I can and will not shut up about this book. I felt every emotion possible throughout this book and a week later I am still feeling them. 5 out of 5 stars! Can I give it more?! It was that good. Kat wants to be an Olympic figure skater and will do everything she can to get there and win, so she partners up with Heath, her childhood sweetheart. The book follows theirs highs, the lows, their crazy love story and everything in between and it is an emotional rollercoaster. Bonus points for the songs mentioned - they transported the reader right into the correct year (and Swifties will be screaming). This book is going to be huge. I can't wait for the TV adaptation.

A Daisy Jones and the Six style take on competitive ice skating, which caters to my very specific obsession with Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's Moulin Rouge routine at the 2018 Olympics. Full of twists and highs and lows, this completely delivers and I really enjoyed.!

This book is absolutely stunning. The drama was immaculate, the suspense and the tension and characters were perfectly crafted. The plot was executed brilliantly. This book is perfect. This book was like a documentary playing out in real time. I loved the different characters and how their personalities shone through the interview format. Layne Fargo is such a brilliant author and her writing and storytelling is on a league of its own. I can't wait for readers to get their hands on this book in January 2025.

I can’t remember the last time I loved a piece of contemporary fiction as much as this.

As someone who loves watching figure skating, I was so excited to get my teeth stuck into the drama of the skating world and this didn’t disappoint. Seeing the two of them grow up together and then apart was everything I wanted.

The relationship between the two of them is brilliant - I also loved the way it was written. It gives me Taylor Jenkins Reid vibes but in the best possible way.

I didn’t want to put it down and i immediately started it again once I finished to see if I could squeeze anything else out of it, I loved it that much.

Came for the drama, stayed for the characters.

WOW. This was such a wild ride from the very beginning.

I cannot believe this is a debut… the characters, the plotting, the setting, every part of this book was incredible.

I’m a true sucker for ice skating and mixed with Wuthering Heights? This truly deserves a gold medal.

Passionate, witty and so goddamn messy - you absolutely cannot miss this one.

The easiest 5 stars!

4.5 ⭐️

This book had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. This is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I was so immersed in the story, that I read this book in basically one sitting.

It’s a gripping tale of pride, revenge, betrayal, love, and loss, and I was spellbound from start to finish. Deliciously scandalous, I devoured every word!

Katerina Shaw was unapologetic about her desires. I loved that the author didn’t shy away from showing us the good and bad. The chemistry between Heath and Kat was intense and palpable, I couldn’t stop reading! The way the dances mirrored the ups and downs of Shaw and Rocha's relationship was brilliant. I found myself rooting for them, even when I probably shouldn’t have! 😂

I really enjoyed this and I highly recommend it 🤍

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the e-arc

Wow!!!!… Amazing… Absolutely fantastic, unputdownable… Kept me on the edge of my seat and then on the edge of my bed until late at night as I just could not put it down!!!… Perfect… Addictive, page turning… I LOVED it

This book from start to finish was incredible. This is hands down my favourite non fantasy book of the year. I’ve been desperate to feel the same adrenaline rush that TJR gave me when I read Carrie Soto is Back and Daisy Jones & The Six and boy did this book pack a punch. I was hooked from the very first few pages.

The impeccable writing style, combining the interview/documentary footage with Katarina’s account of her’s and Heath’s tumultuous lives on and off the rink was flawless. The time jumps living out the biggest moments in their lives made for a fast paced, page turning read.

Inspired by the epic Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, the characters are gritty and flawed. With equal amounts of love and hate for each other. You are rooting for Katarina but you also want to punch her at the same time. The characters and the story are riveting, compelling and sexy. This is the type of ‘sports romance’ I want to be reading. It’s gripping, heart wrenching, addictive and I’m utterly obsessed.

The build up to the reveal of the outcome of their final skate was so well executed, I wanted to find out what happened so badly but I also didn’t want the book to end.

This book deserves all the awards, all the attention. It was phenomenal.

Thank you Netgalley, Vintage Books and Layne Fargo for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know what you put in this book but I am addicted, obsessed and I absolutely devour it! My girl Katarina deserved gold and everything in between. Easy 5 stars!

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

I picked this up before bed the other night thinking I would just read a couple of chapters to get a feel for it. Well, the first chapter grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go, and I finished it in a day (and stayed up way too late reading).

We follow Katerina and Heath through their tumultuous relationship. I’m not really interested in winter sports or ice skating, but I was riveted. The pacing is lightning fast and the storyline is so dramatic. I’m so appreciative for the ARC, because I don’t know if I would have picked up this book otherwise, and I’m so glad I did.

I would absolutely recommend The Favourites to fans who like high drama stories.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So fun, and absorbing! A little clunky in places but you don't mind because the plot is pacy. For fans of Daisy Jones & The Six for sure!

I loved this book. It would make a fantastic film. I felt like I was there with the characters. It had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down. I read this book in 24 hours. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

The Favourites - Layne Fargo ⛸️🩵
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The EASIEST 5 ⭐️ I’ve given in ages. Oh my GOODNESS!!! I absolutely adored this book - it was full of scandal, drama, tragedy and the most stunningly written on again, off again romance you could ever witness. I can say with 100% certainty - this will be a bestseller & you’re going to want to read this 📖
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Katarina is strong willed, determined and fiery - she is going to win Olympic gold, no matter what it takes. Heath loves Katarina, and if it takes becoming a world class ice dancer, at the expense of his own identity to keep them together, he’ll do it.
•
The Favourites follows our two main characters, along with their friends, foes, coaches and competitors on their route to becoming Olympic medalists. I was enthralled from very early on and desperate to know what became of all of these characters I grew to love so quickly. The book having multiple timelines (first person vs. a documentary with multiple interviewees) made for great reading, and meant every character got their moment to weigh in on the story of Heath & Katarina.
•
From a personal perspective, I have a background in dance, having danced competitively until I was 18, and can appreciate the competitive environment the characters are written into. I’m no ice dancer (broke my wrist skating earlier this year!), but I can say with certainty that the trials and tribulations of a competitive performer have been captured immaculately in this book 🩰
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Layne Fargo has written a masterpiece - truly. It’s like Daisy Jones and the Six met Wuthering Heights and had a modern sports-romance baby & I can’t wait for this to come out in the new year so I can get my hands on a physical copy!!🫶🏻
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Huge thanks to NetGalley & Random House for giving me access to this ARC, and thank you to @laynefargo for writing such an amazing book - I can’t wait for the world to read this ⛸️🩷

A pet peeve of mine is when books are described with the tagline, "If you liked [insert successful novel], then you will love this one" or worst still, "Perfect for fans of [insert three incredibly successful authors". I tend to think those types of descriptions are lazy and don't allow a book to stand on its own two feet.

However, allow me to break a cardinal rule of mine. Jodi Picoult describes this novel as Wurthering Heights meets Daisy Jones and the Six, and I honestly couldn't think of a better way to describe this one.

The book tells the story of Kat(arina) Shaw and Heath Rocha, who meet as troubled, young children who develop a passion, and skill, for ice skating. During the course of their trials and championships, they come into contact with Bella and Garret Lin, twins of the famous ice seater, Sheila Lin, who takes Kat under her wing.

What follows is a documentary type novel of the amazing careers of the four, from childhood skaters to the Olympic games. There are highs, lows, sabotage, vindictiveness, love, talent, hatred and many more emotions before coming to an excellent conclusion.

It is one of those books which just immerses you in the life of others and loses you a few hours of your afternoon.

Thanks so much to Random House UK, Vintage | Chatto & Windus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Set in the world of glittering, gruelling ice dance this story has as many twists, turns and spins as a four minute ice dancing programme. With a nod to the passion and darkness of Wuthering Heights (all the names and pseudonyms) the narrative sweeps along with addictive success.

This book will be very high in top of the best books read in 2024. The characters, the drama and the idea of ice dancing all make such a great combo that I just didn't want to get to the end of the book. The book deserves a movie that's for sure. I am so happy that in December Goldsboro has a special edition of the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Favourites

Thank you @laynefargo and @netgalley for providing me with a e-copy of this book to read and review!

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are childhood best friends turned world famous Olympic ice dancers. Known for their unique routine style and the turbulent drama that always seemed to follow them; this documentary-style x Interview-style book tells all for the first time. Details shared on the final time Shaw and Heath took the ice, and the devastating routine that shook the ice dance sport.

This book is in the same gripping, twisty format as books similarly, but not the same as ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ and ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’. With multiple character interviews and input, gossip, drama, twists, plots and so much more.

I stayed up until 2:40am reading this book - I could not stop turning the pages. Kat’s character is so complex…she is perceived in such a different way to how I took her true personality. She is just a woman with dreams trying her hardest to get where she wants to be.

The romance aspect of this book is so sad, it builds you up, to tear you down, to rebuild the broken pieces, to then rip up the foundation…but it is all worth it; Heath is as complex as he is talented.

All of the characters are so definable and have their own voice through words. This talented author is able to personify a whole person through interview excerpts and it really feels like you are following a documentary and these people could be on the TV screen in front of you.

Touching on some and delving into other areas of sport politics, it is the truthful tale of some less than glamorous aspects of young athletes.

Truly unforgettable, unputdownable and a story that seems devastatingly realistic - a must read!

Layne Fargo is an author of "The Favourites". Amazing novel coming out on 16th of January 2025 is definitely going to be talked about.
Combination of Carrie Soto and Daisy Jones showing rivalry on and off the ice skating ring. It's a story of passion, lust, betrayals and behind the scenes of many athletes and their journeys.
When I was reading it I felt like watching documentary and was immersed into the story from the very first pages. My only regret was that it only lasted me for 2 evenings as I couldn't get enough of it. What I loved about it most was that it wasn't just your typical childhood sweethearts story but a real life experience with ups and downs and a lot of in between.
To all of the future readers - you're in for a treat
Huge thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for providing me with the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Easy 5 🌟 or deserved gold medal for @laynefargo

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I knew from the minute I started this book that it was going to be a five stars. When I couldn’t read this book, I was constantly thinking about when I could next pick it up and thinking about what was going to happen. This book follows Katarina and Heath and they are aspiring ice skaters. It follows them through their story and journey to the Olympics. It is told through story and also interview style which really engaged me as a reader. This book is absolutely breathtaking and I could not recommend it enough.

I fucking loved this!!!!!!! I’m almost a little bit gutted that this is a book and isn’t real because I am so so invested in Kat and Heath! I loved the documentary style weaved in with Kat’s own monologue. I am obsessed with the tension and the push and pull dynamic between the two of them. I didn’t know that this was a wuthering heights retelling until about half way through and all I was thinking was I hope Kat/Heath don’t die because I will riot!!!! This is the kind of book that makes you think do you actually like the main characters (yes is the only correct answer here). I have so many emotions right now about this book I may never be able to get them all out on the page. I absolutely wish and hope this is made into a tv show (daisy jones and the six style) because it would be just as incredible as this book. Wow wow WOW.

omg I absolutely devoured this, and loved it. This is like Daisy Jones & the Six's ice-skating baby cousin, and its so freaking good.
An absolute epic and thrilling sports romance centred around Kat, who wants nothing other than to win, and Heath, who wants nothing other than Kat. And both will do WHATEVER it takes!!
I forgot I was reading majority of the time, and that these weren't real people because it felt like I was actually watching part-documentary, part-their real life. I actually missed them when I had to put the book down 😅
So much drama, many intense moments, amazing storytelling and incredible characters.
A million percent I'd read this again, and I guarantee when I do, I'll feel all the same emotions. AMAZING!!!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would without any hesitation. I honestly can’t even explain how incredible this book was and I thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this phenomenal book.

