Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel blends a story of deep grief with a hopeful romance. What were your thoughts on this combination, and how did it affect your reading experience? How does this balance compare to other Libby Page novels you may have read, like The Lido (2018)?

2. Joe’s posthumous gift of a “year of books” is the central device that drives the plot forward (11). How effective did you find this structure in telling Tilly’s story of healing?

3. What was the overall emotional tone of the book for you? Did you find it more uplifting and hopeful, or more reflective and melancholic?

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

1. Joe’s gift is meant to guide Tilly through her grief and help her grow. When has a book felt like a guide or a catalyst for change in your own life?

2. What role do “third places,” like community hubs, libraries, or local shops, play in your life? Do you have a space that feels like a “safe harbor” in the way Book Lane does for Tilly and its other customers? What makes that space so important?

3. Tilly’s relationship with her sister, Harper, is complicated by Harper’s well-meaning attempts to “fix” her grief. Have you ever experienced this kind of pressure from loved ones? How did you respond?

4. Joe’s letters allow him to remain a presence in Tilly’s life and guide her from afar. What power does a handwritten letter hold for you in an age of instant digital communication? What aspects of your own life do you resist digitizing, and why?

5. Tilly’s decision to quit her job marks a major turning point, giving her the space to figure out who she is without Joe. Have you ever felt the need to pause one part of your life to rediscover another?

6. Inspired by one of Joe’s books, Tilly must decide which of his belongings to keep. How do physical objects shape your own connection to memory and the past?

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

1. The struggle to save Book Lane reflects the real-world challenges faced by independent bookstores. How is the novel’s representation of this conflict and, more broadly, small business struggles, illustrated in the current conversation about this issue in the real world?

2. Consider the author Amirah Lopez’s comments in Paris about wishing she could wear a visible marker of her loss. In what ways does the novel challenge or reinforce societal expectations about grieving?

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

1. How does this novel subvert common conventions in the grief romance and bibliophilic romance subgenres? In what ways do these two narrative structures support and enhance one another throughout the story?

2. How does Alfie’s journey of grieving for his father parallel Tilly’s journey? What does his initial reluctance to step outside his role as the bookshop’s custodian reveal about his character?

3. The novel is part of a subgenre sometimes called “grief romance,” in which a character heals with posthumous guidance. How does Tilly’s journey compare to similar stories you might have encountered, such as Cecelia Ahern’s P.S. I Love You (2004)? What makes this novel’s approach to the genre feel fresh or unique?

4. How effectively is Joe developed as a character, given that he is only present through flashbacks, letters, and others’ memories? What are the advantages of this narrative technique?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write the next chapter, what would be the first book in the new “year of books” that Alfie gives Tilly?

2. Tilly’s new column is called “A Book Made Me Do It.” Imagine you are writing a guest post for her column. What book would you choose, and what real-life adventure did it inspire you to undertake?

3. Choose a key scene, such as the fight in Tuscany or the day Tilly visits her in-laws, and briefly imagine how it might be told from Harper’s or Ellen’s perspective.