I had a difficult time with The Favorites. The pacing felt too slow to keep me engaged. I was not interested in anything happening beteeen the characters. The detailed descriptions of ice dancing was not for me. Maybe I will revist the story in the future.

Wuthering Heights meets Carrie Soto Is Back. Toxic romance, frenemies, gossip and sabotage in the competitive world of elite figure skating. It’s juicy, dramatic and hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

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

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗦 is going to be one of THE books of 2025.

Katerina Shaw and Heather Rocha are two misfit and lonely kids who find comfort in each other and a purpose in ice dancing, eventually becoming the biggest - and most infamous - names in the sport. Layne Fargo tells their story in two ways - through a third-person oral history via an unauthorized documentary about the couple and from Kat's first person perspective, filling in the blanks no one else knows. It's impossible not to get immersed in the highly competitive ice dancing world and the duo's tempestuous relationships, not only with each other but with almost everyone else they come in contact with. Layne's writing is propulsive with twists I never saw coming and the competition scenes are an adrenaline rush, making you feel as if you're watching them in real time. I didn't want to put the book down until I got to the end and then I was sad it was over. I loved the format so much, I may need to give it a listen when the audiobook is released.

I would be shocked if 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗦 isn't a celebrity book club pick or optioned for a movie. It's got mystery and romance, it's emotional and engrossing, and the characters feel so real you can't forget them. It gets all the stars from me.

Thanks to Random House for the copy to review.

Note: Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

The first half of the book was a slow burn, and it took me some time to get into the rhythm. I did, however, appreciate the short chapters, which made it easier to power through the second half—I finished it in a single day! While I initially expected more of a thriller based on the buildup and hints of a major twist, the story leaned heavily into drama instead.

What stood out most was the characters' journeys toward self-discovery and growth, which I found compelling. The tone and narrative style reminded me of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work. That said, the story could have benefited from a tighter edit—it felt longer than it needed to be.

Wow. What a great read! I absolutely adored this book. I was immediately drawn in by the cover and synopsis, and I'm so glad that I was.

This is such a good read. It tackles the competitive world of figure skating (more specifically, ice dancing), friendships, rivals, relationships, family drama, and more. The main character, Kat, is purposely meant to be unlikeable, but I still found myself rooting for her and liking her nonetheless. She is driven, passionate, and misunderstood.

I found the characters to be well fleshed-out and the relationships all felt authentic and realistic, which is something I really appreciate in a book. I could feel the emotions right along with the characters, and I felt everything from joy to anger (as well as several emotions in between) while reading.

I really don't want to say too much about the plot, because I want every reader to enjoy it for themselves as it unfolds.

I was telling a friend about this book as I was reading it and told her that it struck me as a blend of two Taylor Jenkins Reid novels - the style, the plot, the characters, etc. And I mean that in the BEST way. This author certainly has her own voice, and being compared to TJR is meant 100% as a compliment. Funny enough, the author did thank TJR in her acknowledgements and it sounds like she did some kind of research study with her, so it's no surprise that there's an element of TJR in the pages of this book.

I absolutely loved it and am so excited for others to get their hands on it!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a lot of fun! As someone who has limited knowledge in the world of figure skating, I was worried I wouldn't fully grasp the story. Well that turned out to not be a problem at all, as all relevant details were explained well. I loved the characters, as flawed as they are, and was so interested to see how they evolved. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5*

I can see why some people loved The Favorites, but unfortunately I found it pretty consistently underwhelming.

As a huge figure skating fan, I loved this element of the story. It seemed well researched and well executed, and it was an excellent backdrop to the story. I’m a sucker for a good figure skating story, and this book hit the mark in this regard.

Getting into the actual story, though, I wasn’t nearly as impressed. It reads like a soap opera at times, and easily could’ve been 100 pages shorter—even at the end, I couldn’t tell you why half of what’s there was included. It slows down the story, and with the method of storytelling that keeps you at an emotional distance from every character except Kat, that slowing becomes extra obvious.

The twists disappointed me too, especially with how the beginning of the book so clearly is trying to set up Kat as a Tonya Harding figure. You spend the book with allusions to the terrible, cruel thing she did, just to never get there. An event that happens around 2/3 through the book would’ve made more sense as the climax than the actual climax did.

