This was an ok read for me. I was drawn to it by the synopsis and I had high hopes for it. The story was just an ok read for me. I thought that the characters connection wasn't as strong as it needed to be to make the story work. There were definitly some cute moments, just not the swoony vibes I was really hoping for. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Quick easy light hearted read. If you are looking for a good book to read on vacation or by the pool grab this one.

3.5/5 stars. Thank you publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is not my usual cup of tea for book genre or premise, but I was interested in the blurb. I love mindless reality TV so I thought I would enjoy this story and I did, kind of. It was an easy read to work through, but it was not my favorite. I did not like that survivor was mentioned, multiple times, and wish that the show was a fictional one. The main character was not my favorite personality, and I did struggle with her a bit. Overall, it is an okay read.

I will admit to not having ever watched Survivor. 😅
Reality TV is not usually my jam, but I love Christine Riccio’s other books so I thought I’d enjoy this one, and I was right!

And now I know I will NEVER sign up to be on Survivor. 😂 Especially not if it was also a dating show.

That being said, I loved this book. It’s ridiculous, and funny, and heartfelt, and I love how many nods to pop culture were tucked into the story.

If you love realty tv, upper YA romcoms, and don’t hate love triangles, this book should be right up your alley.

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own, and a review was not required.

An enormous thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and of course, Christine Riccio for the eARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I adored this book. I also really liked the last book of her’s that I read, so I did have hope that I would enjoy it.

I’m an absolute sucker for Survivor, and I’ve been binging through past seasons the last couple months, so I think it made me like this book even more. I loved watching the friendships form and the challenges, it was an absolute blast.

The story was goofy, but I loved the characters and watching how things played out over the course of the book.

Another great premise, poor execution.

I just don't know how books like this keep getting tradpub deals.

Or is this what publishing thinks of readers? That they need things dumbed down and over-explained by an obnoxious protagonist?

I'm surprised by St. Martin's Press as I've come to expect better from them.

If you want a completely mindless entertainment experience, just watch Survivor.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Immediately no. Orie is the main character who is chosen for a Survivor dating show offshoot. I don't know what else happens because I stopped reading at 10%. Her personality was so off putting that I just couldn't deal. Once she said she wanted a unique name and wanted to be called PIccadilly, of all things, I was out. Life's too short to read books that make you cringe that hard.

2.5 stars
Although I had many issues with Christine Riccio's debut novel, Again but Better, I fell in love with the premise of Attached at the Hip and decided to give it a chance. Unfortunately, Christine Riccio's writing hasn't seemed to develop at all. While yes, the premise of this book is super fun, I had issues with just about everything else. To start, I found that the author kept over-explaining how Survivor and games shows as a whole work. Honestly, all of the pop-culture references were over-explained. I also found the ending of the book to be way to drawn out. But really, my biggest issue with this book is the main character. She is incredibly naive, both on the reality show and just in life and love in general. She's also way to quirky and childish. I know her messiness is supposed to be loveable, but more often than not I wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up. And of course, even though she's a mess, everyone is in love with her. She also is a reader, writer, and influencer, making her feel like a self-insert character for the author. So even though there were things about this book that I liked, I couldn't enjoy the book because I was stuck inside the main character's head. Overall, I liked this book marginally more than the author's others, but I still found myself disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review!

Hmm this was an interesting reading experience.

The concept is fantastic and I did enjoy reading this story. I thought the plot was fun and as someone who enjoys watching some dating shows and Survivor, I felt like it had a good mix of the two.

But I also did have some issues with the book. There were quite a few writing craft elements and story decisions that were either cringey or distracted me from the story. Constantly mentioning Survivor by name almost made the book feel like fanfiction. I think i would have preferred a made up fictional show with the same elements as Survivor just so it didn’t distract me so much. The book is also full of pop culture references which are not my favorite. And random capital letters in the book? Just because.

