Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Book Club Discussion Questions

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Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Sam and Nisha are very different women—Nisha lives a life of luxury and privilege; Sam is struggling to make ends meet and always has. And yet both of them share the quality of grit, of determination, that sees each of them through hard times. In Nisha's case, she is also fueled by anger. Do you think that's true of Sam as well—and is that common among the women you know?
2. Were you surprised when you learned Nisha's own history and how she became the wife of an extremely wealthy man?
3. Sam's work situation is, sadly, still all too common for working women. Have you ever been in a work situation where you felt unfairly judged, especially for being a woman, and, if so, how did you manage it?
4. What did you think about Sam and Phil's marriage? Did you think she should have let herself pursue a possible love affair with Joel or did you feel she and Phil were going to rekindle the spark of their relationship?
5. This book is about nothing if not about female friendship. What did you like best about the relationships among the women? Who was the character you liked best, and which one did you relate to the most?
6. When asked about her inspiration for this book, Jojo Moyes said, "Like many people, I've had a tough couple of years, and I found myself being drawn to books, movies, and television that were lighter and that took me out of myself for an hour or two, and maybe left me feeling a little better for it." Have you had a similar experience with the entertainment you seek out? Did this book provide it?
7. Sam feels that she has lost herself among the demands of her family. It's not until she starts to box, learns to trust her own skills at work, and develops a solid group of friends that she truly feels confident. Do you ever feel lost among the responsibilities that weigh on you? What do you do to feel like yourself again?
8. After successfully negotiating her first deal while wearing the red crocodile shoes, Sam worries that she's "letting down the sisterhood" by using the sexiness of her new appearance to her advantage at work. What do you think? Is it OK to use appearance-based tactics when it comes to business?
9. Have you ever worn an outfit or an item of clothing that made you feel powerful? What was it? What changed for you?
10. Is Nisha a good mother to Ray? By the end of the book, did he receive the kind of support he needed? Why do you think Juliana was willing to come back into Nisha's life to help Ray?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Pamela Dorman Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.