I was excited when I read the prologue of the book when I requested it as I haven’t really dived into too many magical realism books and this one seemed fun!

Loved the writing, very easy to follow and well written. The dialogue flowed really well and it was really funny and cute! I enjoyed the way the magical elements were presented and how the story developed including the character development inside and outside the “tv show.”

Something I kept going back to was that the beginning of the book and Brynn’s life in the “real world” would’ve been interesting and kind of wanted a story of what that would’ve been like 🤔

The romance was okay! I feel like Josh was very charming and loved how quickly they got comfortable with each other but it an non awkward way since the story was very fast paced but wish there would’ve been more pining and full on romance.

It was a reminder that sometimes what seems to be the “perfect” life doesn’t necessarily mean it is or it’s what would make you happy, and that you should make the best of your life and or not wait to be happy when you have everything you think you need to start.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Robb and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this advance copy of Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb. This one hits shelves today!

I really enjoyed Robb’s debut last year, as she has a fun magical realism take on the traditional rom-com. As a millennial that grew up watching Dawson’s Creek, Charmed, Buffy and Beverly Hills 90210 (in syndication), this one definitely struck a happy cord with me - I loved picturing this fictional town and the banter between our main characters Brynn and Josh was so good - especially when they weren’t able to swear. Definitely recommend this one if you want a piece of nostalgia and a really quick read!

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for this honest review. Prime Time Romance hits stores today for you to check out!

This is one of those books where it’s best to just go in blind and see where the story takes you! I was humored, curious, and swooned. The MMC isn’t one of those too-good-to-be-real guys. He wasn’t completely flawless with a dream backstory. Every thought, feeling and action rang true and real. The FMC suffers from negative and doubting thoughts about themselves and their past that aren’t constantly taking over their internal musings, but they also lead her into making a number of decisions and actions. Our past tends to influence our future. This story shows what could or could not happen as you choose what to do when a seemingly perfect option is presented to you.

I definitely didn’t like this one as much as Kate’s debut This Spells Love

This author has a habit of ending their story a little bit too abruptly after the climax of the story, right around the “lesson” the character learns over the entirety of the book. So it ends up feeling like I read the book for a resolution that didn’t really feel worth it the few hundred pages I just spent.

What I do think worked though was the worldbuilding - Carson’s Cove was a weird little place to be and I loved the side characters we got to meet even if they were just this fake, alternate world. Luce & Sherry were immediately lovable.

The romance could have used a little bit more work, in my opinion. The chemistry was definitely there between Brynne and Josh but it didn’t feel developed enough for me when they finally “got together”. I needed more time. Their sex scenes also felt….awkward instead of sexy. Can’t explain it.

Overall I enjoyed it, because I mean I literally plowed through this one in literally 5 hours. It still felt like it was missing something, though.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 3.75⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
This one had a great premise but fell a little short for me

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Interesting beginnings
Teenage dramas like Dawson’s Creek
Romantic comedies
Small toen
2000s references
Second chance romance
Dual POV

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
I loved all the teenage drama shows like Gilmore Girls and OTH vibes

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
There wasn’t much romance
I didnt really connect with the characters
Overall it was a weird read

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ ”You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep rewatching the old one”
★ “He bends down and kisses me softly on the lips. All of the noise, all of the worrying thoughts in my head stop—and all that’s left is him.”

This was such a cute romance novel. Brynn is recovering from her divorce by watching reruns of her favorite 90's soap, Carson's Cove. The story's blend of nostalgia and wish fullfimmet is fun. Cute premise, even if the execution feels a bit predictable!

Thank you, Netgalley, for an advanced copy of this novel!

I reaaaaalllly like Robb’s debut so I was thrilled to hear she was writing another magical realism romance! But this one didn’t wow me in the same way!

✨Dawson’s Creek-inspired
✨a birthday wish lands our FMC + her hot bartender roommate in a fictional TV world where they must play the parts they’re given
✨some good character growth!! especially learning to let go of the past so you can embrace + enjoy the future
✨the nostalgia of early 2000s teen dramas was REAL - and a reminder that the rewatch of them usually doesn’t hit the same🤪
✨only a couple spicy scenes🌶️ but you could easily skip them if need be!

This romance was light and cozy! nothing too high stakes or memorable but still enjoyable while it lasted! I liked the humor, I really liked Josh’s character, but I probably won’t remember much a week from now🤷🏻‍♀️

Honestly not my favorite. I really liked the premise, but the second half of the book just lost me. It kind of felt like watching Inception with the mind f that it was.

Brynn's divorced and it's her 30th birthday. She makes a wish and ends up in her favorite tv series, Carson's Cove. She and her roommate, Josh become Sloan and Fletcher. The story was interesting and reminded me of some of the 90's sitcoms that I enjoyed. I did not care for the language in the book.

