Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Let’s start with your overall reaction to the book’s intensity. How did the combination of dark romance, psychological exploration, and competitive college hockey affect your reading experience? Did you find the balance between these elements effective?

2. How did you find the novel’s take on the M/M rivals-to-lovers sports romance trope? For those who have read other books in this subgenre, like Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry, how did Preston and Marcus’s dynamic compare to other rival relationships you’ve encountered?

3. The ending finds Preston and Marcus together and building a life in New York. Given the extreme trauma, violence, and psychological turmoil they endure, how satisfying did you find this resolution? Did the development of their relationship make the ending feel earned?

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

1. Preston often uses humor and bravado to deflect attention from what he is feeling, while Marcus also struggles to reveal his vulnerabilities. Think about a time you’ve presented a certain version of yourself to the world. In what ways did that “performance” differ from how you truly felt?

2. The bond between Preston, Jude, and Kane shows how close relationships can provide support beyond traditional family structures. What does the idea of a “found family” mean to you? What qualities create strong bonds of loyalty, and how do they compare to the ways Jude and Kane protect and support Preston?

3. Marcus holds on to the memory of his first childhood meeting with Preston for over a decade. Has a brief but memorable encounter from your own past ever stuck with you? What made that moment so impactful?

4. How did you react to the complex dynamic between Preston and his father, Lawrence? Thinking about your own life, have you encountered relationships in which care was difficult to recognize or communicate? How did that affect your understanding of the relationship?

5. Preston turns to different forms of comfort and coping throughout the novel, from physical sensation and familiar routines to therapy. Without focusing on personal trauma, think about the different ways people find comfort and safety. What are some less conventional ways you have found—or seen others use—to feel grounded during stressful periods?

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

1. The novel uses competitive college hockey as an important setting for Preston and Marcus’s rivalry. In what ways do you think high-pressure environments like elite sports can reinforce expectations about masculinity? Where else in our society do you see these kinds of pressures at play?

2. What does the novel suggest about the relationship between extreme wealth, privilege, and accountability as seen in Graystone Ridge? How does the power held by the founding families contribute to the story’s conflicts?

3. The secret society Vencor operates with impunity, enforcing its own violent rules, including its lethal stance on gay members. What does the book say about the dangers of powerful, insular groups that exist outside of societal laws and norms?

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

1. How does the recurring motif of mango candy change in meaning across Preston and Marcus’s turbulent relationship? How does its association with affection and intimacy become complicated when Marcus later incorporates it into his violent revenge?

2. What is the significance of Marcus’s nickname for Preston, the “fairy prince”? How does this perception shape Marcus’s fascination with Preston, particularly the contrast between his idealized image of him and Preston’s capacity for violence?

3. Both Preston and Marcus commit acts of extreme violence while also occupying the roles of romantic protagonists. How does the novel construct them as anti-heroes, and how does their relationship complicate the moral implications of their actions?

4. The revelation that Dr. Duret and Lenin are Preston’s hallucinations is a major turning point. How did learning this information change your understanding of Preston’s character and his self-destructive actions?

5. How did the shifting narrative perspective between Preston and Marcus shape your understanding of their dynamic? Did you find yourself siding more with one character at different points, and if so, why?

6. Tempting Venom is part of the larger, interconnected “Rinaverse.” For readers familiar with other books in the Vipers series, how did seeing established characters like Kane and Jude through Preston’s eyes affect your understanding of these characters and their relationships?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to design a new tattoo for either Preston or Marcus that symbolizes their relationship at the end of the novel, what would it be and why?

2. Imagine you’re writing a scene from the perspective of a minor character, like Lawrence, June, or Jude. Which event in the book would you choose to narrate, and what new insights might that character’s point of view offer?

3. In the epilogue, Preston is jokingly referred to as Marcus’s “personal chaos coordinator.” What do you imagine a typical day looks like for them a few years into their life in New York? How might their relationship change as they navigate everyday life together?