"Even if you’re a casual reader who doesn’t keep up with internet buzz, there’s no way you haven’t heard of Taylor Jenkins Reid, the majorly viral author behind Daisy Jones & The Six. The internet lost its mind over the Fleetwood Mac-inspired documentary-script novel, which later became an Amazon Prime TV show starring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin. Like everyone else, I was obsessed with Daisy Jones & The Six, so when I heard there was a new release that combined its energy with the drama-filled ice skating movie I, Tonya, I ran to the bookstore immediately.
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The Favorites by Layne Fargo blends documentary-style interview scripts with narrative chapters to reveal the epic untold story of Katarina Shaw, an Olympic ice skater with unyielding ambition and massive dreams (perfect for any Olympics girlies who’ve been dying for content since summer ended). After binge-reading Katarina’s story, I know the internet will love it. Here’s my review of The Favorites and why it should be your next read:
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
What is The Favorites about?
The Favorites opens with the beginning of an unauthorized documentary, filmed 10 years after Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha’s last skate—and the last time the public heard from Katarina. Rivals and friends flock to tell their story, but Katarina is determined to set the record straight on her own terms. The chapters alternate between documentary interview transcripts and Katarina’s narrative, recounting the journey that made her an infamous household name.
Katarina and Heath’s story starts at a rural Illinois ice rink, where Heath, a struggling child in the foster care system, first sees Katarina skate and becomes instantly enamored. From the moment they meet, their lives are enmeshed. Convincing him to become her ice dancing partner, Katarina and Heath rely on each other on the ice and off, dedicating their lives to the sport to escape their tumultuous home lives. Their shared talent eventually takes them to an elite training center in Los Angeles, where they evolve from nobodies scraping by to headline-making stars followed by scandal.
What once seemed like an unbreakable bond between Katarina and Heath begins to fracture as ambition and an unrelenting desire to win drive them apart. Now, Katarina is finally ready to reveal the truth behind every rumor and betrayal.
My review of The Favorites
The characters are flawed and real
The characters in this book are so well-developed and complex that they feel real. You might hate them at parts, but you’ll never doubt their authenticity. Katarina is unapologetic about her goals, and while her selfishness can be frustrating, you can’t help rooting for her. She’s bold, flawed, and utterly compelling. These characters aren’t edited into polished, palatable main characters readers can blindly support. Instead, they’re raw and unfiltered. Fargo forces readers to confront the ugly side of ambition and the sacrifices that come with chasing success. The book also highlights how sports and its audiences demand everything from their athletes, particularly women, and how those same people judge them for how much they’re willing to give for those goals. Fargo’s characters show the moral complexities of achieving your goals at whatever cost to you or others.
If you go into this book expecting a picture-perfect romance, you will be absolutely shocked by what you get instead. It’s an intimate portrayal of platonic and romantic relationships that embraces the toxicity and flaws we usually shy away from. Rivals aren’t one-dimensional characters who exist solely to push the protagonist forward. Instead, they’re fully fleshed out, developed individuals whose complex friendships with Katarina defy easy categorization. While betrayal and sabotage are present, they’re intertwined with complex emotions and reasoning, drawing readers into the characters’ deep obsession with the sport. You grow to care so deeply about these characters that their passion-fueled competition for gold feels like your own.
These relationship intricacies also apply to Katarina and Heath’s romance. It doesn’t follow the typical structure of a meet-cute, slow burn, trivial third-act conflict, and happily-ever-after. Their relationship is volatile, tender, and genuine to their story. You’ll flip-flop between rooting for them and begging them to walk away, making the story even more impactful.
“Don’t expect a cookie-cutter romance, and be prepared to support women’s wrongs, but if you know what you’re getting into, it should definitely be on your TBR shelf.”
The writing completely immerses you in the story
I absolutely loved the structure of this book. The documentary sections broke up the narrative flow with supplemental information from other characters and aided in building suspense. The short chapters also kept the story moving at such a great pace. Fargo knows precisely when to keep her audience guessing and when to draw them in. There wasn’t a second of reading this book where my attention drifted, or I wanted to set it down. It grasps you from the first page and even on the last page, the story had to be wrenched out of my hands by the ending. I wanted to keep holding on. It’s so intense that, at times, it reads like a thriller, expertly building tension.
Fargo’s writing completely immerses you into her world, and even though any semblance of a sports career I had ended at 17, reading this book, the characters’ dreams felt like my own. If you see me buying my first pair of skates despite the fact that I live in Texas…mind your business. Ice dancing isn’t something most people are familiar with, but by the end of this book, I felt like an expert in the world of Olympic athletes and skating. You understand the politics of the sport, the differences between a good performance and a great one, and the toll it has on its athletes. While unanswered questions make you want to speed-read to learn the ending, the world-building keeps you from racing to the finish and enjoying every chapter.
The plot is perfect for pop culture lovers
If you have Deux Moi’s post notifications on, binge-watch every Bravo show, and always know the ins and outs of niche influencer drama, this book will hook you. While the plot centers on ice dancing, it also dives into the media storms of the 2000s. Paparazzi, gossip blogs, and scandalous tabloid headlines are all part of Katarina and Heath’s reality.
You’ll see the glamorous side of fame but also how it destroys relationships. And let’s be honest: human nature craves insider tea about dramatic celebrity couples. With Katarina and Heath, you can soak up all the twists guilt-free because it’s fiction and not a real relationship negatively impacted by your curiosity. (Bonus: there’s also a Taylor Swift reference that Swifties will love.)
Should you read The Favorites?
A dazzling dive into the cutthroat world of ice dancing, The Favorites is a must-read. I truly believe this is the kind of book everyone will enjoy and won’t be able to put down. It’s a gripping, glamorous examination of what motivates us and how far we will go to get what we believe we deserve. Don’t expect a cookie-cutter romance, and be prepared to support women’s wrongs, but if you know what you’re getting into, it should definitely be on your TBR shelf.
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
Lauren Blue, Lifestyle Staff Writer
As a Lifestyle Staff Writer for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of home decor, delicious recipes, hobbies, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Instagram for beautiful homes to feature on the site.