I’m surprised with all the good reviews , I just found it long and repetitive and not super exciting . I did like how realistic it was and how the author seemed to really understand the sport ‘
Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two world of competitive figure skating is the focus of this book about love and obsession. Kat Shaw wants to win Olympic gold, Heath wants Kat. Their lives mesh and clash in a wild ride full of intrigue, love, hate, familial pressure and revenge. I couldn’t put this one down.

The Favorites is Wuthering Heights meets I, Tonya meets Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's 2018 Moulin Rouge performance. As someone who has been obsessed with all of these things, this book was seemingly made for me. This book was such an experience to read. It was my first Layne Fargo, but I know it wont be my last. I can definitely tell that she is a thriller writer, because my stress levels reading this were much higher than i expected out of a romance. Nonetheless, I had an incredible time reading this.

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are our Catherine and Heathcliff, our volatile and obsessive main characters. Katarina is passionate about ice dance and will do anything to be the best. The way that Katarina feels about the sport is how Heath Rocha feels about her, Theyr'e best friends since childhood, ice dance partners, eventual lovers, and we see their relationship with each other and with the sport develop over the course of the book.

Reading this feels like watching a biopic, as the chapters alternate between Katarina's POV and interviews for a documentary by her friends, family, fellow athletes, coaches, competitors etc. This was so fun to read, as we'd see something occur in Katarina's pov, and then hear the impressions and assumptions of others right after. This added a layer of intrigue, as we are sometimes left wondering who to believe.- Katarina's impression of a situation, or what people say for a camera years later. I loved reading about the skating world and how much drama and intrigue Fargo built. I was on the edge of my seat for the main plot/main characters, but also for the side characters and the glimpses into their (often scandalous) stories.

Katarina and Heath's relationship is volatile and intense, jumping from sweet to stressful in an instant. I really enjoyed reading about their relationship and the sport, but i did think that Katarina was a more fully fleshed out character than Heath. I feel like I know Katarina as a character, she's a maligned woman at the start of the story, telling the reader her side of things, but I don't fully understand Heath. There were hints and deeper layers to him, but I didn't find them to be explored enough.

Finally, there was a Harry Potter reference in this book that was completely unnecessary. It seemed to only exist to establish the time frame in a chapter set in the early 2000s, but there are so many other ways that that could have been done, without referencing an author who is doing harm every day to the trans community. Readers have repeatedly asked authors to stop referencing Harry Potter and JKR's works in their books, and it was extremely disappointing to see the reference in a book that seems to make an effort to include queer characters. I hope that this was removed from the final version.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book

The betrayal, the scandal, the manipulation… oof. Absolutely ruthless.

Esteemed figure skater Katarina Shaw is the girl everyone loves to hate, and she’ll stop at nothing to claim Olympic gold. But she’s not the only one with ice in her veins—every character in this story is fighting for the top spot, and their cutthroat methods are just as brutal. There were moments I had to put the book down because I was seething. Expect secrets, lies, sabotage, and plenty of rage. The Favorites pulls back the curtain on the high-stakes world of competitive sports, revealing the drama simmering just beneath the surface.

This book started out so strong, but ultimately wasn’t a favourite.

I love the sports world, and the love story set against it, but ultimately the characters fell flat and the ending was much too predictable. Some books just leave me with the impression they should be deeper, and this was one of them. Really, it should have been 100 pages shorter, and a quick fun read. I would compare it to Carrie Soto Fights Back, in terms of energy and theme, but this one didn’t leave me in tear like that one did.

It has been getting rave reviews, so give it a try if you like skating.

This is a Wuthering Heights retelling set in the modern way world of figure skating. It was told in a documentary/journalistic style, examining events ten years after the fact, which was a cool twist for a retelling. Katarina and Heath both had very hard lives growing up and developed a deep bond given they've only really ever been able to rely on each other. This creates a roller coaster relationship with some toxic energy, but also genuine love for each other. The ice dancing story add a lot of intrigue to the story, with the two being thrown into an environment full of fierce competition, jealousy, and back stabbing. I thought this was a unique and different retelling of an all-time classic.

If you are a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, I highly recommend picking up this book. I could not put this book down. Every turn of the page kept my attention until the very last words. If you are looking for something dramatic and heavy, but still full of hope, this is the book you need to read.

This was one of the most dramatic books I’ve ever read. Every single thing that could be dramatic happens. The setting of figure skating is the perfect background and it’s so interesting. The characters are so unlikable and yet you root for them all the same. Was a page turning ride from beginning to end.

