This was a phenomenal book! It was hard for me to have to go about my routine and not keep reading it all in one sitting. The Favorites is a modern day Wuthering Heights set in the competitive world of ice dancing. Kat and Heath’s chemistry burned me up! I was so excited to read what would happen next.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This book… I have so many thoughts.

** Review may contain mild spoilers! **

Heath and Katarina, childhood best friends, have one goal. To win a gold medal at the Olympics for ice dancing. And they will sacrifice anything to achieve it.

Let me start by saying that this book is addicting. I couldn’t stop reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I became so invested in ice dancing and these fictional characters winning a dang gold medal. There was so much juicy drama, so many ups and downs, so many times I wanted to scream. I think this book will be such a hit.

Here is my dilemma.. something happens towards the end that MADE ME SO MAD. I had to stop reading I was so upset. And it only got worse from there. The worst part is that I personally felt it was so out of character and also wasn’t needed in the story at all. It didn’t add anything to the plot besides drama. It really, really ruined the end for me (I am still mad thinking about it and it’s been 24 hours since I finished).

Ultimately, I think this will be a very loved book and I do recommend (mostly though I want people to read it to tell me if they were just as mad at the twist as I was lol)

thank you to Layne Fargo, Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“the favorites” was at the top of my most anticipated reads for 2025, and the second I got my hands on an advanced copy, i immediately ditched my current tbr just to dive in. i devoured this book in under 24 hours!

this book follows Katarina Shaw and her ice dance partner Heath as their toxic, tangled relationship unfolds over the years. Katarina’s been labeled every unflattering name you can imagine, but when a documentary promises to expose a decade-old scandal, she’s finally ready to set the record straight.

the drama, the betrayals, the cutthroat world of competitive ice dancing—this book had me second-guessing everything. every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, it took a complete left turn.

i loved how we get to see Katarina’s POV from her first time seeing Heath, watching their relationship evolve—loving, hurting, hating each other—all while transcripts from the documentary give us juicy insights from coaches, rivals, and friends. it’s a rollercoaster of love, competition, and scandal that i couldn’t put down.

i also loved how vividly the author captured the world of ice dancing. every graceful movement, every breath, every scrape of the blade on ice—i felt like i was right there in the stands, watching Heath and Katarina battle it out on the rink. it was both mesmerizing and intense.

if you’re a lover of “daisy jones & the six”, “carrie soto is back”, or “tell me lies”, you’ll be just as obsessed as i was with the drama, scandal, and betrayals that unravel in this story. it’s addictive in the best way possible.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

If you don't think you need a Wuthering Heights retelling featuring an angsty, push-pull romance between two dynamic ice dancers, filled with backstabbing, rival skater drama, and soapy tabloids -- think again! THE FAVORITES is an incredibly gripping and raw take on success and Olympic glory. Featuring magnetic characters and beautifully written descriptions of skating, it fully transported me to the ice rink while maintaining the moody gothic vibes of its source material. Wuthering Heights is one of my least favorite classics, but Layne Fargo manages to make Catherine and Heathcliff's modern counterparts, Kat and Heath, fated stars that you can't help but root for.

The Favorites is chaotic and messy and throughly addicting. If you are a fan of Daisy Jones and The Six then you definitely need to read this book. Neither Katrina nor Heath are extremely likable but they are incredibly talented and you are totally invested in their back and forth and all the drama surrounding them. They are the definition of toxic but somehow it works for them in a way. This is a loose retelling of Wuthering Heights and honestly only Layne Fargo could make this book work.

Definitely put this book on your tbr for January when it releases



Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC.

Katarina Shaw has always had ambitions to become an Olympic ice skater. After meeting Heath Rocha at their local ice rink, the two begin to train and compete in ice dancing. Both characters' childhoods left something to be desired, with Katarina's family basically adopting Heath until her father died when she was taken under the care of her brother who had always resented her. The two struggle with money to afford skating lessons, rink time, and travel accommodations until they are taken under the wing of Sheila Lin, Katarina's skating idol, to train with her two children. Katarina and Heath are swept up into the world of elite skating as they try to make the Olympic team while also dealing with sabotage, romance, betrayal, and heartbreak.

