This book hooked me right away with its gritty, high-stakes dive into the world of competitive ice dancing—not to be confused with figure skating! Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are childhood best friends and skating partners, both driven by rough upbringings and a shared Olympic dream. The premise felt fresh and exciting, like Daisy Jones & The Six but with ice-dance rivals and a tangled romance at the center. And as someone who doesn’t know much about ice dance, the sport seemed beautifully researched and felt like stepping into an entirely new world.

The format was one of the book’s highlights for me. The story alternates between Katarina’s perspective and interview-style narration from people in the skating world. It gave the book a documentary-like feel that kept things engaging and layered, especially in the audiobook, which had a fantastic cast bringing these voices to life. That part of the storytelling really stood out.

However, as much as I loved the setup and the first half of the book, things started to lose momentum for me around the halfway mark. The pacing dragged, and while there were some clever twists, they didn’t always land. The book teases Katarina as a kind of Tonya Harding figure, with hints of some shocking, cruel act—but when the reveal finally comes (very late in the book), it’s underwhelming. In fact, an event that happens earlier, around two-thirds in, would have made a stronger climax. The actual ending, while surprising, felt rushed and didn’t pack the punch I’d been hoping for.

Another issue I had was with the characters. While Garrett stood out as likable, I didn’t connect with most of the others—Katarina included. And Heath, who seemed like he’d have such an interesting story, ended up feeling underdeveloped because the format didn’t give us enough of his perspective. At 468 pages, the book also felt longer than it needed to be—there were moments where I found myself wondering why certain scenes were even included.

That said, I totally get why people love this book. It’s an ambitious and unique story that peels back the layers of a fascinating, cutthroat sport. The ice-dancing world is a phenomenal backdrop, and the interview-style narration adds an immersive, dynamic touch—especially in the audiobook version. While it wasn’t a personal favorite for me, I think fans of nuanced thrillers or sports dramas will find a lot to love here.

If you pick it up, I’d just say to temper your expectations about the twists and enjoy the ride for what it is. For me, it was a mixed experience—parts of it were absolute page-turners, but others felt like they missed the mark. Still, if you’re drawn to the dazzling, darker side of Olympic dreams, The Favorites might just hit the spot.

Thank you to Libro.FM for an early review audio copy and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions are my own.

Obsessed is truly an understatement. I had absolutely no clue what ice dancing was before this, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. The emotion I felt during this book, I had to put the book down and physically walk away NUMEROUS times on the verge of tears. The emotional turmoil of not wanting to end this story but needing to immediately know the whole story was whipping at my heart constantly while reading this. Heath and Katarina!! Soulmates is every way possible.

If I could use one word to describe this book it would be passion. Katrina’s passion for ice dance, Heath and Katrina’s passion for each other, passion to do whatever it takes to achieve one’s dreams. Katarina is such an incredible character to not only read about but read from (her POV). I loved the style that this was written in, the documentary sections made this novel even more thrilling to reading. Despite the flaws of each (and every one) of these characters, you can’t help but connect and resonate with some aspect of them, and that made this all the more thrilling and addictive to read. One page you love the characters, the next you hate them and then 5 chapters later you love them again. The inner war is so real, it feels wrong to say that these characters aren’t real people.


This book wrenched my heart out, shredded it to pieces, sewed it back up, and shoved it back in my chest all within 400 something pages. This was frustrating and jaw dropping and I will forever be thinking about this story. The Favorites has sank its class into my and I can’t see it leaving any time soon. Believe every good thing you have heard about this book because it is true (and then some!).

Thank you to the publisher and author for an ARC!!

The things I would do to read this for the first time again. There’s a reason this book is getting so much love and hype — it’s because it IS that good!!! It is literally utter perfection. It’s a fictional story, but it felt so real. The interview style chapters really give you a feel to the figure skating world from the perspectives of people surrounding Kat and Heath.

The drama in this book is INSANE, but it’s exactly what kept me reading and made this book hard to put down. These main characters go through so much and I always found myself rooting for them despite their flaws and terrible decisions.

There is a romance element to this book, but I wouldn’t classify it as such. However, it is a beautiful story of two people who will forever be intertwined with each other no matter what.

This story has it all: family drama, sports politics, young love, scandal, self discovery, sabotage, triumph, tragedy, betrayal. The way all of these elements come together to create Kat and Heath’s story is just incredible. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.

I can’t wait to reread this one on audio because I just know it’s going to elevate this story to another level.

I absolutely loved this book! It hooked me from the very first page, and I couldn’t put it down. The format, similar to Daisy Jones & The Six, made it such a fun and engaging read. The story was fascinating, and the world of figure skating was so captivating—it felt like I was right there on the ice with them. I could totally see this becoming a TV series one day and if it does just know I will be sat. There was just one part that didn’t sit right with me and really made me mad, but overall, such good read and I just adore Katarina Shaw!

