This book started off as a 4.5, and then dropped to a 4 at 50% and then finally down to a 3.25 by the end. The more melodrama, the less I enjoyed it.

The Favourites started off relatively grounded but as it went on, it felt to be almost nonsensically dramatic. The ramping up of the drama really made it so it became completely unbelievable.

The toxicity of the romance (even in the epilogue!) made it incredibly hard to root for them in the end.

I did really enjoy the documentary-esque format. Hearing from some of the supporting cast added some really interesting nuance to the story. However, it did feel like there was some perspectives really missing from the narrative, which wouldn't have been obvious if the book was entirely set in Kat's perspective.

Overall, I still feel that this is a very enjoyable sports novel. Don't come into this for the romance, but rather for the unapologetically ambitious female main character.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-arc!

Well this book was a complete surprise. I’d seen a few glowing reviews and it was being marketed as Wuthering Heights meets Daisy Jones and The Six, so I was intrigued. I devoured this book in a few days. The angst, the drama, the romance, it was perfect. Plus I’m a sucker for a book written in an interview format!

I adored the pacing, drama and angst that consumed this entire story. The way this story alternates between Kat’s retelling and the interviews from colleagues, rivals and media personalities worked so well, there wasn’t a moment I was hooked.

My only criticism is Kat and Heath really became unlikeable towards the end, their decades of jealousy, anger and severe lack of communication was a bit distracting and Heath’s big secret was a bit of a let down after 300+ pages for teasing.

But I was still desperate to know how it ended, and enjoyed the rollercoaster ride nonetheless.

The favourites by Layne Fargo

If you loved the reporter style writing in Daisy Jones, the angst of magnolia and BJ, the love and passion for a sport like Carrie Soto and the full on rooting for a couple like Stella and Reid (or Nate) in Drive then you are going to eat this up.

The story is set in the 90’s/2000’s in a world of competitive ice dancing. We follow Kat and Heath from children with a dream, skating on the lake near their house to the championships and going for gold at the olympics.

The amount of times I felt completely heartbroken for these characters, and their relationships was not okay. We followed them through so many difficult situations it’s hard to believe they will ever have peace.

This book will definitely stay with me for a while, I am obsessed and can’t stop living for these characters, I didn’t want the story to end. I definitely need to purchase a physical copy for a trophy on my shelf.

Well done Layne Fargo you have written a masterpiece 🫶🏼

Thank you to netgalley for sharing the digital copy of this amazing book with me ♥️

I could not put this book down and lost sleep over it! It was raw, messy, angsty, beautiful and real. This follows teenager, Katarina Shaw. She has dreamed of being an Olympic figure skater ever since she was a little girl and she will stop at nothing to make her dream come true. Then we have Heath Rocha, who is all alone. He has no family and no one who is looking out for him. But one day he spots Kat at the skating rink and wants nothing but to be her friend. They form a close bond and over time they become pair skaters. We get to see both of their highs and lows through out this story. You will cry, laugh, and want to throw your book across the room. This is definitely for people who love Taylor Jenkins Reid cause it is similar to Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto. I cannot recommend this enough!

Is it too early to call this one of my favourite books of 2025?! The Favourites is going to be huge next year, and let me say it deserves every last bit of the hype it's getting because I ate this book up!

If you loved Daisy And The Six and have been looking for something to fill that void, then The Favourites is for you, It will give you that same immersive reading experience only it's about the cut throat world of Ice dancing.

The vibes are immaculate, and if I had to describe this book in one word, I'd say cinematic. It's honestly like watching a Netflix documentary. The imagery and sense of place are superb, and I couldn't tear my eyes from the page for a second.
I felt so many emotions reading this book, anger, passion, angst, heartbreak, and even though Kat and Heath are incredibly messy and flawed, I wanted them both to succeed from Katerina's soaring ambition to Heath's desire to finally belong somewhere these characters will find a way into your heart.

The intensity of this book is unlike anything I've read for a long time, the will they, won't they angst, the obsession, passion and everything else in between will leave the reader breathless and almost obsessed with this book as Kat and Heath are each other.

