📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 400 / Genre: Romcom
Release Date: May 21, 2024

Orie has been coasting along, not really doing anything on her own her whole life. On a whim, she applies for what she thinks is Survivor, the reality game show, which has been an obsession of hers since she was young. She’s elated when she’s cast but is shocked when she finds out it’s actually a Survivor-themed dating show. But she needs that million dollar prize money so she does it.

This was a super fun romcom. I especially loved the reality show part of it with all the game play action and alliance strategy. And I always like it when characters learn how to believe in themselves and start fighting for what they want. Another great beach read for the summer.

Thank you @netgalley, @wednesdaybooks, and @christinericciobooks for my gifted copy.

I had high hopes for this book because I love the show survivor. I thought mixing the survivor show with romance would make for a great book but I was wrong. My main issue is with the writing style and characters. I immediately couldn’t connect with the main character because she was WAY over the top. The writing style felt extremely basic and the author tells rather than shows which makes the reader feel disconnected. It’s important to note that this is a YA book and it felt very YA. I don’t mean that in a bad way it just means if you’re a fan of YA or around that age then this one might be for you. Overall, not sure if I would recommend as there are better reality tv dating books out there.

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher (St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books ) in exchange for an honest review*

Honestly I will read any book that Christine comes out with cause it so fun to read, I have enjoyed every bit of this novel even thought I am not that entirely familiar with reality tv shows like Survivor or even other reality tv shows but it was a fun idea to explore. If you don't know her how she is personality wise, this is not for you, she is a ball of energy and you can defiantly feel her bubbly and chaotic personality in Orie and its a style that I gotten so used to and it is very authentically Christine. I think it is fun and lighthearted and the point is that there is a moment of worry when you wish Orie is alright but you know deep down that this is like a rom-com in a novel form and something that is a blend of things and it is different for sure.

RELEASE DATE: May 21, 2024

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC and I am instantly gonna purchase this when it releases.

I have to come to the conclusion that Christine's books are just not for me. After this 3rd disappointment from this author, I have to accept that Christine writes her own personality in such an obvious and obnoxious way, that I cannot disconnect her online persona from her characers. I do believe though, that this book will be a success with an audience who might not know her from Booktube.

This book has a really fun concept! Survivor mixed with a dating show? I was so excited to get into it. For me personally, it just didn't work. Before I get into the critiques, I will start with the good stuff. The beginning of Orie arriving to the island, doing her intake interview and first initial days of being on the show felt super interesting to me. I was really intrigued and excited to see how the show would continue. But it ended there. I wasn't a fan of the writing style. It felt over run with pop culture reference after pop culture reference and it got to be too much. I don't mind pop culture references in books, but not as constant as it was here. The all caps were incredibly overboard. Orie as a character is quirky and interesting, but a little over the top. She also came off immature for a 23 year old. I'm not one to give up on books. I finish every single book I pick up to read, but I could not continue with this one.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (5 Stars)

No spoiler review 👇🏻

Ahh this was such a fun read! I feel this is the perfect summer book! It’s a book that’s set on a survivor based romance show! A survivor romcom! Two things I absolutely love.

This book was amazing and I had so much fun reading this! It was fast paced, twisty, funny and just made me smile. A fun overall light romance read! I really enjoyed this! (Swipe to photo 2 for a full summary)

This is my first book by this author, however, I’ve been a huge fan of her book tube channel (Polandbananasbooks) since I was a teenager in 2014. So it was fun to read one of her books.

CW: talk of alcohol abuse and gambling abuse

The book I didn’t know was missing in my life!

I absolutely loved this! As a life long fan of Survivor this just touched that part of my soul. If you or anyone you know is a hard core fan of the show you know we’re cut from a different cloth, a buff cloth specifically. So many of us dream about going on the show but for more than just winning the money, to win the title and to see if we really have what it takes within ourselves.

This is a funny romcom about a younger sister who’s always just been in the shadows following everyone’s lead and although I’m personally the oldest of my siblings I connected with her struggle to commit to one “passion project” - Orie (FMC) applies for survivor to prove to her older sister that she CAN do things on her own. Turns out to be a spinoff survivor show and includes a bit of The Bachelor. It’s so fun to read, not to mention all the movie and book references! Although it is light and funny it also touches on a loved one who struggles with addiction, another part of the story that I connected with since it’s something that one of my loved ones struggles with as well.

