I LOVED this.
I had read The Never Learn by Layne Fargo and so I grabbed this without knowing anything about it. I had assumed it would be of a similar genre and let me tell you, it's not. That said, I loved it so much.
As someone who grew up loving figure skating this book was right up my alley. I got so invested in this story at one point I had to stop myself from looking up these skaters :D
Fast paced and deeply intriguing I couldn't put this book down. Skating, obsession, friendships and romance. I loved every moment of it.
For my more in-depth spoiler free review check out my youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXQTyn6Fha4&t=326s

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It held my interest throughout and I was surprised by the ending. Recommended for readers of general and sports fiction.

What a fantastic book! I was ecstatic to read Fargo’s new novel after absolutely loving “They never learn”. I wasn’t so sure about this book at first, since figure skating isn’t something i’ve ever been interested in. This book shocked me with how much I enjoyed it. It didn’t have too much thriller in it. I would have liked to see more. Nonetheless, great novel!

The first thing I thought of when I saw this book was one of my favorite movies, 1992’s The Cutting Edge, even though many reviews kept saying it was a retelling of Wuthering Heights. Then, I started reading it. Turns out it was those two books plus Welcome Back, Carrie Soto! I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down.

The fast pace, fascinating characters and unique mix of first person narration with documentary interviews all work together to make this a really fun read.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

This book had me completely sucked in from beginning to end. It’s a sports romance that follows the toxic, dysfunctional love story between Olympic ice skaters Kat and Heath. The story alternates between Kat’s POV and a documentary style format told with interviews from the people who knew them and other professionals in the sport. The storytelling was so clever and unique.
The characters were messy, and often times unlikable, but I felt so connected to them. I loved the ending of the book. I felt really satisfied with how everything was tied up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Wow! I’d never watched OTH before reading this, but had to start upon finishing this book. It truly made me wonder how many small cults are alive and thriving in 2024. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for sending me this ARC.

Okay WOW. I absolutely devoured The Favorites. I can’t say enough good things about this novel and will be hyping it up and recommending to all of my friends. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience the entirety of Kat and Heath’s skating career - the highs and lows and everything in between both on and off the ice. They were both frustrating characters at times and yet I was always rooting for them. I loved the narrative style Fargo used to tell the story with the documentary interstitials between chapters feeling like E! True Hollywood Story in the best way. I would run through a wall for Shaw and Rocha and can’t wait for the world to read this book! (4.5 stars rounded down)

I was coincidentally reading Wuthering Heights at the same time as this - and, while it may not be a "happy book," it's definitely happier than the OG! I think this was a really well-done novel, I genuinely enjoyed the characters and storyline. I wish we learned more about the interviews and what it was for, but overall 4/5.

It's The Cutting Edge + Blades of Glory + Wuthering Heights.

Competitive ice skating, intense rivalries, and an intense love affair are all the central themes of The Favorites. Using the storyline of a tell-all documentary, we journey through Kat and Heath's friendship, partnerships, romance and complete break up.

There are several points of view, from the two main characters to a gossip blogger, the story moves quickly and brings the reader right into the fury. This is a sports romance but one that provides something deeper. It's influenced by Wuthering Heights, and while nothing can compare to that classic, this adds a new take.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

4.5 *. I really enjoyed this book. An interesting combination of romance, mystery and behind the scenes storytelling in the Olympic ice dancing world.
I was invested in where the story going, I love when the book spans multiple years and brings the story to a final close. Thank you to Random House to approving my NetGalley ARC.

I loved this book! I have never read anything set in the world of skating so it was an exciting new experience. I have a book hangover.

The characters were so vivid and I loved them even when I wanted to strangle them. The character development over the course of the novel was also top tier. I really enjoyed being on this journey with all of them.

I couldn’t help but root for Shaw and Rocha, even when they were at their most toxic.

I also really enjoyed the mixture of interviews and prose. It switched up enough to keep things interesting and was a fresh way to get other perspectives outside the main character.

