I read the description of this book and thought it sounded slightly weird, but I had to give it a read for that very reason.

To start with it takes you on journey that rather mocks reality TV "dating" shows. It's not hard to imagine that some of the situations that arise are fairly accurate to be honest. And while a dose of that sort of TV can be escapism without too much effort, The Chase is definitely not a show you'd want to get involved with after reading this book.

The latter part of the book the weirdness ramps up and I would say it's probably not for you if you don't like horror/gore/descriptions of death & sites of accidents.

If you are looking for a book that is like nothing you have read before, this is a good choice.

A one-of-a-kind, genre-defying novel, and one of my favourite reads of the year.

Have you ever wished for a book that feels like the perfect blend of The Bachelor, Lost, King Kong, and the X-Files? Well the hunt is over! Patricia Wants To Cuddle (firstly, THAT TITLE!) follows the final four contestants of reality dating show "The Catch", who are transported to Otter's Island in the Pacific Northwest for the penultimate episode. The island is known as a famous “LGBTQ getaway”, but its popularity declined after three female hikers mysteriously disappeared there in the 1990s.

The narrative structure is brilliant: In the current day, the story is told from the perspective of the four final contestants, one of whom is an anti–all things sexual, devout Christian (brilliant addition against the LGBTQ theme!); in the 70s, we hear from a lesbian teen through secret letters to her girlfriend; and adding to the drama are entries from two online forums - the blog from the sister from one of the hikers who disappeared, and "The Catch" fan site.

This book won't be for everyone but for me it was perfect. The monster horror was old school and gory, the humour was precision perfect, and I loved the inclusion of multiple forms of media to set the story up and reveal crucial snippets of information. I adored Allen's writing, and really liked how well-evoked the characters were, and the inclusion of the touching queer romance. Honestly, this is one of the best and most entertaining reads I have experienced in a long time. Five fat stars.

This is not the book I was expecting but I genuinely enjoyed it.
It’s a relatively easy read, if a bit gory in places. It’s about a batchelor style tv program and the contestants on a small island and what happens to them. It’s a really interesting commentary on these type programs. I don’t want to say too much because I will give away the plot but If you like horrory versions of the batchelor, this sit the book for you!
Read through netgalley but always for an honest review!

What the f*ck did I just read? Patricia Wants to Cuddle is one bizarre book, and yet it’s amazingly readable and highly original. Think Love Island crossed with Bigfoot, and you’ll get the idea, kinda.

Allen’s debut novel follows the self-obsessed, final contestants and crew of The Catch – a dating show – as they head to a remote island to film the last episodes. Four women are competing to marry tech company co-founder Jeremy Blackstone (who is most definitely smarmy and not a Catch!), and there’s plenty of fighting, contemplation and outright spite along the way as they battle to be the HBIC!

Otters Island, a formerly famous “LGBTQ getaway” whose popularity declined after three hikers mysteriously disappeared in the 1990s. But maybe there’s more to it than that.

Some of the contestants are obsessed with winning, others are more concerned with their public image and ensuring they get enough content for their Glamstapix accounts, others with showing off their pious Christian beliefs. But Renee, the token black contestant, who isn’t even sure she likes men, is only too well aware that she’s there for the optics only.

Flitting between the perspectives of the remaining contestants, their diligent producer and the message boards of viewers, the numerous characters can be confusing at times.

With a smattering of gore and some moments of mystery, Allen’s sarcastic, witty debut invites you to question the often scathing side of the modern social media and reality TV obsession.

When the contestants glimpse at something different, a natural sighting that gives them some much-needed perspective, many are horrified at the sight, but others find it awe-inspiring. What’s lurking in the woods might be scary, but compulsively trying to toe the line and fit in all the time might be more so. 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review. Patricia Wants to Cuddle is out now.

4.5 stars

I was drawn to this book by its unusual premise - a mix of reality TV and creature feature that I haven't really seen before - and this certainly didn't disappoint. It gripped me from the very start with its mix of character POVs and external media like blog posts and letters, and paced itself perfectly to reveal the horror at the top of the mountain. I think that the main focus was on the contestants themselves and the buildup to the finale rather than constant horror throughout, but this really worked for me, and I did genuinely feel sad by the deaths at the end, even though I'd found some of the characters so loathsome at the start. I also really love stories where the monster is shown some love, so I personally found the ending pretty satisfying. My only complaint is that, because I found the book so interesting, I wanted a little more from it in terms of spending more time at Otters Island, but it was still a great, tightly contained read.

This is a strange but enjoyable story, following a fictitious reality TV show filmed on a remote island.

A group of women contestants have been sent to otter Island to take part in a survival/dating show that very quickly turns into a horror show. There is a creature, a lady Bigfoot, who is terrorising the crew and contestants, and slowly picking them off one by one.

This was an exciting, sometimes quite funny, novel and unusual in its plot.

I saw a review of this saying ‘this was insane but in the best way’ and honestly I couldn’t put it better myself!

It’s weird, it’s super readable, it’s not going where you think it’s going, and it’s got so many messages about the state of modern society. Love ‘The Bachelor’-style show ‘The Catch’ because you know that’s exactly how it all goes down in real life.

