Marooned

by Ben Chalfin

"As someone who has spent more than two decades navigating alliances, betrayals, strategy, and human connection on reality television, Marooned immediately pulled me in.

Ben Chalfin brilliantly captures the intensity of life on a competition-based island show while reminding readers that sometimes the biggest risks aren’t in the game—they’re in opening your heart. Filled with humor, heart, and the kind of social dynamics that reality TV fans know all too well, Marooned is a refreshing and captivating read. Whether you’re a fan of competition shows or simply love a great romance, this story delivers both the excitement of the game and the power of genuine connection. I couldn’t put it down."

— Cirie Fields, 6-time Survivor player, S25 BB House Guest, Winner of the Traitors S1, and reality television icon

Survivor meets The Charm Offensive in this contemporary LGBTQIA+ romantic comedy about love, strategy, and connection on a desert island reality show.

Ryan Levine is a contestant on the newest season of Marooned, the hit reality show where eighteen people are stranded on a desert island, competing in challenges and voting each other out until one is left to claim the million-dollar prize. All he cares about is bringing home the money, and he’s determined to not let anything stand in his way.

That all changes when he meets Cole Walker, his handsome tribemate with a ready smile and a quick laugh--and, of course, a perfect body. In other words, Cole is a distraction, and that's the one thing Ryan can't afford, not when the slightest mistake could get him voted out. Will he be able to navigate the twists and turns of the game and win the million? Or will he go home with nothing but empty pockets and a broken heart?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, M M Romance, Queer, Sports

256 pages, Paperback

Published May 26, 2026

Reviews

[Meags · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Cool concept. I was fairly entertained by the Survivor-inspired reality show competition setting and I very much liked the idea of two (male) competitors inconveniently (but wholeheartedly) falling-in-love during of a month-long, high-stakes, strategy-based survival game, that the whole world would be watching.

Plot wise, I was into it. I enjoyed following MC Ryan, a lifelong fan of a hit reality show called Marooned, finally a contestant himself, with a single-minded focus to win the million-dollar price to help out his beloved sister, only to be metaphorically knocked off balance when he finds himself falling for dual teammate and competitive rival Cole.

I liked Ryan and Cole quite a bit, especially with their nerd x jock energy, but their love story definitely played second fiddle to Ryan’s larger experiences competing on Marooned. I’d go as far as to say, this was romance-lite, because although I really liked the guys and enjoyed watching how their blossoming relationship grew under very surreal, often problematic circumstances, the truth is they didn’t actually spend all that much on-page time together in the grander scheme of the story, which may be a deterrent for some readers looking for more relationship development.

I didn’t actually mind the low-romance vibes, personally, because I was pretty damn into the day-to-day game play of Marooned, including all the eviction night scheming, the need to team-up in tactical alliances and the necessity to turn-on each other the longer the game played out, and I especially enjoyed following the challenge trial shenanigans as they increasingly became more high stakes. Honestly, as a reality competition Marooned sounded plenty fun to me and it would most definitely be a show I would actually watch, if it were real, so that element of the story alone kept me entertained.

Unfortunately, there would be an argument to be made that the writing gave off more of a tell than show vibe, which may have resulted in my middling rating and reactions, but, for a new-to-me author, I’d say my experience with this story was a positive one overall, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more Ben Chalfin stories in the future.


***A special thanks to the publishers and the author (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[phoenix *ੈ✩‧₊˚]

dnf @ 40%

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. I started reading and then paused it three times, because I just couldn't get into it. I didn't connect to any of the characters and wasn't a huge fan of the MC. The reality competition show setting sounded interesting, but I found the execution rather boring. Other reviewers said the challenges are repetitive; I didn't read enough to confirm that. The challenges were cool, but not quite my cup of tea. I felt no chemistry between the MCs and didn't root for them. So I decided to quit reading.

[Ellen Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! (Rated on a platform without half-star ratings)

I stumbled across this book on Netgalley and was instantly intrigued by not just the cover but the synopsis! This book was the perfect mix of drama, suspense and romance. The drama was dramatic (in a good way) and the romance was perfect. I was as invested in this as I would be for as I would be for a Survivor like game show. The challenges were described so well I felt like I was there. The ending? Satisfying.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book well aware of it being a Survivor themed romance book but I was still somewhat surprised how heavy that was in the story. The romance between Ryan and Cole is definitely in the backseat of the book with the details of Marooned. I did enjoy the story because it really felt like watching an "old school" season of survivor. I will say I was somewhat disappointed in the few places Marooned strayed from it's inspiration source. For how much of Ryan's inner monologue is spent on his sister back home and not wanting anyone to know she has cancer- I was expecting her to physically show up in the story (whether that be in letters from home or during the loved ones visit). I also couldn't believe that he didn't mention this in his final tribal council speech. While I enjoyed this, I think in ways someone who has never watched Survivor may even enjoy the book more because they won't be going through a constant "oh my god this is so similar" loop as someone who's watched most seasons of the show has.

Thank you Rising Action Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of Marooned.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan Levine signs up to be on a Survivor-like show called Marooned. He's determined to win the prize money to help his sister and plans to not let anything get in his way. That is until he meets the very charming and handsome Cole Walker. Whose definitely straight...

I thought this was a really fun read! I'm a Survivor fan myself, so reading about the challenges and alliances Ryan makes felt like sitting back and watching one of my favorite reality TV shows, only this time with a little more gay.

Ryan wisely isn't too trusting of Cole at first but as the two become friends and begin to flirt, it seems like there might be a little something more there? The story also has fun and interesting side characters who are both fun to love and hate. It honestly doesn't go too much into depth on anyone and keeps the main focus on Ryan and his decisions.

