The Favourites

 By: Layne Fargo  

Location: FIC FAR

Genre: Sports- Figure Skating

• An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

I fell in love with this book! It’s the best thing I’ve read lately. I can honestly declare it one of the best fictions of 2024, deserving more than five stars! Interestingly, sometimes I wanted to slap the characters, scream at their faces. Especially Katarina brings out so many mixed feelings from you. You respect her, but you also hate her for acting like a vindictive, self-absorbed person who only focuses on the gold medal, walking over anyone without looking back to get what she wants.

Heath made my eyes roll at some points, as he acted like a loyal puppy, letting Katarina treat him like trash without defending himself.

Let’s not forget Bella, who is also reckless when it comes to winning, manipulating people against each other.

Interestingly, I easily connected with each of these characters, even though they have qualities that made me irritated. Even Ellis Dean was the secret ingredient of this book—he was an antihero you dislike, but you get arrested by his weird charm.

Overall, this book made me excited, as if I’m watching sports performances in real life. It made me cry at some tragic parts, but honestly, it brought out so many complex emotions that I embraced them with the help of this powerful and somewhat inspirational, honest story!

And did I mention I adored the conclusion, which might be the best end or the beginning for the characters?

So far, this is the best Layne Fargo book I’ve read, and I advise you to read it over and over again!- Nilufwr review

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.