February Book Club: The Good Women of Safe Harbour by Bobbi French
Written by Bailey Kennedy
Welcome back to Read the North, your favourite Canadian book club.
Inside you’ll find:
A book recommendation
A hosting guide complete with food and beverages
Discussion questions to dive deep into the intricacies of the novel; like the characters, motives and plot lines.
Introducing your ultimate winter escape…
The Good Women of Safe Harbour by Bobbi French
An unforgettable, life-affirming novel about a woman living on her own terms at last and reclaiming the friendship of a lifetime
Summary
Frances Delaney is staring down the last days of her life. Looking back over her fifty-eight years with wit and no small amount of regret, she sees not the life she wanted but the one that happened. An idyllic childhood in the small Newfoundland fishing town of Safe Harbour was darkened by the loss of her father at sea, an unwanted pregnancy and a betrayal by her closest friend, Annie Malone. Frances and Annie were inseparable, and this rupture rocked Frances to the core. In the aftermath, she fled to St. John’s and a solitary life nothing like what she and Annie had dreamed of as their grand escape. Now, with the help of her young, optimistic friend Edie, Frances begins a journey toward resolution and back to Annie and Safe Harbour. With these good women in her corner, Frances can at last chart her course to living on her own terms, right to the very end.
A powerfully touching celebration of friendship and forgiveness, The Good Women of Safe Harbour is about a woman who finally gives herself a chance to love and be loved. It’s a story that is impossible to read with dry eyes.
Perfect for readers who love:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye and Me Before You
Books about friendship
Small towns
Sobbing onto the pages
Your Hosting Guide
This is one of those books that takes you deep into the psyche of women and tugs you in all sorts of directions. Whether you are 25 or 65, you can. Relate to Frances Delaney and her journey as she wanders down memory lane and recalls the strong bonds and great women she’s had in her life. Our featured author Bobbi French was kind enough to participate in an interview for her feature this month and her words knocked me out. Just like her novel, her words are frank, real and raw, yet somewhere made me want to scoop her up for a hug. If you want to read more check out the interview here.
Your Wine pairing to set the mood for your book club this January:
The Good Women of Safe Harbor was the ultimate read to escape this dreary winter weather and put my mind somewhere where the days are long, and the air is warm. Recently we talked to Yvonne Irvine of Maenad Wines whose tagline is “Wines and women, untamed.” We thought this was a perfect pairing for The Good Women of Safe Harbor, a novel that explores the relationships of women and the passage of time.
To set the tone for your book club this January we chose a warming 2023 Cabernet Franc to warm you up from the inside out as you sit by the fire and discuss the book with your friends. (link to wine)
If you want to learn more about the winemaking process and Maenad Wines, check out Yvonne’s colourful interview here.
Discussion Questions
What were your first impressions of Frances Delaney? Did she remind you of anyone?
Frances leads a modest, almost invisible life as a cleaner. Did you find the novel wove any themes throughout to support the merit of a quiet life?
The story focuses deeply on female relationships. How did you feel about the portrayal of these relationships? Did you connect to them?
Newfoundland plays a strong role in the story’s atmosphere. Did you enjoy spending time there as you read the novel? Do you think the novel could have taken place elsewhere or was the setting important to the story?
Frances reflects heavily on past choices and missed chances. Do you think circumstances or decisions have more influence in your life?