Was the story a little predictable, sure. But I think it makes a great, quick beach or airplane read. It was cute and low angst. Overall, I enjoyed my time on the island. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
• This is Reality TV done well. I really enjoyed being in Ryan's head, he was a really intelligent fun character who had depth, emotional maturity and empathy.

• I loved how high the stakes were, Ryan's chemistry with C and the friendship with all the other characters was soo good.

• I loved the games and challenges, they all were soo interesting!

❤️ Overall, A really fun book that provides the reality show experience.
•Single Pov.

💖 Thanks NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own!

[Justyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A MUST READ FOR FANS OF SURVIVOR!!

Ryan is a contestant in season 19 of Survi… *cleans glasses* Marooned and is determined to win the prize money for his sister’s medical bills. Meeting the charming Cole throws Ryan off balance. Will he be able to focus on winning the million dollar prize or are there other things just as important?

I loved the romance in this book. I haven’t seen a gay showmance on the show before and this storyline really helped carry the book and stop it from getting bogged down too much in the strategy.

The diverse cast of characters were great and the ending was beyond sweet. Reading this definitely made me want to go watch another season of Survivor!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing Co for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.




…




That is the end of my review on the book itself but please oblige the Survivor mega fan in me as I vent for a second.

(Spoilers ahead!!)

While I rated the book four stars the gameplay in it would have been about two stars. If this was an actual season of Survivor I feel like it would end up in lists of people’s least favourite seasons based on the winners strategy.

Ryan was in a position of power for nearly every single vote. Him and his alliance played as a voting block from the get go. So every single vote from eighteen players down to the end was predictable and they always had the numbers. Any chance to flip the script and make Ryan play from the bottom resulted in strange gameplay or a twist of luck bringing the game back into his control. I would’ve liked to have seen him fight for the million even if a wrench was thrown in his way and a member of his five person alliance voted out earlier on. The real life seasons of Survivor where one alliance has majority and systematically votes out every player one by one are the most painful ones to watch.

The gameplay has evolved so much over the years and those who feel at the bottom of alliances are always looking to flip and end up on top. I’m surprised that when Alina and Ashraf were the last two members of the old Sika alliance, NOT ONE SINGLE player from the six majority felt like they were on the bottom of their alliance? Because sweetheart as soon as those two are gone, you’re going to have to start cannibalising your alliance. You’re telling me no one was willing to try and make a potential game winning flip to end up on top? It did feel like one player after another lined up to be the sacrificial lamb to further Ryan’s game. I wanted Ryan to win but I wish he’d taken more risks and fought against the odds rather than being in power the whole time. His misuse of the idol is the only time he doesn’t know the way the votes were going. Maybe it’s different for Marooned season 19 but typical Survivor 101 knowledge is that if you have an idol at final five you play it for yourself or your closest ally. It’s useless after this point unless you plan to use it at tribal council to show how comfortable you were that you didn’t have to use it to survive. Ryan did neither and although it had a purpose in the romance arc, the idol ended up seeming pointless to the gameplay. Overall the strategy didn’t subtract from the book but if this was an actual Survivor season I would have found the gameplay repetitive and frustrating.

[Sindre Alexander Ellingsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.75 ⭐ (rounded to 3 ⭐ on platforms without half-stars)

Marooned is a contemporary LGBTQ+ romance set on a reality competition show in the vein of Survivor. The premise is fun: Ryan Levine enters the game determined to win the million-dollar prize at any cost, but his plans are derailed when he meets Cole Walker, a charming and distractingly attractive tribemate. What follows is a mix of strategic gameplay, budding romance, and survival challenges on a deserted island.

The setup has real potential. A queer romance unfolding amid the chaos of a reality competition should be compelling, and there are moments where it works. The romance between Ryan and Cole has sweet, tender beats that provide some genuine emotional highlights. There are also some fun structural choices that shake things up and keep the story from becoming too stagnant.

However, the execution falls short in several key areas. The pacing is relentlessly fast, often feeling more like reading a recap of events than actually experiencing them. The author rushes through major plot points while over-explaining less important details, making it difficult to stay immersed in the story. This breakneck speed leaves little room for the character development that a book like this desperately needs.

The characters, aside from a core few, feel anonymous and underdeveloped. Most contestants are introduced with only superficial details, making it hard to care about their fates or feel invested in the votes and eliminations. Without understanding their motivations for competing or what’s at stake for them, the dramatic moments lose their impact. Ryan is a serviceable protagonist, but the relationships and backstory that drive him could have been explored more deeply. Cole is compelling, but even his arc could have benefited from more development throughout.

The challenges themselves become repetitive quickly—too many puzzles that blend together without much variation or creativity. For a survival game show premise inspired by series like Survivor, The Hunger Games, or Squid Game (though far less intense), I expected higher stakes and more inventive competition design.

There are missed opportunities throughout. Dramatic moments that could have elevated the story are left unexplored, and key plot devices are introduced but never fully utilized or resolved. The writing itself is mediocre—not awful, but not particularly strong either. I found myself working harder to stay invested than a book should require.

That said, if you’re looking for a quick, light read that doesn’t require heavy investment, Marooned might work for you. It’s a fast-paced queer romance with a reality TV twist, and younger or less demanding readers may enjoy the breezy tone and central relationship.

Overall, Marooned is an entertaining concept hampered by mediocre execution. It’s not a book I’d personally recommend, but it has its moments—especially for fans of queer romance who don’t mind sacrificing depth for speed.