I absolutely devoured this book. The characters are real and raw and completely captivating. Those last few chapters had my heart THUMPING! Who knew ice dancing had so much action?!
Fargo’s writing is gripping and weaves an incredible world filled with drama, mystery, romance and obsession. I loved Katarina’s character, she felt like someone special who I could turn on the TV and see in real life. You felt her joy and rage through the pages.
Fans of Daisy Jones & The Six will like this, especially for the interview snippets.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

I enjoyed this. The style and the writing of this book was definitely a standout for me. I loved the interview style alongside Kat’s point of view. The difference in time period was quite good too, you could infer things from this as the storyline moved alone. The technical detail of the skating in this book is also a huge part of the story, which is great. You feel absorbed in the intensity and drama of the competitions and it helps you to relate to what is driving them to succeed in these environments.

I found the characters and the relationships in this so toxic. Initially I felt like I could understand how their goals were just different in life, but as the book moved on I actually just found them confusing. The cut-throat and ruthless nature of competitive sport was a strong theme in this book, but the gaps this then seemed to create in the emotional relationships between the characters left me feeling wanting at times. I wanted more of their decisions explained from an emotional perspective. I wanted them to discuss what had happened in some key parts of the story, and why. That’s the only reason this lost a star for me.

It’s a great book that I’ll definitely be recommending when it’s released!

I've been a fan of ice dance since the days of Torvill and Dean so I was interested in this story. The story is told by Kat who saw ice dancing at the age of 4 and was determined to do the same thing. We follow her journey as a script for a documentary about Kat and her dance partner Heath. Told by various skaters and commentators and narrated by Kat herself as well.
The behind the scenes of the skating world was fascinating and I enjoyed the usual way the story was told. Sometimes it was a little slow and a bit repetitive, hence 4 stars.

Let me start by saying I love ice skating. Pairs figure skating is my favourite, but I do enjoy watching ice dancing so was really hoping this book would include plenty of sporting action alongside the romantic elements. Thankfully that’s exactly what I got.

Set in the cutthroat world of professional ice dancing, this book did not lack any of the blood, sweat and tears professional athletes experience in the quest for greatness. It also did not hold back and I was not expecting that ending! What a thrilling ride, full of betrayal and manipulation.

The book is written in a mixture of styles, combining traditional storytelling from Katarina’s point of view with interviews and television commentary. It was scintillating, captivating and intense, full of ‘will they won’t they’ moments but the romance is slow burn and at times toxic but ultimately you can’t help routing for Katarina and Heath.

Katarina’s character invoked the full range of emotions, often driving me mad but I loved her passion, determination and tenacity. Heath was intense and devoted but also flawed after a difficult childhood.

This was an addictive read, centred on winning at all costs and love bordering on obsession which was packed full of chemistry, revenge and glamour- I loved it!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher (Vintage Books) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

Here's the thing, I don't care about sports. I know nothing about ice skating in any form. I had no idea there was even a difference between figure skating and ice dancing. But I loved "They never learn" by Layne Fargo so much that I was willing to give her next book a try no matter what it was about.

And god I'm so glad I did.

This book was a real whirlwind of emotions. It really felt like you went on a whole journey with these characters, and watching Katarina and Heath grow and how much they changed was such a great experience.

I loved the format of the story, how we get Katarina's version of the events along with a documentary style talking heads and description of the videos of the events in the past. It really created a great level of intrigue, especially not knowing whose side these people were on and what version of the events they were trying to sell and why. And I will admit, when I started reading this book I was hoping for some dramatic and violent turn of events that the book was hinting at. But by the end of the book I just wanted them to all catch a break and get their happy ending.

I think Heath was definitely a harder character for me to enjoy but god I loved Katarina. I loved how unapologetic she was about what she wanted and how much she wanted it and how much she knew she deserved it.

Honestly this book is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys a good story, a good romance or just complex female characters.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo is a Wuthering Heights retelling set in the world of competitive ice dancing.

I couldn’t put this book down and finished it over a couple of days! It’s full of drama and scandals. I went into it knowing nothing about figure skating or ice dance (other than from watching I, Tonya). I don’t know what I’m going to read after this as it will be difficult one to follow!

The story is told by the narrator and main character, Katarina Shaw, alongside snippets of interviews with supporting characters who are featured in a present day documentary called “The Favourites: The Shaw and Rocha Story”. The main focus of the story is her romantic and professional relationship with skating partner Heath Rocha, her ambitions as a professional athlete to win gold at the Olympics, and how these two aspects of her life intertwine.

