READERS GUIDE
Discussion Guide1. This novel’s title in some ways pays homage to the classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, but with a twist. Discuss how author Mia Sosa uses the title both to set and upend your expectations about Javi and Mari’s journey.
2. The story opens with an on-edge Javi eager to declare his feelings for Mari. Of course, nothing goes as planned. What would you do if you were in Javi’s position? Based on their story, discuss to what extent a romantic relationship that starts off as a friendship has a seamless path forward.
3. From the get-go, we are primed with Javi and Mari’s complicated history. Still, Alex is introduced to readers alongside Javi in the very first chapter. What were your first impressions of Javi and Alex, respectively? Discuss how, if at all, Sosa signals to readers where our allegiance should lie.
4. Young Javi and Mari find their way to a pact, which allows them to decide who the other can or cannot date. What did you initially make of this pact? Did you think it was fair? In which ways do we already carry out the essence of such a pact in our closest relationships?
5. In the first few chapters, Mari thinks, “contrary to whatever Javi might believe, this engagement isn’t an impulse or a rebound. It’s a manifestation of the mature love I’ve always dreamed of. Steady. Dependable. Grown.” What do you think drives Mari’s quest for “mature love”? To what extent is this a universal pursuit? How does the idea of “mature love” interact with “true love” if the timing might not be right? Do you believe in “right person, wrong time”?
6. When Javi first meets Mari’s dad, Luiz, it’s clear Luiz doesn’t deem Javi suitable. Why do you think Mari’s dad is so difficult to please? To what extent should one factor in family when it comes to making decisions in love?
7. When Javi Dumped Mari is set between two coasts. Discuss whether distance played a role in Javi and Mari’s mismatched timing before the point at which the story opens.
8. Mari keeps a Post-it at her desk reminding her of this: “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.” Discuss what this might look like in the context of a relationship.
9. Throughout the story, Javi considers himself a work in progress. How does this self-assessment affect his openness to a relationship with Mari? Discuss whether his concerns were well-founded.
10. Sosa intentionally denotes any non-English phrases in roman. Discuss how else Sosa takes care to prioritize and promote cultural diversity in When Javi Dumped Mari.
11. The book plays with narrative structure, whether it’s through flashbacks directed by Javi and Mari’s present-day recounting, Mari and Javi’s text messages, or the voice memos from Mari’s mother. How did the story’s structure enhance the read?
12. Mari’s mother, Patricía, no longer lives in the United States, yet she manages to maintain a close relationship with her daughter despite the physical distance between them. Discuss how Sosa depicts this unique mother-daughter relationship and the unresolved tensions that sometimes arose as a result of Patricía’s decision to return to Brazil.
13. What was your favorite scene in the novel, and why?
14. What do you see next for Javi and Mari?
