The entire time I was reading this book, I could hear Cody's voice in my mind reading it to me. It was funny, enlightening, and true behind the scenes. I appreciated how vulnerable Cody was and how much he shared with his fans. His writing style is true to how he speaks in his Peloton classes or on Instagram videos. If you are a fan, you will love this! If you are not a fan or not familiar you might be a bit thrown off by the writing style.

While I really enjoyed this book, some parts seemed to drag on longer than held my interest. For instance, when he wrote about his time on Dancing with the Stars. I respect this was a huge part of his life, but felt there was a lot of behind-the-scenes that did not support his storyline.

Overall, this is a memoir and advice/self-help book. Throughout Cody sprinkles wisdom, motivation, and hard-hitting truths that we sometimes all need to hear. The last chapter was the most powerful in my opinion. As Cody would say, keep laughing, it's not that deep, boo!

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the NetGalley, in exchange for my honest feedback.

Reading this book felt like I was just having a conversation with Cody! This book was so much fun to read and I loved learning more about his past. I loved how open he was and how he even included his XOXO advice in between chapters!

I already loved Cody. I have a Peloton and his classes are my favorite. While I was looking forward to reading this, I had no idea how good it was going to be! I had no idea about his troubled childhood or the complicated relationship with his mother. He shares so much and how he is working on healing, which was so relatable and nice to hear. Beyond that, the book is hilarious and full of the Cody we know and love. I read it but I might do a re-read with the audio version since I would love to hear him tell his story. He gives a lot of great advice as far as friendships, money and life in general. Exceeded my expectations, great book!

funny, moving, perfectly parasocially vulnerable, covering everything from substance abuse to threesomes without being preachy

thank you netgalley for the e-ARC - perfect, no notes

In June of 2020 I found myself with a knock-off spin bike and an iPad, home on quarantine, missing my in-gym spin classes. I googled “spin classes online” and found Cody Rigsby. Cody got me through quarantine, he got me through being a stay at home mom during a pandemic, big life changes, losing animals, business changes, more things than I can even list here. It’s weird to ride with a stranger week after week and feel like you know them, but actually you don’t.

Reading Cody’s book was such a joy, but also reminded me I really didn’t know a lot about his life. I knew he was funny, flirty, silly and encouraging and I love riding with him but I feel even more connected to him reading about his childhood and his struggles. There are parts of the book that are more serious and heartbreaking, but it’s Cody so he’s always going to make you laugh. I felt so happy reading his book, almost like I was reading a long text from a friend.

Even if you have no idea who Cody Rigsby is, I encourage you to pick this up!! It’s super quick, funny, and has a lot to say about life in general.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for a copy of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.

Like many other Peloton devotees, I am a loyal, proud member of the #boocrew and I’ve been riding with Cody since 2017. On the bike, he exudes this infectious energy, and that same signature style leaps off of every page of this memoir/self-help guide. If you’ve been around for awhile, a lot of the topics in this book will be familiar to you (his relationship with his mother, growing up poor, embracing his sexuality while coming of age in the rural south) but here, he gives us the nitty gritty details in his typical no-holds-barred way, and manages to make himself sound relatable and accessible to us, the mere mortals in his ever-growing fan base. He is incredibly open about how, as a person who does not suffer from any mental illnesses, he had to learn how to understand and care for his mother. I was surprised by how much he revealed.

He also shows us that nothing was handed to him, that he worked his ass off, and rose through the ranks. He’s earned every ounce of success he’s achieved. He writes, “I don’t believe in God. Most of the time, I believe we create our own luck, and that our good fortune is a product of hard work rather than being #blessed.” I appreciate the sentiment.

I enjoyed his witty, yet brutally honest advice, although as a married mother of two kids, a lot of it was not applicable to my life. But I really wasn’t looking for life advice. I just wanted to know more about Cody, and he certainly delivered. I did love his observations of the performative nature of relationships in the social media era, something I’ve thought about a lot but haven’t been able to verbalize. He nailed it there.

It’s easy to forget that he didn’t just appear out of nowhere during the lockdown era of the pandemic. He’s one of the 5 remaining OG instructors, and I was especially fascinated by the details about the hiring/training process and his journey to becoming the Cody we all know and love. I also loved reading about his efforts to develop business skills, and the proactive steps he took to head up the UK expansion. Like he says, he had to shoot his shot. I love that he follows his own advice. Even now, he’s still out there working his butt off, and it’s admirable.

While the cover doesn’t credit his co-author, Rachel Bertsche is listed on the inside title page. If I hadn’t seen her name, I would have assumed that every word was 100% written by Cody himself. His voice comes through so clearly, it’s like he took the place of that little narrator in my head. I bet the audiobook will be incredible!

