Before We Were Women
By Sunita Reddy
"A dazzling literary debut...a sparkling novel."
-Dayton Daily News
Three women. Three secrets. One summer that changes everything.
Anita Kumar was fifteen when shame stole her voice. Pregnant and afraid to disappoint her successful parents, she allowed others to decide her future-and her daughter's. Years later, she buries her grief beneath competence, scanning every child's face for the one she lost.
Born into wealth but raised in fear, Ashley Spady escapes a violent home only to find herself trapped in a cycle she doesn't know how to break-until an unexpected diagnosis forces her to confront the truth about herself.
Adopted and blessed with an extraordinary memory, Robin Zymanski dreams of becoming a writer. But as questions about her origins deepen and her vision begins to fade, she must decide who she is when the future she imagined slips from view.
When their lives converge in the summer of 2009, the three women form an unlikely bond that reshapes their understanding of identity, forgiveness, and belonging.
Before We Were Women is a moving multicultural, multigenerational novel of resilience and sisterhood-about confronting the past, reclaiming your voice, and discovering that family can be found in the most unexpected places.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
- Female friendship that becomes chosen family
- Found family in unexpected places
- Second chances at life-and motherhood
- Adoption and identity journeys
- Disability representation (vision loss & assistive tech)
- Quiet reinvention and personal growth
- Emotional, character-driven women's fiction
Perfect for Book Clubs. Themes Include:
- Teenage pregnancy and autonomy
- Adoption and emotional legacy
- Domestic violence and generational silence
- Disability and redefining identity
- Immigrant expectations and cultural belonging
- The meaning of service
- Found family vs. biological family
- Forgiveness and closure
- Multicultural and multigenerational conversations
These discussion questions were provided by DartFrog Books.
Book club questions for Before We Were Women by Sunita Reddy
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
Each of the three women carries a secret. How do secrets shape identity and relationships in this novel?
How does the novel explore the concept of "chosen family"? Where do you see it reflected in your own life?
Anita's shame silences her for years. Have you ever felt silenced by circumstances? How did you find your voice again?
Reading this book with your club?
Access these questions right on your club's meeting page on Bookclubs — no more copy-pasting into a group text.
Create My ClubAshley escapes one form of harm only to find herself in another cycle. What does the novel say about patterns and healing?
Robin's fading vision becomes a metaphor for uncertainty about the future. How does she grow through this challenge?
The summer of 2009 is a turning point for all three women. What does the summer season symbolize in the story?
Dr. Reddy is an OB-GYN who writes about real issues she witnesses. How does her professional background shape the authenticity of the novel?
Which character resonated with you most and why?
The novel ends with a message of hope and belonging. Did the ending satisfy you? What would you have changed?
What does the title "Before We Were Women" mean to you?
Before We Were Women Book Club Questions PDF
Download a printable PDF of these discussion questions to bring to your meeting.