Overview

To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession. NATIONAL BESTSELLER • 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 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.

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Reviews

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Hereand co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other. Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Here and co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other. Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Here and co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “The Favorites is a true literary triple axel—a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance. I loved it!”—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Heiress and The Wife Upstairs “A glittery compulsive whirl of a book, filled with spite and love and sequins and ambition. I couldn’t stop reading.”—Holly Gramazio, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands “As a former competitive figure skater, I devoured this epic love story set in the passionate world of ice dancing. The Favorites is every bit as spellbinding as it is brilliant. Layne Fargo proves yet again that she is the queen of writing complex, fierce, and utterly compelling women. . . . An absolute must read!”—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Mad Love and What Remains   “As romantic as it is thrilling, The Favorites is an urgent and addictive story of the demands of ambition and the drama of obsessive love. Layne Fargo writes with a passion and propulsion that that will have you captivated until the very last page.”—Ela Lee, author of Jaded “What an addictive read . . . Layne Fargo weighs the costs of ambition and love, fame and trust, and drive and fate in a story as shimmering and lethal as ice-dancing itself.”—Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites masterfully weaves ambition and obsession into an epic, page-turning love story. Layne Fargo combines compelling characters with dazzling prose to fully immerse readers into the glamorously cutthroat world of competitive skating. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down.”—Rufaro Faith Mazarura, author of Let the Games Begin “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge . . . Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Here and co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “The Favorites is a true literary triple axel—a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance. I loved it!”—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Heiress and The Wife Upstairs “As a former competitive figure skater, I devoured this epic love story set in the passionate world of ice dancing. The Favorites is every bit as spellbinding as it is brilliant. Layne Fargo proves yet again that she is the queen of writing complex, fierce, and utterly compelling women. . . . An absolute must read!”—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Mad Love and What Remains   “As romantic as it is thrilling, The Favorites is an urgent and addictive story of the demands of ambition and the drama of obsessive love. Layne Fargo writes with a passion and propulsion that that will have you captivated until the very last page.”—Ela Lee, author of Jaded “What an addictive read—Kat and Heath’s connection leaps off the page in this sexy, gut-wrenching clash of abilities, values, and wills. As these two soul-mates dance around each other on and off the ice, Layne Fargo weighs the costs of ambition and love, fame and trust, and drive and fate in a story as shimmering and lethal as ice-dancing itself.”—Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other. Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Here and co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “The Favorites is a true literary triple axel—a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance. I loved it!”—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Heiress and The Wife Upstairs “What an addictive read—Kat and Heath’s connection leaps off the page in this sexy, gut-wrenching clash of abilities, values, and wills. As these two soul-mates dance around each other on and off the ice, Layne Fargo weighs the costs of ambition and love, fame and trust, and drive and fate in a story as shimmering and lethal as ice-dancing itself.”—Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other. Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. 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 Wish You Were Here and co-author of Mad Honey “The Favorites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting. . . . A stunning read.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet “The Favorites is a true literary triple axel—a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance. I loved it!”—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Heiress and The Wife Upstairs “As a former competitive figure skater, I devoured this epic love story set in the passionate world of ice dancing. The Favorites is every bit as spellbinding as it is brilliant. Layne Fargo proves yet again that she is the queen of writing complex, fierce and utterly compelling women. An absolute must read!”—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Mad Loveand What Remains   “As romantic as it is thrilling, The Favorites is an urgent and addictive story of the demands of ambition and the drama of obsessive love. Layne Fargo writes with a passion and propulsion that that will have you captivated until the very last page.”—Ela Lee, author of Jaded “What an addictive read—Kat and Heath’s connection leaps off the page in this sexy, gut-wrenching clash of abilities, values, and wills. As these two soul-mates dance around each other on and off the ice, Layne Fargo weighs the costs of ambition and love, fame and trust, and drive and fate in a story as shimmering and lethal as ice-dancing itself.”—Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other. Fargo deftly reveals the sweat and blood coursing beneath the ice skating world’s glamorous facade, and in the process delivers a razor-sharp account of the thin line between performance and reality. I loved every word!”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart and Vantage Point

“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 Wish You Were Here “The horny ice skating novel The Favorites could not have possibly arrived at a more perfect time. . . . Immersive, wildly addictive.”—Paste “[The Favorites] has a simple premise, executed perfectly: Wuthering Heights, but make it Olympic figure skaters. . . . So effing good.”—CrimeReads “Irresistibly pulpy . . . The Favorites shimmers and delights.”—Bookreporter “An epic love story set in the dazzling but brutal world of elite ice dancing . . . Think The Cutting Edge meets Daisy Jones & The Six.”—KMUW “A true literary triple axel: a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance.”—Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Heiress and The Wife Upstairs “A glittery compulsive whirl of a book, filled with spite and love and sequins and ambition.”—Holly Gramazio, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands “Breathtaking . . . The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page, and the captivating drama that unfolds on and off the ice is unrelenting.”—Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Acts of Violet and Oona Out of Order “The Favorites combines the emotion of a coming-of-age tale with the sensationalism of the most audacious news headlines, creating a thoroughly intriguing read.”—Chicago Review of Books “Engrossing, thrilling, and just downright fun.”—Booklist, starred review “Colleen Hoover–style romance heads to the Olympic rink. Buckle up.”—Kirkus Reviews “A dazzling dive into the cutthroat world of ice dancing, The Favorites is a must-read. . . . It’s a gripping, glamorous examination of what motivates us and how far we will go to get what we believe we deserve.”—The Everygirl “A deliciously scathing, sexy novel . . . passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun.”—Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark “The Favorites is Tell Me Lies meets The Cutting Edge—a juicy, addictive look at an ice dancing pair whose obsession with winning is matched only by their obsession with each other.”—Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart “A tale of ambition and scorching passion that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.”—Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftover Woman “As a former competitive figure skater, I devoured this epic love story set in the passionate world of ice dancing. The Favorites is every bit as spellbinding as it is brilliant. . . . An absolute must read!”—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Mad Love and What Remains “What an addictive read . . .”—Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major “A drama of epic proportions.”—Library Journal

Author Information

Layne Fargo has a background in theater, women’s studies, and library science, so it’s only fitting that she now writes deliciously dramatic, unapologetically feminist stories for a living. She’s the author of psychological thrillers They Never Learn and Temper, as well as co-author on the bestselling Young Rich Widows series, and her work has been translated into over a dozen languages. Layne lives in Chicago with her partner, their pets, and an ever-expanding collection of books she’s definitely going to read before she dies.

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