Point of Retreat

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. As a sequel, Point of Retreat picks up right where Slammed left off. How did you feel about jumping back into Will and Lake’s world from Will’s perspective this time? Did this book meet the expectations you had after reading the first one?

2. Hoover is famous for writing emotionally intense love stories like It Ends With Us and thrillers like Verity. If you’ve read her other work, how did the relationship dynamics and emotional stakes in Point of Retreat compare? What do you see as the signature elements of her storytelling style?

3. The novel ends with a dramatic car crash, a hospital vigil, and, finally, a proposal and wedding. Did you find this sequence of events to be a satisfying conclusion to Will and Lake’s story in this book? Why or why not?

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

1. Throughout the Slammed series, Will and Lake create a chosen family with their friends and neighbors that acts as a powerful support system. Think about a time in your life when a community of friends or neighbors felt like family. What makes those chosen bonds so strong?

2. The ritual of “suck-and-sweet” gives every character space to share the best and worst parts of their day. What did you think of this tradition? Do you have any similar rituals for checking in and connecting with the important people in your life?

3. Will turns to his journal as a form of therapy to privately process his thoughts and fears, and he uses slam poetry as a public outlet. Have you ever used a creative outlet like writing, music, or art to work through a difficult time or express something you couldn’t say out loud?

4. Characters in the book are often described as “children raising children,” forced into adulthood by circumstances. Can you recall a time in your own life when you had to take on a responsibility you felt unprepared for? How did that experience shape you?

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

1. What do you think is the appeal of the new adult genre, which focuses on protagonists aged 18-25 navigating independence, love, and past trauma? How does Point of Retreat fit into or maybe even challenge the conventions of this category?

2. The guide notes that this book was written because of intense fan demand after the self-published success of Slammed. What are your thoughts on this author-reader relationship, where audience feedback can shape the continuation of a story?

3. The novel presents a “found family” that is bound by shared experience and mutual care rather than biological ties. How does this portrayal of family reflect or challenge broader cultural ideas about what a family unit can or should look like?

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

1. How does continuing the story through Will’s perspective, especially through his private journal entries, shape your understanding of the Slammed series’ central conflict? 

2. Slam poetry provides a way for the characters to express their deepest, emotional truths. How does slam poetry allow the characters to communicate in ways that regular conversation can’t? How does it function as a space for radical honesty and healing?

3. The concept of a “point of retreat” is a literal boundary for Will and Lake, but it also represents restraint and promises kept. How does the novel explore the challenges and importance of setting boundaries within a relationship?

4. Will claims that he hides Vaughn’s reappearance from Lake to protect her. How does the novel use this secret to explore the difference between protection and genuine vulnerability in a relationship?

5. What is the effect of the sudden car crash right after Will and Lake reconcile? How does plunging the characters into a new trauma test the authenticity of the love they just reaffirmed?

6. The found family in this novel is central to the characters’ survival and happiness. How does this group’s dynamic compare to other found families in literature you’ve read, such as the friend group in The Perks of Being a Wallflower? What makes this type of bond so compelling in fiction?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Julia’s posthumous gift of the vase of stars provides guidance and hope to her daughter. Write your own star messages to give to one of the characters—like Will, Lake, Gavin, or Kiersten—during their biggest moment of crisis.

2. Which slam poetry performance from the book would be the most powerful or challenging to translate in a film or TV show? What would make that particular scene impactful on screen?

3. The story is told entirely from Will’s point of view. Rewrite a key scene through the eyes of another character, like the blunt Kiersten, the wise Sherry, or even the antagonist, Vaughn. What new insights might that perspective offer?