Questions to Ask Before Marrying

by Melissa Senate

Ruby Miller and her fiancé, Tom Truby, have questions 1 to 14 almost covered. It's question 15 that has the Maine schoolteacher Is their relationship strong enough to withstand challenges?

Challenges like…Ruby's twin sister, Stella. The professional muse, flirt and face reader thinks Ruby is playing it safe. And that the future Mrs. Ruby Truby will die of boredom before her first anniversary or her thirtieth birthday, whichever comes first.

Challenges like…sexy maverick teacher Nick McDermott, Ruby's secret longtime crush, who confesses his feelings for her at her own engagement party.

But before Ruby can plan the wedding that may never be, Stella announces she's pregnant by a one-night stand whose name might be Jake (or James? Maybe Jason?) and who lives somewhere under the glittering lights of Las Vegas. Ruby and Stella hit the road to find him—with a lot more than fifteen questions.

And after three thousand miles, a stowaway relative and hitchhiking teen lovebirds bound for an Elvis wedding chapel, the Miller sisters might get some answers.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary Romance

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

I'm the author of many novels, including my debut, SEE JANE DATE (also available in cute TV movie form to stream). I write emotional, heartfelt romance novels for Harlequin Special Edition. I've also had two novels published under a secret pen name, but I will happily share if you message me to ask. I also wrote seven Special Edition novels under the pen name Meg Maxwell.

I'm a proud mom and animal devotee who lives on the southern coast of Maine. 3 new Harlequin Special Editions novels are coming in 2025 and also in 2026.

Reviews

[Celia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the main character Ruby and her story. She's engaged to a nice, safe guy but she's questioning her commitment due to a crush on a co-worker. She seems rational but still lets her emotions get the better of her sometimes. I guess I could understand her.

I could not stand her twin sister Stella. She is the chick lit cliche of a "free-spirit" which actually means rude, thoughtless and extremely selfish. Stella has her own story and has made mistakes but spends most of the book criticizing her sister's life choices. The ending to her story made me CRAZY mostly because she **SPOILER** gets her happy ending with out learning ANYTHING or changing her personality at all.

[Kiki Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is essentially a book about looking for closure and figuring out what you really want and need, and it didn't really work for me. Ruby doesn't have enough personality to hold my attention for long and Stella veers between human and obnoxiously selfish took often for me to care. I wasn't convinced by the ending and Ruby's decisions, and I really didn't care about anyone else.

[Rosmary · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was more about having closure with their past to move forward. Besides the first chapter briefly mentioning some of the questions to ask before getting married the story had nothing to do with it.

[Ellyn (Mrs. Darcy in my Dreams) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. More chick lit than romance.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the proposals made, the big question facing Ruby…does she choose to become Ruby Truby or Ruby McDermott? Does she stay safe in the arms of the man who’s been there through thick and thin but may be a tad boring or choose the more daring fantasy man? It’s not as easy as it seems, with a twin sisters determined to have her follow her heart regardless of the consequences and a family history of men who leave she’s more mixed up than ever. As Ruby and her sister Stella set out on a journey across the US to find the father of Stella’s unborn child, Ruby also makes a few discoveries of her own. Will she choose safe and stable or run wildly into the unknown?

This was such a fun and very quick read. With just under 200 pages I was able to read this in hardly no time at all. From the very beginning I loved the idea of questioning the basis for your marriage on a set of questions that could have potentially different answers depending on your circumstance at the moment, especially in Ruby’s situation. She’s come from a home with a single mother as a result of her father leaving their family when she was only six years old. Her fear of abandonment rules out over nearly every other and she’s left wondering if her choice for a marriage partner is just a “safe” choice. Her twin sister, Stella, on the other hand is completely swept away with the idea of romance which makes everything Ruby is doing completely wrong and boring. Their dynamic really brought the story to life and provided a great way to help them both progress to their ultimate choice.

Also, it has to be said, I’m a complete fool for road trips, especially in books and movies. Well, and in life as well. I’ve personally taken more cross-country road trips than I can count on all my fingers, some good and some not-so-good. What made Ruby and Stella’s trip unique and incredibly fun was not only their differing personalities but the people they pick up along the way. From a long-lost cousin to an eighteen year old couple convinced they are destined for each other & stardom to the bed & breakfast owners who also happen to be twin sisters. Each has their own story to tell and way of providing insight that Ruby and Stella couldn’t have gotten on their own. My favorite were definitely the twin sisters who had a very unique marriage of their own, but I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t read this one.

