Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall impression of Love Song? The book blends a second-chance romance with themes of family legacy and self-discovery. Which aspects of the story were most memorable or impactful for you, and why?

2. Love Song is a “next generation” story, focusing on the children of beloved characters from the Off-Campus series. How did your experience with the original books, or your lack of it, shape your reading of this novel? Did you find the many references to the parents a fun homage or a distraction from Blake and Wyatt’s story?

3. How effective was the novel’s pacing for you, from the slow-burn tension at the lake house to the faster-paced resolution at the end?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The guide follows Blake’s development from feeling “ordinary among the extraordinary” due to her high-achieving family to finding her own interest and success. In what ways have you found a sense of place and purpose in the world and how was this helped or hindered by others?

2. Wyatt uses his “fuckboy” persona to avoid emotional intimacy, while Blake initially prefers being a “plus-one” to avoid the spotlight. What defense mechanisms do you employ—or have you employed—to maintain a sense of security and “comfort zone?” In what ways might these also place limitations on you?

3. Blake and Wyatt’s summer relationship is governed by a set of rules, including that it ends when the summer ends. Consider the nature of boundaries and rules that exists, explicitly or implicitly, in a relationship of your own. How well do these work to maintain trust and mutual understanding?

4. Blake is surprised to find that Darlie’s that the mystery surrounding Darlie’s supposed suicide is a myth. Think of a time when you learned that something you had invested in was false or mistaken. How did you react, and why?

5. Garrett gives advice to Wyatt that sometimes people ask for space when they secretly want the opposite, suggesting that Wyatt not give up on Blake after she pushes him away following her medical crisis. When have you had to navigate a loved one’s grief, anger, and self-isolation? How did you manage this, and what things did you learn?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel is set within the insular world of professional hockey families, where the children of famous athletes grow up under intense scrutiny. What parallels do you see with the real-life children of celebrities in the modern, social media world?

2.What does the novel have to say about generational gaps in attitudes, including towards personal expression, sexual freedom, and gender roles?

3. Does the novel’s depiction of Isaac’s public cheating scandal, sex tape, and the subsequent social media fallout feel realistic to you? Compare its depiction to real-life examples. How does the story critique the way public figures’ private lives are consumed and judged in today’s culture?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The Tahoe lake house is described as a liminal space, removed from the characters’ ordinary lives. How does this setting force Blake and Wyatt to confront their shared history and individual insecurities?

2. How does Elle Kennedy use Wyatt’s music as a barometer for his emotional state? Trace the connection between his year-long writer’s block, the inspiration he finds in Blake, and the creation of songs like “Lightkeeper.”

3. What is the significance of the Darlie Gallagher subplot? How does this alter and augment the novel’s depiction of Blake’s narrative arc?

4. Consider the author’s choice of contraceptive supply problems and an ectopic pregnancy to advance the plot. How are these challenges presented and what do they add to the narrative?

5. How does Beau Di Laurentis’s character arc serve as a foil to Wyatt’s development?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Wyatt’s songwriting is his primary way of processing his feelings for Blake. If you were to write a song from Blake’s perspective, what would it be called and what would its main theme be?

2. Imagine you get to write the next “Dad Chat” conversation. What family event, big or small, would you have John Logan, Garrett Graham, and the others weigh in on next?

3. The novel ends with Blake joining Wyatt on tour after her grand gesture on the radio. What do you imagine their life looks like one year after the book’s epilogue?