Some things in life quietly become the highlight of your month. For me, that’s book club in Willard, Utah. It’s one of those gatherings I truly live for and look forward to every single month.
There’s something special about sitting around a table with a group of women who love books, conversation, and genuine connection. These women are amazing. From the beginning, they never treated me like an outsider. Instead, they welcomed me in with open arms and open hearts. They are the kind of people who want the best for everyone around them, and that kind of community is something you don’t take for granted.
A Pause for the Summer
As much as I love book club, I’ll admit I’ll be pouting a little this summer because we won’t be meeting in June, July, August, or September. That’s a long stretch without our thoughtful conversations and laughter.
But there’s a bright side — I’m hosting our October meeting, and I’m already excited about it.
Mark and I won’t be taking a vacation this year because we’re focusing our finances on our RV remodeling project. With that project, plus both of our birthdays and our RVing anniversary all happening around the same time, hosting book club feels like the perfect way to celebrate. Instead of traveling somewhere far away, I get to celebrate with something equally meaningful: good books and wonderful people.
March’s Book: The Correspondent
At our March meeting, we discussed The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, and it turned out to be the kind of book that sparks deep conversation.
The novel is written in an epistolary format, meaning the story unfolds through letters and emails. The main character, Sybil Van Antwerp, is a 73-year-old retired lawyer who writes letters to friends, family members, neighbors, and even authors she admires.
Through these letters, we slowly piece together her life — her relationships, her regrets, her grief, and her search for understanding as she navigates the later years of life.
What makes the book unique is how much of the story lies between the lines. Some letters are answered, some aren’t, and some are never sent at all. The reader learns about Sybil’s relationships simply by observing the tone of the correspondence.
This is the type of book you might want to read more than once.
The characters are layered and complex, and every letter reveals a little more about who they are and how they relate to each other. It’s also the type of book where taking notes helps you keep track of the relationships and emotions woven throughout the story.
That’s actually something I always do when I read.
I tend to write notes in the margins of my books because I know there’s a good chance I’ll read them again later. When I return to a book, those little notes bring me right back to what I was thinking and feeling the first time through.
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Why Book Clubs Matter
Book clubs are about so much more than finishing a book.
They’re about community.
When you read a book alone, you experience it through your own perspective. But when you sit down with a group of people and talk about it, you suddenly see the story through many different viewpoints.
Someone else might notice something you missed entirely.
Another person might connect with a character in a way you never considered.
Those conversations bring books to life in a way that reading alone simply can’t.
Book clubs also create something we all need more of — intentional connection. In a world where so much communication happens through quick texts or social media posts, sitting down together to talk about ideas, stories, and life feels refreshingly meaningful.
Inspired to Write Again
One of the unexpected things that came out of reading The Correspondent was the way it inspired me personally.
Since the entire book revolves around letters, it reminded me of something we don’t do enough of anymore: writing to people we care about.
After finishing the book, I found myself doing something I hadn’t done in a long time.
I picked up a pen and paper.
I started writing letters to people in my life — people I wanted to reconnect with or simply remind them how important they are to me.
There’s something powerful about a handwritten letter. It takes time, thought, and intention. It says, “You matter enough for me to slow down and write this.” BABY BROTHER watch for the mail!
In a way, that’s exactly what book club feels like too.
It’s a group of people taking time out of their busy lives to slow down, talk, listen, and share.
Looking Ahead
Even though I’ll miss our monthly gatherings this summer, I know October will be here before I know it. And when it does, I’ll be ready to open my home, pour some coffee, and talk about another book with this wonderful group of women.
Sometimes community finds you in unexpected ways.
For me, it came through a little book club in Willard, Utah.
And I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 📚✨
And YES, YES, YES, Me Gone RVing Adventures has TONS of books in our 5th wheel. It's an investment I welcome dearly.
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