The writing style of this book is mixed interview alongside storytelling from Kat’s perspective in a style reminiscent to ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ creating a documentary that plays out in your mind spectacularly.

The story follows Kat and Heath, two kids who grew up together with dreams of being professional ice skaters and winning the Olympic gold. You go through all the trials they experience while trying to ultimately meet this goal. Their connection and passion on and off the ice makes them a formidable team and the world can’t get enough. Tragedy is mixed with triumph and there is so much love/hate going on with their relationship both on and off the ice that you don’t know if you want to root for them or not.

I finished this book within two days of starting as it was so gripping. The ice skating elements were amazingly written and it was like I was watching their dances myself in the audience alongside. I honestly don’t think any sports romance book will live up to this for me. Intoxicatingly incredible.

I absolutely loved this book and would fully recommend. Characters that are well defined and even with their flaws make you root for them. Would be a great film or series.

The favorites
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and @laynefargo for the early digital copy of this book.

My main obsession of September was this book, as it combines figure skating with one of my all time favorite classic, I was inmediatly in.

Katharina Shaw and Heath Rocha (oh the names 💔) are best friends since childhood and figure skating competitors at the Olympic level, however, the relationship between the two, both personal and professional, is constantly marked by drama and public scrutiny. It is not random, therefore, that the author chooses to present the story as a documentary, narrating the events that marked the lives of the protagonists (and those around them) through different points of view that little by little offer a complete image of the events (in a somewhat similar way to Daisy Jones and The Six although with its own distinct style).

The novel kept me hooked from beginning to end. Anyone who has read or seen any of the adaptations of Wuthering Heights will know that the toxicity, the complexity of the characters and the angst are well served, but I like that, despite being a kind of retelling of the classic, it is handled differently certain aspects to provide a new story that had me constantly wondering how everything was going to end.

It is also noteworthy that the figure skating aspect is not only there as a subplot, but the author goes deep into describing the routines, nutrition, pressure and the most and least glamorous parts of this sport.

The book will not be released until 2025 but I hope that if you know English, you will read it as soon as it is published!!! I hope some publisher brings it in Spanish too. 100% recommended.

Wow what a debut novel. The story of Heath and Kat has it all backstabbing families, friend enemies, fame, fortune, Olympics, skating and a ton of rivalry written in a format of book I haven't seen before.

I absolutely loved how Fargo wrote this book. It's so different and unusual and it's one that going to put her on the map. I can absoutely see this as a tv series or a film it has that much grit and drama to it. It's impossible not to fall in love with the main characters, even if it is over 400 pages long.

But my question is now what happened to the next generation? This needs a sequel for sure.

Absolutely phenomenal. Kat Shaw’s determination to be the best is so compelling. I was hooked by her and Heath’s story, their relationship and the fight for survival amongst their competitors. I felt as if I was watching the story unfold on the television, the detail, the raw emotion present in every character and on every page. I loved the media coverage quoting, contrasting the actual events. This is my first Layne Fargo book, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Kat watches a gold medal champion ice dancer on the tv when she is 4yrs old and decides that's what she wants to do. She meets a young boy, Heath, at 10 yrs old who becomes her ice dancing partner. The book follows the ups and downs, jealousy and infighting of this highly competitive world.
There are also comments and opinions by others involved in this world.
I loved reading this book as their lives unfold. So gripping.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Vintage and Chatto and Windus for the ARC.

I’ll start this off by saying I’m a huge Taylor Jenkins-Reid fan and Daisy Jones is one of my favourite books in the world, so I was instantly drawn in by the comparison.

Add to this that I was a child who grew up watching the UK classic reality show, Dancing On Ice which was always plagued with romantic drama, injuries and scandal 👀

So I really really enjoyed this book. I loved the documentary style of writing, the rivalry, the drama. I found myself between resenting and understanding Kat, our main character, but ultimately, ending up relating to her feelings.

I flew through this book in just two days and it was the perfect palette cleanser after a long fantasy book I’d finished earlier in the week. I could not put it down and it played out so seamlessly in my head like a film.

Dramatic, bingeable, fun and captivating read! Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Layne Fargo for providing me with an ARC, I really enjoyed reading this book and discovering a new author!

This book is an amazing friends to lovers romance with lots of drama, the perfect sporty romance! The story is gut wrenching and really keeps you wanting to read more, I couldn’t put it down!

Layne Fargo truly has the ability to make a reader feel every emotion that character feels, and some!

I’d recommend this book to any romance book lovers or anyone giving romance a try! It really is a phenomenal read 🩷

The only thing I would say is that as someone who has never ice skated or knows very limited of the sport, some of the terms are quite technical, however, its very nice to see that an author is so specific and careful with their details! ⛸️🩷

The Favourites is a new favourite!
Ice skating meets Daisy Jones and the Six (but much better)!

According to the media, Katarina Shaw is a bitch, a diva, cold-blooded, a sore loser, a manipulative liar.
She is also one of the most (in)famous Olympic ice dancers alongside partner, and lover, Heath. This follows their obsession. Scandal. Tragedy.

Starting with a banger hint of what is to come (blood on the ice, headline news), we go back to the start of Kat’s ice skating journey. From Heath being sequestered firmly into her life after a bad foster past, her childhood with an abusive brother, and Heath’s protective relationship.
Heath is the only person to understand her. People joked they were either going to die in each other's arms or kill each other with their bare hands. Nothing in between.
Two poor small-town Midwestern trash who don’t belong in the elite sport.

<b>That free dance was the story of us: Heath and me, spinning away from each other one second, only to clutch each other close the next.
Never still, never simple, always pushing and pulling, shattering each other and putting the pieces back together again.
</b>
Told through both Kat’s perspective as well as interview transcripts from people who knew the couple, or professionals from the sport, these short chapters keep you on your toes and biting your nails.

This will put you through your emotions. Love, angst, pride, pain, rage, suspense, anger. I couldn’t stop turning the pages… it was so addicting.

I am a sucker for anything to do with dance or ice skating as a former competitive dancer myself. I know how the sporting world functions and seeing this through a thriller, romance, lit fic form was so enticing, ambitious, passionate!

Thank you to Penguin Books for sending me a PR box!

Loved it. It's a book that grabs you by the throat on entry and does not put you down til the end, which I was sad to get to so soon! We are thrust into the Olympic ice dance world of Kat and Roach - two souls who have had an unbreakable connection since childhood. As their namesakes, they are found together for all time. I loved and hated the main character of Kat- she really is one of the most self-absorbed, self-centred driven women I've ever read but on the flip side she is searching for love, for home and to belong. I really liked the format and differing points of view - it gave the book a great pace.
A really good read and one we'll be recommending again and again!

🌟 Book Review: The Favourites by Layne Fargo 🌟

Easiest five star I've ever given.

If you’re looking for a dazzling blend of ambition, romance, and the high stakes of elite figure skating, The Favourites is your perfect match! Layne Fargo delivers an epic love story that glides seamlessly between heart-pounding competition and the personal struggles of its unforgettable characters, Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha.

From their first encounter in the foster care system to the Olympic stage, Kat and Heath’s journey is anything but smooth. Their chemistry is electric, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them as they navigate a world that’s as unforgiving as it is glamorous. When a shocking incident tears them apart, you can't help but feel the weight of their lost dreams—making the upcoming documentary all the more tantalizing.

Fargo's writing is sharp and captivating, reminiscent of Daisy Jones & The Six but set against the glittering backdrop of Olympic ice skating. The way she intertwines past and present, exposing the raw truths behind the rumors, is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a reflection on legacy, love, and the lengths we go to reclaim our stories.

With a whirlwind of passion and ambition, The Favourites keeps you on the edge of your seat. I give it a solid 5 stars! If you’re ready for a thrilling dance of love and rivalry, grab this book—you won’t want to miss a single thing. ⛸️💖✨

This is an amazing book. Literally full of twists and turns! Some very interesting characters and a great insight into competitive skating and it's issues.

This novel is an exhilarating blend of passion, ambition, and heartbreak that had me completely entranced. The layered narrative weaves together the intoxicating world of figure skating with a deeply emotional story of love and betrayal. Katarina’s journey from aspiring Olympian to a woman confronting her past is both heartbreaking and empowering.
The chemistry between Kat and Heath is electric, and their relationship is a perfect storm of obsession and ambition, making every twist and turn feel visceral and raw. It’s a poignant reminder of how public perception can distort reality and how the truth can be even more scandalous than imagined. It’s about finding your voice amidst the chaos. A must-read for anyone who loves a captivating tale of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of dreams.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Emotional, thrilling, heartbreaking, addictive - Ice dance meets Daisy Jones & The Six in this scandalous story about Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha’s dramatic rise to champion ice dancers, captivating fans with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style and rollercoaster relationship.

Loved the formatting style of the book, switching from first person to third person interviews, making the story dynamic.

One of my top reads this year! Grab it on 16th January 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley, Layne Fargo & Chatto Books for the ARC!🩵

After reading this book, it’s hard to think that these aren’t real people.

Set out as a documentary, the story focuses on Shaw and Rocha (Katie and Heath) and their rise to fame and the Olympics

Childhood friends, skate partners turned lovers to enemies. They go through it all!

Life changes when they meet the Lin’s.

Will they stop at anything to become gold medalists.

Such a good read, you really get sucked in and transported to the world of Ice Dance

The Favourites is an intensely drama tic compelling read with two main characters whose epic love story you follow avidly.
From meeting in the foster care system this is Kat and Heath’s journey from the beginning of their relationship to he Olympic ice skating championships to when a heart stopping misunderstanding tears them apart.
A documentary is made that charts their ambitions, romance and very personal struggles and an unforgettable story that flows beautifully and leaves you breathless
I loved every age of this book and it will stay with me for a very long time and will probably be reread many times.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

My god, this book made me feel all the emotions. Very well written and the author did a fantastic job

This is such a good read... I wasn't sure what I would think of it at first as it began in a rather different way but I was totally drawn in and ended up devouring this story.

The story tells of Katarina who has dreamt all of her life of being an ice dancer like Sheila Lin who she adores. So when Sheila invites her to be part of her training academy, Katarina feels as though her dreams have come true... well, almost. Her dream is to win Olympic gold... but there are so many hurdles to get through from competitors, injury, and her own skating partner...

Throughout the story we see how Katarina and Heath - her dance partner - develop and become a very complicated couple where emotions run high.

What I loved is the way that Katarina came across as very strong-willed, fiery, that she courted the press in one respect but also wasn't afraid to let her true-self show.

The insight into the world of competitive team sports at Olympic level was absolutely incredible, I hadn't ever considered so many aspects which this story touched upon.

I never knew what would happen. Usually in novels I can guess what the 'twist' is or how it will end, but I genuinely didn't know. I just kept turning the pages.

By the end of the novel, I felt as though I knew exactly who Katarina was. Such an incredible story, one of the best I have read this year!

I loved the setting of the competitive world of competitive ice dance- including the seedier underbelly that you never imagine when watching the smiling, glittering performances on the TV!
I also liked the way the book was set out, in a series of documentary interviews set some years after an "event". My only criticism would be that I felt the build up to the event was so tension filled that what actually happened was something of an anti-climax. That said this is a well plotted book full of intricate details.

