Letting Go spans decades of love, loss, and second chances. It begins in 1970s Laurel Canyon, where Bailey, a secretary at her father’s music label, first meets musician Nick. Their relationship weaves through the highs and lows of fame, family, and heartbreak, stretching into the mid-2000s. With themes of love and loss, identity, ambition, and the bittersweet pull of memory, Letting Go offers a poignant story that will spark meaningful book club discussions.
Discussion Questions
- The story covers more than three decades, from the 70s into the 2000s. How did following the characters across this long timeline shape your perspective on their choices?
- Bailey and Nick’s first meeting in Laurel Canyon is steeped in the music scene of the 70s. How did that backdrop influence your understanding of their early connection?
- Music serves as the building block of Bailey and Nick’s relationship—first as a way to connect, later as a reminder of their bond. How did you see music evolve in meaning for both of them?
- Bailey risks everything when she chooses both motherhood and her own music career. Did you sympathize with her decisions, and how did you view Nick’s role in encouraging her?
- The novel’s title, Letting Go, can be read in many ways. What did you see each character needing to let go of, and did they succeed?
- Which moments in the book hit you hardest emotionally: the early struggles in the 70s, the choices of adulthood, or the reflections later in life?
- Did the closing chapters change how you thought about Bailey and Nick’s relationship as a whole? In what ways did it bring clarity or emotional weight to their story? Did you see it as tragic, hopeful, or both?
- How did that final act of letting go shape the way you understood the title and the journey leading up to it?
- If Letting Go were adapted into a film or miniseries, which decade would you most want to see brought to life on screen, and why?
Enhance Your Book Club Night
- Build a playlist that mirrors the decades in the novel. Start with Laurel Canyon classics of the 70s, then layer in the evolving sounds of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s or listen to the curated Letting Go Spotify playlist!
- Choose a retro dish or cocktail from each era to match the sweep of the story’s timeline.
- Share your reflections with me on Instagram (@heatherjbennett_original) — I’d love to see your book club in action!
Invite the Author
Want to bring the conversation to life? I’d love to join your book club meeting — either in person (if you’re local to the Dallas/Fort Worth area) or virtually via Zoom. We can talk about the writing process, the 70s rock inspiration behind Letting Go, and answer any questions you have about Bailey, Nick, and the world of the book.
To set up a visit, just fill out the form on my Linktree and I’ll get back to you!
