The Favorites
My original star rating was a 4 because I felt so conflicted about this book. After letting it sit, I've landed on 4.5 because this definitely has some staying power.
The Favorites made a splash when it released at the beginning of the year, and I see why. It was propulsive and interesting. It was one of those books I couldn’t look away from, even when I wanted to.
The novel follows Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, childhood friends and ice dancers with their eyes set on Olympic gold. Their friendship, romance, and skating partnership is something the world has followed. Now that a documentary is being filmed 10 years after their final appearance, Kat is writing her version of the story to set the record straight. Told in first-person with snippets of the “documentary” interspersed, this one makes for great listening on audio, but I appreciated the print just as much.
I will say, this didn’t read like a romance to me. It was tragic and heart-wrenching and didn’t quite give readers the full HEA (happy ever after) experience although most of the storyline resolves.
This read more like a thriller to me, which makes sense because that’s a genre the author has written before. However, true lovers of thrillers will be disappointed as will those with expectations for a strict romance, in my opinion. I will say, I was on the edge of my seat with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach for about 50% of the book.
It wasn’t until 65% through that I realized this was a modernized Wuthering Heights (literally Kat and Heath with a Lin family—Catherine, Heathcliff, the Lintons, duh). Once I recognized it, the tragedy made sense and I predicted a few twists—twists that came about, much to my chagrin.
The writing was excellent. The story framing was interesting. And again, the small bit of full-cast audio I listened to before my library loan ended was superb.
Was I riveted? Horrified? Did I love this? Did I hate it? I don’t know. But I do know it was a wild and memorable ride, not easy to forget.
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This one has a couple of vaguely descriptive scenes on-page.
This book is available through Book of the Month Club. Join with my referral link, and get your first monthly selection for $5. Then add this one to your box for $11.99.
