To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

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.

I have a strict rule in the winter: if it’s under 30 degrees, I do not leave my apartment. I prefer instead to glue myself to the radiator, dangerously close to burning myself on its century-old pipes, and remain thawed with a book. Much to my disappointment, I am an adult with responsibilities, so this rule is not so well-followed. This winter, though, I picked up The Favorites. Suddenly, in a world with literal Olympic-level stakes, all my “adult responsibilities” disappeared. I did not leave my apartment once as I turned pages dripping in scandal and romance, finishing all 450 pages in one sitting.

The Favorites instantly immerses us in the utterly addictive world of figure skating. It’s clear from the moment we meet our main characters, the figure skating duo Kat and Heath, that their story is epic. From childhood, the pair have their sights set on one thing: Olympic glory. They skyrocket to unprecedented international success…until the incident brings this long-time partnership to a dramatic end. Now, on the ten-year anniversary of that fateful Olympic Games, a documentary unearthing the so-called secrets of Kat and Heath is released, told through interviews with their closest friends and rivals—but Kat is sick of the speculation and decides to tell her story for herself.

Everything about The Favorites is larger-than-life: the emotions, the personalities, the setting. Never before have I read a story so heightened and engrossing at every turn. I simply couldn’t get enough of Kat and Heath’s story. Pick up this book, and I’m sure you won’t either.