I enjoyed this book a lot , lots of intense emotions and I felt like I was just sitting in the room while the story was unfolding before me , will definitely recommend my friends read this book thank you

Wow, this book was thrilling, exciting and intense in equal measure. I couldn’t put it down. I loved how the story was broken up with interviews.

Fans of Daisy Jones and Magnolia Parks will love this.

I loved this - completely compulsive read that I literally couldn't put down. It intersperses documentary-style interviews with narrative, focusing on the stormy on and off-ice relationship of a famous skating duo. The life of skating was fascinating, the characters were magnetic and charismatic and the pace never stopped. Feels like this is a movie in the making.

I loved this book - the ice skating version of Daisy Jones and the Six that I didn't know I needed. Fabulous characters, great story, 5*.

A book about the behind the scenes of ice dancing, written by Layne Fargo… yes please!!

They Never Learn is one of my all time favourite books, but this is a very different book but I loved it just as much. Not released until January 16th, 2025, this will be in my top reads of 2024. No it is not a dark crime thriller but I could not get enough of this book. It is long book but if I had the time I am sure that I could have devoured it in a single sitting. It was so addictive, so twisty and fun to read.

In 1984, UK team of Torvill and Dean won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, with their Bolero Program. I was 9 years old and mesmerised. Ever since then I have been a big fan of ice dancing. In June 2025, I will get to see my childhood heroes in person in Sydney, skating for their last tour. I could not be more excited.

Anyway, The Favourites. This book shows the cut throat world of ice dancing. Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha are the next big thing, but they don’t do things the easy way and emotions are high.. They have to scrape for every penny and their biggest rivals are the Lin twins, children of a former Olympic champion. The story is told through a documentary, with interviews from those who were in their world. It is a story of love, friendship, betrayal, ambition, revenge and much much more. A must read.

Thank you so much to Random House UK Vintage for granting my wish for this amazing book. I need a physical copy for my shelf!!

i thought that wuthering heights retold in the cutthroat world of competitive figure skating was an absolutely wild proposition - but lemme tell you, layne fargo has pulled it off. the wuthering heights aspects are subtle enough to be considered inspiration rather than a play-by-play, which definitely works in the story's favour.

i devoured this in a day. the drama is fast paced and compelling, and the documentary interview style cut with kat's first-person account of the events worked really well. i hate that it is categorised as a romance !!!!! but i also hate that wuthering heights is considered romantic.

absolutely one for the taylor jenkins reid fans

This was SO fun and gripping - I literally couldn't put it down and was totally submerged in the world of Kat and Heath. It's like everything I wanted CARRIE SOTO IS BACK to be (but better and with figure skating instead of tennis). The romance! The twists and turns! I have already recommended to multiple friends as I know this is the kind of book that so many people will enjoy.

Thank you to the author and the publishers for this arc.

This is the story of Ice dance partners Katarina and Heath. It starts as a friendship between two young kids that then develops into ice dance partners but also a relationship. However, when they start to attend Shelia Lins ice academy things start to change. Katarinas idol is Shelia Lin and ever since she saw Lin pick up an Olympic medal it has been her dream to follow in Lins footsteps. But is it all worth it and will she lose her best friend, boyfriend and ice dance partner to get what she wants, the Olympic gold.

This book had me at the blurb. I enjoyed the writing style and the mixture of the story told by Katarina and also snippets from interviews of the tell all documentary. This has Daisy Jones And The Six vibes but replace the singer and the band with ice skaters and this is The Favourites. It shows how cutthroat the world of ice dance is and I have absolutely loved reading this book.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book, having zero interest in ice dance - how wrong I was - I absolutely loved it. It was a great format, the story interspersed with interview snippets, and the outcome was perfect- and not necessarily the ending I was expecting. Highly recommended.

Compulsive reading.
Following from childhood ambition to the Olympics. Ice dance, training, costs both financial and emotional.
Dysfunctional family, ambition, sabotage and drive.
Fame and notoriety.
A romance at it's core, I couldn't put it down.

I couldn't put it down. The elements were handled superbly to deliver us this toxic love story that compels you to turn to the next page. This will have consumers of reality TV hooked. It is just drama after drama.

Phenomenal! I really didn’t know what I was expecting and then when I saw another reviewer say “I will never get to read this book for the first time again”, I realised the a book could be something special and it was!

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are mesmerising characters. The chemistry between them is off-the-scale intense. There’s romance, yes, but it’s more than that. A deep connection that began when Heath saw Kat skating as a teenager and learnt to skate, just for her. To be with her, to be her skating partner, her life partner, her everything. Kat and Heath defy every odd and make it to the Olympics, but not everyone wants them to win.

The writing was so emotive, I couldn’t stop turning the pages. A documentary style retelling of an incredible journey from poor kids to national heroes. But Kat and Heath can trust no one. Even the people that are on their “team” don’t act in their best interests in the cut throat sport of figure skating. Sizzling scandal and scorching sabotage is the name of the game, when every competitor wants to stand on the top step and only one duo can win gold.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Layne Fargo and Random House for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a great read. It reads like the ice skate dancing it is about, at times it is slow, at others fast, but with plenty of highs and lows and twists and turns. I really enjoyed this read, the relationships, and characters feel very believable and honest which made it a pleasure to read.

A roller coaster of a ride from the world of ice skating. there's love, loss, corruption and competition. I loved the characters and really empathised with them all although Kat and Rocha's relationship was frustrating at times! A great read. Thanks to the author, Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo @laynefargo ⛸️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars, spectacular, no notes!!

I know we love comparisons in the book community, so this is ”Daisy Jones and the six” mixed with the classic film “Ice Princess” and with all the romantic struggle and intensity of “Magnolia Parks”.

This book is a TRIUMPH, one of the best things I’ve read all year. Set in the heyday of figure skating, this book follows our protagonist Katarina Shaw as she strives for greatness as a competitive figure skater. The favourites is both an epic love story full of scandal, obsession and determination and social commentary on self love and success within elitist sports and fields.
This was so nuanced, deep and touching combining an incredible sport with a passionate love that was absolutely all consuming.
As glittery as this novel is, it’s also meaningful and important. It tackles race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, class and sexual orientation bias in competitive sport with a healthy dose of found family, sizzling gossip and good old-fashioned trauma.

I will never shut up about how incredible, fresh and unique this book is and you truly don’t want to miss this. It is a genre all of it’s own and I cannot get enough of Layne’s writing. If you treat yourself to one book after Christmas I truly believe it should be this.

Thank you so much to @chattobooks and @penguinrandomhouse for the E-ARC. I will be pre-ordering a physical copy AND booking the day off on launch day JANUARY 16TH to queue at Goldsboro books trying to get my hands on this.
This is about to become my whole personality and I’m not sorry.

This was one of the best books I have ever read I absolutely adored it and I’m desperately sad that I have finished it. I don’t really read romance books but this one just appealed to my when I read the overview and I’m so glad I took the chance as this was far more than a romance it was thrilling, sad, uplifting, heartbreaking and captivated me from the first few pages. I knew little about the world of ice dance but it really didn’t matter this was a story more about obsession, wanting to win and how far you would go to achieve your goals and when you get there is it what you wanted !
I’m not doing the book justice as I just don’t have the words to convey what an amazing story this is and how it captured me and wouldn’t let go till the end when I ended up in tears and my heartfelt thanks goes to Layne Fargo for a stunning read.
So please don’t miss this one it’s far too good to be missed and one of my best reads ever!
My thanks also to NetGalley and Random House UK , Vintage, Chatto & Windus for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book absolutely hooked me. I read it in one sitting and felt sad when it was done. I have no interest in skating but it was just so well executed I found myself enjoying the technical detail.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I went into this but I definitely wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did

I became completely invested in the characters, their fierce ambition, their unwavering love for each other. The tension and drama that unfolded throughout the novel was EVERYTHING!!

A totally addictive read that follows their ice-skating journey, packed with wild scandals and twists that kept me constantly guessing and wondering what was coming next.

The story is told through Katarina’s perspective, but the inclusion of mixed media, in the form of interviews with side characters and snippets from a documentary. It added so much depth and drama, making it an incredibly fast and engrossing read.

The blend of backstory and scandal had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I’ll be thinking about Katarina and Heath, and everything they went through, for a while. This is definitely your next obsession!

Absolutely obsessed with this book!
I was not expecting to love this story so much. I got so attached to the characters, their ambition, their love for each other.
An addictive read following Katarina and Heath, and their ice skating journey. The drama and the scandals following them is a wild ride.
The story is retold through Katarina’s perspective, while intertwining snippets of interviews with side characters, adding to the drama of the story. A brilliant book and definitely your next obsession!
I will not be able to stop thinking about Katarina and Heath for a long time!

Intense. Heart wrenching. The intrigue was real, and often extremely well hidden.

"To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession."

Kat lives for her figure skating. Heath Rocha was a way to get there - not her first love.

Kat is determination.
Heath is power, dark power.

The figure skating world is manipulative, where being best is closely linked to having money, and people in your hands. To always wanting more of everything.

Quote from the book:

"But what was the point if you had everything and enjoyed nothing?"

I loved the layers of this story. It would be fab on the big screen!

OMG, The Favourites by Layne Fargo is EVERYTHING. 💃⛸️ Is it a groundbreaking, world-changing work of fiction? No. But does it deliver on pure, unfiltered joy? 1000%. This book whisks you away into the glittering, high-stakes world of competitive ice dancing—a place brimming with passion, rivalries, and soap-opera-worthy drama.

Think: Blades of Glory meets Gossip Girl with a healthy dose of romance and scheming. 🕺💔 There are twists, betrayals, and jaw-dropping moments, all wrapped up in a sparkling bow of pure escapism. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, and you’ll absolutely want to binge-read this in one sitting.

It’s not about changing the world—it’s about leaving yours behind for a few glorious hours, and this book does that flawlessly. ✨ If you love books with big feelings and even bigger drama, this one’s for you.

❄️ Grab a blanket, pour yourself a glass of something festive, and get ready for a riot of fun. I couldn’t adore it more!

One of my favourite books of the year ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five

A book about the behind-the-scenes world of ice dancing by Layne Fargo? Count me in!

While They Never Learn is one of my all-time favorites, this new release, out January 16th, 2025, quickly became a top pick for 2024. It's not a dark thriller, but it’s just as gripping. The book is long, but so addictive and twisty, I could have easily read it in one go.

The Favourites dives into the competitive and cutthroat world of ice dancing. Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha are rising stars, but their path to the top is anything but easy. Their rivals, the Lin twins—children of an Olympic champ—add extra tension. The story unfolds through a documentary-style format, with interviews revealing the drama, love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge that define this intense sport.

Inhaled this book in a day... if you like the layout and story of Daisy Jones and the six, I think you would love this. I really wanted Shaw and Rocha to just catch a break, but then that wouldn't be the story. Kept me on the edge of my seat, rooting for characters who were flawed yet still likeable.

This was so engrossing. Katarina and Heath’s relationship was a wild ride and the ice dancing backdrop made for a tense and exciting story. Absolutely loved this!

