1. What is the significance of clocks and time in the story? What kind of message does it convey about how we measure our lives?

2. Do you believe that there are people whose abilities go beyond the realm of the five senses? Do you think this is magic, science, or perhaps a little bit of both?

3. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates? Why or why not?

4. At the start of the story, Justine does not believe love is possible for her. Do you think that some of this is a self-fulfilling prophecy? Have you ever known anyone like Justine?

5. When was the first moment you realized that there was a spark between Justine and Jason? Why do you think he was watching her in the garden?

6. Jason Black is demanding, perfectionistic, inflexible, and impatient. Are these qualities always bad ones? Do they help make a person successful? Are they attractive in a man? Why or why not? Are they attractive in a woman? Why or why not?

7. When describing his abusive childhood to Justine, Jason says, “Words lie, actions don’t.” Do you agree or disagree?

8. At one point Justine asks Rosemary and Sage, “Don’t you understand the difference between love and control?” Is it difficult for some people to tell the difference? Have you ever viewed the actions of someone who loves you as controlling?

9. Justine’s relationship with her mother is certainly complicated. Do you understand any of her mother’s actions or do you think she was completely unjustified?

10. What do you think of Rosemary and Sage’s relationship? How do they fill the mother role that Justine is so sorely lacking?

11. What is it about being an innkeeper that works with Justine’s past hurts and vulnerabilities? What do you think would be appealing about running an inn?

12. Which moment of the book felt more like a turning point for the relationship between Justine and Jason: when he rescues her from the kayak accident, or when he steals the grimoire?

13. What did you think of Jason taking the grimoire? Did you understand or condone his actions? Is there another course of action he could have taken?

14. Did you think Priscilla was an adversary or an advocate? Did you like her or dislike her? Why or why not?

15. What do you think of the resolution between Justine and her mother?

16. If you could have the powers of a hereditary witch, what would they be and why?