What a cute, fun book. Easy and quick read and great debut from this author. Laugh out loud funny in some parts and also heartwarmingly relatable!

rating: 3.5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
genre: romance, woman's fiction

Let's just jump right in shall we? I read this book with a couple of friends, and here are a few fun quotes from our discussion:

"Has Adina ever been outside before?"
"Does Adina know how to be a journalist?"
"Who in their right mind assumes all small towns are like the movies?"

Adina goes to a small town a couple of hours outside of New York City to follow a story about how a big developer is putting in some luxury apartments. She suggests to her editor that she should write about how angry the residents are about their Hart of Dixie being ruined. But, PLOT TWIST: The town isn't angry. The town doesn't care. The town doesn't have knitting marathons or home baked pies or friendly inn-keepers that want to set you up with their grandson.

Out of curiosity: why would she not investigate the story before pitching it?
Why wouldn't she just tell the editor it wasn't going to work once she got there instead of trying to convince an entire town they were Stars Hollow and really wanted to participate in a town-wide exercise initiative?

Now, what I LOVED was how Finn was the counter-balance to Adina's Hallmark crazy. He played along with her and directed her to the town's "hot spots" and then showed up later to poke fun that it wasn't what she expected. But with all that poking, obviously, the pair fall for each other. Their banter really was fun and their dates were absolutely adorable. He really tried to play into her fantasy of the idyllic small town, even if some of those plans were foiled.

Don't get me wrong - this book (or at least the last half of it) was hilarious and very well done! I loved Schorr's writing style and her humor! Once Adina moved out of her pie-scented haze, she was really a dedicated and motivated journalist. I just wish the fog had cleared earlier in the book.

Adina is an aspiring journalist from New York City who hears of a developer coming to a small town close by. After pitching an article idea to her boss, Adina heads out to Pleasant Hollow in search of a Hallmark-esque story to write about. However, when Adi gets there, she realizes that things aren’t always as perfect as they seem on TV. Then she meets Finn, who works for the developing company, and Adi’s wonders whether she might have found her own happily-ever-after.

Adi is such a relatable character, and I really enjoyed her stories. Adi is driven and determined to fulfill her dream of being a journalist. She juggles a lot of responsibility and faces real-world issues like raised rent, living in a pricey city, working several jobs to make ends meet, and more. I liked her ambition, though some of her actions and decisions were a bit immature and frustrating at times. She is naïve, but I like that she stands up for herself. Adi also loves Hallmark movies, which is so cute considering she begins to experience her own Hallmark-ish romance. She’s funny and hopeful, and she has some great relationships in her life.

Adi’s relationship with her mother has total Gilmore Girls vibes, which was great. I love this mother-daughter duo. They are so close and staunch supporters of each other. They gain comfort from each other, and their bond is lovely. Finn, Adi’s love interest, is another intriguing character who goes through a lot throughout the story. I liked Finn. He has such admirable and worthy goals, and he sounds almost too good to be true.

The growing romance between Adi and Finn is another part of the story I enjoyed. They have a lot of chemistry, and I like that their road to happily-ever-after has several bumps. Finn has some issues that he needs to work through, and his backstory reveals a lot about his struggles. Their relationship isn’t perfect, but it’s clear Adi and Finn care for each other, and there are parts of their relationship, especially toward the end of the story, that are super sweet and cute.

Overall, I thought this was a charming story. It’s a quick and light read with a cute romance and great relationships. I read it after a particularly heavy book, and it was the sweet, light read that I needed. I think readers who enjoy contemporary romance or rom-coms will probably enjoy the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Billed as a sort of anti-Hallmark story, As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr (in stores June 7) was meant to show that romance is not always sunshine and rainbows and cute misunderstandings like it seems on TV. And though this story portrayed a side of Adina and Finn’s love story that a Hallmark movie wouldn’t have, all the marks of made-for-television special were still there—falling in love in a matter of days, strange career developments and, spoiler alert, a happily ever after.

