Jillian Dare
by Melanie M. Jeschke
List Price: $12.99
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780800733162
Publisher: Revell
They’re from two different worlds. Can love unite them?
Things are looking up for Jillian Dare. She’s left her Shenandoah Valley foster home behind and is striking out on her own. Thrilled to land a job as a nanny at a large country estate in the rolling foothills of Virginia, she is enthralled with the beauty of her new home. Her young charge, Cadence Remington, is a delight, and Jillian even has the opportunity for frequent travel to the Remington family castle in England. It’s almost too good to be true.
Just as Jillian begins to feel at home, she meets her handsome but moody employer, Ethan. In spite of herself, Jillian realizes she might be falling for her boss. But how can a humble girl with no connections ever hope to win a successful entrepreneur from a wealthy family? And what dark secrets from the past is he hiding?
This contemporary story, inspired by the well-loved classic Jane Eyre, will capture your heart with its timeless romance and the mystery of love.
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1. At the beginning of the story, Jillian seems intimidated by her new surroundings. How does her confidence level change as the story progresses? What circumstances do you think contribute to this?
2. Jillian first meets Ethan Remington when he crashes his car in front of her. What was your first impression of Ethan? How did it change as the story progressed? What changes did his character undergo as the story progressed?
3. When Jillian first arrives at Carter Plantation, she begins receiving eerie emails from someone calling themselves “CC.” Who did you think was sending the mysterious emails? How do you think this affected Jillian’s feelings toward her new home and employer?
4. Ethan seems to take every moment he can spare to interact with his young daughter, Cadence. What do you think Ethan’s interactions with his daughter reveal about his character? Do they make him seem more or less sympathetic? What do you think a parent’s interaction with their child reveals about them?
5. When Jillian arrives at Keswick Hall in England, her relationship with Ethan changes. What circumstances contribute to that change? When does Jillian first realize she is in love with Ethan? When do you think Ethan first realizes he is in love with her?
6. Jillian encounters more than threatening emails during her stay at Keswick hall. Who did you think the Lady in White who appeared in the nursery door was? How would you have handled that situation?
7. After her mysterious encounter with the Lady in White, Jillian awakes that night to discover a fire in Ethan’s office. Who did you suspect set the fire? Did these mysterious circumstances make you suspect Ethan was not revealing something about his past?
8. After her arrival back at the Carter Plantation, how do you think Jillian’s feelings about her employer and her situation changed? Were you surprised by Ethan’s sudden marriage proposal? How would you have responded if you were in Jillian’s place?
9. When Ethan and Jillian travel back to England to make the final arrangements for their wedding, Ethan’s past returns to haunt him in a very hurtful way. How did you feel toward Ethan’s character after the fiasco in the dress shop? Do you think Ethan should have told Jillian about this part of his past sooner? What did you think of Jillian’s response? Would you have responded differently?
10. After Jillian’s traumatic trip to England, she seeks refuge with the children of her foster family, the Brookes. Did you see Jillian’s leaving as running away or a necessary step to distance herself from the situation? What would you have done in her place?
11. Jillian states a few different times that she felt like Ethan had become an idol in her life. In what ways did she put him on a pedestal? How do you think this contributed to the way she responded when Ethan revealed his past with Crystal? Have you ever put someone on a pedestal in your life with disastrous results?
12. After spending a summer with the Brookes’ children, Jillian is surprised to receive another marriage proposal from John Brookes. What were the key differences between his marriage proposal and Ethan’s? What did you think of John’s reasoning behind why he and Jillian should be married? What did you think of Jillian’s response?
13. When Jillian and Ethan are finally reconciled after his accident, how do you think their characters have changed? What lessons have they learned? How do those lessons affect their renewed relationship and eventual marriage?
14. What do you think of Jillian’s attitude toward the different circumstances that change her life throughout the book? How do you think her faith affects how she responds?
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