The Favorites was a very enjoyable read, even for someone who doesn't enjoy sports that much. The story is told through Katarina's perspective as she reflects on her skating career and snippets of interviews from some of the other characters involved in the scandal that occurred at the Olympic Games. The book was very fast paced and there was all sorts of drama in the story: family, romantic, friendship, and skating, of course. The characters were well developed even if they were frustrating at times. The dynamics between the characters is where the story really shone. This will appeal to fans of skating and nonfans alike. This will also be a good one for those who enjoy stories that really show characters develop over time.

I enjoyed this book about an aspiring Olympic ice dancer and her partner, Their passion for the sport, despite many obstacles in their path and their on and off again passionate love affair. A story of self acceptance, building a life that works for you and creating your own family. And an in depth look at the sport 4.5 Well done and kept me interested

Carrie Soto Is Back Meets Daisy Jones & The Six, The Favorite is a fun, ice dancing filled read with lots of drama and messy character to keep you going!

To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.
An epic love story set in the sparkling but equally savage sphere of elite figure skating following Heath Rocha but really Katarina Shaw, who is determined to carve her own path on and off the ice.

This is a fast paced read with documentary style interviews at the beginning of each chapter that offer insights to the flashbacks and history recounting of Katarina's rise to stardom from start to finish. And it is straight out of a telenovela. There is so much toxicity and drama. Every character is deeply flawed, cut throat, and deeply in need of therapy. AND I WAS OBSESSED.

While I don't necessarily agree with some twists and turns nor do I think the characters end up better than we find them, I do think it honors the level of mess they were wheeling and dealing throughout the book and who am I to judge?

If you're in the mood for a messy, binge read, pick this one up!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my free electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a supremely successful retelling of Wuthering Heights set in Olympic ice dancing and I hope Layne sold the TV/Film rights for a giant sum. It's deliciously soapy, the faux-documentary structure is inherently cinematic, and I can't wait for the inevitable adaptation.

The Favorites" by Layne Fargo took me deep into the competitive theater world and all the intense, often toxic relationships that come with it. The characters felt so real; I felt like I was right there with them, caught up in all the drama.

What really grabbed me was how Fargo explores ambition and friendship. The tension between the characters kept me hooked, and I was totally invested in their journeys—the highs, the lows, everything.

The writing is sharp and addictive—I couldn't put it down! It captures the complexities of relationships and the dark side of ambition perfectly.”

All in all, if you enjoy gripping tales with layered characters and a bit of theatrical flair, "The Favorites" is definitely one I recommend picking up. I’m so glad I decided to dive into it!

Kind of gave me a Black Swan mixed with Center Stage vibe.

Thank you for this complimentary review copy!

This is the first book of the year where I have wanted to rush to the end to see how it all plays out verses savor every moment because it so good and so intense. The story takes you behind the scenes of the world of ice dancing, but even more than that it takes you deep into the lives of two characters, Katarina and Heath who are deeply driven to the point of obsession. The author captures the rawness of their human nature, that to some extent lives in all of us if we are willing to admit it.

This story is genre bending with themes of romance, sports, mystery, psychology and at times it's a thriller. It does life on its own terms and because of that it's a breath of fresh air. While it ties up at the end it's not in a way that you'd traditionally expect from fiction and that's another reason to read it as soon as you can possibly get your hands on it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC!

I was 18 when Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir danced their way to hold with their Moulin Rouge routine. I was captivated, entranced and hooked. I could never look at ice skating the same way again. I watch their routine at least once a month.
So when I stumbled upon this book on Netgalley and I knew I had to read it immediately. The Favorites follows Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha and their tumultuous journey of love and skating. Told in alternating documentary style interview format and first person perspective, The Favorites will keep you reading until you can’t hold your eyes open anymore. I absolutely loved the format that this was written in and it reminded me of Daisy Jones and The Six. I honestly think that this book would be even better in audiobook form that I think I’ll probably re-read it that way when it comes out.

Katarina and Heath are some of the flawed characters ever but it just made the story so much more compelling and I couldn’t stop reading because I just had to know what they did next. The amount of times I gasped out loud during this book is actually unreal. The amount of times I cried is also a little concerning. Their passion and energy and determination just kept me hooked all the way through. (This was putting it nicely but I quite literally was foaming at the mouth because of all the tension between Katarina and Heath. I had to physically put my iPad down and walk away.)

