A teenager contemplating her future suddenly faces a life-changing illness in this debut novel.

At the age of 16, Madelyn “Madz” Monroe is done with ice skating. It’s been her life for six years, but she’s had enough of the intense training and the countless injuries (“I’m not subjecting myself to this anymore”). While her decision to leave ice skating behind seriously upsets both her coach and her mother, Madz is ready to see what else life has in store for her. Sadly, the lump she feels in her collar bone turns out to be cancer. She can fight it with chemotherapy and possibly radiation, but Madz, who doesn’t want pity, keeps her treatments secret as long as she can. She’s already agreed to teach ice skating to 14-year-old Gracie Cruz, as a return favor to the girl’s handsome older brother, Will, a landscaper. Though initially reluctant to teach Gracie, who’s prone to screaming, Madz soon wants to help the girl, even if she has to find another teacher. And maybe others can, in turn, offer Madz support as she confronts her illness. Maddaleni enriches this absorbing story with a superb cast. Madz, for example, comes with myriad layers; she can be condescending, especially during her first lesson with Gracie, but she quickly garners sympathy as she braves chemotherapy’s harsh side effects. Her generally positive attitude is not only infectious, but reflects the narrative as well. She affectionately dubs one drug the “Pukinator,” and her hospital visits, though brimming with clinical terms, center on her physical and mental resilience. Other characters show three dimensions, too, as readers learn more about Gracie’s “condition”; Will takes on the role of his sister’s guardian; and various individuals further uplift the narrative with unexpected benevolence. The author rounds out this tale with a series of evolving relationships (including Madz and her mother) and, of course, some welcome romance.

This rewarding tale of battling cancer sparkles with a zestful cast and surprising buoyancy.