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Book Club Questions | Additional Recommendations | Printable List
Book club questions for The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen explore the themes of marital complexities, hidden secrets, the consequences of infidelity, the pursuit of unconventional solutions, and the intricacies of relationships under the facade of perfection.
This book has many twists. I didn’t even see them coming. I did not want to put this book down!
What were your impressions of this novel? ✨
The Golden Couple
by Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks
In this blog post, I have carefully curated book club questions for The Golden Couple, a printable PDF for use with your book clubs (which you’ll find at at the bottom), and some additional recommendations for similar books.
I’m excited to hear your unique perspectives during your book club discussions.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
About the Story
The Golden Couple is about a fancy couple named Marissa and Matthew who seem perfect on the outside, but things get complicated when Marissa isn’t faithful. They’re not as happy as they look.
Then, they meet this therapist named Avery who lost her license but still helps people with her unique methods. When Marissa admits her secret to Avery, their lives get all mixed up. It’s like a collision of secrets, and it’s not just about their marriage anymore.
There’s a lot of mystery and suspense, and it’s a real page-turner. So, if you like twists, secrets, and figuring things out, you might really enjoy this book!
About the Author
Sarah Pekkanen is a renowned author known for her captivating suspense novels. She has co-authored bestselling titles such as “The Opposite of Me” and “The Wife Between Us.”
Her individual works include the well-received thriller “Gone Tonight,” published in August 2023, which has been hailed by Colleen Hoover as a riveting masterpiece. With eight solo novels that have achieved recognition on the USA Today and international bestseller lists, like “The Perfect Neighbors,” Sarah’s storytelling spans a wide spectrum of compelling narratives that have resonated with readers worldwide.
In her free time, Sarah is a dedicated volunteer for rescue animals and serves as Ambassador for RRSA India, working hands-on to vaccinate and heal street dogs in Anand, India. She also volunteers weekly for a horse rescue group in Maryland, mucking stalls and helping mistreated horses heal. She resides near Washington, D.C. with her family.
Book Club Questions for The Golden Couple
1. How does Marissa and Matthew’s son’s awareness of their troubled marriage add complexity to the story? What does it reveal about the impact of marital problems on children?
2. Avery uses an unconventional therapy approach, referring to herself as a “consultant” instead of a “therapist.” What do you make of her ten-session methodology? Would you consider using a similar approach in real life?
3. Marissa’s infidelity causes guilt and shame, making her distant and secretive. How well do you think the book handles the repercussions of infidelity and its effects on relationships?
4. Avery’s focus on open communication is an unconventional approach to resolving marital conflicts. Do you believe this kind of therapy could work in real life? Why or why not?
5. The role of social media in strained relationships is explored in the book. How do you think digital mediums like social media impact modern relationships, and do they mirror the effects shown in the story?
6. Matthew’s workaholic behavior and neglectful parenting strain his relationship with his family. How important do you think work-life balance is in maintaining a successful marriage?
7. Marissa and Matthew both confront past traumas and insecurities that contributed to the infidelity. How are themes of honesty and forgiveness portrayed in their journey toward healing?
8. The novel includes side characters like Polly, Rachel, and Derek. Who among them do you relate to the most, and who did you like or dislike the most, respectively?
9. Marissa is presented as a relatable character, struggling to balance various pressures. How effectively does the book depict the challenges faced by women trying to juggle personal and professional lives?
10. The authors use multiple perspectives in the story. How does this affect your reading experience, and how might the story be different if told from only one perspective?
11. Avery’s unorthodox methods raise questions about the boundaries of ethical behavior in helping others. Do you believe the end justifies the risks she takes, or do you think her approach is too extreme?
12. What’s the meaning behind the title “The Golden Couple”? Discuss the irony in the name in relation to Marissa and Matthew’s relationship.
13. How do Marissa and Matthew’s experiences of grief and loss shape their characters and influence the overall plot?
14. Avery’s assumptions about the Bishops based on appearance and body language play a role in the story. What assumptions did you make about Marissa and Matthew in their first interaction with Avery? Why?
