“I’m not scared.” Lori wiggled her eyebrows up and down.
Their lips brushed sweetly together. Then they simultaneously ducked the next round of gummy bears.
Dear Reader,
I hope you had as much fun reading this book as I had writing it. I knew as soon as Lori made her first appearance in Return to Love that she needed to share her own story. She and Andy seemed to be the perfect match from the very beginning, and I had a blast putting them together.
Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. Some argue that it’s simply a commercial holiday, a manipulated attempt at getting consumers to spend money on things they don’t need in order to express their feelings. But I say celebrating love and romance is fun! What’s better than redand-pink window displays, heart-shaped candy, mushy greeting cards and, of course, a ton of chocolate? Some of my fondest memories from my school-age days were sending Snoopy or Care Bear valentines to classmates and indulging in pinkfrosted cupcakes.
It’s good to show our spouses and friends that we care about them, but in the midst of celebrating earthly love, we need to always remember the gift that was demonstrated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the true lover of our souls.
Blessings!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
The book begins with Lori feeling overwhelmed and in desperate need of chocolate. What is your favorite comfort food?
Lori and Andy were best friends for years before realizing their feelings for each other. Have you ever had a close relationship with a person of the opposite sex and suddenly discovered you had feelings for them?
Andy thought sending gifts as a secret admirer would warm Lori up to the idea of his being boyfriend material instead of simply friend material. Was this a good idea, or did it just cause more problems later in the story?
Have you ever had what you thought to be a good idea backfire and create issues in your life?
What was your favorite of the gifts Andy sent Lori as a secret admirer? Why? If you were to send surprise gifts to someone, what would you send?
When Jason showed up and lied about the gifts being from him, why didn’t Andy object?
How did Andy’s staying silent create more problems for him and Lori?
Lori was tempted to accept an offer she knew wasn’t right for her because it would propel her toward a longtime dream. Have you ever had to choose between right and wrong at the risk of sacrificing a specific dream or goal?
Andy worked at the church as a single youth minister. Do you agree or disagree with the staff for pressuring him toward marriage?
Lori’s befriending her coworker Summer helped turn the younger girl back toward God. Have you ever reached out to someone who was a little different than you to share the gospel? If so, what happened?
At first, Summer’s hardened appearance of dark clothes, tattoos and piercings turned Lori away. How are appearances often deceiving? What efforts can we make to ensure that we never falsely judge someone?
Lori had a special love for shoes. Do you have a favorite accessory or item of clothing that you always look for when shopping?
Two of the teenagers in the youth group played a part in putting Lori and Andy together. Did their matchmaking schemes make things easier or harder on them? Should the teens have gotten involved, or stayed out of it? Why or why not?
Lori dreaded the approach of Valentine’s Day because she was going to be without a date. Have you ever been in that position during a holiday? What did you do to celebrate alone?
Lori’s knack for design helped land her the permanent management position at the Chocolate Gator. If you were a customer at the shop, what sort of logo merchandise would you suggest Lori sell?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4866-7
A VALENTINE’S WISH
Copyright © 2010 by Betsy St. Amant
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
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