I also think that the main character felt a bit juvenile at times. And I understand the insta love in the beginning for the purposes of the plot but it did mean that I was having trouble connecting with the story until about 40%. Because it is a reality show, I would have loved to get more confessionals from other characters besides just Orie I feel like that could have been a way to reveal more information to the reader in an interesting way and learn more about how she is perceived by other people. And, the ending left me with a few questions which weren’t really resolved (specifically regarding Remy).

Overall though, I still enjoyed my time reading it. I think if you’re someone who doesn’t pay too close attention to the writing the actual plot is fun and entertaining. Given that this is my third book by Christine Riccio and I’ve had consistent problems with her writing affecting my enjoyment of the story, I’m not sure if I’ll be reading more from her in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, it just fell a bit flat for me. I found the main female character Orie to be almost too quirky and too "random." It was like a TikTok trend on page at times. I enjoyed the aspect of the Survivor type game that involved a romance element, and thought it would honestly be a great reality TV show. I appreciated that Orie grew as a character, but she still felt quite juvenile by the end of the book. It is marketed at YA and I feel like that is definitely who this book is best suited for. I just left wanting just a bit more from this romance. Nevertheless, I will still pick up books from this author in the future because I enjoyed her voice in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

It was honestly such a refreshing surprise to read something with such a unique plot! Like REALITY TV but as a BOOK? Count me in! It absolutely delivered 1000%.

I binge read this the same way I would binge a season of Survivor. I would do anything for a “second season” aka sequel of attached at the hip.

Right away this girl was so annoying.
What kind of name is Orie and let's have the main character be called a rats name and the other a bird.
I haven't really enjoyed anything by this author.

Orie applies to be on a Survivor like reality TV show only to find out it’s a matchmaking type show too. When she’s partnered, and literally attached at the hip by a rope, with her high school crush she hopes that sparks will fly.

When I read the synopsis for this book I knew I needed to read it. I love books with competitions and throw in a love story, I’m here for it. However, this book fell a bit flat for me. I wanted to love it, and I’ve seen some great reviews, but I don’t think I was the right reader for it.

First, I couldn’t figure out if this book was young adult or new adult. At times it read very YA and at others it felt more NA. I’m sure this didn’t bother others, but I like to get an idea of the characters ages, and this one was confusing. Part of that was that Orie, the main character, felt really young. She just graduated college, but she was super immature. Like who tries to change their name from Orie to Piccadilly just to be more original. Orie is a super unique name already.

Second, the competition scenes were a lot of fun. In fact, they were my favorite parts of the book, but for a book about a reality TV show I was expecting a lot more drama between the contestants. If you’ve watched Survivor, you know that show is full of drama so why wouldn’t there be more in this story? There were a lot of opportunities to throw some in that I think the author missed.

Third, the insta love between Orie and Remy wasn’t realistic to me. I know she had a crush on him in high school, but she didn’t really know him. Then the way the author flipped his storyline just to add in another love interest felt forced to me. I did prefer the relationship between Orie and Osprey because it felt more organic to me, but I didn’t feel the love triangle worked.

There are some things I did like about this book. First, I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Brittany Presley who I adore as a narrator. She brought the book to life and put me in the amazing setting of Fiji. Her voice was perfect for Orie and she helped to hold my interest when the book started to drag a little. Second, the Survivor like competitions were great, and I liked how they did confessional type interviews with the characters. I wish the competition was more of the focus and more interviews with the contestants were included since I really loved this part of the book.

I’m sad I didn’t love this one as much as others I’ve seen post about it. It had so much potential but overall I found it a bit too immature for my liking and it dragged on at times. I recommend you read other reviews before letting mine sway you because a lot of readers loved this one!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

CUTE!!!!! I absolutely love Survivor so this book had an advantage right from the start (see what I did there)! I loved the growth of the characters throughout this story! I loved the challenges, rewards, just really all of the things!

