Don't Forget to Write

Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino is such a fun, heartfelt read. The story follows a woman trying to figure out who she really is while navigating family expectations, friendships, and the ups and downs of life. It's easy to relate to her struggles and her journey to find her own voice, which makes the story feel really personal.

What I loved most is that it's funny and witty without feeling forced. There are moments that make you laugh out loud and others that hit you right in the heart. It's the kind of book that's perfect for sharing with friends or a book club because it sparks conversations about family, identity, and following your own path.

In 1960, a young woman discovers a freedom she never knew existed in this exhilarating, funny, and emotional novel by the bestselling author of She's Up to No Good.

When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi's son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter's reputation, it's Philadelphia's strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye.

To Marilyn's surprise, Ada's not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermes scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She's sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules...mostly. As the summer unfolds, Ada and Marilyn head for the Jersey shore, where Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches-for anyone but Marilyn, that is.

Because if there's one thing Marilyn's learned from Ada, it's that she doesn't have to settle. With the school year quickly approaching and her father threatening to disinherit her, Marilyn must make her choice for her future: return to the comfortable life she knows or embrace a risky, unknown path on her own.

From the publisher

Lake Union Publishing | Sep 1, 2023 | 335 pages | ISBN:978-1662512223 | Women's Fiction

1. Do you feel Marilyn's parents want her to marry Dan to save her reputation or their own? Why?

2. What were your first impressions of Ada? How did those change as you learned more about her?

3. How effective do you think Ada's methods are for finding matches? Is she looking for the right combination of compatibility attributes?

4. Ada disapproves of Freddy's family-why? What does Marilyn see that Ada wouldn't like?

5. Why does Marilyn reject Freddy when he comes to her after his ex shows up pregnant?

6. Why didn't Marilyn tell Freddy about the typewriter and her wanting to write? She says he never asked, but Marilyn doesn't seem like the type of girl who waits, so why did she keep that from him?

7. Marilyn tells Ada that Freddy didn't break her heart. If she's not in love with him, why is she spending so much time with him?

8. How does Ada's revelation about Rose fit into Marilyn's view of her mother?

9. Why does Ada immediately take to Dan when she wanted nothing to do with Freddy?

10. Do you think an affair with Hemingway happened? Why or why not?

11. Ada tells Marilyn that the world loves to destroy what it doesn't understand. Is this true? What are some examples?

12. Marilyn's father says he will sit shivah for her and that she will be dead to them if she stays with Ada. Do you think he would follow through on that, or is it an empty threat?

13. Why doesn't Ada just give Marilyn money to start a new life? What obstacles would still be in place if she did that?

14. Does Lillian drop any clues that Marilyn misses about the end?

15. Do you think Ada is actually in the back of the funeral? Or is it Marilyn's imagination?

16. Modern readers are expected to see Ada and Lillian's relationship-when did you first suspect something was up with Ada and Lillian? Why might Marilyn miss that in 1960?

17. What do you think they'll find in Key West? Is Ada there?

18. Ada tells Marilyn that if she ever gets tired of being Ada Heller, Key West is waiting-do you think she actually got tired of being Ada Heller? Or did she do this entirely for Marilyn?

19. Marilyn obviously learns a lot from Ada, but what did Ada learn from Marilyn?

20. Do you think Marilyn and Dan will last? Why or why not?

Book Club Talking Points:
"Don't Forget to Write" is a good choice for book clubs. It's a fun read, but it has enough depth to spark some interesting conversations. It takes place in the 1960s and really captures how our parents (and grandparents) dealt with the pressure to fit in -highlighting the struggles they faced and how these struggles shaped their lives. The book is also funny and clever, making it enjoyable to discuss. Your group will enjoy discussing how to find your own voice!

"Confino weaves humor into her novel that will delight readers. This is a historical tale that speaks to the choices women were starting to make on the road to greater independence." -Booklist

"This is a funny but realistic look at the more restricted lives of women in the 1960s. It will instantly transport you to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore, and to a time when a decade of change for women was just beginning." -Historical Novels Review

"Don't Forget to Write is a witty, funny, wry, poignant coming-of-age story with marvelous characters." -Midwest Book Review

"The best type of love story...Don't Forget to Write is a wise, warmhearted, and witty tale about women determined to write their own stories." -Jean Meltzer, international bestselling author of The Matzah Ball

"From the moment that Marilyn Kleinman lures the rabbi's son into making out with her during services and they crash through the stained glass in full view of the congregation, we know we're in for a wild ride that's going to be nothing but fun. Sara Goodman Confino writes the kinds of books I love: hilarious, thought-provoking, and filled with shenanigans from characters I adore. I loved every minute I was reading this book-and oh my goodness, I was gobsmacked by the surprise twist at the end!" -Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners and Snap Out of It

"Sara Goodman Confino has quickly become a master of multigenerational women's fiction. In Don't Forget to Write, twenty-year-old Marilyn is shipped off to her feisty great-aunt Ada's after shaming her parents in, of all places, synagogue. During the summer of penance, these strong-willed women form an unlikely bond, rife with matchmaking, Frank Sinatra, and a coveted red lipstick. But it's the life lessons that will have readers flipping pages-how these remarkable characters define their terms and create their own stories. Hilarious and heartwarming, this one's an absolute delight!" -Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of When We Let Go

"Wry and disarming, with characters so real they leap off the pages, Don't Forget to Write is an irresistible tale of summer love, family, and self-discovery. A humorous, joyful, and completely unforgettable book. Ada and Marilyn captured my heart!" -Paulette Kennedy, author of The Witch of Tin Mountain