Orie is so decidedly undecided about her career, her relationship, herself, that she is a riotous, hilarious mess.

She spouts off ridiculous questions and bon mots while her inner monologue - oh her wonderful, hilarious inner monologue - berates her for everything that comes out of her mouth.

Usually rightly so.

I found it impossible to put this book down - staying up way past my bedtime - fully invested. After the ending, which felt abrupt and unfinished, and sitting on it over night, it lost a little luster.

That said, I still highly recommend it — it feels like the perfect summer read, especially for those who love reality TV.

——
Orie is lost. She’s been in a relationship with the same guy since she was 13 years old, she defers decisions to literally anyone else, and she lacks direction or purpose.

After an argument with her sister, Orie applies to be on Survivor, her favorite show, without taking time to (over)think it.

However, when she shows up in Fiji, she finds it’s a Survivor/dating hybrid, the name of the show a nod to being tethered to another person, rotating through different contestants all while performing Survivor style challenges. It’s a clever premise.

And Orie is first tethered to…none other than her high school crush, Remy, who seems too good to be true. A guy who didn’t give her the time of day back then is suddenly fully interested, and Orie is smitten.

As days tick by, Orie begins to question what and who she wants as she forms tentative friendships with calculating Kennedi and brash Osprey.

Can she untether herself (see what I did there) from what she thinks people expect and start living for herself, or will she be stuck with things she doesn’t want?

You’ll be eager to find out!

Thanks to @netgalley , @stmartinspress , and @xtinemay for the eARC. This was just published May 21, 2024. Grab your copy now!

Any and all reality tv fans need to read this book. Survivor meets The Bachelor? Sign me up!

I smiled and laughed out loud while reading. This story was so enjoyable. I am obsessed with reality tv and to read about it was just too fun!

Orie has been selected for Survivor, well there is a twist it is also a relationship experiment. Orie just had a big fight with her sister, found out some family secrets and broke up with her long term bf. She has always been co-dependent on everyone in life, so she is taking charge and applied for a reality tv show (normal right?)

While on the show, twists and turns are thrown at her while she develops friendships and a showmance. But is it all just a game?

She learns so much about herself and it was so fun reading the challenges she has to go through to make it to the end.

I seriously am still laughing at how quirky and real our FMC was. I laughed so hard at the nickname she tries to get the cast to call her (Picadilly) and how she fumbles over words. The pop culture references were top notch.

Just overall fun read for the summer!!

Thank you Netgalley, publishers and author for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Orielle Lennox has a quiet life. She has the same boyfriend she had all through high school. Her college English degree is just sitting nearby as she makes yoga videos with her sister that earns her enough money to get by. She lives at home with her parents and spends her free time working out, reading, and watching movies. Ori thinks she’s happy. But when her sister Lark questions Ori’s indifference to her own future, Ori doesn’t know what to say. Lark says that Ori can’t do anything on her own. So Ori decides to show her.

When a social media post about Survivor pops up on Ori’s feed, she decides to send in a audition video. She’s been a big fan of the show since its beginning, and she would be an amazing contestant. She’s shocked when a producer calls her to say she’s on the show, and after a minute’s hesitation, Lark makes Ori call the producer back and say she’ll be there.

It’s not until Ori gets to Fiji and endures ten days of forced isolation that she learns more about what’s going on. They’re not actually on Survivor. They’ve been cast on a Survivor-like reality show that is also a dating show. They are calling it Attached at the Hip, and the cast will be spending much of their time on deserted islands literally attached to another person, a rope going from harnesses they wear around their waists. They will be alone for three days at a time, chained to one person, and then the group will come together for a challenge. After the challenge, the remaining contestants will pair up with new people and head out to their island for another three days. This goes on until there are only two contestants left, and then they make their grand appeals for votes.

