by Beth K. Vogt
Rachel Hauck and Susie May Warren: The two of you are forces to be reckoned with in the writing world. Your mentorship and, even more, your friendship are gifts to me.
Rachelle Gardner: Some people would say, “Of course you acknowledge your agent!” But there’s no “of course” about this. Were I to try and “acknowledge” all you’ve done for me while I’ve written this book, well, I’d need an extra page or two. You are the best of the best and I thank God for you.
READING GROUP GUIDE
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE
Winning an all-expenses-paid Colorado destination wedding might seem like a dream come true for some people—but it only causes doubt for Caron Hollister as she evaluates if her boyfriend Alex Madison is “the one.” Caron takes a trip to visit Colorado to catch her breath, but runs into the man she walked away from, Kade Webster. Spending time with Kade has Caron questioning everything. The man intrigues her—at times infuriates her—and reminds her of what she lost. Has she been settling for what everyone expects of her? Just because others believe she and Alex are the perfect couple, does that mean they should get married? And how can Caron say “I do” to one man when she’s wondering “What if?” about another?
FOR DISCUSSION
1. When Almost Like Being in Love opens, Caron Hollister works for her father as a Realtor. Do you think her decision to quit was the right decision, or should she have continued to work for him after he brought on Nancy Miller as his partner? What do you think about family members working together? What does it take for family members to successfully work together? Have you ever worked for a family member? How did that go for you?
2. What did you think of Caron’s decision to go visit her friend Margo in Colorado rather than staying in Florida, finding another job, and facing her father after quitting? When dealing with major life changes, are you a step-back-and-evaluate-the-situation kind of person or a keep-moving-ahead kind of person?
3. Kade Webster is focused on achieving his professional dreams as a Realtor in Colorado, but that doesn’t mean he forgets his friends. Mitch and Kade became friends through their time as Army Rangers, and that bond is even stronger now that Mitch faces life as a double amputee. Do you know anyone who deals with either a physical or mental challenge on a daily basis? What is life like for them? How do friends and family help them?
4. Kade convinces Eddie Kingston to let him be a part of the Peak Tour of Homes, hoping it will benefit them both in the long run. Have you ever participated in a Tour of Homes in any way—as a Realtor, home builder, decorator, judge, or just had fun as a spectator, touring the homes open to the public? What was that like? Discuss why you think these Tour of Homes events are so popular.
5. Caron’s friend Margo is planning her wedding even as Caron begins to question her relationship with Alex. What are some of your experiences as a bridesmaid or maid/matron of honor? Have you ever participated in a bridal fair? Maybe won a prize, like Caron did? How important are the relationships between a bride and the members of her bridal party? Imagine you’re a bride: How do you decide who your maid of honor is? Who your bridesmaids are?
6. And then there’s Alex. After a rough day dealing with his mother’s alcoholism again, he thinks this about Caron: This was one of the reasons they were so right for each other. She knew his secrets. Kept his secrets. Loved him in spite of his secrets. What was your response to this? What happens when secrets are the foundation of a relationship?
7. Sometimes people who know us the least understand us better than those closest to us—and such is the case with Nancy Miller for Caron. How did the development of their relationship surprise you? How were Nancy Miller and Caron alike? How were they different?
8. Family knows us best, right? What did you think about Caron’s brother’s reaction when she told him that she’d quit working for her father? Was he speaking the truth in love or was he speaking out of turn? What about Vanessa’s promise to pray for more imperfection in Caron’s life? How was that prayer answered throughout the rest of the book?
9. What did Jessica symbolize to Alex? What did she provide for him that his life lacked? What did you think about their relationship at the beginning of the book? At the end of the book? Did it turn out the way you expected? Were you conflicted in your feelings about their friendship?
10. A professional crisis causes Kade to ask Caron for help. When she says yes, they are both convinced they can ignore their past romantic relationship. What would you have told Caron to do if she’d called you for advice about whether to take a temporary job with her ex-boyfriend?
