BOTM Monday: The Favorites

Author: Layne Fargo Title: The Favorites Publisher: Random House Date Published: 01/14/2025

Read Dates: 08/26/2026- 08/27/2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I skipped my Book of the Month club pick for August, but this was one of my add-ons from March of this year. 

The Favorites is a contemporary drama and retelling of Wuthering Heights set in the world of competitive ice dancing. It alternates between chapters told from the POV of athlete Katarina Shaw, and transcripts from a documentary about the rise and fall of Katarina and her partner, Heath Rocha. Their journey over the span of 15 years is filled with highs & lows, intense passion & hatred, and drama & intrigue. Kat and Heath are a couple you both love and hate throughout the book, both in their personal and professional lives, but one way or another their story will be told.

I had heard a lot about this book, but did not know it was a Wuthering Heights retelling when I chose it. I would have delayed reading it if I had known, since I’ll be reading Wuthering Heights next month. This was a difficult read, partly because I had to adjust my expectations. It’s listed as a romance on Goodreads and it’s definitely not that. It is a compelling drama about two toxic people who are driven by their desires (Kat’s for success and Heath’s for Kat). I found myself frustrated with the two of them frequently but the fast pace of the book and the desire to finally figure out what the big incident was kept me from putting it aside.

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 fascination 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.