Introduction

The Favorites by Layne Fargo is a book I’ve had my eye on since I saw it on the Goodreads “New Books of 2025” list last year. It was released in January, and I finally got around to reading it back in June. I can’t believe I waited six months to pick this up, because it was absolutely amazing. I’ve been chasing that elusive five star feeling in each of my reads all year, and with only two books hitting that goal so far, I’m ecstatic to add a third read to my 2025 five star list. 

Synopsis

This book follows Katrina Shaw, a teenage girl who’s known since she was young that she was destined to be an Olympic skater. Her childhood sweetheart, Heath Rocha, a boy navigating the foster care system, becomes her skating partner, and together, their raw talent and undeniable chemistry make them a powerhouse on the ice. As they rise through the ranks, their passion, intensity, and romance captivate the world, and make them into one of the most iconic ice dance teams in history.

However, after a devastating incident at a major competition, the pair disappear from the spotlight. Now, as the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, a new documentary aims to rekindle the public’s obsession with Shaw and Rocha, and uncover what really happened behind the scenes through interviews with friends, rivals, and those closest to the story.

Layne Fargo captured the intensity of figure skating in the writing, characters, and plotline of this novel, and I have never been so invested in the sport in my life.

Character Dynamics

I absolutely loved our main character Katrina Shaw and the unique dynamic between her and Heath. They were messy, magnetic, frustrating, and fascinating. I wanted to grab them by their shoulders and shake them at one part, and then at the next I was almost jumping up and down with excitement. Kat and Heath felt like real people to me, not just because of the highs and lows of their relationship, or their chemistry on the ice, but because of the raw complicated way their relationship was written. Some of the things that they put each other through are so outlandish and dramatic, but when you’re reading you become so immersed in their drama and their world that it feels realistic. The way the characters behave encapsulates the intensity and passion of their sport so well and adds so much to the story.

Atmosphere

The ice dance world is so intense and unique, there’s really nothing like it. I loved getting to read about this sport from behind the scenes and see just how much goes into it. The format of the book allowed us to hear thoughts and opinions from all different sides of this story including the competition and people who covered ice dance news. Seeing the sport from all these different angles added a layer of complexity to the story that made figure skating feel like its own character in the book. 

Narrative Structure

As I mentioned earlier, this story is told through interviews in a documentary style, along with Katrina’s point of view. I’ve never read a book quite like this and I absolutely loved it. Each chapter starts with interview questions and a description of what “shot” would be shown in the documentary with the interview as a voice over. There were times I completely forgot I was reading, it felt that much like watching TV. The interview format felt a bit reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, another five star read for me, and it was done so well.

The author’s stylistic choice with this novel made it easy to hear from lots of different perspectives without feeling overbearing or clunky. Without the documentary element to this book, it would be another well done literary sports fiction with a subplot of romance. The interviews had me on the edge of my seat, bingeing this in a few sittings, and really made the book for me.

Conclusion

This book caught me off guard with how much I ended up enjoying it. The characters, the tension, the structure; everything came together in a way that felt effortless and immersive. These characters and their story have stuck with me long after finishing the book, and for some reason I keep getting the random urge to turn on ice dance competitions now? If you love character-driven stories with intense relationships, high stakes competition, and unique storytelling, The Favorites is absolutely worth the read.

Rating – 5/5 stars

Book cover image from Random House Publishing.

Buy The Favorites either online or at your local bookstore!

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