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Good Joy, Bad Joy
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26From the bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover comes a vibrant, heartfelt novel about friendship over the decades, self-discovery, and what it means to have a life well-lived.
Break the rules. Find your joy.
For over eighty years, Joy Bridport has played by the rules: she's been a devoted wife and mother, contributing to the community in her small Hudson Valley town. But her quiet existence is jolted when she learns that her best friend, Hazel, only has months left to live. Hazel has always been the more adventurous one of their duo, and she seems at peace with all that she’s squeezed out of her long life. Yet Joy realizes she can’t say the same.
Determined to live boldly and make the most of the time that she and Hazel have left together, Joy steps outside of her comfort zone—and into a bit of trouble. But as her foray into rule-breaking escalates into committing petty crime, Joy must consider what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind, and whether there's a way for her to embrace the liberation that "Bad Joy" offers without losing all that she holds dear.
Is it ever too late to become who we're meant to be? With laugh-out-loud hijnks and emotional heft, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a heartwarming and wise celebration of the choices we make, the friendships we cherish, and the lengths we go for love.
Break the rules. Find your joy.
For over eighty years, Joy Bridport has played by the rules: she's been a devoted wife and mother, contributing to the community in her small Hudson Valley town. But her quiet existence is jolted when she learns that her best friend, Hazel, only has months left to live. Hazel has always been the more adventurous one of their duo, and she seems at peace with all that she’s squeezed out of her long life. Yet Joy realizes she can’t say the same.
Determined to live boldly and make the most of the time that she and Hazel have left together, Joy steps outside of her comfort zone—and into a bit of trouble. But as her foray into rule-breaking escalates into committing petty crime, Joy must consider what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind, and whether there's a way for her to embrace the liberation that "Bad Joy" offers without losing all that she holds dear.
Is it ever too late to become who we're meant to be? With laugh-out-loud hijnks and emotional heft, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a heartwarming and wise celebration of the choices we make, the friendships we cherish, and the lengths we go for love.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 19, 2026
23 people are currently reading
12706 people want to read
About the author
Mikki Brammer
2 books1,441 followersMikki Brammer is an Australian journalist and author who hails from Tasmania. She is now based in Brooklyn, New York (by way of France and Spain) where she writes about design, architecture and art for publications such as Architectural Digest, Dwell and ELLE Decor. 'The Collected Regrets of Clover,' her bestselling debut novel, was named a Best Book of Summer 2023 by the New York Times Book Review and a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, and is being published in 27 languages. Her second novel, ‘Good Joy, Bad Joy,’ will be published in May 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 10, 2025
In the wake of learning that her best friend has terminal cancer, 89-year old Joy is determined to experience all that life truly has to offer in the limited time she has left with Hazel.
First off, my undying gratitude to Mikki and her team at St. Martins Press for sending me an uncorrected bound manuscript of Good Joy, Bad Joy. I am so thankful and will guard it with my life. It’s no secret that The Collected Regrets of Clover is one of my favorite books, so I have been waiting and WAITING for Mikki’s follow-up.
And wow, this book really affected me. It was heart-warming and lovely. I truly savored it and read very slowly. There were so many moments and lines I had to tab, because they affected me deep down in my soul. At its core, this is a story of friendship. Enduring friendship. Devoted friendship. EIGHTY ONE years of friendship.
What really stood out to me was Mikki’s exploration of grief and the effects of losing someone while that person is still alive. We really walk with Joy as she processes the impending loss of her best friend, platonic soul-mate, and one true love, Hazel. I don’t know if I’ve read anything quite like that. The longevity and depth of their friendship was something I really marveled at. The reader gets to know them and their relationship through present-day as well as flashbacks and by the end of the book, my they really wormed their way into my heart.
And it’s the loss of Hazel that has Joy asking herself, what is a life well-lived? Am I happy with my choices? Looking back, is there anything I would have changed? I found her wrestles and inner-dialogue honest and raw. And by the end, she discovers it’s never too late to change, have new experiences, and even get into a little bit of trouble (which will have you giggling).
In addition to the themes of grief, loss, and friendship, Mikki tenderly explores living life in the grey area, motherhood, marriage, and reckoning with one’s mistakes. This book will have you thinking deeply about your own life, what sort of legacy you want to leave (big or small. and how SMALL acts can add up to BIG impact), and not leaving things left unsaid.
