Discussion Questions 1.
Prior to reading the book, what were your perceptions about both anxiety and shyness? Did any of that change after you got to know Wesley and Maybell?
2.
The incident with Jack at the beginning of the book pushes Maybell to seek a fresh start at Aunt Violet’s estate. What does she want to change about her life, and how does she go about doing it? What are her obstacles?
3.
What was unconventional about the way Maybell and Wesley began and developed their relationship? How did they manage to communicate and get to know each other?
4.
How do Maybell and Wesley’s contrasting desires for the manor put them at odds with each other? Discuss how they manage to compromise by the end of the book.
5.
How do Wesley’s art and Maybell’s rich fantasy life allow them to express themselves? Did you understand their characters better after having glimpsed their creative sides?
6.
Over the course of the novel, how does completing Aunt Violet’s wishes bring Maybell and Wesley together?
7.
What do you think is in store for Wesley, Maybell, and the estate?
Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts Ingredients Baking spray with flour 2 cups all-purpose flour 11/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten 11/4 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the topping 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan. For the topping, melt the butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides. Recipe from 2012, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof, FoodNetwork.com foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cinnamon-baked-doughnuts-recipe-2135621
Chocolate Chip Pancakes “Chocolate chip pancakes for dinner! In our pajamas! Don’t tell anybody.”
Ingredients 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup whole, 2% fat, or 1% fat milk 11/4 cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, or less to taste Butter, for cooking
Instructions In a small saucepan, combine the butter and milk. Place over low heat just until warm and the butter is melted. Let cool slightly. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix well. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork. Whisk in the milk mixture. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until barely blended. Add the chocolate chips and mix. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 teaspoon of butter and melt until bubbly. Ladle 3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake onto the hot surface and cook until bubbly on the top and golden brown on the bottom. Turn and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 30 seconds more. Repeat until all the batter is used up. Serve hot. Recipe courtesy of Gale Gand, Butter Sugar Flour Eggs by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto and Julia Moskin, Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 1999 FoodNetwork.com