90s Pop Culture
Romcom
He falls first
Sacrifices
What else do you need.


The day before Brynn’s 30th birthday is not what she would have wished for. She’s divorced, no real friends, and has to have a roommate to even stay afloat.

After the terrible evening she finds herself at home with her bartender roommate Josh watching her favorite teenage drama Carson’s Cove when she receives a random Uber eats delivery of a birthday cake. Josh cuts her a piece and tells her to make a wish, little does Brynn know her simple wish is going to literally change her entire reality.

Once the book got going I could not put it down. The pop culture references and Josh were everything.

My only complaint is that Josh’s feeling just appeared, it wasn’t like he had been secretly pinning for her or anything so that seemed a little out of wack with the story at first but was forgiven because the chemistry between the two of them was perfect.

Thanks Kate Robb, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House/ Dial Press Trade for the opportunity to review this book.

4.5 stars. This book was just so fun! Carson’s Cove made me so nostalgic for those classic teen dramas. The premise of Brynn and Josh ending up in Carson’s Cove was a little weird, but I just didn’t think too hard about it. I loved how Brynn and Josh both found themselves and each other through the book. It was also so interesting to see the depth added to these 2D characters from the show and seeing how the town was different up close. I love magical realism and this was no different.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I first found Kate Robb through a book club read of her debut novel This Spells Love. I knew as soon as I saw Prime Time Romance on Net Galley that I wanted to read it.

I loved the 90’s vibes and the easter eggs that were sprinkled throughout this story. Brynn and Josh were both great characters and I loved the growth that we got to see through reading their story.

This was a quick and easy read for me and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys 90’s vibes, small town reads, and rom-coms.

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the author’s “This Spells Love” book and was excited to be able to review her latest book “Prime Time Love”. If you are a fan of Dawson’s Creek then you will probably love this book (I have never watched the series). I did enjoy the plot and the character growth. While I do have some minor quibbles about the book/plot/setting – if you are looking for a palate cleanser this book will fit the bill.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC of this book.

While the concept of this book was interesting I fell like there was something’s missing. I did enjoy all the little Easter eggs the author added into the book.

4.5⭐️

I actually don’t know where to start. I discovered Kate Robb earlier this year with her debut novel, This Spells Love and I had a great time reading that. But this book? This is probably going on my top reads of this year because I loved it so much. I had a book on my TBR this year that was one of my most HIGHLY anticipated reads and honestly it was kind of disappointing. The premise was also magical realism, where the protagonist gets stuck in a fictional small town, and unfortunately that book didn’t hit for me. So when I saw the blurb for this book, I was little skeptical that maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it but I’m so glad that I had the chance to read it before it came out because this was SO GOOD.

Prime Time Romance stars Brynn & Josh, roommates who don’t know basically anything about each other & on Brynn’s thirtieth birthday, she ditches her so called friends to hang out at home with her bartender roommate and watch ( for the millionth time) her favorite small town sitcom, Carson’s Cove. She explains that she continues to rewatch this show because it gives her this sense of hope that the world isn’t the rock bottom she has been dealt with. And as her and Josh call it a night, a knock at the door with a familiar looking stranger interrupts their evening with a cake and wish for the birthday girl. But when she makes her wish— mind you, a wish that involves waking up in a fictional tv universe where she plays the main character, she didn’t expect to drag Josh in on the wish too. To both their surprises, that stranger (extra of the hit tv show, Carson’s Cove) has tasked them with fulfilling the life of one Sloan Edwards and give her her well deserved happy ending that the tv showrunners didn’t give her, in order to be sent back home to real time. As excited as Brynn is at first, to play this character she’s looked up to, she learns along the way, that living in the past is not living at all, and that in order for your life to feel fulfilled, lots of growth has to occur, and your ability to let life come at you in the wildest ways imaginable is OKAY. Hitting rock bottom is okay when you can appreciate what a bad ass bitch it made you for being capable of getting out of it.

In an unexpected turn of events, I also enjoyed seeing Josh’s growth throughout the book too. Just like Brynn needed this experience, so did he. Feeling like his world has no real substance after tragically losing his dad, and losing the bar he left, this tv dimensional trip lands him the role of the town lazy boy. Almost a mirror of him, and watching him gain the color back into his skin by reopening The Bronze, Carvers Cove’s own town bar, he starts to believe in himself again and it’s really nice to see both protagonists evolve as the book progresses.

This book was so full of good surprises. The banter was funny and adorable, the chemistry between them, the SPICE! It had substance you can FEEL and I enjoyed it so very much. I pray to god that this book gets the hype it deserves, Kate Robb, you’re killing it! I can’t wait for your next book.


