The Best of Us

A Novel

reading group guide
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An all-expense-paid week at a luxury villa in Jamaica—it’s the invitation of a lifetime for a group of old college friends. All four women are desperate not just for a reunion, but for an escape: Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie is shattered by the news that a genetic illness runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her wealthy husband an unforgettable thirty-fifth birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks already splitting apart their new marriage.

Languid hours on a private beach, gourmet dinners, and late nights of drinking kick off an idyllic week for the women and their husbands. But as a powerful hurricane bears down on the island, turmoil swirls inside the villa, forcing each of the women to reevaluate everything she knows about her friends—and herself.

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Book details:

Washington Square Press |
352 pages |
ISBN 9781451673517 |
April 2013

$15.00 List Price

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Praise

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“Pekkanen sparkles with her latest, a touching tale of college friends whose happily ever afters aren’t as perfect as they might have once expected. Lovably flawed, realistic characters and a fast-paced story make this a... ”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A perfect book to cozy up with on a rainy day.”

– Marie Claire

“It's just the book to banish the last of your winter blues.”

– People, 3.5 out of 4 stars

“Reading this BFF-getaway-gone-wrong novel is like vacay without leaving the couch.”

– Glamour

“A perfect beach read, it's also a perfect weekend book. Get out a few chocolates and a glass of wine and prepare to make some new friends.”

– Examiner.com

“Fans of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin will strongly appreciate this rising star in women's fiction.”

– Library Journal

“Sarah Pekkanen writes with wit and warmth and a deep understanding of the way women--mothers, daughters, sisters, friends--make a place for themselves in the world.”

– Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Sarah Pekkanen's latest celebrates the healing power of female friendship for three very different young women sharing a New York City apartment. At turns bittersweet, laugh-out-loud funny, and painfully real, you'll wish you could... ”

– Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Pekkanen offers a conversational writing style and a knack for making readers care about her characters… a refreshing look at the importance of female friendship.”

– Washington Post

“A pleasure.”

– People

“Chick lit with grit.”

– Ladies Home Journal

“Smart and soulful, Pekkanen explores the place where self and sisterhood intersect.”

– Redbook on The Opposite of Me

“Fresh, appealing...the story is at turns funny and poignant.”

– Booklist on The Opposite of Me

“A compelling and satisfying read...highly recommended.”

– Library Journal (starred review) on Skipping a Beat

“Heartbreaking and familiar.”

– People on Skipping a Beat

“Pekkanen's wry voice and engaging characters keeps things fresh.”

– People on The Opposite of Me

“Original and engaging.”

– Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author on Skipping a Beat

“Within a few pages, you'll find yourself emotionally invested.”

– Entertainment Weekly on These Girls

“Within a few pages, you'll find yourself emotionally invested.”

– Entertainment Weekly on These Girls

“Pekkanen is deft at finding each woman's voice, displaying all sides of eventual conflicts. Her strong narrative pulls the reader steadily through the book, with tension mounting as the weather worsens...a solid entry in the... ”

– Library Journal on The Best of Us

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Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

The Invitation

TINA ANTONELLI STARED AT the heavy, cream-colored invitation like it was a loose diamond she’d unearthed in the sandbox at the neighborhood playground. No, it was even more valuable than a diamond, she decided as she leaned against her kitchen counter and felt her nightgown-clad hip squish into something. Grape jelly, she thought absently, recalling her early-morning frenzy of sandwich making for school lunches. She reread the first line of calligraphy:

Please join us in celebrating Dwight’s 35th birthday!

Dwight Glass. Her...

Hear an Excerpt

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Reading Group Guide

This reading group guide for The Best of Us includes discussion questions and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Which of the women in The Best of Us did you most identify with, and why?

2. Discuss the four marriages that are depicted in The Best of Us. What kinds of adjectives would you use to describe each of them? Do any of your past or current relationships have similarities to one or more of these marriages? Which marriage seems the strongest and the most appealing to you?

3. What do you think each woman learns from her time in Jamaica? How does the trip change each of them?

4. At several points in the novel, Gio makes jabs at Dwight and the way that his financial success is on display during the vacation. Allie suggests that Gio’s ability to provide for his family might be a sensitive point for him, saying, “Everyone has different emotional triggers, and even if they don’t make sense to the rest of us, it’s important to respect them” (p. 109). What is this moment in the novel saying about both Allie and Gio? And do you agree with Allie’s assessment?

5. Savannah has many, m see more