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.

I received an ALC of this book courtesy of the publisher via the PRH Audio influencer program. All thoughts are my own.

I was between books on New Year’s Eve and was looking for an audiobook to pass the day while I did housework, and when I saw this on the PRH influencer app, I decided to jump in. It’s written in a documentary-style format reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six, and the audiobook features a full cast of characters, making it that much more enjoyable.

The novel centers on Katarina Shaw, a fiercely determined Olympic ice dancer, and her partner, Heath Rocha. The two met as teens, and Kat convinced him to be her ice dancing partner. The two grow up together with Kat doing everything she can to scrape together funds to pursue her passion even after her father dies. The two rise in ranks thanks to fierce determination on Kat’s part, but the journey to the top isn’t all smiles and roses for the couple; they face plenty of ups and downs. Their turbulent lives make for good headlines, and their undeniable chemistry makes them legends in the world of figure skating. But the closer you get to the top, the further you have to fall…
Through a series of interviews, flashbacks, and competing narratives, The Favorites unravels their story – from their childhood bond to the meteoric rise and devastating fall of their partnership. A decade after their shocking breakup at the Olympics, the resurfacing of their story through an unauthorized documentary forces Kat to step back into the public eye and take control of the narrative. In doing so, she will have to confront not only her legacy but also the ghosts of her past.

The writing is strong, and the parallels to Daisy Jones & The Six are undeniable: both novels use an oral history format to delve into the rise and fall of icons whose personal relationships were as mesmerizing as their professional accomplishments. This structure works particularly well with Kat telling a majority of the story, and then pieces are filled in by coaches, skating friends (and enemies), and others.

The characters are where The Favorites really shines. Kat is unyielding, unapologetic, and yet achingly vulnerable beneath her hard exterior. Her lower/middle-class upbringing often made me think of Tanya Harding. Her drive to succeed – often at the cost of her personal happiness – feels both admirable and tragic. Heath has his own struggles, but he deals with them by letting Kat take the reigns – controlling his destiny until he can’t take it anymore. The author doesn’t shy away from the messy complexities of their bond, which makes their story all the more engrossing.

That said, the novel isn’t without its flaws. At over 400 pages, it starts to lose momentum in the final third. Some of the repetitive conflicts between Kat and Heath felt like they could have been trimmed, and the pacing slows just when it should be accelerating toward the climax. While Daisy Jones and the Six ended with a bittersweet reveal and a big emotional gut punch, I felt that this one kind of fizzled. I didn’t care for how it was all tied up in the end. It felt a little anticlimactic.
As I mentioned earlier, the audiobook is great. Having a full cast of characters really added to the tone the author was going for. I sometimes had to remind myself that I was listening to a work of fiction, not actual people who had lived through these events.

If you’re a fan of character-driven stories with a touch of glamour and grit, this is a captivating read that I would definitely recommend. While I personally felt it could have been tighter and more emotionally resonant, the story is entertaining and the characters are all great. If you’re an audiobook lover, I would highly recommend adding this one to your list. The cast is stellar.