The Things We Do For Love

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination, child abuse, emotional abuse, and pregnancy loss and termination.



Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Kristin Hannah frequently writes about female relationships. If you’ve read her popular novel Firefly Lane, how would you compare Kate and Tully to Angie and Lauren? In what ways are their experiences similar? Where do they diverge?

2. In what ways do the characters in this novel cope with loss? Did you find the portrayal of grief realistic? Why or why not?

3. The climate of the Pacific Northwest factors significantly into the narrative. How did the descriptions of weather and geography impact you as a reader? Have you read other novels that similarly incorporate physical geography, including that of the Pacific Northwest (for example, David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars)?

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

1. Angie desperately longs to be a mother, and the novel features multiple representations of motherhood: Maria DeSaria, Billie Ribido, Mrs. Haynes, etc. What do you consider maternal characteristics? Does one need their own children to be a “mother”?

2. Mrs. Haynes appears to be stern and disapproving of Lauren, yet she extends small kindnesses to Lauren during and after her pregnancy, which suggests that people may not always be what they seem. Have you ever been surprised to learn that someone is not who you expected them to be? What contributed to the disconnect between your perception and the reality?

3. Food brings people together in the narrative—not just at the restaurant but within the DeSaria family. What role has food played in your experiences with family and friends? Are there particular dishes or meals that hold emotional value for you? In what ways does food unite people in your life?

4. The novel suggests that love has both tangible and intangible effects on people’s lives; for instance, Lauren’s relationship with Angie helps Lauren escape poverty while also giving her confidence and hope. When have you seen love transform someone’s life?

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

1. Infertility, adoption, abortion, and teen pregnancy all factor into the lives of Angie and Lauren. Historically, there have been societal stigmas surrounding these topics. What are those stigmas, and how do they intersect with gender inequality? How have societal perceptions of any of these changed over time?

2. Through Lauren’s experiences, Hannah addresses classism, or bias stemming from inequities in socioeconomic status. The novel also briefly depicts the ways nonprofits like Help-Your-Neighbor attempt to bridge the economic divide. What factors contributed to class inequality and prejudice during the late 1990s through early 2000s? What has changed and what has stayed the same since then?

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

1. Motherhood significantly shapes Angie’s identity. What other factors contribute to who she is? What might the novel be saying about the nature of identity through this depiction?

2. The beach house offers respite for Angie when she returns to West End. Consider the ocean’s brief appearances in the narrative. What does it symbolize? Why is it fitting that Lauren and Angie reunite there?

3. Although love has the power to transform a person in positive ways, Hannah’s novel suggests that it can also be destructive. In what ways is love a paradox in the narrative? Which characters and events best demonstrate this contradiction?

4. The tone and mood of the novel shift as Angie and Lauren grow. How would you describe the emotions that the writing evokes at the beginning of the novel to those that the end evokes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Music factors into several scenes; for example, Bruce Springsteen is playing on the day Lauren’s mother abandons her. Select at least three scenes in the narrative that have no mention of music. What soundtrack would you have playing in the background? Why?

2. The period in which The Things We Do for Love is set is never explicitly stated but is likely the early 2000s. How would you rewrite the ending of the novel to reflect the contemporary world? In what ways would the narrative stay the same? In what ways could it change?

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