Book Club Pairings: D’Angelos #1 — When It Falls Apart (Catherine Bybee)

What if losing everything leads you right where you belong?

When It Falls Apart shows how love and family heal.

Welcome to the first post in my D’Angelos Book Club Pairings series!

Each week I’m pairing a book in Catherine Bybee’s heartwarming romance series with cozy recipes, mood-setting tips, and discussion questions you can bring to your book club (or enjoy solo). Let’s kick things off with When It Falls Apart, where love, family ties, and second chances meet over Italian comfort food.

Here’s where I am in the series so far:

Series Progress: The D’Angelos

Book 1: When It Falls Apart ✅

Book 2: Be Your Everything ✅

Book 3: Beginning of Forever ✅

Book 4: The Whole Time ✅

Book 5: Maybe One Day (coming soon)

Book Snapshot

When It Falls Apart opens the D’Angelos series with Brooke, whose life detours into caregiving, and Luca, a devoted dad guarding his daughter and his heart. Set against San Diego’s Little Italy, it’s a tender story about choosing your people, rebuilding after loss, and finding home at the table. Low angst, warm family vibes, and a steady, grown-up romance—perfect for a comforting, food-forward book club night.

Quick Menu Card

• Main: Garlic-Herb Chicken Thighs
• Sides: Lemon rice, sautéed green beans
• Sip: Chianti; or sparkling mineral water with lemon
• Dessert (optional): Lemon ricotta cookies or gelato

When It Falls Apart (Book 1)

Vibe: Little Italy warmth, found family, second chances
Pairing: Garlic-Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs + lemon rice + sautéed green beans; sip with Chianti or sparkling mineral water
Why: Brooke & Luca’s story leans cozy and restorative. A simple, aromatic roast mirrors the series’ heart: comfort, care, and family at the table.

Make-Ahead & Serving Tips

• Season chicken in the morning; roast just before guests arrive.
• Keep lemon rice warm in a covered dish; fluff before serving.
• Vegetarian swap: roast cauliflower “steaks” with the same garlic-herb blend.
• Alcohol-free sip: basil-lemon spritzer (sparkling water + lemon + crushed basil).

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Set the Mood

• Checkered table runner, string lights, and jars of fresh basil for a Little Italy vibe.
• Playlist: soft Italian café jazz + acoustic pop, low enough for conversation.
• Print mini “quote cards” for guests to jot down favorite lines as they read.

Discussion Questions

1. Brooke’s caregiving upends her life. How does that shift her definition of “home” and who belongs in it?
2. Where do Luca’s boundaries protect his daughter—and where do they keep him stuck? What changes that?
3. Little Italy feels like a character. Which traditions or scenes made the neighborhood matter most?
4. How does found family operate differently from Brooke’s family of origin?
5. What moment earned your trust in the romance (vs. simply liking the chemistry)?
6. Which D’Angelo sibling beat made you most excited for the next book—and why?
7. When life “falls apart,” what expectations do Brooke and Luca have to release to move forward?

Quick Icebreakers

1. Team Brooke or Team Luca—whose arc moved you more?
2. One Italian dish that says “home” to you?
3. Pick a D’Angelo to star in a spin-off—who and why?

Content notes: parental illness/caregiving, breakup/separation, single parenthood, hospital/elder-care scenes, grief, financial stress.

Next up: Book 2 Pairings — Be Your Everything 💕

Publishing soon!

Meanwhile, browse all D’Angelos posts.

Join the Conversation

Brooke and Luca’s story is rooted in second chances and found family. Do you believe love can grow stronger when life seems to be falling apart? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!