How to Be the Best Third Wheel
After a summer spent in the Philippines with her family, Lara Dela Cruz is eager to start her senior year and, most importantly, reunite with her three besties, Carol, Jasmine, and Kiera. Of course summer is the season of change, and Lara knew she’d have to get caught up on the major updates, hot gossip, and other shenanigans she may have missed. But what she did not expect was to show up on the first day of school to all three of her friends now in relationships.
The mushy public displays of affection and lunches spent gushing about their new “boyfries” has Lara quickly realizing her last year of high school is nothing like she imagined.
Since she’s been back, Lara’s long time frenemy, James, has become impossibly annoying. Sure, they are now both third wheels, but why is he asking her to tutor him in classes? And why, after they start spending more time together, does she begin to notice how cute he looks when he smiles . . . uh oh.
Fighting for the attention of her best friends, catching some pretty new and confusing feelings for James, and wading through the pressures post-high-school plans all have Lara reeling. And to make matters worse, Lara’s beautiful and untrustworthy cousin conveniently appears and wiggles her way right between her and James’ budding relationship. Feeling like a third wheel in more ways than one, Lara must learn to accept that change is inevitable, love is complicated, and being the odd one out is sometimes where inner power is found.
Book club questions for How to Be the Best Third Wheel by Loridee De Villa
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
Let’s look at all the situations in the book where Lara ends up the third wheel. She clearly hates it. But is her rage always justified? Is there anything she could do to get herself out of those situations?
Or–plot twist–does Lara actually secretly love being the third wheel because it’s a comfortable role for her? Why do you think she likes to give advice so much?
Lara identifies as Fil-Can, or Filipino-Canadian. How did you see her culture show up in How to Be the Best Third Wheel? What did you learn about it (or about her) that you otherwise would not have?
Lara and James’ relationship is put under stress in different ways by both of them having to worry about the future. Lara reminds us she’s still a kid at 17, and wishes an adult would tell her to just enjoy the moment more. Do you feel this tension in your own life? Are you suspicious when someone older tells you to enjoy your youth because you know you have to worry about your future?
Based on your best intuition, will Lara and James end up together? Are circumstances beyond their control really powerful enough to keep people who truly love each other apart?
Should Lara have submitted her summer research application?
How to Be the Best Third Wheel Book Club Questions PDF
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