Simply put, this book was wonderful. Good Joy, Bad Joy was an absolute joy to read. It was humorous, emotional, and had characters that I immediately cared about.

I enjoyed my time with Joy immensely. She was a good person who always tried her very best to do right by people. Proper manners, good behavior, and following all of society’s rules were ingrained in Joy from a young child, following her into adulthood and her marriage.

Hazel has been Joy’s best friend for over eighty years. While they have lived very different lives, their friendship has endured and has been a balm to both of them in their times of need. You couldn’t find two different women, but they just complemented each other so well.

When Joy finds out that Hazel is dying, of course, her world is shattered. Yes, she is eighty-nine and over the years has lost many friends as well as her husband, but losing Hazel is hitting Joy very hard. She has been a constant in her life for so many decades. She always seemed larger than life and somehow invincible. Now Joy is determined to make Hazel’s remaining time as comfortable as she can, but by caring for Hazel and preparing for the inevitable, she is beginning to learn a few things about herself, too. Maybe it’s okay to not always be good.

Having read The Collected Regrets of Clover, I already knew that I connected with this author’s writing, but Good Joy, Bad Joy exceeded my already high expectations. I just loved this story so much. It was a well-rounded story that made me feel a plethora of emotions, took me on an adventure, and filled me with hope.

This was easily a five-star read for me. I will be recommending it to every reader I know. Good Joy, Bad Joy will definitely be gracing my list of favorite books of 2026! I am already looking forward to Mikki Brammer’s next book.

*5 Stars

 

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