Wendy Sand Eckel

  

1. What was your initial reaction to the book? Did you like it? Love? Did it hook you right away or take some time for you to get into it?

 

2. What made the setting unique/important? Could the story have taken place anywhere?

 

3. Did you find Rosalie Hart to be a credible narrator?

 

4. Who was your favorite character?

 

5. Opening the café was a dream realized for Rosalie. Her love for cooking stems from a love of nurturing others. What is your relationship to cooking?

 

6. Along with the mystery is the theme of Fathers. There are several different fathering styles represented in the story. Compare/contrast these characters:            

            Butch

            CJ

            Sheriff Wilgus

            Ed

            Rosalie’s father

 

7. What do you think of Annie and Rosalie’s relationship? Is her parenting style similar to yours?

 

8. Custer is a complicated character. How do you feel about his relationship with Annie? How do his issues impact the people around him? Were you ever in a relationship with a complicated man/woman?

 

9. Did the characters seem believable to you? What characters would you like to see continue on  in the third book in the series?

 

10. Which character did you relate to the most? What about that character could you relate to?

 

11. Crystal has a gift of clairvoyance. Do you know anyone who has a similar gift? Do you believe certain people can communicate/receive messages from people who have passed?

 

12. Sheriff Wilgus is in a like/hate relationship with Rosalie. What about her aggravates him so much? Do you have someone like Joe Wilgus in your life?

 

13. Lori has lost her husband and is left with the knowledge that he stole the money. Do you think she should have given the money to the sheriff right away? What would you do?

 

14. What did you think about Kevin and Jake’s relationship? Is it sustainable?

 

15. At what point did you realize who the murderer was?

 

16. Do you think you would make a good amateur sleuth? What would you do if you happened upon a crime?

 

17. Rosalie and Tyler have declared their affection for one another. How do you see their relationship playing out?

 

18. Was it a satisfying ending?

 

19. There are recipes in the back of the book. Have you ever cooked a recipe from a culinary novel?

 

20. Is the Eastern Shore of Maryland somewhere you have been? If not, would you like to go there?

 

21. Have you ever dreamed of owning a restaurant? What type of food would you serve?

 

22. What is your opinion of the book’s cover?

 

23. Is the Day Lily Café somewhere you would like to dine?

 

24. Who should play Rosalie in a movie? Tyler? Sheriff Wilgus? Annie?

 

25. Would you read another book by Wendy Sand Eckel?