Also there’s this scene where the author mentions a song that Katrina and Heath and skating to, it’s the pivotal finale, and I decided to play that song while I read the last chapters of the book and honestly I would HIGHLY recommend that. What a glorious high.

If you liked Daisy Jones and The Six and if you’ve watch Tessa and Scott’s Moulin Rouge routine at least once, you’ll definitely love this.

I have never been more obsessed with a book until this masterpiece. Layne Fargo, you have absolutely outdone yourself. There has been a lot of research, artistry, and damn hard work put into this book that I definitely recognized as a reader. A retelling of Wuthering Heights based on Olympic Ice Dance skaters = the most perfect book in the world. As the story unravels it simply plays out like a movie inside your head. You've evoked SO many emotions that I didn't even think I could fathom. I was rooting for everyone especially our main character Katarina but in the same vein there were so many times I wanted to slap her (and a couple others.. let's be serious all of them sporadically throughout the novel.)

The mixed media format was a crucial part of this novel to keep it going and interesting. With different perspectives biased and unbiased towards the main plotline, it helped push the plot forward. I think this will be an incredible audiobook once published! As Heath and Kat are obsessed with each other, I will forever be obsessed with this book. The DRAMA. The angst. The tension. The passion. The hard work. And the love of it all. I will not shut up about it on publication date, you best believe.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an E-Arc copy of the book.

This might have been the fastest I've ever read a book. So, so good and gripping. The type of writing that you simply can't tear yourself away from even for a second.

Layne Fargo has taken her writing skills to a new level in this novel. I loved how easy this book was to read and poured through it so quickly.

Additionally, the love/hate romance was so genuinely a retelling of Withering Heights, I was thrilled to dive into a story filled with tension, longing and hidden lives. While this book was a fun retelling and taught me a lot about ice skating, I didn't love the story as much as some of Layne Fargo's previous novels. The mystery didn't feel especially mysterious and the twists and turns were a bit predictable.

However, if you want to read a beautifully written novel with a ton of tension, definitely add this one to your collection.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an E-Arc copy of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Favorites is a captivating story about our main characters, Kat and Heath, from their early teen years into adulthood and covers both their rise to Olympic figure skating fame and their intense romance.

I do not typically like books that are sports oriented but, even if you don’t like sports or figure skating, I hope you will give this book a try because the particulars of the sport aren’t really a main focus of the story. Instead, what we get is a deep exploration of the intense hunger for athletic excellence and passionate, sometimes even destructive love, between our two characters. This book was just ripe with tension and the constant push and pull of the characters’ success, failures, and give and take of their relationship. It was frustrating and exciting all at once and in the best way that a book can be; I couldn’t put this book down because I just had to know how it ended and I was so invested in these characters. At the same time, I didn’t want the book to end because I didn’t want to leave the story or our characters.

It’s also been a while since I read Wuthering Heights so, I am not the best person to judge how this holds as a modern retelling or reimagining of the story. But, I did appreciate the odes within this story to the original classic and I very much appreciated the same tension, themes of self-destruction, and all consuming romance that we see across both novels. It definitely made me eager to reread Wuthering Heights, which says something!

All in all, this book was just absolutely fantastic. It took me out of my own reality into this fictional world and it felt so great to be invested so deeply with the entirety of this book. I definitely want to reread this story and look forward to other readers getting the chance to experience this when the book comes out in January 2025!

Not only is this book about obsession but you are about to be obsessed with this book. I couldn't put it down, I was completely sucked into the story and the lives of the characters. There were so many times that I wanted to throw the book across the room, emotions were high while reading.

AMAZING. This book was so good, bringing you into the world of ice skating in a brand new way. Incredible work of art and enjoyed this read so much. 5 star read for sure.

The Favorites follows the ice dancing careers of Kay and Heath, from their early days growing up in a dysfunctional family outside Chicago to the Sochi Olympics. The story is told from Kat’s point of view and interspersed with clips from a documentary following their career. The Favorites gives a glimpse behind the scenes of the ice dancing world, the complicated relationships between the athletes and what drives them.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NewGalley.

*The Favorites* by Layne Fargo is a gripping, character-driven thriller that expertly explores ambition, loyalty, and betrayal. Fargo's sharp writing and complex plot keep readers hooked with tension and unexpected twists. It's a dark, compelling read that keeps you guessing until the very end.