“Pobodies Nerfect” 🫶🏼

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥， 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥 ．．．𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱， 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱

Thank you NetGalley and Christine Riccio for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review

Much thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martins Publishing for the ARC of "Attached at the Hip" in exchange for an honest review.
To start, let me credit Christine Riccio right away for drawing me into this book, even though I am no great fan of reality game shows and never bothered to watch any of them.
But if I ever came across one these shows that actually featured characters and situations depicted in this book, I'd be sprawled on the couch with a tub of buttered popcorn.
The adorable lead contestant, Orie Lennox, is beset with a host of relatable issues and worries. Unable to break out of the status quo she dwells in at 23, she's aware of the second-hand life she's settled for.. With a longtime boyfriend she's more comfortable with than passionate about and a dead end job assisting her influencer sister, Orie longs to figure out what she wants for herself and how to achieve it. Impulsively to seek out new adventures, she applies for and is selected for a season of 'Survivor'.
But it's not that show she finds herself on, but a romance spinoff version 'Attached at the hip', where couples endure similar tropical island abandonment.......but tethered to each other to see how much chemistry sparks fly.
Under the endlessly complicated reality show rules (one of the reasons I never watched them), contestant partners change based on their various wins and losses.......and Orie ends up in a romantic triangle with Remy, an unrequited high school crush and Osprey, a fierce competitor. That makes playing the game quite a challenge since Orie's fallen hard for the boys and they with her. Especially since they're forced to use Machiavellian strategies to outlast the other players and claim the million dollar prize that can only go to one of them.
Christine Riccio somehow makes all of this fun and exciting even for a reader (like me) who wouldn't touch a reality show with a ten foot coconut tree. You can't help cheering on Orie, not just for the sometimes hilarious ways she soldiers through the game's challenges, but for her own personal quest for a future to call her own.
So it came as a total surprise as to how much I enjoyed this book. Never thought I'd cozy up to a romance featuring tarantulas, crab hunting and tethered sweethearts stuck together with no bathrooms anywhere in sight. What can I say.....I got attached to "Attached".

Thank you Wednesday Books for my #gifted copy of Attached At The Hip!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐩
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐨
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★

Attached At The Hip was such a fun one! I found myself unable to stop once I started, and dare I say it was as addicting as reality TV? While this falls under a Young Adult imprint, I totally think it is one of those books that can easily be marketed and enjoyed by adults too. This would be perfect for the pool or beach this summer!

This book had a survivor and Bachelor feel to it and I loved it. If you love either of those shows, I think you will love this book. Even if you have never seen those shows, I think you will fall in love with Orie, the FMC and enjoy this one so much. She is so fun and unique and I think she really made me enjoy this book so much. On top of that, this book was so fast paced that I felt like I was so engaged the entire time! I could not get enough of this book and the amazing characters and I did not want it to end!

🌴Friends to Lovers
🌴Survivor x The Bachelor
🌴Closed Door Romance
🌴Love Triangle
🌴Forced Proximity
🌴Pop Culture References

Posted on Goodreads on May 15, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 16, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on May 21, 2024
**-will post on designated date

I ended up DNFing this at 20% because it made me so angry. When I first heard about this book--a romcom about a reality show that was Survivor meets The Bachelor franchise--I was so excited, but this was a huge disappointment. The MC is a selfish, annoying, and tries too hard to be "quirky." The love interest story line is just bad, and this book "tells" instead of "shows" major plot points, which is one of my biggest pet peeves when I am investing time into reading something

Orie Lennox is a mega superfan of the show Survivor and a woman longing for love. So when she pushes herself out of her comfort zone and is picked to actually be on the show, let alone a dating spinoff of the show, everything should be perfect. Especially as one of the other contestants is her “missed connection”, a high school crush.