11. After quitting her job and helping stage Eddie Kingston’s home for the tour, Caron begins to question whether she wants to be a Realtor. When have you questioned who you are and what you want to do with your life? How did your life change—or did it stay the same? What helped you make the decision about what you wanted to do?
12. We often hear the saying “Honesty is the best policy.” Kade tried to be honest with Caron about his feelings for her. Caron tried to be honest with her father about what she wanted to do with her life—and about her feelings for Kade. Alex tried to be honest with his father (and the Hollisters) about how he was hurting. How did being honest work out for Kade? For Caron? For Alex? Have you ever had to be honest with someone—a friend or family member—about a tough or painful topic? How did you prepare for the conversation? Do you believe it’s always best to be honest, or is it best to leave some things unsaid? How do you decide?
13. What did you think of the title Almost Like Being in Love? Why do you think the author chose this title? If you had the chance to pick a title for this book, what would you choose?
14. There’s no such thing as a perfect wedding day, and that was true for Caron and Kade. What was your reaction to their destination wedding ceremony? Would you have written the scene—both the ceremony and the reception—differently? If you’re married, what were some of the less-than-perfect moments on your wedding day? If you’re not married, share some less-than-perfect moments from weddings you’ve been a part of or attended.
GOING DEEPER WITH THE STORY
1. “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?” (Galatians 1:10). It’s so easy to get caught up in the “Am I okay?” mind-set and seek approval from others, just as Caron Hollister sought approval from her father—something that affected her life for years. What are some truths that help you remember to focus on God’s approval, not the approval of others?
2. “. . . You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6, NASB). Everyone has secrets. The question is: When do we keep secrets and when do we need to reveal a secret for our ultimate healing? How do you determine when keeping a secret is destructive to you emotionally? If God is calling you to “truth in the innermost being,” how do you wisely move past secrets to honesty that leads to hope and new life? If you’ve ever helped someone cope with a secret that has been hurting them, how have you done so? What scriptural truths did you share with them?
3. One of the main themes in Almost Like Being in Love is the idea of two people being “perfect” for each other. If you were talking to two young people in love, what would you encourage them to be for each other? Perfect . . . or something else?
A CONVERSATION WITH BETH K. VOGT
As readers, we love to know what inspires an author’s ideas in creating their books. What was the catalyst for Almost Like Being in Love?
Every story I write starts with a “What if?” For this novel, the “What if?” was based on the idea of parents “betrothing” their young children to their friends’ kids. You know, the harmless idea that starts when the kiddos are toddlers: Oh, I hope my daughter marries your son when they grow up! I admit I did my own bit of harmless “betrothing” with my own kiddos—not that any of it ever happened. I mean, children grow up and have their own ideas about who they want to marry, right? But what
if two twentysomethings buy into their parents’ pressure that they are perfect for each other? Can that be the basis of a lifelong relationship? My musing turned into a Story Question, which is something else I have for every book I write: Just because you’re perfect for each other, does that mean you should get married?
Almost Like Being in Love is connected to your first destination wedding novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Caron Hollister, the main character in Almost Like Being in Love, is the little sister of Logan Hollister, the main character in Crazy Little Thing Called Love. What was it like to tell Caron’s story?
There was only a glimpse of Caron in Crazy Little Thing Called Love, so it was exciting to fully develop her in this book. I’d already created the story idea and I just built the story around Caron. From the first novel I knew she was dating Alex, but I had to go back and discover the rest of the story: what were her hopes and dreams, what was the history of her broken romance with Kade, what did she want out of life. It was fun, too, because telling her story allowed me to revisit Logan and Vanessa. I don’t always get to revisit my characters.
Caron struggles with being her own person because she wants to please her father so much. Why did you make that part of her story line?
Andy Stanley, the senior pastor of North Point Church, once said, “All of us are using someone or something as a mirror.” When we look in a mirror, we are checking ourselves out, asking, “How do I look? Am I good to go?” We’re looking for approval. Caron’s father was her “mirror”—the person she allowed to determine her value. And while Caron is a fictional character, many people use others as their “mirrors,” allowing someone else to have power over their self-esteem and worth. Writing Caron’s story allowed me to examine something we all struggle with.
