1. Anna Freeman begins the novel as a law student with idealism, curiosity, and ambition. How does her understanding of power and influence change over the course of the story?

2. Temperature Rising is set in 1988, before climate change became a mainstream political issue. How did the historical setting shape your experience of the novel?

3. Anna is drawn into a world of lobbyists, activists, lawyers, and political operatives. Which group did you find most persuasive—or most troubling—and why?

4. Coy Young is both charming and morally complicated. What do you think Anna truly sees in him, and what does he represent to her beyond romance?

5. Do you think it is believable that Anna—the daughter of Holocaust survivors—could fall in love with Coy, a charismatic Texan deeply embedded in the energy establishment she distrusts? What emotional, personal, or psychological forces do you think drew Anna to him despite their very different backgrounds and values?

6. The novel explores the tension between personal ambition and ethical responsibility. At what points did you sympathize with Anna’s choices, and when did you question them?

7. Jane Chevalier operates in a male-dominated political environment yet becomes one of the most powerful figures in the story. What did you think of her methods, motivations, and relationship with Anna?

8. Much of the suspense in Temperature Rising comes not from physical violence but from meetings, secrets, manipulation, and influence. Did that make the story feel more realistic or more unsettling?

9. The book asks whether institutions can shape public opinion more effectively than facts alone. Do you think the novel’s portrayal of lobbying and propaganda feels believable today?

10.How did the novel change—or reinforce—your views about the relationship between politics, science, media, and money?

11.Anna often feels isolated as she navigates powerful organizations and hidden agendas. Which moments best captured her vulnerability or resilience?

12.Several characters believe they are acting for the greater good, even when they manipulate or deceive others. Did you find any character’s moral compromises understandable?

13.The novel presents power as both seductive and dangerous. Which character seemed most transformed by proximity to power?

14.Although the novel centers on climate change, it is also about trust, identity, morality, ethics, and belonging. Which of those themes resonated most strongly with you?

15.If Temperature Rising had been set in the present day—with social media, smartphones, and instant news cycles—how might the story have unfolded differently?

16.Anna is confronted with an impossible moral dilemma: she can help The New York Times expose the conspiracy—at the cost of her career, her friendships, and her relationship with Coy—or she can remain silent and protect the people and future she cares about. What would you have done in her position, and why?

17.By the end of the novel, what do you think Anna has gained—and lost—from her journey into the hidden world of political influence and environmental deception?