The Book Club Questions

If you're using one of my books for your book club-- fear not! I've got questions for you! They can be somewhat spoilery, so please scroll with caution if you haven't finished yet.

Tell Me How You Really Feel

1. There’s a she said/ she said approach to this story. Did you find yourself gravitating towards one narrator or the other? Why?

2. Was there a point where you changed your mind? What changed your mind?

3. What are your own favorite rom-com tropes? Why?

4. (Almost) All of the chapter titles all references to other romantic comedy films. Did you feel like this added to the book or took away? Did you find yourself looking up the ones you didn't know?

5. If you were going to write a rom-com, who would you make your leads? Why?

6. There's a theme the idea of "The Classics" of both books and cinema that runs through this book. What are some classics that you still love? What are some you'd change from the cannon? If you had to make your own list of books (or movies) you think everyone should read/watch— what would be on your top five?

7. Sana wants to become a surgeon. But she's also worried that she might not like it. Rachel wants to become a filmmaker. But she's worried she has to fight for her seat at the table. Did you relate to either of these storylines of ambition? What are some of your own ambitions? How do you visualize the various paths to achieving those ambitions? When did you realize that some of those ambitions have maybe changed?

8. Tell Me How You Really Feel is about Sana and Rachel but it's also populated by so many other characters— e.g. Farrah, Massoud, Daniel, Jeanie, Diesel, just to name a few. Who was your favorite side character and why?

9. Springtime is a time of growth and renewal. How do you think this setting plays into Sana and Rachel's love story or their own individual stories?

10. Sana and Rachel end up on many dates and quasi-dates around the city of Los Angeles. What's one of the spots in your city or town that you think is the most romantic? What makes you think that would be an ideal place for a rom-com (or real life) date?

11. There is a Fast and Furious reference in every work of fiction I write. Did you find it in this one?

5. Characters throughout the story have changing degrees of privilege. What are ways where the levels of Lulu's privilege changes depending on who she is interacting with? Did you notice this when you were reading? Why or why not?

6. Lulu has family that lives abroad. How does this affect her relationship with them? Do you have family abroad? How do you communicate with them?

7. Lulu fasts for Ramadan. Is this something you have any experience with? Were her experiences like yours? If not, what did you learn from Lulu's experiences?

8. Forgiveness becomes important to Lulu-- both within her Arab American community and with her friends at school. Have you ever dealt with having to forgive others? What about earning forgiveness for something you did wrong? Could you identify with Lulu or her friends in these moments?