I could not stop highlighting even when I read the acknowledgments (something that has never happened before) which speaks to my experience of this story. I’m happy I got to read this book slowly over a longer period of time with the Spotify playlist, it felt as if I was living with them. It was a bumpy ride but in a way that just highlighted human nature, life and how we experience competition. The characters grow so much but nothing is ever developed in a way that felt forced. The interview style that’s woven in is fantastic it really drives home the intrigue and fear for the future that they’re living in. They have a hindsight we the reader don’t and it amps up the unsettled feeling you get. I’ve always been intrigued by ice dancing and this has left me feeling even more interested.

Heath and Kat frustrated me in the most realistic way I wasn’t even mad at it. Their relationship built from a young age was filled with so many moments we can all recognise. Their backstories solidified so much of the pain and trauma they both survived. They fought for everything they wanted even when that want was someone else’s. The devastation of their sense of self like a wound being torn open again and again on the ice. I could feel the bite from the ice and the system they were fighting to gain respect within. Not hearing from them in the interviews really made the reader suffer in a delicious way. It was too easy for me to feel was though this was non fiction. Even the other characters jumped off the page.

I heard about this book back in October and knew it would change my life. It’s a strange feeling that comes around only a few times. I just knew this book would change my life. It really has I feel both torn apart and healed me. I feel recognised and ready to persevere. I had preordered the hardcover back in October and today have preordered the audiobook. The way this book is told is perfect to drive everything home and boy did it.

Now for the cheeky moment that none of these characters would bat an eyelid at. If there is a physical arc in an office sat alone looking for a forever home, I’d be honoured.

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.

I absolutely LOVED this! Definitely a top read of the year for me and I predict this will be huge in 2025! Daisy Jones meets Magnolia Parks meets From Lukov with love. The romance had my head spinning constantly and I loved the characters, they felt so authentic. Heartbreaking and gripping, I just know this one is going to be all over bookstagram after January!

This was so unbelievably good!! So twisty, so many turns - I was completely on the edge on my seat. And that ending? WOWZERS!!!

Every now and then i’ll read a book that I know is special and is going to be a massive hit, and this book gave me the same feeling as I got when I finished Daisy Jones And The Six for the first time - and that’s no mean feat.

The Favourites is loosely based on Wuthering Heights but set in the world of ice dancing. Katarina and Heath have been in each others lives since they were children and their all-consuming relationship leads them to the ice where they compete for their country until one day something tears them - and their world apart.

Years later a documentary airs and journalists and people in the skating world who knew Kat and Heath best try to piece together what really happened.

The book is told partly in a documentary style - similar to Daisy Jones and partly from Kat’s perspective of the events that lead up to what happened.

I loved this book and tore through it, I was hooked from the very first page until the last. It was heady and dark - transporting you into the cutthroat and competitive world of ice dancing, whilst also examining a highly co-dependent and sometimes toxic relationship between two people who cannot live without each other.

Kat was a brilliant character, messy, selfish and often unlikeable - everything you’re told a female character shouldn’t be but I loved her, even if I did hate some of her decisions. She’s definitely up there with some of my favourite female characters ever.

The supporting cast (especially the women) were also great, I loved Kat’s complicated relationship with both Bella and Sheila and the book explored difficult relationships SO well.

This was my first Layne Fargo book but it will definitely not be my last.

What a wonderful, wild ride The Favourites takes you on. Told through snippets of interviews, flashbacks, and moments in time, is an addicting and scandalous story of Kat and Heath.

The Favourites takes sports romance to another level, the emotional turmoil this book put me through was next level, never has a book reduced me to tears in one moment and had me smiling like a fool the next. This book is a reminder that life isn't perfect, nothing goes to plan, and no matter how sure you are in the direction you are headed, things can always change.

I was influenced to pick up this book and I'm grateful that I did, The Favourites has forever changed me, there was no drama spared and this will remain one of my top books for the foreseeable future. How this isn't being talked about more I will never know, I'm eagerly looking forward to see what Layne Fargo conjures up next.

Full review to come closer to publication.

I am a sucker for an ice skating love story.
It was realistic and didn't gloss over the hard work and heartbreak. Both characters had a bad start in life and both poured everything into being their best.
Katrina and Heath were the best and the worst for each other at times.
Life seems easier for the privileged skaters with money in the sports world neither of which they have.
They eventually split under the pressure they have an upsy downsy relationship.
No one knows the real truth of the circumstances of the split except those involved.
Heath needs to be a bit more able to stand up for himself.
Katrina is sometimes annoying in that she doesn't see who she is trampling on to get to the top.
I did love this book you felt you were living their ups and downs and rooting for them hoping there might be a second chance while reading the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

As a long-time lover of both Wuthering Heights and Daisy Jones & The Six, I fell head-over-heels for Layne Fargo's The Favourites. Excellently written, with a gripping, addictive plot and rich characters, this exhilarating story of toxic love is bound for small (or even big) screen adaptation someday soon. I absolutely loved this book. More than anything, it was an incredibly fun read. I'm excited to see what Layne Fargo does next!

It’s the 1st of January 2025. How is anything else meant to top this?

Imagine Wuthering Heights, on ice, told in the same documentary style as Daisy Jones…perfection really.

Fargo really encapsulates the lust, passion-fueled toxicity that has us both hating and understanding the MC’s relationships with each other and themselves. It’s reductive to say they’re toxic, selfish and manipulative because whilst they are, they’re also so much more complex. Every decision made is both for themselves and the different loves they have for each other.

Brimming with drama, betrayal, heartache and a love that spans decades of passion and sabotage, I think Fargo recreated Cathy and Heathcliff perfectly in Katarina and Heath, even down to the Lin’s (Linfords) and the other supporting characters.

I really struggled to put this down. The pacing is good and it matches that of an actual documentary, where each chapter ends on a character sound bite that eludes to a big thing that happened next for dramatic effect. I could easily listen to this as an audio book if they cast multiple narrators to bring it to life. The book is also really well researched in the world of figure skating, it reads and feels like a labour of love from Fargo and I think the effort and the hard work has created something really special in what is a modern retelling of one of literatures most well know, and well appreciated complex couples.

This novel will stay with me for a long time.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the UK publisher and Netgalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, I requested this expecting a thriller based on what I knew of 'They Never Learn', but I'm so glad it wasn't.

This book was an epic tale. About elite sport. About Rivalry. Pressure. The dark side of fame. And I absolutely loved it.

I can't quite believe Katerina Shaw isn't real. The characterisation in this book was sensational. Not just for Kat but all the characters. And the format incorpating a documentary and 'normal' chapters alongside it to get Kats perspective really worked for me.

A book Taylor Jenkins Reid would have been proud to produce. Props to the author

I was so happy when the Random House UK granted my wish. I loved this book. It’s so gripping and unputdownable. The characters are interesting. Their chemistry is beautiful. Loved reading about the Olympic skaters. Kat and Heath are childhood sweethearts and they go from variance of emotions from growing up, friendship, love, heartbreak to giving each other second chance. The book has it all mystery, romance, secrets, and twists. Get yourself ready to get to know everything about highs and lows and everything in between about Kat and Heath’s life. And I wasn’t expecting that ending. The book kept me on edge and kept getting engaging and mysterious like an emotional ride.

The Favourites is the story of Katerina Shaw and Heath Rocha, following their lives as they meet as children, and start to compete as ice dancers, following their turbulent lives and careers as they fight all the way to the Olympics, determined to take the gold.

The book is framed through an anniversary documentary that has been produced, discussing the career of Shaw and Rocha along with the allegations of wrongdoing, cheating and sabotage that has dogged them throughout their entire career. This is a great way to frame the story as it is a clever way to allow comments from other characters in the story that you normally wouldn’t hear from, so there are talking heads from their Russian competitors, Olympic judges and their old coaches and teammates. I thought this was a really beneficial way to tell the story and be able to move about in the timeline smoothly, and I think that the author employed this well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would wholeheartedly recommend it to others - it was well paced, held lots of interest and had lots of ups and downs, but it felt believable for the world that it was set in and the story was really well told. It was interesting to read about such a competitive environment and how hard every single person has to work in order to have a chance to make it, and how ruthless people need to be in order to compete at higher levels of competition. I thought the characters were well defined and believable, and I just really enjoyed the story as a whole!

Full marks from me for this book - a gold medal all the way!!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Recipe for Success:
- 2 cups of Daisy Jones & The Six
- 5 tbsp of Friends to Lovers and Lovers to Enemies
- 3 tsp of cheorgraphy to bangers from the 80s-00s and
- A generous dash of fiercely competitive Olympic athletes
- Steam, bubble over and bake over 448 pages and bingo you have a binge-worthy novel on your hands.

The Favourites brings us the story of Olympic hopefuls Katerina Shaw and Heath Rocha. Reflecting over their stellar rise to global fame as competitive ice dancers, through a tell all unauthorised documentary.

This style of story telling will forever be linked to Daisy Jones and the Six, and as we know, imitation truly is the best form of flattery but it has to be acknowledged, when it works and this time it does, it *really* works.
It takes no length of time to get caught up in the twists of Katarina and Heath's dramatic backstory and relationship as they strive for success with all the odds stacked against them.

Every 4 years I get absolutely hooked to the screen and watch as much of the Olympics as I can (summer and winter). I also was interested in the return of Simone Biles in 2024 and the documentary she made about the impact competing at the very top had on her mental health, family and personal life.

Layne Fargo did a really good job of bringing those elements through this story. Katarina and Heath are at their peak in the 2000s but there are loads of references to ice dancers from the 80s and 90s which will invoke memories of Torvill & Dean and of course stark rivalry between Team USA and Russia.

We see the ruthlessness of competitors and coaches alike, the corrupt judging space and the personal pain and willingness to give your entire life over to the task of medal success. I absolutely loved it, devoured it and can already see the Hulu spin off and accompanying Spotify playlist.

It has it all 🤩

Thankful to Random House UK for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The Favourites was AMAZING! So immersive, engaging and fun while also inserting a wonderful level of romance. If you're a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and especially Daisy Jones, you'll adore this. And rightfully so.

Well, this was one helluva suspenseful compulsive and utterly addictive sports romance. The first book for me by this author, and im sure it won't be the last. 

I was in awe at both Kat and Heath, as a couple and as individuals. Their strength and sheer determination were equally matched but for different reasons. Kats was to be the best of the best and to win gold medals, but Heaths was to be the best for Kat and for her to want to be with him forever. It was quite sad actually to know that everything Heath was doing wasn't for himself but for Kat. Their backstories were what made them inspirational, their journey from where they came from to where they got to. It goes to show that if you work hard enough that anything is possible. 

The format of the book was great. I really enjoyed kats' POV being in first person, but also, the third person interview / documentary format it gives a different level of insight for the reader. 

Overall, this was a great book of friendships, love, competition, betrayal, passion, and so much more all based around the world of ice dance. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy.

Firstly I would like to thanks Layne Fargo , Random House UK, Vintage | Chatto & Windus and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of ' The Favourites' to read and review.

