This is one of my favourite books of the year so far! I didn’t really know what to expect going into this, but found myself thoroughly hooked. I didn’t ever want to put this down or for it to end - I’ll definitely be reading more by Layne Fargo in the future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

A wuthering heights retelling set in the competitive world of ice skating? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed this and can see it becoming a popular hit. It’s told in a unique way which makes it stand out and makes it memorable. Personally, I wanted more from heath and kat in terms of their relationship but overall, I had a great time and would highly recommend this.

The story is told through Kat’s pov, who gives us her side of the story, but it’s also told through a documentary that the reader is ‘watching’. This gives us interviews with guests who were in Kat’s life and important people within the ice dancing community. I found this interesting because it was different to a usual storytelling style, and we get multiple pov’s on different events. The cuts between both these povs flowed really well and enabled certain moments to at first be told through a glazed over rhetoric from people in the documentary, to hearing the full true story from Kat. I found this to be an interesting exploration of how media can divert attention and make things seem different to how they are.

I do feel some of the relationship dynamics could have been stronger and more built up, and I had a hard time connecting with the story as much as I would have liked too due to this, but the characters alone were well written, and memorable.

I could see the similarities to the corresponding characters in Wuthering Heights, and how the story was inspired from that book. I did enjoy the retelling element and found Sage to retell that story well. The writing was good, and I would look to this author again after reading this.

I enjoyed it, but the enjoyment was bolstered by knowing that it was inspired by Wuthering Heights. It didn't have the grit of the original. It was a fun beach-read vibe read.

This book had popped up on my radar a few times so I was eager to get reading. Sadly, I found that I just couldn’t engage with the story and I really didn’t like the characters either!

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha were once the biggest names in ice skate dancing. Now, on the 10th anniversary of their last skate, a documentary drops telling their story. From childhood sweethearts to world class champions, the path to success was tough and full of drama. Kat hasn't taken part in the documentary but as she watches, she tells us her side of the story.

The Favourites is exhilarating and action packed. We see Kat and Heath as kids and how they became partnered up, the hard work they put in despite their broken home lives and how they caught the eye US ice dance Olympic Champion Sheila Lin. We see them move to LA to train in her ice skate rink, along side her twins Garrett and Bella. The story is a whirlwind of training, competitions, costumes and music, with plenty of ups and downs.

The story is inspired by Wuthering Heights, so if you're family with that, you'll definitely recognise some of the character names and plotlines. There has also been comparisons to Taylor Jenkins Reid, with Layne Fargo acknowledging her at the end of the book. This is partially because of the style of the novel, which is similar to Daisy Jones. The latter is written like the transcripts of a documentary, while The Favourites has elements of that, interjected with Kat's observations. There is also a dash of Carrie Soto is Back, the TJR novel all about a tennis legend returning to the courts for one last go. The Favourites also has elements of this, from the perspective of the cut throat world of ice skate dancing and the passion and determination of professional athletes.

Character wise, most of the characters in here can be unbearable at times. But there's some lightness (especially in the form of Garrett) and I don't mind characters who can be unlikeable but relatable and human.

A fantastic, juicy and dramatic book that's a rollercoaster of a ride, The Favourites will have you hooked and you'll be seeing sequins in your eyes for days after reading this!

5 stars! This book was one of the best I’ve read in a long time, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc. I could not put this down and was so invested that it was hard to remember that these characters weren’t real life athletes. What an addictive story (will be mentioned in a YouTube video soon @caramurrayy)

This made me feel every emotion that exists. Toxic, messy and unlikeable characters will always be a guilty pleasure of mine!

The Favourites, to me, is like if Daisy Jones and The Six meets Ice Princess in the best way possible with about 10x more toxic characters and it was phenomenal.

We follow the story of Kat and Heath’s epic story of how they became legendary figure skaters and their very messy love story. Kat is very much an unlikeable character and yet I adored her. I grew to love her strength and how she was unapologetically true to herself and her goals.

Kat and Heath’s relationship was definitely an epic love type of story that paired with their skating, turned a bit toxic and messy and had me shouting at them for some of their very questionable choices.

The author did a phenomenal job and bringing all the characters to life and made you believe you were watching a documentary on their life. It was so entertaining and I was gripped the entire way through the book.

Huge thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Favourites in exchange for my honest review.

Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Cutting Edge.

What an exciting, engaging read. I must have audibly gasped in at least three different places! Also I’ve just realised - Katarina and Heath, as in Cathy and Heathcliffe from Wuthering Heights? All the generational trauma, the narrative framing devices… I may have to go back and read it again to find more Brontë references.

An author I’ll be looking out for in the future. Also, when’s the film or TV adaptation? I’m longing to see all those skating scenes played out for real.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo – ★★★☆☆
All the drama, not quite enough depth.

Figure skating is the perfect setting for rivalries, ambition, and glittering tension, and this book had all the drama—but I kept waiting for that extra something to truly hook me. The characters had potential, but I never felt fully connected, and while the story had twists, it didn’t quite land with the impact I was hoping for.

That said, I totally think this would shine as a TV series—slow-mo rivalry stares and all! But Daisy Jones & The Six it is not. A solid three stars from me—enjoyable, dramatic, and fast-paced, but not quite a gold-medal performance.

#BookReview #TheFavourites #LayneFargo #Bookstagram #SportsDrama #FigureSkatingFiction

Behind the scenes in the world of ice skating. Enjoyed this very much. Liked the style of writing as well. Just flew through it wanting to know what happened next.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review

An epic love story set in the world of competitive ice dancing. This story was intriguing and kept me hooked from the start. Loved it.

