Introduction

Two sisters share the surprising highs and cringe-worthy lows of social media fame, when their most private thoughts become incredibly public in this fresh and funny debut novel.

Sisters Cassie and Sid Sunday have not done a bang-up job of keeping in touch. In their defense, it hasn’t been easy: life veered in sharply different directions for the once-close sisters. Today, beautiful and big-hearted Sid lives an expat’s life of leisure in far-off Singapore, while harried, iPhone-clutching Cassie can’t seem to make it work as a wife and a mom to twin toddlers in Manhattan.
 
It doesn't help that Sid spurns all social media while Cassie is addicted to Facebook. So when Sid issues a challenge to reconnect the old-fashioned way—through real, handwritten letters—Cassie figures, why not?
 
The experiment exceeds both of their expectations, and the letters become a kind of mutual confessional that have real and soul-satisfying effects. And they just might have the power to help Cassie save her marriage, and give Sid the strength to get her life back on track.
 
But first, one of Cassie’s infamous lapses in judgment comes back to bite her, and all of the letters wind up the one place you’d never, ever want to see them: the Internet...

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Excerpt

Chapter 1

Later—much later—I would regret pretending to be asleep when Leo sidled up to me in bed that night. Not that it was an isolated incident; it’s just that the timing stands out as an apropos kickoff to what would be the year everything went pear-shaped.

“’Night, Cass,” he said, coming in for a kiss. When I didn’t turn toward him, he planted a soft peck behind my ear and lingered for a few seconds.

“Niii,” I mumbled, my sleepy voice more indicative of my state of mind than my level of alertness. In fact, I was wide-awake and mentally scheduling my morning to somehow fit in packing and an activity to exhaust the boys before sticking them in the car for our eight-hour drive.

Sadly, I’d reached a point where when faced with the options of sex or hours of sleepless anxiety, I chose the latter. Would I like some kissing and breast caressing? Nah. I think I’ll formulate snarky retorts to made-up potential insults for ten or fifteen minutes. How about an orgasm or two? No, thanks! I’m good mentally going through my inadequate wardrobe, trying to figure out what to pack for five days of holiday merrymaking with my family. Fall asleep sexually satisfied and with a grateful-and-therefore-more-likely-to-wake-up-first-with-the-kids-in-the-morning husband? I’ll pass. My restless legs syndrome should be kicking in anytime now, and I’m due to be pacing and stretching in the living room.

So steeped in ennui was I that doing something guaranteed to relieve stress, boost endorphins, and strengthen my marriage—all without leaving my bed—seemed like just another chore.

It’s not like we were going in for lengthy acrobatic sessions. Quite the opposite, I’m afraid. The tired-parent sex between Leo and me had become what I thought of as a battle for the bottom, with one person (the winner) lying there while the other (the loser) expended minimal effort from the top. My tactics had recently moved beyond polite and passive maneuvering to actual deceit. If you think I’m exaggerating, listen to this one: I told him it was suddenly easier for me to orgasm from down there. (It wasn’t.) So that caused a whole other set of problems.

When I was sure he was asleep, I retrieved the iPad from under the bed and opened the Kindle app to read some of my novel. Within a few pages, predictably, my restless legs drove me into the living room, where I could pace, still reading. There was just enough mess-free floor space to make it about three small steps, so I switched to a march-in-place move, periodically shaking out my legs. My mind wandered to Christmas, and I grabbed a pen to write the letter “S” on my hand, hoping it would remind me to pack the scarf I had bought for Leo weeks ago and stashed in a spare purse in my closet. Then, with a flash of panic, I remembered that I’d never placed my online order for the boys’ gifts. My shopping cart had been filled for at least a week, yet completing a simple transaction was beyond my bandwidth: This was far more frustrating to me than my lousy sex life. With very few responsibilities other than keeping my kids alive, not being able to tick simple things off my to-do list was an endless source of chagrin.

I closed my novel and switched to Safari, then paid the rush charges to get the Batcave, Buzz and Woody costumes, and some books and puzzles to my parents’ house in Ohio by Christmas Eve.

