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This spoiler-free book review of The Favorites covers all you need to know about this nuanced Wuthering Heights retelling that truly feels reminiscent of Daisy Jones & the Six. I share my favorite book quotes, a brief synopsis, book club discussion questions for The Favorites, other books with a similar vibe, other books by Layne Fargo, and more!
Thank you to Random House for gifting me this complimentary book. My review reflects my honest thoughts.
I’m not going to lie, The Favorites wasn’t on my most anticipated books of 2025 list, but that’s only because it wasn’t on my radar somehow. But the second I heard about it, I knew I had to dive in!
Now that I’ve read it, I have to say, I think it will make a great book club book for 2025, too! There’s so much to discuss about the characters! But let’s get into it . . .
Content Warnings
Mentions of child abuse; loss of life; loss of parent(s); accidents; blood and injury; aggressive/violent competition; scandal; betrayal; sabotage; infidelity; estranged family members; grief; toxic relationships; pregnancy mentioned; physical abuse mentioned
The Favorites Book Review / Summary
The Favorites is a dramatic (JUICY!) closed-door sports romance about the cut-throat world of elite figure skating. We follow Katarina Shaw, a teenage girl who’s had a singular goal since she was little: become an Olympic skater.
We also get to know (or do we, really?) Heath Rocha, a teenage boy navigating the foster care system who’s been intimately tied to Katarina from the very beginning, and they’re inseparable.
Because of his childhood trauma, Heath doesn’t get too close to too many people. He only loves one person in this world, Katarina, and he’s willing to do anything for her.
The childhood sweethearts chase Katarina’s dream of becoming champion ice dancers, no matter the obstacles that stand in their way—and there are many. Their chemistry on and off the rink is palpable, catapulting them into a world they aren’t exactly prepared for.
But what does the intensity of love, unbridled ambition, and the brutal world of competitive figure skating lead to? The highest highs, the lowest lows, and a raw depiction of human nature when we slam face-first into our limits.
Written in a page-turning documentary interview style, this love story is full of unreliable POVs, gossip, scandal, found family, violence, betrayal, passion, and an intoxicating glimpse into the drama of professional figure skating.
This love story examines in gruesome detail the lie we fall into time and time again: that unchecked ambition creates self-worth.
It’s the idea that the lust for power, fame, wealth, and excellence can provide a true sense of security and peace. It’s a seductive idea for Katarina Shaw, and she pulls readers in to her dreams and one-track mind, no matter the cost.
Yes, The Favorites plays with this idea of what it means to win, but it also explores what it means to lose it all, to find yourself again and again—softer, somehow—like glass pummeled by the waves and washed ashore.
PSST: If you don’t know me, HEY. 👋 I’m a book blogger and professional freelance editor, so books are my world. Happy you found me! I read pretty diversely—mostly “book club books” or domestic fiction, but you’ll see lots of literary fiction, romance, and thrillers on my nightstand. Stick around if you’re looking for your next read!
My Thoughts on The Favorites
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The buzz was that it was giving Daisy Jones & the Six vibes, and let me tell you, it delivered.
The documentary interview–style format with multiple characters talking about Katarina’s and Heath’s careers, ten years later, was so smart and compelling.
The characters were colorful and distinct, which I’d imagine is hard to do in this format. Right away, I wanted to know what was going to happen, especially since there was mention of scandal and drama from the beginning.
I felt like a fly on the wall for so many moments throughout the book, and Layne Fargo did an incredible job portraying a toxic relationship and intense love on quite the roller coaster.
Morally Gray Characters
She also did a great job creating multifaceted characters who, at times, I rooted for, and other times? I wanted to ring their necks. I actually didn’t find Katarina or Heath to be super likable characters throughout, but I couldn’t look away.
[🚨 Here’s a spoiler-y thought if you want to know 🚨]
I had to suspend belief a bit with the cheating between Heath and Bella. It was hard to imagine Katarina would be able to continue on having a relationship with them, no matter how much distance/time since it happened. I don’t know. I didn’t mind the “wacky-weird family” they created by the end of the book, but I just felt like the relationship between Bella and Heath was so out of left field to begin with. Maybe that was the point?
Sports Talk
If you’re a lover of ice dancing, you’re going to devour this book. I didn’t have much background knowledge of ice skating, and to be honest, I don’t have a lot of interest in the sport. I did find some chapters to be heavy on the sport details, but I didn’t mind it too much.
Pacing
I will say, the first portion of the book felt very different than the last quarter or so, where it really picked up in a mystery and thriller-y sort of way. I loved the last quarter.
The beginning felt much more like a first-person coming-of-age story, but by the end of the novel, our view of Katarina changes so much.
It’s almost as though we didn’t have access to her any more. We only get to see her through the people in the documentary. It felt intentional, and I thought it was pretty sharp.
My verdict? This is fun, fast, juicy, twisty book with a fun mystery that most contemporary fiction and sports romance readers would love. I’ll definitely be recommending it.
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