Despite not being a Survivor fan, this is one reality show I could certainly get behind. Imagine being tethered to a stranger for EVERYTHING, while undergoing a reality show, in the wilderness. Now add to it that 3 of the other cast members are potential romantic matches for you, and one is a familiar individual from your past or present.

This wild game show is so up my alley, I flew through this read wishing it was a real thing. From quirky jobs like "acrobatic yoga" to cutting bangs to be more likeable (terrible idea with no showers or amenities), "Attached at the Hip" will have readers roaring with laughter.

This was a decent read; I liked the island/speed dating aspect, but I do think the characters were a bit shallow and one dimensional.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

A great read for fans of reality shows! My emotions are all over the place with this book. It took me several chapters to like the FMC cuz she's so indecisive and can't do anything on her own, but I get that's what makes the storyline so vital. I was highly entertained by the thought of a reality dating show in a Survivor environment, and the characters did not disappoint.

The only part I really struggled with was not knowing which character I could trust (as I already have huge trust issues, lol), but it ended up keeping me on my toes and really paying attention to every little detail given. I definitely couldn't survive if Attached At The Hip was a real show, but I'd certainly enjoy watching it unfold.

I feel like most YA novels are geared for high schoolers, but this YA Contemporary Romance was really geared for the just graduated from college young adult. A mix of Survivor and dating shows, Attached at the Hip follows Ori through the first season of a new reality TV show, where she hopes to survive long enough to win the prize money to help her family, but along the way Ori finds her chance at love.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fresh take on romance. A 20 something trying to find her way in the world. She has been very dependent on her family she the good and bad of a having who generally likes each other. Orie find herself in a tropical island in a reality show. There are highs and lows but Orie finds what she is looking for in a exciting adventure.

Billed as Survivor meets the Bachelor. How could I resist? I've not really watched The Bachelor except to watch the ladies cry on night one and lament how much they loved the man that didn't choose them. You know the guy they met a couple of hours ago. But I've watched Survivor on and off for years.

I liked the premise, but I should note that this is more reality show and a little less romance than I thought going in. But I am still a fan. I liked that the author created a new reality show instead of trying to hide that she was using an existing one. It made it so I did not know what they show might do or change next.

I was entertained from the start. At times there was a little extra drama and the contestants seemed a little young, but the extra drama might be a behind the scenes thing on all reality shows. But neither of those things deterred from my enjoyment.

This was narrated by Brittany Pressley. One of my favorite female narrators. She always brings so much to the table and makes anything she reads a little better. She did a fantastic job showing the tension and the emotions that flowed through the book.

This is a perfect choice for a summer read with the setting and the adventure. You'll especially love this one if you are a reality show fan.

I was so excited to listen to this book because I had dove deep into dating reality TV for whatever reason. So the permits and idea of this book was very captivating to me. However once I got into it sadly I just didn't feel like it hooked me the way I wanted it to. And most definitely felt like a retailing of a TV show which is fine I just did not find myself connecting to me of the characters or the story as a whole unfortunately. It's a very light easy read I do think if you like the more TV retellings this is right up your alley!

what an amazing book. I highly recommend it. Its a perfect summer read. Its just *chefs kiss*. Its everything you could want in a romance.

Attached at the Hip is everything I want in an audiobook and more! There was romance and competition and far flung locals! This book felt original and captivating!

Survivor meets The Bachelor (or any dating show). I am not a fan of reality TV so I was not expecting to like this as much as I did, but this was super fun!

As a hardcore Survivor fan I LOVED this book! This book brought all the best aspects of Survivor, including a eating challenge, to life and kept me on the edge of my toes.

I absoultely fell in love with Orie's character and her character development throughout the show was fantastic! The love triangle that started to form between Orie, Remy, and Osprey kept me guessing how it the game will end. This was such a fun read that I couldn't put it down!

I listened to the audiobook and Brittany Pressley knocked this one of the park!

