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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I literally couldn’t stop listening/reading this, any chance I got I was putting it on or grabbing my kindle. I don’t know what it was that made me love it so much cause there was so many times I wanted to kill some of the characters but I just really got sucked in there world!!
Didn’t care about a single character.
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and requested it because I’ve enjoyed Layne Fargo’s work in the past (They Never Learn is a favorite of mine). The premise—Olympic-level ice dancers, scandal, and an explosive documentary ten years later—was one I couldn’t resist, especially with my love of character-driven contemporary fiction.
What I Loved:
This was such a compelling take on skating culture, rivalries, and obsession. It reminded me of Noel Streatfield’s White Boots (now Skating Shoes), but with a sharper edge—very Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding in its scandal and public spectacle vibes. The blend of sport, scandal, and personal fallout was engrossing, and I appreciated the way Fargo wove in questions of who gets to control the narrative of someone’s life.
What I Didn’t Love:
The pacing dragged a little for me, though I admit that might’ve been my January burnout reading mood more than the book itself. Still, I sometimes wanted more momentum, especially in Kat and Heath’s dynamic. Their relationship history carried the weight of the story, but I wanted a bit more tension between them in the “now.” The neat HEA-style resolution tied things up with closure, but it wasn’t quite the punch I was hoping for. Also, this being labeled as “sports romance” feels a bit misleading—it’s not a boy-meets-girl skating romance. Kat and Heath were already in love before the story even begins, so the romance is backstory rather than the central arc.
Rating:
I’m giving The Favorites 4 out of 5 stars. While it wasn’t quite as twisty as They Never Learn, I still thoroughly enjoyed the skating scandal drama. The pacing felt a touch slow at times, but I suspect that might have been more about my January burnout haze than the book itself.
Spice level is low—any intimacy is very much “fade to black” and not on-page, which keeps the focus firmly on the drama and characters.
Recommendation:
I’d recommend The Favorites for fans of contemporary fiction, skating stories, and anyone who enjoys character-driven drama with a side of scandal. If you loved They Never Learn and want to see Fargo explore a very different but equally fascinating world, this one is worth picking up.
One Compelling Sentence:
A sharp, scandal-tinged skating drama that trades Olympic ice for icy rivalries, asking who gets to own the story when the spotlight fades.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What I Loved:
This was such a compelling take on skating culture, rivalries, and obsession. It reminded me of Noel Streatfield’s White Boots (now Skating Shoes), but with a sharper edge—very Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding in its scandal and public spectacle vibes. The blend of sport, scandal, and personal fallout was engrossing, and I appreciated the way Fargo wove in questions of who gets to control the narrative of someone’s life.
What I Didn’t Love:
The pacing dragged a little for me, though I admit that might’ve been my January burnout reading mood more than the book itself. Still, I sometimes wanted more momentum, especially in Kat and Heath’s dynamic. Their relationship history carried the weight of the story, but I wanted a bit more tension between them in the “now.” The neat HEA-style resolution tied things up with closure, but it wasn’t quite the punch I was hoping for. Also, this being labeled as “sports romance” feels a bit misleading—it’s not a boy-meets-girl skating romance. Kat and Heath were already in love before the story even begins, so the romance is backstory rather than the central arc.
Rating:
I’m giving The Favorites 4 out of 5 stars. While it wasn’t quite as twisty as They Never Learn, I still thoroughly enjoyed the skating scandal drama. The pacing felt a touch slow at times, but I suspect that might have been more about my January burnout haze than the book itself.
Spice level is low—any intimacy is very much “fade to black” and not on-page, which keeps the focus firmly on the drama and characters.
Recommendation:
I’d recommend The Favorites for fans of contemporary fiction, skating stories, and anyone who enjoys character-driven drama with a side of scandal. If you loved They Never Learn and want to see Fargo explore a very different but equally fascinating world, this one is worth picking up.
One Compelling Sentence:
A sharp, scandal-tinged skating drama that trades Olympic ice for icy rivalries, asking who gets to own the story when the spotlight fades.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a breath of fresh air this audiobook was! Loved the variety of narrators! The interview aspect was so different and new. Loved that!!!
Great ending and really enjoyed the whole done it aspect. Was not expecting that when it started out.
Would definitely recommend!
Great ending and really enjoyed the whole done it aspect. Was not expecting that when it started out.
Would definitely recommend!
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Normal People meets Challengers meets Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's gold medal winning ice dancing performance at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, no I will not elaborate!
będę myśleć o nich
edit po miesiacu: jednak szybko zapomnialam i jak emocje troche osiadły to myślę ze dam jej 4,5☆ bo po prostu jakos nie została w moim sercu????
edit po miesiacu: jednak szybko zapomnialam i jak emocje troche osiadły to myślę ze dam jej 4,5☆ bo po prostu jakos nie została w moim sercu????