I loved this book so much! Orie is such a funny, relatable character who you definitely cheer for. The romance aspect is so well done, I was completely invested. But there are great friendships and other types of human connection as well. Plus, as a reality show fan, I absolutely adored that aspect. This book absolutely flew by. I would definitely recommend it.

(This didn’t seem like a YA book to me personally, more of an adult romance.)

This book was very unique - and I really enjoyed it. This felt like the perfect way for someone who loves to read, but doesn't watch reality tv to enjoy the drama and intrigue of reality tv through a book. There were a ton of pop culture references and reality tv components that would make this enjoyable for people who also generally enjoy watching reality tv. The premise of this setting was very fascinating - I could even see how it would make a good show in real life.

Read this book if you enjoy:
> Reality TV game shows
> Closed door romance
> Forced proximity
> Survival skills
> Social media influencers

The romantic triangle element was unexpected at first, but it was well crafted as the book went further and certain things were revealed. I did find Orie to be a bit immature at times, but that is fitting with the fact that this is essentially a YA book - with all of the main characters ranging from late teens to early 20s. As such, this one was light on the physical aspects of a romantic relationship which was fine - and perfect for folks who are especially looking for closed door romance plots.

I loved the backstories of some of the MCs - with a mix of social media influencers, parkour competitors and people working in Hollywood, the story highlights a lot of non-traditional career paths that are very relevant for young people in today's culture. Also, the Fiji setting was fun and really made me want a beach vacation (without the survival elements...). The survival aspects themselves were right out of the scripts of some of the most popular survival shows and definitely added to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read! This was a fun ride!

When Orie ends up cast on a reality show that she applied for on a whim, the last thing she expects is to recognize anyone. Yet, when the Survivor-esque show begins, newly single Orie finds her high school crush, Remy, attached to her by an 8-foot rope connected via belts. They’re stranded on an island with eight other competitors, all of whom are playing human chess for their chance at one million dollars. Things start to heat up between Orie and Remy, but when Orie meets another competitor, she starts questioning many aspects of her life, and if she truly can trust another competitor in the show. If you’re a fan of reality TV game shows, you’ll love this sweet romance book.

Initially, I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do. It was addicting to read, and I could not put it down. When I did have to, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This is exactly what I am always looking for in a book, and to have found it unexpectedly was wonderful.

What I appreciated the most about this book is that it was a clean romance. While I do enjoy reading spice in books, not every book needs it, and Riccio’s story doesn’t need it. There were moments of steam, but ultimately, that wasn’t the book's focus. The cast of characters in the novel makes it fall perfectly into the New Adult genre since their ages range from 18 to 24.

The pacing of the storyline is unique because while filming the show, you’re following Orie’s near-daily activity. There are the private producer interview transcripts in between these filming chapters. Honestly, it felt like I was watching a reality show, which is a vibe I loved, and now I want more! After filming, there are 90 days before the live finale episode, and the time is a bit jumpy then. As a reader, you pop into Orie’s life when it is most prevalent, like when she takes her driving exam or decides to go on a road trip to Florida and then to London. It felt natural and still allowed for an element of shock at the end.

Orie is an extremely compelling main character. In the beginning, I found her to be a bit annoying, but as the story goes on, you really start to root for her and appreciate how dynamic her character is. She grew so much, and while the comments her sister, Lark, made at the beginning were rude, they were true, and Orie realizes that during her time filming. She’s not working in her dream career field of scriptwriting; instead, she’s a social media influencer in Acro-yoga, which is her sister’s dream. Watching all of the progress she made after coming back from filming the show was really encouraging. Also, it made actual reality TV show participants talk about how “life-changing” the experience was more real.

Remy is trash. I love how Riccio manipulated (because that’s what it ultimately was) the reader to really like Remy at the beginning, then as Orie learned more about his deception, he started to question him. I’ll admit, it even got me for a while because I was questioning if he actually was a liar or not. It was an interesting twist to have someone that Orie knew in real life manipulate her so much, and a cool way for her (and the reader) to find out and then solve.

