To Tom Kelly, my newly wedded husband and all-around knight in shining armor, it always has been and always will be . . . you and me against the world. Thank you for asking, for waiting, for saying I do, and for all the stuff before and after. I love you more than words can say. (And I know a lot of words!)
I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout-out to Topher Lee and Carmen Tanner Slaughter, who came to the rescue and actually helped me name Honey Rawlings.
And of course, last but not least, big squishy hugs to all my wonderful readers. Thank you for reading, reviewing, sharing, and encouraging. But most of all, thank you for being part of my extended family. Every word is for you!
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What events and/or circumstances in Christy-Lynn’s past do you see as contributing to her wariness of strangers and her reluctance to develop close personal relationships? By the end of the novel, what evidence are we given that she is finally ready to overcome those fears and move forward?
In what ways do you see the concept of guilt and self-blame playing out as Christy-Lynn struggles to cope with various events? Do you believe women are more prone to these kinds of guilty thoughts than men? And if so, why?
The themes of friendship and acceptance, particularly within the bonds of female friendship, are heavily woven into the novel. What specific examples of these qualities are we shown, and how do you feel they affect Christy-Lynn’s self-image and actions as the story progresses?
Missy has a strong dislike of the word never, likening it to the doors we close on our own happiness—all the things we won’t let ourselves have, do, or be. Can you recall a time in your own life when you suddenly realized you were limiting yourself and chose to stop closing a door to your happiness?
As the novel progresses, we learn more and more about the dynamic of Stephen and Christy-Lynn’s marriage. In what ways do you see Christy-Lynn’s unstable past and poor self-image playing a role in enabling a manipulative and controlling husband?
How do you feel about Christy-Lynn’s early decision to place the majority of Stephen’s money in a trust for Iris? Could you foresee a situation in which you would feel uncomfortable spending money that was left to you under painful circumstances? What advice would you have given Christy-Lynn?
Several mentions of “burning bridges” appear in the novel, referring to irrevocably severing ties to a person or event from the past. Do you believe it’s possible to irrevocably burn all one’s bridges, or are there some that no amount of time, pain, or distance can ever completely sever? Do you believe that no matter what has transpired in someone’s past there is always a way back?
Dar believes that dreams are messages from our deeper selves. Do you believe this, and if so, has there ever been a time in your life when you felt your dreams were trying to send you a message? Did you listen and act on it? And if not, do you now wish you had?
At one point in the novel, Christy-Lynn opens a fortune cookie and finds the words: Salvation lies in doing the thing that frightens us most. What specific fears has Christy-Lynn confronted by the end of the novel, and how does each stand to help bring her salvation?
Can you identify with Christy-Lynn’s lingering sense of guilt over deserting her mother? Had you been in her shoes, would you have gone looking for her after so many years, or would you have been content to remain estranged and live with the what-ifs?
Throughout the book, we see Christy-Lynn grapple with the pain of her mother’s broken promise, as symbolized by the tarnished half-heart necklace. At the end of the book, we see her give Iris a similar necklace. What do you think this gift symbolizes for Christy-Lynn at that point, and what does it say about her personal growth?
By the end of the book, Rhetta has come to believe Christy-Lynn is an angel, sent to care for Iris, while Christy-Lynn believes Iris was sent to take care of her. Do you believe there are people who come into our lives to comfort us in hard times or point us toward a happier future, or do you believe everything that happens to us is random? Can you remember an instance in your own life when someone appeared at just the right time to deliver a much-needed lesson or help you through a particularly difficult time?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2015 Lisa Aube
After spending more than a decade as an executive in the jewelry business, Barbara decided to leave the corporate world to pursue her lifelong passion for writing. The author of The Secrets She Carried, The Wishing Tide, Summer at Hideaway Key, and Love, Alice, this is her fifth novel. She lives in Rochester, New Hampshire, with her husband, Tom, and their beloved ginger cat, Simon, and is currently working on her next book. Visit her at www.barbaradavis-author.com or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barbaradavisauthor/.
When Never Comes Page 34