READERS GUIDE

Readers Guide for SERENA SINGH FLIPS HER SCRIPT
by Sonya Lalli

1.   At the outset, Serena has a strained relationship with her mother, Sandeep. Why do you think that is, and what motivates her to try and mend it?

2.   Becket introduces Serena to the idea that she should go online and make proactive choices to find new friends. Why do you think Serena resists at first? Have you ever put yourself out there in a bid to make new friendships, and what was that experience like?

3.   Why do you think Serena created ground rules for her friendship with Jesse? Do you think it’s possible to stay friends with an ex without crossing any lines?

4.   Serena’s budding friendship with Ainsley forces Serena to realize that she stopped putting in the effort with her friends as everyone grew up and shifted to different stages of their lives. Why do you think she didn’t realize her efforts were lagging, and why is it harder to maintain and form new friendships as adults?

5.   Serena and Sandeep often feel like they do not understand each other, and Sandeep worries that by choosing to raise her children in America rather than India, she and her daughter will never truly understand each other. Do you think this is true?

6.   During their breakup, Serena suggests to Becket that although he cared about her, he didn’t really want to settle down with her and just felt pressured to because he was getting “older.” Did that seem true to you? Why do you think both Serena and Becket stayed in that relationship for so long?

7.   Serena and Ainsley become close friends very quickly, sharing everything from work lunches to family dinners to spontaneous poetry readings. What do you think draws them to the other person? Do you think the blossoming of a new friendship can be like the start of a romance, and if so, why?

8.   Serena and Ainsley have their first big fight when Ainsley tells Serena she’s “closed off.” Why do you think Serena is the way she is? What barriers must she overcome to truly open herself up to a future that has room for true romantic love?

9.   Sandeep tells Serena that “it’s OK to love the people who have hurt you.” Discuss how this applies to the relationships between the characters in the book.

10. Towards the end, Serena wonders if she would still have accomplished all of her career goals and become the same woman she is today if she had married Jesse twelve years earlier. What do you think?

11.  Serena ultimately welcomes Natasha back into her life, accepting that not every relationship can be a “two-way street.” Have you ever been in this position and faced this kind of choice with a good friend or a family member?