Introduction

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley brings a new novel in her River Rain series…
From a very young age, Chloe Pierce was trained to look after the ones she loved.
And she was trained by the best.
But when the man who looked after her was no longer there, Chloe is cast adrift—just as the very foundation of her life crumbled to pieces.
Then she runs into tall, lanky, unpretentious Judge Oakley, her exact opposite. She shops. He hikes. She drinks pink ladies. He drinks beer. She’s a city girl. He’s a mountain guy.
Obviously, this means they have a blowout fight upon meeting. Their second encounter doesn’t go a lot better.
Judge is loving the challenge. Chloe is everything he doesn’t want in a woman, but he can’t stop finding ways to spend time with her. He knows she’s dealing with loss and change.
He just doesn’t know how deep that goes. Or how ingrained it is for Chloe to care for those who have a place in her heart, how hard it will be to trust anyone to look after her…
And how much harder it is when it’s his turn.

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Excerpt

Chapter One
The Two Words

Judge


Now…

Considering the fact he’d brought in a coffee for his buddy, Rix, who managed the store, Judge was down on the floor where Rix’s office was, not on the top floor where his was, so he saw her when she walked into the shoe section. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:


1. At first glance, Belinda Oakley appears to be an almost villain in this novel. But addiction is an illness, and for Belinda, it not only went untreated, after Jameson felt the need to give up on her once she’d betrayed their marriage to that compulsion, no one in her life, including her parents, made much effort to press her to seek help.

Do you think Belinda would have eventually benefitted from some love and intervention? Do you feel she was lost to the machinations of powerful men and the recriminations of a disapproving father? Do you feel her father’s attitudes, and perhaps Jamie’s ambitions, may have had some effect on how quickly she became unanchored after high school? And do you think it’s a child’s responsibility, when they reach adulthood, to press a parent to recovery?

Or is there a point of no return for a person struggling with addiction who shows no willingness to seek help where those around them must break ties for their own emotional health? Or even, do you feel it is not anyone’s responsibility, but this is solely owned by the person who is struggling?

2. It is distinctly the author’s opinion that we all should be socially responsible, but in this book, she makes clear those of privilege should understand that and consciously work at leveling the playing field. What did you think about Chloe’s Fabulous Foot Forward program? Judge’s determination to make a career in mutual aid? Hale’s crusade to use the wealth and power his father left him for good? Was this believable? Are they doing enough? Is it your opinion they’re focusing on the right things? If not, what should they be focusing on or do you think this is their responsibility at all?

3. Sizeism and ageism are issues. It can be argued that ridiculing and discriminating on the basis of weight and age are still socially acceptable to many. In fact, a large number of people feel it is not objectionable in the slightest to openly share their derogation of people, especially women, who are considered overweight.

How did you feel when you read the description of the clientele Chloe caters to in Velvet and her opinions about why she does? When shopping, have you experienced some of the things that Chloe’s patron mentioned? Or have you never thought of this? No matter your age or size, would you welcome and patronize a store like Velvet?

4. Chloe and Judge are an example of opposites attract. But this is only surface. Were you surprised how they found so much common ground, even if, at first glance, they would not seem to suit?

5. AJ Oakley is the villain in this book, however, he is also an example of a character who was, and sometimes still is, admired and even revered as a traditional model of the esteemed masculine traits of being straight-speaking, aggressive, wealthy, philandering and unapologetic. What are your thoughts on that?

6. Did you think Chloe should so easily forgive Sasha?

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