Ori isn’t so sure about this. She knew that she was supposed to be single to be on the show, but her relationship had only blown up the day that her boyfriend drove her to the airport and admitted he’d developed feelings for someone else. That was the day after her family had imploded with secrets old and new and a lot of debt. And right away, she finds herself on an island, attached to Remy, the guy she had a crush on for four years of high school. She’d been told that the producers had searched out missed connections for each contestant as well as others they’d be genuinely attracted to, but Ori never thought she’d be stuck on an island attached to Remy. Immediately, her nerves get the best of her and she starts saying crazy things. But as time passes, and they have to work together to survive the island, Ori starts to relax a little and gets to know Remy for the first time. And she does find herself attracted to him.

But then it’s time for the first challenge, and Ori finds herself chained to someone new. As the game goes on, day after day, cameras and microphones capturing everything that happens, Ori finds herself making friends and even flirting with people she’d never expected to connect with. There’s Kennedi, only 18 and taking time off from her senior year in high school to be on the show, and Osprey, a bossy Instagram parkour champion who turns out to be a fan of some of Ori’s favorite books as well as a hardcore spelling bee contender as a child.

The more time Ori spends on the islands, either with new friends or by herself for one stint in isolation, she finally takes the time to confront her feelings about her old life. She takes responsibility for the decisions she had made, the mistakes she had made, and makes a concerted effort to figure out what it is that she wants for her life. She wants to be decisive when she gets back home, chasing her own dreams instead of just tagging along with the dreams of others.

But the longer she stays on the show, the stiffer the competition gets. Ori has to fight to try to win each challenge. She has to fight to find food to eat. She has to fight to stay hydrated. And she has to fight to discover the truth about herself and about those she is closest to. But will a reality dating television show be enough to push Ori to be the person she wants to be? Or will it just leave her broken-hearted, broke, and alone?

Attached at the Hip is a clever rom com dressed up as a reality show. There are all the usual Survivor tropes—eating bugs, starting a fire, finding shelter, making alliances, and voting people off. Then there is the dating show of it, with the weird tether holding contestants together for days at a time. But these characters are strong and determined, and reading as they all played their best games was fascinating.

I had so much fun reading Attached at the Hip. While I’m not sure about the rope gimmick, I loved Ori and her journey, and some of her other castmates as well. This was an amazing ride, like binge-watching a season of a favorite reality show (Amazing Race would be my choice), an finishing up with a happy-ever-after rom com with all the trimmings. A perfect summer read!

Egalleys for Attached at the Hip were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book so much more than I thought I was going to. It was such a fun read! Orie, the FMC, loves movies, books and words so there are about a millions pop culture references which I loved! I felt like I could really relate to this aspect of Orie. I also keep a list of any quotes that speak to me. I also really enjoyed Orie’s journey of self discovery throughout the book.

I don’t want to say too much about the love interests in the story because the twists with them were some of my favorite parts of the book. I honestly didn’t see a lot of the twists coming and I love when that happens in a book. I will say that I love the person she ends up with!

This is the second book I’ve read by Christine Riccio. I also read Better Together and I have to say I liked this book so much more than that one. I’m not a huge fan of reality tv shows which is why I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book, but the reality tv show aspect actually ended up being one of my favorite parts.

I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun beach read this summer!

Fun premise. Not sure the fourth day was the right timing for personal habits but I wouldn’t be in that situation no matter what the pay would be. The producers have said they did extensive research and that every player has at least two or three matches. So maybe that would be enough for future players.The game play was amusing. The growth of Orie’s character is strong. The selected romance for me was too late in the story to still care although the twist was interesting and held throughout the ending. I was hoping for something different.
Amusing game play.

The more I try to read the story the more I'm just not interested. I'm not a fan of the writing or the characters. I've tried multiple
times to finish this. It's just not for me but I can see others loving it.
Thank you for the Arc.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and author Christine Riccio for the ARC to read and review!

This was a fun and addicting book with all the summer vibes! An upper YA-ish rom com that takes us to the island of Fiji on a Survivor / Bachelor reality show mash up!