A quick note - I’ve seen some other reviews in which readers complain about the structure (or lack thereof) and the immature prose. Look, this is not Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. And I don’t think Cody is striving for a Pulitzer here. If you’ve never taken a class with him, if you have no idea who he is, maybe this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re a true fan who recognizes Cody Rigsby as the national treasure he is, you’ll agree that this book is perfect.

Cody Rigsby, hilariously entertaining Peloton instructor melds memoir, advice, and humor in XOXO, Cody: An Opinionated Homosexual's Guide to Self-Love, Relationships, and Tactful Pettiness. As a relative newcomer to Peloton, I always enjoy Cody's rides as he's funny, picks good tunes, and makes the rides go by quickly. I know that he does provide advice as part of some of his rides (XOXO Cody), though I haven't tried many of them. I love a memoir, so learning about Cody's childhood, his move to NYC, and eventually joining Peloton were illuminating. His relationship with his mother was fascinating and complicated, considering her substance use history and mental health challenges. He had to support her both emotionally and financially from a young age and had to grow up quickly. He highlights his dating and relationship history, both coming out and thriving in NYC. I also enjoyed learning about his history with Peloton. While I think of it as a pandemic craze, I didn't realize it had been around for a while before that. Additionally, he touches on his time on Dancing With the Stars. So I very much enjoyed all the memoir-aspects of this tale, and fans of Cody will find them informative and enjoyable. The advice aspect of the book was fine but wasn't particularly earth-shattering or new advice and I tend to shudder at any sort of self-help books, but if you can get past that, this was a joy- just like Cody is!

Thank you to Ballantine Books (Random House) for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

Cody Rigsby is one of my favorite Peloton instructors; I've been taking his classes and enjoying his stories since 2020, so this extension of his humorous personality was a must-read for me, and the book comes across as quintessentially Cody. While we don't have much in common, I appreciate his no-holds-barred approach to life and his determination to turn things around and do well for himself and those who he loves. I appreciated getting to hear some of the harder stories—the ones that don't normally make it into the 20 minute Pop rides, but that are still an essential part of who Cody is and how he has grown into the person he is today. It's nice to get a little bit of a deeper look into a person you spend a lot of time being encouraged and entertained by, even when that person is never going to be someone you actually know in real life.

The way the book was structured with the regular chapters and interspersed Q&A sections felt just like taking an XOXO, Cody ride on the bike, and I could read all of his sassy responses in his voice. So fun and so funny. There's something about experiencing the world from a perspective that is so unlike your own that I just really love, and Cody brings that energy in big ways.

Thank you to Ballantine Books & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was so freaking excited to score an advanced copy of Cody’s book, and it did not disappoint.

“Don’t be average, be savage”. YES CODY, say less!!! I just finished this book, and could already read it again. It was like being snuggled up in a warm blanket, and having a good conversation and laughs with your best friend. Yes, I’m aware Cody isn’t my best friend, but reading his book made me feel like he was just chatting it up next to me. He was real and raw in sharing the story of his life, and past. And also shared different sprinkles of advice, on how to live your best life. He covered trauma, self love, familial relationships, romantic relationships, friendships, and just how to be that Bad Bi*ch that’s inside all of us.

If you’re a fan of Cody, or just looking to immerse yourself in a laugh out loud, but also serious read, don’t skip this. Way to Cody, you killed this assignment!!!

I’ve been a fan of Cody Rigsby since the first time one of his class clips came across my TikTok FYP. I was instantly captivated by his funny quips and comical approach to fitness motivation and was excited when Net Galley presented an opportunity to read this book early. What I was not expecting was for this book to be so emotionally raw and powerful. I have a whole new level of respect and admiration for Cody after reading his story and gaining insight into his struggles. This book is poignant, eloquent, thought-provoking, and yet still maintains the lighthearted fun and humor that we all know and love. It was a great book and I’m so glad to have read it.

Cody isn't my favorite Peloton instructor by any means but I dig his vibe. His book is similar to his personality. It's wild and bright and told in Cody's signature voice. I skimmed the parts about his dating life and DWTS but the rest of the book was decent. I imagine any true Cody Stan would probably enjoy it more.

I’m a self proclaimed Peloton junkie and I love Cody so I was ecstatic to read “Xoxo, Cody”. I didn’t expect to learn anything new about his life since he is so talkative in his rides but wow was I wrong! He was so vulnerable and open in this book and his strongest chapters are the ones in which he leans in on this vulnerability - particularly the chapter about his mom and the one about his Dancing With The Stars experience. Cody had a rough childhood filled with instability and chaos and his journey from couch surfing to fame is one filled with insight and humor. He is one resilient and hardworking guy and that is evident in this book. I appreciated that Cody’s “voice” was apparent in this book - the style was casual, humorous, and blunt - just like Cody. It was a quick read filled with nuggets of wisdom. I appreciate how unapologetically honest he is in this book and I think anyone who is a Cody fan will be happy and anyone who isn’t might become one after reading his book. His weakest chapter was the one about body image - I know what he was trying to preach but the message wasn’t as strong as the ones in other chapters. I would have loved to read even more about his relationship and adventures with his mom because there is so much to unpack there. I applaud his honest and I really enjoyed the many moments of levity peppered throughout. A fast, enjoyable read for anyone who loves Peloton and definitely approachable for non - Peloton fans too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advance electronic copy. All opinions are my own.

