This started off so promising with the messy, obsessiveness and romance of figure skating!

It lost me with that stupid pregnancy subplot, there was just no point in it! I wasn’t a fan of the 2 MCs getting together in the end but of course they did…

The first thing that drew me to this book was the ice dancing. I unfortunately spend a lot of time online and a few years ago I saw the viral video of Tessa and Scott performing their final routine. This led me down various rabbit holes and, long story short, my husband and I are taking ice skating lessons.

The second thing was the synopsis ringing Taylor Jenkins Reid alarm bells in my head. TJR is one of my favourite auto buy authors and I constantly crave books that can give me a similar feeling to hers.

The Favourites delivered.

The way the author mixed the interview style and the first person POV worked well, and as cheesy as this sounds, the pacing and tension of the book followed a similar progression to an ice dance performance, which ended with everything on fire. Fargo's thriller background really showed up here.

Kat isn't a likeable person but she's a great character to read. She has passion, ambition, and focus. I don't think we learnt enough about Heath, and I don't think this is an epic love story as the US marketing is trying to portray. Unless that love story is between Kat and ice dancing.

Really enjoyable and quick read. The book is written in a mix of first person pov chapters and multi-character interviews. Interesting format which reminded me of Daisy Jones and The Six. The story certainly drew inspiration from the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan rivalry…
Overall it was a fast paced and gripping read but I would have liked the ending to pack more of a punch

I absolutely adored this book. The documentary style writing was perfect for the drama. I loved the titbits that were given in the documentary before something big happened. It also made the story come to life and left me feeling as though this was a non-fiction book. I’d love to be able to Google Kat and Heath and read all of Ellis Deans articles.
The blend of gossip, ambition, and suspense was perfectly executed. I could not stop reading, it pained me to pause and put the book down. If you love a dramatic, fast-paced romance with a unique structure, this is a must-read!

I was hooked from the beginning, the drama! Oh my goodness it was so good, the drama, the betrayal….it was toxic and messy but so so good. I couldn’t put it down

It was a whole experience, I loved the format with the interview/documentary type sessions alongside the first person format.

Katrina Shaw, intense, passionate and not so perfect, she felt so real. Heath Rocha is a more complicated character, there was mystery around his character made. Their relationship together? So much tension, obsessive, almost suffocating. It just added to how the story played out

I heard a lot of hype about the book. Once you know it’s a retelling of Wuthering Heights you can really see it. I loved the setting of the ice skating world and that it was from Kat’s POV. Plus the documentary style was good. While I was reading it I kept thinking is it really as good as the hype. But I kept thinking about it after I finished it.

Loved loved loved this… as mentioned on the cover very much in the vein of Daisy and the Six and Songs in Ursa Major . The Favourites is about having the drive to fight for what you believe in, to believe in yourself at all costs and never let your dreams die all set to the background of competitive ice dancing. A new author for me but will definitely be finding her other books.

This was a wild ride! It's got elements that fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid will love but with the drama dialled all the way up to eleven. Different from what I was expecting but I couldn't put it down. An easy recommend for anyone stuck in a reading rut - this book rips!

I loved this so much. In style very much like Daisy Jones and the Six, and I’m excited to see a tv adaptation if that happens. So many of the characters are inherently flawed and have some incredible unlikeable qualities but that just makes them feel more human and real. I really enjoyed the competitive skating backdrop and that it all felt so real with the different (sometimes unreliable) voices contributing throughout. Absolutely loved the twists and turns in the second half and how the story takes you back to the opening, which really isn’t what you’d expect…

I really enjoyed this. It sucked me in straight away and I liked the style of writing.
I liked the drama and the dysfunctionality.
I liked the characters and how they were so raw and real!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

That was an interesting read… It kept me stressed, nervous, angry, and completely hooked. I couldn’t stop reading!

As a huge fan of figure skating, I found this book addictive. However, some situations felt a bit over the top, and you lost me at 80% with that awkward turn involving three characters—it just didn’t work for me. It was even unnecessary.

UPDATE:
I keep thinking and thinking about this book, but not for the best reasons. I’m hating the final twist more and MORE! I need to update my rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Strap on your skates, readers. You’re in for a wild ride…

Where to start? The Favourites is almost definitely destined to be one of my favourites this year – and perhaps of all time. It’s got a winning combination of sparkling glamour, heartfelt romance and dramatic scandal. I’d genuinely be surprised if this doesn’t end up on many bestsellers lists this year.

I loved the format. It’s a mix of short interview excerpts from a new documentary, combined with a first person narrative from Katarina Shaw. Kat is tired of others talking about her and her illustrious ice dancing career, she wants to share her story, her way. And it’s a riveting read.