Spoiler Section

(Everything below contains spoilers — all spoiler text is italicized)

Ryan’s journey to winning the million dollars is predictable from the start. Somewhere around the midpoint, the author’s choices make it clear that Ryan is going to win, which drains a lot of suspense from the competition. Similarly, it’s obvious that Cole will come back to Ryan despite their conflict, so the romantic resolution lacks surprise.

One of the biggest frustrations is how the immunity idol is handled—or rather, how it isn’t. Ryan finds the idol early on, and I kept waiting for it to be used in a dramatic, game-changing way. The perfect opportunity comes when Cole is voted out in the penultimate elimination. Ryan could have used the idol to save Cole, creating massive drama with Rhonda and the remaining teammates. Instead, he doesn’t play it, and the idol is never mentioned again. This is a glaring resolution flaw that left me furious. The author made it painfully obvious that Rhonda and the others would vote Cole out, killing any element of surprise. Ryan’s failure to act felt like a wasted narrative moment.

Cole being voted out was one of the few genuinely surprising moments, but it’s undercut by how predictable the setup was and how little Ryan does to stop it. I desperately wanted Cole and Ryan to be the final two, and the way it played out felt like a missed opportunity for a more emotionally charged finale.

Another missed chance: when Randy was voted out, he stayed silent. The author could have used that moment to ignite chaos by having Randy expose secrets or stir drama, but instead, he just leaves quietly. It’s one of many examples where the story chooses the safe, boring route instead of taking bold swings.

The pacing issues are most glaring during the final stretch. After a stronger middle section where the characters are on a single island and removed from the two-team dynamic, the book rushes through the endgame. The challenges become even more repetitive, and the character development stalls. By the time we reach the finale, the puzzles all blur together, and I couldn’t muster any investment in the outcomes.

Ryan’s sister is his primary motivation for competing, but we never get enough of their relationship to make it meaningful. He keeps it a secret for most of the book to avoid being targeted, which makes sense. But in the final confessions when he’s one of the last two standing, he has nothing to lose. Why not play up his sister’s history then? It would have been a powerful emotional beat and a strategic move to sway jury votes. The author lets this opportunity pass without acknowledgment.

Cole’s motivations are vague at best. We get hints, but nothing concrete enough to fully understand what drives him or what winning would mean. For most of the other contestants, we learn almost nothing about why they’re there or what they’re playing for. This makes it impossible to care when they’re voted out or when alliances shift.

Despite all these issues, there are genuinely beautiful moments. Cole waking Ryan up in the middle of the night to confess his feelings is the best-written scene in the entire book. The dialogue flows naturally, the emotion feels earned, and it made my heart ache in the best way. If the rest of the book had been written with this level of care and attention, it would have been a completely different experience.

The early scene where Ryan is freezing and Cole offers to warm him up is also compelling, but the author doesn’t spend enough time building their connection. If more pages had been devoted to letting their relationship develop organically, the romance would have hit harder. As it stands, the rushed pacing undermines what could have been a deeply satisfying love story.

Ryan and Rhonda’s friendship is another highlight, especially toward the end. Their bond feels genuine, and the moments they share add emotional weight to the story. Rhonda is easily one of my favorite characters, though like everyone else, she could have been fleshed out more.

Cole’s anger at Ryan for not playing the idol is understandable in theory, but it feels overblown given the lack of character development and stakes. What did Cole actually lose? The book doesn’t do enough work to make that loss feel devastating, so the conflict feels manufactured rather than earned.

The team shuffle twist is fun and one of the book’s better structural choices. It shakes up the dynamics and forces new alliances, which adds energy to the middle section. I wish the author had leaned into more bold moves like this throughout.

Ultimately, the ending is satisfying in that Ryan wins and gets together with Cole. It’s the happy ending the story was always heading toward, and there’s comfort in that. But it’s a surface-level satisfaction. With better character development, stronger emotional stakes, and more strategic use of the story’s dramatic tools (like the immunity idol), the ending could have been genuinely impactful instead of just “fine.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for providing an advance copy of Marooned by Ben Chalfin in exchange for an honest review.

[Seamus M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marooned by Ben Chalfin hooked me immediately. It drops you straight into the reality-show survival setting without hesitation, and that instant immersion really worked for me. The direction of the romance feels clear fairly early on, but the journey is what matters here—and for the most part, I really enjoyed the slow burn.

The reality TV backdrop is one of the book’s strongest elements. The psychological side of the show—the performance of identity, the strategic alliances, the constant awareness of being watched—adds a compelling layer to the romance. At times there is quite a bit of exposition about the rules and mechanics of the show, which slightly slows the pacing, but it also reinforces the stakes and the structure the characters are trapped within.

If you enjoyed the dynamic and emotional tension in Charmed Offensive by Alison Cochrun, there’s a similar appeal here: high-pressure environment, complicated feelings, and a romance that simmers under public scrutiny.

The slow burn is satisfying for a long stretch—full of charged moments and near-confessions—but it does become a little drawn out in the middle. I found myself eager for the emotional payoff slightly before the characters were ready to deliver it. That said, when the story leans into its cheesier, more dramatic beats, it does so in a way that feels intentional and fun rather than cringey.

What I appreciated most was the suspense. Even heading into the final chapters, I genuinely wasn’t sure which direction the story would take. That uncertainty kept me invested right to the end.

Not flawless, but addictive, romantic, and surprisingly tense. A strong four-star read.

[Terra ⭐️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edited 2-14-26: revising down to two stars. After reading two more books about reality TV shows after this one, The Compound and The Book of Luke, this book glaringly misses the mark.