Tropes:
And they were roommates
Friends to lovers
Small town magical realism


A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

Book comes out September 3rd!!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼

I am so glad I am a child of the 90s & 00s because I grew up loving and watching all shows on the CW (formerly UPN & WB.) Dawson’s Creek was my favorite, and I so badly wanted to be Joey Potter. I was so happy that Carson’s Cove was somewhat pulled from Dawson’s Creek.
Plot:
In this story, Brynn, a recently divorced woman struggling financially, shares her home with her roommate Josh. She finds comfort in immersing herself in the world of her favorite TV show, Carson’s Cove, where everything seems perfect. However, when the show ends abruptly after five seasons years ago, leaving fans frustrated by the unresolved romance between Sloane (the Joey Potter character) and Spencer (the Dawson Leery character), Brynn has been distraught by the unresolved ending and watches it on Netflix all the time.
On the night of Brynn’s 30th birthday, after a terrible night at the bar where her roommate Josh works, they come home to watch Carson’s Cove together. There is a knock at the door from UberEats with a delivery of a surprise birthday cake with a candle. She decides to wish for her own happily ever after like the characters in Carson’s Cove deserved.
The next morning, Brynn wakes up to a shocking reality: she's living in an alternate world where she has become Sloane, the girl next door from her favorite show. Even more surprising, her roommate Josh is now Fletch, a version of Pacey—the town's bad boy. While Brynn initially believes she should pursue happiness with Spencer, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Fletch instead. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and sparks fly as they grow closer.
As Brynn navigates this alternate universe, she wonders what kind of happily ever after awaits her. And more importantly, can she carry this newfound happiness back to her real life as a recently divorced woman starting over?
For my thoughts:
Brynn and Josh were just ok as main characters. I wish there was more witty banter and just more buildup to their romance.
The plot surrounding them had potential, but I just don’t think all the dots were connected correctly. It was kind of a messy execution, and you didn’t learn why it was all happening weirdly until the end.
Overall I was entertained, and thought the novel was cute and a fun beach read.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGallery for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So many easter eggs and 90s teen references, I felt like I was traveling back in time. I loved the little town setting and the characters. I was very happy with how this book panned out!

There was certainly fun to be had while reading this book. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell flat for me.

What I loved?
-the 90s teen drama references (Buffy, Vampire Diaries, Dawson's Creek, etc - Kate Robb does leave fun extras at the end of the book, including a list of Easter eggs!)
-I love seeing a character grow and evolve, and we saw how Brynn's perspective changed over time

What missed?
-I went in with suspended belief, it's a magical realism (one of my favorite romance sub-genres) after all, but I didn't end up feeling connected to the town of Carson's Cove at all. I just didn't really care what happened for them? I know they were real to Brynn, but they just didn't come alive for me.
-Sheldon just felt creepy, which might have been the point, but it he ominous at times - and for a romance novel that felt misplaced.

Not my favorite but maybe others will enjoy it!


Thanks to Random House & NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Sweet romcom for lovers of Dawsons Creek and 90’s teen dramas. I enjoyed revisiting such classic tropes of this genre. Brynn and Josh’s journey through the existing tv characters was sweet and refreshing. A great reminder that even our favorite characters from 30 years ago, grow and change over time. That we can’t become the best version of ourselves without growth. Thank you for the opportunity to read book!

After repeatedly being letdown by real life, Brynn has decided it’s safer to stay solo- soothed by the sounds of her favorite comfort show, Carson’s Cove. A program she’s watched and rewatched a thousand times, she’s recently brought her roommate, Josh into her unhealthy obsession. But since the show ended in an unsettling way, Brynn has always wondered, and even wished, she could give her fictional favorites their happily ever after.

Then on the night of her birthday Brynn goes to bed, only to actually awaken within her favorite soap, just like she always hoped. Josh is there too, the only thing tethering her to real life and reminding her she isn’t going crazy. After the initial shock wears off, panic turns to productivity as Brynn realizes she’s living a literal dream come true. Then a magical on set extra tells them their assignment- in Carson’s Cove, they are no longer Brynn and Josh, but Sloan and Fletcher-two classic characters of the show, sent there to make things right.

Brynn can’t believe her luck. As Sloan, Brynn gets to step into the shoes of a character she’s idolized for years, and her job is to make the boy next door, and her dream man fall in love with her!? But the more time Brynn spends being Sloan, the more she begins to understand the phrase, “be careful what you wish for”. Now Brynn and Josh have to flip the script, or risk being stuck in a drama filled purgatory forever.

Prime Time Romance has such a fun premise. I mean, who hasn’t watched their favorite shows before, wishing they could live in that world or change a chain of events? Growing up watching so many classic 90s nighttime soaps, many scenarios came to mind- Joey chose Dawson, Felicity never cut her hair, My So-Called Life got a season two…the list goes on and on. Naturally, this lead me to enjoy this story a lot, but it also lead to some careful criticism. In particular, I wish we had seen a little more of the Carson Cove world from an outsider’s perspective before diving in. I also wanted a bit more of Josh and Sloan interaction within the fictional world. Still, the appealing premise far outshines any nitpicks, and makes Prime Time Romance a nostalgia filled narrative worth tuning in for.

This book gave off such strong "Pleasantville" vibes, it was all I could think of while reading.

Obviously, not everything was the same, but there were enough similarities to really strike a chord.