Patricia literally just wants to cuddle!

Initially promising my interest and desire to read this book waned somewhat.

Although well written and with a good plot it just didn't grip me.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read but like I said some books ust aren't what you are looking for!

Oh my gosh!! Where do I start?!! This book was bonkers and chaotic in the best way!! I didn’t have any idea what I was getting into apart from a few spoiler free reviews and the description of it on Netgalley where I got this. Thank you to Netgalley and Faber Books for the copy.

I want people to go into it with as little info as possible as I think it adds to the fun of the read. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like it. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did.

So to give you the gist of the story; it centres around four contestants who are vying for the attention of a sleazy, crummy guy called Jeremy on a reality show called The Catch. They are all whisked to an island to complete challenges to win Jeremy’s heart. Just as they are nearing the end of their adventure on the island things suddenly take a turn for the worst. Contestants and tv crew start disappearing turning their reality tv dreams into a horror show.

This book kept me hooked. The first three quarters of the story was a satire on reality tv which I enjoyed and it somehow seamlessly became a horror story! I don’t want to say too much because I think readers would benefit from just going in blind and enjoying the ride! I can’t wait to see what everyone else thought of this book. I felt it was so clever, funny and original and I’m so glad Netgalley approved me to read this. Thank you!!

Four and a half stars!

What the heck did I just read?! That was amazing! Amazing-weird and amazing-original and amazing-fun. I love reality TV, and that extends into a fascination with the behind-the-scenes elements and especially the cynicism and manipulation that goes into creating dramatic television moments. This book totally nails all of it, and then some. Add in a totally crazy plot on a far-away island, full of mystery and intrigue (and horror) and you have a totally unexpected but totally entertaining wild ride. Also, it's a quick read, which I always love.

This book is brilliantly creepy and sharp. A Bachelor-style tv show production goes awry when they island they’re on gets progressively more horrifying. The narrative is intercut with blogposts and chat forums discussing the show and the history of the island. Samantha Allen slowly builds the horror, letting you get lost at points in the entertainment of the show but never fully losing the sense of dread. And WHAT an ending!!!!

Subversive satire with a whole lot of gore - be warned!

The cover PLUS the blurb should be enough to prepare you - this is very much a two-part book, that, if you're anything like me, will satisfy the craving for social influencer-types to be mocked and reality TV shows exposed... and also for some of the self-same to be brutally disemboweled.

The Catch. A cheesy, tacky and disgustingly sexist TV show, with women vying for the attention of one man, who is very likely to NOT be the Catch of their dreams. Challenges, dates, pouty interviews, the usual are on the cards for the four finalists left, and the location for the final days is a beautiful but remote island with a chequered history-slash-mystery.

More than half the book is build-up and behind-the-scenes of The Catch, following drunken hosts, hard-working producers and social media savvy ladies, with only a few 'normal' folks amongst the lot of them.

Then it's time to hit them with the twist hinted at through fan chat pages, former residents' blogs, letters and ominous shadows...

A definite gore-fest but we've been primed to enjoy the satire and a cathartic release is well-timed, if absolutely brutal.

Don't read this if you're squeamish. If you enjoy off-the-wall quirky plots and don't have a problem with unexplained and over-the-top rampages, give Patricia a try.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Faber for the ARC.

Patricia Wants to Cuddle is an interesting book. I didn't really know what to expect going in other than knowing that this was going to be a "Bachelor" show that goes very wrong. I was expecting one of the contestants to turn out to be a manic killer out for revenge, certainly some form of slasher style plot. Patricia Wants to Cuddle definitely isn't that...but it was so much more.

I don't want to say too much, as I think it's definitely best going into this book with as little knowledge of the plot as possible, so that things unfold for the reader as they do for the many characters. I really enjoyed the chapters from the variety of contestants perspectives. Each one felt like a real individual and, while clearly being parodies of the cliches we see entering these shows year on year, they never felt overly cliched or shallow in character. You won't like all of them but you'll still enjoy the time that you spend with them.

Patricia Wants to Cuddle was a wild ride and felt like I was dropped right into the middle of a B-Movie quirky horror film and I loved it. I also enjoyed the sense of solidarity in women and feminism, even if it's a little twisted.

If you're a fan of horror or feminist literature, I'd definitely recommend giving Patricia a read; you won't be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The submited of this book was fantastic. It was like Big Brother meet James Paterson. I enjoyed the suspense surrounding everyone. Being the final contestants of the reality show they end up on an sinister island with secrets within. As opposed to being happy to be finalists their lives all hang in the balance for the finale of the show, Definitely not a win in anyone's case. Definitely recommend.

What an amazing book this, I’ve never read anything like it and I don’t know if I will again. Such an interesting blend of genres and vibes but it completely worked. Absolutely mad book and I didn’t know where it was going - which I LOVED.

