BOOK CLUB
If you decide to read one of my books at a Book Club or Reading Group, you may want to use the following questions to start your discussions!
She Has My Child
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She Has My Child is a story about sisters. Did you find Megan and Sophia's relationship relatable?
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Which sister did you most sympathise with and why?
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How do you think the two settings for the story - Italy and England - enriched the story?
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Do you think that Sophia made the right choice to be Megan's surrogate and why?
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The events of the story take place during lockdown. How did you feel about reading about Covid events? Are we ready to think about that period of our lives again?
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Did you enjoy the way the narrative switched between the two sisters? How did you find the author's writing style? Would you read more from this author?
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How did you feel about the male characters: Mark, Richard and Alex?
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Which scenes of the novel did you most enjoy? Were there any that didn't work for you?
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What thoughts did you have about Sophia and Megan's mother?
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Both sisters keep secrets from one another. How did you feel when those secrets were revealed? Did they justify/explain the way they acted?
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How did you feel about the ending of the novel? Did it end the way you hoped? Did it surprise you at all?
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Did the novel make you think differently about any of the themes - surrogacy, sisterhood, parenting - and if so, in what way?
The Forgotten Wife
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Which character did you most empathise with and why?
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Some of the chapters were a flashback to Shelley and Greg’s relationship. Did these add to the novel for you?
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Do you know anyone who has had a similar experience to Shelley or Cara? Do you think they were realistic characters?
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Shelley’s reaction to her situation was to shut everything away in her back bedroom and not face it. Do you think this was a necessary stage for her to go through or did it make things harder?
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What did you most like about the portrayal of the women’s friendship?
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Do you like the title of the book? Did it reflect the story?
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What did you think of the twist in the middle of the book? Did it surprise you?
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Have you every read a book like ‘Make Way for Joy’? What do you think of the theory of detoxing your life?
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What other books have you read which were on a similar theme? How does this book compare?
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Do you agree that ‘in order to heal, you must feel’?
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What do you think is the overall message of the book?
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Would you read more books by this author?
My Silent Daughter
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What thoughts did you have about Sara and Michael’s relationship at the beginning of the book? What did you think about the outcome of their relationship?
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Which character do you think was the biggest support to Sara and why?
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To what extent did Barbara’s back story justify her behaviour?
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Do you know anyone who has had a similar experience to Sara? Do you think she was a realistic character?
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For Sara, her art was therapeutic. How important do you think a creative outlet is for someone going through a tough experience?
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Which character in the book were you most drawn to and why?
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What did you think of the title of the book? Did it reflect the story?
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What did you think of the ending of the book? Did it surprise you?
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Several other characters have issues of their own. Which of those would you have liked to learn more about?
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What other books have you read which were on a similar theme? How does this book compare?
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Was there anything about Sara’s experience that you found surprising? Has it made you think differently about people in her situation?
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Would you read more books by this author?