If you’re looking for an incredibly romantic and fun story, then you definitely should read Questions To Ask Before Marrying. Now, if you’re looking for greater insight into the purpose and meaning behind our choices in life and the reasons for loving another person, then I definitely think you should read Questions To Ask Before Marrying. Yes, two very different reasons and both easily focused on or combined, make for an amazing story. Melissa Senate is truly a wonderful writer and knows how to pull characters together in ways that make you think they could be sitting in your very own living room. This is definitely a Chick Lit novel that should be on your shelves!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa Senate has written a slew of chick-lit books; Questions to Ask Before Marrying is her last title under the Red Dress Ink label.

Fraternal twins Ruby and Stella Miller have a lot of questions to answer before they turn thirty; such as -- why did their father abandon them years ago? Should Ruby (soon to be Ruby Truby) focus on her love for her fiance Tom or lust after her long-time friend Nick? Also, can Stella hunt down a man she experienced a one-night stand with -- to tell him she is pregnant with his child? To seek answers for all their questions, the Miller sisters embark on a cross-country road trip from Maine to Las Vegas before they are forced to make the biggest decisions of their lives.

Melissa Senate's novels are guaranteed to allow you to drift away to a romantic fantasy-world -- if only for a few hours at a time, and Questions to Ask Before Marrying is no exception. Women will easily relate to the plot because the Miller sisters face dilemmas we're curious to figure out ourselves! After all -- what IS the right choice when stuck between having to choose whether you should marry the man you can always rely on versus marrying the man who makes your heart race? In the most enjoyable way possible, Melissa Senate explores whether true love is as easy as fairy-tales make it out to be or attainable only through hard work.

For what many consider to be part of the chick-lit genre, Questions to Ask Before Marryingis one of the best of its kind. It's not too cheesy or as unrealistic as other novels in the genre and satisfies your need for perfect reading entertainment.

Other amazing novels by Melissa Senate I recommend are See Jane Date (2001), Whose Wedding is it Anyway? (2004) and The Breakup Club (2006).

For more book reviews visit http://dreamworldbooks.com.

[Elusive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on an article which lists 15 questions that couples should ask themselves prior to getting married, Ruby attempts to answer them and in the process, discover who she really wants to be with. It’s either her stable, safe, loving fiancé Tom or handsome playboy Nick.

Ruby’s dilemma was certainly interesting. It was evident that what she had with Tom was great. He obviously cared about her and wanted to be with her yet she still found herself wondering whether she should be with Nick who gives her the typical adolescent symptoms of a faster heartbeat and butterflies in the stomach. However, I was disgusted when she slept with Nick despite telling herself she wouldn’t and never really came clean about it. Plus, she even sort of rationalizes it and insinuates that Tom would be okay with it as long as it leads her back to him (or something along those lines).

Meanwhile, her sister Stella who is pregnant from a one-night-stand hopes to find the mysterious guy whose name begins with the letter J. Although their quest to find this guy as well as their father was eventful, I didn’t like the resolution to Stella’s storyline. It was completely unrealistic and too good to be true. That kind of ending especially for a serious situation like that should involve challenges along the way. Otherwise, it just doesn’t seem believable at all. I also didn’t like how Stella was constantly against Ruby marrying Tom simply because he’s “boring”. She thinks Mr. Playboy is better husband material, for goodness’ sake.

Despite those flaws, it was a very enjoyable story. Great for light reading and humour.

[Sara (smb+jab) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on New York Times article that lays out fifteen questions couple should ask themselves before tying the knot Ruby Miller and her fiancé, Tom Truby have fourteen of the fifteen questions covered. However it’s the last question, Is their relationship strong enough to withstand challenges that has Ruby slightly apprehensive.

These potential challenges begin to take shape at their engagement party when, Ruby’s long time fantasy crush and friend, Nick McDermott confesses his love for her putting the idea of “what if” in her head. Her twin sister, Stella who has been questioning Ruby’s relationship and whether or not she loves Tom since day one, makes a shocking announcement that she is pregnant. In an effort to find Stella’s one night stand and possible true love the two sisters set off on a cross country trip to Las Vegas. Giving each girl the time they need to think, they may just find the answers they are looking for along the way.