Highly recommended. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

⛸️ The Favorites - Layne Fargo

5 GOLD ⭐️ - Oh my, I am obsessed. I knew very early on in this read that it would be one I loved and one that received a high rating. It’s giving Carrie Soto, some Daisy Jones formatting, and Tonya Harding vibes. Sign me the hell up. I was beyond excited to receive this ARC and I am SO glad I started it when I did.

The passion and determination in Katarina for herself, for ice skating, and her love for Heath, omg it had me sweating. I felt a ROLLERCOASTER of emotions during this. I was happy and rooted for her (and her partners). I was annoyed and wanted to slap her. I was frustrated with more than one character. I predicted some of the twists and turns, but I loved this whole ride just the same. I felt myself getting anxious over the outcome even with correct speculations. It’s toxic, it’s lovable, and it’s easily binged. I loved the way this was broken up, the story was told, and I’m ready for a movie. I wish I could read it all over again. I definitely recommend this one over the winter - ESPECIALLY if you’re anxious for another winter Olympic games.

Thank you SO much to Netgalley and Random House for this ARC. This beauty skates into the rink on 1/14 !

Layne Fargo just hits for me, I am now helpless but to leap upon whatever she puts out next like a starving dog behind the butcher shop. Concerning a pair of star-crossed ice dancers, this book takes your feelings on Virtue/Moir, runs them through a Wuthering Heights filter, and adds enough twists and turns to keep this book in your hands until the very last page. I particularly loved the Greek chorus of documentary transcripts rounding out the narrative, they were the perfect dishy/gossipy counterpoint to it all.

I genuinely have no real complaints, this book was great. The only thing I missed was Fargo's usual selection of insane bisexuals but I suppose even the dramatic straights must get their day on the ice.

My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm a big ice skating fan, so this book hooked me by just the summary alone! Once I started reading, I found myself equally hooked by the storyline and the absolute twists and turns that I did not see coming -- like at all. I was completely drawn in by the compelling language and the mysterious hook on the page. It's thrilling and intriguing, and yes, as I already mentioned, hooked me the whole way through. I did not know what would happen until the very and, and woah, I'm literally shook by every single twist. Kept me on my toes until the very last page.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of The Favorites.

Told in a style reminiscent of Daisy Jones & the Six with documentary transcript and conversation interspersed with Kat's truth, The Favorites caught my attention right away. Somehow I missed that it would have shades of Wuthering Heights when I requested the title, but when I realized it, everything kind of clicked into place for me. Honestly, I enjoyed The Favorites more than Wuthering Heights. Where I disliked and felt disconnected from most of the characters in WH, I didn't find myself despising any of the characters in The Favorites, no matter how flawed they were. Each one had nuance in their character that allowed the reader to see the motivation behind their actions, even if we disagree with what they did. I could definitely see this being optioned as a limited series or being added to celebrity book club lists.

This is also a good crossover read for older high school students who are making the transition from YA books to more adult fare. I like having some choices like this in my back pocket to recommend to my older readers who are looking to make that jump.

The only reason I'm not giving this title five stars is because there was a little bit of drag in the middle for me, and I think that will cause some readers who are not persistent to lose the momentum you need to fully enjoy the story.

📚: The Favorites by Layne Fargo
⭐️: 5/5

The gist: Set behind the glittery surface of the world of ice dancing, Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are a figure skating pair from the "other side of the tracks" that go from childhood sweethearts, to champion ice dancers, to a public scandal. Now a decade after their final performance, an unauthorized documentary gives a "real look" into their story, reignites public obsession with their lives, and forces Kat to finally tell her truth beyond the salacious headlines.

I devoured this entire read #inonesitting during an all-day readathon this past weekend. and I honestly want to write this review in all caps, that's how much I loved this book. Not only is it an absolutely genius and imaginative take on Wuthering Heights, but if you too were a kid that was obsessed with figure skating in the 1990s (thank you Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding), this book will be a perfect 6.0.

