Book Club Questions for Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Book club questions for Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan take a closer look at this engaging summer romance. There will be spoilers, so for more context about the story, check out my spoiler-free review first.
I really enjoyed this one! Actually, I downright loved it. One of my favorite romances I’ve read in years. While I do like the genre, it sometimes feels repetitive. But Dolly All the Time truly felt distinct and just overall lovely.
My only minor complaint is the breakup with Stewart and Dolly. While I definitely understand that Stewart was devastated by losing the CEO spot to his cousin, I was a little confused about why he never reached out to Dollly during the 10 months apart. And that she had to be the first one to do so.
Maybe he just thought he wasn’t good enough for her, but for someone so in love with Dolly, I just felt he would have checked in from time to time.
It didn’t ruin the book for me, but it did leave me wishing Stewart had done more to get back together.
Let me know your thoughts about the book in the comments section below!
Book Club Questions for Dolly All the Time
- Let’s talk about the significance that the title Dolly All the Time has in relation to the larger narrative.
- Why did Dolly decide to return home with her son, Gus?
- On a similar note, why did Dolly move away from home?
- Dolly’s mother left the family, and as a result, Dolly had to play the mother role for her siblings and help her father. How did always helping others impact Dolly as an adult?
- Let’s discuss the first meet-cute of Dolly and Stewart. Why did Stewart think having a stable girlfriend would get his family’s approval to take over the company?
- Why did Dolly agree to it? What would you have done if you were Dolly?
- When did Dolly and Stewart start really connecting?
- Did you buy their chemistry? Why or why not?
- This story features the fake relationship trope. What is your favorite trope?
- Stewart bonds with Gus, which is a huge selling point to Dolly, as Gus has no relationship with his father. What did you think about Stuart and Gus’ relationship?
- Things all come crashing to a halt when it’s revealed that Stewart and Dolly entered a fake relationship, despite developing real feelings all the way. What were your thoughts during this scene?
- Why didn’t Stewart reach out to Dolly during their time apart, which is a long 10 months? How did you feel when Dolly was the one to reach out first?
- Dolly decides to move back home, much to the joy of Gus and her family. And she starts to offer baked goods at her family’s restaurant. Let’s discuss this growth in Dolly.
- What are our thoughts about their reconnection and engagement? Do you think they’ll stay together?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club questions for Dolly All the time! Here are some more recommendations, along with links to book club questions.
Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Another delightful summer story is Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey. It takes place in a small coastal town and really focuses on mother/daughters and found family.
The characters are vivid and charming. There’s a focus on female friendships and having a community there for each other. Plus, the mother/daughter relationship was wonderful to read about as well.
The novel is full of charm, humor, and also quite a bit of depth. A lovely read all around. Check out my full review here. And my book club questions here.
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman
A charming romance that also features historical and some magical realism is The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman. I so enjoyed this story about how it’s never too late for a second chance.
The story combines two dynamic storylines: one in 1920s Brooklyn, and the other in 1980s southern Florida. Both felt extremely vivid but also quite distinct. Check out my full review here. And my book club questions here.
Happy reading!
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