To Keep Her From Harm

"A realistic, gripping portrayal of family, trust, and the value of self-improvement."-Kirkus

A single mother's desperate attempt to protect her daughter from potential danger draws them into a web of secrets and hidden identities-raising the haunting question: how far is too far when a parent is fighting to keep their child safe?

When Laura first fell for Steven, she believed she'd finally found the life she'd always longed for. But after an unexpected pregnancy, the distant, simmering anger she'd once brushed aside in him becomes impossible to ignore. The birth of their daughter Amanda is a dream come true for Laura-until a violent outburst sends her fleeing to the safety of her affluent parents' home.

As Laura navigates a tense and uneasy co-parenting arrangement, subtle changes in her daughter's behavior suggest that Steven's connection to Amanda may not only be strained, but sinister. Consumed with the need to protect her child, Laura flees across the border into Canada after a court disagrees with her suspicions-leaving the FBI and a grieving father in pursuit.

A mother's love and a father's anguish have left a trail of frayed lives and fractured hearts. But the devastating consequences of a young child's attempt to take matters into her own hands reunites her parents as they struggle to make their daughter whole again.

These discussion questions were provided by the publisher, DartFrog Books.

Book club questions for To Keep Her From Harm by Diana Krantz

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

At the beginning of the novel, how did you interpret Laura and Steven’s relationship? What moments shaped your first impressions? How did those impressions change as the story progressed?

Do you think Laura and Steven’s relationship was already fragile before Amanda was born, or did parenthood expose deeper issues between them? What aspects of their relationship informed your opinion?

How would you describe Laura’s parents as caregivers? In what ways are they protective, and in what ways might they be enabling? How can parents strike a balance between protecting their child and empowering them to thrive as individuals?

Compare Laura’s role as a daughter with her role as a mother. How do the patterns in her relationship with her parents show up in her relationship with Amanda?

Laura believes that lying to Amanda is necessary to keep her safe. How did you react to this justification? When, if ever, do you think lying to a child is acceptable?

During Laura and Steven’s estrangement, whose perspective did you find yourself aligning with more? Did that change at any point in the novel? Why?

Kim’s betrayal comes as a turning point in the story. Did you see it coming? What motivations do you think influenced Kim’s decision?

Amanda’s accident dramatically alters Laura and Steven’s relationship. How does this event shift their power dynamic, trust, and sense of responsibility?

Which characters do you think demonstrate effective parenting? What qualities does the novel suggest are most important in a parent?

The novel raises the question of protection versus control. How far do you think a parent should go to protect a child? When does protection have the potential to become harmful?

Did this story change how you think about mothers’ and fathers’ roles in protecting a child, especially in strained family situations? How do social expectations influence whose actions are judged more harshly?

If the story continued beyond the final chapter, what unresolved conflicts or questions would you want to see explored? How do you imagine each of the characters moving forward?

To Keep Her From Harm Book Club Questions PDF

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