Adalyn, the novel’s protagonist, begins her journey as a highly controlled and career-driven executive who evolves into a more vulnerable and community-oriented leader. Initially, Adalyn’s identity is entirely intertwined with her role as Head of Communications for the Miami Flames FC. She is meticulous, ambitious, and prides herself on her emotional stoicism, an attribute earns her a reputation as an “an ice queen, or snow queen, or whatever variation of the term that references being cold and female” (4). Armas positions this carefully constructed facade as a defense mechanism and a product of her environment, particularly her relationship with her father who treats her as an employee rather than a daughter. Her life is governed by a need for professional validation, and she measures her worth by her success within the cutthroat, male-dominated world of professional soccer, foregrounding the novel’s thematic interest in The Challenges to Women’s Authority in Male-Dominated Spaces. Her reliance on business attire, particularly high heels, symbolizes her use of a competent corporate identity to reify her value within the organization.

The novel’s inciting incident—the viral video of Adalyn attacking the Flames’ mascot—pushes her out of her comfort zone and catalyzes her character growth.