Famous in a Small Town

For most of her eighty years, Mary Jackson has endured the steady invasion of tourists, influencers and real estate developers who have discovered the lakeside charm of Good Hart, Michigan, waiting patiently for the arrival of a stranger she’s believed since childhood would one day carry on her legacy—the Very Cherry General Store. Like generations of Jackson women before her, Cherry Mary, as she’s known locally, runs the community hub—part post office, bakery and sandwich shop—and had almost given up hope that the mysterious prediction she’d been told as a girl would come true and the store would have to pass to…a man.

Becky Thatcher came to Good Hart with her ride-or-die BFF to forget that she’s just turned forty with nothing to show for it. Ending up at the general store with Mary is admittedly not the beach vacation she expected, but the more the feisty octogenarian talks about destiny, the stronger Becky’s memories of her own childhood holidays become, and the strange visions over the lake she was never sure were real. As she works under Mary’s wing for the summer and finds she fits into this quirky community of locals, she starts to believe that destiny could be real, and that it might have something very special in mind for Becky…

Bursting with memorable characters and small-town lore, the enchanting new novel from the bestselling author of The Clover Girls is a magical story about the family you’re born with, and the one you choose.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Graydon House Books.

Book club questions for Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

This novel explores the hardships women often have to overcome in a male-dominated world not only to survive but to succeed. What challenges have you and the women in your life had to endure? How did that change you? How are you still trying to overcome obstacles in life/society?

Another major theme in the novel centers on believing in yourself. How have you doubted yourself in your life? Why? Have you ever let fear stop you from pursuing your dreams? What dreams do you wish to fulfill? What dreams have come true?

This novel centers on an intergenerational friendship between two women at forty and eighty. It was inspired by my real-life friendships with my grandmothers. Do you have a best friend who is significantly younger or older than you (be it a BFF or relative)? Talk about the beauty, and challenges, of that relationship.

I have always loved cherries (which serve as the foundation of the story and a beautiful analogy to life in this novel). My grandma used to make me a Cherry Chip Cake when I was a kid. When I moved to Michigan, my love of cherries was renewed. What is your favorite fruit, and what are some of your favorite recipes that incorporate them?

Setting is always as big a character in my novels as much as my characters themselves. When I first visited the Tunnel of Trees in northern Michigan, I was stunned and transported by its natural beauty. What place have you visited in your life whose stunning setting has stayed with you forever?

I grew up going to general stores, where I could buy penny candy from the counter, an ice-cold soda right out of the icebox or a Popsicle straight out of the freezer. Did you have a general store where you grew up? What memories do you have? What do you miss most about it?

This novel is an ode to my grandmothers, strong, hardworking women who were often knocked down by life but soldiered on—like Mary—with faith, grace and resilience. Are you, or were you, close to your grandmothers? What memories do you have of your grandmas?

Becky becomes a flâneur in life, something we are socialized not to do. Have you ever simply taken a day to wander your hometown? What did you discover? In addition, have you ever stopped walking the path before you and created a new one to follow? What was that like? How did that change you? (I quit my full-time job to write and wandered to the shore of Lake Michigan on a whim, a journey that has changed my life.)

Have you ever, on a whim, done something that scared you but, ultimately, changed you, whether it was taking an art class or running a 5K? Discuss that experience and how it changed you.

This novel celebrates all things summer. What are some of your favorite summer traditions? Vacations? Memories? Sounds, foods and smells?

Famous in a Small Town Book Club Questions PDF

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“A heartwarming story of determination, inspiration and creating your own destiny.” —Robyn Carr, New York Times bestselling author

"Full of summertime delight…and sweet, nostalgic charm, Famous in a Small Town is a beautiful reminder to…fully embrace the magic that lives inside you." —Heather Webber, USA TODAY bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café