The funny thing about this book is I started off not liking it, then I liked it, and then the language turned me off and I didn't like it. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

I absolutely loved This Spells Love so I was really looking forward to Prime Time Romance. I love the touch of magical realism that the author adds to her stories to expand the plot possibilities. This time Brynn, a recent divorcee, and her roommate Josh are magically transported via a birthday wish to the world of her favorite TV comfort watch, Carson’s Cove (think Dawson’s Creek). Her birthday wish was to finally get her happy ending, so when they magically wake up in Carson’s Cove, she is informed by a mysterious extra from the TV show that she is now her favorite character, Sloan, Josh is the resident town bad-boy Fletcher, and Brynn’s goal is to give Sloan the happy ending she never got on the show - win the town’s pageant Ms. Lobsterfest, and sail off into the literal sunset with her long-time crush Spencer. She finds Carson’s Cove just as she expects it, including her best friend Poppy, frenemy Luce, and all the supporting characters from the show. But the longer she stays, the more she realizes that it wasn’t as perfect as she remembers - but how can they get home if they don’t hold up their end of the bargain? Full of self-realization, personal growth, and figuring out what you really want, Prime Time Romance was just as magical as This Spells Love! The reader watches Brynn evolve from a mopey woman hung up on her failures to someone who makes some tough choices and sacrifices to save someone she cares about and find her own happy ending, as well as see Josh step up to save the thing most important to him. Plus watching Brynn-as-Sloan transcend her character and destiny into someone who does the right thing - call out the bully, ditch the toxicity, and show up for the right people - was satisfying AF. And she does get her happy ending, even if its not the one she originally started out with.

I knew when I read that this book was dedicated to Joshua Jackson that it was going to be a great read. Dawson's Creek was such a fundamental part of my being growing up, and while this book is heavily rooted in that particular series, the idea will still resonate if your teen drama of choice was one set in a slightly different small town with a slightly different line up and arrangement of these characters. We all know by now that all these shows are fundamentally the same dealing with the universal ideas of growing up believing you know everything and knowing you know nothing, but still thinking you will figure it all out one day. And, of course, that the boy next will is now and will always be the one you were meant to be with. Lol.

Prime Time Romance is based on the same concept as the movie Pleasantville, except, rather than being transported into a television series loosely based on Happy Days, the show is loosely based on Dawson's Creek. There are some other extremely thinly veiled references to other late 90s/early 00s teen dramas as well. Brynn is going through a tough time. She is recently divorced, living with a roommate, and feeding her depression by bingeing her favorite show on repeat. Then, one day, she wakes up to find herself in the fictional town of Carson's Cove, the setting of said show. Also transported, was her roommate, Josh. Together they learn that in order to return home, Brynn has to pretend to be her favorite character from the series and get her the happily ever after she never got in the series.

This book is completely charming and it was so much fun to relive my obsession with the TV shows from my youth. I highly recommend this one. It's nostalgic fun, low angst (funny given Dawson's Creek is ALL angst), and everything you hope it will be based on the book's description. Thank you to Kate Robb, Random House, and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

ok honestly y’all, these magical realism books have been EATING recently.

the synopsis is on the second slide, but basically this book is a romcom where the main characters get stuck in their fav 90s show, Carson’s Cove,…Dawson’s Creek anyone? i never really watched Dawson’s creek so in my head the plot was basically teen beach movie mixed with boy meets world except Topanga and Shawn end up together.

ANYWAYS. This book was a RIDE. it had the perfect balance of the 90s tv show nostalgia mixed with everything we love now as romance readers. The fmc Brynn was so relatable. She’s recently divorced and life isn’t going as planned - so she rewatches her comfort tv show bc she knows the plot and change is scary and is just wishing for her happily ever after. 100% can relate to that. her character arc was also really well done.

even if Josh is a J name and the bad boy next door, I actually loved him. The definition of tough guy exterior but also sooo down bad. although I really enjoyed this book, I did wish there was a smidgeee more romance between Josh and Brynn.

Kate Robb might be my new go to for magical realism romance books bc I LOVED her first book, This Spells Love. For my girlies that liked the Love of my Afterlife, y’all deff have to pick up her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Robb for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ever wondered what would happen if Kirk from Gilmore Girls went rogue and controlled Stars Hollow with a stand in Luke and Lorelei? Well look no further, this is the book for you.

Albeit a little dark, I enjoyed the story of Brynn and Josh following in love despite the insanity of their reality.

I enjoyed reading Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

(3.5 rounded up)

Thank you to Dial for sending an early digital copy my way! 📚

Read if you 🩷:
• 🎂 Birthday Wishes
• 📺 Marathoning Your Favorite Shows
• 🔑 “And they were roommates…”
• 🍓 Strawberry Wine

🌊 Newly divorced Brynn wakes up on her thirtieth birthday not in her apartment, but in "Carson’s Cove," her favorite 2000s teen soap, alongside her roommate, Josh. To everyone else, they’re not Brynn and Josh—they’re Sloan, the show’s sweetheart, and Fletch, the town’s bad boy. To get back home, they have to make sure Sloan and Spencer, the hometown heartthrob, finally get their happy ending. But as Brynn and Josh navigate the drama of "Carson’s Cove," real feelings start to surface, threatening to rewrite the story entirely.

