Karate Kid: Strike Softly

When the LaRusso family moves to Southern California, Jennifer LaRusso expects sun, beaches, and a fresh start. She doesn’t expect to watch her older brother get humiliated by Cobra Kai’s golden boy. Johnny Lawrence is everything Jennifer hates — proud, ruthless, untouchable. And when he makes Daniel his favorite target, Jennifer decides she won’t stand by and cry. She’ll do something smarter. Instead of fighting the snake… she’ll charm it. Jennifer pretends to admire Johnny. Laughs at his jokes. Softens his edges. Slowly, carefully, she works her way past his guard — all to stop him from hurting her brother before the All Valley Tournament. It’s just a strategy. Until it isn’t. Because beneath the arrogance, Johnny isn’t what she expected. And the more time she spends with him, the harder it becomes to tell what’s real and what was part of the plan. But Cobra Kai doesn’t believe in softness. And when John Kreese begins to suspect that Johnny is hesitating… someone will have to pay for that weakness. With Daniel training in secret under Mr. Miyagi and the tournament drawing closer, loyalties fracture, hearts betray, and the line between manipulation and love begins to blur. Jennifer thought she could strike softly. She didn’t realize soft things can break the hardest.