Truly, it’s as if Mikki is begging us, the reader, to grab our loved ones by their shoulders and tell them how much we love them, just because we can. Because we are both alive. What a gift living is.
Still kicking.
First off, my undying gratitude to Mikki and her team at St. Martins Press for sending me an uncorrected bound manuscript of Good Joy, Bad Joy. I am so thankful and will guard it with my life. It’s no secret that The Collected Regrets of Clover is one of my favorite books, so I have been waiting and WAITING for Mikki’s follow-up.
And wow, this book really affected me. It was heart-warming and lovely. I truly savored it and read very slowly. There were so many moments and lines I had to tab, because they affected me deep down in my soul. At its core, this is a story of friendship. Enduring friendship. Devoted friendship. EIGHTY ONE years of friendship.
What really stood out to me was Mikki’s exploration of grief and the effects of losing someone while that person is still alive. We really walk with Joy as she processes the impending loss of her best friend, platonic soul-mate, and one true love, Hazel. I don’t know if I’ve read anything quite like that. The longevity and depth of their friendship was something I really marveled at. The reader gets to know them and their relationship through present-day as well as flashbacks and by the end of the book, my they really wormed their way into my heart.
And it’s the loss of Hazel that has Joy asking herself, what is a life well-lived? Am I happy with my choices? Looking back, is there anything I would have changed? I found her wrestles and inner-dialogue honest and raw. And by the end, she discovers it’s never too late to change, have new experiences, and even get into a little bit of trouble (which will have you giggling).
In addition to the themes of grief, loss, and friendship, Mikki tenderly explores living life in the grey area, motherhood, marriage, and reckoning with one’s mistakes. This book will have you thinking deeply about your own life, what sort of legacy you want to leave (big or small. and how SMALL acts can add up to BIG impact), and not leaving things left unsaid.
Truly, it’s as if Mikki is begging us, the reader, to grab our loved ones by their shoulders and tell them how much we love them, just because we can. Because we are both alive. What a gift living is.
Still kicking.
January 7, 2026
Writing this through the tears in my eyes- what a beautiful beautiful book. This one is an ode to late-bloomers, to platonic soulmates, to forgiveness and honesty and adventure and joy. I highlighted page after page- the words spoke directly to my in such a meaningful and specific way. Mikki Brammer is an absolute treasure.
December 6, 2025
I received a free copy of, Good Joy, Bad Joy, by Mikki Brammer, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Joy Bridport has always been a good girl, for over eighty years actually, now she wants to be a bad girl. This was a really nice read, I really liked Joy and Hazel.
November 17, 2025
“Everyone blooms in their own time, even if it takes eighty-nine years. Sometimes we need a few false starts before we come into our element, but it’s never too late.”
I’m not always a fan of octogenarian themed novels, but I wanted to read Good Joy, Bad Joy because I loved Mikki Brammer’s The Collected Regrets of Clover so much.
Joy, is 89, and is ready to start truly living her life. After finding out her best friend Hazel of almost 80 years, has stage four cancer and is going to die, she starts to question if it’s too late for her to start living the life she’s always imagined.
I like how the book went back in time so you could see how the relationships developed over the years.
This book will make you laugh, cry, and contemplate- are you truly living the life you want for yourself or for someone else? And judging by how Joy is living her life, it’s never too late.
““I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
I’m not always a fan of octogenarian themed novels, but I wanted to read Good Joy, Bad Joy because I loved Mikki Brammer’s The Collected Regrets of Clover so much.
Joy, is 89, and is ready to start truly living her life. After finding out her best friend Hazel of almost 80 years, has stage four cancer and is going to die, she starts to question if it’s too late for her to start living the life she’s always imagined.
I like how the book went back in time so you could see how the relationships developed over the years.
This book will make you laugh, cry, and contemplate- are you truly living the life you want for yourself or for someone else? And judging by how Joy is living her life, it’s never too late.
““I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
Want to read
November 3, 2025Excited I Have This Book. This is the Author of
The Collected Regrets of Clover I really enjoyed that book.
This one sounds good, too. About finding the Joy in Life.
Read Now for anyone who has a NetGalley Account.
🌸🌼🪻🌺
The Collected Regrets of Clover I really enjoyed that book. This one sounds good, too. About finding the Joy in Life.
Read Now for anyone who has a NetGalley Account.