Due to be published in January 2025, the story focuses on the relationship of its main characters Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha and their journey from being childhood sweethearts to a formidable ice skating partnership. The story spans decades highlighting their tumultuous relationship and the obstacles they face whilst becoming competing champions.
Full of twists and turns , I was gripped from start to finish and read into the night as I was invested in the characters and completely lost in the storyline. I ended up devouring it at every opportunity. Personally I cannot believe that this is the author's debut novel and am excited to read future titles. I cant remember the last time I enjoyed a contemporary novel so much and can easily see this becoming an on screen dramatisation.
The chemistry between the characters leapt from the page and culminated in a riveting tale of passion , betrayal , love and scandal.
It was an easy read , but certainly an unforgettable one . An easy 5 star rating as I didn't want the book to end.
I cant recommend this novel enough
#TheFavourites #NetGalley

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
⛸️ a toxic love story
🎤 childhood best friends
⛸️ it’s always been you
🎤 figure skating partners
⛸️ backstabbing & betrayals

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
Ice skating partners Katarina & Heath were an obsession… until a scandal & a tragedy at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Ten years later a documentary interviews those who were close to them, and we get the real story from Kat alongside this.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
Trust me when I say this book is *wild* 😳🤯😂 I loved it, and at the same time wanted to throw my kindle at the wall… but it’s safe to say I was obsessed.

Think a spin on Wuthering Heights with Daisy Jones interview-style prose, a Carrie Soto-esque ruthlessly driven fmc, and Magnolia Parks level of toxicity… on ice ⛸️

It’s a love story, but this isn’t a romance. It’s a look at the ruthlessly competitive world of figure skating and what people will do to get to and stay at the top. And the answer is… a lot 😅

I really expected to dislike our ruthless & driven fmc Katarina, who sacrifices anything & anyone to be the best (including love), but by the end I actually loved her a lot. I felt for her throughout this and think she is treated much worse by Heath than she ever treats him 💔

Which brings me to why this isn’t quite a full house of ★s… I truly couldn’t stand Heath 🫠 He’s toxic & possessive sure, but given his later actions nothing will convince me he actually loves Kat. If she’d have done the same to him..? 🤯 Because of this I wasn’t rooting for them as a couple, and I didn’t find their toxic betrayals as painful as I otherwise might have done!

The Favourites is truly scandalous,- you’ll love and also hate the characters, with each twist more outrageous than the last.

I have been completely and totally enamoured by The Favourites. This may be the best book that I have ever read. I had the time of my life reading it, and I know it will stick with me forever.

The story of The Favourites is told through a combination of first person narration from Katerina and documentary/interview footage, providing multiple perspectives of a tale that is both tragic and healing. Katarina and Heath have loved each other since they were children. and I think you could easily consider them trauma-bonded. Their mutual strife and their dependency on each other is both what gives them life and what tears them apart. While Katarina wants whatever skating can give her, Heath wants what Katarina can give him. They are each other's constants, and that gives them each the power to break each other over and over again.

The Favourites broke my heart multiple times. I experienced such a range of emotions, at times feeling genuinely betrayed by these characters and frustrated with Katarina when she didn't share my sentiments. The story is filled with tension, sometimes sexual, often not. It is salacious and scandalous, jaw-dropping and vulnerable. There is the obvious found family that Katarina and Heath create from their childhood, but also gorgeous relationships that blossom with their fellow skaters that broaden their worldview, both literally and figuratively. There is heart-wrenching miscommunication throughout this book, but there are also lessons learned. The documentary begs the question: can you still pass the test if the class ended years ago?

Layne Fargo's world setting is unmatched. I could so perfectly visualise everything that unfolded in the book. Told over two decades, I felt myself grow with these characters. With each twist and turn in their story, I learned and I grieved and I loved. I could feel the yearning that Katarina and Heath carried with them to such a point that I could not put this book down. I needed to know how their story ended, and, as their tale unfurled, I cried and gasped and laughed and smiled. I felt every emotion as if I were witnessing their story play out in front of me, a true testament to Fargo's extraordinary story-telling.

The Favourites is filled with twists, and some of these I did figure out before they were revealed. That did not take away from the story, however, because they were written with such heart that even the twist that I prayed wasn't true and that made me angry, jealous and, frankly, overwhelmed with the feeling of heartbreaking betrayal felt right to me. Yes, I was disappointed that a character had let me down, but it made the story all the more real. This book does not play out like fiction. It is realistic in its devastation. Life isn't perfect, people will hurt you, and sometimes you won't be the best, but you keep going. It doesn't kill you, and that's where you find your strength to keep going.

I could truly rave about this book forever, but I don't want to give anything away. What I will say is that if you want to read a book filled with love and angst, competition and scandal, betrayal and devotion, The Favourites is the book for you. If you want your heart to break and your heart to heal, The Favourites is the book for you. If you just want a bit of gossip? No judgment, The Favourites is the book for you.

Where do I even start with this book?! I devoured this in two sittings, and would have finished it in one if time would have allowed it. From the very first page, I was absolutely entranced by this story. If you loved Daisy Jones & the Six, Carrie Soto is Back, and Gossip Girl, this book is for you!

The Favourites follows Katarina Shaw, a teenage girl who has always dreamed of being an Olympic ice skater. After she meets Heath Rocha, the pair go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating fans with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style and rollercoaster relationship. Until, at the Olympic Games, as the world holds its breath, a shocking incident instantly destroys their partnership. Ten years later, an unauthorised tell-all documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha. If Kat wants to own her story, she must break her silence.

Reading this book was such an immersive experience. It’s written mostly in Katarina’s POV, but also has interview transcripts and television commentary scattered throughout. This made the story feel so real, and created so much intrigue. Everyone has their own agenda, and I was so unsure of who to trust.

I am a fan of figure skating (it’s my favourite sport to watch!) and this book catapults the reader into the competitive and cutthroat world of ice dancing. I really enjoyed the competition and training scenes, which were so exciting and exhilarating to read. The author did a great job of portraying the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices that athletes put into their sport. This book really asks this question - what is the true price of winning? And is it worth the cost?

The characters are messy, flawed, and sometimes toxic and unlikeable. But they also felt so real and complex. I loved following Kat and Heath throughout their careers, and their connection was palpable. The supporting characters were well-developed and there were so many interesting relationship dynamics explored.

The plot is twisty and gripping, filled with drama, betrayals, scandals, sabotage, heartbreak highs, lows, losses and wins. This book had me feeling every single emotion along with the characters. Towards the end, the pace shifts and the book becomes almost like a thriller, and I was physically unable to put my kindle down!

This is an addictive read that I’m sure will become the next popular book when it’s released in January! I can’t wait to see what this author does next. Thank you to NetGalley and Chatto & Windus for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.”

You may have noticed a buzz surrounding this title at the moment as a very exciting 2025 release 👀

I’m so grateful to have been able to read it early and tell you that it is going to take the bookish world by storm, of that I’m sure!

The story follows Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, childhood sweethearts turned figure skating champions with big dreams in a savage, cutthroat industry. The book switches between a documentary-style format and Kat’s own POV.

I don’t want to give much away, but if you liked Daisy Jones and the Six, you’ll definitely find a lot to enjoy in The Favourites. It’s truly brilliant and had me completely hooked throughout, plus the writing is off-the-scale fantastic. I’ll be thinking about this story and these characters for a long time!

Thank you to the publisher for my e-ARC.

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 ♥️

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.

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.

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. -

Thank you PRH/Vintage books for the arc!

Messy, complex, dramatic, intense, spellbinding. A really interesting format that made this read impossible to put down. This was addictive - the characters, the plot, the drama, the SCANDALS.

The Favourites has reminded me why I love reading. It was beyond what I expected the story to be. The format of the documentary style with the real-time experience made it so addicting. This book was a reminder to read outside your comfort zone sometimes!

How to delete from my brain all the memories of reading this book so I can experience the pain and the joy all over again?

They say this book is Wuthering Heights x Daisy Jones and this description is so ON POINT, but I feel like it's also Carrie Soto + a toxic romance in another universe. The first time I heard about this release I knew if done well it was going to be a very good one, but I didn't know it would CONSUME ME from beginning to end. Once you get to really know the characters it's impossible to put this book down. You hate them and you love them, and it's a delicious cycle LF puts you through. The competition and the plot twists killed me infinite times, I turned the pages one after the other like crazy to know how everything was going to unfold, I was equally obsessed with the sports and the relationships parts.

The format is so interesting, it's just perfect the way the narrative and the documentary intersect. There's a great balance between the two as well, you never feel like it's too many interviews; in fact it's the opposite, because at some point you just NEED to hear what the main character or the others have to say about this major event. I wish I had listened to the audiobook too, because I'm sure it's going to be a hit with this format and a full cast. A reread it's bound to happen at some point, it's THAT GOOD. (I also need a movie like right now.) You can absolutely see this book was worked on for a long time to get it to where it is now.

Absolutely raced through this book - have spent hours at ice rinks watching my kids and other competitive figure skaters - and I loved the film I Tonya and loved the story so much. I'm also a sucker for an emotional love story and this gave it all! Great characters and fascinating world. Just loved it!

So amazing! 😍 I absolutely loved this, the drama, the characters, just everything about it was amazing 🤩

God this book was a messy whirlwind of emotions!

I am a fiend for a good ice skating story and this definitely delivered, I lost a good nights sleep trying to get to the end.

There’s love, drama, betrayal and tears (some of them mine) all wrapped up in the intensity of competitive ice skating and becoming a world class athlete.
I didn’t realise until after I had finished that it is Wuthering Heights inspired and it definitely shines through.

Ate this up and loved! This would make a great Daisy Jones & The Six vibes tv series and I hope this gets the praise it deserves when it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher
5 ⭐️

This book made me scream in frustration at the characters, in heartbreak and finally in happiness for the fantastic ending. A true gold medal, 5 star book I'd read again and again. And watch the documentary.

I stayed up way passed my bedtime to finish this because I had to know what happened to Kat and Heath. They and the supporting characters are so well written that they play before your eyes. I was invested, heavily, in the outcome and all the happenings around it. There's romance, drama, mystery and friendship - all in the mix.

The way the story is told is very unique. A mix of narrative, descriptive footage and interviews makes so an engrossing read. A Netflix doc and behind the scenes footage really had me hooked.

My only knowledge of ice dancing was Torvill and Dean and Dancing on Ice. This books gives an in-depth look in to the sport and man is it twisted! But oh how you want more.

Grab this book for a late night, passed your bedtime, have to finish it now kinda read. Be engrossed in the music, stay for the drama and revel in the amazing story.

The Favourites, by Layne Fargo, may only be the second book I’ve read this year but I have to say I feel like it might be in my absolute top favourites come the end of ‘25. My goodness was this book so very good.

If you loved the format of Daisy Jones, the incredibly strong (and cut throat) women in sport of Carrie Soto, the drama of I, Tonya and the tension and longing of Wuthering Heights all mixed together in what is in itself an incredibly unique and thoroughly compelling story you’ll adore The Favourites. I simply couldn’t put it down. This needs to be made into a movie or show right?!

The Favourites is Kat Shaw’s account of her, and Heath Rocha’s, dramatic rise and fall as the favourites of ice dance. Shaw’s account alternates with scandalous interviews from the unauthorised tell all documentary that followed ten years after Shaw and Rocha’s explosive final Olympic appearance. The Favourites follows Shaw and Heath from child hood sweethearts to champion dancers, where they captivate fans with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style and rollercoaster relationship.

There is so very much I could, and would like to say about this one, but I also don’t want to say a lot. This is the kind of book that you should go into blind and allow yourself to be blown away by. The characters are brilliant, and often diabolical. Their pursuit of glory, regardless of the cost is something else. The glorious and also toxic love story had me hooked! The twists and turns made me gasp and made it impossible to stop reading. The way Fargo seamlessly time jumped via the major events in Kat and Heath’s life worked perfectly. This is a longer book but do you know I would have been happy to have read even more!

