For Book Clubs

Jennifer loves book clubs and would be happy to join your group for a free 30 minute chat over Zoom. Email her at teachingmybabytoread at gmail dot com.

Book Club Questions for SWEET BLISS:

1. Julia Harper has a fraught relationship with money. She was raised to “act broke, stay rich,” which impacts not only her, but the entire town at the beginning of SWEET BLISS. What lessons did your parents teach you about money and how have they impacted your life? Do you think Julia makes wise financial decisions by the end of the book? Why or why not?
2. Aaron Baxter goes from bachelorhood to fatherhood in a speedy but tragic way. Has your life ever turned around quickly when you weren’t expecting it? Did you friends and family offer support or criticism?
3. Were there specific moments in the book when you began to root for Julia or Aaron? Did you like them as main characters or did you find them problematic?
4. One of Aaron’s biggest sources of help is Jack’s grandma, Martha Reynolds, however, Aaron and Martha butt heads on childrearing. Did your parents do things with you as a small child that would be frowned upon today? If you’re a parent, have you ever had to defend your choices to an older adult with strong opinions about how children should be raised?
5. What did you think of the romance between Julia and Aaron? Was it believable to you? Did you think it moved too slowly, too quickly, or just right? What did you think of the author’s choice to keep the romance “clean” without any steamy scenes? Did that add or subtract from your enjoyment of the book?
6. The next book in the Harper Landing series is GOOD CATCH and centers on two brand new characters, Marlo Jonas from the Cascade Athletic Club, and Ben Wexler-Lowrey who’s the son of the owners of the Nuthatch Bakery. Julia Harper will also make an appearance in a funny (and hopefully memorable) scene. What do you think happens to Julia and Aaron in the future? Will they have more children? Will Aaron go back to work?
7. In SWEET BLISS, the town of Harper Landing is almost a character unto itself. Have you ever lived in a small community like Harper Landing? Have you lived in a larger city where it was easier to “blend into the crowd”? Would you enjoy living in a place like Harper Landing or do you prefer your anonymity?