Thank you to @NetGalley for the ARC. This was such a fun romance. It reminded me of the movie Pleasantville. I had wished to be a part of the series Beverly Hills 90210, but after reading, I think I would stay in the real world. A must read.

“You can’t start the next episode of your life if you keep rewatching the old one.”

Kate Robb’s sophomore novel “Prime Time Romance” pays homage to “Pleasantville” and “Dawson’s Creek.” This contemporary romance follows two roommates who barely know each other as they are transported into a fictional TV world to find love. Quirky and cute, the novel explores the question: Is love on the small screen better than in real life?

The story centers on 29-year-old Brynn Smothers, recently divorced, who makes a wish on the eve of her 30th birthday. When she wakes up, she finds herself in her favorite teen soap, Carson’s Cove, a Dawson’s Creek-esque teen drama from the early 2000s. Her roommate, Joshua Bishop, a bartender at Devil’s Playground, is also transported into this fictional world. Brynn becomes Sloan, the girl next door, always clad in sundresses, while Joshua transforms into Fletch, the town bad boy who works at a bar. Fans of Carson’s Cove were frustrated by the series' unresolved fifth season and its abrupt cancellation. Sloan never won the Ms. Lobsterfest competition, which was her big chance to show golden boy Spencer—and the whole town—that she was more than just the "innocent girl." Her unspoken love for Spencer goes undeclared, and he leaves for California. Now, in this second chance, Brynn (as Sloan) has the opportunity to rewrite the story, ensuring a happy ending where she and Spencer end up together.

But as Brynn (Sloan) spends more time in Carson’s Cove, she begins to see the cracks in the perfect world she once idolized. Spencer turns out to be aloof and self-centered, and their much-anticipated kisses are less than life-changing. Meanwhile, she finds herself drawn to Josh (Fletch), getting to know him in a way she hadn’t before, and discovering there might be more between them than she ever imagined.

For Josh, his time in Carson’s Cove presents a different kind of challenge. After his father passed away, Josh inherited the family bar, but the pandemic led to its closure and eventual sale. Now, with the bar back up for auction, Josh is afraid to try again and fail. However, as Fletch, he takes charge of the bar in Carson’s Cove, revamping the menu, enhancing the atmosphere, and even introducing live music. For the first time in years, he experiences success, and the bar is thriving. As his confidence grows, so does his anxiety about not making it back to the real world in time to buy back his father’s bar.

Robb's novel is charming and original, sprinkled with nostalgic easter eggs for millennials. The characters are quirky, and the storyline is engaging, but the world-building and magical realism leave some unanswered questions. While Brynn and Josh are transported into the TV show, it’s unclear if the actors who originally played these characters have also been displaced. The mechanism of their transportation—courtesy of a character named Sheldon—is left vague, as is his obsession with securing Spencer and Sloan’s happily ever after. Additionally, the novel’s climax feels anticlimactic: Josh seems to accept his fate without much resistance, departing without any real effort to change their circumstances or fight for Brynn.

Unlike many magical realism novels, where time in the fictional world flows differently than in reality, time moves in sync here. This creates a believability issue—after being missing for a week, it seems unlikely that no one from Brynn or Josh’s real lives would notice or report their absence to the authorities.

super cute romance with fun ideas and an interestingly ominous antagonist compared to the typical in this light romance novel type

Enjoyed the premise of this book as it was different than most other romances. What I didn’t connect with was the characters and their relationship wasn’t believable for me. Still an enjoyable read.

I liked this book, it was like reading Dawson’s Creek many years in the future. I think it was a unique romance novel.

This was a cute books Not really my style once I got into it but it was very cute. The premise was just a little too hard for me to believe. I would definitely recommend to people who like a quick, cute book that doesn't care about it being believeable.

This was so cute! I loved the premise of this story and not only because I loved Dawsons Creek and am forever obsessed with Joshua Jackson.

I thought this book was so unique and fun. Brynn and Josh have great chemistry and I liked how well they worked together in such an odd and stressful situation.

The antics they get themselves into were so entertaining and the spicy scenes were very well exectued.

The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the pacing. The middle dragged a bit but other than that, I loved it!

📺 Ok, this is a 5⭐️ premise but a meh on execution. Think ‘if Pleasantville was a book’ and that’s basically what you’ve got right here.

📺 The female MC gets sucked into the show she spends all her time binge watching over and over again and realizes it doesn’t really hold up in modern times, and the happy ending she wants to give the main character maybe isn’t the best idea after all.

📺 Like I said, cute premise, cute likable characters, but for whatever reason the story was just… a tad boring. I listened to it while doing chores and it was fine, but this likely isn’t something I would have finished if I was sitting down with a physical copy.