2.5-3 stars.

I need to preface this review by saying that I would consider myself to be a Survivor semi-superfan (this means I’ve watched all the great American seasons twice, and all the Australian survivor seasons twice–but I don’t remember stats and records off the top of my head and refuse to watch post 2020 American Survivor). I think being this involved in Survivor knowledge/fandom heavily impacted my reading experience. This book is better suited for someone who doesn't know what Survivor is, or has watched a few seasons but wasn't invested.

Marooned is a reality TV show that, for all intents and purposes, is Survivor. 18 contestants are split into two tribes on an island in Samoa with a bag of rice, flint, and machete. Each tribe competes in challenges to win immunity and send the other tribe to tribal council, where one of the tribe members is voted out. It is a strategic game based on alliances, deception, and social capital. Strength is also a component needed to win immunity challenges and individual immunities later. The goal is to be one of the last two people standing. Then, all the people you’ve voted off vote for who should be the winner based on the best game played. If you’ve watched the show, you will recognize the Marooned host saying a lot of the iconic lines Jeff Probst is known for (with a few changes to fit Marooned).

In Marooned, we follow Ryan, a supposed superfan of the show (I say supposed because it’s appears he’s supposed to be the superfan archetype, but he does not come off as a superfan at all). He’s dreamed of being on the show since he was a kid and has watched every season. Now that he’s made it, he’ll do anything it takes to win. He starts building great connections with his alliance members, especially Cole. How can he win while maintaining a friendship (or more) when he's outside the game? I was hoping to see a unique take on this conflict, but the author plays it safe. The climax ended up feeling blah. With the amount of Survivor content available, there’s a lot of ways to subvert expectations.

From recalling the seasons I’ve watched, the author does a good job of creating a new “season,” but it does end up being a bit boring to read because nothing crazy happens (or I have too much knowledge of the game for this to be interesting). We only get Ryan’s perspective, but he’s not interesting enough to carry narrating the game. I would’ve been way more engaged if we had different perspectives so we could see how each player is interpreting the events (similar to the confessionals we get on the actual TV show). I wanted to see the Jury Villa gossip!!!!! Ryan and Cole’s relationship was cute, but I wasn't invested in their relationship because they barely interacted or played off each other. With such extreme circumstances, I would have expected heightened emotions, way more romance, or playing into the romance intentionally (thinking of Survivor Micronesia lmao). Overall, I had a fun time reading and yelling at the characters. I think someone who doesn't know that much about Survivor would have a good time reading Marooned.

Thank you Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

----------------------
Okay that’s the basic review, now I want to get to my reaction as a semi-superfan. Spoilers ahead.

Gahhhhh, I wanted so much more from this. I have no idea how familiar the author is with Survivor because I couldn't find the Author's note, so I don't know how forgiving I should be. A lot of my frustration stems from the "superfan" perspective we are reading from. I could've forgiven a lot of this if we were following someone who didn't know anything about the game and was desperately trying to keep up (but I still would've wanted to see that person learning all the metas we don't see discussed).

The game play is predictable and boring. There aren’t any amazing betrayals or blindsides. The first vote strategy is controversial in my opinion because usually the first vote is unanimous to keep tribe harmony (meta gaming). When Ryan and Cole are chosen to go on the reward the obvious way to avoid conflict is to talk as a team about what to prioritize, or do that and be SNEAKY! Production would usually give some kind of trade off, like you can take a jar of cookies for yourself, but you get less supplies for the team--then you have tension!

There have been 19 seasons of Marooned. There must be a game meta at this point and it’s never even discussed. I wanted to know the sleeping meta. We never learn who is sleeping next to who, which gives a lot of insight as to where alliances really lie and the hierarchy within the tribe. The one part that really annoyed me was contestants not immediately looking for hidden immunity idols before the clues are given. No one was looking for clues or idols at any of the rewards! No one seems to care about the idols! Ryan wasn't even ecstatic when he found an idol. This is a huge part of the game, and idol hunting has had so many interesting developments as the show has progressed. They do talk about the other team throwing, which was funny.

I could see the Cole blindside coming from a mile away, and we don't even get Ryan needing to choose between moving to the next round or voting off Cole. We barely get to know the other characters, so it’s not painful or emotional when they are voted off. Ryan's alliance dominates the game the whole way, so the scramble and tribal councils are boring. He gets to be an annoying middle player. There was no tension because he was never at risk of being voted out, and he never even thought he might be voted out. It was so frustrating to see the contestants outside the alliance not even trying to find a crack somewhere or using a vote split against the alliance in control. When Ryan comes up with the "genius" three way tie split that no one else could come up with, I was rolling my eyes a bit. That is basic split vote theory.

Also Ryan thinking he wouldn't win against Cole at final tribal when Cole made zero moves the whole game. The jury cares about GAME PLAY not personal allegiances. Honestly, I would've voted for Rhonda to win--she had that alliance locked down. Both pitches were pretty mediocre though.

I wanted to see the reaction to edited and aired version of the season. I know a lot of past Survivor players have talked about the impact the edit had on them. The wasn't an exploration of the trauma caused by starving for a month under extreme paranoia and how the transition back to the real world really difficult. There is zero discussion of how the game had a lasting impact on Ryan and Cole's relationship outside the game.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marooned is the story of Ryan, a competitor on a Survivor-like reality tv show called Marooned, with contestants dropped on deserted islands, competing in challenges and voting each other off. I have never watched Survivor or any other type of reality tv show where the contestants aren't sleeping comfortably at night with enough food. I don't really even like reality tv very much because I find it boring, especially as the field narrows and the producers play the same clips over and over to fill time. However, I really enjoy BOOKS with characters on reality tv. I like getting to see what could be going on in a person's mind as they strategize or lash out or give up.