🌸🌼🪻🌺
January 7, 2026
I love stories with older characters and I can now add 89 yr old Joy to the list. It’s an ode to late bloomers, platonic soulmates, forgiveness, honesty, adventure, and joy. I tend to be a bit of a rule-breaker who is always up for shenanigans, so I was so excited to watch Joy embrace this new side of herself. It will make you reflect on life, marriage, motherhood, friendship, betrayal, grief, & loss. It left me with a smile on my face, loving the characters and hoping I'll be as cool when I'm 89.
“I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
“I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
December 11, 2025
Good Joy, Bad Joy is the story about Joy Bridport, a woman in her late eighties who has always followed the rules. Her quiet, dutiful existence is shaken when she learns her adventurous best friend (from the time they were eight years old) is terminally ill. Realizing she has regrets about her own life choices, Joy decides to live more boldly in the time she has left, which leads her to a series of "unexpected adventures, including committing petty crimes."
It's a bit lonely over here on Outlier Isle! I'm afraid I didn't love this book. I really expected to, but I didn't find Joy's stunts to be humorous. The tagline for Good Joy, Bad Joy is "Break the rules. Find your joy." And break the rules, she did. I'm not going to write about all the things that Joy did, because I wouldn't want to ruin the book for those who might find those things amusing. I will just say that the driving incidents made me roll my eyes so far back that I was worried they would never return to their normal position. Joy has always driven 5 mph below the speed limit, even when she was young. Yet, here she is in her late 80s, a time when reflexes are few and far between, and Joy thinks it would be great fun to drive 20 mph over the speed limit. (I just want to be forewarned of the roads she's going to be on!) Honestly? I didn't find any of Joy's "adventures" to be humorous, nor did I find Joy to be likeable. Almost everything she did felt childish, or dangerous, or both.
But like I mentioned previously, most of the reviews are glowing. The reviewers are using words like heartwarming, beautiful, enjoyable, and honest. So, feel free to ignore me, and I'll head back to Outlier Isle.
Thank you, #StMartinsPress, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Good Joy, Bad Joy has an expected publication date of May 19, 2026.
It's a bit lonely over here on Outlier Isle! I'm afraid I didn't love this book. I really expected to, but I didn't find Joy's stunts to be humorous. The tagline for Good Joy, Bad Joy is "Break the rules. Find your joy." And break the rules, she did. I'm not going to write about all the things that Joy did, because I wouldn't want to ruin the book for those who might find those things amusing. I will just say that the driving incidents made me roll my eyes so far back that I was worried they would never return to their normal position. Joy has always driven 5 mph below the speed limit, even when she was young. Yet, here she is in her late 80s, a time when reflexes are few and far between, and Joy thinks it would be great fun to drive 20 mph over the speed limit. (I just want to be forewarned of the roads she's going to be on!) Honestly? I didn't find any of Joy's "adventures" to be humorous, nor did I find Joy to be likeable. Almost everything she did felt childish, or dangerous, or both.
But like I mentioned previously, most of the reviews are glowing. The reviewers are using words like heartwarming, beautiful, enjoyable, and honest. So, feel free to ignore me, and I'll head back to Outlier Isle.
Thank you, #StMartinsPress, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Good Joy, Bad Joy has an expected publication date of May 19, 2026.
Want to read
August 24, 2025i ADORED mikki brammer’s debut novel and was absolutely buzzing when i saw she was releasing another novel. her writing is marvelous and this premise seems right up my alley so i am super excited to pick this one up when it comes out!
October 2, 2025
I thought it would be hard to top such a memorable character as Clover, but Mike Brammer has done it again. I fell in love with Joy from the moment I met her and can only hope that I am as vibrant and full of life as she is when I’m 89! This heartwarming book was such an enjoyable read, with an important message that it is never too late to make changes in our lives for the better. My only regret…that Beacon doesn’t exist and I can’t live on the same street as Joy so I can benefit from her kindness and inspiration to not be afraid to push boundaries and make the most out of the life I’ve been given. Joy will stay in my head and my heart for a long time.
November 21, 2025
4🌟 After being completely obsessed with The Collected Regrets of Clover, I knew this would be a must read for me. Accompanying 89 year old Joy along the path of her story will make you reconsider all of life, marriage, motherhood, friendship, betrayal, grief, loss, all the things. After being a compulsive rule follower and staying inside her little box for her entire life, Joy blooms into someone she barely recognizes. It’s never too late, my friends.
