Rating: 3/5
Steam: 3/5
Warnings: Death of a parent, divorce, bullying

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing advanced copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you're into 2000s TV nostalgia, this book is for you! It channels all the Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill vibes, with especially strong ties to Dawson's Creek. That said, I expected to enjoy this book more than I did.

While the premise intrigued me, I struggled with the content. I was left wanting more—particularly in terms of relationship development. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, and Sheldon’s manipulation of Josh and Brynn just felt icky. Plus, the reminder that we’re adults and not in high school made the “mean girl” moments feel forced and unnecessary. Josh and Brynn weren’t standout characters for me, and the way their real lives intertwined with their on-screen personas felt too muddled at times.

Adding to my frustration were the many loose ends that never got resolved, leaving me unsatisfied by the end. Lastly, the steamier moments didn’t quite fit the tone of the story and felt disconnected from the overall narrative. While the nostalgia factor the book didn’t meet my expectations.

I feel like this book was a pretty timely read for me because I just started watching back some of my old favourite shows from high school- think Veronica Mars and One Tree Hill- and guys, these shows were actually pretty problematic (I'm looking at you Pacey from Dawson's Creek who stalked his teacher and wouldn't take no for an answer).

When Brynn makes a birthday wish that lands her as the main character in her favourite teen comfort show, Carson's Cove, where she has to win a pageant and finally bag the boy next door, it felt a little like deja vu. I was concerned that this romcom was going to be a bit juvenile with characters trying to re-enact plots that were barely ok 15 years ago, but I was so pleasantly surprised by the immediate different- and grown up- take. A la Pleasantville, Brynn learns her perfect town isn't exactly perfect and what she thought she wanted isn't what she needed after all.

I also loved how her roommate Josh- somehow sucked into bizzaro tv world with her- also got his chance at a do-over, so he was more than just an ornamental love interest. I don't know if I totally bought the Josh-Brynn romance, but they did have fun energy together.

This book was super cute and a fun little homage to Dawson's Creek with tons of teen drama Easter eggs. Loved the fresh take, but it's enough to read it for the nostalgia alone!

Kate Robb is sharp, funny, observant, and somehow has drilled a pipeline directly to my long-lost teenaged soul?! HOW. This book will remind you of all the best things about comfort watching the shows you’ve always loved and imagining yourself among your fave characters,

Prime Time Romance was an adult romcom, mixed with magical realism, that swept me away. The characters were easy to connect with, the story-line was fun, and I closed the book happy with where the story took us. If you’ve ever wanted to take a step into your favorite tv series, especially one that didn’t get the ending it deserved, this book is for you!

By that second chapter, I already adored Josh. He was such a good guy, and didn’t think twice about taking care of his roommate, Brynn. Josh was hilarious while also being thoughtful, dependable and fun. So when the two of them woke up in Brynn’s favorite tv show’s town, Carson Cove, I was glued to the pages wondering what was going to happen next.

Once they realized that they couldn’t just go back home, and had to play these characters' parts, I loved watching them grapple with their previous and current lives. Brynn was now the local sweetheart and Josh the town’s bad boy. Yet there were elements from both of those characters that reached deep into their hearts. That made them second guess and see things in a new light. And made them realize what they truly wanted. I loved watching them grow in this environment and their story made me smile so much.

This small town romance was a quirky, adorable read that was so enjoyable! I love how effortless her books are to enjoy! Whether it was watching the friendship bloom between Brynn and Josh, to seeing them interact with the other characters, to just watching everything unfold, it was all so much fun! As someone who died a little inside when I never got a true ending to a series I adored, *cough The OC cough*, this book made me so happy! I can't wait to read whatever Kate Robb writes next!

This is gonna be a very short review. I feel bad giving ARCs 3 stars and below just because I know authors pour their heart and soul into those books but at the same time we promised honest reviews

This is the second book by this author that I’ve read and I will say I was kinda disappointed just because I was expecting a lot more. I read her first book so fast because it was so good. This one though? Not the same feeling

I feel like it lacked plot. The idea behind the book was unique I’ll tell you that and friendships were kinda cool too. The 90s vibes as well was really cool

The going back and forth though, was very confusing. I found myself confused half of the time and I couldn’t keep up sometimes. I was conflicted about how I’d rate this book..

3.5 ⭐️ This was a bubbly, whimsical, fun time! Although there wasn’t as much depth to the story or characters as I typically like to see, I found this book enjoyable and bingeable anyways! I giggled a couple times as well and enjoyed my time with it in the moment.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC. It took me a moment to really get into this book but by the end I did enjoy it! The premise was fun and not one that I've seen in books very often. For the teen tv romance lovers this book is such an hommage to that. The story is filled with teen nostalgia, from a "Dawson's Creek" setting, to a "Riverdale" inspired diner to a beauty pageant similar to something from "Gilmore Girls" or "Vampire Diaries" I am sure you will find lots of Easter Eggs in this book. I did think Josh and Brynn's romance was very fast paced considering they didn't really spend time with each other up until her birthday. But I thought they were sweet in general. Not only did this book remind me of the many teen tv dramas, but it also reminded me of the very underrated tv show "Lost in Austen" which follows Amanda Price who loves everything "Pride and Prejudice" and ends up going through a time loop and swapping places with Elizabeth Bennet. Georgian era England and all its inhabitants get spun on their heads as Amanda Price reaks accidental havoc on Longbourn and Netherfield Park. But of course ends up falling in love with Mr. Darcy in the end! I would give this a 3.75.

