JENNIFER IACOPELLI’s Finding Her Edge is a swoony YA sports romance filled with fake dating drama, reality show rumours and a love triangle that’s heating up on and off the ice. Read on for a Q&A.

What first sparked the idea for Finding Her Edge?

The very first spark of the idea was during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang. Like most of the world, I was totally enraptured by Virtue and Moir’s incredible skating, but what truly resonated for me was the constant speculation that they were dating and everyone’s outright refusal to believe that they weren’t in a romantic relationship. I thought that was a fascinating idea and absolutely would be a fascinating dynamic to explore in fiction: what if the whole world thought you were dating, but you really weren’t. I thought it lent itself even more so to YA because of the kind of pressure that would put on young athletes who have so much to deal with as teenagers in an elite sport, trying to defy the odds and make it to the Olympics.

You’ve written about ambitious young women in sport before – what drew you to the high-stakes, competitive world of ice skating for this story?

It truly felt like a natural extension from writing about gymnastics in Break the Fall, which published just before Finding Her Edge. Then, once I began really diving into the world, I became a true fan. I’d always vaguely followed it, but certainly wasn’t a die hard. But learning about the intensity of the training, the sacrifices and how the athletes make something so incredibly difficult look so easy, I knew it was something I wanted to write about.

How did you go about researching and capturing the technical, financial and gruelling side of figure skating?

So, so many videos of competitions, practice sessions, previous Olympics and World Championships. One thing I found very helpful was to watch the development of a program from when a skater or pairing debuted it through the end of that competitive season to truly understand the progression (both positive and negative) of maintain a high level throughout the lead up to Worlds or the Olympic Games. There is so much that goes into the decisions made both on and off the ice, I did have to pick and choose what to highlight so we didn’t get too bogged down in the details, but my research definitely had my algorithm feeding me nothing but figure skating for months afterward!

The story features a love triangle between Adriana, Brayden and Freddie – what did you love most about writing this dynamic?

When I set out to write that triangle, I really challenged myself because I wanted to write a love triangle where it wasn’t super obvious which love interest Adriana would choose. I know that it really divided the readership for sure, but I’m okay with that because it’s what I deliberately set out to do! What I ultimately wanted was for Adriana to choose the path that was best for her, not just romantically, but in all facets of her life, so her decision reflects that. At the same time, it was just so much fun to write about two very different boys who love her in very different ways.

Fake dating is such a beloved romance trope – what do you think makes it so appealing in a romantic setting?

For me, it’s mostly that fake dating allows characters that normally wouldn’t give each other the time of day romantically, a chance and then watching them realize that all they needed was that chance to open their eyes to someone they’d never considered! It hits just right!

What keeps you coming back to the world of female sports?

There is something intrinsically fascinating about women, particularly young women, who are unapologetically ambitious. I think too often we tell girls to make themselves smaller, to be seen as less than their full selves so they won’t make other people, uncomfortable, but sports and the drive to pursue a passion is so important. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing about it.

Who are some of the writers or even athletes who inspire your work?

There are so many! I am constantly in awe of writers like Taylor Jenkins-Reid and Emilly Henry, they truly never miss. In young adult, I will read anything by Leah Johnson, Sarah Henning, Sophie Gonzales and, a new favorite, Cassie Miller, whose debut, Meet Me Under the Lights comes out in March. As for athletes, there are truly more than I could ever name, but recently I’ve gotten to know Piper Gilles, a Canadian Olympic ice dancer. She and her partner Paul have the most gorgeous Van Gogh inspired free program, and I hope it’s golden in Milan!

Can you tell us anything about the upcoming Netflix adaptation?

I can tell you that it exists! I’m sorry, I feel like one of those actors in a Marvel movie who isn’t allowed to say anything in interviews. I can tell you that the cast and crew are incredible and that the writers and directors were able to take what I put on the page and made something truly magical. I can’t wait for everyone to see it … soon!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Iacopelli writes about ambitious girls with big dreams and the boys who love them for it. Her young adult novels include Break the Fall and Finding Her Edge. Throughout her career her books have been published in over a dozen languages, named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book, a Kids’ Indie Next pick, a finalist for the South Carolina Book Awards and featured by the New York Public Library, Bank Street College, YALSA, the Texas Library Association and the Missouri State Teachers Association as a best book of the year. She lives in New York with no plans to ever leave where she also publishes adult romance under the pen name Jennifer Hennessy.

Visit Jennifer Iacopelli’s website