Book Club Discussion: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

Please take a look at the discussion questions below and Nancy's responses, then comment with your own responses to some or all of the questions. Also, please include the number of the question(s) with your response(s) so we can all keep track of what is being discussed. Feel free to add any other comments you have that are not prompted by the questions. Thank you for reading A Weekend with Mr. Darcy and participating in our discussion!

1) Did you know immediately that Lorna Warwick was a pen name for a male writer or were you surprised?

No, I wasn't expecting it. I was surprised and thought it was a fun twist. 

2) Do you think Warwick was deceitful? When do you think he should have told Katherine the truth?

Yes, he was definitely deceitful, and I didn't like that he never actually told her. His agent spilled the beans, so I wonder when or if he ever would have said something. I think he should have told Katherine the truth in his letters to her before they ever met in person, but maybe he didn't trust her enough to tell her such a big secret when he hadn't even met her yet. Then again, they became "best friends" just from writing to each other, so he should have told such a close friend the truth about himself. 

3) Do you think it is ever okay to put fictional characters before real people? Why do you think Robyn chose to ignore her own relationship with Jace in favor of fantasizing about Jane Austen's life and her characters?

Robyn was looking for escapism because she felt unfulfilled in her own relationship. By being in a fictional fantasy world most of the time, she was disconnected from her actual situation. But when she met Dan, she was forced to face reality in order to have her own life. I think it's okay to focus on fictional characters, especially if you're a writer or some type of creative person, but a good balance between fiction and reality is best. 

4) Which hero did you like more: Warwick or Dan? Why?

I liked Dan more because he was honest and he wasn't hiding anything. Dan and Robyn seemed very well suited for each other, though it was kind of presumptuous of him to move into the cottage without having seen Robyn for weeks and without asking her first. But that was a minor issue compared to Warwick's betrayal.

5) Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

Yes. It was enjoyable and will definitely appeal to romance fans and Jane Austen fans.  

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One lucky book club participant will receive a paperback copy of the next installment in Victoria Connelly's Jane Austen trilogy, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments on April 27th. 

Book Club: Discussion of The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Welcome to our first book club discussion! Please take a look at the discussion questions below and Nancy's responses, then comment with your own responses to some or all of the questions. Also, please include the number of the question(s) with your response(s) so we can all keep track of what is being discussed. Feel free to add any other comments you have that are not prompted by the questions. Thank you for reading The Violets of March and participating in our discussion!

The Violets of March Discussion Questions
 
1. How would you describe Emily Wilson’s life and her state of mind at the beginning of the book? What draws you to her character?

Emily’s marriage to Joel is ending when the novel begins. She wrote a bestselling novel eight years ago, but hasn’t written anything since. She describes her life as “vanilla,” too boring to inspire her writing. Emily is lost, but her friend Annabelle encourages her to take a trip to clear her head. So, Emily decides to go to Bainbridge Island to visit her great aunt Bee.
 
2. What are your first impressions of Bee? How would you describe Emily and Bee's relationship?

Bee seems like fun, but mysterious, too. She picks and chooses what she will talk to Emily about, which is frustrating. It’s clear that she’s guarded, obviously hiding something.
 
3. What role does Bainbridge Island play in this story? What makes it unique? 
 
Bainbridge Island is much more relaxed than New York where Emily lives. Bainbridge is a place of nostalgia for Emily because she spent time there when she was younger. Revisiting it as an adult is kind of like going back to summer camp with a new perspective. It houses Emily’s family’s secrets.
 
4. How have secrets affected Emily's family and personal relationships? Would you have tried to uncover the truth as well?

The secrets have created distance among her family members. It’s hard to resist trying to solve a mystery. Emily did the right thing by seeking the truth.
 
5. Emily finds two love interests on Bainbridge Island: Greg and Jack. What are your impressions of each of these men?

Greg is a great guy who is honest and sincere. I was rooting for Greg and liked him better than Jack. I was holding out hope for Emily to choose Greg until the very end. I wish Greg’s message about Emily in Heart Rock had more significance like it did for Esther and Elliot. I didn’t like Jack’s secrecy, which made him seem distant. Also, maybe Bee’s dislike for him influenced my opinion of him because I was waiting to see why she was warning Emily against him.
 
