Dare County Library Book Club Information and Resource Center

THE SILVER LADIES OF PENNY LANE by Dee MacDonald

Tess and Orla have been best friends throughout most of their adult lives. So when life gave them lemons and their loved ones let them down, they pooled their resources and bought a dressmakers shop on the corner of Penny Lane. And they've been doing just fine ever since.

But one day, while studying her tired eyes and shapeless figure in the mirror, sixty-two-year-old Tess realised that she doesn't want her life to be just fine anymore. She wants it to be extraordinary. For as long as she can remember she's put everyone else first. Now she wants to rediscover herself - and experience the kind of whirlwind adventure that will have the power make her smile when she's confined to the armchair of a retirement home.

With the encouragement of fun-loving and quirky Orla, Tess joins an over-the-hill dating agency and the two friends book a singles cruise around the Mediterranean. And that's when their adventure of a lifetime really begins...

1. How does the book explore the characters' experiences with loss and grief, and what are the different ways they cope?
2. What are the key relationships within the family, and how do they evolve throughout the story?
3. Does the book suggest that it's possible to find happiness and fulfillment after a major life event?
4. How does the book portray the experiences of older women?
5. Tess and Orla have built their brand around body positivity. Do you think they personally embrace that attitude? 
6. How do the characters' friendships help them navigate difficult times?
7. How does the characters change and develop through their travels? 
8. What did you think of the overall story and pacing? 
9. How did the book make you feel? Did you find the ending satisfying?