(3.5 rounded up) I went into this thinking it was a mystery/thriller (100% on me, literally nowhere is it described as a mystery), so I was very surprised as the pages went on and it definitely was thrilling, but also leaned heavily into romance. The synopsis’s first line proclaims it “an epic love story,” so, again, the genre confusion is on me. That being said, I really liked this! I liked Layne Fargo’s previous novel “They Never Learn,” which is a feminist mystery/thriller, and this novel shows that regardless of genre, she is extremely good at developing a compelling story. This is a dual timeline story about a pair of ice dancers who are in love and all of the complications and trials they endure, from teenagedom to adulthood. The story, via the mixed media approach of a documentary, also includes voices other than our primary narrator, Katarina, the female dancer in the ice dancing duo, which I liked. It’s nice to get out of the main character’s head and adds a different perspective to events being written about. As someone unfamiliar with the ice skating/dancing world as a whole, I still felt drawn in to the dramas and lifestyle that being an athlete in this world brings about. I also felt the love story was fairly well-drawn, if a bit too much at times. The book is quite long and I sometimes found the prose overwritten. But my complaints were mostly minor. Layne Fargo has not missed for me yet.

This book has absolutely everything I love in a good fiction novel. I nod to a classic with a new twist, use of multi media, complex characters that you can't look away from, ambition, athletics, and of course, the will they or wont they. My only regret is that i didn't get to experience this on audio- I'm sure it will be amazing!

Thoughts

THE DRAMA!!

Y'all, I devoured this book. And it is a 448 page book, so it isn't small. But it had me enthralled. I just couldn't put it down.

This centers around childhood friends who dream of going to the Olympics for Ice Dancing. But they were not for wealthy families and it is hard to make it without money and connections. But Katarina cannot think of anything else. It is her dream.

As we know there has been some drama in ice skating but this book brought all the drama! Which, had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

I am also glad Fargo has continued to write amazing women characters who a lot of people would consider unlikeable. She also points out the misogyny and hypocrisy directed towards women.

This was just such an entertaining read. I'd definitely recommend it. Thoughts

THE DRAMA!!

Y'all, I devoured this book. And it is a 448 page book, so it isn't small. But it had me enthralled. I just couldn't put it down.

This centers around childhood friends who dream of going to the Olympics for Ice Dancing. But they were not for wealthy families and it is hard to make it without money and connections. But Katarina cannot think of anything else. It is her dream.

As we know there has been some drama in ice skating but this book brought all the drama! Which, had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

I am also glad Fargo has continued to write amazing women characters who a lot of people would consider unlikeable. She also points out the misogyny and hypocrisy directed towards women.

This was just such an entertaining read. I'd definitely recommend it. Thoughts

THE DRAMA!!

Y'all, I devoured this book. And it is a 448 page book, so it isn't small. But it had me enthralled. I just couldn't put it down.

This centers around childhood friends who dream of going to the Olympics for Ice Dancing. But they were not for wealthy families and it is hard to make it without money and connections. But Katarina cannot think of anything else. It is her dream.

As we know there has been some drama in ice skating but this book brought all the drama! Which, had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

I am also glad Fargo has continued to write amazing women characters who a lot of people would consider unlikeable. She also points out the misogyny and hypocrisy directed towards women.

This was just such an entertaining read. I'd definitely recommend it.

I wanted to love this book but it missed the mark for me. I saw the vision and the plot line was interesting but i didnt like any of the characters. Im not sure if this was a romance but none of the characters were likable, all of their personalities were ice skating (either winning ir being forced to be in it) and none of them had any genuine friends or family relationships. Me not caring about any of the characters just had me skimming the book towards the end. But the chapters were short and engaging so it was pretty easy to fly through this book.

I fear that I’ve just read the best book I’ve read ever? At minimum the best book I’ve read this year.

This book will remind you why you fell in love with reading. Absolutely captivating, addictive, thrilling, and heartbreaking all at once. I gasped OUT LOUD multiple times. I just could not get enough and I’m sad every time I remember I finished this book.

