3.5

I think this was fun to read knowing that it was cowritten.

I like the occasional rom-com and this one was enjoyable. Lucy and Rudy are our MCs, a rom-com author and a former child actor. I haven't read a story where one of the MCs was a childhood actor so this was new for me. The two go on a date after they match on an online dating app. A psychic begins to tell them their reading as a couple but blips out of existence in the middle of the reading.

The book navigates their relationship amidst real life struggles. I think it's cute that it's loosely based/inspired by the authors' true life story.

This was a fun read. Not my absolute favourite, but I liked reading and it wasn't too cumbersome so I finished it quickly. I love how this is co-written by a couple and loosely based on their own love story!

I tried very hard to finish this but I ultimately had to DNF around 80%. I love Danny Tamberelli but I cannot read a romance narrated by someone from my childhood like that hahahaha. I LOVE that he and his wife wrote this together and that it’s loosely based on their romance. I tried, Danny, I really tried hahaha

Full disclosure - did I request this book solely because I was raised by 90s Nickelodeon TV, featuring one of the authors, Danny Tamberelli? Absolutely yes. This was a cute rom com loosely based on the authors’ lives. I enjoyed it! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Funny, smart, with a lot of fun pop culture nods thanks to the author's background. I enjoyed the very "only in New York" feel of the story and all the over the top bad date stories and the career flailing was relatable.

A sweet rom com based on a real-life meet-cute. I've been a fan of Danny Tamberelli since my 90s childhood, and it's rewarding to see him blossom as a writer, working with his wife to adapt their true love story. Charming!

I liked the romance once it got to that point. I did feel like the leads were a bit too caustic and it was hard to see why they'd want to spend any time together as the transition from enemies to more than that was kind of jarring ,but overall the premise was strong and I was entertained. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

While I did think the real life story behind this book, I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I wanted. It started out strong and I liked the concept, but I kind of lost interest in everything after the first date prophecy happened. I guess I didn't really understand why the main characters felt like they had to follow the prophecy for a bit. There was a lot of potential for humor and antics that it just didn't feel like this book delivered on.

I almost didn't finish this book. I'm so sorry for being so blunt but I've never read something so forgettable. Do we really need to write the same stories a thousand times? I picked it up thinking it would bring me something, some entertainment at least, but if you ask me about this book in a couple of months I won't even remember the title correctly, of that I am sure.

Filled with humor, heart, and hilarious pop culture references, The First Date Prophecy by Kate & Danny Tamberelli was a complete joy to read.

I was hesitant at first. We're slowly introduced to main characters Lucy and Rudy and I wasn't sure how I felt about them at first. Lucy came off as... a bit much. And Rudy felt a little unsure of himself, like he was so set in his ways with his child star past that he didn't know how he fit into the world as an adult.

But here's the thing. I'm going to make a dating comparison because that's what this book is all about. You really don't know someone after a first date, and I really didn't know these characters after just a chapter. I'm so glad I kept reading because Lucy and Rudy completely captured me. As I got to know them and their backgrounds, I was completely rooting for them to figure things out and get together.

If you enjoy stories with realistic romance and a lot of humor, The First Date Prophecy is definitely for you. I found myself chuckling reading about Lucy and Rudy's online dating adventures and then when they finally met... Well, I won't spoil things for you. But their first date is definitely one for the books!

I liked that the authors seemed to use their own lives for inspiration. Kate and Danny are a married couple who seem very similar to the characters they wrote about. Kate is a published writer and Danny is a former child actor (who was on multiple Nickelodeon shows).

I feel like their personal experiences really added a lot to the believability and intrigue of Lucy and Rudy's story. If you're looking for a fun yet slow burning romance, definitely check this one out. It kept me entertained and invested, wondering what wild situation these characters would find themselves in next.

4 stars!

"The First Date Prophecy" by Kate and Danny Tamberelli is such a cute, quirky, funny contemporary romance book! Millennials may remember Danny Tamberelli from the 90s TV shows "Pete & Pete" and "All That," as well as one of the most quintessential 90s movies ever, the classic "The Mighty Ducks." This book is apparently based on his relationship with his wife and co-author, Kate. This is a relatable story about 30-somethings using apps to find dates. Rudy and Lucy are both excited when they get together for a date, and though it goes terribly wrong, it may change the course of their lives. They go on a bunch of different dates in order to fulfill the "Elvira prophecy" that was foretold by Elvira, a restaurant psychic, before she keeled over and died in front of them. The dual perspectives really made this a compelling, intriguing read as Lucy and Rudy navigate their mutual feelings for one another over the course of several weeks and months of spending time together. It felt refreshing how honest and candid they both are and want each other to be.
Some readers may find the humor here juvenile, but it did not bother me. In fact, quite the opposite. I found it to be a fresh concept! Kate and Danny's writing had me laughing out loud and is immensely relatable to people my age. I usually hate third act break-ups, but I think the one here is handled extremely well, complete with a terrific grand gesture I won't soon forget! My one complaint is this book feels a little long, chaotic, and overly drawn out from time to time. If it had been a bit shorter, it would have been perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate and Danny Tamberelli, and Kensington Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

A fun, can’t put down rom com. I loved that it was loosely based on the authors’ romance.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5- It has been a long time since a book made me laugh until I cried but The First Date Prophecy did exactly that. I happened to listen to this and I found myself laughing within the first five minutes and I continued laughing until it was finished.
Lucy has a track record of the worst first dates; she very rarely makes it to a second date. She decides to use a dating app and finds herself swiping up for Rudy, a former childhood star who has had a series of bad first dates too. After they match, they have a first date that includes a psychic who gives them a partial prophecy about their budding relationship and they decide to see if it comes true. Filled with quirky characters, laugh out loud moments, and a very sweet (and not too predictable) love story, this book is the perfect read when you need a pick me up.
I thought I had recognized Danny Tamberelli’s name, but wasn’t sure from what until I read the author’s note at the end. I love how Danny and Kate incorporated a little bit of themselves into the pages of this book.
This was such a fun read/listen and I look forward to reading Mrs. Tamberelli’s other works. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy. This book hit the shelves June 27th.

a cute novel, i really enjoyed it!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for this review copy.

cute premise! I enjoyed it. it was a little more heavy on the comedy than the romance, which is not necessarily my preference. if you're a fan of Ali Hazelwood's writing, minus the STEM aspects, then you'd like the writing in this book!

This book was just okay, it just was not something I was interested in as nothing really compelled me to finish the book rather than just *finishing it*.

What a cute book! I have to say I was not particularly optimistic when I read that this was a romantic comedy, but given the star power of the authors, I was willing to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised and found myself laughing out loud often and even telling my husband anecdotes from the book as if they were real events!! I enjoyed the book and will definitely be recommending it to people looking for a touch of nostalgia and a good laugh.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of The First Date Prophecy. This was so cute and sweet, i have been such a sucker for romance novels.

What. A. Sweet. Novel. I really enjoyed reading this joint venture by Danny and Kate. Inspired by their real-life romance, this married couple wrote a sweet, quirky, funny romance that is a real page turner. The characters were interesting, the writing was good, and the story arch was believable—even the inevitable conflict. This quick read is definitely one I’d read again and recommend to romance lovers.

Super fun rom com written from both main characters perspective. Perfect summer read and well written. Loved it!

ARC via NetGalley from publisher, but the opinions are my own.