Marooned is a book that cares a lot about the strategy, the continuous game of mental chess going on in a person's brain in a game where you have to get rid of your competitors, but not make them hate you. Unlike a lot of books in the genre, Marooned doesn't have the explosive drama of people acting irrationally or cruelly. Everyone there is a thoughtful, friendly person with rational motives. Honestly, on tv it would be probably pretty dry, but getting to see the reasons why Ryan did everything he did and his circumspection kept me from being bored.

If you’re looking for high drama and juicy betrayal, this might not be the book for you (if you want toxic assholes, read The Book of Luke). But if you want to read a rational, psychological, strategical breakdown of a reality show competition by someone who seems to have put a lot of thought into it, this might be a good one to pick up.

3.5 stars rounded up

(I received a free advanced review copy from the publisher/NetGalley.)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

First off, I know nothing about Survivor, but I feel like Marooned was pretty close to the source material. Ryan as a narrator was a little intense at times, but he's also competing on a very intense type of reality show. It felt like we were watching the show as it happened because we didn't quite know what was happening with the other contestants.

That being said, it felt a little hokey at the end. I saw another reviewer say they wish the author had mentioned a little bit more about the after show and the effects the contestants would be facing after a month of a very paranoia-inducing reality show. But it's a rom-com, so that's not enough to knock it down a star. What brought my rating down is truly how cringy the ending was. I like Ryan and I like Cole and I feel like their relationship had merit, but they don't know each other outside the game. They don't know the other's true self, and they spent a month post-show thinking the other hated them. Idk. Romance novels tend to just hand-wave away real life and go straight to the happily ever after.

[Sean Sandquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marooned is an extremely fun and exciting take on a budding reality tv romance between contestants on a show where being cutthroat is the name of the game.

The author does a great job with the game mechanics, and fans of Survivor will find plenty to love about this book. This book gets you invested in the characters and their decisions in the game, as well as in love.

My thanks to the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It was provided to me through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Everything stated in my review is my own opinion written in my own words.

[Cosmic Crustacean · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5

This didn’t have Survivor vibes so much as it felt like reading an actual behind the scenes look at a season on Survivor. As a millennial, I was here for it.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters, although I can’t say I was THAT attached to any of them. Like, I would have voted any of them off if I was playing the game.

I will say, I don’t feel like this was a strong romance. I read any and all genres so it didn’t completely kill the vibe for me, but I did spend the entire book hoping, and waiting for the romance. And then when it was finally introduced it felt forced and a little lackluster.

Overall, an enjoyable read, especially if you were ever a fan of Survivor.

[Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and quick plane-read novel. The main story focuses on Ryan who is a contestant on a Survivor-like show and has a crush on his cast-mate Cole. As a huge Survivor fan, I was skeptical of Survivor in book form, but quickly fell in love with the castaways and enjoyed reading the challenges and Ryan’s internal monologue on the show. My only gripes are the main romance came a bit too late for me and I was hoping for some more Survivor drama (like blindsides etc). Overall a really enjoyable M/M romantic twist of Survivor!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 stars

Felt like a really good balance between the romance and the competition. It was more telling then showing. The voting off part was more exciting then the actually games. Think it really needed an epilogue to round out the book.

[Darcy Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a gay Survivor fan and someone whomst loves a whimsical romance..... WELL YES. Because of the competition structure, it does follow a predictable format and plot points. Overall enjoyed, but the ending felt a bit rushed overall. Could have also used an epilogue

[Alex Doenau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Publishing is nothing if not cyclical and trend chasing. At the moment romance is hot (and will continue to be), and there are several novels set in and around the world of reality television. Sometimes they overlap. Marooned is the latest example, but it does not do a good job of presenting a Survivor surrogate or a compelling love story. Ben Chalfin's second novel instead reads like it was written in outline and never expanded upon. It's far more artificial than even the most contrived of real life reality shows.

Ryan Levine signed up for Marooned not just because he's been watching since he was 10 years old, but to pay his sister's medical bills. What he did not bargain on was being instantly smitten with his handsome tribemate, Cole. Ryan has to spend the next month of his life trying not to get too close to Cole while also battling it out with sixteen other contestants for one million dollars.

It's no secret that the show Marooned is a blatant Survivor clone; after all, the genre mostly works by incorporating existing formats with the serial numbers filed off. However, Marooned has almost no points of difference between itself and the real Survivor apart from the fact that, as presented, Chalfin has made it into an incredibly dull game. This is not helped by the fact that the host, Alex Crawford, has dialogue taken almost verbatim from Jeff Probst, and much of the terminology - immunity challenge, Tribal Council, Jury, Hidden Immunity Idol - is lifted wholesale. Unlike Probst, Crawford is a non-entity. Say what you will about Probst (and there are many, many things you can say about him), the man has personality.

The supporting cast are from central casting, including Ryan's number one ally, Rhonda, a wise Black mother who calls him "chile", and Marina, a Latina tribe member whose dialogue, when she has it, is peppered with random Spanish words. One of these Spanish words or phrases turned up no result when googled and, while this may be changed in time for the publication date, it is not inspiring. Rhonda and Marina get off lightly compared to the rest of the cast, who are interchangeable names without anything to define them other than being on a television contest.

