Wow! This lived up to the hype for me. The Favorites is dramatic, addictive and so intriguing it was hard to put this book down. Katarina Shaw is a force, relentlessly driven towards her goal of being an Olympic skater and undeterred by obstacles, of which there are plenty. Heath Rocha is her childhood friend, her confidant, her skating partner, but their relationship is so much more. Their connection was magnetic - I wasn't sure if I was rooting for or against them. The way this story was told Documentary style was engaging and added a juicy level of intrigue to the scandals of this book. I didn't know a lot about, and honestly wasn't super interested, in skating but this book was so informative in an engaging way, that I may be a fan now! Overall, a really great reading experience highly recommend.
Thank you Random House for the copy through NetGalley!

For an almost 450 page book, this flew by! Packed with plot, The Favorites moves at a fast pace appropriate for the sport at the center of it all. Going into it knowing nothing about ice dance - I thought it was the same as pairs skating! - presented no problems, as the technical aspects of the sport mattered less (to me) than the passion and artistry. The plot had some well-executed twists (pun intended) and I enjoyed the cast of supporting characters. Garrett, Ellis Dean, and Kirk - what a bunch of good, loyal guys!

The influence of Taylor Jenkins Reid radiated off the page. By the time I reached the acknowledgments, they confirmed that TJR had impacted not just the oral history format, but Layne Fargo's research and approach to the story. This felt like a fun discovery for a longtime TJR fan.

I'm already looking forward to reading Fargo's next book!

This was soooo good!! So fast faced and engaging. Now my yt is showing me skating videos because I was just so locked in. Needs to be made into a TV show ASAP! Bumped down to a 4 because part of this just bothered me so much but I definitely want to read more from Layne Fargo now.


(Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc)

4 stars! Kat and Heath, childhood sweethearts, found comfort in each other through life’s hardships. Their connection deepened as they chased their shared passion for ice skating, aiming for greatness.

If you’re into sports stories packed with strong female characters, complex relationships, and drama, this one’s worth your time. It also dives into the fascinating (and sometimes cutthroat) world of competitive figure skating, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes politics, and I learned a lot.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators were fantastic, it felt like a movie. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

I literally had no idea this was a Wuthering Heights retelling until the epilogue. Then it all clicked. I am actually not a WH fan because it was so sinisterly toxic. But this book seemed so much more accessible to me. The toxic relationship combined with the spotlight and fame seemed so plausible. I had an easier time reading it and understanding it. I thought the ice dancing was such a smart tool to use, such a competitive and sensual sport. Of course that would help build the drama of their relationship and scandal. It is confusing-I hated every single character at times (some more than others-Kat, I'm looking at you), but I really enjoyed reading it.

Oh we love some messy characters and drama heavy story! These characters couldn't catch a break and my god it felt like I was watching the documentary while reading (I need this to be adapted asap into an actual tv series). I loved the writing style and felt sucked in from the very beginning. The audiobook is phenomenal and decided to listen to it once it had released and highly recommend that format to people. I think the general consensus of this book is "Did I finish the book, or did the book finish me?" and it's spot on.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review!

Are you a figure skating girlie when watching the winter olympics? Do you live for drama and scandal? Are messy characters your favorite??

Then do I have a book for you! I recently finished The Favorites by Layne Fargo (thank you @librofm for the ALC and NetGalley and Random House for the eARC), and this was a great winter read that's heavy but not too heavy. It also had some great character growth! Although the romance storyline often had me rolling my eyes, I did enjoy most parts of this book 🤗

Now available wherever books are sold, if this title sounds intriguing to you, then I suggest you check it out!

I've read a few of Layne Fargo's books now, so I was excited to receive this early copy of The Favorites. I love the way Fargo writes strong, unapologetic women who don't need to make themselves gentler or "more palatable" to interact with the world.

There was a lot to like about The Favorites. I quickly found myself immersed in the world, sucked into the drama and action of figure skating and of Kat and Heath's lives. The format kept me turning pages, with quick chapters intermixed with interviews that offered clues of what was to come. I zoomed through the first third of the book, excited to discover the next wrinkle in their adventures.