The documentary aspect will appeal to fans of Dasiy Jones and the Six - Layne Fargo even thanks Taylor Jenkins Reid as an inspiration in her acknowledgements.

Thanks so much Layne Fargo, Vintage and NetGalley for the advanced copy! The Favourites will be published in the UK 16 January 2025.

I was hearing some chatter around this book in the Literary Fiction community and although it's not my absolute favourite genre, I was seeing people who mostly read romance read this and love it so I decided to pick this up and I'm so glad I did! This was so juicy and scandalous, but also so romantic and the writing style was so easy to follow, I adored everything about this. So, if this seems interesting to you, you should definitely pick this up when it releases on January 16th 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the privilege of reading this beautiful piece!

The Favourites
Not my normal type of read but what a rollercoaster! I was intrigued from the get go. It didn’t feel like I was reading but more like watching the whole book as a movie. This is definitely a book to add to your tbr!
The story follows Katharina Shaw and Heath Rocha. They are Figur skaters trying to make it in a modern world. It shows struggle, strength and love. It shows just how far some go to succeeded. The characters are very relatable, and Katharinas and Heath are both very misunderstood and that makes you understand the fury at the world Katharina has.

It felt a bit long at times and confusing but it wasn’t too much of a bother.

Overall it’s a great read and will stick with me. I still think of this book from time to time.

Where do I even begin? This book didn’t just pull me in—it dragged me through the woods, shattered me into pieces, and then tried to put me back together from whatever was left.

I felt everything while reading this. I celebrated. I shouted. I was somehow more stressed than the athletes on the page—and they were the ones competing. I cried when things turned dark and hopeless, and I cried again when resolutions finally offered some fleeting peace.

But, truly, it’s my own fault. I somehow missed that this is a modern take on Wuthering Heights. By the time I pieced together who Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha really were… it was too late. I was already invested—too deep for any chance of saving myself from heartbreak.

And yet, once again, that’s on me. Why did I think a retelling wouldn’t destroy me just as much as the original? Isn’t that the whole point? If you change it too much, it’s no longer a retelling, is it? That said, with its modern setting—and as a former skater myself—this story hit closer to home than I ever expected. That relatability made it hurt even more.

This book explores themes that remain relevant no matter when you read it, no matter when it’s set. It is relevant, raw, and relentless. I found myself fiercely agreeing with Kat—siding with her opinions that made the world hate her so much. I think many women will see themselves in her, too.

Yes, this is a love story, but don’t mistake this book for a romance. The Favourites is, above all, a story of strength. Of survival. Of overcoming. Of choosing yourself, no matter the cost. It’s supposed to make you uncomfortable. I don't think you can read Katarina's side and not understand her rage and fury at the world, because being misunderstood will do that to you. And when those closest to you don't get you… then it hurts all the more.

This book is about acceptance.

About finding your own happiness, whatever that may look like.
About holding onto it, even when the world doesn’t understand.
About deciding what winning looks like to you —and doing it on your own terms.

It’s about passion and all the ways it manifests.
It’s about love and all its complicated, subtle shades.

And in the end… it’s a book that will stay with me for a long, long time.

- Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own and reflect my honest reactions. -

Sadly this book was not for me. I had looked forward to it as I love figure skating but it was a book that I didn’t finish which in itself is very unusual.

I didn’t like the style of writing, the language and couldn’t get invested in the love story.

The nod to Wuthering Heights through the Brontes in calling one of the characters ‘Culler’ - was a clever touch I suppose.

The Favourites isn't my usual cup of tea, but it's a well written and by and large I was interested even if I found the relationship between Kat and Heath frustrating beyond belief at points. I'd have perhaps preferred the push pull of the incredibly toxic relationship to be less centre stage, but that is likely just me. I like my romance to be a subplot at best. It is absolutely not a subplot here.

What I did enjoy was the passing back and forth between present and past. The past told from Kat's perspective, the present through a documentary ten years later starring some of the biggest players of the chaos throughout Kat and Heath's ice skating career. It was well done; the documentary shining snippets of light on events that couldn't be seen through Kat's eyes alone.

