Her Daughter’s Father – Questions for Book Clubs and Groups
Gretchen is caught in a fire. If you have had a similar experience, how did you escape and were any wounds sustained that marked you with visible scars others noticed?
How do Gretchen’s scars mark her psyche? When foster parents, Harold and Isabel, have the scars on Gretchen’s face removed, how might that have helped her self-esteem?
Why is Gloria so important in the lives of Laine and Nettie? Had she not been part of their lives before Gretchen took them in, how might their lives have changed?
Gretchen loves being a teacher. In what way(s) does her love of children show in her teaching?
Sometimes adoption takes a long time; in this story, Gretchen makes the decision to adopt the girls fairly soon after they come to live with her. What about her background might have encouraged her to adopt them?
How do Papa Bear (Harold) and Mama Isabel approach their roles as foster parents?
Craig’s family is often on his case about settling down. What about his growing up informs how he manages his role as a school counselor?
Put yourself in Craig’s shoes for a minute. If you learned you were the parent of a child you had never known about, how would you feel? What about his reaction to the counselors’ revelation makes you most uncomfortable?
If you were advising Gretchen following the DNA match of Craig and Laine, what would you tell her to do?
Gretchen encourages Laine to get to know Craig, even when the child has no intention of moving in with him. How is this wise? Should Gretchen have done anything else to aid Laine in getting to know Craig?
Laine and Nettie are not related to each other, but they care for each other and want to be sisters. What about their experiences in foster care have encouraged them to bond into sisterhood?
If you are a teacher, does your school district have rules about “fraternization” between teachers? If not, how well do you feel Craig and Gretchen handle their attraction to each other during their working hours?
Isaac is what some would call a bad man. How was he able to fly under the radar of the police for so long?
How has Gretchen learned mothering from Mama Isabel?
Following the fire that nearly destroys Gretchen home, Craig steps up when he offers to take care of the girls. In what other ways might he have shown Gretchen how much he cares for her?
How does Craig’s extended family welcome the girls and Gretchen into their homes and hearts?
What do you predict the future will bring for Craig and Gretchen? Why?