I think where this book struggles is the length. After a while, it feels repetitive. ANOTHER scandal, ANOTHER sporting event, ANOTHER change in relationship status. They began to run together, so after a few hundred pages it was hard to stay invested (or be surprised by) yet another event. It feels less realistic as it goes, and it's harder to stay engaged in the action. On the flip side, the ending feels a little too clean and tidy to be satisfying.

There's a lot to like about The Favorites and about Fargo's writing, but this one won't be a top read for me.

I have not been this invested in fictional figure skaters since Yuuri on Ice. This book was so good yet so stressful I was waiting for something to go wrong the entire book.


I mean I know its Wuthering Heights meets pairs Ice Dancing but I haven't read Wuthering Heights since high school and besides the iconic Virtue and Mohr ice dance to Moulin Rouge songs I have paid zero attention to ice dancing. So really I went into this book pretty blind but it was such a good read.

The book is told in first person by Kat but each chapter ends with interviews for a documentary on Kat and Heath (the doc is called the Favorites) which reminded me a little of Daisy Jones and the Six.

We follow the pair from teenagers to adults but their journey is not without drama or heartache. I feel like saying anything more about the plot will spoil it but there were some definite twist moments I never saw coming.

I did feel like it lost a little momentum at the end but overall this was a fun, dishy read and I highly recommend.

As someone who grew yup during the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding feud, I could not resist this book, and Fargo did not disappoint. Fast paced and intense, the characters are well-developed and relatable, even when they are not being likable. This engrossing story kept me turning pages well past my allotted time! Highly recommend!

The first half was unputdownable. The second half became a slog of competitions and drama. I was entertained, at least.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Favorites was just published on January 13, 2025 ⛸️ but I had honor of reading a digital arc in December and it did not disappoint. I gobbled this up like it was white cheddar popcorn 🍿and then I learned that the audio book is narrated by Christine Lakin!! (This is for the early 90’s -2000’s kids, she’s the actress from Step by Step - Al Lambert!) anyways I love Christine Lakin, I listen to her podcast and I always thought her voice would be incredible on an audio book. I legit squealed when I learned she narrated the voice for our FMC. Christine brought life to Katrina Shaw and I haven’t stopped thinking about the book, since I listened to the audio.

It’s Daisy Jones and the Six x Magnolia Parks x Wuthering Heights

Reactions:

For me this is gossip girl on ice with tall flutes of champagne 🍾

The only thing that would make this reading experience even better is buttered popcorn from the movie theaters.

Literally pacing back and forth in my room reading this!


I read an arc of this in December and it was amazing, but then I heard that Christine Lakin narrated the main character Katrina Shaw. Omg the audio is incredible. This is Daisy Jones and the Six X Gossip Girl (it’s been compared to Magnolia Parks and Wuthering Heights but I’ve never read it).

Heath Cliff - Heath Rocha - seeing a theme, but make the Olympics. I haven’t stopped thinking about this book and now with the audio it lives rent free in my head.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for a digital advanced copy! 💕

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

I absolutely LOVE this author. I’ve read her two thriller novels, They Never Learn and Temper and gave them both 5 stars and was SUPER excited to read this one. This one is different from her other ones as it’s a contemporary, coming of age, romance, ice dancing epic love story. I love seeing authors change things up and it’s clear that Fargo is a beyond talented author and I am just lucky to have read her books.

In this read we watch Katarina and Heath grow up together in the ice dancing world. All Katarina wants is to become an Olympic skater and reach that gold medal. Sometimes to her own detriment. We watch them grow together through Katarina’s eyes as she tells her story through the years since a documentary is being made. There have been rumors for years about them, their partners, their relationship. It’s about time the world knew the real story.

I used to LOVE watching ice skating when I was younger. And I remember so vividly when the whole Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan debacle happened. It was the first time I realized just how much pressure these skaters must be under and just how far they would go to win. If you don’t know their story, go look it up because it’s quite fascinating. The Favorites dives into all of the above through Katarina and Heath’s lives – the pressure to be good, whether through their coaches and mainly through their own personal goals. The “friends” they make along the way… more like frenemies, but hey, it’s a tough world in that industry. And every page culminates into a shocking ending.

