1. At the beginning of the book, Jamie likens Heart Lake to Mayberry, the fictional North Carolina town made popular by the Andy Griffith TV show in the sixties. What do you think is the upside to small town life? Is there a down side?

2. Emma is an old movie buff and an idealist. Do you think what we read and watch on TV and the big screen affects our attitudes and outlook on life or do we choose to watch what confirms what we already believe?

3. Sarah Goodwin was able to get past her empty nest syndrome by opening her home and heart to new people. Have you experienced empty nest syndrome? If so, how did you cope?

4. Emma’s small quilt shop struggles to compete against a larger chain store. How do you feel about shopping with local merchants versus shopping at a larger store to save money? Does the state of the economy affect where you shop?

5. Have you ever owned a shop or toyed with the idea of opening one? If so, what kind of shop was it?

6. If you owned a bakery or a chocolate shop, would you eat all of your inventory?

7. Could you identify with Jamie’s fear of falling for Josh the cop and repeating history? If so, how?

8. The importance of keeping a sense of community is a favorite theme in this book. How do you think that feeling connected benefits members of a community?

9. Do you feel a connection with your neighbors? If not, do you think you need one? Can you think of any way you could build one?

10. What is the most memorable good deed you ever did?