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.)