The Bachelor meets Survivor in the new reality show Attached at the Hip. Orie thought she had applied for a classic season of Survivor, only to later learn there is a romantic twist, opening her eyes on a tropical island to find herself literally tied to her high school crush. As she makes her way through the game, she must decide who she can and cannot trust, and maybe find love along the way.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book, but I feel like the ending was too predictable throughout the book. I also think Orie was just too “quirky” of a main character - this is just a personal pet peeve of mine. I felt like the characters didn’t speak the way real people do, and that took me out of the story. I will say If you are a Survivor/reality TV and a romance fan this might be for you!

Survivor meets Bachelor in this reality TV inspired novel, where our main character signs up to participate in Survivor, but gets put on a spin-off called Attached at the Hip. The contestants are literally attached at the hip and told to survive on an island together.

What I liked: I thought this was a cute concept and binged the first half. The reality show aspect of this book was the highlight and the plot really shined when this was the focus of the chapter. This chapters were so much fun to read. I also found the romance cute and the best part was Orie finally taking control of her life and living it the way she deserved. This is an easy to read book that is perfect for someone looking for a summer read.

Other thoughts: Orie is an incredibly immature character. Like, incredibly immature, and tries way too hard to be something she is not. The characters are written over-the-top to try and fit those typical reality tv tropes. I think the only character I really liked was Osprey.

Rating: 3⭐️ This book is the perfect summer read for being by the pool on vacation. It’s cute, predictable, and filled with tons of romance tropes. If you love reality tv competitions and cute romance, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review prior to its release.

I could not put this book down! Attached at the hip made me laugh out loud and kept me on my toes.

I loved Orie, she could totally be me. Not the going-on-a-reality-tv-show-to-prove-a-point part, but the anxiety-makes-my-brain-malfunction part. I can also completely understand staying in the comfort of what you know (i.e. her relationship with Wes) and not wanting to venture outside this box.

I enjoyed the plot and the characters as well. I did expect the direction where the story was going but the twist was still done in a way I didn't expect.

The ending though felt a bit anticlimactic. I wish more would have happened at the end between Orie and the person she chooses. It fell a bit flat, but overall I had such a great time reading this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy, I have voluntarily written this review.

Orie Lennox has spent most of her life dependent on others and rarely alone. Even in her adult life, postgrad she has found her "career" being tied to her older sister. One evening on a whim, she sends in an audition tape for what she believes is her all time favorite show, "Survivor." After surprisingly being chosen to be on the show, she's startled to learn when she gets to Fiji that the show is not indeed "Survivor." Instead it's a new spin-off show called "Attached at the Hip," which aims to include the survival aspect of "Survivor" but also add dating. She's surprised to find that her High School crush, Remy has been cast on the show and Orie is supposed to do a weird kind of survival speed dating with him and the other contestants.

The book's premise was very engaging, unique and promising however Orie as a character I felt was not one that was likeable enough for the reader. I didn't find her to be interesting, complex and although I feel the intent with her character was to "find" herself over the course of the show she mostly skated on through. Rather then her having agency and doing things, it just felt like things happened TO her. It felt like every other character was pushing her along and she didn't really any gain of independence? In fact it was really Remy who came up with what she was going to do after the show and in her life? And the book ends with her - already making money, being successful as an influencer - she wins the show, becoming a millionaire and gets offers to not one, but two film internships just because the host of the show likes her? It's just so frustrating, especially because she wasn't even a likeable character whose motivations just fell flat.

3.5

I grew up watching Christine Riccio's YouTube videos, but had never picked up one of her books until now, since contemporary romance isn't always my go-to genre. I'd also heard mixed things about her writing style, but the premise of Attached at the Hip sounded really interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. And I did enjoy it! I had some issues with certain things, but it got me out of a reading slump, which is why I rounded up to 4 stars.