I powered through this book in a matter of mere hours because the plot did some twisty things that I found interested and because Schorr is a really good writer, but I had a really hard time getting past Adina’s immaturity. It could be because I know the industry well, but she’s 25 and claims to be a budding journalist, but she’s never really written a true reported story before (it seems) and when her pitch didn’t end up matching what she wanted, she tried to create the story she wanted, which is not the mark of someone who actually wants to follow the story and be a journalist. She also lives in New York City, she didn’t have to have her whole career balance on one digital publication—there are literally hundreds (thousands?) that she could be pitching at all times. I work in the magazine industry and though at 25 I hadn’t had a meteoric rise or anything, I was already on my third promotion, comfortably in the middle of a masthead, and not still learning how to do the basics of my job. This story would have been more believable for me if she were closer to 21—but then I know the love story wouldn’t have worked as well. The epilogue was a little bit cheesy and unnecessary, I thought, but I also know someone who has had that exact experience, and I know it went nothing like that. (Vague, but trying to stay spoiler-free.)

Despite Adina’s flaws, I did enjoy her relationship with Finn, her mother, and even her best friend Kate, even though she was also going a little bit overboard to find Adina a boyfriend. As I mentioned, there were some little twists that I didn’t see coming that fleshed out the story nicely and that kept me reading. There was a comparison to Gilmore Girls in the blurb that I think is overpromising something, but if you like Hallmark-type romances and are looking for a well-written story about people falling in love, there’s definitely something in this for you.

3 STARS

Big city girl with idealized views of romance goes to a small town to find her real-life Hallmark movie. Spoiler alert: things don't go as planned.

I liked the premise of this book and enjoyed how strong and resilient the main character, Adina, was. The town of Pleasant Hollow seemed like a pretty realistic version of a small town. Read: boring and less than idyllic. My problem was the plot. Or lack thereof. Adina spends 90% of the book looking for an angle for the article she's writing and coming up empty. It got redundant after a while. Also, the Big Secret that Finn is keeping from Adina was a bit anticlimactic. I liked the characters but had a hard time getting involved enough to care. Overall, this was a pretty beige rom com.

I loved the mom/daughter relationship vibes and the romance. Thank you for letting me read this story in exchange for an honest review. I would definitely rec to my girlfriends as this story as light-hearted and funny. I wanted to live in this world.

If I hadn't already thoroughly enjoyed "As Seen On TV', I'd have gone looking for it after reading the author's opening comment of the acknowledgements: "If you've gotten this far, it means you've read my book. OH, My God." Somehow that made the author all the more a real person to me, which is silly since, as an author myself, I know how real I am. Oh, wait. (pinches self) Yes, authors are real.

Bad attempt at a joke aside, this book was a great deal of fun, a distraction from reality. Adina Gellar does come across as rather naive initially, true, but she is genuinely likeable. Finn definitely sounds like a winner. I mean, apart from managing the project Adina initially wants to turn into a evil scheme, he worked for Habitat for Humanity and wants to build low-income housing? Okay, too good to be true but all true. Their cute meet might not be Hallmark movie worthy but it was easy to envision the action as it played out on the pages, even to revealing Adina's frustration as she slowly comes to grips with the fact Pleasant Hollow doesn't fit the stereotypical Hallmark cliche of a small town. Adina's efforts to somehow make it fit that cliche are actually rather amusing, to be honest, especially since it's obvious Finn is amused by both her stick-to-it persistence but doesn't feel offended.

In true Hallmark fashion, of course, the two come together for that happy-ever-after ending, although how they get there isn't easy and is full of surprises. I doubt that saying this is giving away anything, well, at least if you've ever watched a Hallmark movie. This is a Hallmark movie turned on its head initially, then going Hallmark again, if that makes sense. If you enjoy feel-good romance with more than a bit of humor and people with real strengths and weaknesses, not to mention families and friends they care about and that you will like, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. It was fun, in short.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Forever for letting me spend some time with Adina and Finn.

This romance novel didn't hit the right notes for me.

It's about a woman obsessed with Hallmark movies hearing about a small town that is facing a plotline from such movies, and decides to visit and write an article about it. But then the small town is nothing like the movies. However, it tried to hard to be the exact opposite of a Hallmark movie, and just felt a bit fake. No one in a customer service position would be that rude to a customer, small town or not. It just bothered me enough to not really get into the book.