This had such a fun premise! I feel like books like this are either hit or miss and I didn’t love it. Both MC’s were just kind of flat and I was bored most of the book.

This was my first book from this author! This book was different, and I don't think I've read anything like it before, i think the magical realism and it being so heavily focused around a tv show kind of threw me off and I think it made it harder for me to connect! Idk it just kind of fell flat for me which makes me sad because the premise sounded so good

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Kate Robb for the ARC of Prime Time Romance. If you’re a big teen drama binger like I am (think Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, etc.), I think you’re going to really enjoy this book.
 
Prime time romance follows Brynn- a recently divorced lover of the old teen drama show, Carson Cove. Her new roommate, Josh, is a bartender and gets roped into watching an episode one night. Carson Cove never had a satisfying ending since the show was canceled on a cliffhanger, but when Brynn and Josh wake up in Carson’s Cove, it’s Brynn’s chance to give her favorite character, Sloan, a happy ending. With Brynn as Sloan and Josh as the bad=boy, Fletcher, it’s up to them to give Carson’s Cove the ending it deserves. Brynn is convinced that Sloan has to end up with her long-time best friend, Spencer, but that’s not going to be easy. In steps Josh as Fletcher to help her out- but the thing is, sometimes what we think should happen may not always be the best bet.
 
I really enjoyed this romance book. It brought me back to the time when I binged all of Gilmore Girls in a month. This book was twisty and fun and I had a great time!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

This book had major Gilmore Girls vibes to me. The re-watching of a beloved series and wishing you were apart of that small town!

Well this book literally thrusts you headfirst into a tv series overnight. Brynn escapes real life by re-watching her favorite series. Real life sucks, divorced at 30 and spending her birthday alone, her favorite show is like a hug she desperately needs. Her roommate Josh the bartender happens to walk into her binge and starts watching it with her. When a birthday cake is delivered, Brynn makes a wish and the next morning they are in her beloved show's town, Carson's Cove. All the same characters are there except for 2, which the cake delivery guy then reveals is now Brynn and Josh. Plot twist? They must deliver the happy ending the show deserves after an abrupt end.

This book made me wonder what I would do if I was thrust into my favorite show, in this case Gilmore Girls. What would I do? Would I go along with the plan to hopefully get back home? Or would I accept my fate and just live there forever?

With that being said, what are Brynn and Josh going to do?

Let me start by saying that I'm normally a HUGE fan of time-and-space-travel rom coms. Unfortunately, this one just missed the mark for me. I had trouble connecting with both Brynn and Josh (had to go look up their names because I completely forgot...) and didn't feel the spark that makes me want to read THIS romance (as opposed to the thousands of others out there). Don't get me wrong, it's a cute read. But the spark in both the story and the characters was just missing for me.

However, bonus points for the Dawson's Creek-like setting!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A silly and sweet little book about how being transported into the world of your favorite comfort-watch can (and cannot) mend your broken heart. I was never a Dawson's Creek watcher, but I appreciate how much love and affection for the show (and its foibles) went into writing this book. Much like Kate Robb's other supernatural romance, the magicking in and out of the scenario is somewhat haphazard, but the character development and relationships help paper over the plot flaws. Robb remains one of the few authors who can make friends-t0-lovers work for me, so that's a ringing endorsement!

''I'm tight with the bartender. We crossed a space-time continuum together. It's bonded us in weird and wonderful ways.'"

I started reading this one because it was the Emmys, and I actually read the dedication to Joshua Jackson while Joshua Jackson was being interviewed on the red carpet. Weird coincidence for me in a book that thrives on coincidences. This was a true ode to TV, to teen dramas, and to challenging the status quo. I've been on a magical realism kick, and this did not disappoint. From the takedown of antiquated tropes to the burning chemistry between Brynn and Josh to the idea that we should leave a place better than we found it, I would definitely award the Emmy to this book. Not to mention that it had one of my favorite roommates named Josh in romance novels ;)

The only thing that made me want to change the channel was Sheldon, the force behind the bend in reality. It was a bit too Christof-from-the-Truman-Show for a romance novel for my taste, but I'm glad he eventually gave Sloan and Brynn the endings they deserve. I also wish there was more exploration of how Luce was treated, because it was clearly thinly-veiled racism in the small town. Otherwise this book was a real winner!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Should I go rewatch Riverdale now?

This was such a fun concept and book idea. I loved Kate's debut, This Spells Love, and this one was even better. As a late 90s/early 2000s high schooler, Dawson's Creek was our Carson's Cove. And this book was for all the girlies who knew Joey and Pacey were supposed to be together over Joey and Dawson. I enjoyed seeing Josh and Brynn's chemistry build throughout the story. Brynn showed a lot of growth throughout the story, learning that perfection isn't always what you think it is and should be. Prime Time Romance was just a fun, light magical realism romance story.