December 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC!
I find Mikki Brammer's "Good Joy, Bad Joy" to be a truly touching and thoughtful novel, centered on the idea that it is never too late to reinvent yourself and truly live. The story of 89 year old Joy, who has always followed the rules, is deeply moving as she confronts the impending loss of her lifelong best friend, Hazel, the adventurous one who has no regrets. Watching Joy realize she can't say the same about her own life, and subsequently stepping outside her comfort zone even into petty crime; is both heartwarming and entertaining, and I love how the book celebrates the profound, enduring nature of female friendship while exploring weighty themes like grief, legacy, and self-discovery with emotional intelligence.
I find Mikki Brammer's "Good Joy, Bad Joy" to be a truly touching and thoughtful novel, centered on the idea that it is never too late to reinvent yourself and truly live. The story of 89 year old Joy, who has always followed the rules, is deeply moving as she confronts the impending loss of her lifelong best friend, Hazel, the adventurous one who has no regrets. Watching Joy realize she can't say the same about her own life, and subsequently stepping outside her comfort zone even into petty crime; is both heartwarming and entertaining, and I love how the book celebrates the profound, enduring nature of female friendship while exploring weighty themes like grief, legacy, and self-discovery with emotional intelligence.
December 31, 2025
Mikki Brammer has done it again! I absolutely loved this book just as I loved her first, The Collected Regrets of Clover. The character of Joy brought joy and spunk to an old lady that had me laughing at some scenes and crying at others. Her friendship with Hazel, Finn, Elizabeth and Rowan felt authentic and genuine. I look forward to many more books from her!
I received this ARC from St.Martins Press in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and words are my own.
I received this ARC from St.Martins Press in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and words are my own.
January 18, 2026
Simply put: this book was a quiet delight. Not my usual kind of read, but I loved it [almost] as much as The Collected Regrets of Clover… maybe I just love Mikki Brammer.
This is a character-driven novel written with emotional intelligence and beautifully understated prose. Brammer is endlessly quotable—so many lines settled into my heart with a sense of understanding and familiarity.
“It’s only when you stop trying that you stop growing.”
The characters feel real, the pacing is balanced, and nothing ever feels forced. It’s the kind of cozy, reflective read that lingers and nudges you toward your own questions: Who are your true friends? What might be missing from your life? Are you living in a way that fulfills your heart?
I already miss these characters now that it’s over.
Grateful to NetGalley for the ARC and for their ongoing courage in letting The Hateful Reader judge things. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mikki Brammer for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: May 19,2026
This is a character-driven novel written with emotional intelligence and beautifully understated prose. Brammer is endlessly quotable—so many lines settled into my heart with a sense of understanding and familiarity.
“It’s only when you stop trying that you stop growing.”
The characters feel real, the pacing is balanced, and nothing ever feels forced. It’s the kind of cozy, reflective read that lingers and nudges you toward your own questions: Who are your true friends? What might be missing from your life? Are you living in a way that fulfills your heart?
I already miss these characters now that it’s over.
Grateful to NetGalley for the ARC and for their ongoing courage in letting The Hateful Reader judge things. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mikki Brammer for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: May 19,2026
December 2, 2025
I really enjoyed Mikki Brammer’s The Collected Regrets of Clover, so I jumped at the chance to get a pre-read of her new novel publishing May 19, 2026.
On the surface, this is a sweet, cozy story about a 89(!)-year old woman and her recent realizations about how she has chosen to live. Underneath, there are complex themes and commentary around love, friendship, marriage, family, aging and grief.
Often women begin to feel invisible as we age, but we forget that we are in control, we can change other’s (and our own) perceptions, and we may have more impact on this world than we think we do. Joy’s contemplation of her life, of the decisions she has made, the actions taken and not, feel incredibly authentic and the idea of changing who you are and how you live at age 89 is quite liberating. Joy shows us that it is never too late. The author also strongly hints that we all should be telling everyone we love how much we love them, and often, because you never know what will happen.
“I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
Joy and Hazel may be my favorite couple of the year. Showing a lifelong friendship as the “great love” of their lives versus any romantic relationship just makes sense.
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
On the surface, this is a sweet, cozy story about a 89(!)-year old woman and her recent realizations about how she has chosen to live. Underneath, there are complex themes and commentary around love, friendship, marriage, family, aging and grief.
