A Love Letter to Whiskey

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and rape.



Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did you expect B and Jamie to overcome the barriers presented in their relationship? Were there any points in the novel when you thought they might not end up together?

2. A Love Letter to Whiskey deals with a lot of sensitive subjects. Have you read other romances that touch on difficult topics—for example, Mia Sheridan’s Archer’s Voice? If so, how does this novel compare? If not, did you expect this of a romance? 

3. Did you find B or Jamie more relatable? Did you like either character more at the end of the novel than at the start?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Were you certain of your future as a teenager, like Jamie was, or were you indecisive like B? If you had definite plans, have they come to fruition?

2. What did you think about B pushing Jamie away after her father’s death? Did this response to grief feel authentic to you, based on your own experiences? Why or why not?

3. Has there ever been a time when you chose security over happiness? How did you feel about B staying in Pittsburgh rather than risking her career for a life with Jamie?

4. Have you ever made a decision about your life that was hard for others to accept? Did you think that Jamie made the right choice to start dating Angel after B turned him down?

5. If you were B, what choices would you make differently, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does this novel say about contemporary gender roles and dynamics? How do the genders of the characters influence their choices and the options they have?

2. How do B’s attempts to balance work and her relationship reflect contemporary expectations for work-life balance? Do you think this is at all influenced by her specific career choices?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. B and Jamie often live on the coast and yearn for the water when they are away. What do you think the ocean symbolizes to them?

2. How does B change throughout the novel? Does her narrative style reflect those changes? Do Jamie’s changes parallel those that B experiences, or are they entirely different?

3. How did the novel’s time skips impact your reading experience? Did the structure confuse you or help you to better understand the relationships presented in the novel?

4. How do depictions of B’s parents’ relationship shift the tone of the novel? Did they make you feel any differently about B or her choices?

5. What is the significance of B’s parents going unnamed?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that you were in Jenna’s role. What would you have told B to do about her relationship and choices?

2. What do you think a sequel to this novel would look like? Do you think that B and Jamie would still be together?