Book Club Questions
Hello Book-clubbers!
Thank you for stopping by. If you are reading one, or all, or some of my books for your Book Club—mega-thanks! I hope y’all enjoy them. I had a blast writing each and every one. Feel free to contact me and tell me what you are reading. I have a special door-prize and swag for y’all!
Again, much thanks,
-Tina
readers@tinadesalvo.com
Suggested Abby Book Discussion Questions:
Is there a particular character in the story that you relate to most? Why?
Tina DeSalvo painted Abby and Jackson to want very different things, but do you think their dreams and conflicts trying to get to them are similar? Different? Why?
Did you find Abby, a Second Chance novel humorous? What scene did you enjoy most?
What do you think Tanté Izzy’s role is in Abby, a Second Chance Novel? If you’ve read the other books in the series, what was her role in those stories? What about Ruby?
What did you think of the scene where Tante Izzy and her friends come over for what Tina DeSalvo likes to call “the geriatric sleep over”? What do you think Abby learns from it?
What lesson did Jackson need to learn in the story? How did he learn it?
Did you find the mystery in the story interesting?
Can you share a single takeaway about Cajuns or the Cajun culture that you learned from the book?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books)
Do you have a favorite dialogue or scene in the book? Can you share it with the group?
Do role does the paparazzi have in the story? Do you think they represent a person’s conscience – serving as a memory to the mistakes in the past that haunt them?
Would you like to read more of the books Tina DeSalvo writes? Why? Why not?
Suggested Jewell Book Discussion Questions:
What do you think Jewell’s biggest conflict is in the story? What drives her to make the choices she makes?
Why do you feel Beau is so protective of the Bienvenu family? Should he be?
Do you understand the sadness Jewell feels as it relates to Mignon?
Do you relate to Jewell? Why? Why not? Do you relate to Beau? Any of the characters in the book?
Do you have any personal experiences dealing with dementia? Would you like to share it?
What do you think of the historical mystery in this story? Did you expect the way it was resolved?
Did you enjoy the humor in this story? Is there a scene you particularly thought was funny? Would you like to read it to the group?
What do you think of the choices Jewell’s mother made?
Do you think it is a coincidence that Jewell selected her career path as an antiquities expert? Do you think it relates to her dysfunctional relationship with her mother?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books).
What do you think of Jewell and Beau’s relationship? What is the biggest conflict that they had to overcome before being able to fall in love?
Do you think Beau is romantic? Why? Why not?
Suggested Elli Book Discussion and Questions:
Do you think Tina DeSalvo delivered an emotional and entertaining book? Why? Why not?
Do you think Elli and Ben each have real-life fears that directed their lives? How were they similar for each character? Different?
Tina DeSalvo is a breast cancer survivor. In some of the blogs she used things that either happened with her or with others who were fighting cancer alongside of her. Is there a particular blog post that resonated with you? What do you think Tina wanted you to know about surviving cancer?
What role did Tante Izzy and the Bienvenu family have in helping Elli heal?
Did you understand Elli’s loneliness? Ben’s?
Is there a particular scene that you really enjoyed? Can you share it with the group?
Why did little Joey raise the stakes for Elli and Ben in confronting their fears and desires?
Which dog did you like best? What did you think of Ben giving her the dogs? What role do you think the dogs played in the story?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books)
Would you make the same choices in directing your life that Elli did? Ben?
Did you enjoy the look into Mardi Gras from the point-of-view of riding on the float? What did you discover about Mardi Gras that you didn’t realize before?
Do you “Live in the moment”?
Suggested Hunt for Christmas Book Discussion and Questions:
Did you enjoy the setting for this book? Did you feel like you were there? Would you like to attend a Christmas celebration like the one they had in Fa La La?
Did you relate to Camille? Do you understand the conflicts and dynamics she had with her family? Why?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books)
Did you think Hunt was being fair with the people of Fa La La? Himself?
Did you enjoy the chemistry between Camille and Hunt? Did you understand why they were attracted to one another?
Do you think Hunt and Camille had similar conflicts? Why? Why not?
For Dr. Camille to find true happiness and peace, what did she have to do?
For Hunt to find true happiness and peace, what did he have to do?
Is there a favorite scene, line, excerpt you’d like to share with the group?
Did you enjoy receiving the recipes in the back of the book? Try any?
Which minor character (s) did you enjoy seeing on the page? Why? What role did they have in moving the story forward/resolving the conflict?
What was the significance of Dr. Camille bringing a “friend” with her to Fa La La? Did you consider how he represented the life she was living away from Fa La La?
Suggested Out-lanta Book Discussion and Questions:
What would you have done if a runaway bride jumped into your car and screamed for you to drive away?
Have you ever felt totally on your own and alone as Ania did in this story? When? Do you want to share that? Do you want to discuss why she felt so alone?
Do you think Luke would have helped Ania if Tante Izzy and Ruby hadn’t been in the car with him when she jumped in? Why? Why not?
Did you enjoy Ania and Luke’s road trip from Atlanta to Cane, Louisiana? What place did you like best? Would you like to visit there in person? Have you?
What drove Ania to make the choices she did? Would you have made the same choices? Why? Why not?
Did you find yourself rooting for Ania to get what she wanted? Needed? What did you want for Ania?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books)
Did you understand that both Ania and Luke were on the precipice of a big change in their lives? What was it for each of them? What did they think it was?
Did you enjoy discovering things about Polish culture/food? Cajun culture/food?
Did you enjoy the humor in this story? Would you care to share an excerpt or scene that you particularly thought was entertaining?
What do you think would have happened to Ania if her fiancé, Dorek hadn’t been so dangerous and the people she trusted hadn’t been such a problem?
Did you like Luke, the reluctant hero? Was he someone you could be friends with? Was he romantic?
Suggested for Christmas at the Inn at Cloud Hill Book Discussion and Book Questions:
Did you enjoy spending time in the small Rocky Mountain village of Cloud Hill for this story? Why? Why not? Would you like to visit there?
Daniel was inspired by country superstar, Keith Urban. Did you ever consider an in-demand entertainer’s need to take a break from work to recuperate and refresh? Do you know why Daniel choose to go to Cloud Hill?
Do you relate to Aurora? Do you understand what it is like to be the unpopular, odd child that other children didn’t understand?
Why did you think Big wanted Aurora to take care of the three-legged deer? Do you think there was a significance that the deer was in the story? Why? Why not?
What lesson did Daniel need to learn in the story?
Did you find humor in the story? Would you like to share an excerpt, dialogue or scene that you particularly enjoyed?
Did you understand how the Nutcracker story related to Daniel and Aurora? Would you consider that either or both were like the broken nutcracker toy in the original story? Would you consider that Aurora was like Clara in the original story? How do you see that Christmas at the Inn at Cloud Hill and The Nutcracker relate?
In this story, Tina DeSalvo set a mystery into motion that will be played out over the next four books (or more) in the Cloud Hill Series. What do you think of a mystery that will carry over several books? Did you read Tina’s Second Chance Novel series where he did that? Did you enjoy it?
What do you think the THEME of this book is? Tina always writes with one in mind. (You can email Tina to learn what THEME she focused on for each of her books)
Do you enjoy a Christmas Festival? Why? Is there an element of the Christmas holiday you especially enjoy? What is it?
What was the connection that Daniel and Aurora shared when they were kids? Is that connection still there after all these years? Should it be?
Did you enjoy this novella?