Often women begin to feel invisible as we age, but we forget that we are in control, we can change other’s (and our own) perceptions, and we may have more impact on this world than we think we do. Joy’s contemplation of her life, of the decisions she has made, the actions taken and not, feel incredibly authentic and the idea of changing who you are and how you live at age 89 is quite liberating. Joy shows us that it is never too late. The author also strongly hints that we all should be telling everyone we love how much we love them, and often, because you never know what will happen.
“I realized I’d been missing out on the fun all my life by always following the rules, and I wanted the chance to see what it felt like to break them.”
Joy and Hazel may be my favorite couple of the year. Showing a lifelong friendship as the “great love” of their lives versus any romantic relationship just makes sense.
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
November 28, 2025
I’m unfortunately in the minority with my rating on this, but I really did not like it. Which is really hard to say because Mikki Brammer’s debut novel is one of my top 15 of all time books. This seemed to lack everything I loved about the first book. I did not connect with the characters and the pace was slower than slow. Nothing, and I mean nothing happened for at least 50% of the book. I’ll name a few things that happened, Joy drives over the speed limit which is apparently ground breaking for her. Joy pulls a fire alarm at the library. Joy shoves her shopping cart into her dead husband’s mistress car. This screams immaturity to me. The writing felt very rushed and dragged out for no reason. One thing that I really don’t like in fiction novels is pushing every issue from our modern day. There is no reason to make fiction books political and this continued to do that more times than not. It felt very deliberate due to the broad range of issues that were mentioned repeatedly. I found this to be a 2 star read due to the ending, and the fact that it’s a relatively unique plot. This had so much potential, but unfortunately I just feel it was executed poorly. I was looking forward to this one the moment it was announced, but this feels like an extreme miss. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! A story about a lady in her late 80s learning that it’s never too late to start over and start standing up for yourself! Joy just found out she will be losing her best friend,Hazel, to cancer and has decided to live life a little more like her bff: adventurous and fearless!! She meets new friends, she makes amends and realizes her life is a lot more full than she originally thought it was.
I’m obsessed with Mikki Brammers characters and the way she writes about the people you don’t necessarily think of as having main character energy. They’re so lovable and quirky! I will read everything she writes!
I’m obsessed with Mikki Brammers characters and the way she writes about the people you don’t necessarily think of as having main character energy. They’re so lovable and quirky! I will read everything she writes!
September 24, 2025
Mikki Brammer has done it again, and I can’t wait to share this book with everyone!
Joy’s best friend, Hazel, is dying of cancer, and the sadness over this looming loss is palpable throughout the book. Somehow, however, Brammer fills these pages with so many heartfelt, meaningful, insightful and genuinely astonishing observations about friendship, love, and living authentically. I simply couldn’t put it down, nor did I want to! I would have stayed with Joy, Hazel, Finn, Rowan and Brammer’s other magnificent characters forever.
The Collected Regrets of Clover was my favorite book of 2023, and Good Joy, Bad Joy is already a contender for my favorite of 2025. Thoroughly readable, thought-provoking, and completely lovely, this book is for everyone. All of the stars!
Joy’s best friend, Hazel, is dying of cancer, and the sadness over this looming loss is palpable throughout the book. Somehow, however, Brammer fills these pages with so many heartfelt, meaningful, insightful and genuinely astonishing observations about friendship, love, and living authentically. I simply couldn’t put it down, nor did I want to! I would have stayed with Joy, Hazel, Finn, Rowan and Brammer’s other magnificent characters forever.
The Collected Regrets of Clover was my favorite book of 2023, and Good Joy, Bad Joy is already a contender for my favorite of 2025. Thoroughly readable, thought-provoking, and completely lovely, this book is for everyone. All of the stars!
November 23, 2025
I'd thoroughly enjoyed Mikki Bramer's debut novel "The Collected Regrets of Clover", so jumped at the chance to get my hands on an early copy of her upcoming work - one that I finished over the course of a weekend.
At 89 years of age, Joy Bridport has lived her life following the rules; she's been a dedicated wife and homemaker, raising her daughter Elizabeth and being a caring wife to her husband Thom throughout their marriage, until he passed away unexpectedly. She's lived a quiet life in Beacon, New York, living vicariously through her best friend Hazel and her countless trips and adventures across the world. That is, until Hazel visits her one day and springs some shocking news: she's been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. In the weeks that follow, Joy is forced to reckon with the reality that she will soon lose her best friend of eight decades, and how best to celebrate the time that remains with her.
