2. The first real relationship Iris forms after moving to New York is with Bobby, her best friend/neighbor/boss. Have you ever had a friend like that, who has helped pick you up when you were down?
3. We soon come to learn of the secret gelato recipe that Iris’s mother passed down to her, and their tradition of eating it from pink melamine bowls, often while watching old New York–set movies. What family recipes or family traditions have been passed down in your family?
4. New York City is its very own character in this novel, especially the neighborhood of Little Italy. Did the setting make you want to visit the city? If you’ve visited before, did it make you want to return?
5. What did you think of Iris’s plan once she realizes where her mother’s gelato recipe must have come from? Do you agree that it’s the most sensitive way to handle the special circumstances? Why or why not?
6. As we come to know the Belottis, we learn that they are lively and loving and absolutely wonderful—did you also wish you could have spent time with them at the holidays or at the gelato shop?
7. Both Iris and Gio have reasons that they have avoided relationships and opening up to new people—what was the moment that you started to see this changing for them? What do you think was the first moment they really started to trust each other?
8. The Monday Night Motel is a space that Gio and Iris created just for themselves, to be a little bubble of escape from the world. Have you ever created a space or ritual like that for yourself, with or without a partner? If not, what would you want your ideal little escape to be?
9. How did you feel when Santo issued his stern request to Iris? Could you see where he was coming from, or do you think he should have been happy for Iris and Gio and been more understanding instead?
10. What did you think about the climax of the novel, when all of our characters come together in one big scene? Did you laugh or cry? Were you angry or happy? Or did you feel all of those things by turn?
11. By the end of the novel, we’ve seen Iris and Gio go on personal journeys as well as a journey together. What did you think of their character and relationship arcs? Do you think they are stronger for it?
A Very New York Must-Watch RomCom List …
INSPIRED BY IRIS AND HER mother’s tradition of watching New York–set romcoms, we’ve curated the ultimate watchlist for every kind of romcom lover!
For those who like their romcoms a little more vintage, we’ve got some oldies but goodies:
Barefoot in the Park
That Touch of Mink
Sabrina
An Affair to Remember
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
For the strongest Iris and Vivien vibes, we’ve got their favorite romcoms:
When Harry Met Sally
Moonstruck
Working Girl
Sleepless in Seattle
You’ve Got Mail
Splash
And for those who love how the romcom tradition has carried on:
Maid in Manhattan
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Serendipity
Two Weeks Notice
Kate & Leopold
A Tasty Vanilla Gelato Recipe …
AND OF COURSE, NO ROMCOM marathon is complete without vanilla gelato! (Okay, it might not be the super-secret Belotti family recipe, but we encourage you to experiment with this recipe and make it your own family tradition!)
INGREDIENTS:
4 egg yolks
? cup granulated sugar
1? cups whole milk
1 cup cold heavy cream
Vanilla extract to taste
METHOD:
Whip the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is soft and creamy. Bring the milk to almost a boil and keep it simmering at 185°F, making sure it does not boil. Slowly add the egg mixture, stirring the entire time. Simmer the mixture for another few minutes, then add the cold heavy cream, stirring as you go and mixing well. Transfer into a gelato machine and follow the instructions for your device.
BY JOSIE SILVER
A Winter in New York
One Night on the Island
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
One Day in December
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOSIE SILVER is an unabashed romantic who met her husband when she stepped on his foot on his twenty-first birthday. She lives with him, their two sons, and their cats in England. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, and One Night on the Island.