When we do finally reach the twist, it’s at near the 90% mark, and comes with a major tone shift that just didn’t work for me so late in the game. The ultimate reveal of what Kat did was so disappointing too—you realize after a certain point that it’s not actually going to be anything too bad, despite all the allusions in the beginning, but there’s just no pay off.

Ultimately, while I liked the premise of the book and really liked the format of the story, with interviews interspersed throughout, it’s just not for me. I do see why people loved this, though, so my advice is to simply temper your expectations and not buy into the hints early on.

I am a huge Layne Fargo fan, having been OBSESSED with They Never Learn, so I jumped on this novel as soon as I saw it. However, be aware it is quite different from They Never Learn. So once I got over my original disappointment that no one was murdered in the first chapter (I am primarily a mystery and thriller reader), I became obsessed again with Fargo's beautiful writing, this time set in the melodramatic and cutthroat world of competitive ice skating. Though not a traditional thriller, there is no shortage of adrenaline and drama here. This book at times has Flowers in the Attic vibes, but in a much more mature and intelligent way. The Favorites is more literary than Fargo's last work and makes me very excited to read whatever she does next. Hopefully I won't have to wait another two years for her next one, but if she continues at this level of quality, I'll wait as long as it takes. Five stars.

Such an amazing read! I literally read it in one sitting because I was obsessed. I loved the writing style and how it jumped from the events of the book and then the interviews. The Favorites reminded me so much of Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid however I felt like there was so much tension in the Favorites compared to DJ. I definitely related to Kat in a lot of the ways especially with how determined and driven she was to accomplish her dreams. Also, the romance was a 5/5 for me!!

3.5 stars
I can see why this book is getting 5 stars but it didn’t quite work for me. Between the length (could have been 100-150 pages shorter) and how far removed we are from the characters real psyches it was hard for me to stay connected. Some moments and chapters worked better for me than others.

4.5 stars.

I was an avid figure skating fan in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and so this novel set in the elite figure skating world immediately appealed to me.

From the outset, I was quickly pulled into the figure skating world that I remembered reading about in the news and the many exciting competitions I faithfully watched on television.

The story is fascinating and really gives an inside view of the life of an elite athlete, the pressure, drama, and sacrifice necessary to compete at the world level, and the machinations of the figure skating judging and coaching establishment. There are several things that happen in the novel that made me think of real events that transpired in the 1990s in figure skating. I also loved the references to the changes in the figure skating world over time, from the obligatory compulsory figures to the revamped scoring system.

Amidst this backdrop is the love story of Katrina and Heath, ice dance partners who become romantically involved and who experience the ups and downs of life, both personally and professionally. The story is told through Katrina’s point of view, interspersed with interviews with Katrina and Heath’s coaches, competitors, a gossip blogger, and a figure skating judge. I found these extracts of interviews to be very effectively done and were a great addition to the storytelling.

I also liked that the story touched on self-worth, love, betrayal, and the way society views young women who are confident, strong and talented.

I really enjoyed the story and was immersed in the plot - my only quibble was that the middle was a little slow.

P.S. I think this story would make a great movie!

Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This review is already posted on Goodreads. It will be posted on my bookstagram (link below), X, and Threads on December 11.

I am very torn on how to review this book. There were parts that were absolute page turners with strong stories and there were other parts that really felt meh. I am a huge ice skating fan, so that part definitely grabbed my attention.

The story focuses on 4 ice dancers, although the main character is Katerina. Katerina and Heath are childhood best friends and skating partners. Heath had a less than stellar childhood and was taken in by Kat’s father. He would do anything for Kat, which is how he wound up both figure skating and skating with her. Katerina was driven to be the absolute best and she dreamed of Olympic gold. When given the chance to skate under the tutelage of her idol, Sheila Lin, she jumps at it. Bella and Garrett are Sheila’s twins, growing up in her shadow and expected to go for the gold.

Part of my frustration was that I did not like any of the characters, except for maybe Garrett. The other frustration was in the fact that a lot of it felt choppy. The story was being told in part as Katerina’s perspective of what her career had looked like and part of it was interviews of people in the skating world recalling events. I would have liked to know more about Heath and his story, but the format didn’t allow for that.