Perfect for fans of daisy jones and the six, magnolia parks, and addicted to you.

I could not put this one down! I did not even realize how many pages this book was until I read other reviews that mentioned it's over 400 pages! Fargo's character development (of both main and side characters) kept me drawn in, and I appreciated the book's format with interview snippets weaved in. It helped push the narrative along.

4.25 rounded up to 5! Parts of it (the beginning and end - "idc what you think" statements) felt a bit too YA for me. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC!

Wow is this a long story - that’s why I gave it 3 stars. The story is good and gives the reader a very intimate look inside the cutthroat world of ice dancing and the relationships that form - but it couldve been written in a lot less pages.. Thank you for the advance read.

Really enjoyed this! This writer writes such deliciously juicy stories that immediately reel you in! I loved the scandal and the structure of the story. You can tell a lot of investment and research was poured into this book. I love the unique layout. Would recommend! Thank you to the author and netgalley!

I absolutely devoured this book. I'm not one to read books like this, I'm generally a fantasy/romance girl. But I ate this up! I loved the romance, sabotage, the aspects of thriller, and everything in between. You loved and hated every character as you read, and the story was extremely well paced. I don't have anything bad to say about the book! Not a perfect 5 for me (those require deep emotions evoked) but it was so dang close!

So grateful for the opportunity to read this, and I will be looking into the authors other books as well!

4.5/5 rounded to a 5

I LOVED The Favorites so much! I couldn’t put it down and at the same time I was desperately trying to read slower to make it last. The super competitive world of professional ice dancing was a perfectly dramatic backdrop for all of the twists and turns of this novel. There’s romance, friendship, intrigue, competition, a ~dash~ of spice, betrayal, grief, love…I could go on. Just when I thought I had something figured out, plot twist. I honestly have no complaints. This was an absolute delight to read. Well-developed characters, great narrative threads, super satisfying ending. No notes!

⭐️: 5/5

There’s just something about books that tell the life story of deeply interesting and dramatic fictional characters. This book had everything that I love about contemporary fiction books: a competition storyline, sections with interview/fake documentary format transcripts, and a feminist message. Layne Fargo is quickly becoming a favorite author. The only other book I’ve ready by Fargo was They Never Learn, which I really liked, but this one surpassed it on all levels. The degree of research that she did for the book and the way she made us care about all the characters, even when they were doing bad things and the way you cared was that you hated them, was so exciting to read!

This story was addictive to read, and I truly couldn’t put it down. The chapters were pretty short, and most had fake documentary transcripts at the end, which broke up the narrative in a really good way and made the foreshadowing feel natural. The ups and downs of Kat and Heath and the parallels that Fargo drew from in real life were just so fun and entertaining. It was also a great choice to make the story span many years, because it made the plight of the characters so much more believable. The characters, the relationships, the drama, the plot, the subject…I loved it all.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this eARC for my honest review!!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group for the copy of The Favorites by Layne Fargo.The writing drew me into the story and Kat and Heath are so compelling I couldn't put this book down. How much are they willing to sacrifice to win Olympic gold? I didn’t even mind the romance, and I usually hate romance, but it was so woven into the story it felt natural. Their passion leapt off the pages and I wished they were real so I could watch them skate. The snippets from the documentary from people who knew them in the skating world was a great way to give voice to more characters and see other perspectives. I loved the hint of thriller vibes near the end. This is a long book but it was so good it didn’t feel long. If you want a glimpse into the cutthroat sport of ice dancing and the quest for Olympic gold, this is the book for you. 5 stars

Three stars.

OK, according to no less an authority than Jodi Picoult this is “part WUTHERING HEIGHTS, part DAISY JONES AND THE SIX,” only with more skating than either of those, I presume, so I couldn’t imagine what kind of glorious mess this was going to be.

