Just Between Us: A Graphic Novel - by Adeline Kon Paperback

About the Book

"A figure skater grapples with the pressure to perform and her changing feelings when her competitor starts training at the same rink"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, Lydia tries to fall back in love with figure skating without falling for her competition

Lydia Chen knows how good she is on the ice. Technically perfect, she's been the one to beat since her debut years ago.

Except now, something is missing in her performances--a spark that's been gone for a while. Between the constant training, appealing to sponsors to fund her, and the pressure to perform, Lydia's passion for skating has disappeared.

When her rival Elaine Yee starts training at the same rink, Lydia's struck by the emotion in Elaine's routines and unwillingly finds herself getting closer to her as they compete for a spot in the Olympics.

As the tension between them comes to a head, Lydia's about to find out how a competitor can become an ally and figure out how to feel alive on the ice again.

Review Quotes

★ "Kon's manga-style art is captivating in its black-and-white depictions of the athleticism and the emotionality of figure skating . . . An essential purchase, particularly for teens who gravitate toward budding LGBTQIA+ romance books and where stories of underrepresented sports like figure skating are in demand." --School Library Journal, starred review

"The skating sequences are full of reverence for both the beauty and athleticism of the sport. Each black-and-white panel bursts with movement, expression, and atmosphere as the story tenderly explores themes of queerness, ambition, and mutual pining. An emotional graphic novel about two girls reaching for gold--and each other." --Kirkus

"With a magnetic sapphic relationship at its core, Kon's debut graphic novel offers a stirring exploration of the intense world of professional figure skating . . . Graceful grayscale illustrations accented with sparkling gold highlights emulate the fluid, eye-catching movement of figure skating, culminating in a moving love letter to the sport that will delight newcomers and hardcore fans." --Publishers Weekly

"A must read sports romance with beautiful LGBTQ representation that evaluates how we show up for one another and ourselves." --Booklist

"Elegantly rendered and thoughtfully written. A beautiful reflection on the pursuit of success and what it means to love something when that success is not a given." --Eunnie, author of If You'll Have Me

"Kinetic, textured and fresh, this story is a culmination of the passion of competition. Kon distills the unique passion and confusion of competition into vibrant pages that sweep you into another world. Lovers of Spinning will enjoy this dynamic love story on the ice!" --Gabriela Epstein, co-creator and illustrator of Invisible

"A remarkable debut that bleeds passion and talent, gracefully drawn and expertly written. Kon strikes a perfect balance between rivalry and romance. A must-read for sports drama lovers and yuri enjoyers!" --Bowen McCurdy, illustrator of Youth Group

About the Author

Adeline Kon is a freelance illustrator and designer from Miami who graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in illustration. Just Between Us is their debut graphic novel.