Renee, Vanessa, Lilah-Mae, & Amanda are the last four contestants in the dating reality show 'The Catch', & they head to Otters Island with 'catch' Jeremy, alongside the filming crew. The island used to be a popular destination until the 1990s with the disappearance of three women who were hiking on the island. After this, tourism died down & the producers of the show grab the opportunity to film the finale & save some cash into the bargain. As soon as they arrive to film the 'Elimination Event', strange shadowy sightings & the feeling of being watched leads Renee to realise that the island is hiding a secret that could see them all eliminated for real.

The first half of the book is a great parody of shows like the 'The Bachelor' (it's literally called The Catch) & portrays the backstabbing, fights, & manipulation of what the audience sees that most of us imagine goes on behind the scenes. I felt that this part worked really well & the reader gradually sees that there is much more going on beneath the surface for each of the female characters. The second half got a little weird as characters started dropping like flies. It was an entertaining yet thoroughly strange read but I found the ending a little rushed. 3.5 stars (rounded down)

TWs: violence, mention of abortion, brief mention of animal death.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Faber & Faber, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Patricia wants to Cuddle is really a book of two halves. Nothing really happens for ¾ of the book, then the last 100 pages things just go bananas. The synopsis of the book is misleading, maybe because this is a book that is hard to describe and review without giving away any spoilers. The problem for me was that the main twists did not come until the very end and as so, it felt rushed.

We follow a cast of characters who are the contestants and the crew of a reality TV show The Catch (basically The Bachelor) as they arrive on a remote island in Canada to shoot the final few episodes. For most of the book all that happens is the back and forth of the characters, arguments, and their relationship to the TV show. Things slowly start to get weird, then they get weirder.

I like weird books. I like books with ambiguity and that leave me with some questions. However, I feel this time there was just too much left unexplained. The climax/twist felt both rushed and convoluted. I was just left with a sense of, what was that? I wish it had been perhaps 50 pages longer because I was left feeling a little disappointed.

I had a good time reading it, I liked it. But I was expecting and hoping for more.

This was a crazy book, but in a good way!

The blurb at the top says it best - 'A one-of-a kind queer horror comedy for people who watch The Bachelor' I don‘t like horror and I‘ve never watched The Bachelor but I still really enjoyed it. It follows the final 4 girls on The Catch as they arrive on Otters Island, known for being LGBTQIA friendly, but is there something else there too?!

It‘s certainly not deep and meaningful and the horror isn‘t actually that horrid but it‘s fab as a weird and wacky palate-cleanser.

Renee has made it to the final four of the reality show, The Catch where they arrive on a remote island for the final show. Soon the eliminations take a terrifying turn when they discover the island is hiding its own secrets.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book. From the moment I started reading it, I struggled to put this book down and I was constantly thinking of it. Even after writing this review, I’m still thinking about it and how absolutely incredible but weird it is (but in the best way!).

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters apart from Renee but that was the whole point as they’re all on reality TV to boost their social media followers. They’re not supposed to be likeable, however Renee felt different to all of them, she was an outsider. I’m still now trying to figure out what was her reasoning for going on the show? To find herself?

I really loved Samantha’s writing style, especially the imagery she would use to describe things. It was so vivid that I went through this book picturing everything. I really loved how the POVs, letters, blog posts and Reddit-like threads were all interwoven together - it worked so well and it helped the story flow beautifully. I liked how it all came together in the end but I did feel like it missed out an important transition, which would have made things make more sense. It was such a short but enjoyable read - exactly what I needed to pull me out of this reading slump! I found myself not wanting it to be over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the opportunity to read this book!

Renee has made it to the final four of the reality show, The Catch where they arrive on a remote island for the final show. Soon the eliminations take a terrifying turn when they discover the island is hiding its own secrets.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book. From the moment I started reading it, I struggled to put this book down and I was constantly thinking of it. Even after writing this review, I’m still thinking about it and how absolutely incredible but weird it is (but in the best way!).

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters apart from Renee but that was the whole point as they’re all on reality TV to boost their social media followers. They’re not supposed to be likeable, however Renee felt different to all of them, she was an outsider. I’m still now trying to figure out what was her reasoning for going on the show? To find herself?

I really loved Samantha’s writing style, especially the imagery she would use to describe things. It was so vivid that I went through this book picturing everything. I really loved how the POVs, letters, blog posts and Reddit-like threads were all interwoven together - it worked so well and it helped the story flow beautifully. I liked how it all came together in the end but I did feel like it missed out an important transition, which would have made things make more sense. It was such a short but enjoyable read - exactly what I needed to pull me out of this reading slump! I found myself not wanting it to be over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the opportunity to read this book!

⚠️ CWs: blood, animal cruelty, profanity, derogatory language/slur, disappearance, murder, gun use, alcohol use, physical abuse; mentions animal death, car accident, drunk driving, homophobia, drug use, death, racism ⚠️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was different to a lot of the genres I usually read, And whilst the premise sounded catchy and interesting, it unfortunately was not for me. It took me a while to finish the story, despite the book not being overly long. I found the characters mostly dislikable and the plot unrealistic and predictable. However I did really enjoy the writing style and the character development, which is why I feel this book deserves two stars, because if the writing wasn’t as good I definitely wouldn’t have finished this.

Although I didn’t rate this one, I would definitely read more of the authors work in the future.