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The bestselling author of The Reading Group returns with her most engaging novel yet, about four sisters who find hope and laughter in the wisdom their mother left behind

Warm, funny, and loving, Barbara had always been the backbone of her family. Her four daughters adored her and relied on her. Faced with the reality of leaving them before any of them are ready, Barbara writes letters to each of them, and a journal about the things she wants them to know.

Facing their first year without her, drawing on the wisdom in the legacy she has left behind, her girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?

As she did in The Reading Group, The Friendship Test, and Alphabet Weekends, Elizabeth Noble pairs humor and poignancy in a tale about love, loss, and family.

2. How does the author succeed in portraying a main character who never actually appears in the novel?

3. Is it selfless or selfish for Barbara to reveal what she does?

4. What does each character learn about herself and what do they learn from Barbara?

5. How does each character handle grief?

6. What does it mean to have a "good death?"

7. How is each sister's relationship with her mother different?

8. Do you think it is important to keep a journal? Why or why not?

9. Is it ok to read another person's diary, letters, journal after they die? Why or why not? If you found someone's diary, would you read it?

10. What is the best advice your mother gave to you or what do you wish she'd told you?

11. Does birth order play a role in family dynamics and did the sister's here display characteristics that you'd expect from the eldest, middle, and youngest? Why or why not?

12. How do you think Barbara's daughters have been affected by their mother's romantic/marital history, and what role may her divorce have played in their own development and attitudes?

13. How do you view the author's portrayal of men within the narrative? In particular, how does Mark's reaction to his wife's death, in the context of his role as father and stepfather, affect you?

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