Inhaled this book in a day... if you like the layout and story of Daisy Jones and the six, I think you would love this. I really wanted Shaw and Rocha to just catch a break, but then that wouldn't be the story. Kept me on the edge of my seat, rooting for characters who were flawed yet still likeable.

This book immediately made me think of Daisy Jones and The Six. It was written in a semi journalistic style, although this book is about an ice dancing pair rather than a band. I really enjoyed it, and I thought it gave a good insight into the world of ice dancing and the Olympics.

Katarina Shaw has always wanted to be a gold medal winning Olympic skater. Heath Rocha has always wanted to be with Katarina, and so partners her in the ice skating. They both had a very hard childhood and were drawn together – their relationship was a turbulent as it is passionate. They become ice dance champions, and have their sights firmly set on the Olympic Gold. However, the course of true love, and ice dance, never runs smoothly - and jealousies, rumours, and even sabotage abound. The story is told from the beginning by Kat herself, and a number of other key players in the sport who take turns in filling in the narrative.

This story has everything from competition to romance, to sabotage and villains. I really enjoyed it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7028774350
https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-favourites-by-layne-fargo-this-book.html

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc. All opinions are my own.

Oh wow this was so very well written. It has all the intensity of Wuthering Heights, and the characters are translated perfectly.
Don't read this book if you're looking for a warm fuzzy feeling, because that's not what this is. The fact that it's heavily inspired by Wuthering Heights should be a clue. Do read this book if:
-you love ice-skating, because there is a *lot*of ice-skating in this novel.
-if you are interested in a coming of age novel about interesting, but not necessarily likeable, characters.
-if you want to discover a book before it is a hype. It's just that good. Taylor Jenkins Read fans will eat this right up.
I also admire the set up of this story, the mix of interviews and Katarina telling the story from her point of view gave the perfect tension.

This was so engrossing. Katarina and Heath’s relationship was a wild ride and the ice dancing backdrop made for a tense and exciting story. Absolutely loved this!

Right from the start I knew this book was going to be amazing. Wethering heights meets figure skating... what else could you want! This is an amazing sport romance that will have your heart pounding!

Although the relationship between heath and katarina can be toxic and disfunction at times, this book shows the realities of dating when in the public eye, this couple has their ups and downs but relationships in real life are like that and I'm so happy that layne makes this love story so believable.

I loved how this book gives a realistic look into the world of figure skating.

I devoured this book. It was impossible to put down

I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read in 2024.

Oh my god, this book is brilliant! It comes across as a mash up between the captivating narrative of Daisy Jones & The Six, with the cut throat expose on elite sport from Carrie Soto is Back, but for figure skating. I was completely captivated from page one and could not put it down. Katerina and Heath's turbulent relationship both on and off the ice had me screaming in frustration in parts, but I couldn't get enough of it. This book is easily on my top 10 of the year list (and I've read a LOT of books this year!)

I could not stop highlighting even when I read the acknowledgments (something that has never happened before) which speaks to my experience of this story. I’m happy I got to read this book slowly over a longer period of time with the Spotify playlist, it felt as if I was living with them. It was a bumpy ride but in a way that just highlighted human nature, life and how we experience competition. The characters grow so much but nothing is ever developed in a way that felt forced. The interview style that’s woven in is fantastic it really drives home the intrigue and fear for the future that they’re living in. They have a hindsight we the reader don’t and it amps up the unsettled feeling you get. I’ve always been intrigued by ice dancing and this has left me feeling even more interested.

Heath and Kat frustrated me in the most realistic way I wasn’t even mad at it. Their relationship built from a young age was filled with so many moments we can all recognise. Their backstories solidified so much of the pain and trauma they both survived. They fought for everything they wanted even when that want was someone else’s. The devastation of their sense of self like a wound being torn open again and again on the ice. I could feel the bite from the ice and the system they were fighting to gain respect within. Not hearing from them in the interviews really made the reader suffer in a delicious way. It was too easy for me to feel was though this was non fiction. Even the other characters jumped off the page.

I heard about this book back in October and knew it would change my life. It’s a strange feeling that comes around only a few times. I just knew this book would change my life. It really has I feel both torn apart and healed me. I feel recognised and ready to persevere. I had preordered the hardcover back in October and today have preordered the audiobook. The way this book is told is perfect to drive everything home and boy did it.