To start with the things I enjoyed: I liked Orie's character development throughout the story. I think I relate a little too much to some of her flaws, and I think the changes she went through are very believable. I enjoyed Osprey and Kennedi's characters as well, and the relationship and chemistry between Orie and Osprey was really well done. Osprey is probably one of my favorite male leads in a contemporary romance. And even though we didn't get to see much of the other contestants, I appreciate the diversity of the cast of characters. While I may have predicted most of the plot twists, they still packed a punch and I felt angry and shocked right alongside the characters.

However, there were some things that really took me out of the story or that I think could've been executed differently. To start, I didn't like how all of Orie's family drama was revealed. We get some scenes before she's dropped on the island, but as soon as she's on the island, we're bombarded with all these important things that happened off screen. At first, I assumed we'd get some flashbacks to provide detail, but that never happened. Instead, we learn the details as Orie relates them to other characters, which felt awkward. This is probably my biggest issue with the plot and the pacing.

This book also felt incredibly long, even when I was enjoying it, and yet there wasn't as much "Survivor" as I was expecting. Even when Orie is in exile, the stakes never felt very high. I also wish we could've gotten to know the other contestants better, even if just through bits of dialogue or interactions during challenges. Other parts felt very dragged out, like all the chapters after Orie returns from the island.

Also, I really dislike when books make a lot of pop culture references, and this one had a TON. I expected references to Survivor, obviously, but the constant Hannah Montana and Divergent references were annoying. Orie was also pretty annoying at times; her personality felt more obnoxious than endearing, and at times she really felt like a self-insert for the author.

But despite my issues with this book, I did enjoy it, and it made me curious enough to pick up Christine's other novels.

Attached at the Hip
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Christine Riccio

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Orie Lennox has spent her entire life prepping for her happily ever after—and now that she’s graduated, she’s low-key wondering, when the heck is it gonna hit. Her love life, her new job, her relationship with her sister: none of it is quite what she envisioned it to be.

One evening, on a whim, she applies for a reality show where she’ll be stranded on an island, with a bunch of strangers, to play a game of human chess for a shot at a million dollars. What better way to force herself to break up with the things that aren’t bringing her joy, than to abandon them all on short notice to live off the grid on a beach in the South Pacific!

Orie's shocked when she ends up cast in an experimental romantic edition of the show: and even more surprised to find that her old high school crush, Remy, has been cast as well. Orie's one of ten contestants, set to compete in formidable challenges, while speed dating, in the wilderness: without deodorant, toilets, shaving cream, or showers. (How!?)

She finds herself tied up—literally—in a game of risky alliances as she navigates ever-growing feelings for her one that got away, alongside an exciting array of budding new relationships.

My Thoughts: This was a cute, sweet romantic read. Orie Lennox has always wanted the fairytale life. Where she is today is not where she imagined her career, her love life, or family relationships would be. On a whim, she decides to sign up for her favorite reality show where she will be among strangers on a deserted island to play a game of strategy and endurance for a chance to be a millionaire. She envisioned this would be the break she needed to break out of herself. Abandon what she knows to be off the grid for a few weeks. Well, this also falls short of her expectations, she will be casted on an experimental romantic reality show, and as another twist, her old crush from high school, Remy, is also on the show. Ten contestants, attached by pairs (literally) to compete is strategy, food, and endurance challenges, while speed dating and in the middle of nowhere. She finds herself in the middle of alliances, love challenges, and friendships. This follows the tropes of friends to lovers, reality television, love triangle, and forced proximity.

The story is narrated by Orie in her POV. Orie is unsure of herself, she is quirky, still finding who she is, and desperately wants her happily ever after fairytale romance. There are several other characters but the two other potential MCs would be her love connections with Remy and Osprey. Kennedy plays an important role in this storyline. There was also the host Jaime. The pop culture references were amazing. Orie’s character really had tremendous character growth throughout the story. The characters were well developed, witty banter, some chemistry, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, multilayered, funny, thought-provoking, and engaging. The plot was interesting and the plot twist was fabulous. The support of the supporting characters to Orie was one of my favorite parts.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio book ARCs. I would recommend to other readers.