READERS GUIDE

The Little Shop of Merry and Bright Discussion Guide
1.   Casey meets the Spirit of Christmas Present, Margo, after she decides to live a sequestered life to avoid further public humiliation. If you were to meet Margo, what would you ask to see?
2.   Casey’s brother, Nate, finds himself constantly fretting over Casey’s well-being. But when the tables are turned and Casey attempts to check in on his mental health, he is quick to dismiss her concerns. To what extent are Nate and Casey quite similar? And how does this help or hinder their ability to move forward in their sibling relationship and their relationships with other people?
3.   The Little Shop of Merry and Bright is set at a department store. Discuss how this location speaks, metaphorically, to Casey’s invisibility at the beginning of the novel.
4.   The Little Shop of Merry and Bright is full of romance’s best cozy, small-town holiday romance tropes. Share your favorite trope from the novel. How does it help develop the connection Casey forms with Ajay?
5.   Of all the realities that Margo shows Casey, which, if any, seemed the most aligned with who Casey is at her core? Discuss to what extent Casey’s character is informed by the events that unfold after the public proposal.
6.   Which was your favorite “glimpse” of an alternate life for Casey? Would you have chosen it for her over the life that she has? If so, why?
7.   Margo and Casey quickly become dear friends. Tracking their journey toward understanding each other throughout the course of the novel, what commonalities fostered such a strong bond?
8.   In this novel, Jenny Bayliss turns her head to the fantastical. Do you think, if it weren’t for Margo, Casey would have jolted awake from the quiet life she had been living? Why or why not?
9.   The Little Shop of Merry and Bright is an ode to the holiday classic A Christmas Carol. If you could play the lead role in your favorite holiday movie or book, which one would it be?
10. What do you see next for Casey and Ajay?