Do not let The Favourites pass you by, it’s insanely good.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK Vintage for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book pre-release. All thoughts are my own.

50000000/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I picked up this book I was bracing myself for disappointment. First of all, the comparison to Daisy Jones set the bar SO high for me, that I was sure it couldn’t live up to the standard. And second of all, Booktok has unfortunately lowered and ruined the quality of ice skating content for me (Icebreaker yes, I’m talking about you).

That’s why I couldn’t be more surprised and ecstatic, when the first thing I wrote on my temporary Goodreads review was: “I fear I didn’t finish this book, this book finished me. I am OBSESSED, I will never ever shut up about this.”
I don’t think I can express in words how much this book swept me off my feet.

Let’s start from the beginning, this is the incredible and drama-filled story of Katarina Shawn and her ice skating partner, of the relationship with each other and ice dancing. Katarina’s ultime goal in life is getting to and winning the Olympics but the road to an Olympic gold isn’t easy.

Saying that I have been HOOKED in by this book, would be un understatement. This novel consumed me in the best of way. As an ultime lover of ice skating and of good fake historical fiction, this was my ultimate cup of tea.
It’s as if, Layne Fargo wrote this book for me, and I will forever be grateful. The mix of the interview style and first-person retelling of events was not only incredibly well balanced and written, but very powerful and perfectly tailored to the narrative.

I am in extra awe that this is the first fiction book of this author and Layne, if you will ever read me, PLEASE NEVER STOP. PLEASE GIVE ME MORE. I wanna read a 20 books long series of your own fictional world sport celebrities and I promise I will never tire of it!

This is a masterpiece and I fear I will have to reread it regularly because it’s my new obsession and comfort read.

So yes. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Taylor J Reid, because it did live up the the standard of Daisy Jones. And I would recommend it to lovers of ice skating, because it gives a wonderful, meaningful and (for what I know) realistic insight on issues and dramas of this sport. And of course, it adds so many good plot twists and turns and high quality romance and angst (it is fiction after all)

This book is drama. Complex, rollercoaster-y, angsty, toxic DRAMA. And I stayed up until 3am to finish it because I couldn't put it down. 5 stars! I hated almost every single character and their actions at multiple points. But that was the point? I felt all the things. (So) angry, (so) sad, (so) frustrated, anxious, kind of morbidly curious, a smidge triumphant here and there. The writing is brilliant, the oral history narration style in parts was the perfect choice, and I was gripped from start to finish.

This book messed with my head, but wow, it was SO. GOOD.

This was a really original format for a book. And the layout and added extras made it intriguing and had me hooked from the off. It managed to tell many.differing perspectives. It made it both personal but reflective too. As if we were watching from right next to the characters but from above too!
It was so much .more than a romance and yet all about the romance.
It was just a hook line and sinker of a good book from the very beginning. And yet I was still rooting for the characters. Or at least that they might be OK
.

Oh this book is just so much FUN!

I picked this up on a Saturday evening after trudging through my previous read and I’d read 30% before I even realised.

I absolutely love the oral history format in the same vein as Daisy Jones and the Six, interspersed with Kat’s perspective. I really felt like I was watching a documentary.

And this book does not let us. It’s juicy and fun and every few pages seem to end with a cliffhanger which makes you race to the next page.

I read this over 2 days but it will be a perfect beach read.

So juicy and fun and incredibly well-researched. I knew nothing about the world of competitive ice dancing and now I feel like I know a lot more!

I’m not sure if I was ever rooting for Kat and Heath… but I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Juicy and scandalous without being over the top or unrealistic, this was such a fun read.

5 stars.

Dynamic, scintillating, thrilling ugh I loved this. If you’re a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid style narratives of the famous then this is one for you.


⛸️ wuthering heights reimagining
⛸️ competitive ice dancing / figure skating world
⛸️ love to hate to love again
⛸️ messy dramatic love story
⛸️ drama, scandal and gossip
⛸️ documentary style narrative

Thanks to the publishers for my copy!

✨5 stars✨

Wow! This was amazing!

I’d read Wuthering Heights at uni so I was familiar with the characters and plot, but I loved what the author did with her nods to the original whilst also creating a whole new story with the backdrop of skating and the Olympics which creating an intoxicating mix where I couldn’t put the book down!

I also really enjoyed the documentary aspect to the book with interviews with certain characters which added another layer to the story!! If you have read Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and enjoyed that and the format it was written, then you would enjoy this aspect.

Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I don’t know what I was expecting from this book but it wasn’t what I expected. It was really enjoyable, easy to read, really interesting characters and overall a very satisfying read!
Many thanks to Random House UK, Vintage, for the eARC of The Favourites by Layne Fargo. This book is out in the UK on January 16th 2025 and in my opinion is well worth buying.
Telling the story of a young girl Kat Shaw who watches an ice dancing competition and finds an idol in the gold medalist. She sets her sights on becoming this lady one day and pours her heart, soul and energy into it with her best friend, Heath Rocha, joining her for the ride. And what a ride it is! Many set backs, many failures, changes is partners, competitions all over the world and will Kat ever get the Olympic gold medals she’s been working for the whole time?!
I really loved this story, we have bought a lovely hardback copy and my Mum has read and loved it too.

THIS BOOK 🙌🏻 I'm starting to learn I love a toxic relationship 🤣 (I wonder what that says about me). This is a very character driven book & the characters are what bring this story alive. That being said they will definitely have you screaming at times and hating them.

Although I've said it's a character driven book there's definitely a storyline and plot and some of the things that happened had me shocked. To me it was very reminiscent of a TJR book, and reminded me of Daisy Jones & the Six with the interviews scattered throughout. But not in a copy cat way, more in a homage to way. I really liked the interview snippets throughout as it let you see events from multiple POVs and gave you a more rounded view of the characters.

I know this book might not be for everyone but I absolutely loved it and hope you all do too because it deserves it.

A modern retelling of 'Wuthering Heights' set in late 90s America - with ice-skating? You've got my attention!

Let's start with the original novel. I feel like 'Wuthering Heights' is often misunderstood. If you hadn't read it, and based it purely on cultural impact (Kate Bush's song, some of the film adaptations) you'd peg it as simply a love story. It's so much more than that. It is a revenge story and, as with all revenge stories, you are left pondering - is revenge truly worth it if it unintentionally destroys you along with the person or people you hate?

One of the most mysterious and intriguing things about the novel is how on earth young, sheltered Emily Bronte could write it in the first place. It's pretty much unanimously agreed that she never had a romance in her life. Whilst Charlotte fell in love with her Professor, who is thought to have inspired Mr Rochester, there was no man who inspired Emily. It's why the 2022 film 'Emily', which depicts Emily having a steamy affair which inspires 'Wuthering Heights', is so very offensive. Emily (and indeed, her sisters Charlotte and Anne) - used their incredible imaginations to take them far away from their origins, and that shows how brilliant they all were.

Reading 'The Favourites' reminded me of 'Hollow Bones' which I reviewed last year. It was a modern retelling of 'Measure for Measure' and I put all my fangirl energy into finding the main parallels. 'The Favourites' keeps the deep, obsessive bond between its Cathy and Heathcliff (this time, Katarina and Heath), the feckless brother, the death of parents and a very specific child-related subplot, but aside from that it's very much mired in the world of competitive ice dancing. Like most adaptions of 'Wuthering Heights', it focusses on the first Cathy, and not what comes later in the novel.

And 'The Favourites' is an absolute page-turner. I've never been more interested in a sport in my life. The ice dancing in this novel captured me. The competitiveness, the backstabbing, the rise and fall, the wins and loses - it's a bumpy and electric ride, and you see its inevitable toll on the ice dance skaters, who are very young when the novel opens. 'Is it worth it?' the text asks. 'Is it worth it to be in the record books, if you sacrifice a piece of your soul and potentially end up unhappy regardless?'

Towards the end, I encountered a paragraph which really struck me. It would be poignant under any circumstances, but given this specific backdrop, it is a real punch in the guts:

"Happiness couldn't be won. It couldn't be hung around our necks while a crowd of thousands cheered. It wasn't a prize, something we had to suffer and toil to earn. If we wanted happiness, we had to create it ourselves. Not in one shining moment on a medal stand, but every single day, over and over again."

This novel has the highest rating I have ever seen on Goodreads - at the time of this review, it is at 4.5. Literature is of course subjective, but from my perspective, I think it certainly deserves it!

Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage and and Netgalley for the ARC!

this 👏🏻 book 👏🏻

I was OBSESSED with this book - I didn't want to put it down from the first page. The characters, the story line, the twists and turns. It was all just spectacular drama.

I wouldn't call this a romance book in any way whatever but something kept drawing me into the pages. The writing - which is set out in partly interview style, partly FMC POV at the time - was beautiful and addictive.

This book is filled with passion, desire, obsession, drama, despair, heartache, and determination. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster and I was all for it.

I'm not sure I would say I was satisfied with the ending. I was angry for some of the characters, I was angry at some of the characters. but the ending worked. it felt right almost.

‘The Favourites’ by Layne Fargo tells the story of fictional ice dancing superstars Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha, charting the highs and lows of their career (and relationship) through Kat’s narration and snippets of interviews from a tell-all Netflix special. Full to the brim with intrigue, love, betrayal, ambition and pain, the tale simmers with tension and charts some absolutely shocking moments as Olympic dreams shatter into a million pieces as sharp as boot blades and shiny as the sequins on figure skating costumes.

I adored the depth of all of the characters in this book! Katarina’s lofty goals and steely ambition made her inspirational yet flawed, and while some of Heath’s decisions were suspect, his burning love and twisted loyalty were compelling. The Lin twins were complex and vital supporting characters, and supporters/antagonists including legend Sheila Lin, Kat’s brother Lee, skater-turned-blogger Ellis and the Russian contingent had their motives thoroughly explored. Some of the remarks from former judge Jane Curran had me reeling against the establishment and they really added to the cut-throat narrative.

The plot itself had so many layers, and I appreciated how it captured the agony and sacrifice involved in elite sport, amplified by the partnered nature of ice dance. The romance aspects were addictive but not the primary focus… encapsulated by the pivotal and revealing line where Kat explains that her first love was NOT Heath, but figure skating.

This book gets five stars from me (my first of 2025!) I could barely put my kindle down, and 100% recommend to anyone who adored the spiky, unapologetic ambition on display in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ‘Carrie Soto Is Back’ or the beauty and tragedy of connections on the ice in ‘From Lukov With Love’ by Marina Zapata. I’m excited for this in audiobook format (like TJR’s ‘Daisy Jones And The Six’, it’s recorded as an oral history with a full cast) and I’m desperate for a screen adaptation (Netflix’s ‘Spinning Out’ should never have been cancelled, but this would be an ace replacement to continue the vibes!)

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Random House UK via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

(ARC - gifted)

it feels almost unfair that i think i've read my best book of 2025 this early in the year. absolute 6 star read!!!

it was described to me as a romance, but the romance really is a secondary theme. we start in the late 90s and follow Kat, who is determined to make it as an ice dancer with her skating partner Heath. we then follow several years in the ice skating world, with interviews and quotes for a documentary about Kat from notable people in the story woven in between chapters.

it's so much more than a romance. it's about scandals, relationship with fame, the impact of technology and social media on the sport, wealth disparity, family relationships, rivalries, and the scope of human spirit and determination. it's a wonderful, gritty and rewarding story and if you enjoy a strong, flawed main character, well-developed side characters or something that fills a Taylor Jenkins-Reid shaped hole in your reading, i think you'll love it as much as i did 🩷

5/5 ⭐️ Ok wow I loved everything about this book. This was so good! It puts you through all the emotions.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

This was one of my top ten reads of 2024, and I predict that it will find its place onto many, many more 2025 best books lists. 

