Table of Contents
About The Book
An “immersive…illuminating” (Booklist) and life-affirming novel following the residents of an idyllic Connecticut town over the course of a year, A Little Hope explores the intertwining lives of a dozen neighbors as they confront everyday desires and fears: a lost love, a stalled career, an illness, and a betrayal.
Freddie and Greg Tyler seem to have it all: a comfortable home, a beautiful young daughter, a bond that feels unbreakable. But when Greg is diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, the sense of certainty they once knew evaporates. Throughout their town, friends and neighbors face the most difficult of life’s challenges and are figuring out how to survive thanks to love, grace, and hope.
“A quietly powerful portrait of small-town life…told with wisdom and tenderness” (Mary Beth Keane, author of Ask Again, Yes) A Little Hope is a deeply resonant debut that immerses the reader in a community and celebrates the importance of small moments of connection.
Reading Group Guide
Introduction
Greg Tyler has a successful career, a loving wife and daughter, and a dizzying cancer diagnosis that has him asking himself hard questions. From there, A Little Hope sprawls out through the Tyler’s network of friends and neighbors, and each character finds they are far from alone in experiencing pain, loss, and fear.
A Little Hope is a deeply affecting debut novel about the personal struggles of friends and family living in a Connecticut town. It is a story that celebrates the power of small but genuine interactions in the face of challenging times.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. Greg confronts his diagnosis in a head-on, almost aggressive way. What do you make of his emotional response?
2. Do you or have you lived in a small town? What is your network of friends and family like? How does your own compare to that of the characters?
3. Consider Ahmed and Damon’s friendship. How do you think their relationship compares to most male friendships? What does their dynamic add to the novel?
4. When Alex and Kay tell Greg and Freddie about Alex’s daughter, Freddie reflects she could forgive Greg for anything, “if it meant they could get to Alex and Kay’s age.” Each relationship informs others throughout the novel. What can be learned from having a variety of perspectives at different stages of life?
5. Missed or lost connections are an important theme throughout A Little Hope. Consider what could have been for some of these characters if things had been slightly different. How do they cope with the reality of their situations?
6. Several difficult conversations take place throughout the book. Pick a conversation that resonated most with you. Do you feel sympathy for one character over the other, or is it not so clear-cut?
7. Some characters are dealing with fresh grief while others are managing grief from events years prior. How do people process grief differently? What does the novel suggest about mourning?
8. Toward the end of the book, Darcy, Luke’s mother, buys her granddaughter Lizzie a red kite. This moment is reflected on the front cover of the novel. What do you think the kite might represent?
9. The novel begins and ends with Freddie’s thoughts on “nothing.” In “Rain Day” she thinks, “This thing with Greg might keep being nothing.” What do you make of her thoughts at the end? Discuss your ideas in the context of the overall story.
10. A Little Hope features a variety of sympathetic and complex characters. Were you drawn to any particular character? Discuss who your favorites were and why.
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Ginger reminisces about Luke performing on stage in chapter five, “Yes to Love.” She says that “he could switch from Sinatra to Elton John to Bon Jovi.” Pick your favorite range of songs from these artists for a book club playlist.
2. The chapters “Trying to Wake Up” and “The Star in the Box” are letters between Luke Crowley and his mother. Write a letter to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while or someone you’d like to reconnect with.
3.Consider buying a kite and going to your local park to fly it!
About The Author
Ethan Joella teaches English and psychology at the University of Delaware. He is the author of A Little Hope, which was a Read with Jenna Bonus Selection, A Quiet Life, and The Same Bright Stars. He lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with his wife and two daughters.
Product Details
- Publisher: Scribner (November 16, 2021)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982171216
Raves and Reviews
Named a Best Book of the year by TODAY.com!
“A surprising page-turner... Its calm wisdom about bearing the toughest losses—sometimes lightened by unexpected gifts—makes this novel a comforting companion for difficult times.”
—People
“Poignant and quietly powerful…Joella is particularly deft at deconstructing quiet moments in small-town life and amplifying their significance... more than a tad hopeful.”
—New York Times Book Review
“A heartfelt, life-affirming novel.”
—Alexandra Daddario, Book of the Month
"An absorbing, propulsive, and elegantly written debut. I absolutely loved it."
—Brandon Hobson, National Book Award finalist and author of The Removed
"Forgiveness and redemption are the soul of this novel, but it's the love you will remember long after you put it down."
—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of Lucia, Lucia and The Shoemaker's Wife
"A quietly powerful portrait of small-town life, about how the private worries and dreams of a set of characters intersect, told with wisdom and tenderness."
—Mary Beth Keane, author of Ask Again, Yes
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): A Little Hope eBook 9781982171216
- Author Photo (jpg): Ethan Joella Photograph © Ethan Joella(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