Over the course of the novel, we see Joy slowly begin to branch out in the present, befriending her new neighbor Rowan despite the rumors of his past and reconnecting with her daughter and former friends. The novel also jumps back in time, highlighting Joy's life from the moment she met Hazel for the first time in elementary school, her own childhood losing her mother at a young age to illness, to moments across her adult years marrying Thom and then abruptly losing him because of an unexpected brain aneurysm. It's in these moments, both heartwarming and devastating, that we come to understand Joy and what has shaped her character and personality - from her focus on positivity, her attempts to save face to protect her daughter, and her rationale for always following the rules. It makes it even more satisfying to see her change in her later years as she learns to push boundaries - becomes sometimes the ends justify the means.
"Good Joy, Bad Joy" was such an enjoyable and uplifting read, and a wonderful reminder that it's never too late to change your life. Very much a recommended read when it's published in May 2026!
At 89 years of age, Joy Bridport has lived her life following the rules; she's been a dedicated wife and homemaker, raising her daughter Elizabeth and being a caring wife to her husband Thom throughout their marriage, until he passed away unexpectedly. She's lived a quiet life in Beacon, New York, living vicariously through her best friend Hazel and her countless trips and adventures across the world. That is, until Hazel visits her one day and springs some shocking news: she's been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. In the weeks that follow, Joy is forced to reckon with the reality that she will soon lose her best friend of eight decades, and how best to celebrate the time that remains with her.
Over the course of the novel, we see Joy slowly begin to branch out in the present, befriending her new neighbor Rowan despite the rumors of his past and reconnecting with her daughter and former friends. The novel also jumps back in time, highlighting Joy's life from the moment she met Hazel for the first time in elementary school, her own childhood losing her mother at a young age to illness, to moments across her adult years marrying Thom and then abruptly losing him because of an unexpected brain aneurysm. It's in these moments, both heartwarming and devastating, that we come to understand Joy and what has shaped her character and personality - from her focus on positivity, her attempts to save face to protect her daughter, and her rationale for always following the rules. It makes it even more satisfying to see her change in her later years as she learns to push boundaries - becomes sometimes the ends justify the means.
"Good Joy, Bad Joy" was such an enjoyable and uplifting read, and a wonderful reminder that it's never too late to change your life. Very much a recommended read when it's published in May 2026!
November 14, 2025
Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer is a thoughtful look at how people experience both happiness and sadness in everyday life. The story follows characters who deal with real challenges, disappointments, and moments of happiness, showing that joy is complicated and can exist even alongside pain. Instead of presenting joy as something simple or always positive, the book is honest about how messy and unpredictable emotions are.
The characters feel like real people, each with their own struggles, regrets, and hopes. Their journeys don’t always have neat resolutions, but that makes them relatable. Loss, grief, and uncertainty are as important as happiness in shaping who they are. The book doesn’t try to offer easy answers or force happy endings. Instead, it suggests that joy is found in small moments, even when life is hard or confusing.
Overall, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a realistic story about living with both the good and bad parts of life. It’s for readers who want something honest and true to how people actually feel, rather than a story that wraps everything up neatly.
My personal experience is that 89 year olds are not as mobile as the main character. When I am 89, my grandson will be 28, so the 16 year-old grandson is questionable, although the relationship between the main character and her grandson is priceless.
The characters feel like real people, each with their own struggles, regrets, and hopes. Their journeys don’t always have neat resolutions, but that makes them relatable. Loss, grief, and uncertainty are as important as happiness in shaping who they are. The book doesn’t try to offer easy answers or force happy endings. Instead, it suggests that joy is found in small moments, even when life is hard or confusing.
Overall, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a realistic story about living with both the good and bad parts of life. It’s for readers who want something honest and true to how people actually feel, rather than a story that wraps everything up neatly.
My personal experience is that 89 year olds are not as mobile as the main character. When I am 89, my grandson will be 28, so the 16 year-old grandson is questionable, although the relationship between the main character and her grandson is priceless.