LOVED IT! This is by far my favorite memoir! It was as if Cody pulls a chair up to his table and you are instantly BFFs. I already loved his sassiness and felt like this was a chance to spend even more time with him; to go a layer beyond his usual spunkiness.

Cody embodies the “make your own destiny” momentum, and I’m here for it. His energy is infectious and determination is motivating. And I have even more respect for him now after learning how he cares so deeply for his mom.

This book was even more than I had hoped for and I highly recommend picking it up! Cody is endearing, vulnerable, and honest while slipping in some of his amazing life advice. I continued reading through all of the acknowledgements because I didn’t want it to end! I have already preordered the hardcopy and audio versions because I know I’ll want to revisit this again and again!

Thank you SO much for the advance copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Livin’ my best life over here!

Let's be honest, it's not that deep, boo! I LOVE Cody Rigsby, he's easily one of my favorite Peloton instructors and just a fun, chill, cool dude that you would probably enjoy going out for drinks with or dancing into the night with.

I've always been a fan of Cody, since I first clipped into my Peloton. As much as I love Cody, I didn't expect to pick up his book and become completely immersed in his personal life! It was such a witty, personal, raw read. I feel like he and I are now best friends, which. he is so good at with his authentic personality and writing style.
It was unexpected to learn about his mother's demons and his father's death. The easy writing style of Cody kept me flipping the pages to learn all about his ideas about love and loss and dating in NY! I've never even been to NY, but I feel like I could go and hang with this literal stranger.

Bravo, Cody. Your genuine character and personal anecdotes are well loved in a bike class and your book was a smashing win! Keep on winning, Cody, you deserve every moment of success you find. Thank you, Cody, the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC and xoxo, see you on the bike, boo! 4.5 stars

Oh Cody! You’ve had my heart for years now and this book definitely sealed the deal. I knew I would laugh while reading this… what I didn’t know was how much life advice I would actually sit back and think about. Cody’s story is so inspiring and has really motivated me. Love you boo!

As any fan of his Peloton rides might expect, Cody does not hold back in his first book. Right from the first chapter, he opens up about his childhood - his mother’s struggle with addiction and mental illness, his father’s overdose when he was a baby, and growing up gay in the south. The truth keeps coming for the rest of the book, touching on his path to Peloton, his relationships, and his time on Dancing with the Stars.

Sprinkled in is his witty, sometimes tough love advice. Anyone who is a fan of his rides will enjoy this book, especially if you’re a nosy bitch like me and want the dirt on his relationship with Andres.

Cody is my absolute favorite peloton instructor! His infectious attitude and energy is shown in every page of this book! I loved learning about him and also learning from him! I love that he doesn’t sugarcoat anything and just lays everything out. He is one of a kind and I absolutely adore him! Although I feel weird rating a biography because it’s his life and his experiences however I absolutely love his storytelling and learning about him!

4.5 stars rounded up! Cody is the instructor that really got me hooked on Peloton, so I was extra excited to read his upcoming book. And it definitely didn't disappoint! Cody's wit, humor, and candidness shine through on every page, just like they do on the bike. He covers his path from North Carolina to New York, as readers learn about the highs and lows that got him to where he is today. He dives into his upbringing, his journey to coming to terms with his sexuality, his relationship with his mom, Cindy, how he became a cycling instructor/developed his outlook on fitness, and so much more. And in true Cody fashion, there are plenty of pop culture references and pieces of advice woven throughout the book, too—just like you'd get in one of his signature "XOXO, Cody" rides. While Peloton/Cody fans will especially appreciate this book, I think so many other readers will also enjoy and relate to it! I couldn't put it down, and I know others will feel the same way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Cody Rigbsy's "XOXO, Cody" is essentially like taking a 240-page Peloton ride with the famed spin instructor. Throughout the book he uses anecdotes to provide life advice in his amusing (and often blunt) tone of voice. Although hearing about his past and upbringing was interesting and ultimately inspiring, the stories from more recent years did not grip me as much. Member's of Rigsby's "boo crew" will certainly love the book and the advice he has to offer.

As I’m writing this I’m literally listening to his peloton playlist on my Spotify. I have been a Cody fan for a long long time and knew I would read this and I’m so honored I got to read it early. Hearing his story and how he built himself up was amazing and eye opening. I love reading about others struggles and triumphs in life especially if their inspirational for me.