Questions to Ask Before Marrying was a fun fast paced read. The story was engaging and well written as the sisters traveled across the country making various stops and encountering interesting characters along the way. The relationship between Stella and Ruby was also very relatable. I am a big fan of chick lit and I will be adding Melissa Senate to my list of authors to read.

[Shonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read Ms. Senate’s previous novels, I was looking forward to reading Questions to Ask Before Marrying. I found it to be a quick, light read (finished it in one-sitting), however I didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the others.

Stella and Ruby are sisters and are complete opposites. From their outer appearances, their views on life, their personalities, to their relationship with men. Despite their differences, both sisters truly love each other. Both are adjusting to life several years after their mother’s death. As young girls, their father abandoned the family leaving the women to form a tight bond.

When Ruby announces her engagement to Tom, Stella begins to question Ruby’s true feelings towards him. She doubts there is any passion between Ruby and Tom and wonders what the real reason is behind Ruby agreeing to marry him. As a way to get Ruby to think more about her relationship, Stella concocts a road trip to Las Vegas to find a man she spent one night with to inform him she’s pregnant with his child. Ruby reluctantly agrees. It’s on this trip that Stella and Ruby begin to deal with unanswered questions from their past.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprising read that had a lot more depth than appearances would lead you to believe. (Old adage, don't judge a book by its cover!) If you have a sister in your life this book speaks to much of the complicated dynamic that exists. It also explores how our childhood affect us as adults without us even realizing. The novel certainly doesn't get too in depth and it remains what I would categorize as chic-lit. In the end the story wraps up nicely and leaves a smile on your face. It's a great leave a smile on your face while reminding you of your own sister and your relationship with her.

[katie]

I'm rather embarrassed to admit I read this book, but I'm a sucker for chick-lits and anything wedding-related, so I thought this could be promising. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Instead, it was one of the worst books I have ever read (the 0 stars is no mistake)--unlikable characters, trite plot and, most of all, poorly written. Melissa Senate may have other books which are witty and enjoyable to read, but do yourself a favor and avoid this one.

[Sherri Bryant · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK story about two sisters on a journey of self-discovery while trying to answer many of life's questions before one of them gets married. Couple of twists in the plot I didn't care for that nearly made this book a wallbanger for me. It was difficult at times to connect and relate to the characters.

[Natasha Alvar]

I was really angry with this book. The fact that Ruby slept with Nick but seemed to suffer no consequences. Tom is a great guy, and it was apparent to everyone, except her and her sister. Senate just swept her infidelity under the carpet. Because we all need to sleep with people to get over them and understand that they are a fantasy. I guess rationalising is too much to ask for.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected more just from the title but it seems the story detracts from what you would think the title suggests and goes on a wild goose chase with her searching for the answer to the last question. I would have rated it higher had the storyline been more introspective.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about two sisters, Ruby and Stella, who go on a road trip together to find answers to some important questions about themselves. This road trip was lots of fun, especially in the way the sisters interacted, and the interesting characters they met along the way.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Total chick lit, easy read. But I was tearing up (happy tears!) at the end. Perhaps it's the whole getting married in a month thing........ Weird timing to read about **spoiler alert** cheating on a fiancé but such is life!

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun chick lit that makes you think. I recommend it to all lovers of romance, women's fiction, and just those in the mood for a good story.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, typical chick-lit book.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing special, but an OK read.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very easy, fun read. If you are in the mood for something brainless this would be your book.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy read. A little busy and hard to follow at times but pretty entertaining.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very funny and got me addicted to the author!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

just ok - kind of slow and predictable

[Julie]

Questions To Ask Before Marrying (Red Dress Ink) by Melissa Senate (2008)

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this! I thought the sister was going to be a biiiig PITA but she turned out to be one of the most interesting characters. WOuld've loved to have seen more of the cousin though...

[Gaurett · Rating 3 out of 5]

light fun easy beach read

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute & quick read. A predictable love story with a happily ever after.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this on the treadmill at the gym. Not great but passed the time.

[Tj · Rating 3 out of 5]

classic chicklit. I read it poolside, seemed about right.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

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