January 20, 2026
3.5 stars
Thank you to goodreads giveaways for the advanced reader’s edition of this book. Please note the following review is my own: This book is a beautiful tale of a friendship and love that spans decades. True to its title, Joy who has lived 80+ years being “good” according to the rules of society has decided to experiment with being “bad” upon finding out her best friend is terminally ill. At first it starts with the simple act of stealing a book from the holds section of the library and from there it escalates to greater (sometimes illegal) adventures. Along the way, Joy realizes that “good” and “bad” are grayscale rather than the black and white she always assumed them to be and not everything is always as it seems. I loved Joy’s character development throughout the book and the bold confrontation to various stereotypes. It was very cheesy at times and somewhat predictable, but it worked with the charming story that was being told. I think this would be a great book to read for an older adult as a reminder that it’s never too late to live the life that you want!
Thank you to goodreads giveaways for the advanced reader’s edition of this book. Please note the following review is my own: This book is a beautiful tale of a friendship and love that spans decades. True to its title, Joy who has lived 80+ years being “good” according to the rules of society has decided to experiment with being “bad” upon finding out her best friend is terminally ill. At first it starts with the simple act of stealing a book from the holds section of the library and from there it escalates to greater (sometimes illegal) adventures. Along the way, Joy realizes that “good” and “bad” are grayscale rather than the black and white she always assumed them to be and not everything is always as it seems. I loved Joy’s character development throughout the book and the bold confrontation to various stereotypes. It was very cheesy at times and somewhat predictable, but it worked with the charming story that was being told. I think this would be a great book to read for an older adult as a reminder that it’s never too late to live the life that you want!
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January 15, 20263.75 ⭐️
A gentle book is the only way I can describe this.
89 yr old Joy has spent her entire life doing the right thing. Learning to keep quiet and be grateful for what she has. But there was always something simmering with excitement underneath and most of the time that came in the form of her best friend Hazel.
Lifelong friends and polar opposites, they were the ying to each others yang. They found different paths through adulthood but the connection and support was always there. And now Hazel was dying and Joy was losing her last remaining “love” of life.
Love as we know comes in many different forms and the friendship that sustains decades is a form of love that we all deserve. Joy just can’t imagine her life without Hazel .
This book is about friendship love. About finding life even at the end of it all. And the gift that learning new things can bring.
A gentle book indeed.
Another book cleanser of sorts.
A gentle book is the only way I can describe this.
89 yr old Joy has spent her entire life doing the right thing. Learning to keep quiet and be grateful for what she has. But there was always something simmering with excitement underneath and most of the time that came in the form of her best friend Hazel.
Lifelong friends and polar opposites, they were the ying to each others yang. They found different paths through adulthood but the connection and support was always there. And now Hazel was dying and Joy was losing her last remaining “love” of life.
Love as we know comes in many different forms and the friendship that sustains decades is a form of love that we all deserve. Joy just can’t imagine her life without Hazel .
This book is about friendship love. About finding life even at the end of it all. And the gift that learning new things can bring.
A gentle book indeed.
Another book cleanser of sorts.
November 8, 2025
Oh, my heart. Mikki Brammer did it again.
Joy, 89 years old, discovers that her full-of-life and adventurous best friend, Hazel, has terminal cancer.
Joy was always the one to cross her T’s and dot her I’s—doing what society expected—while Hazel was out experiencing everything the world had to offer.
Hazel’s news sends Joy down a rabbit hole of self-discovery, self-reflection, adventure, and maybe even a little crime spree.
This book was perfect. It even had me self-reflecting.
Mikki will always be an instant read for me!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Joy, 89 years old, discovers that her full-of-life and adventurous best friend, Hazel, has terminal cancer.
Joy was always the one to cross her T’s and dot her I’s—doing what society expected—while Hazel was out experiencing everything the world had to offer.
Hazel’s news sends Joy down a rabbit hole of self-discovery, self-reflection, adventure, and maybe even a little crime spree.
This book was perfect. It even had me self-reflecting.
Mikki will always be an instant read for me!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I enjoyed this well written story about living authentically, happiness and true love. At the core, this novel addresses challenging topics like infidelity, terminal illness and death, yet what it does beautifully is handle these hard truths in a life affirming way. The characters are only human and learn and grow throughout the story which inspires the reader to remember it is never too late to find our true joy in life. I highly enjoyed this new book from Mikki Brammer and thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC early.
