Release date: January 14, 2025
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis:
To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.
An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice
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 rollercoaster 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 either. 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.
Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.
Review:
I’ve been on the lookout for a book with the same vibes as Daisy Jones and the Six for years and this one definitely has the same feel. I’ve long been fascinated by figure skating but never really got that into ice dancing and after reading this it makes me want to become a bigger fan!
This follows Heath and Katerina from the time they meet as kids up through adulthood and gives a glimpse inside the cutthroat and intense world of competitive skating. The format is really engaging as you hear from those two but it’s also set up like a documentary so you hear from several people who played large and small roles in their lives between the regular narrative structure. So the plot had me allllll in, following a couple throughout their fascinating careers?! Yes please! But I didn’t expect to be as obsessed as I was, I was addicted to the drama, the betrayals, the heartbreak, the romance, the glitz, the dark side of sports and so much more. Everything about this one was immersive for me and I suspect it will be hugely popular upon its release, I’m telling it’s SO good!
Overall rating: 5/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 