Contemporary Fiction1. With which character did you most identify: Letitia (wanted marriage to her high
school sweetheart and children), Mary Love (wanted a life dedicated to her art), Eleanor (wanted a life as a social worker), or Adora (a preacher's daughter who dreamed of stardom in Hollywood)? Explain.
2. Sometimes
before we can truly stand before God we must go through the purifying fire of suffering and self-denial. As painful as this may be, we learn that God is always with us, working to refine our faith and strengthen our
trust in Him. Why is it that sometimes we have to be brought to our knees in order to look up and see the One who is truly in control of our lives? Discuss this in terms of the characters in the book, including Brendan
Delaney, the reporter.
3. Our natural inclination is to go our own ways and follow our dreams. How might we start with a dream that God planted in us, and then have it see fruition in a way that we may not have
expected? Do you think that every dream in its fulfillment should be about bringing others to God? Have you or anyone you have ever known followed a dream that turned out differently than expected, and yet reached a
destiny unimagined? How did God mold you (or someone else) so that you were able to fulfill your dream/destiny? Have you ever had to give up a dream?
4. Do you think there were any flaws in the story, say, that maybe
the author tried too hard to tie up loose ends in Brendan's life? Brendan is only in her 30's, whereas the members of the Blue Bottle Club are in their 80's! How would you finish writing Brendan's story?
5. What role do you think the Depression era of the 1930's played in the development of these women's lives?
6. Do you think that a story like this could inspire you to want to live each day to the fullest, trusting
each day in God? How so?
7. Discuss this book in terms of its being a celebration of women, of their strengths, their weaknesses, and their potential to be what God designed them to be
