, this one will crack your heart open and slowly stitch it back together.” —Christina McDonald, bestselling author of The Night Olivia Fell


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.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Ratings and reviews

The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser is a powerful and emotional listen! The author wrote this heart-wrenching story from the past and present tense. I loved the imagery in the book! The characters of Mason, Nova, Willow, Kelly, Dex and Beau all added so much to the book. The concept of a death doula was new to me and eye opening. Adding the lessons from The Wizard of Oz really was good too. Learn as you go, the forgiveness deal and who to blame, all stood out for me. Christa Lewis was fantastic at performing this book. She added all of the right feels and emotions to her voice. Thank you #NetGalley, #St.Martin's Press, and #Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this book. The phrase "Parting Your Way" has new meaning.

About the author

JESSICA STRAWSER is the author of the book club favorites Almost Missed You, Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month selection), Forget You Know Me, and A Million Reasons Why. She is Editor-at-Large for Writer’s Digest, and her work has appeared in The New York Times' Modern Love, Publishers Weekly, and other fine venues. She lives with her husband and two children in Cincinnati.