2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Five-year-old Cordelia Kane instructs sixteen-year-old Aiden Montgomery and his brothers on the correct way to crank a “clunker” in the Prologue. Aidan is picking up his sister Regan and her friends Sophie and Cordie after school when their car won’t start. Cordie is a young, “master mechanic” having spent her time learning from her father in his auto shop. When her suggestion works, the boys agree to never speak of it again. Cordie believes she’s just met her Prince Charming. How funny and sweet is this pre-meet cute? Did it bother you to know there will be an eleven-year age gap between this couple? What other information did you learn from this prologue?

Cordie's mechanical ability shows how smart she is. I don't know any five-year-old who would have any idea about what was happening. No, the age difference didn't bother me when they finally got around to having a grown-up relationship. It made Aiden pay attention that Cordie was a smart kid.

I did not have a problem with the crush a young child had on her friend's older brother; he certainly did not do anything troubling.

My husband was 6+ years older than I, and we had fifty-two years before Alzheimer's took him three years ago (today, as I'm typing).

Charlene wrote: "My husband was 6+ years older than I, and we had fifty-two years before Alzheimer's took him three years ago (today, as I'm typing)."

Anniversaries like that are hard. Remember the good times.

The age gap didn't bother me. Nothing happened until they were both adults.

I didn't have a problem with the age gap. I like that it wasn't a problem for Aiden too. It makes me crazy when character drives that point into the ground.

It is funny how some kids pick up on things when they are young. I love that Cordelia taught Aiden a lesson too.

Charlene wrote: "My husband was 6+ years older than I, and we had fifty-two years before Alzheimer's took him three years ago (today, as I'm typing).."

Charlene I'm so sorry. I try to pull out pictures and memories of the good times when I get in a funk during the holidays.

My cousin told me today that her husband of 54 years is going in assistant living. She said it is like getting a divorce. It is a terrible disease.

The 11 year gap did not bother me at all. It makes perfect sense to me that a young girl would have a crush on her best friend's older brother. I did love that Aiden came to his senses and took her advice about the car.

I just laughed out loud at the scene in the car - the teenage boys in the from seat without a clue how to get the car to start. The young girls in the rear seat with a very young Cordie instructing Aidan on the mechanics of cranking a clunker. Hilarious.

The age difference never bothered me either because as you all mentioned, nothing happened until years later when they were both adults. I did think Cordie's crush on her friends brother was sweet. I also loved how she hated the nickname Cordie until Aidan called her that. lol