Shout out Netgally for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 🌟

I absolutely could NOT put this down - I was HOOKED. The drama, the betrayal, the obsession with each other and ice dancing? Loved every second of it. I knew nothing about ice dancing but now I’m ready to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics with a passion.

I had to stop myself from googling these outfits and routines because I forgot this didn’t actually happen. I felt like I was reading about something real and that was the best part of this whole book.

Gave me major TJR vibes because to me it’s a perfect mix between Carrie Soto and Daisy Jones. I did not see a few things coming and loved the conclusion of everything despite all the drama! Definitely huge on the found family as well, which I’m always a sucker for (that and toxic relationships - I will about these two things all day)

Layne Fargo’s The Favorites is an addictive, sharply written exploration of rivalry, ambition, and the complexities of female friendships, set against the backdrop of elite,
Ice skating. In it, we follow the intense dynamics between a group of skaters. As the story unfolds, we’re thrust into a whirlwind of loyalty, jealousy, and betrayal, all wrapped in a layer of privilege and social power.

What stands out about The Favorites is Fargo’s ability to craft a story full of emotional tension and drama. The stakes are high, and each interaction between the characters feels charged with both affection and resentment. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, which allows the reader to see the same events from different angles, making the story even more compelling. It’s a tale of power and obsession, where people both uplift and destroy each other in pursuit of their desires.

If you're a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work—particularly Daisy Jones and the Six—you’ll find a lot to love in Fargo's novel.
Fargo’s writing is direct, and it excels in creating drama that’s just as compelling as it is uncomfortable. You can’t help but get caught up in the manipulative power plays, the shifting alliances, and the moral grayness of the characters. It’s a page-turner in the truest sense, filled with twists that make you both love and hate the characters, which is exactly what makes the story so riveting.

So I should note this was absolutely my fault for choosing a book without reading the synopsis. I saw Layne Fargo and got too excited and so that’s the short version of how Alison ended up reading a sports romance - probably my two least favorite genres of books. Luckily Fargo’s compulsive writing and excellent characterization made it an enjoyable read.

In a shocking turn of events the two main male protagonists in this Fargo novel were the most likable. Katarina, Bella and Sheila have their moments but also have some insanely questionable decision making. Heath and Garrett ended up being like calmer wholesome ones as opposed to some of the icky men Fargo has previously written included in her tales.

The story moves along at a decent clip but at its core it’s still a sports romance so there was a lot of repeating elements throughout the story. A bunch of will they won’t they and then endless training and competitions , rinse repeat. I feel like Fargo does a great job at not getting too bogged down in some of those more monotonous sects of the story, but it’s still a fairly long book overall.

I expected this to be much cornier but it *is* a Layne Fargo so while it had some cinematic vibes there’s still a dark undercurrent and none of this book would fall in the fairytale section. I felt the ending was appropriate and appreciated the flawed protagonists as they navigated growing up with this unflinching pressure always surrounding them. Overall I don’t think I’ll go for any more romance novels, but this was a well written read and if you do like romance, definitely give this one a go.

First I’d like to thank Random House and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. It was spectacular . Think The Cutting Edge meets Wuthering Heights meets Daisy Jones and the Six meet I Tonya. My Michelle Kwan obsessed 9 year old self was screaming this whole novel. I think once it is released this will be a much beloved/ much talked about book of 2025. 5 full stars.

I was absolutely obsessed with this book- the characters, the skating, the format, the relationships... All of it. It was the literary equivalent to the tango the main characters performed in their ice dances. If you loved Carrie Soto is Back this just might top it. I'm sad I sat on this ARC for as long as I did - especially now that I'll have finished one of my favorite books of the year and it's only the first week of 2025. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the early copy- I'll be acquiring a physical copy for my shelf as soon as it's released.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💃🏼 Vibes: Love & Ice Dancing
📕 If you like ______, you’ll like this: Carrie Soto is Back; Daisy Jones and the Six
📖/🎧 Read Type: ARC (thank you @netgalley, Penguin Randomhouse, and Layne Fargo!)
🐶(s): Finley & Willow, projected favorites if tail wagging becomes an Olympic sport.

In this Wuthering Heights inspired novel, the Favorites dives into the captivating world of figure skating/ice dancing duo Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha. From childhood best friends to Olympic icons, their bond—fueled by shared trauma—has always been as intense as it was fragile. But just as they finally reach the peak of their fame, tragedy strikes, clouding their legacy. Ten years after their final skate, an explosive documentary threatens to expose the truth about their rise to fame. Told in a mixed media format, we follow both the documentary and Kat’s retelling of secrets she’s buried for a decade.

