The Favourites

(Hardback)

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Description

An epic love story that reimagines the tempestuous romance of Wuthering Heights in the sparkling, savage world of elite figure skating Everyone thinks Heath Rocha was my first love. He wasn't. My first love was figure skating. 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 unauthorised 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 rumours have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines. Alternating Kat's own account of her dramatic rise and devastating fall with scandalous snippets from the tell-all film, and capturing the can't-look-away intensity of Emily Bronte's classic novel, The Favourites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win

Reviews

'If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when theyre not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones And The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance, and will keep you guessing until its last page.' * Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of WISH YOU WERE HERE and MAD HONEY *
'What an addictive read Kat and Heaths 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 *
'Weaves a propulsive story of power, obsession, and grit. Incredibly moreish, pacy, and gripping. The Favourites had me gasping, laughing, crying and desperate to read more, aka everything you want in a really good book.' * Lizzie Huxley-Jones, author of Hits Different *
As romantic as it is thrilling, The Favourites 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 *
'The Favourites 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 ... The Favourites 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, author of What Remains *
'Layne Fargo is back with another deliciously scathing, sexy novel. You might not have known you needed Wuthering Heights on ice, but trust me, you do. Passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You wont be able to put it down.' * Julia Fine, author of MADDALENA AND THE DARK *
'The Favourites 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 *
'The Favourites 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 *

Author Bio

Layne Fargo writes dark, dramatic stories that support women's rights-and also women's wrongs. She's the author of psychological thrillers They Never Learn and Temper, co-author of the #1 bestselling Audible Original series Young Rich Widows (coming to paperback in spring 2024), and co-creator of the Unlikeable Female Characters podcast on Lit Hub Radio. Her first work of women's fiction The Favorites is forthcoming from Chatto & Windus in January 2025. Before becoming a full-time writer, Layne worked as a dramaturg, a librarian, and a corporate knowledge manager, and she still loves going down a good research rabbit hole. She lives in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood with a rescue pit bull and cat who are best friends, the only man she never wants to murder (well, almost never), and way too many books.