All in all, it was a book that I enjoyed reading, it just wasn’t a personal favorite.

A story about ice dancing, sign me up! Now add in drama, love and toxic relationships and I’m hooked. The Favorites is the story of ice dancers and childhood friends turned lovers, Kat and Heath. They are underdogs who claw their way to the top. Although mostly fast paced, there were a few slow parts with some things drawn out a little too much in my opinion. I especially enjoyed the structure of this story with it being told in between documentary type interludes. The characters were well developed, the story was entertaining and held my attention. A very enjoyable read. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

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

The Favorites was, quite literally, my favorite book of 2024. I’m envious of anyone who gets to experience it for the first time when it’s released in January 2025.

As a longtime figure skating fan, I was immediately swept into this epic love story that revolves around Katarina Shaw, Heath Rocha, and the high-stakes world of elite figure skating. From the moment Katarina and Heath meet as kids, their friendship and ice dancing partnership create a bond that evolves over decades—through turbulent upbringings, backstage drama, intense love affairs, fierce rivalries, and the journey from childhood sweethearts to world-class champions.

Layne Fargo masterfully weaves a roller coaster of storytelling that had me savoring every page. The scorching chemistry between Katarina and Heath, paired with the intricate world-building, made this an unforgettable read. Fargo’s portrayal of figure skating is astutely accurate, blending behind-the-scenes details of real-life events (like the Grand Prix, Nationals, Worlds, and Olympics) with a fictional competitive skating universe that feels as vibrant as the real thing. I even caught myself double-checking for actual skater names, but Fargo’s original characters were so compelling, I didn’t mind the entirely fictional world one bit.

My only (minor) critique is that while the book is long, the final section—set at the Sochi Olympics—felt a bit rushed. The resolution to Katarina and Heath’s experiences at the games and their internal conflict with each other deserved more time to breathe, given how much had been building up to it.

If you love figure skating, Olympic drama, sizzling chemistry, and a story packed with twists and turns, The Favorites needs to be on your must-read list. Trust me—you won’t want to miss this one!

4.5
I am so grateful to receive an arc for such a compelling read! A fast-pace plot of figure skating and drama within sports that kept me hooked throughout the entirety of the novel. Never was I distracted when I read this in just one-sitting! This book reminded me of Carrie Soto via the sport elements that delved into the details just enough without boring you. I went through an entire rollercoaster of emotions while reading this and never once guessed what was going to happen next. The couple in this had me invested! One of my only critiques was that I wanted the book longer because I wanted to know every little thing about these characters!

Getting completely drawn into a cutthroat story about competitive ice dancing wasn’t on my winter reading bingo card, but here we are!

This skating saga of tumultuous love and die-hard ambition follows orphans Katarina Shaw and Heath Roca as they chase Olympic gold. Told in a multimedia format, the story reads like a juicy tell-all documentary. We meet former coaches, teammates, and members of the press and these characters jump right off the page.

With backstabbings and betrayals amidst the triple axles, this was such a great winter book to get lost in. At nearly 450 pages you need to be prepared for more than a bit of drama, but overall this was a great read from a promising debut author.

READ THIS IF YOU:
are known to be a bit competitive
love a good underdog/comeback story
have ever been moved by a Taylor Swift song

RATING: 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5 stars)

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review

I read Layne Fargos last book and I thought this would be similar. I was expecting a thriller. I was thinking of the Olympics meets Tanya Harding. This book isn’t what I was looking for. Its more of a slow burn toxic romance.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I didn’t know if I would like a book about ice dancing but I loved it. It sucked me in right from the beginning. I was rooting for Kat the whole time even though she wasn’t likable at times. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Wow! I loved everything about Layne Fargo’s exhilarating novel, THE FAVORITES. I raced through this epic love story set within the demanding, cut-throat world of competitive ice dancing. It’s a unputdownable story filled with fascinating characters and all the drama we love both on and off the ice. A must read!

I initially checked out this book due to the age of the characters. If I had a New Adult section, I would add in heartbeat. I enjoyed the characters and the description of the novel by the publisher was spot on.