I was so conflicted (in a good way?) on how to rate this book because it has three specific plot points that I will DNF a book over. That said, it was absolutely a six star read, so now I’m in crisis. I could not put this down! I was a bit nervous because this isn’t the type of story I’d usually go for but They Never Learn was my favorite book of 2023 so now I’d read Layne Fargo’s to do lists. This was so much more than a sports romance; it's a captivating exploration of ambition, obsession, and the complexities of love and loss. The way the characters were all written to be flawed and compelling made the story relatable. Everyone has a Heath or a Kat (to some degree), and their tumultuous dynamic was both familiar and captivating. I am still in my feelings but 10/10 would recommend to anyone interested in character-driven narratives or stories about the price of fame.

The Favorites releases on January 14! 📆

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#goodreadschallenge #bookstagram #iamreading #bibliophile #igreads #bookreview #instaread #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookaholic #newreads #readinglist #readersofinstagram #dogsofbookstagram

Layne Fargo’s The Favorites dazzles with its intense exploration of passion, ambition, and the razor-thin edge between love and obsession. Through the volatile partnership of Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, the novel immerses readers in the high-stakes world of figure skating, where triumphs and betrayals skate hand-in-hand. Fargo masterfully balances the characters’ emotional depth with the glitz and grit of their sport, delivering a story that’s as electrifying as an Olympic performance. While the narrative’s twists echo the drama of its Wuthering Heights inspiration, some moments of exposition around the documentary framework feel slightly overdrawn, pulling focus from the central, fiery connection. Nevertheless, The Favorites is a breathtaking exploration of love’s ability to both save and destroy.

Layne Fargo, does it again

I mean, did we expect anything else?

I completely fan-girled out last year after reading “They Never Learn", and fell in love with Layne Fargo’s writing style. Right then, after concluding, I knew that Fargo, would join my list of "auto buy authors" .

I love the way Fargo throws us right into the chaos. The suspense is present early on. The character development is on point and each one of the characters come to life between the pages. The twist got my pulse racing and left me in pure shock.

This is a MUST READ for everyone who loves thrillers, suspense, and even drama.

Check out this teaser :

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

An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

idk i’m conflicted on this one. these are some of the wort characters i’ve ever read. just so infuriating and lacked so so much communication for their ages. if all of the drama happens when they were younger i may have let it go, but doing this shit from 22-26 is literally insane.

Thank you to Random House & Netgalley for the e-ARC.

4.5 stars - I loved this! I can understand the comparison to Daisy Jones & the Six because of the interview style documentary, but The Favorites did it better in my opinion. The entirety of Daisy Jones was an interview whereas there was only a page or two of the commentary from the documentary at the end of most chapters in The Favorites. The rest of the book was told from Katarina's perspective, looking back on everything. I thought it was a very clever way to get multiple viewpoints while also understanding the true version of events through Katarina's eyes.

Katarina & Heath were obsessed with each other, and I was obsessed with them. I ate up their story and couldn't get enough of it. Almost 500 pages, and I probably would have enjoyed reading another 500 pages. It spanned over a decade, but I didn't feel like anything was lacking. On the contrary, so much happened. Twists and turns throughout the book, with the interviews giving us a sneak peek at what to expect to up the suspense. It was truly an addicting read.

This was an immediate five star read for me, but after sleeping on it, I'm subtracting half a star because of the - well, I wouldn't call it miscommunication, but non-communication between the MC's. It was frustrating, but not enough to sour the story for me. I went through heartbreak, shock, and so many more emotions throughout. The chapter cliffhangers really got to me - I just loved all of the drama. This will be a book I won't soon forget.

This is already one of the most hyped books of 2025 and I completely understand why readers are obsessed. I loved the quick pace of the story and I thought the documentary style interviews at the end gave the chapters such a fun twist. I did feel like the conflict between Heath and Katarina just dissipated at the end and I would have liked to see just a bit more before the big ending.

Thank you NetGalley, Layne Fargo and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha overcome their traumatic experiences to compete at the highest level of figure skating. The story starts off with the announcement of a documentary about Katarina's rise to figure skating stardom after the 10-year anniversary of her last Olympic appearance. The book goes through her teenage years up until the present and is full of commentary from the documentary. At the heart of the story is her love for skating as well as her love for her skating partner Heath. Their tumultuous relationship through the years shows the cutthroat life of a figure skater as well as Katarina's drive to win it all.

I really liked the commentary added from the documentary in the story and it gave the book a uniqueness that added depth to the story. I loved learning about the world of figure skaters and Katarina's struggles through the years. Katarina and Heath found each other early in life and watching them go through the ups and downs of the figure skating world made me not want to put the book down!