15. Were you surprised by the ending? What parts of the story led you to suspect certain characters, and did the resolution of certain subplots meet your expectations?
Selected Reviews
“I am happy to say that the ending made total wacky sense ― and was a complete surprise.” –Sarah Lyall
“The Golden Couple is a propulsive, twisty, unputdownable thriller – with two heroines you won’t be able to get enough of… and a twist you’ll never see coming. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have outdone themselves!” ––Laura Dave
“The Golden Couple is propulsive and thrilling. It grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go. A page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.” –– Taylor Jenkins Reid
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for The Golden Couple by Sarah Pekkanen!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book:
The One by Audrey J. Cole
To save their marriage, Sloane must forgive her husband’s affair. Instead, she tries a more tempting option—settling the score. But will it prove to be a deadly mistake?
ER doctor Sloane Marks is shattered when she learns her husband Ethan slept with his partner at Seattle Homicide. She considers leaving him and joining The One, having gone to college with the popular dating app’s billionaire founder, Brody Carr. But at forty-two, Sloane feels she has no choice but to forgive Ethan if she wants a chance at creating the family she never had.
Months later, Sloane bumps into Brody, who’s recently returned to Seattle. In due time, Ethan worries she’s cheating. His suspicions are confirmed when he learns the rich app founder took Sloane on a freediving excursion in the San Juan Islands. When Brody’s famous wife dies in an accident, Ethan becomes the lead investigator in her death—which he suspects wasn’t an accident at all.
Caught between a distrusting husband and a powerful billionaire who protects his secrets at all costs, Sloane is in a fight for her life. And the only way out is to take matters into her own hands.
Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin
In the new thriller from the author of the bestselling We Are All the Same in the Dark, a brilliant young astrophysicist with an uncanny gift is asked to find a girl who vanished. Their story will make you examine everything you believe.
Vivvy Bouchet was only ten when she saved a boy’s life by making an impossible prediction. She doesn’t want to explain it. A wunderkind scientist, she just wants to be left in peace to scan the desert Texas sky with her telescopes in one of the darkest places on earth. But when the boy she saved, now a Fort Worth cop, begs for her help on a cold case, she can’t turn him down.
In the past decade, Lizzie Solomon and the Victorian mansion where she disappeared have taken on almost mythic status. Conspiracy theorists feed the frenzy that Lizzie is still buried in the crumbling walls while her mother, who sits in prison convicted of killing her, loudly proclaims her innocence.
Paired with a skeptical detective, Vivvy falls deeper into the mystery of why Lizzie has never been found. When a vicious podcaster takes aim at Vivvy’s own secrets—and those of the vanished girl—Vivvy’s life unravels like the mysterious galaxies she chases.
Julia Heaberlin delivers a resilient and unforgettable heroine in Vivvy Bouchet, a woman who walks the line between evidence-based science and unexplained phenomenon. Sharply relevant, Night Will Find You explores the mysterious nature of belief―in science, in conspiracies, in a higher power―and the delicate dance with the things we can’t know.
Never Coming Home by Hannah Mary McKinnon
First comes love. Then comes murder.
Lucas Forester didn’t hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated and beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits, that petty attitude, a total disregard for anyone below her status. But she also had a lot to offer. Most notably: wealth that only the one percent could comprehend.
For years, Lucas has been honing a flawless plan to inherit Michelle’s fortune. Unfortunately, it involves taking a hit out on her.
Every track is covered, no trace left behind, and now Lucas plays the grieving husband so well he deserves an award. But when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey.
Someone is on to him. And they’re closing in.
Told with dark wit and a sharply feminist sensibility, Never Coming Home is a terrifying tale of duplicity that will have you side-eyeing your spouse as you dash to the breathtaking end.
Printable PDF
Feel free to distribute these discussion questions to your book club members before your meeting. Simply click the link below to download and print the PDF file.
Happy reading! ❤️