I do have to wonder if Orie was really self-absorbed in high school because Remy’s older brother was probably Lark’s age, so it’s possible Orie heard about him in passing. Also, the birthday situation was amazing! He lied about his birthday and Orie found out during a challenge! That was one of the best ways to reveal a plot twist. But, once again, in high school, Orie might have noticed if his birthday was right after hers, especially if they were in a class together every day as lab partners.

The way Osprey, the romantic interest character, was introduced was so cute because it was kind of an enemies-to-alliance-to-friends-to-lovers situation. He was so sweet, and everything about his character was pure! When he saw Orie’s quote tattoos for the first time, that was a story-altering moment in the book. After the show, he and Orie grow their relationship and have a real connection that you root for. When Orie thinks she’s misinterpreted all the signals when asking Osprey to move to L.A. That wasn’t second-hand embarrassment that I experienced, but I felt it in my bones. The disappointment and complete shock were amazing.

All the side characters, mainly what was going on with Orie’s family and the other show competitors, were well done. They all had unique personalities, back stories, and roles within the book and how they interacted with Orie. The alliances that Orie builds during filming are strong and believable (if we’re to pretend this is a real show).

Overall, this book was fantastic, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reality TV. I also recommend it if you're looking for a unique summer romance that will completely absorb you. When I say that this book is addicting, I mean it. This is a 4 out of 5 stars book for me, through and through.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Christine Riccio for allowing me to be an early reader of Attached at the Hip. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is scheduled for release on May 21, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-ARC.

I AM CACKLING.
This book is amazing. Are you a fan of survivor, the circle, love island, or the hunger games? If so, this book is for you.
There is just something special about a character in a book that’s just completely insane. I love it. If I am reading and the book makes me snort, giggle and cackle loudly, it’s an automatic 5 stars for me.
I was laughing through this whole thing. What a fun reading experience.

Ori is insane. She’s the main character of this book. She’s feeling kind of stuck after graduating college. She’s dreamed about finding the love of her life ever since she started reading romance novels as a young girl.
Since she’s feeling a little lost, she decides to apply for a reality show, where she’ll be stuck on an island with a bunch of strangers. Little does she know she’s applied for an experimental “survivor” love show.
When she arrives on the island things start to get interesting. Not for Ori, but for me.

This book is hilarious. Ori is absolutely unhinged ( in a good way). She asks the contestants to call her “Piccadilly”. There are just so many parts of this book where I needed to pause for a second and imagine if someone said those words to me in real life. What would my reaction be? Besides immediately wanting to be best friends with whatever weirdo was in front of me. Which means Christine Riccio is now my best friend.

If you enjoy survivor, laughing, and reading about a girl who was lost but then kicks a**, read this book.

This book was ok. Personally, I think the characters were too young for me to get really involved in their stories. I liked the Survivor and tv aspect of it. I liked the games and the overall story was fun. I think if you’re a Survivor fan and in your early 20s you’ll like it. It’s not a bad book, it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to @netgalley for the advance reader copy. Love the fun cover.

4.5 stars

Are you a fan of survivor and/or the bachelor? Then this might be the perfect book for you. It is a mix of both. Orie thinks she's being cast on survivor but really she's being cast on a survivor spin off with a romantic twist. I don't watch either of these shows, but I loved both aspects of the story. The survival aspect as well as the completion games were fun, but the romantic aspect was also great. I cannot tell you how hard I was laughing at the beginning of the book. It was so funny, but after that initial comedy, things took a different turn and got a bit more serious. There were still some funny moments but they changed given the development of the stories and characters. There were also some really cute moments, which I loved. I loved how the plot progressed because I did not see this story unfolding the way that it did. One thing that this book did really well was putting me in Orie's place because when she felt betrayed, I felt betrayed because her emotions became mine. This was my first book by this author and because of the ability to blind side me and make me feel betrayed the way that she did, I want to read more haha.


Content warning: gaslighting, mentions of addiction, fear of the ocean, bugs (including eating them), vomit

4.5 stars

Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio was honestly a romance that took me completely by surprise. The concept, Survivor but make it romance had me wanting to read it immediately but I somehow loved it even more than I expected. Which took me by surprise because I already had a good feeling about it.