Also, I didn't feel any chemistry between the two leads.

As Seen on TV is a romance that takes its time getting to happily ever after - mostly in a good way.

Adina loves Hallmark movies and inspiration for a story hits her so she travels to a small town a few hours away from NYC looking to write a piece on the quintessential hometown experience. If she happens to meet a cute, single carpenter/mayor/school teacher on the way that’s fine too.

Pleasant Hollow turns out to be anything but quaint with citizens who really don’t care that a hotshot developer is building new condos. And Adina does meet a guy, Finn, but he’s not a local. He’s from the city and works for said developer. Gasp!

The first half of this book was not my favorite. Adina’s inner monologue was sort of awkward and cringey. I felt like she was really out of touch with reality - which I suppose looking back was the point. However at around the 50% mark I started to enjoy the story a lot more with Finn’s complicated history and the rocky start to their relationship.

The ending was slightly unbelievable but still cute. I think I just wanted more of the messy and emotional parts vs Adina complaining about how life isn’t a Hallmark movie. I’d definitely read more by this author and am glad I read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this read so much, it was very funny & I loved how relatable the characters were. After reading this I literally binge watched a season or two of Gilmore Girls! I absolutely loved its premise of a big city journalist looking for the perfect story in what she thinks is a Hallmark-like small town called Pleasant Hollow. Only, it is nothing compared to what she’s seen on tv or the movies. There is no Luke’s, no Christmas Tree lighting, & no festivals. Her small town fantasies were completely shattered. Although the small town is not what Adina expected, she does find an unexpected love.

There are many references to Gilmore Girls, & if you’re a fan of Stars Hollow, you will enjoy this one! I also appreciated the Jewish rep, which is not something I always see in romcoms. As far as the romance, I feel as if it was very realistic and relatable. Love isn’t always perfect & its sometimes quite messy. I absolutely recommend this, especially if you want a feel-good & cozy romcom read with quirky side characters.

You can expect:
* Jewish Rep
* Laugh Out Loud Romcom
* Slow Burn
* Charming Side Characters
* Gilmore Girls Vibes
* Witty Banter
* Open Door Romance
* Mother/ Daughter Relationships

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Quick read and if you like Hallmark movies, you’ll enjoy this. It had quirky characters, and the hallmark staple of a small town, fish out of water trying to fit in for how ever long. It definitely, had humor so when you get a chance to visit, check it out and enjoy.

As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr is a hallmark movie in the making. This story does take a more realistic approach to the typical hallmark trope, but still delivers on the swoon worthy moments of girl meets boy in the big city and instant connection, but everyday things keep them from their happily ever after. This is a fun, realistic twist on the your traditional story. Overall a fun, sweet, quirky read.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

As Seen on TV has the best premise- Adina Gellar is a Hallmark movie-loving, emerging journalist from NYC. She’s trying so hard to make it as a writer and finally gets an idea she thinks will give her the big break she’s been waiting for.

Adina learns a big-time real estate developer has encroached in Pleasant Hollow, a small town just outside the city. Sounds just like a Hallmark movie! Adina knows she’s found the perfect story and can’t wait to explore the town and learn more about what’s going on there.

Bonus would be meeting a small town hunk of her own because NYC guys are the worst. #truestory

But then a Thor-sized wrench gets thrown into Adina’s plans because Pleasant Hollow isn’t anything like the small towns in the movies. If she doesn’t figure out a good hook for her story, her journalism hopes might be in the gutter.

Ahhhh what’s gonna happen!? Oh my god I won’t lie I was kinda anxious as Adina was trying to figure out what to do with her story. I wasn’t sure how she would get it together. Her ideas did not give me a lot of faith in her abilities. Thankfully she does meet a cute guy named Finn. I enjoyed their relationship and ultimately loved how everything comes together in the end. The HEA was seriously perfect. Getting there was nerve-wracking for me but the payoff was worth it.

Fun for lovers of Hallmark movies and fans of Gilmore Girls.