This is a rough on to review, I'm going to be honest here. It's just such an odd book. It was not AT ALL what I expected from it. I just think this book suffers from MAJOR tonal issues. What it tries to be is cute, fun romance, an escape into your favourite tv show while also realising what you want out of life. This book is that. It is. However, it also is extremely eerie, and slighly fucked up. It comes so close to being a horror novel to me, and I truly think this book could have been better if it actually fully leaned into that. I just don't think these two vibes work together AT ALL. This book's main issue is that it overexplains these characters being in a tv show while also not really explaining it all. I feel like if the author wanted to keep this lighthearted shit she should not have explained it at all, and rather have it more be like some weird dream that just somehow also ended up being real. You know, sometimes no explenation at all is the best way to go. Instead we get this weird, creepy dude that got them here, and makes it all feel so fucking sinister. That being said the magic of this world is still not explained it all, so it feels a bit incomplete as well. It just did not work this way, in my opinion and it left me feeling very weird about this book in general.
All of that being said, there were still parts to this book I did quite like. There were times were this sinister vibe was forgotten about, and I could get really into this. As a lover of a good teen drama, the town this was set in felt VERY familiar, and I loved exploring it through this novel. That being said though I do think this author pulled a lot of different elements from a lot of different shows, and the combination of that all made for descriptions of a show that truly sounds AWFUL. Everytime Brynn dropped more lore about this show my thoughts of "who could ever like this?" just kept growing.
I also quite liked the main romance in this book. I thought they were cute together. I do think it is a bit underdeveloped though. They go from "huh, I might have some feelings for this person" to "this is the love of my life" in like a second. It feels a bit disingenious but it definitely isn't the worst case of this that I've read. The character's personal journeys were also alright, but again I wanted a bit more of it. Their change felt a bit flip of the switch, instead of natural character progression. I do feel like Brynn's final moment in this town + the overall message of this book really well done though, and I overall left this book feeling satisfied with its conclusion. So yeah, it's a bit of an odd one to review as this book just seems to live in two worlds for me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Book Review: Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb 🌟🌟🌟🌟

What if you could live out your favorite TV show? 📺 That’s exactly what happens in Prime Time Romance—a fun, nostalgic, and fresh take on love, second chances, and life beyond the screen!

After a heartbreak-filled divorce, Brynn makes a birthday wish and wakes up in her favorite 2000s teen soap, Carson’s Cove. But instead of just watching the drama unfold, she’s now part of it, along with her roommate Josh. As they navigate life as the show’s characters, Brynn faces a dilemma: follow the script to get her TV "happily-ever-after," or take a chance on something real with Josh? 😍

The mix of small-screen nostalgia, romantic tension, and plot twists kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s the perfect read for anyone who’s ever dreamed of escaping into the world of their favorite show—only to discover that real-life love might be even better. 💖

If you love stories with humor, heart, and a touch of magic, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The homage to the 90's teen dramas are cleverly intertwined throughout. This gave enough of a nostalgia but with its own modern take. I was definitely interested to see how the story unfolded, and whether there was going to be a happy ending.

After recently getting divorced before her 30th birthday, Brynn decides she is done with heartbreak. She has a deep love for her favorite TV show "Carson's Cove" which she always watches when she's needing a pick me up. So what happens on the eve of her 30th birthday when some random person shows up on her doorstep with a cake and she decides to make a wish that she could live happily ever after and the next morning her and her roommate (insanely hot, sweet Josh) both end up in Carson's Cove where she is tasked with making sure the main character from the show "Sloan" gets HER happily ever after (finally being the Lobsterfest Queen and falling in love with long time crush and MMC Spencer) in order for them to go home. What happens when things go awry and Brynn suddenly realizes how much she enjoys Josh's company compared to Spencer. Find out in this Groundhogs Day-esque book to see if Brynn is stuck just helping Sloan get her HEA or if she will be lucky enough to get hers as well.

Prime Time Romance is a beautifully crafted romance book hitting all of my nostalgic feels! The main character makes a wish on her birthday, transporting her into the mix of her favorite romcom sitcom.

With the feels of Dawson’s Creek meeting Plesantville…. She has to get the happily ever after to make it home!

What I loved:
🫶🏼 the nostalgia and the moments that would make me giddy from my memories of watching Dawson’s Creek. I went into the story pretty blindly and instantly could place myself there!
🫶🏼 Josh’s character development alongside of the Brynn’s. Love his HEA too!
🫶🏼 the Easter egg and TV crush bonus at the end! I loved this surprise and it made me feel like I got to have a conversation with the author at the fiend of the book! It was a fun added treasure to the end of the book!

Would have loved more of:
✨this girl loves spice… and I loved the moments in the book. I can always wish for more 😂
✨the Main Character’s names switching from reality to the tv world had me sometimes thinking — they are used pretty interchangeably. Just wondering if there is a way for it to have been written with less think power from the reader.

This book left me smiling and ready to go binge Dawson’s Creek. I great feel-good read with the most perfect throwbacks for my nostalgic heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this digital ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinions of this read!