What Chalfin ultimately treats us to is a one sided recap of a particularly uneventful season of a long running competition. Without access to any of the other contestants you get no real sense of what’s going on because Ryan himself is unwilling to engage with what he’s doing: when there’s no challenge happening, there’s a lot of hanging around at camp. Confessionals seem to be only recorded once a day, in the morning; Ryan has an infuriating habit of completely tuning out at Tribal Council, which you absolutely have to be on top of if you stand any chance of winning the game.

This drab character only has eyes for Cole, because Cole is, we are told, attractive. In a hilarious dropping of the ball from production, he is revealed under cover of nightfall to be bisexual. That and his penchant for using seasoning to make food taste good (he’s a chef) are the two things that we learn about him. Then Ryan can moon over him while going through the motions of competing in a battle royale that he seems increasingly divorced from the outcome of, even if he needs the pay out to settle his debts.

Marooned tries to be two things, and it succeeds at neither of them. It’s far from the first romance novel set in and around a televised reality competition, and it does nothing to differentiate itself from the crowd (to paraphrase another, better, novel, “even gay” is not enough). Someone with an even rudimentary understanding of television production will instantly be struck by the lack of verisimilitude. In an increasingly crowded market, discerning readers could throw a sand bag and very likely land on a better book than Marooned.

An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by Rising Action for review.

[Desiree Padilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can someone find real love amongst a group of people all competing for $1 million? The story follows Ryan and his adventure on a competitive TV show similar to survival. Him and 17 other individuals all go up against each other competing for $1 million, they all eventually have to put aside the friendships that they’ve made and personal feelings that they have about one another to put themselves first in order to win this competition. In the end, they’re gonna only be one winner. Friendship is one thing but love makes it much more complicated. When Ryan starts falling for one of his competitors, Cole, he finds it difficult to put those feelings aside and focus on the challenge.

This book focuses more on the challenge of the TV show side of everything rather than the romance. The romance is more so a sub plot, but nonetheless cute. Though, I did find it hard to believe that Cole and Ryan could actually be in love with one another, Ryan had said a lot of times that he has to scrutinize every little thing that the players are saying because in the end, they are all going to put themselves first to win this competition. So when Cole comes forward and tells Ryan that he has feelings for him, Ryan jumps in and doesn’t second-guess it are both immediately head over heels for one another and promising to take each other to the final two.

Before the love confession, there was very limited interaction amongst the two so I find it very hard to believe in this romance. The couple quickly promises to continue on with a relationship after the show airs and is done, but Ryan doesn’t stop to question if Cole is merely just trying to get cozy with somebody who he thinks is going to win the $1 million. And when Ryan does inevitably win the competition, he doesn’t stop to think that maybe, possibly, Cole is just manipulating him in hopes that he could be with someone who about to come into a lot of money. That’s my biggest concern, with the book. I just don’t understand how that wasn’t a concern for Ryan going in.

I did enjoy the book. I did enjoy the aspects of what it would be like to be on a TV show such as this one, but the book is categorized and marketed as a romance book, but the romance is very unbelievable and much of a sub plot. It was still very sweet in the end, but I can’t help but wish there was a little bit more interaction between the two characters and a little more instances that show that these two truly do love each other and their romance is much more solid.

It was still a fun and quick read, I just wish I could believe in their romance, a little bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated this book two stars because I went into it expecting a charming reality TV inspired romance but instead found a dry clinical logbook that completely forgets the romance. The marketing comparison to The Charm Offensive is incredibly misleading as that is a well done character driven story while this felt like reading a transcript of a Survivor season. I have never been a die hard fan of the show and this book felt like reading the cliff notes of a TV Guide rather than a novel. About 95 percent of the 400 plus pages were spent on the minutiae of the game which became a repetitive cycle of eating rice and sleeping on bamboo. I eventually started skimming the challenges because they were all exactly the same.

The structure of the story was my biggest grievance and felt entirely lopsided. This book should have been broken down into three distinct sections with the first being the game the second covering the eight months in between and the third being an epilogue or chapters on how they managed a long distance relationship with two full fledged careers and families. Instead the book had the slowest pacing on the planet to get through 33 days and then proceeded to fly through eight plus months in only ten pages before throwing us into the live taping. This whiplash was frustrating because the time jump glossed over all the character development I actually wanted to see including Ryan’s relationship with his sister and how he and Cole actually functioned in the real world.

Ryan was an annoying protagonist whose lawyerly tendency to be wishy washy made it impossible to connect with him. Because he kept his feelings so close to his chest for the entire game the sudden declaration of love at the end felt diabolically dumb and rushed especially for a book with zero 🌶️.

This is not picking but the writing itself was another major distraction for me because the author used the phrases like 'former and latter' so many times that it became a glaring repetitive tick that took me out of the story every single time. I also felt like I never got a real description of the characters beyond their jobs and names which forced me to invent people in my head. If you want a FICTION book(not romance)with day by day breakdown of a reality show then maybe you will like this but for anyone wanting heart and depth I would not recommend this book. It feels unfinished and poorly structured for a book being published so soon.

[Erik Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, easy to read novel. The book does a good job of coming up with scenarios that are plausible for a reality TV show minus the gay romance and it’s also very good at building suspense. For a moment, I almost forgot that this was not a real reality TV show. Also, the weird speaking style of the host is way too realistic, dipping straight into the uncanny valley.

The romance starts earlier than I would have liked, and Ryan grows too attached for my taste. Dude, you’ve known him for 2 days. There’s no way his abs are that hot. No way. The blurb for the book almost gives an enemies-to-lovers vibe, but it’s anything but. Personally, I don’t care, but I know some people who really like enemies-to-lovers, so I’m saving those types of people from disappointment, assuming they read my review. Outside of constantly being distracted by Cole, Ryan is actually pretty competent, and his bias towards Cole does become more reasonable as the romance is developed further. He’s not a genius by any means, but he’s fairly smart and it’s interesting to see him ponder his next move.

