READERS GUIDE

Discussion Guide
1. From the first chapter, author Ellie Palmer notes that Midwesterners are stereotyped as being conflict averse. Between which characters did you see this quality shine through the most?
2. Anywhere with You opens with Charley’s decision to stop her sister Laurel’s wedding. Do you think Charley is justified in making such a call in love? How would you have responded in either scenario—first if you were Charley, then if you were Laurel? How would you define a sister’s duty?
3. Charley and Ethan are complete opposites. Where Charley is a type-A queen, Ethan is as carefree and nonchalant as they (men) come. To what extent do you believe opposites attract?
4. Palmer spoils us with some swoon-worthy banter between Charley and Ethan. In which moment did you first sense their brewing sexual tension? What gave them away?
5. Anywhere with You, a beloved road trip romance, transports us through the Minnesotan woods. How is the road-trip trope known to foster intimacy, and to what extent does it manifest in this way for Charley and Ethan? If you were to embark on a similar road trip, who would you take with you?
6. Charley and Ethan have known each other since they were kids. Discuss whether such a robust history often hinders or encourages romance. In other words, to what extent does the progress of Charley and Ethan’s relationship hinge on their early meet-cute?
7. After her divorce, Charley finds it easier to tell the frequently inquisitive that she’s “dating around,” even though she isn’t. In her words, it’s the path of least resistance. To what extent does society still pressure women to find love, and by a certain age? How does this interact with the stigma around divorce?
8. Charley and Laurel grew up observing a certain model of romance. Based on their present-day inclinations in love, discuss what they both took away from their parents’ relationship.
9. Charley requests at least one year post-divorce to indulge in her Sad Girl Era. If you were in her position, which songs would be on your Sad Girl playlist? On the flip side, what would make up your Fall in Love playlist?
10. Having finished the book, where do you see Charley and Ethan now?