This is a bit of a departure from Layne Fargo's other work -- this is a lot more emotional romance, some competitive backstabbing, but not so much vigilante feminine rage. And while I could have used some feminine rage after this past week, Fargo pivots genres effortlessly. I can't wait to keep this one on my shelf and re-read it again in the future.

A huge thank you to @randomhouse for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Favorites is out on January 14th, 2025 and can be pre-ordered now!

Spun me into a twizzle from the beginning and never let me go until the grand finale. A captivating, tense book, The Favorites exposes ice skating life through the personal, intertwined stories of several skaters and their families.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in response to an honest review:

What I did like about this book was the depiction of ice dancing itself. The detailed descriptions of the sport, including the grueling hours of training and the dedication required to succeed, were both fascinating and inspiring. It’s not easy to shine a light on the intense physical and emotional endurance these athletes go through, and the author does a great job of illustrating that. Kat’s relentless pursuit of her goals and the perseverance she shows in her journey is also something I found admirable. I also liked Kat and Bella’s relationship. I found their shared drive to win and make it to the Olympics added a sense of true friendship and understanding that felt lost between Kat and Heath. However, while I can see what the author was aiming for, the story ultimately didn’t hit the mark for me.

I was initially drawn to this story by its premise—an intense love story set against the backdrop of an Olympic athlete’s quest for greatness. Katherine Shaw is laser-focused on winning an Olympic gold medal in ice dancing, and her ambition, drive, and single-minded dedication are clearly reflected in her actions. She’s willing to sacrifice anything, including her relationship with Heath, in pursuit of her goal.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I found myself hoping for a shift that never came—something to break up the repetition and detailed descriptions. The narrative often felt like a blend of Kat’s personal diary/depictions of events and a documentary-style interview, constantly teasing the next scandal. The chapters ended with attempted cliffhangers that only contributed to a feeling of repetition.

The relationship between Kat and Heath was hard to witness. What started as a strong connection, full of love and chemistry, ultimately became toxic for both of them. It seemed that their intense physical chemistry overshadowed any real compatibility in their personalities, and that’s what kept drawing them back together rather than substantial learning of who the other person is. While the story tries to portray Kat as a strong, unapologetic woman driven by ambition, I struggled to reconcile her ruthlessness with any real likability or personal growth.

As the story progressed, the twists began to feel overdone and contrived, as though there was added drama just for the sake of more drama. The already complicated interpersonal relationships were intensified by the nature of the sport, but I felt the added layers of conflict only became repetitive rather than adding depth to the story.

The Favorites is a captivating exploration of the world of competitive figure skating, a world of glitz, glamour, and intense rivalry. Layne Fargo masterfully weaves a tale of love, ambition, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of a dream.

The central characters, Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, are a dynamic duo. Their passionate yet tumultuous relationship is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Their journey, from childhood friends to world-class skaters, is filled with both triumphs and tragedies.

One of the strengths of this novel is its unique format, blending first-person narration with a documentary-style interview format. This allows the reader to experience the story from multiple perspectives, adding depth and complexity to the narrative.

The author's vivid descriptions of the exhilarating world of figure skating transport the reader to the ice, making the competitions feel almost tangible. The tension and excitement are palpable as the characters strive for perfection.

However, the novel is not without its flaws. At times, the pacing can be uneven, and the plot can feel a bit convoluted. Additionally, some of the characters, particularly the supporting cast, could have been developed further.

Despite these minor shortcomings, The Favorites is a compelling and engaging read. It's a story of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. If you're a fan of sports dramas, romantic thrillers, or simply a good story, I highly recommend giving this book a try.

Rating this: 3.75/5 Stars

When I first started this I wasn't sure with the interview part what it was about but this book was so good. Once I got the hang of writing style I got right into it. Great characters, great storyline and a great ending

Thanks to the author ,the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.