This is just me nitpicking, but Katie coming out in the beginning kind of bothered me. Of course, trans people are cool and all that, but felt very random and unnecessary. If you transitioned 5 years ago, surely there are more interesting things about you than your gender? Why would you come out to people you just met? Idk, just my 0.02$. As I said, I’m just nitpicking because that’s what I do. This probably won’t annoy most people as much.

In the end, even if this novel may not be the deepest, most thought-provoking piece of literature out there, it is still very entertaining and is worth a read in my opinion. I also thought the ending is satisfying and well-earned.

[K.Mwrites · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this as an arc copy via Netgalley.

This book is set in a reality show similar to Survivor. I loved that show growing up and it was great to see challenges and strategies written out in this book.
The concept was well thought out and something I have never seen written before.

In terms of the plot for the reality show elements of this book, I honestly found no faults or plot holes, it was well written and well formatted. Considering there are quite a few characters in this book, I never felt like I started to feel overwhelmed by them and they all had depth and felt three dimensional.

Where I felt this book fell flat for me was the romance. There was no elements of romance until around 70% in which with the length of this book, felt like forever. nearly 340 pages before the romance kicked in. It was really strategy based and a lot for the book was setting up for the reality show concept.

This is singular POV it was really hard to see how Cole fell in love with Ryan and for Ryan it felt like the author's only way to portray his feelings was his thoughts and not actions and they were very explicit. The author was telling us as readers instead of showing us which was disappointing.

The ending, romantically felt rushed and lacked substance, I would love to have seen Cole and Ryan in the 'real world.'

If this was categorised as something other than a contemporary romance, I may have rated higher but because this is supposed to be a romance, it lacked in that department so can't get higher than that from me.

I would recommend purely for the reality show concept but don't expect much romance.

[gracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say it but I was bored reading this. I have to admit that I'm not familiar with Survivor, the only reality competition shows I watch are cooking shows I fear, but I was drawn in by the idea of falling for one of the people you're competing against and I'm so annoyed that this is what the execution amounted to.

Starting off with the writing, it's far too vague and fast paced for what it's trying to achieve. I understand it's a competition and if it was in film format we wouldn't get much catharsis but that's exactly why this is a book! The details on the challenges are so much that they begin bleed into each other by the third one but then every other event is skipped over and only explained in less than three paragraphs. It does not do much for the reader on the aspect of connecting with your work.

That leads me to the characters, specifically our main character Ryan. I could kind of understand why the side characters weren't more fleshed out,even though this competition based narrative thrives on the shock of eliminating beloved characters but I digress, what I don't understand is why Ryan himself was so vague. We are told what his motivations are and what his game plan is but we rarely get to see that for ourselves. He was insanely predictable and not interesting to read about.I will say I'm happy he won the show regardless even if it was glaring obvious like 20% in lol.

Onto the relationship, we rarely get to see them together or forming any kind of connection and then we get the confession in the middle of the night, which was cute regardless but STILL. It would have been much better if we'd had the chance to get to know them better .

This truly could have been much better and I'm disappointed it isn't. Thank you Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Teagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW –

Based in a reality TV show that is Survivor, Ben is determined to win but also on the island with him is Cole…

I went into this book thinking this was going to be a romance set to the backdrop of Survivor. However, the story was extremely heavy on the Survivor and left me wanting so much more from the romance

I really enjoyed the game-show aspect of the story. I enjoyed reading along the challenges and the strategising of the game. I thought this was also well written and easy to imagine and follow when usually this type of story loses my attention quick smart. I enjoyed this more than I thought, especially when I became more invested in the breakdowns of alliances etc.

However, the romance element felt underdeveloped, unrealistic and the pacing felt extremely off. I was not invested in the character’s relationship and the story barely explored why they even liked each other beyond each of them thinking the other one was cute. There were some cute points but they had barely spoken (and when they did the dialogue felt clunky) let alone developed a relationship and there was already talk of falling for him? I think there were also some missed opportunities to intertwine their relationship more into the strategising of the game?

If I knew this was going to be a book more about the game show than the romance, I think I would have felt less disappointed when the epic romance didn’t come and I could just enjoy it for the main Survivor element. In saying that, I did power through this book and still enjoyed it.. it’s just not much of a romance.

Thanks NetGalley and all for the ARC!

[Anthony Parody · Rating 3 out of 5]

so much potential…but did it live up to it?

There some aspects of this book that I enjoyed so much, others I liked and others not so much 🙈

I’m a massive fan of Survivor still shows so I was so hyped up and ready for this one! I even messaged the author to try and get an ARC of it…which I did! The tv show aspect of this book is the part I enjoyed the most! I loved the whole deserted on a beach, fighting for survival aspect. However, I felt there could’ve been more of that. That’s the aspect I wasn’t a big fan of 🫣

The book moves at a fast pace which can be good sometimes but I felt it actually worked against the story instead of in favour of it! I felt like I would’ve liked the trials to have been more intense and maybe the characters could’ve been more backstabbing and manipulative between each other. There wasn’t enough conflict to really get me hyped up or invested.

