1. At one point, Rob talks about the inevitability of couples breaking apart after losing a child. What could Rob and Anna have done to stay together? Do you think their relationship has a future?

2. Is Rob too self-centered? Did he consider Anna’s feelings enough? And does he deserve her forgiveness in the end?

3. Why do you think Rob placed so much faith in Nev and Dr. Sladkovsky?

4. Nev explained his actions to Rob by saying he got trapped and promoted the clinic due to financial reasons. Do you believe his explanation? Does Nev deserve our forgiveness?

5. Was Anna’s acceptance of the doctors’ verdicts naive? Should she have tried to do more to save Jack?

6. The online forum, Hope’s Place, becomes an important part of Rob’s life. How can online communities help in such situations? And why do you think people reach out to strangers online?

7. Do you think Rob is a reliable narrator? Do you think Anna’s version of events would be radically different?

8. With a few exceptions, Rob and Anna felt their friends and acquaintances were being unsupportive. How best can friends support people who are going through something similar?

9. Young children often understand death differently to adults. Do you think Jack knew what was happening to him?

10. Heartbreak and tragedy are difficult but central themes of the book. Yet the story is, ultimately, full of hope. What was the hopeful message you took away?