This was a really cute story. So many fans of romance love the hallmark trope of big city girl goes to the country to find true love. But this story takes a more realistic approach to what a hallmark movie would look like in real life. Adi leaves NYC and heads to a small town to attempt to write a career making story, only to find out that nothing is like the movies. She does meet a charming man named Finn, only to find out he is actually from NYC. Adi and Finn have a lot of chemistry from the start, but many obstacles stand in the way of a HEA for them. The author came up with a fun twist on a classic story, with likeable characters that you were pulling for. This was a sweet, and funny quick read. I received an ARC from netgalley, and this is my honest review.

The premise of this seemed super cute. The main character lives in NYC and spends her time watching Hallmark movies and fantasizing about small town life (such as Gilmore Girls).

When she hears of a big developer coming into a small town, she takes this opportunity to boost her writing career and simultaneously save the small town for the (clearly evil, if you've ever seen a Hallmark movie) developer.

The town is less than charming and nothing like she expected, but she does find something that makes up for it.

Personally, this book didn't do it for me at all. The main character was annoying and her "inner thoughts" were super weird and gross. I'm sure there's a target audience for this, although I'm just not sure who that would be.

Thanks Netgalley for the EARC, this book is out on June 7th!

Brief Synopsis: Adina has just been stood up and a recent article submission has been rejected yet again. To ease her pain, she decides to watch Million Dollar Listing New York and Ryan Serhant’s new development project outside the city inspires her to write an article about finding love, Hallmark style in a small-town Pleasant Hollow where a new development is being built. Adina arrives in Pleasant Hollow and finds that it is nothing like the movies. The people don’t have festivals, a hot mayor, or the hot diner owner. After a run in with the project manager, Finn a big city dweller, she starts to realize that Finn may not be like other guys from the city. Will this new friendship grow into something more?

My Thoughts: This was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I appreciate that the MC was Jewish, this is not something I see a lot in Rom-Coms, unfortunately. The characters were complex and well-developed. The story was somewhat unique. I wanted Adina to win and to succeed in her career and at love. This Rom-Com is just what you need to read when you want a HEA.

This was super cute and very fun. Very delightful characters ,lots of smiles and lol moments. I will be buying this when it comes out or heck I may pre order it.


Thank you netgalley for my complementary copy

As Seen on TV takes the small town Hallmark movie trope but gives it a twist to become something new.

Millennial writer, Kate, has a chance to write for her dream online publication and help pay for the rent spike at the apartment she and her mother share in one fell swoop. She pitches a Hallmark-worthy story to an editor involving a charming small town pitted against an evil condo developer, but when she gets to the small town, she finds the her story isn’t what she expected.

I loved this story. It had a slow-burn romance between two realistic people, and there weren’t any crazy Hallmark movie-style plot twists (you know the ones that make you roll your eyes because they could never happen in real life?).

I thought Kate’s character was appropriately immature given that she lived a somewhat sheltered existence. I also found it hilarious when she saw her preconceived notions about small towns shattered again and again. I think movies and books make small towns out to be these magical places when really they’re just normal places filled with normal people who are just trying to live their lives.

I thought the situation with Finn’s dad was wrapped up a little too nicely, but I guess that’s to be expected from a romcom.

Overall a fantastic debut from this author.

I was so excited to see that Meredith Schorr has a new book! I am a huge Hallmark movie fan and I loved the premise of this book from the second I read the summary. Adina is a huge Hallmark/Gilmore Girls fan...she loves the movies, small towns and all that comes with it. She heads to Pleasant Hollow (outside of NYC), to write a story on a real estate developer (who she assumes) is going to ruin this town with a high rise apartment complex. When Pleasant Hollow isn't as "Pleasant" as she thought it would be...her story quickly changes. It was a really cute book- will be a great read for a beach trip!

This was the first book by this author that I’ve read. It was a fast paced read over all. Was it one of my favorites? No, but I did enjoy it overall. The name of the town reminded me too much of Gilmore Girls to get passed. Overall it was a cute rom com

I received this ARC through #netgalley and I am voluntarily reviewing this book.