READERS GUIDE
Kiss Me at Christmas Discussion Guide1. Kiss Me at Christmas is set in the charming English countryside. Discuss which setting—suburban or city–you tend to associate with the holidays.
2. Harriet would rather forget the holidays altogether when her daughter doesn’t come home for the season, because “Christmas [feels] pointless without someone to make Christmas for” (pg. 13). Discuss what “making Christmas” looks like for you. To what extent is there pressure to feel “bright and merry” during the holidays?
3. According to Harriet’s students, Harriet has gone “rogue,” something she might agree with after her out-of-character one-night stand. To what extent can making “bad decisions” sometimes lead to the best outcomes?
4. Harriet takes the fall for her students who trespass on the town’s old Winter Theater. Do you think she would have behaved similarly if her daughter was home for the holidays? Where does Harriet derive her sense of purpose from?
5. After Harriet’s exciting night with James, she’s surprised to meet him again at the police station. How would you react if one of your exes didn’t acknowledge your shared history? How would you discern which version of them was authentic?
6. After Harriet gets caught for trespassing, she is tasked with fixing up the old town theater. Discuss how this act of reconstruction might be symbolic of the “new beginnings” often associated with the new year. By the end of the novel, what would you identify as Harriet’s “new beginning”?
7. Evaline and James are two characters who might, on the surface, be perceived as selfish. Despite this, discuss how they play a part in Harriet’s embracing of self-care. Similarly, how do Harriet’s efforts with the theater foster Evaline’s and James’s growth?
8. From assembling tricky costumes together to engaging in cheeky audition banter, Harriet and James’s initially rigid relationship slowly deepens. Describe your favorite “Jarriet” moment. Which romance tropes did you observe of them?
9. Harriet’s decision to put on a Christmas performance fosters great community and holiday cheer. What is it about the theater that fosters liveliness and connection?
10. Have you ever cooked yourself a three-course meal, or taken yourself out to dinner, simply for your own pleasure? Why or why not? Why do you think women especially feel guilty with the idea of treating themselves?
11. Kiss Me at Christmas is full of winter charm and old-town nostalgia. Discuss the fond wintertime memories this story might have sparked.
12. Kiss Me at Christmas illustrates love in all its forms. Even without the presence of her daughter, Harriet finds a way to surround herself with love and affection. Discuss how and where Harriet will spend her holidays next year.
