Introduction

When you hit rock bottom... For lifelong friends Jackie, Cheryl and Doris, life hasn't turned out according to plan. After living the life of a glamorous widow in Paris, Jackie is all out of money, and the only place left to go is home. Cheryl is at the top of her game both in and out of the boardroom, until her misplaced plans for a corporate takeover earn her a set of walking papers. And while Doris has Xanax to cure her depression, no pill can take away the pain of broken dreams. the only place to go is up. But after a drunken night sampling the delights at a strip club for women, the ladies stumble upon an ingenious idea. With Jackie's connections, Cheryl's business sense, and Doris' ambition, the ladies open up The Whole Package - the world's first restaurant staffed exclusively by very attractive men. Mixing business with pleasure can be risky, but for these three best friends, getting a little bit outrageous just might be what it takes to make their mark in the world...

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Excerpt

Chapter One
French is a sexy language. Except, of course, if you are standing in line at a French café and the French you hear is a nasal, drawn-out, “Fat American.” Unnecessary, especially if you are simply trying to buy a chocolate croissant to dip into the first cappuccino of the day. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

The restaurant:

1. Cheryl’s boss frequently holds business lunches at Hooter’s. Rather than protest, Cheryl goes along with these meetings. Why? How does this experience play into Cheryl’s decision to open a restaurant staffed by scantily clad men?

2. When the women hold auditions to hire waiters for The Whole Package, Jackie and Doris feel guilty about judging the men by their looks. Cheryl, on the other hand, is delighted at the opportunity. Are the auditions right or wrong? Why? Why might Cheryl feel a greater tendency to take pleasure in judging the men?

3. On the opening night of The Whole Package, many of the guests are offended by what takes place in the restaurant. Why? Do you feel that the restaurant is offensive? Why or why not?

4. After opening night, The Whole Package receives a terrible write-up in the newspaper. Doris is upset at this review, as the female strip club down the road doesn’t even take as much heat as their restaurant. Why does the public react to the restaurant the way that it does? Is this fair? Why or why not?

5. When it becomes clear The Whole Package will fail, Doris decides to make some changes. What are they? In what ways do these changes reflect how Doris has grown as a character? Why do the changes work?

The Friendship:

1. Jackie has spent her life lying to her best friends. Why does Jackie feel it necessary to hide who she really is? Do you feel Cheryl had a right to confront her about the lies? Do you think it’s possible to be close with a friend who is not honest?

2. Doris gets married when she is much too young. At first, Doris makes the best of the situation but with time, resents Doug and the sacrifices she made to be with them. How does this resentment change Doris as she gets older? How does it affect her friendship with Jackie and Cheryl?

3. When Cheryl gets a divorce, it affects the couple’s circle shared with Doris and Doug. Why is this hard on Doris? Why does Doug feel threatened by Cheryl’s divorce? Why does Doris choose to stand beside Cheryl, in spite of Cheryl’s actions?


4. Cheryl comments that Doris and Jackie are her only true friends. Even though the three friends are very different, they are bound together by an event they shared at a young age. What was the event? How did it affect them? Was it history or true friendship that kept these women tied together through the years?

5. When Jackie, Doris and Cheryl get in a fight, Cheryl attempts to make some new
friends. It’s a disaster. Why is it difficult for Cheryl to relate to these friends? Does it become more of a challenge to make friends when you are older? How valuable is history to a friendship?

Life

1. Jackie is a failed artist. How does this failure affect her as a person? Do you think her lack of interest in art is genuine or fear-based? What prompts Jackie to start painting again?

2. It takes several years before the loss of Doris’ mother truly hits her. When it does, Doris experiences a severe depression. Why did it take so long for Doris to grieve this loss? In what ways did this loss change her as a person?

3. Cheryl sues her ex-employer for wrongful termination and wins. Why was this victory important for Cheryl? What did this victory represent to her?

The Men:

1. Cheryl is both infuriated by and attracted to her co-worker, Andy. Why is Cheryl attracted to Andy? In what ways does he earn her respect? In what ways does Andy change while working for Stan? Why does Andy leave the marketing firm shortly after betraying Cheryl?

2. George had been attracted to Jackie since the first time they ever met. Why did George miss out on a relationship with Jackie? In what ways were Jackie and George already having a relationship, even while she was married to Robert? Did Jackie’s hesitance to get involved with George have more to do with a respect for Robert or respect for George?

3. Doug betrays Doris for Katherine Rigney. Out of all of the women in the world, why did Doug choose to cheat on his wife with someone from his past? Did Doug leave Doris for Katherine Rigney? In what ways will the relationship between Doris and Doug have to change to work?

4. Gabe is a closeted homosexual when he first starts working for The Whole Package. Why does he flirt with women? Why does he develop a relationship with Doris? Is he deliberately leading her on or does he care for her? Why does he avoid Anthony?

5. Anthony and Jackie develop a close friendship. Why? What parts of Anthony’s character draw Jackie to him? In what ways does Jackie help Anthony? In what ways does Anthony help her?

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»	Author Cynthia Ellingsen
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