Jar of Hearts

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of emotional abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Jar of Hearts takes its title from Christina Perri’s song about toxic relationships. How effectively does this title encapsulate the novel’s central themes, and what insights does it offer into the psychology of characters like Geo and Calvin?

2. The novel alternates between Geo and Kaiser’s perspectives while moving between past and present. How did this narrative structure affect your understanding of the characters and their motivations? If you’ve read Hillier’s Little Secrets, how does her handling of dual timelines compare between the two works?

3. Hillier reveals early in the novel that Calvin killed Angela, making the story less about “whodunit” and more about the consequences and aftermath of violence. How did this approach shape your reading experience compared to more traditional mystery structures?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Throughout the novel, Geo struggles with questions of worthiness and redemption. Which of her actions or choices resonated with you most deeply, and at what point, if any, did you feel she had earned forgiveness for her role in Angela’s death?