There are so many different types of summer reading, all of which we wanted to cover with our summer The Everygirl Book Club picks: a true beach read that’s pure entertainment, a reflective romance that makes you look at life a little differently, an unhinged plot for when the summer heat drives you to the brink, and, of course, a summer thriller that has you leaving the lights on while you fall asleep. Our August book club pick falls into the final category. In past summers, our feeds were ruled by atmospheric, literary thrillers like God of the Woods, All the Colors of the Dark, and Bright Young Women, so we were on a mission to find an equally immersive read for those final moments of the season. When we heard the premise of Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri, we knew it checked all of our boxes.
Not only is the plot instantly gripping, with two estranged sisters forced to come together when a woman goes missing, but the deeper theme of how women can disappear in plain sight is right up our book club’s alley. Set in an eerie Northern California mountain town, Both Can Be True dives into themes of motherhood, addiction, shame, and sisterhood, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat. Here’s everything else you need to know about our August book club pick, in partnership with BookSparks, Both Can Be True.
Our August Book Club Pick: Both Can Be True
When a local mother goes missing, two estranged sisters are pulled back into each other’s lives and forced to confront old wounds, fractured trust, and the many ways a woman can disappear in plain sight.
The Gilmore sisters haven’t been close in years. There was a brief moment after their mother passed away from cancer at a young age that they were bonded in an entirely unique way. But since then, they’ve weathered a mentally ill father, trauma of sexual violence, and a reliance on different vices. They’ve built a wall of resentment for each other that feels impossible to break down.
Now, Frankie is the funny sister, full of energy, sober, and refusing to confront the past by diving into her new life. Mere, on the other hand, is slowly unraveling at the demands of motherhood, being the caretaker for her neurodivergent daughter, and her lonely marriage with her husband. But when a woman in Frankie’s social circle disappears, they’re forced to reconcile their past and how it’s shaping their present. Emotional and atmospheric, Both Can Be True will transport you to California and force you to look at your own burned bridges that may need repairing.
When is the book club meeting?
Our meetings will take place on the final Thursday of every month, where we’ll dive deep into every thought, theory, and feeling about the book—gently guided by discussion questions we’ll send out the week prior so you have plenty of time to gather your thoughts.
JOIN US: August 27, 2026, at 7:30 PM CST: Reserve your spot at the meeting and get the Zoom link here!
Sign up for our email list to receive the discussion questions!
And don’t worry. There will still be plenty of time for the reading-related tangents we all love to spiral into. If you can’t make it one month, that’s okay, we’ll continue the conversation online through the Book Club BFF group, so you’re always in the loop.
Both Can Be True Discussion Questions
- What did you rate the book out of 5 stars?
- Throughout the book, we see the different ways women are forced into labels and identities. What parts of Frankie and Mere’s struggles with womanhood, motherhood, and being a wife did you relate to the most?
- The book explores the pressure women feel to perform certain versions of themselves for their families and society. Which expectations did you think the book handled particularly well?
- The book creates a lot of tension without ever sensationalizing the disappearance. What do you think the author is trying to do by taking this approach?
- The tagline, “There is more than one way for a woman to disappear,” is central to the novel. What does this mean to you and how is it manifested in Mere, Frankie, and Brie?
- How did your perception of Frankie and Mere change throughout the book? Was there a moment when you found yourself sympathizing with one of them more than the other?
- How did the ending feel? Hopeful? Unresolved? Devastating? Something else? Where do you see Frankie and Mere five years after the events of the story?
What is The Everygirl Book Club?
The Everygirl has been recommending and reviewing books for years, delivering our unfiltered opinions on what’s worth your time—from the buzzy books TikTok can’t shut up about to debut authors you have to know. After years of connecting with our readers through a shared love of books, we were craving a space where we could hear more directly from you and, instead of just telling you what we’re reading, actually read together. The Everygirl Book Club is a monthly book club with a reading pick (carefully vetted and chosen by yours truly), which we’ll all read together, chitchatting in our BFF Group while we binge, culminating in our monthly live book club discussion. Between meetings, you can also look forward to plenty of book recommendations and hilariously relatable bookish content (not to toot our own horn). More than anything, The Everygirl Book Club is a community by readers, for readers.
You can trust our recommendations
Worried you won’t love the read one month? We get it, your time is precious, and you don’t want to waste it reading a book that feels like a chore to finish. But rest assured, we are committed to choosing books we know our readers will love. Our picks will span genres, so depending on the month, you may be diving into your favorite category or stepping slightly outside your comfort zone. What you can always trust is that every book is hand-selected by a team of readers who are just as obsessed with reading as you are. We can’t wait to hear what you think.
What’s next?
So now that you’re caught up on all things The Everygirl Book Club, what’s next?
- Sign up for our exclusive Book Club email list to be the first to know everything
- Follow us on Instagram and join our Bumble BFF Group to join the conversation
- Grab your copy of Both Can Be True and get to reading!
We hope to see you at the meeting, but until then, let’s chat online!
Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.