The Favorites is my first favorite book of the year! Not since Blades of Glory have I cared so much about a figure skating couple.

In the tradition of Daisy Jones & The Six and Carrie Soto Is Back, this story about a U.S. ice dancing couple, their volatile relationship, and the scandals that rocked their career is told in excerpts from documentary interviews, as well as memoir-style chapters written by the female half of the duo.

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha met as children and connected instantly, both on and off the ice. Throughout their childhoods, they clung to each other and their shared love of skating to escape the turbulence of their home situations. Their commitment to ice dancing and their intense chemistry catapulted them to the world’s stage, where they became international champions and eventually represented the United States at the Olympics. But their career was a rollercoaster, to say the least: rife with scandals, betrayals, rivalries, and toxic ambition. Ten years after their final skate, a documentary crew comes calling…but Kat wants to tell her story on her own terms for the first time.

The Favorites is a departure for Layne Fargo, who has previously only written thrillers. And damn, what an incredible departure it is! I absolutely devoured this juicy, salacious story. There’s so much drama and intrigue, and the book is structured in a way that makes it even more propulsive – with chapter cliffhangers and allusions to controversial moments in the interview quotes. Fargo’s character work is stellar; she really gets to the heart of her characters: what motivates them, why they behave the way they do, the past traumas that still affect every choice they make. Fargo also provides a compelling behind the scenes look at the life of an Olympic athlete and the world of figure skating/ice dancing.

The Favorites is a book about twin flames, about obsession and desire of all kinds, about ambition and legacy, about striving and rivalry and sacrifice. I found this to be such a well-composed, rewarding reading experience. I can’t get enough of books like this, and Layne Fargo has written one I won’t forget anytime soon. Thank you to Random House for the complimentary reading opportunity.

4.75 🌟 rounded up

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for my ARC.

As a former figure skater and longtime lover of the sport, I was dying to get my hands on this book. It was comped to Cari Soto Is Back — and while I understand the similarities a bit (both sports focused stories around a single woman), I think they’re quite different.

I loved how engrossing this was, especially the last 25%. The figure skating pieces were accurate enough that I enjoyed it as a former skater without being distracted by technical inaccuracies.

While this wasn’t a super accurate version of my perception of the sport as a whole, I can see the truth behind a lot of it that was dramatized and made more extreme for the story.

I couldn’t put this down towards the end and raced through, though it got a bit slow for me in the very middle. This story is really raw and not at all a simple HEA/romance. The characters were all extremely complex and I didn’t see the twist at the end coming.

I struggled with whether or not I was actually rooting for the protagonist. And I just hated Bella end to end. I could have done with a bit less back and forth on the main couple but I’m so glad I read this and enjoyed the ride!!

OMG this book!! It had me in a chokehold the whole time reading.

The love. The obsession. The angst. The drama between the couple was EVERYTHING!! You felt every emotion they were going through.

The book is a retelling of Wuthering Heights set in the word of competitive ice skating. It also reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six with the storyline of a documentary being made and the interviews.

The way she was able to modernize this story was absolutely amazing.

THE ENDING!! The ending isn’t the same as the original Wuthering Heights ending. That’s all I will say.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for access to this advanced readers copy for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The Favorites by Layne Fargo is about two childhood lovers who ascend from obscurity to notoriety, becoming the most famous ice dance champions of their time. The book is told from first person POV, alternating with third person POV transcripts from a documentary.

I have complicated feelings for this book, much like the two main characters do for each other. When picking this up, I didn't realize the story is a retelling of a very famous Brontë novel. I won't say which one for fear of being flagged for spoilers, but it's very obvious if you pay attention to the characters' names (and if you scroll to the end of the Goodreads summary, which I had failed to do). But once I realized this, it was impossible to unsee it.

On one hand, the allusions to the original classic make sense, because it certainly explains why the characters are so intense and, at times, over the top. But on the other hand, the allusions don't work so well when minor characters named after characters from the original novel take a very different trajectory. This makes the retelling feel gimmicky, as if it couldn't be helped that every character had to pay homage to the classic, even if they have nothing to do with their original counterparts.

With that being said, the quick-paced short chapters that alternate between the FMC's POV and the transcripts keep you hooked. Without fail, you seem to reach a mini-cliffhanger at the end of each chapter that makes you wonder: can it get crazier than this? (Somehow, it always does.) The word "scandal" is emblazoned on the top of the cover art, and that certainly embodies everything about this BOTM pick. If you can't help but glance at the tabloids while waiting in the grocery store, or if TMZ is your guilty pleasure, then this book is right for you.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Favorites will be available everywhere January 14, 2025.