DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Maddee knows that Nicole needed to fix what was damaged on the inside to begin healing on the outside and recover from her addiction. What in the story contributes to Nicole’s healing? What do you think her chances of staying in recovery are?
2. Maddee has a difficult time getting past thinking of herself as an ugly duckling. Do you have a negative impression of yourself from your childhood that you have carried with you? If so, how have you dealt with it?
3. Nicole recognizes that Maddee’s perfectionist tendencies are an effort to control everything around her and asks her when she’s going to grow up and realize that life is “ugly and messy and difficult, that it doesn’t tie up in a neat little package with a perfect little bow?” Was there a point in your life when you realized it would never be tied with a perfect little bow? How did you handle it? What advice do you have for someone who is a perfectionist?
4. Celeste leaves a good family to chase after a man and ends up halfway across the world. Have you (or someone you’ve known) made rash decisions in the heat of the moment that changed the course of your life? How did it turn out? What advice would you give someone contemplating such an act?
5. Lying comes easily to both Berta and Nicole. Maddee’s supervisor reminds her that lying can become habitual but can be corrected through therapy. Do you think Berta and Nicole lie for the same or different reasons? Why? Do you believe this habit can be corrected?
6. How did Nicole’s age and personality contribute to the long-term emotional impact of the murder scene the girls stumbled upon? Did you feel it was believable that her nightmares created an even deeper emotional wound?
7. At Mr. Edwards’s inn, Celeste was forced to work harder than she ever had in her entire life. What prepared her, in her past, for the difficult labor of a kitchen maid and serving girl?
8. Celeste finds, for a good part of the story, that she cannot pray. Have you ever have had a time in your life when you found it difficult to pray? What got you through? What made you able to pray again?
9. Sary tells Celeste that the charming men are “the ones you need to watch out for.” Jonathan and Dr. Austin Hill are the most charming men in the story. Even though they are separated by more than three hundred years, how are they similar? How are they different?
10. Are there stories about your ancestors you’ve learned from? If so, what are they and what did you learn?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mindy thanks
John Clark, my husband, best friend, and partner in work and life.
Emily Clark, my daughter and all-important behind-the-scenes helper and collaborator.
Lauren Clark, my daughter, idea person, and wise advisor in ways big and small.
Tara Kenny, my assistant, who helps keep me on track.
Joey Starns, my brother, who really went above and beyond on this one. Thanks, bro!
Kay Justus, who graciously provided a wide range of medical information.
Tonya N. Lawrence, MD, who generously shared her expertise in psychiatry.
Tracey Akamine, Hannah Campbell, Jennifer Clark, Andrew Cooper, Marc Engeron, Suzanne Scannell, Daniel Scannell, Andrew Starns, Shari Weber, and everyone else who gave input and answers on various book-related questions.
The helpful staff and volunteers of Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, New York.
The helpful staff and volunteers of the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, Virginia.
Leslie thanks
Peter Gould, my husband, research partner, and all-time biggest supporter in both life and writing. I couldn’t do this without you.
My children—Kaleb, Taylor, Hana, and Thao—who all inspire me and support me in ways they could never imagine.
Laurie Snyder, for her encouragement and helpful ideas concerning this story.
Linda Morell, a reader and friend, for sharing about her Huguenot ancestry and inspiring me to “do a little research.”
Dr. Ann Woodlief, Huguenot Society of Manakin national librarian; Bryan S. Godfrey, Huguenot Society of Manakin library assistant; and the Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin in the Colony of Virginia, for their help on the early history of Huguenots in Virginia.
The staff of the Manakin Episcopal Church and the Huguenot Memorial Chapel, Midlothian, Virginia, for allowing us to tour the buildings.
Bill Barker, archivist, the Mariners’ Park and Museum, Newport News, Virginia, for his help with details about the James River in the early 1700s.
Allison Heinbaugh, circulation and reference librarian, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, for her help on historical details concerning early Williamsburg.
Any mistakes in the story are ours.
Mindy and Leslie thank
Chip MacGregor, our agent, for all of his work on our behalf.
Kim Moore, our editor and friend, for her expertise and encouragement.
And all the fine folks at Harvest House, for their hard work, dedication, and much-appreciated support.
Don’t Miss
MY DAUGHTER’S LEGACY
Book 3 in the Cousins of the Dove Series
Continue the discovery of what truly happened all those years ago at the cabin in the woods, and meet a new generation of Talbots who along with their community, must face the challenges and heartbreaks of the Civil War-era Virginia.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction (over 1 million copies sold) including coauthoring the Christy Award-winning The Amish Midwife with Leslie Gould. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania.
Leslie Gould is the author of 22 novels. She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children.
To connect with the authors, visit Mindy’s and Leslie’s websites at www.mindystarnsclark.com and www.lesliegould.com.
Amish Christmas at North Star
One night
four lives entered the world
by the hands of an Amish midwife,
just outside North Star, Pennsylvania.
Rebekah’s Babies, as they are called, are now grown adults and in four heartwarming novellas each young person experiences a journey of discovery, a possibility of love, and the wonder of Christmas.
About the Publisher
* * *
To learn more about Harvest House books and to read sample chapters, visit our website:
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
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