Orie and Remy’s interactions with one another literally had me laughing out loud. This was hands down my favourite part of this book because it had me cackling. As a fellow socially awkward hot mess, I could relate to Orie a little too much every time she opened her mouth around Remy. It was pure perfection. But honestly, with every new character Orie spent time with, I found myself enjoying each new person and the relationship that Orie built with them in their time together. It was so difficult to pick a clear favourite because I ended up feeling deeply for them all, a testament to how strong each individual character was and how important the characters were to the story.

There was so much about this book that made it impossible to put down and just hooks the reader in immediately. I love that as far as timeline it counts the days down essentially, but even more attention grabbing was the script-like confessionals etc. that followed chapters when the contestants were mid-competition. I love these little bits both as a break between chapters, and as the little bits of insight they gave into each contestants mindset and game plans. I knew I was going to very much enjoy this book immediately when I came across the first one.

There were so many aspects to this book that were pure perfection as far as I was concerned. Not only those points mentioned above, but also simply the fact that this was a spin on Survivor. As someone who loved this show when I was young, this book was both an awesome throwback, and a whole new experience at the same time with the twists to the competition. It just made it even better in my eyes (hello romance). Attached at the Hip was for sure the kind of book that I did not want to put down until I finished it because I got that hooked on it so quickly.

As I’ve mentioned, I loved the various relationships shown in the book, they each had their own aspects that made them so heartwarming, but beyond that, the character growth was so satisfying. And not just for Orie (although hers was obviously a stand out and both so real and important to her as a character). Without naming names, there were other beyond Orie who had such meaningful growth from the start of the competition to the reunion. It made all the struggles and uncertainty worth it and had me coming away from the book feeling like they got the resolution they all deserved.

To summarize, I really, REALLY enjoyed this read and quite frankly I was taken by surprise by just how much I loved it. This story still sits with me even after finishing and I low key wish that the author would write another Attached at the Hip story with new characters because the Survivor loving reality tv competition enjoyer in me wants to see another “season” so to speak. Please?

Attached At The Hip by Christine Riccio I thought I would absolutely love this book as I seem to not be able to get enough of reality show tropes whether it be mystery or romance. Unfortunately the author deemed it fit to make the main character sound more like a cartoon with pin weelling arms and stuttering greetings when talking to strangers and not like an adult college graduate Instagram famous person at all. I get that in books things are hyperbolic and out of the box but I found Orea a.k.a. Piccadilly absolutely ridiculous from the fact she didn’t get that Jamie a.k.a. Lester Square was mocking her to the fact she called Remi by all three of his names and couldn’t talk because a grown man had his shirt off in front of her. Not to mention that both of these guys act as if they were over the moon for this clown not gonna lie though had the book been about her sister Lark I probably would’ve totally enjoyed it but she has a fiancé and it was about her stupid sister Orea also no spoilers but the ending was absolutely unbelievable as well not to mention a reality show for couples where only one of them win… OK whatever! One more thing before I go is there a secret contest to see what author can think up the most ridiculous names because I have been reading books with the most out of the box names I’m even reading one where they have a character name shield. Do people just throw darts at the dictionary and name the characters? Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy.

This is such a perfect blend of a survivor type reality show and romance. I couldn’t wait to read about each new challenge. I loved that even though it was a romantic themed show, you could still get tied to (and fall in love!) with someone of the same gender. Don’t get it twisted: you couldn’t NOT pay me to be tied to someone else. That’s so great for them though. Tube Stop is wicked annoying in the beginning—I’m begging you to just stick with her for the character growth. I haven’t been so positively giddy reading the ending in a long time. The conflicts require them not getting as much page time together as a typical romance, but for me it was worth it. Kissing is the most spice for those interested.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form an honest opinion.

This was such a fun romance! I loved Orie as a protagonist! She was a quirky and smart character! I really didn't know how The Bachelor and Survivor shows were going to mash up for this book but the author did such a good job conveying the dating aspects while being on a Survivor like show!

I normally do not care for love triangle stoeylines but I really did like how the author depicted this one. Since the characters were on this survivor like show and we were able to see how well Orie formed alliances and relationships with the characters I already had a feeling she was going to end up with one of the love interest by the end. But this did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.