I wasn’t really sure how this one was going to go for me, because in the spirit of transparency, the FMC kind of annoyed me at first. But as the story went along, Orie won me over and I got completely sucked in. Just like in addictive reality tv, I was racing to see who would be voted off next and who would survive the challenges and who would find their love connection!

At times, I felt the characters were a little immature for being in their early twenties and some of the plot could get cheesy, probably because YA … but putting that aside, this was super entertaining and definitely a page turner about finding your own path in life!

Overall I recommend this as a light and fast-paced read that will fit nicely into your beach bag!!

Attached at the Hip was a fun, interesting and entertaining story. This was a new to me author and I thoroughly enjoyed the style of writing, it flowed nicely. The amount of character development was nice, since this novel took place 'Survivor' tv show style the world building was not vast but still enjoyable.

Following Orie Lennox and her time on a TV show mash up of 'Survivor' & a dating game was thrilling. I often do not follow reality TV shows anymore but I found this novel extremely enthralling and was able to visually see the games and the schemes and votes.

I highly recommend this book if you love game shows, love, finding yourself, internal growth and a quick paced plot.

I love discovering a new author that can balance the “rom” with the “com”. Christine Riccio had me laughing out loud at Orie and the other contestants antics. Orie was so easy to like and her alliances in the reality show were a lot of fun to read. I kind of wish this program was real because I’d totally be watching it every week and Orie would’ve been who I’d be tuning in to see. She was a mess in her real life, but has an addiction for Survivor that makes her the perfect contestant. Remy was a good foil for Orie, and truthfully there wasn’t a character in their game I didn’t like. I appreciated that every person Orie interacted with made her grow as a character and helped her determine her life’s goals. Seeing her grow was really what made this story so successful.

There were so many favorite moments in this book that it’s hard to pinpoint a few, but here goes. Look for the tree episode for a great bit of comedy and sweet interactions, the secret handshake between new friends, and pretty much any time Orie surprised people by kicking their butts. LOL This was a really fun read and I’m curious how it will sound as an audiobook so I’ll probably go back and give it a re-read and listen to it.

This was such a cute romance novel. It was a perfect read for summer. Highly recommend for fans of reality and dating shows!

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, and author for an ARC of this book. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had to take some time to really put together my thoughts for this book as I had a lot of mixed feelings towards it, but mostly positive! At first, I was planning on giving it 3.5 stars, but the longer I’ve sat, the more I still think about this book!!

Let’s talk about the character development!

I loved seeing our main character come alive. She went from a codependent girl, to an independent woman! This transformation didn’t happen overnight which I really appreciated, but instead her growth happened throughout the entire story! I also loved meeting the other characters that were part of the show and thought they were so fun!

Let’s talk about the plot!!

Once I got into the book, I couldn’t put it down. Right when I wasn’t sure where the author was going, BOOM, plot twist! I was hooked once again! There were also sooo many layers to this book. I loved the family dynamics, the drama of the show, and Orie becoming who she’s meant to be.

Let’s talk about what I would’ve loved to see more of!!

This book was supposed to be about a romance spin-off of Survivor where contestants are attached at the hip with an 8-foot rope. I love the concept, but I wish the attached to one another would’ve been fleshed out a little more. I was also confused by if the contestants were trying to find love or win a million dollars. In the midst of the character development, it felt like the plot became slightly convoluted.

Even though I had some minor issues with the story, again, it’s a book that has stuck with me. If you’re looking for something easy to read, light-hearted, and fun, this is a great place to start!

I thought this was a really fun and raunchy read, I generally love books about dating shows, and this definitely did not disappoint. The only thing I didn't love was the ending, but throughout most of the book, I really had a lot of fun.

I really love the premise of a survivor-esque dating show. That being said, having never watched the Survivor, I didn't have any source material to compare this too. But I really like how the plot and the characters were developed. I don't superrrr buy the relationship between the couple though, it seems like besides having a few things in common (granted pretty niche things) I didn't really get why these two people were meant for each other. Also, the ending was a little too cartoon villain-y for me and the development of that character felt flat cuz I didn't really understand the villain's motivations.