📺 If the premise intrigues you and you want to give it a try— I say go for it! But if you’re not entertained don’t feel guilty about DNF’ing either. I think you’ll know pretty quick if this one is for you!

This second chance romance is one you don’t want to miss out on. It’s provides nostalgia and second chance romance in a way that’s like no other. Highly recommend

I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I would really enjoy this book. Our main character Brynn is recently divorced and 30 and finds comfort in her favorite show Carson's Cove. By a magical intervention somehow she and her roomie, Josh, find themselves in Carson's Cove and they have to help give the characters their perfect ending. This just didn't work for me....

At first I liked the writing style - it was very fast paced and the nostalgic vibes of Carson's Cove feel very akin to Dawson's Creek (which I loved in my teens). I also usually enjoy some magical realism, but this just felt far-fetched and nonsensical. Within the first 10 chapters I could tell where the book was headed, and the middle 20 chapters of getting there felt more like experiencing second-hand embarrassment than enjoying a story. I will give credit to Robb for coming up with a unique idea, having Brynn and Josh be characters I wanted to root for, making the Bronze be a bar I want to go to, but other than that, I just didn't like it. Could be great for someone else!

Brynn and Josh were exactly what each other needed, and it was exactly what I needed too!

This book was so fresh and interesting. Brynn and Josh got sucked into Brynn's favorite TV show, and in order to navigate their way home, Brynn's character and Spencer, TV show heart throb had to have their happy ending. I loved it! I particularly loved how this town healed Josh specifically, so pure, so lovely. This was charming and cute, and I def recommend it if you're interested in a magical realism romance!

This was such an adorable read, and I flew through it! Surprisingly, it had an oddly menacing undertone too, which added a fun twist.

I absolutely loved the concept—getting transported into the world of your favorite teen drama. While there are plenty of stories about being trapped in a book, this take felt fresh and entertaining. The nods to iconic teen shows were spot on! The fictional show in the book felt like a blend of Dawson’s Creek, Riverdale, and Gilmore Girls (yes, there’s even a white gazebo and a town troubadour).

Plus, an evil, Kirk-like character secretly pulling all the strings? Perfection.

The lead characters were well-developed and mature, and there was no unnecessary drama or dreaded third-act breakup—which was such a refreshing change! There are a couple of steamy scenes that I thought were pretty spicy, but knowing how wild y’all are, you might think differently.

Overall, I highly recommend this for romance lovers or anyone craving a bit of nostalgia.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb is a fun, inventive romp that merges the magic of nostalgia with second-chance romance in a refreshing way. Brynn’s journey from post-divorce blues to being literally dropped into her favorite 2000s teen soap, Carson’s Cove, is literally every girls dream. The mix of fantasy and rom-com conventions works beautifully, keeping me entertained while pulling on the heartstrings.

Brynn and Josh’s relationship is the highlight here. With how perfect it evolves into something more. What begins as a reluctant roommate arrangement blossoms into a beautiful romance with undeniable chemistry as they find themselves thrust into their roles as Sloan and Fletch. Their slow realization that their feelings might go beyond the scripted plot adds emotional depth to what could otherwise have been a light, trope-filled adventure.

Robb’s storytelling shines in how she balances whimsy with heartfelt moments. The setting, a lovingly crafted ode to 2000s TV, is immersive, packed with drama and all the classic soap elements, but it never feels over the top. And the humor throughout helps keep the tone light without diminishing the emotional stakes.

The only reason this isn’t a full 5-star read is that some moments feel a bit predictable, especially for those well-versed in romantic comedies. Still, the chemistry between Brynn and Josh, coupled with the unique premise, makes Prime Time Romance a winning story about love, both on and off the screen.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. I found myself skimming a lot. I am going to explore the authors other books. I still recommend this book as I know others will enjoy it

This is probably a me, not the book, issue. I didn't care for the characters or the romance here.

arc via netgalley

If you are an early 2000’s teen TV fan, this is the book for you! This was a very fun, light read, with a touch of magic. I paired the ARC with the audio and enjoyed both formats! Definitely will read more from Robb.

An interesting concept for a book, I enjoyed it but felt the ending was rushed. I enjoyed this entertaining reading, but I guess I expected to like it a little more, and it didn’t fully meet my expectations.

Very nostalgic and a quirky fun little read. I think anyone who picks this up will have a good time. Its the perfect little palate cleanser too

10* stars!
I devoured this book almost in one setting. It was perfect for me because it brought back so many memories. The author did a fantastic job of giving us what we all crave in a love story.

I approached this book with high hopes. The premise sounded familiar but promising, but a third of the way I pretty much lost interest. I wasn't invested in the leads at all, and therefore wasn't really rooting for the romance. But it may just be a case of "It's Not You, It's Me" because I'm sure there will be other readers who will enjoy this.