When I checked my e-mail for my order confirmation, I had a rare treat—a message from my sister. Rare because her electronic-communication habits are those of someone twice her age: She checks her e-mail once every two weeks or so and eschews all social media. A treat because she lives in Singapore, and I hardly ever see her or talk to her—and because I adore her completely.

Cassie—

Arrived at Mom and Dad’s yesterday. Loopy with jet lag. Baked cinnamon bread with Grandma Margie today—exactly what I needed to get into the Christmas spirit. Now bring me some figgy pudding! Tried to talk her out of this last-Christmas nonsense, to no avail (sniff). Can’t wait to see you!!!

Love you.

—Sid

Buoyed by her cheer, I popped an Ambien and went to bed happy after all, anticipating a reunion with my dear sister. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. Is Cassie a good mother? A good wife? A good sister? Does she seem to prioritize any of these roles over the others? Which is the most important to her? What should be the most important relationship? Is it possible to ace all of them, or do some have to suffer so that others can thrive?

2. How do you think Cassie’s obsession with Facebook affects the way she sees herself, her family, and her own life? Do you think people are honest about themselves on social media? Can you tell when they aren’t? How does seeing an endless stream of curated information about other people’s lives influence how we see our own?
3. What do you make of Cassie and Leo’s constant text messaging? Cassie seems to think they would be more intimate without it. What’s a healthy amount of electronic communication in a relationship?

4. Cassie lets her relationship with Sid slip away, despite needing her. Is social media to blame? Why do we allow ourselves to drift away from the people we love while keeping up with acquaintances on social media? Is there someone close to you whose social media tendencies are the opposite of your own? How do these differences impact your relationship?

5. Cassie mentions Sid’s beauty several times even though she admits she is being superficial. Do you think Cassie is superficial? What about Sid? How does being beautiful affect someone’s personality? Do you think Cassie is jealous of Sid? Why or why not?

6. Cassie seems to idealize Sid in other ways, too. Is this her being a little sister, or do you think Sid deserves Cassie’s adoration? We only get Sid’s views on Cassie through her letters. How do you think she would describe Cassie if she narrated the book?

7. What if Cassie and Sid had kept in touch the usual ways, via e-mail, phone, and texting? Would they have been more or less guarded? In what ways might their relationship have been different?

8. Cassie finds herself wishing for a “simpler time” upon hearing her grandfather read the letters he exchanged with her grandmother. Does Cassie get her wish? Do you think old-fashioned letters were simpler or more complex than modern communication? How so?

9. What is it about Cassie and Jenna’s relationship that prevents them from being friends? Do you trust Cassie’s assessment of Jenna, or do you think she’s been unfair to her? Do you recognize relationships you’ve had with other women in them? If so, were you a Cassie or a Jenna?

10. Cassie doesn’t do much with Jake physically, but is she any less guilty than if she’d had a full-blown affair? Why or why not? Are there degrees of infidelity?

11. Cassie has a turning point just before the blog goes viral. Do you think she would have ended up in the same place emotionally if the blog hadn’t gone public? Or did she need to survive that ordeal in order to fully save her marriage and herself?

12. Where would Cassie, Sid, Leo, Kenny, Adrian, and River be now if the blog had never gone viral?

13. What advice would you have given Cassie if she had come to you for help when she discovered that the blog had gone public? Who did she need to tell, and what did she need to tell them? Do you think flying to Singapore was necessary? Or would her efforts have been better spent on Leo? Who was most damaged by Cassie’s actions?

14. Were you surprised by Leo’s reaction? Do you agree with his decision not to read the letters? What would you have done? If he had read the letters, would he still have forgiven Cassie? Do you think she deserves his forgiveness?

15. What about Sid’s reaction? If you were in her position, how might you have handled it? Given her problems with Adrian, what do you make of her ability to be supportive of Cassie’s attempt to put her marriage back together?

16. Do you think Cassie and Leo will be happy now? Do you foresee any trouble with their living situation at the end of the book? Where do you see Cassie, Sid, Leo, River and Kenny in five years? Could you move in with a sibling and his or her family?

17. Which sister do you most identify with? Who would you rather have as your sister?

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