I loved the premise of this story but unfortunately had a hard time connecting with the characters, so it fell flat for me. I agree with many of the comments that Orie felt very immature and even obnoxious. There’s a lot to like about the story and I’m sure others will connect with it, but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC!

This story wasn't for me. At all. The storyline is something I haven't read before so I was eager to get into this book. Unfortunately, it fell short. I failed to connect with the characters and stay interested. The most interesting part of this was the reality tv aspect.

Orie applies for Survivor but ends up on a spin-off with a dating aspect where she’s literally attached to other contestants.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Survivor and rom-coms, so trying this was a no brainer. The romance was there, but it did take a bit of a backseat to the rest of the story. It worked here, just don’t go in expecting 100% romance or any spice.

I think knowing and enjoying Survivor helped with my enjoyment of this book, but everything was explained well enough that you don’t miss context if you’ve never seen it before.

I will say that I felt Orie acted a bit young. I know she was meant to be quirky and everything but some of the things she said were just insanely out there and not something I imagine a 23 year old saying. I still liked her character and her story though.

In the sun-kissed pages of "Attached at the Hip” by Christine Riccio, readers are invited to a tropical paradise where reality TV meets romance. This delightful novel is a cocktail of Survivor, The Bachelor, and a dash of heartwarming magic.

Meet Orie Lennox. Our quirky heroine has just tossed her graduation cap into the air, but her life isn't following the script. Her love life? A tangled mess. Her new job? More chaos than cubicles. And her relationship with her sister? Let's just say it's more "drama" than "sisterhood." Enter an audacious opportunity: a reality show set on a remote island. Picture this: ten contestants, stranded in the South Pacific, playing a high-stakes game of human chess for a million-dollar prize. No deodorant, no toilets, no shaving cream, just sun-kissed beaches and alliances waiting to unravel.

Meet Orie's old high school crush, Remy. He is also part of the cast. He's the island's enigma, being a mix of brooding poet and sun-kissed surfer. Suddenly, the island isn't just about survival; it's about navigating feelings that have been marinating since prom night. And did I mention speed dating in the wilderness? Because nothing says "romance" like mosquito bites and sand in your swimsuit. As they tiptoe around their feelings, we're reminded that love is a wild adventure, even when you're low on sunscreen.

Riccio's prose is a tropical breeze. She paints the island with vivid strokes, from the rustling palm trees to the salty sea spray. The pacing is a rollercoaster ride. Riccio balances romance with suspense, like a piña colada with a twist of mystery. Who will get voted off the island? Who will find love among the coconuts? And will Orie's heart survive the emotional cyclone?

Orie's inner monologue is a mixtape of humour and vulnerability. As she grapples with alliances, challenges, and Remy's infuriatingly attractive smile, we root for her like beachside cheerleaders. The supporting cast adds flavour to the adventure and the island setting is a character in itself. The coconut trees whisper secrets, and the waves carry hopes and heartaches. As Orie faces physical and mental challenges, she discovers resilience she never knew she possessed. The alliances shift like tides, and friendships bloom like hibiscus flowers.

This read is perfect if you are looking for a sun-soaked escape. It's the book you devour on a hammock, sipping coconut water and dreaming of love under starlit skies. Riccio's passion for storytelling shines through every page, making this book a treasure chest of laughter, longing, and island breezes. If you're ready to dive into a romantic adventure, grab your sun hat, pack your emotional baggage, and join Orie and Remy on their unforgettable journey.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Whether you're a fan of a good Rom-Com, Survivor, dating reality show, one or all of the above, Attached at the Hip is the perfect read for you! Our main character and Survivor super fan Orie heads on a journey of growth when she applies for Survivor only to be immersed in a romantic version of the show. As I went on this journey with her through all the twists and turns that come with alliances, challenges, and maybe even love, I found myself gasping and laughing out loud with each page turn. This was such a fun read and one I highly recommend for those looking for a rom-com with a true focus on relationships.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early look at this May 2024 release!

I was given an arc of this through Nregalley. Thank you to the author and MetGalley!

I am still swooning over this book! It had everything I love in a rom-com.

This is about a girl, Orie, who decided to sign up for Survivor on somewhat of a whim after breaking up with her long term boyfriend, having a huge fight with her sister, and her family going through some big drama.

This book had me laughing out loud! Orie is a little weird and out there but super lovable and funny. I thought the author did a fear job of portraying an awkward but adorable female main character. I also loved the other “players” in the book. Everybody was different but they all had personalities I really enjoyed.

The Survivor, reality show part of the book made this different than other rom-coms. It felt like I was watching an episode of Survivor, which I am a super fan of! They even had confessionals which I loved. The layout and premise of the reality show made the book very easy to read and kept me hooked the entire time.

