Little Lady, Big Apple

Reading Group Discussion GuideLittle Lady, Big AppleBy Hester BrowneDescriptionLittle Lady, Big Applefollows Melissa Romney-Jones from London, where she runs her own business, The Little Lady Agency, to New York City, where she travels to join her boyfriend, Jonathan Riley, a handsome and highly successful real estate agent who has recently been transferred.In New York, Melissa finds herself out of her element among Jonathan's hard-charging friends, many of whom constantly compare her to his ex-wife, Cindy. With Jonathan so busy at the office that he can't spend much time with her, Melissa finds herself alone in the big city, looking after Jonathan's spoiled Scottish terrier and informally advising his friends on how to plan baby showers and get their children into English boarding schools.Jonathan jealously urges Melissa not to take on any male clients while she's in New York, but she can't turn her back on Godric Spencer, a clueless old actor friend she runs into at a cocktail party, who is about to be launched in America as the next Hugh Grant. When Melissa returns to London to deal with a family emergency, she finds her agency in serious disarray. After setting things to rights, Melissa realizes how important her business and professional identity are to her, and she returns to New York emboldened, determined to figure out if her future lies in The Big Apple with Jonathan.Discussion Questions"He is, in short, a complete dreamboat." How does Melissa Romney-Jones's description of Jonathan Riley, her boyfriend and soon-to-be fiance, square with his characterization in the novel? To what extent does Jonathan's attitude about Melissa's continuing her work at her agency while on vacation in New York seem tangled up with his feelings for his ex-wife, Cindy?How would you characterize Melissa's relationships with her parents and her sisters, and why does Melissa avoid discussing the real nature of her work with her family? What does Melissa's allowing her sister, Allegra, to help out at her London agency while she's in New York reveal about her father's influence in the family?"I'd never felt so gorgeous as I had when I'd been a slinky blonde." Why does Melissa's physical transformation into Honey Blennerhesket make her feel more attractive as a person? To what extent does her costume alter her personality, and what does its dramatic effect suggest about her self-esteem? Why doesn't Melissa just assume the role of Honey Blennerhesket on a full-time basis?How does Melissa's friendship with Gabi get tested by her stay in New York? Why is Gabi's relationship with Nelson problematic for Melissa, and how does her discomfort with their developing romance suggest something about her own latent feelings for Nelson? To what extent does Nelson's decision to give Melissa -- and not Gabi -- his cell phone number at sea reveal something telling about his own feelings?"You're Melons the wardrobe mistress, and I'm Godric the geek." Why does Melissa agree to assist Ric's agent, Paige, in marketing Ric as an appealing film star, and why does she deliberately conceal her activities with Ric from Jonathan? How does Jonathan's discovery of Melissa's deception impact her relationships with both men?To what extent does Braveheart's presence at Jonathan's brownstone symbolize some of the unresolved issues between Jonathan and his ex-wife Cindy? How does the ongoing sale of his former apartment complicate Jonathan's relationship with Melissa? Why does Melissa seem accepting of Cindy's presence in Jonathan's life, and what does this acceptance imply about her own feelings for her ex-boyfriends?"You didn't think I'd say no, though, did you?" Why is Melissa troubled by Jonathan's marriage proposal? How does his proposal (and Melissa's reaction to it) reveal some of the tensions inBrowne, Hester is the author of 'Little Lady, Big Apple ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781416541547 and ISBN 1416541543.