Kade, Caron’s ex-boyfriend, who becomes her boss, is a Realtor. He also runs “Mudders” with his friend and fellow Realtor, Mitch, who is a double amputee. Why did you bring those angles into the story?
Kade and Mitch are both ex-Army Rangers, too—and I’ve woven military angles into my other novels, such as Catch a Falling Star and Somebody Like You, because my husband was in the military. My son Josh runs Mudders and Spartan races—obstacle courses you can run solo or with a team—and my husband, Rob, and son-in-love, Nate, have joined him once. I’m purely a spectator. At one Mudder Josh ran in Aspen, there was a Wounded Warrior in a wheelchair—a double amputee. Rob and Josh told me how the team helped the Wounded Warrior conquer the course when the terrain was too rough, including one person carrying him on his back while another person carried his wheelchair. I also mention the Emerald Coast MudRun for Orphans in the book—this annual race is sponsored by Heart of the Bride, a ministry begun by my close friends, Tony and Faith Gibson.
Caron’s boyfriend, Alex, is dealing with a huge family secret: alcoholism. What prompted that aspect of the story?
Alex was a complete stranger to me when I started writing Almost Like Being in Love. I can remember talking about him with my mentor, Rachel Hauck, trying to discover who he was. The one thing I knew was Alex wasn’t as perfect as he first appeared—that there was something he was hiding. Most of us have secrets. Family secrets. Personal secrets. So often we think of keeping a secret as protection. The questions become: Is it really best to keep a secret? How does it affect us? When and how do we bring the secret to light? So Alex was a multilayered character for me: the “perfect” guy who actually wasn’t so perfect and needed to face the harsh realities of his life.
What comes next for you?
I’m always looking forward to new, fun ways to connect with my readers—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I might dive into Periscope. And I’m mulling over a new story that involves a trio of sisters. They’re starting to talk to me . . . It’s going to be interesting.
• • •
Beth would love to connect with book clubs that have read Almost Like Being in Love. You can contact her through her website at bethvogt.com, or via Facebook, Twitter, or email at [email protected].
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Successful career gal Kendall Haynes is tired of wishing on stars for a home and a family. Can God’s dreams for her be even better than her own? Check out this Carol Award finalist for a "delightful, sparkling romance and a story that is sure to keep you up all night" (Susan May Warren, best-selling, award-winning author).
Catch a Falling Star
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Recently widowed Haley Ames’s world is rocked when she arrives home one evening and discovers her husband’s identical twin brother on her doorstep—a brother she knew nothing about. Can she find love and new beginnings with her husband’s reflection? " . . .[a] quietly beautiful inspirational contemporary . . . a heartwarming tearjerker about learning what love is.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© LISA MERINO
Beth K. Vogt is a nonfiction writer who said she’d never write fiction. After saying she’d never marry a doctor or anyone in the military, she is now happily married to a former Air Force family physician. Beth believes God’s best is often behind the door marked “Never.” An established magazine writer and editor, she now writes inspirational contemporary romance because she believes there is more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us.
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ALSO BY BETH K. VOGT
Wish You Were Here
You Made Me Love You: an eShort Sequel to Wish You Were Here
Catch a Falling Star
Somebody Like You
Can’t Buy Me Love: a Destination Wedding eNovella
Crazy Little Thing Called Love: a Destination Wedding Novel
You Can’t Hurry Love: a Destination Wedding eNovella
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Beth K. Vogt
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k or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Howard Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Howard Books trade paperback edition June 2016
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Interior design by Jaime Putorti
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Vogt, Beth K., author.
Title: Almost like being in love : a destination wedding novel / Beth K. Vogt.
Description: First Howard Books trade paperback edition. | Nashville : Howard Books, 2016. | Series: A Destination wedding novel
Identifiers: LCCN 2015044092| ISBN 9781476789804 (paperback) | ISBN 9781476789811 (ebook)
Subjects: | BISAC: FICTION / Christian / Romance. | FICTION / Romance / Contemporary. | FICTION / Contemporary Women. | GSAFD: Love stories. | Christian fiction.