“I’d convinced myself that if I became the best, it didn’t matter who I hurt, because in the end, it would be worth it. Even if I hurt myself most of all.”

From a rough childhood growing up in rural Illinois, to the dazzling lights of LA, to the cold competition of Russia, the author takes the reader on a journey through the characters’ lives. All the main characters are relatable but not always likeable – they’re real, and they’re flawed. They make plenty of mistakes, but I loved them anyway.

The book revolves around the romance between childhood sweethearts Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha, but it’s also about their intense battle to try to become Olympic champions. Ice dancing isn’t really something I’ve paid much attention to in the past, but this book made me sit up and take notice. The author has clearly done her research, and she brings the world of ice dance to life in a way I never imagined – the competition, ambition, drama and controversy surrounding the sport. I could practically hear the music, feel the cold and taste the sweat. It’s dizzying, and electrifying.

This is the first I’ve read from this author, but her writing feels very reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins-Reid, and I think it will definitely appeal to fans of that author. It has the romance, music and heart of Daisy Jones combined with the fierce ambition of her newer novel Carrie Soto Is Back.

There’s other authors I could compare this to, but I won’t because this book is a masterclass of drama in its own right. Fargo has effortless captured an authentic and emotional romance, coming-of-age story and brutal sports drama and topped it off with some dark twists and turns which wouldn’t be out of place in a thriller. One not to miss this year.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Favourites.

Oh My Days. I feel like I have been on the full journey with the characters in this book. And what a book, what a story. Written in the style of a non-fiction book, I genuinely forgot that this story was not real! Even now I'm struggling with fact that I will never meet Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha in real life.

Highly recommend.

4.5/5 stars

What a rollercoaster of a book!

Reading the Favourites was very similar to how I felt reading Daisy Jones & the Six, and that’s saying a lot.

The characters Layne Fargo created are flawed, imperfect, they make rash and confusing decisions, but all of this just makes them more human.

I struggled a bit with the dynamics between Katarina, Heath and Bella in the last third of the book, which is why I can’t give it a full 5 stars.

The favourites is my new fave. This book is definitely a dash of romance and a whole lot of toxic love, drama and betrayals.

This is one for the fans of daisy Jones and the six with its mixed media but a whole lot of something more.
I love the fast pace and constant drama. The adlib from the commentary was amazing.

No notes and I can't wait to recommend this to EVERYONE
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley

I heard positive reviews about this book but other than it having a figure skating element I didn’t know what to expect. This is a retelling of Withering Heights, where our characters Kat & Health fight to make their dream of an Olympic gold come true. Years of hard work, success , heartbreak and devastation grip the reader and have you both rooting and hating them at the same time. The sport is ruthless and winning is the ultimate goal.

I loved this book, I was happy, crying and anxious for them throughout. It’s written in a documentary format with comments from interviews as well as Kat retelling her side of events. It reminded me a little bit of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. But honestly what a book!

I am speechless. This book was soooooooo good. Oh my god.
This is an absolute 6 star read and I will recommend it to everyone and their mother... I believe this will be THE BEST BOOK OF 2025 for me. I don't know how any other book could top that. Nothing left to say except: I applaude you Layne Fargo! Thank you for this masterpiece!

I really enjoyed this! Not my usual genre but it had me captivated and I finished in one sitting. It’s the story of 2 figure skaters competing against the odds of their difficult childhood and financial difficulties. The relationships felt realistic and complex and I felt like I was in their world

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this

What a fabulous read!
This in-putdownable story follows Katarina and Heath, both troubled in their own ways as they chase an Olympic dream.
What makes The Favourites particularly gripping is its ability to surprise at every turn. Just when you think you have a handle on the story, the narrative takes an unexpected detour or reveals a new, compelling piece of the puzzle. The sense of wonder, danger, and romance creates a dreamlike quality, keeping the reader engaged until the very last pages.
By the time you reach the final pages, the narrative ties together in a beautiful, unexpected way that leaves you thinking long after the book is closed. It's a masterclass in building tension, using twists and turns not just to surprise, but to deepen the emotional stakes.
A definite must read for any fans of Daisy Jones and the Six, this story will stay with you long after finishing reading.

Very good premises,
I enjoyed reading about the choreographies and the relationship between all the characters. It took me a minute to see that it was a retelling of Wuthering Heights (my favourite classic ) but it never becomes as intense or toxic as in the novel by Emily Brontë.
I thought the book was a real page-turner for the first half but I also found the second part a bit repetitive (competitions, drama, training, etc.)
It’s still a fairly good book despite the quite unlikable characters, I particularly liked Kat but Heath's personality is only on the surface.