5 stars 5 stars 5 stars!

This book gave me all of the Daisy Jones x I, Tonya vibes that I needed. I love figure. skating, and so just with the premise I knew I was going to eat this up. But honestly, I was still surprised by how much I loved this book. I had read Layne Fargo's thrillers before and so I was a bit apprehensive going into a completely different genre, but she ate it up! The characters felt so real, the drama felt so real, and the book brought me to tears. I felt the need to finish it as soon as possible because I had to know what was happening. Absolutely fantastic!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a highly anticipated read of mine and though it wasn't a bad one, it didn't live up the expectations I had going into it. In this book we follow the lives of an ice-skating duo. It delves into their history from when they were children, their relationship with each other, and all the drama that ensued. I wanted to feel the fast-paced rush that other people spoke about when reading this book but unfortunately didn't get. I'm typically a fan of well-done cliches, but the way that this book was over the top, I think it was just a bit too much for me. I will say, the characters were okay. There was a lot of angst and tension that I could feel in the pages, however, it wasn't enough to capture my attention the entire time I was reading.

I think this is my favorite book of the year. every single twist was so good. I just kept gasping. every character, every year. it was all amazing.

This was pretty slow. The premise was good, but the characters were not very well flushed out. I didn't sympathize with any of them. We read it in book club and the reviews were mixed. This novel is best consumed on audio!

I am writing this review two months after finishing it because life be life-ing, but let me explain just how utterly and thoroughly this book fucked me up. Since reading this book, I have convinced four people to read it. I have talked it up to two different book communities I am a part of. I have burrowed down into ice skating content obsessively (Tessa and Scott, I am LOOKING AT YOU). Suffice it to say, this book finished ME, not the other way around.

The level of messy that these characters reached is unmatched. Reading this book felt like reading a a tabloid exposé, and the little documentary cuts were so easy to visualize in my mind. I raced through it, so eager to see what happened next. And I cannot recommend it highly enough. 5 of the easiest ⭐s in the world.

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I enjoyed this. It was such a good book for a rainy day. The author paced this extremely well. There were some moments in the dialogue that made me inwardly cringe, but I think if you want a book to just turn your mind off and have fun, this is a great pick.

I love when books, especially fiction books, introduce me to a world about which I knew nothing coming in. This time, this novel, gave me ice dancing! I remember sometimes seeing figure skaters at the Winter Olympics as a child, and of course, who could forget the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal that happened when I was in middle school? (ugh, I'm giving away my age here!) But I knew nothing of ice dancing before this book. I didn't even know there was a difference in figure skating and ice dancing. After finishing this book, I watched countless videos on the internet and did all kinds of research into the sport, because this book made me hungry for more when I finished. That's the mark of an excellent novel, to me. There was suspense, intrigue, romance, tragedy, pain, glory and triumph, and the fall. This book simply has it all, even if you think that a "sports romance" is not your thing. The Favorites will have you hooked from the beginning, and won't let go until the final page. You may even find yourself a new fan of ice dancing. I know I am.

This book took me MONTHS to read because every time I picked it up it would be all I thought about. At work, in the car, trying to sleep I was OBSESSED with the drama. The story telling is just so good! The messy hot and cold, year after year, high highs and low lows were so raw. I was gasping, screaming, crying at every turn. This story was devastating in the very best way. EASY FIVE STARS!

The Favorites was my first five-star read of 2025. I could not get enough of Kat and Heath. Their ups and downs, the break-up, the backstabbing, all of it! This was one of those books that felt like I was reading a true story or even watching a documentary. It was heartbreaking and hopeful, mean and sweet, and just down right filled with so much drama!

I know that I am in the minority, but I really did not like this book. I was so surprised since I loved the author's previous title.

This one was trite and silly with little substance.

Layne Fargo's titles continue to be a series of interesting near misses for me. THE FAVORITES strives desperately to be extra high concept to justify its six figure advance, and primarily is trying to be a Taylor Jenkins Reid book about figure skaters, which was fine and readable enough to be enjoyable as far as that goes--but if you think it also very much did not need to be a retelling of WUTHERING HEIGHTS, you'd be correct. 2.5 stars rounded up just for the cover, honestly.

A loose adaptation of Wuthering Heights that never quite sticks the landing, this extremely lengthy contemporary romance about the world of competitive figure skating should have been a slam-dunk. But poor pacing, under-developed characters, and cliche after cliche bogged it down into something that was borderline unreadable. This will find fans who are all-in on the skating and/or the angst, but it will also find detractors. In desperate need of editing down.

This books reminds me a lot of a show you hate but can't stop watching. And no, this isn't me saying I hated this book because that is far from the the truth, but some of these characters just had me wanting to scream at my kindle screen and risk looking more mentally unstable than I already am. This was messy and juicy and fun. It was beautifully written and reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and the Six which is one of my favourite books ever. Layne Fargo, you're a genius for this.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC.

I think this one is worth all the hype. We get all kinds of sports books, but never any about competitive ice dancing. As someone who loves figure skating and really enjoyed ice dancing at the Olympics from an early age. This hit a lot of nostalgia for me. I love that the main couple was likable, but also not at the same time making them feel incredibly real.

One of the best reads of the year, compulsively readable, characters you root for and some you love to hate, from the very first page. Lots of fun easter eggs as a figure skating fan too.

This book is truly a feat!! I’m a long time fan of Layne Fargo and this book is really something special. It’s fully engrossing and the audio is incredible.

The Favorites is a psychologically rich novel that dives deep into the world of ambition, performance, and the murky waters of power and influence.

Fargo’s prose is confident and cutting, and she excels at creating tension beneath the surface of every interaction. The characters are vividly drawn, flawed but compelling, and their relationships feel authentic in their complexity. The book steadily builds intrigue, keeping you turning pages not with explosive plot twists, but with subtle revelations and shifting allegiances.

If you enjoy character-driven stories with a dark undercurrent and themes of ambition, mentorship, and self-discovery, The Favorites delivers. It’s not a thriller in the traditional sense, but it crackles with emotional suspense.

This book reminded me of Daisy Jones & the Six but with ice dancers instead of rock stars! It's told in the same interview/documentary style and I just love that. It's such a compelling story, the characters are messy and obsessive, they make lots of mistakes but keep going. I was on the edge of my seat and unable to put this book down because I had to know what happens next! Kat and Heath's epic romance spans decades and even though they are toxic and dysfunctional at times, their passion and love for each other always shines through.

I've been trying to figure out what to say about this book, but I think it might have to be short and sweet.

I loved everything about The Favorites, even the parts I hated.

I loved the split between regular chapters and the pieces from the documentary. I loved the ice dancing and how the descriptions of their performances were just enough. I loved that it took place in early 2000s. I wanted, so many times, for everything to go right for once and it never did and I kind of hate that but also I don't because that's real life. Things shouldn't be perfect and I do hate always reading an HEA, so this was a breath of fresh air no matter the devastation. You know a book is well written when it can produce an emotion from you, the reader. I felt that with this book. A lot. There were moments when I was so angry, the things that happened to Kat could have been happening to me.

Heath may honestly be the worst. I hate him so much but also, good job, Layne Fargo, for making me be able to feel this way.

The Favorites is a beautifully written, emotionally layered story set against the shimmering backdrop of competitive ice skating. With compelling characters, subtle tension, and a heartfelt exploration of ambition, loyalty, and identity, it pulls you in from the first page. A standout read—graceful, sharp, and unforgettable.