A high-spirited novel from the bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Life’s a Beach that will have you planning a girlfriend getaway in no time!

Just when Jill Murray’s finally figured out how to manage on her own, her ex-husband proves that he can’t even run away reliably. After seven long years missing in action, he’s back—crashing into the man-free existence Jill and her ten-year-old daughter have built so carefully. And what’s a good mother to do To a child, even a deadbeat dad is better than no dad at all.

Jill’s life just hasn’t turned out quite the way she planned. By now, she’d hoped to be jetting around the world as a high-end cultural coach. Instead, she’s answering phones for a local travel agency and teaching cooking classes at the community center.

Enter free-spirited entrepreneur Billy, who hires Jill as a consultant for an upcoming business trip. Is their relationship veering off in a new direction And what about her ex Jill couldn’t possibly still have feelings for him . . . could she? Suddenly, her no-boys-allowed life is anything but.

They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, but Jill isn’t sure she’s ready for the big change. It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice—not so much between the two men in her life, but between the woman she is and the one she wants to be.

2. Just when Jill is finally figuring out how to make it on her own, her ex-husband shows up again. Do you think Jill had a choice about whether or not to let him back into her life?
3. Reinvention is clearly a theme in all seven of Claire Cook’s novels. How does Jill reinvent herself during the course of the novel? What triggers these changes?
4. There’s a theory that every seven years you become a completely different person. Do you think that’s true? When are you due for your next seven year switch? How will you change?
5. Joni is not just Jill’s boss, but her mentor and friend. Has there ever been a Joni in your own life? Have you ever taken on Joni’s role?
6. Even though Cynthia drives Jill crazy, Jill also admits she kind of wants to be her and even thinks she’d do a better job of it. Is there a Cynthia in your neighborhood? Do you feel that same ambivalence about her?
7. How are Seth and Billy alike? Different? How much of Jill’s growth has to do with whether or not she ends up with either of them, or with any guy at all?
8. Jill’s life didn’t turn out quite the way she planned. Do you feel that way about your own life? Do you think almost everyone does, to some degree?
9. In many ways, Jill is stuck. Do you think she projects her fears about moving forward in her own life onto her ten-year-old daughter, Anastasia? Do you think some of this is the result of being a single mom, or do all mothers do this?
10.  How important is it for Jill to go on a girlfriend getaway of her own? How important is it for you? Okay, so where are you going and when?
11. The Passport to Your Next Chapter at the end of the book shifts the focus from the fictional world of the novel to the reader’s own life. Which of these seven simple steps inspired you? Surprised you?

This book is on these lists:

• April 2013 Indie Next List
• March 2013 Indie Next List
• February 2013 Indie Next List