Just Between Us by Adeline Kon

If you’re not ready for the magic of Milan-Cortina’s Olympics figure skating to be over yet a/o you’re looking for something to tide you over till your next Heated Rivalry fix, then do I have the wlw graphic novel for you!

Set in the world of competitive figure skating, this book revolves around Lydia Chen, the driven Asian American figure skater whose athleticism lies at the heart of her approach to the sport. Her technical perfection, coupled with her standoffish demeanor, have earned her the nickname The Ice Queen. For Lydia, figure skating isn’t about making friends or having fun. It’s about excelling, and thereby helping support her single mom and their small family of two.

When she first crosses paths with Malaysian figure skater Elaine Yee, she’s taken aback by how friendly the other girl is. While Elaine doesn’t have the jumps that Lydia does, her grace and performance skills showcase how much she loves skating, making her a top competitor in the field. Lydia doesn’t have time for friends — besides Helen, the daughter of her coach, who doesn’t skate and therefore isn’t a rival — so she’s relieved that her encounter with Elaine is brief. She’s even more vindicated when she beats Elaine at the first Grand Prix they skate in together.

Fast forward several years and Lydia is shocked to learn that Elaine is moving from the Canadian rink where she’s been training to join her own coach in Boston. She’s curious to see how her rival has been performing behind-the-scenes, but definitely doesn’t want to let her get too close. As sparks fly between them, however, both women will have to start reevaluating their relationships, not only with each other, but with the people they love and the sport that unites them.

I’m ngl, I teared up when Elaine talks about coming out, because that frankly seems impossible to me for any Malaysian public figure. Best of luck to anyone non-fictional trying to do so, I say. I do very much appreciate and encourage those who have the courage to live out their truths, and wish other people wouldn’t be so nasty about stuff that literally has no effect on their own lives.

The story itself is quite hopeful, if fairly familiar to anyone who reads sports romances. Some of the narrative does feel rushed, and I wanted to know more about Helen’s gallery show at the end. These are minor quibbles, however, in a book that does an outstanding job of translating the beauty of figure skating to the page. During the first few pages, I wasn’t sure whether Adeline Kon would be able to stick the landing but she really does. The restricted color palette of black, white, blue and gold also allows the beauty of her lines to shine through, tho I’d be curious to see how she’d do with a full range of colors.

This is a really sweet, unspicy romance perfect for readers of YA graphic novels who want a diversion from watching Alyssa Liu and Amber Glenn videos on repeat. This story of love and joy and acceptance is a terrific debut from a storyteller to watch.

Just Between Us by Adeline Kon was published February 24 2026 by Dial Books and is available from all good booksellers, including