READERS GUIDE

Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay
Questions for Discussion

1. When Chelsea discovers her father is getting remarried, she has a strong reaction—one that causes her to rethink the last seven years of her life. Could you sympathize with Chelsea’s feelings and her decisions in the wake of her father’s announcement?

2. Chelsea decides to revisit her past to move forward with her future. Have you ever considered or taken a similar journey in your life? What was it? Did you find it helpful?

3. What does Chelsea hope to achieve in revisiting her postcollege gap year?

4. Have you been to Ireland, France, or Italy? Do you have a favorite foreign country you’ve visited or you’d like to visit? What about that place appeals to you? 

5. Which of Chelsea’s former three loves—Colin, Jean Claude, or Marcellino—is your favorite? Why?

6. When does Chelsea start to see her work rival, Jason, in a different light? Have you ever had a similar experience— where your relationship with someone unexpectedly takes on a new dimension? What spurred viewing that person in a new way?

7. How does grief play a role in both Chelsea’s and Jason’s lives?

8. How does Chelsea’s relationship with her family change during the course of the book?

9. What does Chelsea discover about herself by revisiting her past? How is Chelsea different at the end of the novel from who she was at the beginning?