Most of the characterisations were done well throughout as well. I could almost see the individuals, spiky, sharp, obsessed with winning. There's betrayal and backstabbing, friendships collapsing and a whole ton of relationship drama. But there's also a sense of genuine people behind the characters and that allowed me to fully immerse myself in the narrative.

I did find the pacing dragged in the second half when the focus was almost entirely on Kat and Heath's on-off relationship rather than the trials and tribulations of the pair as athletes. I also thought the build up to the finale got just a little bit over the top and cracked my suspension of disbelief a little too much. It could probably have been a hundred pages shorter, without some of the over-egged sabotage and been a better book for it.

That said, I genuinely enjoyed it. I was invested in the characters, even as I wanted to bash their heads together. It was well written and genuinely funny at points. If you're actually a fan of the huge romance - and toxic as hell relationship angle - then this would likely be a five star read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

The Favourites” first came into my radar thanks to its editor, after we had a chat about our mutual love of ice skating dramas, Taylor Swift, and litfic — at which point she told me I absolutely had to read this. Some time later, I got an e-arc of this through the Vintage Books influencer programme and I’m happy to report she was absolutely right!
The Favourites takes Wuthering Heights, which I read for the first time this autumn, as its guiding structure — but Layne Fargo’s take on the iconic story feels fresh at every turn. Despite the original being a bit hard to get into at first, The Favourites had me immediately hooked.
Retelling a classic for the modern day while keeping the sharpness of the original — especially when the original is as darkly masterful as Wuthering Heights — is a tall order, but Layne Fargo delivers. There’s a nuance and generosity to her renderings of Kat (Cathy) and Heath (Heathcliff) which feels like a welcome update from the original, while preserving their complexity and the drama of their story. I particularly enjoyed the depth given to Garrett and Bella Lin, who take the place of the Linton siblings. We spend more time with them here than we do in Wuthering Heights, and I think the change elevates the story, particularly given the difference in how Kat and Heath’s arcs go compared to the source material.
Like I mentioned at the start, I love competitive ice skating (even though I’m a terrible skater myself) and I think it works so well as a setting here. It’s a clever way to bring the class restrictions and competitiveness of Victorian society into the 90s and the 21st century, and the descriptions of Kat and Heath’s routines were gorgeous. Being a sport that relies so much on chemistry alongside expertise makes it feel like a natural fit for the ups and downs of a modern-day Cathy and Heathcliff.
The framing device of the documentary works really well to give more insight into the side characters, and it’s a great homage to the story-within-a-story structure Emily Bronte uses. It’s also so effective in planting red herrings — I was truly blindsided by some of the twists!
If you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six and/or are still sad about Netflix cancelling Spinning Out, this has to be on your radar for 2025! ⛸️

I don’t normally request books like these however I absolutely loved this book as much and I’m glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #TheFavourites by Layne Fargo. 

I loved it! 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The drama surrounding Kat and Heath and the whole cast of characters kept me hooked throughout. The way it was punctuated with excerpts from the documentary just added to the tension. If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six and Carrie Soto then this is for you. A sports romance but with scandal, tension, corruption, competition and ultimately, found family. Totally addictive!

"Even as children, they were so intense. That was their greatest strength, and their greatest weakness."

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha. Ice skating royalty. Ice skating elite. Ice skating controversy. The couple everyone was and still is talking about. Some love them, some hate them. But whatever they say, they won't be forgotten or stopped being talked about.
A new tell all documentary about the infamous skating duo is about to air and despite refusing to take part in that, Katarina is now ready to tell her side of the story.

I am writing this in December 2024, but as this book is not yet out, I can tell you that this will be one of my top books of 2025.
Told in a style that is reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid, we essentially follow the lives of Kat and Heath from being young children until the present day and how everything happened in their ice dancing career. The successes, the failures, the truth behind the tabloids, their tumultuous relationship.
It felt real, leading to me spending far more time than I'd like to admit watching previous ice skating performances at the 2018 winter Olympics.
Gripping, funny, toxic, tense, witty, thoroughly researched and so well written - The Favourites will undoubtedly be a new favourite for many.
I need this to become a tv show or film because it just felt so real. I never wanted it to stop.

Congratulations Layne Fargo, this story is absolutely fantastic.