Now for the cheeky moment that none of these characters would bat an eyelid at. If there is a physical arc in an office sat alone looking for a forever home, I’d be honoured.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo is a captivating, emotionally charged story that blends the raw passion of Wuthering Heights with the tantalising drama of Gossip Girl, all set against the icy backdrop of the competitive ice skating world. Fargo takes these influences and spins them into something entirely her own, crafting a narrative that feels as timeless as it is contemporary.

The relationships in this book are intoxicatingly toxic (in the best way), filled with the kind of emotional intensity that leaves you reeling. The disguised found family trope gave the story unexpected depth, and I found myself rooting for characters I initially disliked. The tension builds beautifully, and by the final act, the book shifts into a gripping thriller-like pace that had me hanging onto every word.

The storytelling structure, with its documentary-style interviews, took a moment to get used to. At first, I found the secondary character interviews a bit distracting, but as the plot thickened, those snippets became essential pieces of the puzzle. Fargo’s ability to weave these elements together while keeping the story emotionally grounded is truly impressive.

If you love richly layered characters, dramatic relationships, and plot twists that will leave you gasping, this book is for you. It’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions, perfectly suited for fans of character-driven stories with a side of scandal and suspense.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Out January 2025, The Favourites is a book you’ll want to read, revisit, and urge others to read. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this one!

I grew up watching Torvill and Dean and recently watched "I, Tonya" and have to admit that is probably the extent of my knowledge about ice skating of any type, I do know more about wuthering heights though. I was therefore really interested to read this book to become more immersed in and understanding of this world and the driven people within it. I thought it was a well told story and cleverly interspersed with documentary interviews; the naked ambition and will to succeed stood out, but I was less convinced by the romance and missed the Bronte connection completely.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
3.5 rounded up to 4

Intense. Heart wrenching. The intrigue was real, and often extremely well hidden.

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

Kat lives for her figure skating. Heath Rocha was a way to get there - not her first love.

Kat is determination.
Heath is power, dark power.

The figure skating world is manipulative, where being best is closely linked to having money, and people in your hands. To always wanting more of everything.

Quote from the book:

"But what was the point if you had everything and enjoyed nothing?"

I loved the layers of this story. It would be fab on the big screen!

OMG, The Favourites by Layne Fargo is EVERYTHING. 💃⛸️ Is it a groundbreaking, world-changing work of fiction? No. But does it deliver on pure, unfiltered joy? 1000%. This book whisks you away into the glittering, high-stakes world of competitive ice dancing—a place brimming with passion, rivalries, and soap-opera-worthy drama.

Think: Blades of Glory meets Gossip Girl with a healthy dose of romance and scheming. 🕺💔 There are twists, betrayals, and jaw-dropping moments, all wrapped up in a sparkling bow of pure escapism. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, and you’ll absolutely want to binge-read this in one sitting.

It’s not about changing the world—it’s about leaving yours behind for a few glorious hours, and this book does that flawlessly. ✨ If you love books with big feelings and even bigger drama, this one’s for you.

❄️ Grab a blanket, pour yourself a glass of something festive, and get ready for a riot of fun. I couldn’t adore it more!

One of my favourite books of the year ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five

Dramatic, messy, over the top obsession centering two ice dancers who each want one thing above everything else. For one, it's an Olympic gold medal. For the other it's an all consuming love for their partner.

I knew this was a spin of Wuthering Heights before starting to read, but I don't think I was fully prepared for just how toxic Heath and Kat's relationship was going to be. It's messy from the start, as the two grow close due their troubled childhoods and lack of familial love. Their relationship is codependent at best. Heath wants someone to need him, to allow him to care for them. And Kat wants someone with the ambition to match hers to take her to the Olympics. All she's ever wanted since she was 4 years old was to match her idol Sheila Lin and be the best ice dancer in the world. And she will stop at nothing and no one, breaking hearts and families along the way, to achieve her goal. Heath is often left trailing in her shadow at first, fighting to keep up. But it's when he returns with revenge on his mind after a particularly painful fight that the drama really starts to unfold. Add in the Lin twins Garrett and Bella and this is a foursome that is endlessly convoluted and messy. If anything I would have liked a little more from Heath and Kat's childhood, building up this love story that takes over their whole lives. It seemed to develop really quickly and I just wanted that little bit more from it.

