The Friends We Keep

Visit www.MischiefBay.com for a printable PDF you can hand out at your book club meeting.

          The Friends We Keep has three intertwining story lines—one each for Gabby, Nicole and Hayley. What are the common themes that tie together these three plots?

     What does the title mean to you?

     How did the events of the story change Gabby, Hayley and Nicole? What lessons did they learn? Do any of those lessons make you think differently about something that’s happening in your own life?

     Susan Mallery is noted for her keen insight into our inner lives, and her ability to elicit deep emotions from her readers. Which scenes were the most emotional for you? Which parts made you laugh?

     Susan makes a promise to her readers that they can relax into the reading experience knowing that the characters will pull through, even after facing the hardest of circumstances. Did you find the ending satisfying for each character?

     Which of the three stories was your favorite, and why? Which of the three women is most like you? Did your opinion of any of the characters (including secondary characters) change as you read the book?

     Did you feel that Gabby was being selfish by refusing to raise Makayla’s baby as her own? What would you have done in her situation? Have you or has anyone close to you had a baby at such a young age?

     Did Hayley’s husband do the right thing when he left her? Why or why not? What else could he have done to get through to her?

     Did you expect Hayley to adopt Makayla’s baby? Do you think that ending would have been better or worse than what happened in the book? Explain.

     What did you think of Jairus? Why do you think Nicole was so reluctant to meet him, and then to go out with him? Go around the room and state whether you read the start of Nicole’s journey in The Girls of Mischief Bay. Does the perception of those who read that book differ from that of those who did not?



Join the mailing list at www.SusanMallery.com to be notified of upcoming new releases, contests and news!





Book Club Menu Suggestion Chicken Enchilada Casserole

from Supper’s in the Bag 15-ounce can of tomato sauce





10.5-ounce can of cream of chicken soup


2 teaspoons chili powder


1 teaspoon garlic salt

15-ounce can of black beans, partially mashed 6 cups cooked chicken, shredded (1 rotisserie chicken works nicely) 1?2 cup sour cream

1?2 cup frozen corn

2 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese, divided 12 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch slices, divided 2 cups baby spinach leaves Sour cream, green

onions, and tomatoes

for garnish (optional)

          Mix tomato sauce, cream of chicken soup, chili powder and garlic salt. Set sauce aside.

     Mix beans, chicken, sour cream, corn and 1 cup cheese. Set filling aside.

     Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 13 x 9–inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Spread about 3/4 cup of sauce into the prepared pan. Layer half of the corn tortilla strips on top of the sauce, partially overlapping. Put the filling on top of the tortillas, and the baby spinach on top of that. Spread another 3/4 cup of sauce over the spinach leaves. Cover with the rest of the tortilla strips. Top with all of the remaining sauce.

     Cover with foil and bake for half an hour. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until cheese has melted and started to brown, and mixture is bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, green onions and tomatoes.





#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery invites you to celebrate the event of the year with her brand-new story:

Daughters of the Bride

(August 2016)

Three sisters, three love stories, one reunion—just in time for the chaos of their mother’s wedding.

“Susan Mallery is one of my favorites.”

—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

Experience the best in contemporary romance with the charming Fool’s Gold series by Susan Mallery. Be sure to get all of the titles in this captivating series full of hope, laughter and love to last a lifetime.

Best of My Love Marry Me at Christmas Thrill Me Kiss Me Hold Me Yours for Christmas (novella)

Until We Touch Before We Kiss When We Met Christmas on 4th Street Three Little Words Two of a Kind Just One Kiss Halfway There (novella) A Fool’s Gold Christmas All Summer Long Summer Nights Summer Days Almost Summer (novella) A Christmas Bride Only Us (novella) Only His Only Yours Only Mine Finding Perfect Almost Perfect Chasing Perfect

Love. Laughter. Happily-Ever-After.

“Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” —Booklist

Available wherever ebooks are sold.

Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

Other ways to keep in touch:

Harlequin.com/newsletters

Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

HarlequinBlog.com