Behind the Net

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. To which character did you have the strongest attachment? Why did you feel you could relate?

2. Consider Pippa’s rediscovery of how much she loves music and her decision to pursue a professional career. Have you experienced a similar challenge in pursuing your dreams?

3. Discuss Jamie’s relationship with Donna. What did you think of Jamie’s initial belief that he had to sacrifice his own life to help his mother? Have you had, or observed, a similar experience of care-taking?

4. How did the sports aspect of this romance affect your reading experience? What do you think it adds to the book? What was your reaction to the hockey elements in the story?

5. What do you think of the way Pippa’s realization of her musical ambitions is due in part to Jamie’s encouragement? Do you think she would have regained her confidence or had the courage to pursue her dreams without him?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Discuss the book’s treatment of Donna’s mental health and her journey. Do you feel the book was sensitive in its portrayal of the impacts of trauma?

2. How well do you think the book reflects the competitive nature of professional sports and the demands it puts on athletes? Do you see Archer commenting at all on the parallels between athletes and entertainers in her portrayal of Jamie and Pippa?

3. What do some of the events or features of the book say about the genre of contemporary romance? What role do you think romances like this serve for readers? You can think in terms of the sports romance subgenre, including books like Tessa Bailey’s Fangirl Down or Helena Hunting’s Pucked, or compare to the contemporary romance genre more widely.

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Discuss the impact of Archer’s choice to represent Pippa and Jamie through alternating first-person points of view. What effect does this have on you in terms of understanding and relating to the characters?

2. Explore Jamie’s character arc. Does he undergo a kind of self-discovery the way Pippa does? Why or why not?

3. How does the Vancouver setting affect the novel? Might the atmosphere or conflict have been different if it were set somewhere else?

4. Discuss Pippa’s character arc and how her passion for Jamie is interwoven with her passion for music. Given that so much of Pippa’s growing confidence is due to support from Jamie, what do you think Archer might be saying about the role of romantic partners in self-realization?

5. Would you call this book a second-chance romance? What does it add to the romance that Jamie and Pippa have a history of liking each other in high school, without the other knowing?

6. In what ways do you see the foreshadowing of Rory and Hazel’s relationship (developed in the second book in the series, The Fake Out) paralleling or reflecting on Pippa and Jamie’s relationship?