Katarina Shaw has always known she was destined to become an Olympic ice dancer. I don’t know why an ice dancer versus a skater, but you just have to go with it. No one knows her and she’s got no money and no support, not even from her own family, but, hey, her name is “Katarina” so I guess I kind of see it.

Then she meets Heath Rocha, who is in the foster care system, a noted feeder for figure skating…..I’m sorry…ICE DANCING greatness. They have an instant connection - ugh, insta-love. I HATE insta-love. Anyway, they become a pair both on and off ice. Blah, blah, blah. Go to famous ice dancing place (if these exist,) many happenings with brother/sister rivals then a “shocking incident” at the Olympics brings their partnership to an end.

Book over? Of course not, because ice dancing has no end, apparently. Now it’s ten years later and someone cares enough to make an unauthorized documentary about this nonsense, claiming to have the real story. Katarina despairs about the doc, but also doesn’t want anyone else to have control of her life so she decides to tell her own story.

First off, I think that this book might be dedicated to Tonya Harding. Maybe. Possibly. Not sure.

Is it YA? I don’t think it’s meant to be, but it could be. Again, not sure.

At over 400 pages it is so too long I nearly cried.

It’s way more of a romance than I usually read (which is none. None romance.). I didn’t despise it, however. I just was a bit surprised to find that anyone cares about ice dancing in non-Olympic years (and I have to be honest…I don’t think they do, other than a really, really, really tiny group of people. So, so small.)

Should you read it? I was lured in thinking it would be about the cut-throat world of world-class skating, and there is some of that. So if you like that and romance, by all means, give it a go.

My first preorder for 2025 is in and it is... a favorite. Maybe THE favorite?! Time will tell.

Thank you to my publishing partners for my copy of THE FAVORITES! This book comes out in January and you'll want to prioritize because it is excellent. If you've read DAISY JONES, perhaps you connected with the raw realness that TJR created with the band. Now, picture that on a skating rink amongst childhood friends with a complicated history and an obsession to win.

After reading Kat and Heath's story, I went on YouTube to watch their clips, specifically The Last Time (one of my favorite T-Swift songs), but alas, I was sadly reminded that they do not exist. Kat and Heath are fictional, but they felt so real! Layne brought their journeys to life in such a vivid way that I stayed wrapped up in their world.

Also... can we please take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous book cover art?!

If you're in the mood for a messy love story filled with hope, betrayal, will they / won't they tension that you can slice with a skate set against the elite and uber competitive world of figure skating, you've come to the right place. While I enjoyed Kat and Heath's stories, I was also invested in the supporting characters, a particular standout being Ellis, obviously.

I loved this book. I was taken in my Kat and Heath's story from the beginning, and the intense bond they shared as they navigated their dreams, or really, Kat's dream, to get them our of their small hometown. While I enjoyed seeing how they bounced back from each setback, I felt that it happened a few too many times, and made the book unnecessarily longer when the same effect would have been felt without it. Overall, it was Kat's addictive personality that really drove the plot, for better or worse, and had you loving and sometimes hating her at the same time.

I really enjoyed this, especially as a fan of ice skaters/dancers, and their events being my favorite thing to watch at the winter Olympics. I could picture everything! I loved the description of the costumes, performances, music and competitions. My heart was racing while they waited for their scores, too! Fargo really gets you invested in the characters, specifically The Favorites, Kat and Heath.

Okay, enough about that. There was so much drama in this book! Forget about the pretty costumes- these people were cutthroat and obsessed with their skating careers. And each other. And Kat and Heath have such a tumultuous relationship, which makes you even more interested in them. Talk about ups and downs. 😮‍💨

So, it's no surprise that, almost 20 years after the events of the book occurred, a documentary is now being made about them. I liked the aspect of a documentary/oral history within the book. This was a smart way to get perspectives from a variety of key people and witnesses. It provides lots of quotes and insight from others without having to have full chapters from their perspective, which weren't needed. And the descriptions of videos that are being shown in the documentary were very cool too. Fargo succeeds in creating what feels like a real documentary.

