In the Likely Event

Nate begins the novel by commenting that he is missing out on a vacation to the Maldives by remaining in Afghanistan. What is the significance of this comment? How does Nate’s choice of vacation spots reveal his lingering affection for Izzy Astor?

Yarros is clear in pointing out that Izzy is visiting Afghanistan in August 2021. What is significant about this date? How does Yarros use real history to enhance her setting and create a conflict within her plot?

Nate and Izzy’s relationship begins during a plane crash. Why does Yarros choose such a traumatic experience for these two characters’ first meeting? How does the plane crash play into Nate’s emotional struggles throughout the novel, and how does this experience both bring Izzy and Nate together and pull them apart?

Nate visits Izzy for her birthday in 2014 but refuses to become intimate with her. Are Nate’s reasons for avoiding a committed relationship valid? How does Nate’s behavior appear to contradict his refusal to be intimate with her?

Izzy wants to work with nonprofits in her career as a lawyer. Why does she give this up to work for a senator, and why does Izzy’s career choice upset Nate?

Izzy becomes engaged to a man who previously convinced her to attend a specific school and then changed his mind at the last minute. What motivation did Izzy have to become engaged to this man for a second time, and how does her choice reflect the aftermath of her failed relationship with Nate?

Yarros presents two minor characters who play an important role in each protagonist’s life. Why is Serena important to Izzy, and what role does Torres play for Nate? How does these characters help show a deeper side of each protagonist’s character? Use examples from the text to prove your point.

Yarros shows Nate speaking to Torres throughout the chapters that take place in Afghanistan. How does she manipulate the narrative to hide the truth about Torres? What clues does she provide to hint at the fact that Torres isn’t actually present?