Redeeming 6

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of child abuse, substance use, and addiction.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did you expect Aoife and Joey to overcome the obstacles to their relationship? Were there any points in the novel where you thought they might not end up together?

2. Redeeming 6 is a romance novel, but it delves into serious issues, like abuse and addiction. How did this enhance or detract from your reading experience?

3. Did you find Aoife or Joey 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. In Redeeming 6, Joey struggles between his love for Aoife and his belief that leaving her alone is the best thing for her and the baby. Have you ever felt yourself torn between someone you love and doing what felt like the right thing?

2. Aoife makes the decision to have and keep her baby, changing the trajectory of her life and dismaying her parents. Have you ever made a decision about your life that was hard for others to accept? How did you deal with the situation?

3. How did Aoife’s pregnancy change your expectations for the novel? What did you feel when her pregnancy was revealed? Did it surprise you? Why?

4. Over the course of the novel, Joey and his siblings establish a new family outside of their parents. What are your experiences with found family?

5. Consider the various serious decisions Aoife makes throughout the novel. If you were her, what choices would you make differently or the same?

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

1. Addiction and recovery play an important role in the plot and character development of Redeeming 6. How does Walsh’s treatment of the issue fit into contemporary discussions about addiction and recovery?

2. Although the novel is filled with serious adult issues, the characters are young, and much of the important action takes place at school. How does this setting reflect the issues facing school-age children today?

3. 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?

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

1. Consider Walsh’s choice to structure the novel with alternating chapters between Aoife and Joey. How does it affect your reading experience? How might it have been different if only one of the main characters had been the narrator?

2. Family is an important topic of the novel. Consider the various families presented in the narrative. How do they differ? In what ways are they the same? How does their representation affect the thematic meanings of the novel?

3. Discuss the significance of Ballylaggin as the setting of the novel, paying attention to both its symbolic and thematic significance. Is Joey and Aoife’s relationship impacted at all by their physical surroundings?

4. Analyze Aoife’s development as a character throughout the novel. How does she change? Consider how her narration changes as she grows and matures.

5. How does this novel fit into the conventional romance genre? Are there ways in which it subverts genre conventions?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Sketch out an alternate plot for the novel, in which Aoife doesn’t get pregnant. How would this change their relationship trajectory and the personal growth of the two characters?

2. Imagine a sequel to Redeeming 6 that takes place five years after the end of the novel. Where do you think the members of the Lynch family would be?

3. Write a chapter from Darren’s point of view. What were the circumstances behind his leaving the family? How does he feel about returning?

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