A review by nclcaitlin
The Favorites by Layne Fargo

4.75

The Favourites is a new favourite!

THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN DAISY JONES AND THE SIX!

Katarina Shaw is a bitch, a diva, a sore loser, a manipulative liar. Cold-blooded, a cheater, a criminal. An attention whore, an actual whore. Even a murderess.

She is also one of the most (in)famous Olympic ice dancers alongside partner Heath. This follows their obsession. Scandal. Tragedy. 

Starting with a banger hint of what is to come (blood on the ice, headline news), we go back to the start of Kat’s ice skating journey. From Heath being sequestered firmly into her life after a bad foster past, her childhood with an abusive brother, Heath’s protective relationship. 

The only person to understand her. People used to joke they were going to die in each other's arms or kill each other with their bare hands. Nothing in between.

Two poor small-town Midwestern trash who don’t belong in the elite sport. 

That free dance was the story of us: Heath and me, spinning away from each other one second, only to clutch each other close the next.

Never still, never simple, always pushing and pulling, shattering each other and putting the pieces back together again.

Told through both Kat’s perspective as well as interview transcripts from people who knew the couple, or professionals from the sport, these short chapters keep you on your toes and biting your nails.

This will put you through your emotions. Love, angst, pride, pain, rage, suspense, anger. I couldn’t stop turning the pages… it was so addicting. 

I am a sucker for anything to do with dance or ice skating as a former competitive dancer myself. I know how the sporting world functions and seeing this through a thriller, romance, lit fic form is a pleasure! 

Thank you to Penguin Books for sending me a PR box!