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He'll Be Waiting
When Tess Porter agrees to pick up her boyfriend’s college pal at the airport on a snowy December night, she has no idea she’s about to embark on the most dangerous ride of her life. Two days later, the 17-year-old wakes up in a hospital with broken bones, unable to remember how she got there. Her parents are acting strange, and neither James, her boyfriend, nor her best friend, Izzy, has visited. As she struggles to physically recover, Tess wrestles with haunting questions: What happened? Will her memory ever return? And what if she’s better off not recalling any of it?
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with the author, Liz Alterman
Book club questions for He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
Tess Porter allows her love for her boyfriend, James, to cloud her judgement when he asks to drive to the airport in a snowstorm to pick up his friend. What would you have done in that situation?
At the start of the novel, Tess is at odds with her best friend, Izzy. Discuss their relationship and how it evolves throughout the story.
Lydia suggests Tess begin writing in a diary to help recall and process the events that led to her hospitalization. Have you ever kept a journal or diary and did you find it helpful?
Tess's mother has a secret. Discussion how her deception impacts her relationships within her family and beyond.
How does Annie Banks shift Tess’s attitude and worldview?
Tess and Samira are neighbors who initially get things wrong about each other. How do their opinions change as they get to know one another better?
When Rob takes an interest in Tess, initially, she hesitates. What would you have done in her shoes?
This novel illustrates the interconnectedness of our actions and their ripple effect. Have you experienced this in your life? To what degree?
What do you hope will happen next for Tess?
He'll Be Waiting Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the He'll Be Waiting discussion questions
"He'll Be Waiting is the next book you won't want to put down. ...a one hundred percent winner and has all the elements of a great novel. Heartbreaking, yet satisfying...a book for all fans of the Young Adult genre." - Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review
"He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman took me back to my teenage years. The author brought the characters to life, the dialogue is very realistic, and held my attention..." - Lucinda E Clarke, Reader's Favorite
"He'll Be Waiting speaks on many different emotional levels and pulls back the curtain on love, trust, and grief. Alterman takes you on a ride you will not want to get off. Great debut novel." - Anne Willow, author Broken Promises