Orie Lennox applies and is subsequently cast on what she thinks is Survivor after a big fight with her older sister Lark. After arriving on location in Fiji, Orie is horrified to learn that she has been cast on a spin-off of Survivor that has a romantic twist called Attached at the Hip, where contestants are literally tethered to each other. Orie is first paired with her high school crush Remy and sparks quickly fly between the two. With challenges, the threat of elimination, new pairings, and finding out some troubling information, will Orie be able to make it to the end?

As a big fan of Survivor, I was so excited to read this book. I wanted to love Attached at the Hip, but it just fell flat for me. One of my biggest issues was with Orie. Orie is supposed to be 23 years old, but acts like she is 15. Her dialogue was so painful and hard to get through at times, and the fact that she wanted to be called Piccadilly was just bizarre. I also felt like the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, and I really struggled with the first 50% of the book. I also wish that we got a bit more of an explanation with the ending about character's motivations. I think the ending would've been a bit more satisfying with an explanation.

While there were some things I really struggled with while reading this, I enjoyed Attached at the Hip overall. The last 50% or so had me on the edge of my seat, and I just couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the Survivor aspect of this book, and found it to be a really unique and engaging premise. While Orie irritated me at times, I found her easy to root for and loved seeing her relationships with her other cast mates grow and evolve as the show went on. While I didn't love this book, I enjoyed it and think it will be a great read for anyone that loves shows like Survivor.

The author is clearly a fan of reality television. Although I have no experience with behind-the-scenes reality TV, it seemed like a perfect example of what it would be like to compete on a show like that. Orie is Survivor's biggest fan and take an opportunity to compete on the show but, what she doesn't know is this spin-off has a twist and her first pairing will be her high school crush she was too afraid to talk to. Up until now, Orie has relied on everyone else in her life to make her decisions for her but, now she has to rely on her instincts and determine who she can trust and what she really wants to win in life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
As a huge fan of survivor who has seen every season, I was so excited about this book due to the premise.
I really enjoyed the beginning with the lead up to Orie leaving her comfort zone to join the show, but once the game began, I was immediately turned off. I am urging the author to remove the juvenile and completely unnecessary lines about Orie wanting to be called Piccadilly. It completely annoyed me and turned me off of the rest of the book that I feel like I couldn’t even give this a fair shot or rating.

3 out of 5 stars

I have never watched survivor before. The only experience I've had with survivor is my friend explaining pieces of the show to me when I asked. I thought that this was a good glimpse into how the game, modified of course, would work. I really enjoyed reading about the characters in this story. I do think that Orie was a bit too quick with the relationship aspect of the story. I am not personally a huge fan of pop culture references in books, even though most of these worked well I still found myself pulled out of the story from time to time. I have really enjoyed the books that Christine has written so far, I do think that she has a character self insert in her stories at times. I do think that Orie was a self insert character for her. I did enjoy reading the story and I hope to see another book from Christine soon.

Thank you to Wednesday books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the aspect of a Survivor-esque game show crossed with a rom-com!

Orie is a young adult with no real direction in life. Stagnant, if you will. Riding her sisters coat tails, living at home. After applying for a show — she’s picked. Off to Fiji with the love interests. Each member has a match to three other cast members.

I really loved all the different characters, their reasons and whys. The games played were simply just fun. Reading these characters interactions were simply enjoyable and I found this book to be a pretty slow going, cozy read that had me smiling and giggling for hours.

I think the only thing that bugged me just a little was the way Orie’s anxiety was portrayed. I simply feel like it could have been portrayed better with a little more research or with the use of a sensitivity reader or two.


Thank you to Netgalley, Christine Riccio, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

2.75 🌟’s

While the idea of this book was incredibly alluring and made me immediately interested in picking it up, I felt like execution of the novel was a little bit weak.

This felt a bit like a poor retelling of a tv show with some tough dialogue and characters that I just really could not root for.

The setting was whimsical and the I enjoy parts of this book for sure but it probably isn’t something I would recommend

As a huge Survivor fan, I really enjoyed this book! The characters definitely felt like people you would catch competing on a dating/survival competition show and the setup was very entertaining. The tiny cameos of characters from Again but Better and Better Together were very cute and Orie’s journey of personal growth was compelling. Readers here purely for the romance might wish for a little more romance and fewer reality show challenges, but I truly had such a good time with this one.
4 stars

This was my favorite of Christine Riccio’s books so far. Survivor fans will definitely enjoy this twist on the reality show. Orie was an endearing main character from the beginning and was very rootable. The dating/survival competition show was very entertaining and well thought out - reading about the challenges was really like watching a game show! A few running jokes were a little grating, but in general this was funny and enjoyable!
4 stars

This was a fun quick read. After some tough love/venting from her sister Orie decides to take control of her life by applying to be on survivor which has been a life long dream. Once picked and about to begin the game she finds out that she will actually be on a spin off with a romance/friendship to win the money twist. Orie makes some new and old connections while on the show. This book had some nice characters, romance and just a hit of gameshow contestant paranoia.

