Last week, I did a blog post about book clubs and how having the right questions can spark great conversations about your favorite books. On that note, I put together some questions for my rock star romance, Tangled Web. I got a lot of really good feedback from that, and my post allowed readers to think about the book with fresh eyes.
I can’t speak for all authors, of course, but I can tell you that most of us—while we don’t necessarily have a heavy-handed message we feel the need to deliver—do have a particular way of looking at our world, and we hope that you don’t mind seeing the world through our eyes, even if only for a few hours while reading our books. Other times, though, I’ll admit, I have had messages that are…more, for lack of a better word.
Today’s book is not one of those books, but it is a book that I hope you are (or were) able to relate to, and it’s one I hope allows you to escape from everyday life. She’s been one of my favorite characters to write, and she is not the only character in her books whose mouth has voiced an occasional opinion of mine. It can’t be helped. Some of my characters share my opinions! 🙂
Without further ado, let’s plunge into the questions. Again, just a reminder—if you haven’t read the Nicki Sosebee books, especially the first one, I recommend you don’t read the questions, as they will likely contain spoilers. There’s no getting around it!
Here’s the new and improved blurb that I rewrote a week or so ago…
Nicki Sosebee wants her first headline, but she doesn’t want it to read “Reporter found dead.”
Since leaving school years earlier, Nicki Sosebee has long since given up on the notion of The American Dream, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still have dreams of her own. She realized early on that her college degree isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, but she also knows that she doesn’t want to work for minimum wage the rest of her life.
She wants MORE.
To get there, she’s been learning the ropes as a novice reporter for her hometown newspaper, but it doesn’t take her long to find out that her naïveté is not doing her any favors. That’s where her best friend Sean Ramsey comes in. He gives her advice when her instincts steer her wrong and he supports her when she needs it.
Oh…and he’s HOT.
She’s had it bad for Sean, ever since The Night eight years ago, the one time they hooked up and had the time of their lives, but she ruined it when she accidentally called him her ex-boyfriend’s name in the heat of passion. And they’ve been friends only—and hands off—ever since.
Nicki’s currently investigating a story that she thinks might result in her first headline. One of Winchester’s bad boys has been locked up for arson, but as Nicki digs deeper, she finds it’s not just a case of trying to set fire to a house…and between being seduced by a bad ass biker and potentially getting caught by the bad guys before she can write that headline, Nicki starts to wonder if she’s really GOT THE LIFE.
Questions:
Nicki Sosebee is a “free spirit.” Some readers are uncomfortable with her lifestyle, in particular, her sexual freedom. How does this independence define her character? Is it believable?
Nicki’s naïveté tends to get her in a lot of hot water. In spite of this innocence, does she seem to learn and grow throughout the book? Do you see hope for her in the future?
Nicki’s relationships with her friends, parents, and coworkers keep her on her toes. Which relationship do you think is most important to Nicki? Why?
If you met someone like Nicki in real life, would you be her friend? Why or why not? How would you feel about her? Would you get along with her?
Will Sean and Nicki ever be able to move past their sexual attraction and—if they do—will it destroy their friendship? If you haven’t read past the first book, what do you think will happen and why?
Female readers have different expectations for their “book boyfriends.” Is Sean your type of book boyfriend? Why or why not? What qualities does he have that turn you off or on?
Are there any passages or quotes that stand out to you?
Nicki seems to be honest in her actions even in most of her dealings with Sean. How do her motivations and feelings play into her actions?
If you could ask Jade one question about this book, what would it be?
If you use these questions for a book club reading, I’d love to know how it goes. If you come up with other questions, I’d love to hear them! Happy reading!
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