I was drawn into this book based on the title and cover, and I was intrigued by the premise. I enjoyed parts of the story but felt like other parts fell flat. It wasn't until I finished that I discovered this book is based on true story! I love a good first date awkwardness, especially with a formerly famous person/not famous person troupe but IRL. I loved "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" and didn't realize the husband of this writing duo was Little Pete. It was fun, funny in parts and a relatively quick read. Come for the nostalgia, stay for the laughs.

Thank you to Netgalley & Kensington Press for the advanced reader copy.

Cute love story about a writer (who hasn't been writing) and a former child-star, living and looking for love in Brooklyn.

Written by the real-life married couple, Kate and Danny Tamberelli, this captures the terrible-ness of first date after first date and shows that love can happen, even if it's from a dating app.

Light-hearted with some mild sex scenes, this is an excellent book to throw in a beach bag and enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

the characters are too quirky for me. i found lucy to be unbearably annoying and rudy wasn't much better

"The First Date Prophecy" by Kate and Danny Tamberelli is an absolute gem that combines humor, romance, and a touch of fate to create an irresistibly charming story. With their witty writing and endearing characters, the authors deliver a delightful reading experience that will leave you smiling from beginning to end.

Rudy Riziero, the former child star longing for something more in life, and Lucy, the woman who captivates his heart, form a dynamic duo that readers can't help but root for. As they embark on a quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding their first date prophecy, the authors expertly blend laugh-out-loud moments with thought-provoking questions about destiny, love, and the power of choice.

"The First Date Prophecy" is a true testament to the authors' talent for crafting a heartwarming and entertaining story. It invites readers to reflect on the unpredictable nature of life, the significance of human connections, and the courage to shape our own destinies. This book is an absolute must-read for anyone seeking a delightful escape into a world filled with laughter, love, and the magic of possibility.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THE FIRST DATE PROPHECY is a delightful read. I very quickly forgot the child star past of one of the authors and quickly fell into Lucy and Rudy’s lives. I was surprised several times, which is not something that often happens when I read rom coms. Lucy and her spinster cave hooked me right away; Rudy took a little while longer, but by the first date, I was all in. I loved how the authors developed these two and rolled out the story.

*Minor spoilers*

*4.25 stars*
Ever gone on a terrible first date? (Who hasn't?!)
Ever sensed the date is off to a bad start and you can't figure out how to turn it around? [Raising my hand]
Ever had a person die in front of you on said date? (not the suggested way to turn a date around)

Charming and a fun ride, The First Date Prophecy follows Rudy and Lucy as they navigate a relationship together after an undeniably unique first date, during which (among the notable moments) their entwined fates are foretold by a psychic.

Taking many cues from their personal experience, Kate and Danny Tamberelli spin an engaging tale of a romantic couple in New York trying to pave their career paths while dealing with real life. Lucy and Rudy take turns sharing their daily lives with each other (she's an aspiring writer taking Craigslist jobs to make ends meet, he's a former child star trying to make a name for himself again) and we get to follow along with the ridiculousness. Along the way, the romantic relationship that they're unsure should exist starts to bubble up in adorable ways.

The chemistry between Lucy and Rudy was excellent and much of the book felt like fresh takes on a genre that can be incredibly repetitive.

Not sure why it took place in 2015/16 instead of now, and I'm sure there is more of an I Love Lucy parallel that I'm supposed to pick up on, but completely satisfying nonetheless.

Yes, I picked this up because it was co-written by Danny (of Pete & Pete fame) but the writing itself kept me engrossed and recommending it to anyone looking for a cute, relatable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Former child star Rudy Riziero matches with writer Lucy Minniger on the dating app HeartThrobs™️ and uses his opening message to her to ask a silly, telling hypothetical question. Rudy asks Lucy what she would do if she barged into a psychic’s parlor and found the psychic was surprised to see her. Lucy is instantly hooked based on her own deep love of hypotheticals, and a banter filled message exchange begins. For their first date they go to a restaurant with a psychic and are given the most ominous First Date Prophecy ever: the bond between them is strong, but they will only find success in life if they share it.

This romcom is laugh out loud funny and witty from the jump. I was cackling and scaring my cat within the first chapter. The titular first date had me in stitches and I truly didn’t see The Great Elvira coming. The romance is definitely a slower burn, with Lucy and Rudy becoming friends first as they try to figure out what the Prophecy really means. That said, it’s a very sweet love story once they move out of the friend zone.

One thing that Lucy said early on after meeting Rudy really stuck with me, that she was struggling to write her romcom novel because she was good on the comedy but not on the romance. Joining forces with Danny in real life really helped Kate get the romance part right in this charming inspired by true events novel.

Perfect for romance readers who enjoy: 🔮 playing with a Magic 8 ball 👩‍❤️‍👨 based on a true story romance 👨‍🦰👨‍🦰 The Adventures of Pete & Pete 🎬 “where are they now” celebrity characters ⛸️ offbeat dates that involve things that being extras in ice skating commercials 🚖 ridiculous hypothetical questions 🎭 comedy shows 🎙️ very public and very sweet grand gestures

90s nostalgia, cute romance, Seinfeld references, and Pete &Pete?! This was a cute read and I think our patrons will enjoy it, too. We will definitely purchase for the collection.

As an avid romance reader and HUGE Pete & Pete fan, I was very curious about this book co-authored by the littler Pete himself. At first I was very drawn in and charmed, but the romance sagged in the middle. The premise of the prophecy was a little too in-the-way, and I wanted to see more chemistry, spark, push/pull, what have you, between the two characters. They really seemed more like friends! Still, it picked up towards the end, and I appreciated the authentic voices of the two characters. It's like a 3.5 stars I rounded up.

