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Back Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for A Season for Second Chances
  3. Also by Jenny Bayliss
  4. Dedication
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Epilogue
  48. Acknowledgments
  49. Discussion Guide
  50. About the Author
  51. What’s next onyour reading list?
  1. Nory resides in London, where she’s “used to the constant hum of traffic,” a big contrast to her quieter, plant-loving personality. What stops Nory from pursuing her same day-to-day routine back home?
  2. Nory owns a bookshop in London and loves making connections between books and their owners. In what ways does this preliminary backdrop—the way Nory makes a living—foreshadow how she navigates differences among the people she loves?
  3. Nory and Isaac meet again after fifteen years, in the castle’s intertwining gardens. How does their reunion differ from Nory’s reunion with her friends? Discuss the symbolism of the mazelike gardens and how it might reflect their romantic journey.
  4. Nory and Ameerah manage to stay close friends long after their school years. How does Ameerah’s character influence your experience of their other posh friends?
  5. We learn early in the story that Nory recently lost one of her dear friends, Tristan. Discuss how this loss influenced your reading of each character’s struggles. In what ways can grief impact the dynamic of a friend group?
  6. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe pays tribute to the winter magic of the Christmas season. With the hustle and bustle of a big, lively wedding that is set in the English countryside, full of fresh-cut winter greenery and an air of nostalgia, the story elicits both a sense of exuberance and calm. How do the story’s quieter, more solemn moments speak to the holiday spirit?
  7. Nory’s scholarship opened for her many doors but closed some others. Did you find yourself relating to any aspects of Nory’s family dynamic? Using examples from the story, what set roles do you think Nory might have wished her family fulfilled? Discuss your perceived position in your own family, and whether your parents and/or siblings would agree.
  8. “Nory had once harbored a fancy that she might be the sort of person who made sourdough bread after work; she often fantasized about being a domestic goddess. . . . if she was being honest, it frightened her a bit. . . . Nory decided to leave sourdough to the professionals and went back to buying it from Pepe’s” (this page). Dissect what this quote reveals about Nory and her desires. How does this relate to her passion for books and botanicals?
  9. Isaac and Nory’s brother, Thomas, are close friends and mutual confidantes. How would you feel if your crush knew more about your sibling than you did?
  10. Nory and Isaac make a few references early on to their mudslinging days. What did you think of these nostalgic moments? In what ways if any did this dynamic carry over into their adult relationship?
  11. In navigating a more mature relationship together, Isaac and Nory must face a few hurdles. At the end, how does Isaac come to terms with their missteps and learn to trust Nory again? Conversely, how does Nory believe Isaac is ready to leave the past behind? Discuss the fragility of trust in a relationship and how it manifests in Isaac and Nory’s relationship.