This 448 page book is long but I believe it’s worth every page. Could it have been shorter? Maybe, but to get the full intimacy of everything that happens, it’s important. Oh the drama of it all! Betrayals at every corner, the dark side of being in the spotlight. Heartbreaks and mends. I don’t know you guys. This isn’t my typical kinda read but I absolutely fell in love with it. At the beginning, I wasn’t sure this was going to be the read for me but I’m glad I stuck with it because sometimes you just have to go outside of your mainstay genres and cleanse that palate.

From the moment I started this book, I knew it was going to be one of my favorite reads this year. The story of the world of ice dancing completely captivated me. As a self-proclaimed lover of all things competitive sports, especially the Olympics, I thought this book demonstrated the dedication and struggles of these athletes. I enjoyed learning more about the competition aspect, and was addicted to the drama with all the different partners. I thought the interview/documentary portion was brilliant to move the plot along. I especially enjoyed having the story told from the point of view of Kat. I thought she was the perfect narrator, especially because of the growth of her character throughout the book. The only complaint that I have was a couple of the plot points that disappointed me and I feel like perhaps it was just a smidge too long as it almost became a bit repetitive in parts. That being said, I truly enjoyed my time in the ice dancing world and the ending wrapped up in a satisfying way. As I said, I know this is going to be one of my favorites (no pun intended) of the year. 4.5/5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Quite possibly a best-book-of-2025 contender! I devoured every chapter, and lived for the obsession, competition, and rivalries in the world of ice dancing. Interview segments sprinkled throughout kept things interesting from start to finish. Top notch!

I think I already have like ten favorite books this year and it’s only the second week of February. This one is included in my list. I was living inside this book while reading, I was captivated to the point where if something happened to a character my heart stopped for a second. I cannot get over this book.

Passion, ambition and obsession collide in “The Favorites” (Random House, $28), an electrifying novel set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating. Leaning more toward romance, Layne Fargo’s latest follows Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, once an unstoppable ice-dancing duo who captivated audiences with their undeniable chemistry — until a shocking scandal shattered their partnership. A decade later, an explosive documentary threatens to expose the truth, forcing Kat to reclaim her story before the world rewrites it for her.

Fargo, author of psychological thrillers “They Never Learn” and “Temper,” and co-author of the bestselling “Young Rich Widows” series, has once again delivered a master class in spine-tingling storytelling, interweaving rivalry, media scrutiny and betrayal into a sensational, high-stakes drama where fame is fleeting, talent isn’t enough and love can be as dangerous as the ice beneath their skates.

Pro tip: The audiobook is a must-listen. “The Favorites” unfolds through a series of interviews in a gripping documentary-style format — think “Daisy Jones & The Six” — and the audio version features a dynamic cast of narrators, amplifying the tension and drama and making for an even more immersive experience. This unique storytelling format will keep you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth behind the scandal

Layne Fargo never misses. This is a phenomenal novel. My new definition of propulsive. Absolutely adored it!

A masterpiece and already a favorite book of 2025!! This one will be hard to top. The drama, the intensity on the ice, the relationships. I loved every single page of this book and cannot wait for a reread sometime in my future so I can experience it all over again!

One of the most epic push/pull dramatic, gripping sports romances that had me hooked from the very first page. Heath and Kat’s childhood romance, which evolves through the high-stakes world of Olympic ice dancing, is full of passion, tension, and emotion. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their journey is both beautiful and heartbreaking at times.

I loved the unique interview-style format—it felt like a documentary, offering different perspectives and making the story even more engaging. It added layers to the characters and their complicated relationship.

Listening to the audiobook with a full cast was an incredible experience. Each voice brought the characters to life in a way that enhanced the emotional depth of the story, making the highs and lows even more impactful.

The ending left me shook. I'm still not over it!!! It is SUCH a great book to read as a book club because you'll want to dissect that ending with friends! If you're a fan of sports romance with complex characters and high emotional stakes, The Favorites is a must-read!