This book is a MUST read for anyone who enjoys Taylor Jenkins Reid's literary world of celebrity fame and scandal, specifically the tell-all interview style of Daisy Jones and the Six and the cutthroat ambition of Carrie Soto is Back. TJR is credited as an inspiration for The Favourites in the acknowledgements, but honestly I think Fargo's writing oft the celebrity sphere reigns supreme.


Spanning multiple decades, this is a Wuthering Heights retelling told through competitive ice dance. Every chapter seems to crescendo on an unbelievable cliffhanger that makes the book genuinely un-put-down-able, with multiple plot twists catching me completely off guard and leaving me reeling. You never know what is going to happen next, up to the final sentence. 


This is one for the people out there who religiously watch Tessa & Scott's 2014 Moulin Rouge routine. Prepare to be forever changed as a person. 


Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo has so many great reviews already by others who are far better than I at explaining just why it’s so brilliant, that I just wanted to come on to add that I loved it too!

I have stayed up far too late for two nights now as I just couldn’t stop reading it. I’m on holiday and one of the reasons I loved this book so much was that, despite the many characters and sweeping timelines, the writing was so skilful I found it completely captivating and an easy and enjoyable read. I’m pretty devastated I’ve finished it to be honest!

I rarely read books twice (too many books, too little time) BUT I would definitely make listening to this book an exception. I have a feeling some great narrators would up the ante another notch or five!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage, Chatto & Windus for an eARC of this wonderful book.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo is a gripping sports drama that follows Katrina Shaw and her dance partner, Heath Rocha, on their journey from humble beginnings to the Olympic stage. Inspired by childhood idol Sheila Fin, Katrina dedicates her life to ice skate dancing, training with Heath, an orphan supported by her father. After her father's passing, financial struggles and personal obstacles—like her troublemaking brother—test her resolve.

The duo rises through fierce competition, facing the talented Lin twins, Bella and Garrett, only to be trained by Sheila Fin herself as rivals to the Lins. The story is layered with passion, betrayal, and political intrigue, offering a fresh take on the sports genre. Narrated through interviews with characters from Katrina and Heath's lives, the book explores ambition, love, and resilience with emotional depth.

Something in the description intrigued me and it definitely wasn’t the ice skating, that is not something I am bothered about, but whatever it was I was right, this is an amazing book.
It follows Katrina Shaw and Heath Rocha from when they meet at a skating rink through all their troubles of surviving and working extra jobs just to afford ice time, and they make it, they get to the Olympics. This was Katrina’s dream to win and win big, Heath did it to please her, everything he did was for her.
I loved the drama and the way the story is interspersed with the dialogue from a documentary, helping also to tell their story. This book has it all, intrigue, romance, back stabbing and passion.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ok, so the last time I watched something about figure skating was when I became completely obsessed with Yuri on Ice, an anime which combines the drama of competitive figure skating with the drama of real life. The Favourites has that same compelling figure skating drama, and here I am, obsessed all over again.

It’s the detail that had me drawn in, from the captivating paragraphs describing choreography, music and emotion, to the passion of every competitor which oozes from the page. The competitions are as much a part of the plot as the reality behind the scenes, with enthralling performances and toxic rivalries heightening their intensity. Fargo’s cinematic writing made the performances so easy to picture that I felt like I was watching along with the audience, fully enraptured by every dance.

Behind all this are characters dealing with the pressures of competing, alongside balancing relationships and emotional struggles. Katarina and Heath’s tumultuous relationship takes centre stage as Katarina’s desperation to be the best consumes her, going to excessive lengths to ensure she can make it to the top. The way they’re both treated for not having the same wealthy background as the other skaters was infuriating to read, and made Katarina’s determination all the more believable.

There’s obsession, heartbreak, unexpected plot twists, and skating rivalries which had me hooked. Honestly, there’s no way my review can do this book justice, so please add it to your TBRs.

*Thank you to Vintage Books for gifting me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I knew “The Favorites” was good even before starting it, I could feel it in my bones.
What I didn't know is that it would have felt like a long panic attack, from the very first chapter till the last page, so emotionally draining that worsened my anxiety.

No, it wasn't a fun read. Some books aren't meant to be fun and some people aren't cut out for messy characters with messy stories.
But how describe it to you all, innocent people with your heart still intact? The only word I can think of is “addictive”: you'll be obsessed with Kat and Heath’s story, the ways they manipulate and help each other, the ways they collide every time they're too close but can't stay away from each other, and the uncountable times you would want to get in the book and scream at their faces.
That said, I’d still want to erase all my memories from the past week only to read this again like the first time, inflict myself the same pain I've just complained about and lose my mind all over again.

Truth is, I struggled with the characters because I saw them for who they were and what they believed in, but I still would have wanted them to act differently.
The problem wasn't the drama per se, it's just that to reach their finished acts they went through some tough things that made me suffer, and I didn't particularly enjoy that.
But, with all that said, I'm deciding this was a good book even if I don't agree with their choices - and I call this growth.

A special mention needs to go to the narrative style: the similarities with “Daisy Jones and The Six” are all here but, even if I’m a big fan of TJR’s book, the half-documentary half-pov writing is some genius shit.
Not to comment about who you can clearly see behind the MCs - Tessa and Scott, you will always be famous, and not only for your last performance.

Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage, Chatto & Windus and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Wow, wow, wow!
I loved The Favourites. A brilliant insight into the world of competitive Ice Dance. I have long been fascinated by skating, being a child of the 70s/80s, watching Torville & Dean dance their way to victory at the Olympics! Reading The Favourites brings memories back also of the Tonya Harding scandal, highlighting as it does the acute rivalry between skaters.
The Favourites is well written, never boring or over detailed. It’s written like a documentary, with reflective intervention from the main character Katerina, and most chapters end with little ‘footnote’ comments from coaches, fellow competitors and judges. Great once you got to know who was who.
It’s one of those books which had me at the ‘Just One More Chapter’ stage every night, and I know it will be one of my top books of 2025. Fabulous!

Layne Fargo’s The Favourites is a masterclass in suspense and psychological depth. With razor-sharp prose and complex, morally gray characters, the story keeps you hooked from the first page to the jaw-dropping finale. The tension builds expertly, weaving themes of ambition, jealousy, and desire into an unforgettable narrative. Fargo’s storytelling is bold, gripping, and utterly addictive—a must-read for fans of dark, character-driven thrillers!!

This book follows Katerina Shaw in the world of elite figure skating. The story promises drama, scandal, romance as well as the highs and lows of competitive sport. If you’re a fan of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, you’ll love this!

💚 Likes 💚
- I loved the unique format of this book! Switching between interview transcripts and first person POV, I felt like I was both watching the documentary and living it through the characters.
- It felt so real! I genuinely kept going to google the characters to watch some of their dancers, before remembering they weren’t real people!
- An fmc with personality and attitude. I love when an author can make you root for a flawed (and realistic) character.
- I never knew where the story was going and I loved that! I would actually recommend not reading the blurb and going into this blind

💔 Dislikes 💔
- The pacing was a touch slow at times.

Overall, I adored this book and I truly couldn’t put it down. I’d highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4.5⭐️ (rounded up to 5)

What happens when love, obsession, and ambition collide on the ice? The Favourites delivers all that and more!

“They were an obsession. Then a scandal. And ultimately… a tragedy.”

This book had me hooked from the first page. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it surprised me every time.

Set against the high-stakes world of Olympic ice dancing, The Favourites explores the toxic, all consuming love between Kat and Heath, childhood sweethearts turned skating partners. Told through Kat’s first-person POV and a multi POV documentary transcript, it’s a gripping tale of their rise to glory and the devastating fallout that followed.

If you’re into stories about:
• Love and obsession
• Manipulation and scandal
• Rivalry and power

…then you NEED to read this book!

One thing I know for sure? The audiobook is going to AMAZING, in other words I’ll be rereading as soon as the audiobook is available!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows the life of an elite figure skating couple. It is written as a novel, with a documentary style interview at the end of each chapter. This adds so much to the story! If someone had told me this was based on a true story, I would have 100% believed them.

We may only be in January, but I already know this is a strong contender for being in my favourite reads at the end of the year! It was that great! It was so full of twists, turns, and scandal!

I can genuinely say I was hooked from the very beginning and had 0 idea at any point where this story was going. It kept me guessing till the very end.

Every single characters personality shone through in this story. It was such an amazing cast of characters, I felt like I genuinely knew each ones intentions and mindset.

This will definitely be a book I'll be recommending to everyone.

This book has been everywhere on my feed since the new year and once I had heard it was a Taylor Jenkins Reid vibe with figure skating I was sold! Skating has always been something of an obsession of mine so I was thrilled to be able to get stuck into a new book with this as its theme, especially with Wuthering Heights, one of my favourite classics as its inspiration.

I read this book so fast, it was a really addictive read and I didn't want to put it down. I was so quickly sucked into the skating drama and rooting for my favourite characters. I found only Garrett to be truly likeable but by the end I had come to care for Bella, Heath and Katarina with their strange spiky ways. I think the book could have been longer to allow it to be more emotional, a lot had to be packed in to span Heath & Katarina's entire skating journey however a lot of it felt quite shallow and surface level. To be a five star read I wanted to be more emotionally invested and maybe shed a tear or two!

I wish the title hadn't been changed for the UK audience, I get that we spell favourite differently but I think the change is somewhat infantilising- we are perfectly capable of reading books set in America(!) with that word 'misspelled'. I also found as a Brit and skating fan, the rewriting of history to erase Torvill & Dean's historic and legendary Ice Dance Gold medal at the Sarajevo olympics grating. It's already fiction, maybe there could have been fictional Olympic dates/host cities to avoid this.

I loved the ending, it was so dramatic and somewhat unexpected although I never doubted that they would compete one last time. Whilst the communication issues and strange love triangle wouldn't normally be for me, it really worked in this context and I am so glad I read this! I will definitely look out for more historical fiction by this author in the future, it has reignited my skating obsession and I will be spending the next few months wishing I was living in this book.

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Vintage Books and Netgalley for my e-ARC :)

Imagine my delight when I realised this was a Wuthering Heights retelling with a differences; it’s nothing short of phenomenal. There were times when I gasped out loud, got carried away in the twists and turns of the ice rink and the back stabbing of the off stage drama. I didn’t expect to care so much about Kat and Heath, it’s worth the hype, I promise.

This book is all the things! I have never enjoyed or been so on the edge of thin ice pun intended as I was with this book! It’s like Daisy Jones & The Six on ice! It needs to be made into a movie!

This one's going to be huge!

Katarina and Heath are childhood sweethearts. He's a kid in the foster system, and she's a figure skater who dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal. On the ice, they're perfectly in sync, and even as teenagers, their trust in each other - and passion for each other - is clear to see. But their unconventional style of ice dancing doesn't fit within the beaurocratic confines of elite skating.

This novel spans decades as we witness Kat and Heath defying boundaries and challenging their rivals in the hope of achieving their dreams. Kat wants gold; Heath wants her. But the journey to the podium is paved with obstacles.