I also liked the way this was told, and felt very similar to 'Daisy Jones' with documentary style comments from former family and friends interspersed between the chapters told by Kat. It's set up to act as a documentary exposing the truth behind this ice dancing power couple, with all the infamous headlines and gossip and the real truth behind it all. It made the whole thing feel that little bit more realistic amongst this highly dangerous and outrageous storyline. By the last 50 pages I was speed reading the pages to find out what really went down in Sochi. I was not disappointed.

An addicting, highly volatile read that is as dramatic off the ice as it is on. Heath and Kat are one of the most complicated and dynamic couples I've read about for quite some time.

Initially I wasn't sure about the concept, not knowing a thing about ice skating at all really let alone ice dancing; but the drama and suspense takes over and it is addictive. The format of the book is unique in that the main narrator is the main character, however several other characters interject with their opinions on the story with the premise being this is a documentary looking back on the events and interviews with key players, very cleverly done and brings so much nuance to the plot.
High drama, jealous rivals, young star-crossed lovers and huge stakes, this book is full of thrills and I enjoyed it all in spite of myself.

I really enjoyed reading this and didn't want to put it down, I was quickly drawn in and just kept reading! I'm not a big Wuthering Heights fan so I didn't spend a lot of time noticing similarities or deviations from that, but I appreciated the gothic vibe brought forward to a different century.

Interesting characters but I just loved the figure skating world Fargo created and the atmospheric detail.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book absolutely hooked me. I read it in one sitting and felt sad when it was done. I have no interest in skating but it was just so well executed I found myself enjoying the technical detail.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I went into this but I definitely wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did

I became completely invested in the characters, their fierce ambition, their unwavering love for each other. The tension and drama that unfolded throughout the novel was EVERYTHING!!

A totally addictive read that follows their ice-skating journey, packed with wild scandals and twists that kept me constantly guessing and wondering what was coming next.

The story is told through Katarina’s perspective, but the inclusion of mixed media, in the form of interviews with side characters and snippets from a documentary. It added so much depth and drama, making it an incredibly fast and engrossing read.

The blend of backstory and scandal had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I’ll be thinking about Katarina and Heath, and everything they went through, for a while. This is definitely your next obsession!

I really loved this book. I loved the characters and the confidence through out it. They wanted their dreams no matter what odds stacked against them. In the end, was it worth it?

It is not something I would usually read but the drama throughout had me constantly engaged. My only thing was there was a lot of back and fourth and I just could not decide what team I was on! Part of me found it frustrating and then part of me loved it all. I wish there was just a bit more suspense!

Absolutely obsessed with this book!
I was not expecting to love this story so much. I got so attached to the characters, their ambition, their love for each other.
An addictive read following Katarina and Heath, and their ice skating journey. The drama and the scandals following them is a wild ride.
The story is retold through Katarina’s perspective, while intertwining snippets of interviews with side characters, adding to the drama of the story. A brilliant book and definitely your next obsession!
I will not be able to stop thinking about Katarina and Heath for a long time!

"Everyone thinks Heath Rocha was my first love. He wasn't.
My first love was figure skating."

It's been a while since I found a book that made me want to continue reading this much. If I could have, I would have finished it in one sitting. At first I was a bit sceptical of the Wuthering Height retelling aspect, but it almost became my favourite thing. Finding the similarities, comparing it to the classic, being reminded of the time I read Wuthering Height. I was amazed by how well it worked! Beside this being a really cheesy dramatic soap-opera-y pageturner, Fargo absolutely managed to create atmosphere. Unfortunately it disappointed me that halfway through she changed from the classic storyline. Nonetheless a "popcorn novel" that you cannot get enough of.

"I didn't become a skater because I harbored some childish fantasy of wearing sequins and spinning around like a pretty little top. I became a skater because I wanted to feel like that. Fierce. Confident. A warrior goddess covered in glitter. So sure of myself, I could make my dreams come true through sheer force of will."

An entertaining and absorbing read that kept you reading and rooting for the characters succeed in a world where everything seems stacked against them. Katarina and Heath are the stuff of modern-day legends, The format of the book is interesting, using a transcript style approach in some sections with views from people involved in the story, contrasted with more reflective accounts from Katarina about her version of events. Altogether a rollicking good read and an eye-opener to the lengths people might go to in order to win.