The All-Star Antes Up (Wager of Hearts #2) (32 page)
Read The All-Star Antes Up (Wager of Hearts #2) Online
Authors: Nancy Herkness
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Both Luke and Miranda are shaped by family relationships. Their parents didn’t understand their life choices, and their brothers have become responsibilities, financially and emotionally. Why do our families influence us so strongly, even when the influence might be negative? What positive or negative effects has your family had on you?
- Luke’s celebrity status leads Miranda to assume that he will behave in certain ways, so she’s surprised when he defies those expectations. Are certain personalities drawn to the limelight, or does fame itself change people? Why do we assume it is acceptable for celebrities to act differently from normal people? Do you think you would enjoy being famous?
- What determines a person’s worth? Luke is a famous football player, but he struggles with the stereotype that he’s just a dumb jock. Miranda is insightful and excellent at her job, but she assumes she’s too average for someone like Luke to consider romantically. Their talents are different but equally important, so why do they both feel lacking at the beginning of the novel? Why do they need each other to comprehend their own self-worth? Do we all seek outside validation?
- Luke dedicated his entire life to football, forcing his personal life to take a backseat to his career. Can you find true happiness through a job? Are personal relationships more or less important than career success? Can you balance both equally, or does one always take precedence?
- Miranda and Luke have a “play through the pain” attitude on both a physical and mental level. Is this always a good thing? What are some of the pros and cons of never showing weakness to those around you?
- Orin Spindle is an unprofessional, spiteful boss, but Miranda is forced to put up with him to retain her job. Have you ever been in a similar situation? How do you handle those who abuse their power over others?
- If you were in Miranda’s shoes, would you have accepted Luke’s offer to write a letter of recommendation? She is highly competent at her job and would be an asset to any company that hired her, but she still feels like it would be cheating. Do you agree?
- Luke is surprised when the curator at the Morgan Library wants a document from him, because he believes football is not cultured enough to fit in with the highbrow collection there. What do you consider “culture”? Is it possible to predict what will have a lasting impact on cultural history? Is Luke’s athletic fame too fleeting to merit inclusion?
- At first glance, Miranda and Luke seem to have very dissimilar careers and personalities. Do opposites truly attract, or are our hero and heroine more alike than they appear?
- Gavin Miller is still seeking to win his part of the Wager of Hearts. What kind of woman do you think he will find? Will she be smart and sassy like Chloe, or kind and perceptive like Miranda? What kind of life mate would you match up with the blocked writer?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writers create their stories in solitude, but it takes an incredible team to turn the story into a book. Many thanks to all of those who have contributed knowledge, effort, and support to this project, most especially:
Maria Gomez, my super editor, whose spirit and enthusiasm make it a joy to work with her.
Jessica Poore, Marlene Kelly, and the Montlake Author Relations team, all of whom are all-stars in my eyes.
Jane Dystel and Miriam Goderich, my marvelously supportive agents, who have helped my career take flight.
Andrea Hurst, my thoughtful, perceptive developmental editor, who knows how to make a book infinitely stronger without ripping it apart.
Sara Brady and Lea Ann Schafer, my capable, conscientious (and entertaining!) copy editors, who catch my mistakes both grammatical and logistical to polish my prose to a high shine.
Jill Kramer, my keen-eyed proofreader, whose painstaking focus and profound knowledge of grammar and punctuation make my book as perfect as possible.
Eileen Carey, the gifted graphic designer who seamlessly combined exactly the right model with exactly the right setting to bring Luke’s story to vibrant visual life.
Jeff Theodorou, my brilliant resident football expert, who helped me with terminology, plays, and other details of the gridiron. Any mistakes are entirely my own.
Lawrence Jenkens, professor of art history extraordinaire, who explained the ins and outs of tenure to me.
Rebecca Theodorou, English major turned vet student, who developed the provocative, insightful discussion questions for this book.
Miriam Allenson, Lisa Verge Higgins, and Jennifer Wilck, my critique partners, whose editorial genius keeps me on the right track and pushes me to be a better writer.
Pie, my little gray cat, who warms my writer’s garret with her furry, comforting presence.
Jeff, Rebecca, and Loukas, who both anchor me and give me wings. Love you all so much!
ABOUT NANCY HERKNESS
Photo © 2015 Lisa Kollberg
Nancy Herkness is the author of the award-winning Whisper Horse series, as well as several other contemporary romance novels. She has received many honors for her work, including the Book Buyers Best Award, the Maggie Award in Contemporary Romance, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and she is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English literature and creative writing. A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives in a Victorian house twelve miles west of the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey with her husband, two mismatched dogs, and an elderly cat.
For more information about Nancy and her books, visit
www.NancyHerkness.com
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