Back Kicks and Broken Promises

Ricky Gilbert’s world is about to be turned upside down.
After moving with his adopted American parents and Chinese sister from the only home he’s known in Singapore to a new one in New Jersey, the Filipino teenager finds himself feeling lost in unfamiliar surroundings and alone as the new kid in school. With the help of Max Parada, an American-born Filipino, and Amy Cho, his Korean American classmate, Ricky begins to find his place and identity through Taekwondo training.
The training, however, is more than simply kicks and punches. It becomes his guide to life as he progresses from one belt to another. Just as he begins to adjust to his new environment, however, Ricky’s world takes another hit when he discovers a secret that forces him to question who he is and what family means to him. As he tries to come to terms with what he’s learnt, he inherits a large sum of money and is faced with a major decision – stay with the family he’s known all his life or leave and become a family of one.
To help with his decision, Ricky travels to The Philippines and back to Singapore but he’s not just on a trip down memory lane. While on his quest, Ricky learns things about his father that make the two of them more alike than he’d ever thought – or even hoped – possible.