READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Technically Yours by Denise Williams
Discussion Questions:


1.   Pearl’s tattoo is to remind her of important lessons she doesn’t want to forget: do work that matters, put family first, and head before heart. If you were to get the same star tattoo, what lessons would your tattoo symbolize?

2.   Cord is afraid of repeating his dad’s mistakes and falling so in love he loses himself or gets hurt again. Pearl is afraid of falling in love after a relationship left her feeling unmoored and lost. How are their emotional wounds similar? How are they different?

3.   The relationship between Cord and Tye was one of the author’s favorite parts of writing the book, in part because Cord, as the mentor, benefited just as much as Tye, the mentee. Have you had a formal or informal mentoring relationship? What did you gain from the experience, and did it help you move toward your goals?

4.   Pearl finds herself increasingly unable to resist the physical connection she feels for Cord. Have you ever been in a situation where your physical and/or emotional pull to someone made you act out of character?

5.   When they first meet, Pearl works for Cord’s company, and the power imbalance of boss and employee is part of what keeps them at arm’s length. In romance, do you enjoy reading about boss and employee affairs? What is the appeal or deterrent for you in reading about them?

6.   Do you think Pearl overreacted to Cord’s donating the money to OurCode behind her back? How would you have reacted in that situation?

7.   Pearl sees herself as the sensible sibling. While younger sister Shea is free-spirited and often comic relief, middle sister Bri is characterized as adventurous and laid-back. How do you think the siblings complement one another? Do you see these dynamics in your own family?

8.   OurCode’s mission is to empower underrepresented kids to pursue careers in tech. What impact do real-world organizations like this (e.g., Girls Who Code) have on our workplaces, communities, and children?

9.   Mason ends up being the person to give the best advice to Cord when he tells him, “Speak to your partner like you’re speaking to your
mechanic—talk about everything on the front end or you’ll pay for it later.” Why is it sometimes difficult to take this advice in relationships?

10. What do you think happens to Pearl and Cord after the epilogue? How do you picture their lives looking ten years from the end of the book?