Blogmas Day 14 Marshmallows for Breakfast Discussion

1. What was your first impression of Kendra as a character?

• I liked her a lot. I like how she is both vulnerable and stands her ground.  

How did your understanding of her motivations and personality evolve throughout the novel? 

• She changed so much throughout the novel, and she needed it. She was holding on to bad things for so long, she was always helping others and putting them before herself. 

Did you have any ideas about her early on that were later proven to be either true or false?

• I could tell that something had happened to her, for her to suddenly come back to England. But what I couldn't tell until I got to that part.  

2. Against her will, Kendra is drawn into the Gadsborough family crisis almost immediately. Were you surprised by her actions and reactions that first Saturday morning and beyond? 

• Yes and No. I mean, it's in some people's nature to help, and when you have innocent children involved it's always draws people in. I was surprised just how easily she fit in when all she wanted was to be left alone. 

What would you have done in her situation?

• I would have done the same as what she had done and taken as much care of those children as much as possible

3. Throughout the novel, the nightmares in Kendra’s past are alluded to: did you guess what they were before they were revealed? 

• That's what I love about Dorothy Koomson's writing style you never know what's around the corner and she draws you in. 

Once you knew the full story, did it change your view of Kendra? 

• Not at all. She was and is brave to get involved with a family that have many different issues and Fall for summer and jaxson the way that she did and be friends with a man after what had happened to her. 

What effects did these experiences have on her?

• because of her experiences she is a lot more guarded with her personal life. She doesn't want to be involved with Kyle but can't help herself. She doesn't want to break the family up but knows it's the right thing. 

4. Consider the conversation Kendra and Kyle have about ideals and child-rearing (starting on page 116). What do you make of each of their perspectives? 

• I can see both of their perspectives. They are two different people who have different views. I would have liked to have seen why they both thought like that at the time but I could as understand why. You are never going to have two people that will always think alike. 

Why does each feel the way they do? 

• Because they both have different lives. They have both grown up differently and even though they have the twins at heart, Kendra and Kyle will always have different opinions. 

Do you agree with one or the other, or is the truth somewhere in the middle? 

• I am somewhere in the middle I can see both sides of what was going on

5. Why do you think Kendra reacts so strongly to Kyle’s kiss? Was she really surprised by it, or was her reaction coming from somewhere else? Did you see either the kiss or the Kendra’s anger coming?

• Kendra is guarded when it comes to men in her life. With what happened between her and ex boyfriends friend, and then Will. Her reaction was because of all the bad that had happened. If those things didn't happen then I don't think she would have acted the way that she had. I could see both coming for the fact that Kyle 'had/has' feelings for Kendra, and her anger because her feelings towards Kyle are strictly as her landlord and the kids. 

6. Throughout Marshmallows for Breakfast, we see people who are otherwise very close keeping secrets from each other. What do you think the author was trying to say about the role of secrets in friendships? Look closely at how the secrets in this novel are revealed, and to whom. 

• The secrets that were kept are ones that are always the hardest to say, what Dorothy did was cleaver. She made each character have challenging Secrets, and they tried so hard to keep them in. It's not about friendship, or who knows when, it's about that person and who they feel comfortable telling their secrets to. 

What does each secret mean to the person keeping it? 

• Kendra's Secrets are all so different. She's embarrassed, scared, lonely, ashamed, confused 
• Kyle's Secrets mean that he is guarded 

7. How did you feel about Ashlyn? 

• Ashlyn for me was a misunderstood mess. 

Could you forgive her for the mistakes she made with regard to her marriage and children? 

• NO!!! She shouldn't put anything above her children. 

Did you think she was a good person at heart? 

• I think she could have been but the drink was just much. 

Do you believe she will stay sober?

• I think she'll try but won't be able to for long. 

8. At several points in the novel, the narrative shifts from Kendra’s perspective into someone else’s. What did this add to your reading experience? Was there anyone you would have liked to hear from that you did not?

• I enjoyed the shifts. If it had just stayed on Kendra it wouldn't be as good of a book as it is. 

9. What drives Kendra’s relationship with Will? Do you think they are a good match?

• I think what drives the relationship is the fact that he's off limits, I'm not sure if it is actual real love, but the fact that he has done something to her that no one else has done before. 
• Personally I think he isn't a good match. He made her feel good and forget about what happened to her for a while but I think that Kendra could and can do better. 

10. Each chapter is named for a breakfast–from the traditional to the fanciful. Take a look at which chapters carry which names–what are some that stand out to you, and why? Did you feel like each chapter carried an appropriate heading?

For me they all stood out. The Breakfast themes start of simple and get more interesting as the book goes along because the Kendra thinks that living here will be easy at the beginning but gets more complicated as time goes on. 

11. Have you ever known someone like Janene? 

• I knew someone who was a lot like Janene in some ways, and that person could and has done a lot worse, especially to people who were supposed to be her friends. 

Did her cruelty take you by surprise? 

• Not really, you could tell that she wasn't the nicest of people because she wanted what she couldn't have. 

What did you think of Kendra’s reactions to her? 

• If it had been me I would have done a lot worse. I think Kendra was really nice and pleasant and tried her hardest to get along with her. 

Would you have handled her differently?

• Not at all. People like Janene need to learn that not everything will go their own ways. 

12. On page 344, Kendra refers to Kyle as “the father of my children”. What does this statement mean to her? Do you think it’s an accurate description of their relationship?

• I can totally see why Kendra calls him the father of her children because that's the way she sees them and vice versa. The children had an instant connection with her. 

13. Why does it take Kendra so long to open the letter from Will?

• because she is scared. That he would blame her for his wife's suicide attempt. 

14. How did you expect Kyle and Kendra to wind up at the end of the book? 

• When I first read the book many years ago I thought they would have got together but I'm glad that it ended the way that it did.  

In what ways would they be a good couple and in what ways do you think they might be better off with someone else?

• They would have made a great couple because of the way that Kendra just fitted into the family life with the kids and Kyle, but I could also see her with someone else. Someone completely different then Will, Kyle and anyone else like them. 
• They'd be a great couple because she gets on so well with Summer and Jaxson, 

15. What themes are suggested by the title Marshmallows for Breakfast?

That something will happen over Breakfast