If you loved the movie “ The Cutting Edge” this book is for you! I loved every minute of both. An ice dance rivalry mixed with some romance and some very intense events. I could not predict most of this one which makes it a five star read for me!

This is my first book by Layne Fargo but won't be the last. These were characters that will stay with you and give you all the feels. With in depth flash backs and a look at their present time, it was a story woven through time and the testament of the relationship. Loved the ice skating element and a peek behind the facades to the true emotion and lasting impression. Great writing and can't wait to read more!

🙃🙃🙃 what did I just read? This gives Taylor Jenkins Reid vibes, so if you like DJ6 especially then this might be right up your alley.
This was so raved about in the book community, but I’m not sure it was my favorite. The first half kept me interested and the second just made me continually annoyed. Then the ending felt like such a cop out.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the arc

Overall a fantastic read with the various character voices plus the interviews made it a full, well written story. Growing up in the 80s/90s, the Olympics are a huge memory of mine. I loved the nostalgic vibe of the first part of the book plus the "behind the scenes" of the drama and hard work of Ice Skating competitively. The ending was a bit too tidy for me, but over all I rate 4.5!

Read if you like: figure skating, dramas, and Daisy Jones and the Six
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The book follows the tumultuous relationship between skating partners, Kat and Heath. Kat's dream is to win an Olympic gold medal. Heath's dream is to be with Kat. The two definitely don't have a healthy relationship, but I was captivated by their story and wanted to keep reading. This was also told through a series of interviews alongside the story, and this definitely gives Daisy Jones and the Six vibes. If you love dramatic stories, then this is for you!

WHAT DID I JUST READ? BINGED THIS BOOK IN ONE EVENING. I could not put it down. It’s been forever since a book has completely consumed me – and when I finished that very last page, I messaged @taras – a WTH just happened. Everything was so well done in this book. The twists kept me gasping until the end. This is my second book by this author – and I’m going to add her to my auto-buy list because it was that good. It was STRAIGHT UP ADDICTIVE – 100% drama, 120 % scandalous and 200% amazing. The documentary like story telling was genius. So much backstabbing, so many secrets and all the toxic dynamics – was really captured by the author. So so good!! This one deserves more than 5 stars. Thank you to NETGALLEY and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a wild ride! I am still trying to find the words to describe this book. It was full of drama that is for sure. I loved the documentary type parts. There were a few "twists" that really shocked me. But after the first few, it was kind of like okay this seems a little much. But overall, i really enjoyed this one and i would definitely recommend if you are looking for an unconventional romance with a lot of drama.

Thank you Random House publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

figure skating? love triangle? drama? under-rated taylor swift song reference??? sign me up! I have loved this book and didn’t want it to end. it was so enjoyable and I know the year is early, but possibly my favorite book of the year?

I was addicted to reading this book - I didn’t want it to end. That said, I am not giving it a high rating because while it was very readable, I would expect strong character development in a 400+ page book. While Katerina was a fairly well realized character in the present tense, she lacked a strong backstory defining her motivations. The other characters were all very underdeveloped l, almost seeming like caricatures. I enjoyed for the drama, but the execution was missing depth.

This is definitely a top read of mine for 2025. I so appreciate the author taking us into the world of elite ice dancing because it is so unique.
Its all here : drama, passion, ambition, scandal and love.
I really enjoyed the interview style. I felt like I was reading about a real documentary and
I wanted to look up the dances.
It sure didn't feel like over 400 pages, I couldn't put it down!

This novel is an epic love story set in the ruthless world of elite figure skating, following Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha as they rise to Olympic fame.
Katarina is a bold protagonist who is hard to root for but even harder to look away from. The romance between Katarina and Heath is simmering and intense, but never overshadows their shared ambition and the sacrifices they make to stay at the top.
‘The Favorites’ has a gripping storyline, complex characters, and a unique writing style. If you’re a fan of sports dramas, romance, or just great storytelling, this book is definitely worth checking out!!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC.

This book is a hit-or-miss type. For me it was a miss, but I’m giving it three stars for loving the format, the wonderful FMC and the fact that it’s out-of-the-box having to deal with ice skating.
I didn’t find it very interesting, except for Katarina’s family. Her and Heath I felt had very little chemistry and the drama between the competitors were drawing on high school teenagers!
I can see why some readers would love this type of book, but it’s not my cup of tea.