Introduction

A sweeping love story set in a lavish seaside mansion in 1901 Rhode Island.

Melinda Hollister is a society lady, intent on finding a rich husband before her peers discover her quickly diminishing wealth. Nick Bryson is all business, focused on making a name for himself in his father's teamship line. Despite the marriage of their siblings, they rarely gave each other a second glance-until a tragic accident results in Melinda and Nick being appointed as co-guardians of their three-year-old niece Nell.

In order to get better acquainted with Nell and one another, Melinda and Nick agree to spend the summer in their own private quarters of the Bryson family vacation home, Summerhill. As their love for Nell grows, so does their attraction to each other. And for the first time in their lives, they sense that God has a bigger plan in motion.

Yet old habits die hard and Melinda and Nick each find it difficult to resist the pull of their former worlds.

When the unthinkable happens, they find themselves faced with seemingly impossible choices and a new understanding of God's true love.

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Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. When Melinda was a teenager her father lost his fortune. Even though he regained it, she was deeply affected by the experience. How do you think that traumatic event influenced her future? Do you think that justifies her plan to marry for reasons other than love?

2. Should Melinda have confessed her financial situation to Nick before they married? Or do you think it was none of Nick’s concern? Unlike Melinda, would you be willing to take the chance of losing your fiancé?

3. Should Melinda have been more understanding of Nick’s workaholic tendencies or should she have understood he was under a lot of pressure from his father? Why didn’t Nick automatically put Melinda and Nell first in his life?

4. If Glynna hadn’t influenced Melinda to curb her materialism, do you think she would’ve done so on her own? In what ways did following ‘the Book’ make a difference in Melinda’s attitude?

5. Melinda and Nick had different ways of expressing love. Do you think men and women often tend to show their love for each other differently or do you think it just depends on the individual?

6. Why was it so hard for Melinda to sacrifice her possessions for the greater good of someone else? How did Glynna convince her to become a more selfless person?

7. Do you think Melinda and Nick should have married for Nell’s sake even though they weren’t in love? Do you think people ever marry or stay together for the children’s welfare in the twenty-first century? Is it a good idea?

8. Why did Nick find it so difficult to tell Melinda he loved her?

9. With society exerting such powerful pressure on all the characters, do you think Melinda and Jasper could have solved their problems without resorting to such extreme measures? How?

10. In what ways did money or the lack of it influence the behavior of both the servants and the cottagers?

11. Do you think Nick should have confronted his father earlier? Why didn’t he?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Cara Lynn James' web site
»	Follow Cara Lynn James on Facebook
»	Read the first chapter

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