But the best part is the alternating chapters told from Kat's perspective, hearing the whole story in her voice and growing to understand her motives and choices. She does not try to be likable or beg anyone to be convinced, she just tells her story the way it was.

This would make a really great TV series!


Ratings
Story Concept 5/5
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 4/5
Character Development 4/5

Overall Enjoyability 4/5

Katarina grew up wanting to become an Olympic ice dancer, like her idol, Sheila Lin. As a girl, she meets Heath, a boy in foster care. Heath will do anything for Kat and the two become an ice dancing team. Despite a lack of funds, they enter a competition and do well. They catch the interest of Sheila Lin who invites them to her academy. This sets up years of scandal, love, and revenge as Kat will do anything to become the best. The story is told from Kat's point of view and several other characters reflecting back as they are interviewed for a documentary. This is a book that will suck you in and make you want to keep reading to find out what happens to the characters.

Layne Fargo is one of my favorite authors. She never disappoints—her writing style is truly amazing and engaging and so good. Her books feel like movies, this one did. I’m obsessed. FULL RTC!

⏩Alexa, play Let the world burn by Chris Grey (with G-Eazy and Ari Abdul)⏪

Holy shit, what a wild ride, what an emotional roller-coaster!!
The Favorites is going straight to my favorites shelf, I still can't stop thinking about it 😩
The best way to describe this book would be Wuthering Heights meets Daisy Jones & the Six with figure skaters.

The Favorites has it all—messy characters with complicated relationships, tension, drama, romance, jealousy, ugliness, betrayals, scandal, toxicity, heartbreak—I'm obsessed!!
I haven't had romance give me this much anxiety since Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer.

This was definitely character driven, the ice dancing just the backdrop so make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before you start because this is not a rom-com (if the Wuthering Heights comparison wasn't indication enough lol)

Our MCs, Kat and Heath, reminded me so much of Cathy and Heathcliff I was bracing for tragedy the whole time.
They're both fucked up characters with a lot of baggage and so much history—I loved them and I hated them and I wanted to be them and I wanted to be *with* them. No matter what, might be crazy, but I was rooting for them the entire time.
Kat, especially, was so relatable for me—flawed and complex—she's exactly the type of FMC I love and love to read about.

Every character went through so much and everyone's development was fantastic. My gods, the things that happened, the twists, the manipulations and mind games–I was enthralled the whole time, couldn't look away even when I wanted to.

⏩Alexa, play The Last Time by Taylor Swift ft. Gary Lightbody⏪

The last few chapters were so crazy!! Everything that went down and the way it did.. it's not an exaggeration when I say I bawled my eyes out. I'll be sending you my therapy bill, Layne!!

There's just so much that happened in The Favorites that I don't think I can even begin to explain this layered story that spans more than a decade without spoilers so if what you've read so far piques your interest just read the book.

P.S. you know that section in B&N "supporting women's right and women's wrongs"? This should be the crown jewel.

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

**Spoiler alert**


This was so well written! I loved the theme of the interviews during the story from characters who showed up as key players throughout the book. Kat and Heath..... the angst and slow burn! I went through all of the emotions with both of them. Cheering them on as teens to get a chance to make it out of their crummy situation, followed by a slight annoyance with Kat for lack of loyalty in order to get what she wanted and convince despite Heath not being so sure that staying with the Lin's that first year. Kat's character, especially, went through so much growth. She always seemed to find a way to justify her passion for the sport, to the point of damaging the loyalty Heath bestowed upon her, and was so selfish in the beginning, You watch her character go through heartbreak and self destruction and when Heath and Bella were found in bed together I was so disappointed in Heath and devastated for Kat. This also helped her character with a growth that only happens through pain. I was sad when Heath moved past Kats room to go to Bella's that night, and that was the only thing that I felt was out of character for him. Perhaps the best character that I didn't know I would love was Bella! Great job developing her and giving the end of the story a little twist we didn't see coming by finding a way to weave together all of the strong friendships that developed throughout the story. I enjoyed this book!