By Proxy
Katy Regnery, 2013
Boroughs Pubishing Group
224 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781938876714
Summary
When a favor brings a city boy and a country girl together at Christmas, you can be sure that sparks will fly!
A HOLIDAY WEDDING…
Stubbornly small-town Jenny Lindstrom has misgivings when she promises to stand proxy in her best friend’s wedding—misgivings that are fulfilled when tall, handsome Sam Kelley walks into the courthouse an hour late. In order to keep her promise, an afternoon favor turns into a weekend of startling but undeniable attraction, threatening the well-ordered world that keeps her heart at arm’s length from any more pain.
…TURNS INTO A HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Sam’s plan is to fly to Livingston, Montana, take vows for his favorite cousin, and return to Chicago as quickly as possible. But his plan is turned upside-down when he must spend a weekend with Jenny in Gardiner to keep his word. He doesn’t want to fall for the prim, proper schoolteacher whose small-town life seems to him like selling out, but the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to say good-bye.
When city and country come together for Christmas, the unexpected gift is true love. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—September 3, 1972
• Where—Darien, Connecticut, USA
• Education—B.A., Kenyon College
• Currently—lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut
Katy is a 2013 Maine RWA and 2013 SOLA RWA contest winner who has always loved telling a good story and credits her mother with making funny, heartwarming tales come alive throughout her childhood.
A lifelong devotee of all Romance writing, from Edwardian to present-day, it was just a matter of time before Katy tried her hand at writing a love story of her own.
Katy lives in the relative-wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut where her writing room looks out at the woods; and her husband, two young children and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories of all can often be the messy or unexpected ones. (From the author.)
Book Reviews
[E]nticing....The story is complex, as are the refreshingly normal characters, all of whom have great integrity, and the setting is unique!... Montana is the only state in the union that allows double-proxy marriages.... [T]he bride and groom are both in the military...so on a wintry day in late November, Jenny Lindstrom, best friend of the bride and Sam Kelley (cousin of the groom) come to Livingston to do this favor.... During the following two days, in spite of [their] differences, they very quickly fall in love.... The author has created a terrific sense of place in this novel—...everyone should enjoy meeting Jenny and Sam. In fact, any of the Lindstrom boys would be excellent candidates for a sequel!
City Book Review
A wholesome contemporary romance set in small-town Montana. Debut novelist Regnery presents a sweet tale of young schoolteacher Jenny Lindstrom; her world is turned upside down the day Sam Kelley walks into her life. Jenny and Sam meet in connection with [an] unusual wedding.... The swift pacing of the narrative...and quick wit of the characters provide an undeniable appeal. For those focused on lasting emotional connections reached through good conversation, this book is a winner
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1. How did you experience the book? Were you engaged immediately or did it take you a while to settle into the story? Why or why not?
2. Would you feel comfortable exchanging marriage vows with a total stranger? Even if it was on behalf of someone else?
3. Sense of place seems to be an important theme in By Proxy. Did you get a good sense for the world of Gardiner? What did you like (or not like) about Jenny’s hometown? Is this somewhere you’d like to visit? What about Sam's Chicago?
4. Compare and contrast the relationships between the two main characters and their families. Are there similarities? Differences? How will these similarities and differences affect their married life together?
5. Principal Paul is a rival for Jenny’s affections. Do you think she would have been better off marrying Paul instead?
6. What kind of girl would you like to see Paul end up with?
7. Was it fair for Sam to ask Jenny to visit him in Chicago? Was her refusal unreasonable?
8. Jenny is deeply affected by the loss of her mother at a young age. Do you think it’s realistic that she would back away from the world and cling more tightly to her family? Did anything happen to you at an early age that altered the course of your life?
9. Both Jenny and Sam are counseled by their parents when they are apart from one another. Did one parent—or the other—give better advice? Handle their child’s situation more poignantly?
10. Jenny and Sam both compromise by moving to Great Falls. Which of them will have a tougher adjustment? The city boy moving to a much smaller city or the country girl moving to any city at all?
11. What is the most important thing Jenny learns about herself through meeting Sam? What’s the most important thing Sam learns about himself through meeting Jenny?
12. What main ideas—or themes—does the author explore?
13. By Proxy is not technically considered an inspirational romance, but it has some strong traditional values. Did these values detract from the story or enhance it?
14. If you could ask the author any question, what would you ask?
15. Do you think that By Proxy would work well as a Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie? Why or why not? Who would you cast as the main characters?
(Questions provided courtesy of the author.)