I had seen so many reviews on The Favourites by Layne Fargo that I felt compelled to read it so when it came up for review on Netgalley I jumped at the chance and luckily got accepted.

This is an epic love story that blew me away and made me realise that I actually love a good romance story.

We meet main characters Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, two very different individuals brought up in very different circumstances. Both ice skate partners that raise to be Olympians, we follow them on this beautiful yet very emotional journey and their story really gripped me.

Both characters were so intriguing that I did not want this novel to end, its such an amazing journey.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

I initially put this book on my list after audible recommended it as one to watch out for. Then it started getting a ton of hype, which put me off picking it up for a while, having had a lot of disappointment in the past from hyped books. However, for me, this is a book that absolutely deserves the hype. It’s so bingeable - the chapters are really short but the end of each one leaves you wanting more. Most of all, the characters felt so real that I found myself feeling all of their emotions, and also wanting to go on YouTube to watch videos of Kat and Heath skating, only to remember I can’t because this is a work of fiction!

I’m a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Read and loved Carrie Soto is Back. I completely agree with those drawing the parallels between these two authors and, if you enjoy TJR, I would definitely recommend giving The Favourites a try. Like Carrie (and real life athletes like Serena Williams), Kat is trying to navigate a world where being a strong, competitive woman is more often perceived as being arrogant and difficult. While she is extremely selfish at times (which I think is often a necessary part of being an elite athlete) and makes some frustrating decisions, it’s also easy to forget (because of her accomplishments), that for most of this book she’s a teenager/very young woman whose grown up without a mother and, more recently, without a father too. The character growth both she and Heath go through is extremely satisfying, even if it’s also extremely painful at times. I loved it, and I think it’s a story that will stick with me for some time ❤️.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo🩷⛸️

I had been seeing this book everywhere for a while and so many people seemed to be loving it. I saw lots of comparisons to TJR writing which immediately had me sold. It was to expensive on kindle but I didn’t really want another hardback (just because I don’t have much room left on my shelves and they take up space!) until one day I just caved and ordered it from Amazon🤣 and I’m so glad I did.

I’m not going to say much in this review because I don’t want to spoil anything and I went into this more or less blind, I knew it was about two ice skaters but other than that I was clueless which I definitely think is the best way to go into it. I was hooked from the beginning to the end to be honest, if I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it. I ended up listening to some of the audiobook on Spotify while doing some jobs in the house and I would recommend listening to it as well. I was so intrigued by all the characters and how the story was going to go. Right up until the end I still had no idea how it was going to end but I do think it wrapped up perfectly. This is my first read by this author but her writing was completely addictive! I definitely want to look into reading some more of her books. I definitely agree that this is similar to TJR writing, you’re just completely immersed in the story and it has the same interview element as Daisy Jones and The Six.

The characters did have a bit of a toxic element (but sometimes that is exactly what I love), which just made it even more addicting. There were so many twists and turns I was on the complete edge of my seat the whole way through in the best way possible. I loved the feeling this story left me with and would 1000% recommend picking it up.

A modern Wuthering Heights, yes please!

This was addictive, in all the right ways. The tension, emotion and characters were unlike anything I’ve read in a book for a while. I saw that people were comparing it to TJR’s Daisy Jones, and I think it worked really well!

Definitely one of my FAVOURITES of the year so far!

Thank you for my earc of this book. I like the premise but DNF because I found the writing style and drama a bit tiresome. I might try again on audio!

The Favourites is an incredible read and one of my absolute favourites this year so far! I adored this story and its characters! The documentary style is reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, but the competitive ice skating world is a perfect new twist. I found this book incredibly difficult to put down, there were so many twists, turns and shocking moments, I couldn't get enough! I loved how dramatic and immersive it was! A brilliant read, I can't recommend it enough!

Wuthering Height gets an update in this romantic and intense reimagining set in the American world of ice-skating with some I,Tonya vibes.
This is an immersive story that sucks you in with its Netflix documentary style narrative. It’s quick and pacy. I did feel that you do need to suspend your disbelief a little, but it’s just the perfect escapist, romantic and heady read.

Katarina Shaw made up for in passion and raw talent what she lacked in wealth and legacy. Her determination to become an Olympic ice skater began at a young age and she was just as equally committed to taking her foster brother and partner, Heath Rocha, along with her. No matter the odds stacked or foe standing against them, they were a force to be reckoned with when placed together. However, every home relies on the foundations it was built upon and Katarina and Heath might find theirs rocked as they raise themselves far from their meagre beginnings.

I adored this novel's layout which felt very reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones & The Six. Each chapter began with an interview transcript from various individuals the pair encountered in their life, leading the reader to acknowledge early on that they became household names and that drama had dogged them on their rise to the top of their sport.

The focus remained on the sport however and I found the character's ambition, dedication, hard work ethic, and drive to be very uplifting. It also made for harrowing reading when they fell short of what they aimed to achieve or they encountered injury or illness that made them unable to perform at their bests. This really showcased how gruelling the sport is and the limits all will surpass, even when unhealthy or unwise to do so, in reaching their goals.

This was a tragic romance like few others I have read and I was captivated by the duo at its centre throughout. This was full of sorrow and heartache and time and time again the characters hurt each other viciously but the reader could feel the passion and love that still remained, although depleted, after every argument and row. Years passed as the novel did and the characters altered but the seeds of love remained. It made my chest ache to see them distant and removed before reconciling once again but with seeds of doubt or mistrust that then blossomed into more years of separation.

I had no idea where the story would take me but I was surprised and delighted by the direction it took and the realistic, although slightly bittersweet conclusion, the author provided them with.