This was a quick read for me, and the fast pace was perfect for getting me back into the reading mood after taking a small break over the long weekend. The low-stakes conflict and high chemistry between Brynn and Josh had me feeling cozy yet eager to keep reading—I finished the book in one afternoon!

I do wish it had slowed down a bit, however. I blinked and was halfway through and it felt like hardly anything had happened. I wish the author had focused more on the main character’s inner conflicts than the town’s predictable hijinks.

There are also a lot of easter eggs for those who spent the early 2000s watching countless episodes of "Dawson’s Creek," "90210," and "Gilmore Girls”.🍁

If you enjoy books like "A Novel Love Story" and "This Spells Love," you’ll definitely enjoy "Prime Time Romance"! 🛋️

Prime Time Romance has a little magical realism, a lot of 90s/2000s tv nostalgia, & sparks flying between two roommates (that barely know each other) who have to work together to get themselves back home.

⭐️ rating: 4.25/5
🌶️ rating: open door, two scenes

💭 overall thoughts:
Brynn & Josh are roommates, but are like two ships passing in the night - they barely know one another. That is until a birthday wish sends them into Brynn’s favorite comfort tv show, one that ended without feeling complete.

They become two of the show’s characters, and have to work together to find a way back home.
Is the life Brynn dreamed about in Carson’s Cove what she imagined, or has what she wants changed?

Brynn & Josh are both working through their own struggles that are holding them back - Brynn with her unexpected divorce and Josh feeling like he’s failed his late father.

As they’re forced into a strange situation, they (and the town) help each other figure it all out, while sparks are flying.

I loved the references to teen dramas of the 90s/2000s, and traveling into one of these shows had Brynn seeing them in a whole new light.

As a Joshua Jackson fan I LOVED his references as well 🙃 especially to lesser known work (Fringe 😍).

I loved seeing characters in their 30s who still haven’t figured everything out - this was a lot more relatable for me and how my own life path has played out.
I too often read about characters in their early 20s with their careers completely set, and getting married, which is not at all where I was at at that age.

read if you love:
🏠 roommates to lovers
💫 magical realism
📺 stepping into a 90s nostalgia teen drama
❤️‍🩹 divorced fmc
🥃 bartender mmc
❌ no 3rd act breakup
🐢 slow burn
🔗 forced proximity
🌳 small town
💞 dual 1st person pov

Thank you to Dial Press (Random House) & NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb was a fun and delightful story.
I loved this book and the storyline. I thought it was unique and it was great to watch Brynn and Josh interact with each other.
I’m in love with this book!!!! Everything about magical realism in romance is just so much fun for me, and this one was no exception.
I completely lost myself in this book and could not put it down. The pacing was excellent and made for such an easy, relaxing read. I adored Kate Robb's writing style and can't wait to read whatever she writes next.
If you are looking for a lighter rom-com with a touch of magic realism, Prime Time Romance is a perfect read!

The cover in this one really piqued my interest!!

I thought I’d be able to get over the “abstract” premise of this book. But unfortunately, I couldn’t suspend my belief enough to enjoy it fully. I was also never a One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek girl and I think if I was, I would have LOVED this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had SO much fun with Prime Time Romance! Having loved Kate Robb's other book, This Spells Love, I was so excited for another cozy, magical love story, and this one delivered.
This book follows Brynn and Josh, two roommates who, through the act of one magical birthday wish, are thrust into the world of Brynn's favorite comfort show- Carson's Cove. With a perfect touch of magical realism, Brynn and Josh must work together to give the show and the characters the ending they never got. However, as Brynn gets closer to her favorite cast members, she realizes that the perfection and predictability she once craved may not be what she needs any longer.

And I mean, it's hard to not lust after your hot bartender roommate when he is written like Josh because oh my GODS I really loved his character. He was soft and gentle yet determined and full of angst. The way that he and Brynn complemented each other was really beautiful, and I just had such a great time watching their love story unfold.

I was also so in love with the side characters! Luce and Sherry were amazing and I would take books just about them thank yew.

Overall, this is the perfect book cozy love story, and if you are a fan of Ashley Poston, I think this is the book for you!

PRIME TIME ROMANCE was like a trip to an old fashioned candy store. It was quaint and sweet and nostalgic; and that worked for me. Whimsy and magical realism are a preferred form of escape for me and this is the second time Kate Robb’s writing has made me smile.

Brynn is a big time fan of 90s teen drama Carson’s Cove where every episode ends tied up in a pretty bow. She finds solace in the old episodes after the heartbreak of an unexpected divorce. Her roommate, Josh the bartender, is essentially a stranger until they find themselves magically transported to the set of Carson’s Cove come to life.

There’s a lot going on in this book including our main characters taking on the fictional personas of TV roles. The story is told via dual points of view and it takes a bit of focus to figure out which character arc you’re following. There are plenty of allusions to favorite teen dramas of yore and, if those are your jam, you’ll devour this book. This is a lighthearted trip down a fictional memory lane and it was pure fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.