Olivia Midori Kennedy (Japanese American/white), 16, is the daughter of former Olympic pairs champion skaters. She was a rising star on the skating scene herself before a recent metaphorical crash and burn at her first senior-level competition. Olivia's now working at Ice Dreams, her parents' struggling rink, and helping her mom -in chronic pain due to career injuries-manage while her dad performs around the country to help pay the bills. Korean American Jonah Choi's family rents rink time at Ice Dreams so he can practice short track speed skating. Jonah is an elite young athlete on the rise; Olivia's career may already be over-or is it? Even as their obvious attraction builds, Olivia is also realizing her struggles at the senior level were as much about people forcing her to be someone she wasn't as adjusting to physical changes in her maturing body. But how does she work her way back to skating on her own terms? The strength of this blithe romance is in its surprising substance. Olivia and Jonah's relationship is all the more satisfying for being measured as they strive to support each other's dreams. Terrific secondary characters, from the other (all Asian, they note) kids at Olivia and Jonah's high school lunch table, to Oliva's friend Mack, a 20-year-old single white mom working at the rink and living with her grandmother, to Olivia's friend and former skating partner helping her chart a new course, all contribute to the enjoyment. (Age 12 and older)