Attached at the Hip is a love triangle, reality television, finding herself rom com. If you love survivor and books about finding yourself, this might be for you. It was not for me. I should mention that I do not watch reality TV. Perhaps if I did, then I would have been able to get overlook some of the issues I had with this read. Simply loving reality TV may change your POV on this book.

Orie, a Survivor super fan and yoga influencer, is faced with some hard truths and suddenly finds herself off on the adventure of a lifetime. She's been with her bf since she was 13, depends on her sister for pretty much all things job related, and lives at home with her parents. She's a 20-something college grad with no dream or direction. Then her world is flipped upside down when she finds herself in Fiji with everything she's ever found comfort in falling from her grip.

This book has a great concept and had the potential for a really great story. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. Noting that the grammatical and syntax errors were part of the ARC pre-release issue, the errors were distracting and so numerous it was a bit overwhelming. The plot idea had some great story potentials, however I felt like there were some places where the sub characters could have been fleshed out. The MFC seemed to really flip a switch when it came to development, which was disappointing. There wasn't growth, just a sudden change in her character. I wished it had ended with a little more depth.

I did not like the way Orie's anxiety was portrayed nor the use of some of the language to describe some of the toxic behavior. If a little research was put into mental health and asexual spectrum aspects of these characters, it could have gone a long way. There was a definite opportunity lost there. No spice, YA for sure. I didn't walk away feeling good about this book, but I have thought about it quite a bit.

I think if I was into Survivor or reality TV, I could have overlooked the rest. The challenges and dynamics of the "show" were fun to read. I can imagine the characters, I just wish they had more to give in the story.

This book was the definition of FUN. From start to finish, I found myself grinning and giggling and genuinely enjoying myself. I want to preface this review with a few facts:

1-I have never seen Survivor
2-I have read all of Christine Riccio's books
3-This was an ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Now with those three facts in mind I give this novel 10/10 stars. Our main character Orie, is struggling in life in that she is stagnant. Orie is living off her sister's coat tails and struggling to figure out her own life. The only thing that we as readers really see as being her own thing is her love for Survivor. Fortunately for her, after a cruel awakening, she does apply and end up on a romantic Survivor-esque spin off where we meet our diverse cast of characters-specifically, our love interest(s) as every participant is meant to have three other members who are a match for them.

Out of those characters, I actually enjoyed learning about every single one of them. They all had unique personalities and backgrounds and varying reasons for wanting to win the million dollar prize. I loved the concept of them being "Attached at the Hip" with a rope and was intrigued to see how that would impact the characters' decisions and interactions. Most of all, I actually just loved the writing of this novel. I loved how it was formatted/portrayed the passing of time and game show aspect. As someone who never has seen Survivor, I felt very comfortable understanding what was going on and now am inspired to watch it because I enjoyed this novel so much. I simply cannot wait to read the next novel provided by Christine Riccio and would LOVE to see some of these characters again (personally, I'm hoping there will be a massive cross-over style book bringing in her entire cast of characters from all of her novels).

A few things to note:
-The main character is very 2000's style quirky. I found her to be cute and fun and very relatable as she is figuring out her life, and while some may take her too seriously, I think Orie can be fantastic to simply enjoy her story
-This book has ALL OF THE TROPES and in the best way! The obvious one being forced proximity.
-There are so many pop culture references throughout and I loved it. I feel like many authors are very afraid of dating their books by making these references, but Riccio embraced them in a way that will help readers relate to her stories

Overall, this is one of the most fun reads I can remember having and even though I loved ABB and BT, I found Riccio's writing to mature/improve significantly in this one. I can't wait to read it again when it comes out officially.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

As a big Survivor fan, of course a rom-com where the main character is a contestant on a Survivor-esque dating show had me immediately intrigued. However, about 20% in I quickly remembered why I stopped reading this authors books.

The main character is so cringey and immature I truly do not know how anyone could find her enjoyable to read. She wanted to be nicknamed “Picadilly” for other characters to call her. This is such a cringe detail I really think an editor should have suggested taking it out. Why would readers receive that well when the author kept trying to make it funny when it just wasn’t. Also the pop culture references were ridiculous and I felt included for the authors enjoyment, which only made the book dull.

There is no chemistry between the characters and the overall plot was executed poorly.

The concept of the book and the way it is marketed make it seem like something I would love, but the writing fell flat.

I wanted to enjoy this, but sadly I can think of little that stood out as good.

This was a fun journey. I really did not enjoy Orie in the beginning of the book, she was just a little to juvenile but she really grew throughout the book and by the end I just loved her. Wow, the twists and betrayals were a bit tough.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's and Wendsday books for the chance to read this eARC!

copy provided by netgalley!

Orie's sister Lark tells her she's incapable of doing anything on her own. Which sparks a need to prove her sister wrong so she applies to what she believes is Survivor. However it turns to a spin off with a romantic twist. Orie set out to prove something to her family but ended up learning so much about herself and bargaining for more than what she bargained for.

I seriously loved this read! Ories character is so funny and likable. The other characters in the book help mold her into who she is in the end.