However all-in-all, I read this book in such a rush, it was definitely hard to put down, and given the game show format, I was very invested in seeing how it would all play out.

I really enjoyed this book! A unique reality show aspect. Fun relationships. The characters were likeable and the plot was fun! I would highly recommend reading this book!

If there is one thing I love in a romcom, it's reality tv vibes. This was SO much fun! I completely related to the FMC's current life struggles, and I adored the way this book handled all the emotions.

This was so much fun! I loved the idea of a Survivor-type dating game and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes of the show. The characters were well-developed and likeable. Orie starts out immature and annoying, but I think this is by design so she can come into her own; she eventually grew on me and I appreciated her at the end. Recommended as a great beach read with some laughs and a fun setting.

This very fun! I wish Orie would have explored things more with Osprey, as I felt the “romance” behind the dating show was minimal. And why is there jealousy when the whole concept is to get to know the people you’re attached to find the best fit? It was really heavy on survivor concepts/ themes, and all the drama with with who to oust. She was a super goofy character and the book didn’t have much depth, but the plot was fun. I was here for the romance love triangle, but it started to feel repetitive once Orie didn’t know who to trust. I definitely didn’t expect what happened with Remy, so that was a twist at 65%, but there also felt like there was no conclusion with his backstory either? It’s all just addressed as “true” and then he leaves? And it’s poor that the show wasn’t edited for Ories best interest. Overall the ending was lackluster.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"You've been cast for the first season of a Survivor spin-off show. It's a romance based social experiment to test the strength of different types of human relationships against the backdrop of a million-dollar prize."

This is for lovers of quirky rom-com's, reality tv, forced proximity romances, pop culture references, and books that don't take themselves too seriously. I was in tears laughing to the point where I had to make everyone around me stop what they were doing so I could tell them what was going on at MULTIPLE points. This has a bit of a unique premise for a romance novel because there wasn't a clear mmc until deep into the book- considering she's got 2 love interests.

Since the premise of the reality TV show is 10 single people playing a Survivor-esqe show, where each of the contestants have 3 possible love connections, it makes since that the majority of the contestants are Poly. This really was a story of self discovery for Orie and there is an amazing conversation between Orie and the friend she makes (Kennedy) about sexuality being fluid.

Transparently, there is a ton of potty humor in this book, which I think is hilarious, but it is not for everyone.

The only complaint I have is that they never told us who Orie's "3" love connections were.

Do I need to start watching Survivor now?

This book was oddly charming. It took me a while to get into it because it walks the line between YA and New Adult in an unsteady way at the beginning. I found Orie to be frustratingly naïve for her age but she grew on me over time. At about the 35% point a lot of what I was struggling to connect with in the book clicked and I flew through the ending.

I enjoyed the drama, the twists, the relationships between all the characters. I almost wanted another few chapters so that the payoff could be greater. Especially for the relationship between Lark and Orie and Orie and Kenndie.

Christine Riccio always done a great job at making the characters really pop out of the page. Orie is so relatable. Her fear of spiders was so fitting and the fact she really got out of her own box by going on Survivor... AMAZING! I love the comedy! I love the romance! I love the plot! I love the growth! We see such a shy gal really come into herself and it was just so fun. I want Orie to be real so we can be friends. This is a great story and I hope others will read it and think so too!

5/5 stars for the game show, the romantic comedy, the growth!

**Thank you NetGalley for a free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily!

4.5 stars
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Do yourself a favor and read this book! It was such a cute, lighthearted read. I went in with no expectations and I really, really enjoyed this book. I LOL'ed throughout the story.

Orie Lennox is a follower. She does what everyone tells her to do. Fresh out of college, she's working with her sister as an influencer. Following a fight with her sister, on a whim, Orie applies for the reality show Survivor. She ends up being cast on a romantic Survivor spin-off. We follow Orie as she navigates the game.

I only have one minor complaint about this book, there is one relationship at the end that felt incomplete.