Real estate mogul Denis King makes quite an impression after he rescues a rain-soaked Holly in true Prince Charming fashion: “A woman could live happily ever after with a man like that. Any guy who would return to help the stranger his car splashed could be counted on to hold your hand when you walked down the street or your hair back when you puked.” Why doesn’t Holly completely trust Denis? Why do you think she doesn’t let on who she is?
Conniving Sammie Kittenplatt is a girl who, in Holly’s words, was “born with a Kmart exterior that had been attended to by the right dermatologists, hairdressers, trainers, and stylists. Now she was all Bergdorf’s.” Why is Holly so furious at losing the job to Sammie? After being passed over for the promotion that was rightfully hers, why didn’t Holly quit?
Holly makes a deal with her boss, Tanya: If she can land a million-dollar benefactor for the museum, she can have the position she wanted. Tanya decides to make it a contest between Holly and Sammie. How does this make both women feel? Who do you think is more qualified for the job?
Holly’s father laments: “I never should have let you watch those old films. They ruined you for real life.” What does he mean by this statement? How are Holly and her father different? How are they alike?
When the Hepburn collection is found to be missing from the museum, why doesn’t Nigel tell Tanya that Holly is the courier for the clothes?
On board the luxurious Tiffany liner, Holly meets wealthy Texas widow Carleen Panthollow. How is Carleen like a fairy godmother to Holly? The oceanic adventure takes Holly to some beautiful ports of call. Which one was your favorite and why?
Denis King’s engagement to the beautiful Sydney Bass is a merger of two families. Do you think Denis has any real feelings for Sydney, or is he marrying her to please his mother? How does Holly feel about this engagement?
Holly Would Dream is filled with hidden secrets and people who aren’t what they seem. What did you think of Sydney’s behavior on the cruise? Why is the truth kept from Denis? Who is Frank Flannagan?
In an effort to create interest in her lectures aboard the ship, Holly chucks her clothes and has the ship’s pastry chef decorate her as a live dessert. What was the result? What is it about Holly’s personality that allows her to do this? What does this experience show Holly about herself?
Holly finally gets to give the “Satan Twins” (Sammie and Tanya) a piece of her mind when she says: “Sammie, I am so sick of you and Tanya telling me I’m not of your world…. The difference between a woman of consequence and a nobody has nothing to do with where she is brought up, but how’s she’s treated. I’ll forever be a nobody to you because you treat me as a nobody and always will. But to Denis I’m a woman of consequence because he treats me as one and always will.” Which Audrey Hepburn movie does this speech remind you of? What do you think prompted Holly to make this declaration now?
When Holly returns to New York, she’s invited to attend Denis’ opening and does so wearing the ball gown from My Fair Lady. “Wearing fabric that had once adorned Audrey Hepburn was everything I’d imagined and more—the exquisite detail of the embroidery, the sensual sheen of the organza sheath, the bright sparkle of the thousand tiny crystals. What intoxicating bliss! In this gown, nothing bad could happen to you.” Is Holly being herself or playing a part? Does wearing the dress empower Holly?
Discuss Holly’s transformation and the other characters’ development including her father, Tanya, and Denis. How is the ending like an Audrey Hepburn film? Did then ending surprise you?
Do you ever wish your life could be like a romantic comedy from the 1950s? What is it about those stories that you find appealing? What does not appeal to you?
There are several plot parallels between Holly Would Dream and some old Hollywood classics. In what way is Holly Would Dream like Sabrina, Roman Holiday, How to Steal a Million, Charade, My Fair Lady, An Affair to Remember, or That Touch of Mink?
Which movie stars of today come close to having the style and class of Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant?
Do women today still wish for a prince to rescue them and a fairy tale ending or are we too liberated for that kind of thinking?
Have you ever encountered people like Tanya and Sammie in a work environment? If so, what was the worst thing a Tanya or Sammie has ever done to you? How do you fight back against snakes like that in the workplace?
A Conversation with Karen Quinn
The romantic locations of Holly Would Dream are wonderful. What sort of research process did you undergo for this novel?
My husband, Mark, and I took several cruises over the last few years and I took copious notes. We sailed to many of the same ports as the Tiffany Star. Ephesus was one of my favorite cities, and I set an important scene there. We also went to Santorini, a gorgeous Greek island that you can only get around on via donkey or tram. That is where
