They’ve been homesick for something. Each other.
BRING IT ON meets NEVER HAVE I EVER in this multicultural YA rom-com debut from a “We Need Diverse Books” 2026 mentee, where ex-friends turned enemies strike a deal: the math nerd joins the cheerleading team, the cheerleader joins Mathletes, and they set out to win both national competitions to secure their college admissions. Perfect for fans of Ann Liang and Talia Hibbert.
High school junior JJ Wyróżnicka-Johnson has perfected the art of being an American girl. Since moving from Poland to Massachusetts two years ago, she’s ditched her Polish Nigerian name and buried her accent. All that’s left? Winning cheerleading nationals, getting into an Ivy, and finally fitting in. What’s not on the agenda is obsessing over Aang, her ex-friend who kicked her out of the math club a year before.
Aang Lau has decided that being American isn’t for him. On a mission to reclaim his Hong Kong roots, he plans to win Mathletes nationals and secure Stanford admission—his gateway to San Francisco’s Cantonese community. Too bad he can’t stop replaying his sophomore-year heartbreak, when JJ ditched him for the all-American popular kids.
The last thing either of them wants is to spend time together. But one panicked guidance counselor meeting later, JJ’s returning to Mathletes while Aang’s joining cheerleading in desperate attempts to win two national titles and boost their college applications.
Two competitions, one shared objective, zero feelings. Until his hands feel perfect on her hips during cheerleading stunts. Until their stares linger over math equations. Until they’re forced to decide whether their beliefs are worth sacrificing for the one person who makes them feel at home.