November 9, 2025
89 year old Joy is facing the death of her best friend of 80 years, Hazel. While Joy has always been " the good girl", she has lived vicariously through Hazel's wild life of travel & adventure. Throughout the novel Joy examines the choices she has made throughout life to make others happy & how often it has been at the expense of her own happiness. I loved the authenticity & I loved every character..Rowan, Finn, Hazel. It pulls an emotional punch. I would compare it to one of my all-time favorite books, The 100 years of Lenny & Margot.
November 27, 2025
What an amazing story of a lifelong friendship of two women who could not be more opposite, but who appreciate what they have in each other. I loved the fact that the main character stepped out of her comfort zone at the ripe old age of 89 and started to realize that she could change and grow even at this stage of her life.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mikki Brammer for the opportunity to read this lovely story in advance of the publication!
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mikki Brammer for the opportunity to read this lovely story in advance of the publication!
January 2, 2026
3.5 rounded. this took me a while to read which probably isn’t a good sign. it was just slow! i liked the idea of it and the message she was trying to portray. it wasn’t as good as the collected regrets of clover but had a similar vibe
February 11, 2026
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Loved this book so much! Such a beautiful reflection on aging, friendship, and what it means to be a good person. Thank you NetGalley for my early copy.
January 27, 2026
Another fantastic book from Brammer. I don’t know how she doesn’t it but her books always feel timely and touch my heart immensely.
November 30, 2025
Advance copy for review thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
What a life-affirming, sweet, charming, positive book.
The interesting thing about reading fiction is that you're effectively spending several hundred pages in someone's mind. In the case of this book, that's extra true because we hear everything through the thoughts and voice of the main character, Joy. And what a joy she is. She's not perfect, she's made mistakes, but she's such a genuine, earnest soul that it's hard to feel anything but hopeful seeing the world through her eyes.
The story goes that Joy, an 89-year-old woman who has spent her entire adult life in a small town in the Hudson Valley, finds out that her lifelong best friend and one of her only remaining friends at all has terminal cancer. This friend, Hazel, is the wild child to Joy's prim and proper, and they've spent their entire friendship living that out. Hazel has no kids or long term relationship, but has built a successful business, travels the world, tries everything. Joy, on the other hand, takes the safe route, is a homebody, sticks to what she knows. This diagnosis shakes something loose in Joy and makes her want to try things Hazel's way, so she sets out to do some living in her remaining time with Hazel.
I really enjoyed the book. It read fast and easy, it was positive, and Joy is funny and quirky and fun to get to know. The only wishes I had were to know Hazel a bit better and see more of Joy's adventures with her. Hazel seems like so much fun, and like she probably has some wisdom, too. I'd have loved to hear a little more of it.
All in all, I loved it, and I think anyone contemplating their path in life or who just wants an easy, sweet read would love it too.
What a life-affirming, sweet, charming, positive book.
The interesting thing about reading fiction is that you're effectively spending several hundred pages in someone's mind. In the case of this book, that's extra true because we hear everything through the thoughts and voice of the main character, Joy. And what a joy she is. She's not perfect, she's made mistakes, but she's such a genuine, earnest soul that it's hard to feel anything but hopeful seeing the world through her eyes.
The story goes that Joy, an 89-year-old woman who has spent her entire adult life in a small town in the Hudson Valley, finds out that her lifelong best friend and one of her only remaining friends at all has terminal cancer. This friend, Hazel, is the wild child to Joy's prim and proper, and they've spent their entire friendship living that out. Hazel has no kids or long term relationship, but has built a successful business, travels the world, tries everything. Joy, on the other hand, takes the safe route, is a homebody, sticks to what she knows. This diagnosis shakes something loose in Joy and makes her want to try things Hazel's way, so she sets out to do some living in her remaining time with Hazel.
I really enjoyed the book. It read fast and easy, it was positive, and Joy is funny and quirky and fun to get to know. The only wishes I had were to know Hazel a bit better and see more of Joy's adventures with her. Hazel seems like so much fun, and like she probably has some wisdom, too. I'd have loved to hear a little more of it.
All in all, I loved it, and I think anyone contemplating their path in life or who just wants an easy, sweet read would love it too.
December 10, 2025
Highly recommend! I loved this sweet novel about friendship, being human, and the life we get to live. Joy's story and character development is suburb. I highlighted so many sentences that I found went right to my heart. Love the story of Joy and Hazel's friendship and cheering them on about the imperfect lives they lived. Thank you to Netgalley for providing an early copy.
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