Introduction

Natalie Miller had a great life: good boyfriend, great job, a life that was really going somewhere. But then came that dreaded word––cancer. And nothing will ever be the same again. Her boyfriend dumped her, her job as a Senator's aide is going down the tube due to some nasty leaks to the press, and her body has become a slave to the whims of chemo. Natalie is not sure how or why her life has spun out of control, but she's determined to get it back. Even if that means rooting around in her past, starting from the ground up, and finding that maybe––just maybe––giving up control isn't such a bad thing.

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Discussion Questions

1. Before her cancer, do you think Natalie had an inkling that the senator she worked for didn't really have pure intentions to help others? That is, do you think Natalie had somehow tricked herself into believing all her hard work was for a good cause?

2. Do you think a major, wrenching event like getting, being treated for, and surviving cancer always lead to other life changes? Can you envision a scenario in which Natalie goes back to her old job and old ways? 3) Do you know anyone who has faced a life-threatening situation? How did that person cope? Is there an evolution of acceptance? How did Natalie cope? Did you think that her behavior seemed realistic?

4. What should the role of family and friends be in such a situation? In your experience, realistically, how do friends react?

5. There are several political hot potatoes raised in the book. Do you think that politicians generally try to follow the view that will win them the election or do most stick to their principles?

6. Prior to being diagnosed with cancer, Natalie is more of a bystander than a player in her own life. By the end of her treatments, she realizes that she has to make her own good fortune. Do you believe that life really is what you make of it or that we're already fated to lead the lives we do?

7. Do you know anyone who was defined by his/her work who decided there was more to life and quit? Do you know anyone who was demoted or lost a job? How did the change affect the person?

8. Natalie's relationship with her mother was complex, at best. Why are mother-daughter relationships so often difficult to navigate?

9. What specific inner changes do you think Natalie experienced as a result of her cancer diagnosis?

10. Natalie tracked down many of her past loves during her treatment. These days, Google allows us all to keep an eye on our exes, if we so choose. Have you ever gotten back in touch with a lost love and what were the results or consequences? Have any exes gotten back in touch with you?

11. Sally watches as her best friend, Natalie, moves through life making some poor choices, but she still supports her as a friend until she reaches a breaking point. Have you ever watched a friend make what you believed were poor choices, and if so, how did you deal with them? Did they affect or ultimately strengthen your friendship?

12. Project into the future. Does Natalie work as a legal consultant or with Susanna Taylor? Do she and Zach live happily ever after?

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