6. Emily thinks to herself, “What power Esther had over all of them.” What power did Esther have over Elliot, Evelyn, Bee, Janice, and Henry? What power did her story have over Emily?

Esther manipulated all of them, and her stubbornness deeply affected their lives. If she had told them she was still alive much sooner it would have alleviated some of their guilt. By faking her own death, Esther acted stupidly. None of them were brave, just stubborn. The good part about Esther’s story is that it opened Emily’s eyes so that she could help her family and find love.
 
7. Both Bee and Elliot harbor guilt about the night of Esther's accident. How do you feel they handled the situation?

They were cowards for running away, and as a result, they were haunted by that night for the rest of their lives.
 
8. Elliot says that he and Esther were “soul mates,” and Emily's relationship with Jack mirrors that sentiment. What role does timing play in these two couples' relationships? What could Esther and Elliot have done differently to be together?

Esther is to blame for the demise of her relationship with Elliot. If she had just let him explain why he was in Seattle with another woman, their story could have had a different ending. After she saw Elliot with Bee, she set out to punish him. Esther was spiteful, revengeful, and unfair, especially to keep Elliot’s daughter from him. At least Emily’s relationship with Jack is much healthier. Emily’s and Esther’s stories are supposed to be somewhat parallel, but they are ultimately very different characters. For example, Emily initially wanted to give Joel a second chance even after he cheated, but when Esther suspected cheating she took off running without even allowing for an explanation.
 
9. Would you recommend The Violets of March? Share what you liked the most about this novel.  

Yes. I really enjoyed the connection to the forties and the uncovering of the past through Esther’s diary. The setting was very inviting and the violets tied in nicely with the story. Overall, a superbly written novel. 
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One lucky book club participant will receive a paperback copy of Sarah Jio's second novel, The Bungalow. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments on April 12th. 

Book Club Picks for April

Discussion begins on Monday, April 9th

If love is in the cards, then somebody stacked the deck. Los Angeles radio DJ Beryl “Berry” Lambert, whose name means luck, doesn’t much believe in it—although, thanks to her dear old gambling dad, she’s a bit superstitious, certain that everything happens for a reason. She keeps a four-leaf clover in her wallet, never takes off her horseshoe necklace, and won’t tempt fate by walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella indoors. Ever. When it comes to love, though, she could use a little luck. Two disastrous relationships back-to-back can mean only one thing to a woman who knows that everything good or bad happens in threes: A third Mr. Wrong is imminent. But fellow DJ Ryan Riley goes against the odds. Their on-air battle of the sexes is a hit for the station and sparks some serious heat after hours. Ryan is funny and sexy, and he thinks Berry’s quirkiness is cute. Is their romance doomed by the numbers—or is a girl who leaves nothing to chance finally ready to gamble?



Discussion begins on Tuesday, April 24th

Every dress has a history. And so does every woman. A treasured child’s coat becomes a thread of hope connecting two very different women. Her friends are stunned when Phoebe Swift abruptly leaves a plum job at the prestigious Sotheby’s auction house to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream. In the sunlight-flooded interior of Village Vintage, surrounded by Yves Saint Laurent silk scarves, Vivienne Westwood bustle skirts, cupcake dresses, and satin gowns, Phoebe hopes to make her store the hot new place to shop, even as she deals with two ardent suitors, her increasingly difficult mother, and a secret from her past that casts a shadow over her new venture. For Phoebe, each vintage garment carries its own precious history. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe is rewarded whenever she finds something truly unique, for she knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life. Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of smart suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.

Announcement: The Chick Lit Bee Book Club

We have some exciting news to share with you. The Chick Lit Bee will host a book club starting next month! There will be two book selections each month and participants can read both books or just one. On the second Monday of the month, we will begin discussing an American women's fiction novel. On the last Tuesday of the month, we will begin discussing a British/Irish/Australian women's fiction novel. Nancy will post questions on those days with her thoughts to get the conversation started. The book selections will be announced at least a month prior to the scheduled discussion date. If you have any book suggestions, please feel free to share them with us. 

The CLB Book Club is going to be a lot of fun, so we hope you'll join us!

Here are the book selections for March:

American: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio - Monday, March 12th
British: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly - Tuesday, March 27th