Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for This Is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer

1. "For those who know, for those who feel it, the Park is more than just a park. It is evocative, a symbol." Central Park is so integral to the story that it becomes a character in the novel. What did you make of the sections from the Park's point of view? Do you agree that the Park is a symbol? If so, what do you think it represents?
2. The novel is structured around Abe and Jane retelling their lifelong love story at the end of Jane's life. How does terminal illness change Abe and Jane's relationship? How does it affect the ways they tell their story—to each other and to themselves?
3. "A mother is always and never alone." Discuss Jane's relationship with motherhood. What did you think and feel as you were reading about Jane's early years as a mother? How did those early years affect her relationship with Max, and Max's relationship with Jane?
4. How did you view Alice's character, and her role in the story of Abe and Jane's life and love story? How did her perspective add or change this love story?
5. What did you make of the narrative structure of the book, and the different character viewpoints? Did you have a favorite character, and if so, why?
6. There is a lyrical cadence to many parts of the novel. Consider this line: "You remember our love like a river, a rock, a fountain, a rainbow. You remember it as an August evening, the holidays, the first spring day. You remember it as sparkle, or maybe I do. Why not? We had our bumps. You remember it wasn't always easy, but so often it was. How lucky are we? Sometimes, over the top is just enough." Were there any lines that stood out to you as being boldly true when you were reading—about love, art, or sacrifice?
7. Given the lifelong love between Abe and Jane, how do you view Max's approach to romance and partnership? How do you think his love story will continue?
8. The novel addresses love on many levels, including the love of one's own creative passions and artistic sensibility. How did you view Jane's commitment to pursuing her art, versus Abe's commitment to pursuing his? How did each parent's ambition impact the family?
9. Compare your impressions of Abe's art to Jane's. Did you visualize their work while reading? How does their art impact the shape of their relationship?
10. Discuss the title This Is a Love Story. How did your idea of a love story change as you read the book? After you finished it?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Dutton. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.