I can’t thank Friday Jones enough for introducing me to Peter Miller and his staff, Amina Henry and Adrienne Rosado, who pushed me to finish this and then found a fabulous home for the book. The team at Atria Books, Emily Bestler, who honed the prose, and Judith Curr, Louise Burke, Carolyn Reidy, and Laura Stern, worked to create a launch that was smooth as silk.

And of course, to the cookie bitches who supported and encouraged and were excited for me as I wrote.

Yay to us!!!

Readers Group Guide

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1. How does the present action of the narrative, as well as the way details are revealed about characters, affect your reading of the novel? In what ways does the story draw the reader in as a new member of the group?

2. As Marnie says, “The people in our lives change as our understanding changes.” (p. 223) How does each character in the novel change for you as you learn more about them? How does Aaron change for Marnie after hearing Sissy’s story?

3. How does the opening of The Christmas Cookie Club establish the themes of darkness and light that run through the novel? How do you feel about the choice of the hospice as the recipient of the group’s generosity? Why do you think Marnie is so especially attuned to the pain her friends suffer and brave in facing the starkness of events such as Luke’s death?

4. Marnie wonders, “Is Jim another chance for intimacy … or another dodge from commitment?” (p. 24) Why do you think Marnie is so conflicted about moving forward in her relationship with Jim? What gives her the courage to tell him that she loves him?

5. The book highlights the social histories of baking ingredients such as vanilla, sugar, and dates. Was there anything you learned that surprised you? Marnie also mentions her personal associations with these common items. What are your associations with these ingredients and others in your kitchen?

6. Thinking about Rosie’s quest for children, Marnie wonders, “When I see a friend heading down a difficult road, how much do I confront, and how much do I accept knowing I’ll be there to pick up the pieces?” (p. 79) What do you think is the best approach to friendship: honest advice or unquestioning support? How do you think Marnie is able to stay so nonjudg-mental when it comes to her friends’ tangled lives?

7. “The past gets carried with us. It’s always there,” according to Marnie. (p. 252) How is the past evident in the current lives of the characters? For example, how does the past affect Marnie’s relationship with her daughters and with Jim? How does Juliet’s high school façade help to create a long-term double life?