This made me think of the Deux Moi novel, and how I just don't know how to feel about people writing fiction that's so close to their experiences but that they get to craft into the story they want. Like, they obviously have the right to do that, but it's a curious choice when the option to write a memoir is there. It's like writing fan fiction of yourself? I'm not mad at it at all, but I'm puzzled by it!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy of this book.

It's true - I'm a sucker for 90s nostalgia.

There are George Constanza references that take you back to a simpler time, but also horrific dating stories and what it's like to date in your 30s, all the apps and the interesting characters you meet along the way. I adored a lot about this book - the bad date with Hashtag, the insider look at what it must be like for childhood stars and their lives afterwards, Frank and Estelle's relationship and so much more.

If you're looking for a cute and fun romance, this is for you.

I really look forward to seeing what this couple creates next.

Not for me. The style of writing was one note and I didn’t connect with either character so it was hard to be invested in the outcome.

Looking for an interesting rom-com! You should read The First Date Prophecy written by the husband and wife team of Kate and Danny Tamberelli. Lucy and Rudy meet through an online dating website. Lucy has a variety of jobs which includes working for an author. Rudy, is a former child star, wants to find someone who is not interested in him because of his past. On their first date, while predicting their future, the psychic suddenly dies. Now, Lucy and Rudy are left wondering about their fate!

The First Date Prophecy is a fun romance with plenty of humor and a few plot twists. The story is narrated by both Lucy and Rudy which helps the reader really get to know both of them. Anyone who enjoys romcoms would love this book!

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Filled with 90s nostalgia and laugh out loud moments! The story of Rudy and Lucy is a cute and quirky one and I fully believe these are two people living in New York somewhere with their equally quirky upstairs neighbors!

I’m glad Kate & Danny Tamberelli shared part of their story with us and gave us this fun spin based on their beginning! An amazing showing of HeartThrobs (read: Tinder) truly producing happy and successful relationships!

**Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nice ROM com which is loosely based on the authors lives.

Loved the 90s nostalgia. One of the oddest first dates ever had by Lucy And Rudy. The psychic literally dies giving their reading.

I enjoyed the funny moments and the dates and romance.

Downside was it dragged in the middle and was not terribly fond of Rudy.

But I would recommend it for the uniqueness and fun.

3 1\2 stars rounded up to 4

Thank you net galley the publisher and author for my. honest review

This 90's era Rom-Com had me hooked from the beginning and it kept me entertained to the last page! I simply adored this.
I just reviewed The First Date Prophecy by Kate Tamberelli; Danny Tamberelli. #TheFirstDateProphecy #NetGalley
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This was a sweet, friendly, funny romance to read.

I forget what drew me to this title but it was a lot of fun to read, dual POV which I usually really enjoy, and it felt "real." What I mean by this is that although there are some fairly outrageous things that happen, it didn't have as much of that 'you must suspend your disbelief to enjoy this book' kind of action.

Lucy and Rudy meet on a dating app and witness a death during their first date. It brings them together in a way that perhaps not much else could and inspires their friendship that blossoms into romance. The book is heavy on the 'relationship' but not the 'sexy' bits (just in case you were wondering). There are some real family and friend issues that I think most 30 somethings, single or not, can relate to and I like how the authors wove that into the storyline without it taking over.

The third-act breakup was well-executed and VERY believable, and Rudy pulls off a pretty good grand gesture to show Lucy that he was wrong.

Well written, funny and you'll be rooting for Rudy and Lucy.

Well, the fact that the book was written by someone named Tamberelli meant nothing to me, as I didn’t have cable growing up (and I mean that literally. There was - and still is - NO physical cable at the house where I grew up! The cable company said they’d have to charge us $3000.00 to run cable to our house, then charge a monthly service fee. HA)! I thought the title and description sounded cute.
It WAS a cute book, and I appreciated the eastern PA references - turns out Kate grew up less than an hour south of me, so it was fun to read about things like a bologna and cheese tray and scrapple. That being said, the whole “destiny” thing with the “prophecy” they were given at that fateful first date was quite a stretch. I felt it made things feel a little forced and rushed.
It was still a fun read, and I’d recommend it as some fun, mindless fare.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the privilege of allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book completely blew me away. I have vague memories of Danny Tamberelli on Nickelodeon's All That, and was beyond excited to get an ARC of this book, inspired by his true love story!!

Lucy and Rudy's story is somehow completely ridiculous and totally realistic all at once. Despite the crazy stories and misadventures, there's something so relatable underneath their story. And unlike other romcoms, Lucy and Rudy fall in love slowly and unexpectedly. It felt so true to how most relationships actually develop — one day it's just like, "Wait a minute... this person is really important to me." and then it's "Holy crap I think I love this person!!" It felt so natural, and so beautiful, and I was absolutely losing my mind over it.

On top of that, there's so much more to Lucy and Rudy than just their romance. They both have their own aspirations and their own shit that they're dealing with, and that they deal with together. There's no third act breakup, though there is a lovely grand gesture, and the conflict in their relationship feels authentic to the story. It was so well put together! And it was funny at the same time?!

I would highly, highly recommend this book – pick it up! Read it! Love it! Laugh and cry over it! I did.

This was a unique title! I don't think its my favorite read but I enjoyed it for what it was! I think its labeled as a rom-com but I didn't feel too much romance. There were plenty of moments I laughed and enjoyed but it wasn't an overwhelming romance that Im used too!

Reading the description of this book I was certain I would love it. However at 36% I had decided to not finish. I felt like my mind would just wonder the whole time I tried to read this book.