The Favourites is an epic melodrama; a sweeping, Wuthering Heights-inspired love story about two souls who revolve around each other on the ice and off. It's an addictive tale of obsession, ambition, betrayal, and rivalry, and it's dripping in scandal.

I loved Layne Fargo's novel They Never Learn, a fast-paced female revenge thriller about campus sexual assault. The Favourites has the same punchy writing, but it's also heavily influenced by the work of Taylor Jenkins Reid, who the author thanks in her acknowledgements. The narrative structure is similar to that of Daisy Jones & The Six, in that it's in the style of a documentary, with many characters providing an oral history of Kat and Heath's career and relationship. It works brilliantly on audio, because also like Daisy Jones, it has a full cast. It also reminded me of Carrie Soto for its depiction of professional sport, and of Evelyn Hugo for its decades-sweeping saga of female power and ambition.

I couldn't put this book down - it absolutely enthralled me! I loved Kat and Heath's story, and their chemistry was electric. The other characters and the novel's structure made it such a compelling, engaging read, and I am certain many readers are going to love it.

There's the faintest whiff of cheese, but I ate it up. Five big, sequinned stars!

When 5 stars feels like an understatement!

Set to be a modern adaption of Wuthering Heights (which you don't need to have read) the Favourites was unputdownable. Many times the book left me speechless and I was obsessed with finding out what happens next - when I say nothing happened the way I wanted it to - I remained fully invested so that at every plot twist, I was praying for peace and happiness and a happy ending for the characters. What I have to emphasise is that this is not a fairytale story although the FMC has big dreams that she wishes would come true; to be an Olympic Gold Ice Dancing Champion. 

I haven't read anything by Layne Fargo before but with this offering, I have immediately noted her down as an auto-buy author. The Favourites is scandalous, intense, toxic, dark in one breath and yet beautiful, alluring, passionate and addictive in the next. The book is like watching a movie play out in front of you (the writing is *that* good and I'm sure we will see an adaptation on the silver screen soon - or I am certainly wishing for that anyway!!) With the plot centred around professional ice skating, whether you are a fan or not, Layne is able to take the reader into that world to show the beauty and the ugly side and all that is at stake for these sportspeople. The reader experiences all the moments of high adrenaline and speed, the competitiveness and betrayal - I would find myself holding my breath where some scenes carried such intensity and drama across the pages. The format of writing the book in first person narrative and then broken down with 'interviews" of key players built up the mystery, emotion and sometimes humour - it ensured the reader is hooked and wanted to find out what happens next. 

Did I find the characters loveable? Actually, yes. None of the characters are black or white in this book, some have more of one shade than the other, but I can't label them as bad/negative characters because they would argue every decision or option was the correct one and stand by that decision, hailing from "the ends justify the means" - mentality. Layne's ability to flesh out a complicated bunch of characters is also *chefs kiss*, they all have moments of weakness and yet, they're all so brutally human, you can't help  but root for them at one point or another.

Katarina with her fierce, no nonsense attitude, committing to the sport first and foremost, and bending everything to her will to realise those dreams, was everything. I really loved her growth and development in the book. The childhood friends to lovers to enemies trope with Heath and that equation was a flickering flame in this book that just dimmed and set the pages ablaze at certain points and was everything you would want from the protagonists to move the story ahead, anything but mediocre or boring. I really loved Heath's backstory and his own struggles were well written by Layne so you could really emphasise with his character. Katarina's competition with the Lin Twins as well as her adulation of Sophia and complicated familial relationships are also dealt with wonderfully in the book. Special mention also to Ellis Dean and his comic timing, although he did frustrate me at times but he absolutely was the reason behind a couple of laugh out loud moments for me!

It really is a journey as you turn each page with the book dealing with every shade of raw human emotion and serious/sensitive topics in a very realistic setting; The Favourites is totally unpredictable and a book that pulls at your heartstrings!  Take all the stars for your brilliance Layne Fargo! This was the easiest 5 star I have given this year so far (maybe even my first?). 

Thank you @Netgalley @RandomHouseUK and @Vintage for the advance  copy in exchange for an honest unedited review.

A dramatic & emotional story about the complexities of love, rivalry, intense competition and the true cost of fame set in the high-stakes world of competitive sports.

The story centers around Katarina Shaw, a competitive ice dancer who wants to be the best and win an Olympic gold medal like her idol did. The story is told in alternating documentary interview on the anniversary of the 2014 Sochi Olympic games, and Katarina’s POV.

This book had me hooked, it was full of drama and angst. I loved the exploration of the media portrayal, showing her as bitch if she stuck up for herself and being more interested in a wedding and if she wanted children than winning a gold medal🥇. There were so many elements to this book, strong women, friendships, sabotage, romance, heartbreak, overcoming the odds, the list goes on but it’s safe to say you won’t get bored. I love a book that makes me think and before this I had absolutely no idea how expensive the world of ice dancing at an Olympic level could be!

I do wish we had had more from Heaths perspective but I understand that this was both Kats story and not the writers place to write from his minorities point of view.

If you like TJR books then you will enjoy this, it has the transcript element like Daisy Jones and short chapters that reveal just enough to make you hungry for the next with lots of twists. I have heard some amazing things about the audio to so if your an audiobook fan I’d definitely check it out!

I’m now off to watch you tube clips of Olympic ice dancing…

What was the last book that completely hooked you

This is a book that has been all over my social media feed and I see why. If you have an itching left from Daisy Jones and the Six and want something to fill that void, this is the perfect read for you. It’s emotional, it’s full of drama, and romantic in a bittersweet way. Painful and heartbreaking! I devoured this book.
Ten years in the noughties Heath and Kat were one of the top, competitive ice-skaters. They were passionately in love. All eyes were on them. Until something tragic happened. Now a decade later a documentary is being made with interviews and Kat’s own narrative to set the record straight.
This was a gorgeous read. Immersive and interesting with I,Tonya vibes. This is a sport I don’t know much about but found myself completely engrossed. This is my first Layne Fargo. I just hope her previous novels also get a re-release in the UK cause they are so darn hard to find here.

I could not put this book down. If you want a book that has so much tension and drama that you feel like you are going to throw up then look no further than here. From start to finished I was hooked on each word. This takes place is the elite level of figure skating. We see how Katarina and Heath became the iconic pair skaters. It starts all the way when they are in middle school and goes until they are well in their adulthood. You the good, the bad, and the ugly. You see the pressures and lifestyle that elite skaters have to face. You also see the betrayal and deceit at such a high level. If you love Carrie Soto or Daisy Jones definitely check this one out.

What a dream of book. This had me hooked from the start and would not let me go until I made it to the end. I loved the way it was written and the documentary aspects of it were so fun and interesting and a great way to keep the intrigue going. The way this narrative was spun and written was so engaging and did such a good job of displaying the characters and their flaws but also their strengths.
The way Kat was so unapologetically herself, even though it cost her in some ways, was so wonderful and refreshing. The same for Bella. They were such good counterpoints for each other. I also really liked Garrett and his whole character arc made me so happy. And there was Heath - my heart was in my mouth for the last 5% of this book I was so worried about Heath. The whole Sochi Olympics part was so stressful and great and heartbreaking.

Overall, a really great book that gave me the drama and tension that I needed.

I’m confidently predicting that if you are a big fan of TJR, and especially Daisy Jones and The Six, that you will love this novel about the cutthroat world of ice dance.
Written in documentary style, and spanning decades, this tells the story of Kat and Heath. Childhood sweethearts from poor backgrounds, driven by obsession (mostly Kat) to become ice dance champions, this charts their complex story, and the lengths that people will go to in order to win.
Kat and Heath are invited to train with twins, Bella and Garrett Lin, who are the the children of a former Olympic champion. This adds a layer of complexity to their lives which unfolds in multiple ways.
This book is not about ice dancing per se, but I learnt a lot about how the system of selection works. We know that it’s a ruthless world; remember Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan? This book brings it all to life, alongside a love story, asking if love or the desire to win is more important.
Great stuff. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Kat and Heath have skated together since they were young, however, they don’t have the budget of most other ice dancing teams and it’s obvious. When they have the opportunity to leave their world behind for the city lights of LA and be coached by Kat’s idol (and also biggest competitors Mom), Heath is reluctant but Kat won’t stop at anything to achieve her dreams.

This is told in part by interview style and definitely gave me Daisy Jones & The Six vibes, but it was predominantly just in prose. I really enjoyed this book and it definitely deserves the hype it’s getting! None of the characters are particularly likeable and I usually don’t like a book where I don’t connect with the protagonist but this was definitely an exception. We also got a glimpse of how it ends in the prologue which kept me hooked!
One of the best books I’ve read for a while and a definite easy 5*. Thank you @eloise.reads for recommending it!

Absolute perfection is this book! Whether you highly interested in the skating world or just want a good hook you by your seat book this is DAISY JONES & THE six on ice! I loved every minute and will be counting the minutes till it’s on screen

Beautifully brutal. This book gives a mix of ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ meets ‘Magnolia Parks’. Perfection!

The Favorites is a book that is hard to describe! It is a romance set in the world of sports, but it is so much more than that. It is a story of scandal, rivalry, love, family and found family. We get to follow our protagonists through many years from poor, lonely young loves, to (in)famous champions and more. The highs are high and the lows are low. I could not have guessed half of what was going to happen in the lives of our protagonists, but I enjoyed every second of the ride.

Recommended for fans of high intensity, dramatic reads. You do not have to be a lover of romance novels, or know anything about ice skating, to get hooked on this story.

GOD what a read. I tore through this one while sick with flu, and it was transportive - the perfect antidote to how bad I felt. It’s a retelling of Wuthering Heights - lost on me largely, i’m not going to lie - set in the ultra-competitive world of ice dancing. It’s part documentary style, part POV of one of the main characters, Kat Shaw.
I absolutely adored this book! Characters can so often feel ephemeral to me as a reader with no imagination (there are dozens of us) but the characters in this novel felt so real to me, I found myself doing a fancast in my head while reading. One of the only other books I’ve done that with in recent years is Daisy Jones and the Six; the comparisons are justified, to my mind!
Fargo writes with an earnestness and sincerity about ice dancing and romance that can border on cheesy but I ate it up. The main characters, Kat and Heath, live in poverty in the Midwest, but find each other at a young age. Kat is also obsessed with ice dancing from the time she can walk, and they fall head-over-heels in love at a young age, with Heath following Kat into the cut-throat world of ice dance. Slowly but surely, the couple work their way up the competitive ice dance ladder.

They are unstoppable together, but their passion for one another causes a lot of drama, to say the least. And how I loved the drama! I was gripped by the twists and turns of this story, and at times had no idea what was going to happen next. There is just as much interpersonal drama as there is sporting drama, which I loved - a couple of romantic plot twists left me genuinely screeching.

I read an early copy of this so I didn’t see any acknowledgments/author’s notes, but I’d love to know it the author acknowledges any real-life inspirations for the incredible ice dancers in the novel - i’ve seen one review that mentions Lin & Lockwood, the inspirational ice dancers who introduce Kat to the sport, are based on Torvill and Dean, who won a gold at the Olympics in 1984. I love little tidbits like that, so fingers crossed these real-life legends get their shout out in the finished copy of The Favourites.

An outrageously fun and dramatic novel that I had the best time with. It’s out now and I’ll definitely be picking up a copy ASAP!