Then there’s the romance storyline. This storyline comes more into effect towards the end of the book…maybe at 70% mark…a tad too late in my opinion. If the romance would’ve developed earlier there could’ve been more storyline and higher stakes. If Ryan and said character would’ve warmed up to each other sooner, you could’ve had storyline of them hiding their romance, the other finding out etc. whilst this happens towards the end of the book, it would’ve worked better if it had kicked in earlier.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book…because I did. The writing style is great and there are moments when the fast moving narrative works but I just felt it didn’t live up to its potential! It could’ve been great but sits more at a good book. I would still gladly read more of Chalfin’s books though!

[kim_jo28 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc.

Marooned by Ben Chalfin is basically Survivors with a side of mlm love story. We follow Ryan, who is a contestant on the show. He has to navigate the problems and obstacles of "Marooned" (who to trust, the challenges, betrayals etc.)  while also slowly falling for one of his tribe-mates.

Was this a groundbreaking Story? No. Was I still entertained? Hell yes. I love storylines that contain tv-shows, so this sounded like a good time.
The characters where quite likeable. The setting comes with the problem of having a lot of characters. The author did a great job of highlighting the important ones and making the unimportant characters forgetable. You do not get overwhelmed with the names and the amount of people you meet.
Their actions where sometimes predictable. Basically the entire plotline was quite predictable as well. But somehow I still liked it. I read it in one sitting and it took me about 3 hours. It's a quick and easy read. Sometimes a booknlike this is exactly what I need: Quick pacing, nothing too heavy and likeable characters.
I thought the romance plotline was cute. Maybe a bit underdeveloped. The focus for me was on the show and game. I was rooting for our main-character to win the show more than I was rooting for the lovestory. Don't get me wrong: It wasn't bad! I just wish we had a bit more romance development.
All-in-all: If you need a book that will get you out of a reading slump - This will be it. Cute, summer-vibes and survivors!

[Just_wanttoread · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co for this ARC.

I really thought this would be lots of fun to read but it was just so dull. A reality tv/romance book can be done so well, adding drama to the relationship and really using the forced proximity for all it’s worth, whilst highlighting the conflicting motives of the main characters. Books that have done this brilliantly are Winging it With You by Chip Pons and The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun.

This isn’t badly written but it was definitely just a blow by blow of a series of Survivor with a very minimal romance tacked on rather than an actual romance novel - it was really missing the charm and humour that bring these books to life. There’s barely any actual relationship shown, one late night conversation and an incredibly speedy last minute reconciliation.

Added to this, Ryan is an incredibly boring POV character - he’s just so reasonable and considers everything so thoroughly that I was increasingly desperate for him to do anything at all interesting. None of the other characters have any more to them, and their relationships are not really explored in any detail. Instead I think a good third of the book is spent discussing the possible voting tactics for eliminations from the show and how they play out. Add to that the fairly repetitive tasks and it all just ultimately feels like a wasted opportunity for a much better book.

[Ava]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for a review.

DNF at 12%

I was initially drawn to this book because while I don't really watch reality TV shows, I've really enjoyed books that depict them, especially when they dive into the characters (the Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is a fantastic example of this and one of my favourite romances in general).

From the first 50 or so pages I read of Marooned, I quickly gathered that this wouldn't be a story that would delve into the characters as much as I wanted, and this, I believe, is very much to do with the writing style. It's a pretty simple style, which can be very easily seen when characters are introduced — it becomes a script of [insert race], [insert hair colour/style], [insert another short descriptor] — and though this isn't a bad thing, these sorts of styles just don't mesh with me and it's hard to overlook. Also, given that I'm very much a "characters over plot" kind of person, I have to really like the characters to get invested and, unfortunately, these ones weren't doing it for me.

Other readers may enjoy the style of writing, as well as the fact that Marooned seems to be pretty fast-paced because of the nature of the show within the book (similar to Survivor), but sadly it's not for me.

[Shelby Hawk · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are looking for the most accurate portrayal show Survivor in fiction, this is it. Chalfin clearly knows the mechanics of the game inside and out. Unfortunately, that is exactly where the compliments end.

This book doesn't feel like a novel; it feels like a fan fiction script.

While it captures the pacing of a reality show perfectly, it fails to utilize the medium of a book to actually go deeper.

Everything is surface-level. We get the "what" and the "where," but never the "why."

There are no plot twists, no literary "gotchas," and zero suspense. You know exactly what is going to happen before it happens.

Any hint of conflict is resolved within a few sentences. There’s no tension because the stakes never feel real.

The main character doesn't drive the story; he just stumbles through it. He doesn't make things happen,things simply happen to him until the book ends.

The "romance" was perhaps the most jarring part of the experience. The characters barely interact in any meaningful way for the majority of the book. They share a few scenes of basic dialogue, and then, suddenly, at the end, they are deeply in love?

It felt forced, unearned, and honestly, quite boring.

[Etyy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Being a Survivor fan, I was hooked from the beginning at the idea for this book, which definitely turned out to be my favorite part of it.

The tension and drama of being trapped on an island with others for a million dollars, the alliances, and strategy made it very entertaining and easy to get invested in. It really captured that competitive survival-show atmosphere that keeps you wanting to know who’s going home next.

I also really enjoyed Ryan as a character and the dynamic he had with Cole was really interesting. Their dynamic was cute and there were definitely moments where the chemistry came through, but I was hoping for more romantic stuff throughout the book. As it's an LGBTQ+ romance, I was hoping for a slight emphasis on the romance aspect of it, rather than the game aspect.

That being said, if you’re a fan of reality competition shows like Survivor and enjoy books with strategy, island drama, alliances, and a slower-burn romantic subplot, this is still a fun read. The concept itself was super interesting and felt different from a lot of romances I’ve picked up lately.