A cute adventure read - like Survivor meets Love Island dating show where you’re attached to your teammate via rope. This book had a lot of funny moments (like how do I poop while tethered to a cute boy?) and I loved seeing Orie’s growth. The beginning was slow, but then it picked up. There were so many book references which I liked. Then the twist at the end!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this audiobook!! Brittany Pressley does an AMAZING job at the audio in this book! Orie Lennox has spent most of her life wanting a Happily Ever After. She has a new job, just broke up with her 10 year relationship boyfriend, and the relationship with her sister has become rocky. Orie decides to audition for a television show like "Survivor" or "Fear Factor" but the show is actually called "Attached at the Hip." Orie does not realize what she is getting herself into. Her and nine other contestants are on an island playing for 1 million dollars. Orie learns about friendships, relationships, and so many other things while on the show. I felt like I was listening to an actual game show that I would watch on tv! Christine Riccio did a FABULOUS job with the characters and the different challenges they face while on the show. If you love reality TV shows this book is a MUST especially a GREAT summer read! I highly recommend the audiobook version!!

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!

Oh my goodness this book was absolutely awesome! It was funny, witty, compelling, and of course, totally swoon worthy!

What a fun read!

I'm not a fan of reality TV shows myself, but Attached at the Hip was a reading experience I could get behind.

The book follows Orie Lennox who on a whim applies to be a part of a reality TV show where she will be stranded with a bunch of strangers, on an island, and a chance to win a million dollars.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. This has the feel of a triangle, but trust me, the author handles this well and I loved how the ending turned out for Orie. I thought it was unique but worked well for the plot in the book.

Orie was super bubbly, which even though I could not relate to, I was drawn to regardless. Her name was unique enough so her choosing a weird nickname for the show kinda threw me for a loop, but it was something I could overlook.

Overall, this read is great for the summer. I found myself coming back to it more and more. The audiobook narrator did a great job with this.

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.

I tandem read this ALC with the ARC ebook I also received. The narrator was so good and definitely delivered the emotions well and made it really seem like I was just watching reality tv which is phenomenal!

Christine Riccio's 'Attached at the Hip' is a contemporary romance set in the high-stakes world of reality TV, blending Survivor-like challenges with The Bachelor's romantic intrigue. Narrated by Brittany Pressley, the audiobook immerses listeners in Orie's journey as she navigates the ups and downs of being literally attached to another contestant on a remote island. Pressley's versatile narration brings the characters to life, though some may find her male voice portrayal lacking.

The story follows Orie Lennox, a social influencer seeking her own happily ever after, as she grapples with unexpected challenges and discovers newfound growth amidst the chaos of reality television. While the premise is fun and engaging, some aspects of the character dynamics may polarize listeners, particularly Orie's initial selfishness and immaturity. However, Riccio's skillful storytelling ultimately leads to a satisfying character arc, making Orie's journey a rewarding one. Overall, 'Attached at the Hip' offers an entertaining blend of romance, adventure, and self-discovery, complemented by Pressley's spirited narration.

3 stars- This was okay!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio (Wednesday Books) for the copy! #MacAudio2024 I thought the audio version was entertaining and quick.

How this was portrayed in the synopsis is not really what we got huh folks. So what did I enjoy?
- I loved the reality tv aspect of this book. I think that's what snagged my opinion! Great concept that's fun to read about.
- This was very quick paced.
- Engaging audio book.

What could have been better:
- So even with all that reality tv stuff.... some of it was pretty annoying, cringe, and made no sense. Was it done on purpose? I am not sure. This book could not decide if it was YA or not.
- The characters were immature. As much as I thought the main character was cute and quirky, I feel like there were too many emotions thrown in that we never really understood who she was. Who she wanted to be? I wish we would have gotten a deeper look into her character development, as it was too surface level for me. Things were brought up an brushed over.
- The ending.... my gosh we don't always have to have things wrapped up perfectly. Life is not that way. This is more a peeve of mine.
- The romance in this book is.... not a romance. I feel like this is more of a "coming of age" story with aspects of a romance story.

Read if you like:
- Shows like The Challenge, Survival, The Bachelor
-Laugh out loud moments
-Little spice level
-Quick Paced

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. The narrator, Brittany Presley, was AMAZING. Presley is my favorite audiobook narrator. She has perfect voice variation with character distinction, giving each character their own voice, and does female and male voices like a pro. Her pitch and flow was suburb, allowing me to listen at 2x speed and having no issues keeping up. I really enjoyed this story. I would recommend to other readers.