To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice—now with bonus material including two never-before-seen chapters!
“Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.
Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.
As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.
Hard to put down
"This was my book club pick for February, and the timing couldn’t have been better—especially after watching figure skating at the Olympics. Although I went into this expecting a romance, this book is so much more than that. It’s dark, gritty, and completely absorbing. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. After losing her mother at a young age, Katrina turns to figure skating as a way to cope with her grief. Her fascination with Olympic skater Shirley Lin quickly evolves into an all-consuming ambition. Skating isn’t just a passion—it becomes her identity. Heath, a boy Katrina meets at the rink, becomes her skating partner and eventually part of her family. Having grown up in foster care, Heath is fiercely loyal and devoted to Katrina. Even though skating isn’t his dream, he commits to it because she is his world. Katrina’s drive for Olympic gold is relentless. Through sacrifice, perseverance, and even selling her mother’s engagement ring, they move to train under Shirley Lin, spending endless hours on the ice. Katrina’s singular focus never wavers, and the cost of that ambition is felt deeply by everyone around her. The story alternates between Katrina’s point of view and chapters told through interviews and outside commentary, which adds depth and tension by showing how public perception clashes with private reality. Katrina is not always an easy character to like, yet she is deeply compelling. I found myself both frustrated by her and rooting for her and Heath at the same time. This is a powerful story about ambition, resilience, relationships, and the emotional toll of striving for perfection. If you enjoy dark romance and character-driven stories that explore the cost of success, this book is absolutely worth reading."
