Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The guide explains that The Mistake is the second book in the interconnected Off-Campus series. How did reading it compare to your experience with the first book, The Deal, if you’ve read it, and do you feel this story can stand on its own?

2. What did you think of the book’s central “mistake,” when Logan confesses he was using Grace as a distraction?

3. How does the college setting of the novel affect your interpretations of the characters and events?

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

1. Grace’s journey from “Freshman Grace” to “Sophomore Grace” is about shedding a cautious identity to become more assertive. Discuss a time you felt a desire to reinvent a part of yourself when entering a new phase of life, like starting a new school or job.

2. What role do you think loyalty plays in Logan’s decisions regarding his father and brother? How do you balance personal ambitions with obligations to people you care about?

3. What did you make of Grace’s evolving friendship with Ramona, especially after Ramona’s betrayal?

4. Logan, Dean, and Ramona all maintain public personas that hide their private struggles and insecurities. In what ways do you see people building similar “facades” in everyday life, and what do you think motivates them?

5. Logan’s on-air declaration of love is a classic grand romantic gesture. Do you find these kinds of gestures to be genuinely romantic, or do they feel performative?

6. If you were in Grace’s position, would you have given Logan a second chance? Why or why not?

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

1. The novel is set within the high-pressure culture of elite NCAA hockey, where players are treated like campus celebrities. What commentary does the book offer on the privileges and pressures that come with being a high-profile student-athlete?

2. How does the story handle the difficult subject of caring for a family member with a severe addiction? Do you feel Ward’s journey and its impact on his sons were portrayed in a sensitive or realistic way?

3. What does the novel suggest about the different ways young men and women are expected to handle emotional vulnerability and sexual awakening during their college years?

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

1. How did the dual-narrator perspective, alternating between Logan’s and Grace’s points of view, affect your reading experience? Did it make you more sympathetic to one character over the other?

2. The motif of “mistakes” is central to the novel. Beyond the title event, how does this theme appear in the choices made by other characters like Ramona, Jeff, or even Ward?

3. What is the significance of the water tower in Munsen? How does it compare to Grace’s equivalent location?

4. How do the supporting characters, particularly the loyal Garrett and the pragmatic Tucker, influence Logan’s development and his understanding of his own responsibilities?

5. The New Adult genre, popularized by authors like Colleen Hoover, often explores intense emotional vulnerability. How does The Mistake’s handling of Logan’s and Grace’s private struggles compare to other books you’ve read in this genre?

6. In what ways does the author use hockey as more than just a backdrop for the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Grace’s list of romantic tasks for Logan includes writing a poem and taking a boudoir photo. If you were creating a list to test someone’s sincerity, what kinds of tasks would you include and why?

2. Imagine you are writing a brief scene that takes place a year after the book’s main events but before the epilogue. What moment would you choose to show?

3. The guide notes that Ramona’s “bad girl” persona hides deep insecurity. What do you think was going through her mind when she texted Logan offering to “comfort” him, and how might she have reacted when Grace finally set a firm boundary with her?

4. Many college students decorate their doors with collages and images that display their personalities. What might Grace and Ramona’s door have looked like when Logan first knocked on it? What do you think Grace and Daisy’s door would look like in contrast?