I don't know that I should be comparing the book to the movie, since they're two entirely different things, but if given the choice, I choose the movie. Don't get me wrong, the book was cute. The two main characters were great, as well.

I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good rom-com.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I started out excited for this book. I never mind suspending reality. However, as it continued on, it became very predictable which then made it kind of boring to read. I knew what was going to happen before 50% so then I knew I had to make it through an entire half of a book waiting on it to actually unfold.

I could enjoy the part of the plot where the MC realizes maybe the main characters we loved in our teen soaps were not the heroes we once thought. A look back at most 90’s and early 2000’s shows through adulthood or 2024 lenses will definitely show the glaring flaws.

Also, in what seems to be a sweet, light book, the f-bombs and graphic sex scenes feel very, very out of place. In the end it got a little too hokey and outside of said graphic sex scenes, more YA than nostalgic women’s fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC.

Brynn is fresh off a devastating divorce, living with a roommate so she can afford her mortgage. When her birthday rolls around, nothing goes her way and she just wants to binge her comfort show in peace. When an unexpected birthday cake arrives via Uber Eats, Brynn makes a wish. She wakes up the next morning in Carson’s Cove, the very fictional setting of her favorite show. Her roommate Josh is along for the ride as they have to fulfill her wish in order to get home.

This book is like a warm hug for anyone who loved watching the teen shows of the late 90s and early 2000s. There are tons of Easter Eggs to spot and so many familiar call backs to shows of the past.

Josh/Fletch is very Pacey Witter coded, and Pacey will always be my number one fictional boyfriend. The enemies-friends-lovers arc in season 3 of Dawson’s Creek is a masterclass and where my love of banter was born. I couldn’t help but love Josh.

I loved how Brynn being Sloan allowed her to really see things with fresh eyes for herself too. She had a picture of the life she thought she wanted for both herself and for Sloan, but living in Carson’s Cove showed her that dreams can and should change as you grow up. The happy endings for both Sloan and Brynn were fitting and perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I thought the concept of this book was really strong and unique, but just found the execution to be lacking. The dialogue felt juvenile and the story seemed to drag for me.

Like I said though, the concept is really unique and is a really fun idea. I definitely think someone out there will love this book, it just wasn’t for me.

Still looking forward to reading more of Kate’s work in the future!

This book was an absolute delight. If you’ve ever watched any type of teen romance show or movie you will love Brynn and Josh.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of Prime Time Romance in exchange for an honest review.

Like This Spells Love, Prime Time Romance is a cute book with an important lesson: be wary of rose-colored glasses and taking everything at face value. The premise was very interesting to me although I expected the ending it had. Hello, perfection is rarely ever actually perfect. The place-setting is really strong in this book. I was able to picture myself in the town. I suppose if you've ever watched teen shows, you have great context for the book. If you haven't, the easter eggs and references will definitely go over your head. Knowing the context, for me, added to the reading experience.

Like This Spells Love, the relationship-building between Josh and Brynn could have been stronger because it felt like they went from barely-knowing each other roommates to in love in a snap. I wanted more of Brynn's post-divorce life with Josh to get more of her headspace and trauma in addition to Josh's perspective on the roommate situation. We get more of Brynn's POV as roommates. I needed more of Josh's backstory because he was an interesting character and it would have helped with understanding how much more of a big deal it was that he was running the Bronze (?). The key word for me is "more." More backstory, more relationship-building. While in the show so to speak, Brynn and Josh do a lot of things separately and do a lot of learning separately, which is not a bad thing per se, but the connection point is that they were both stuck there. I needed more connection points. I could see how Brynn fell in love with Josh but not the other way around.

Prime Time Romance
Thank you, The Dial Press,  for the gifted copy of Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb {partner}

Genre: Romance
Trope: Magical Realism
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  9.3.2024
Pages: 336
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

"You can't start the next episode of your life if you keep rewatching the old one."

Two of my favorite nostalgic shows are Pleasantville and Dawson's, and while I loved the movie, Prime Time Romance is the second book I've read this summer that attempted to give Pleasantville vibes but didn't meet my standards.

Of course, I did love the small setting and the "resetting" of character destinies, but the added Dawson Creek vibes just threw everything off-kilter. It felt like the author was trying to fit everything into the Pacey/Joey/Dawson bubble, but it didn't work for me. It may have been that I didn't buy into the chemistry between Brynn and Josh. There was something about them that didn't work - I would have been happier had the ending been different and our FMC embraced life on her own. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable read that entertained me and reminded me of some of my favorite 90s TV shows. I look forward to reading Kate Robb's next novel!

Read if you enjoy: 
🏘️ Small town
✌🏼 Dual POV
🫶🏼 90s nostalgia
📺 Dawson's Creek/Pleasantville

I recommend reading Prime Time Romance if you're in the mood for a little 90s nostalgia, but don't mind the storyline veering closely to your favorite Capeside town.

Honestly, was this the best romance book I ever read? no. But it was a fun time and if someone asks me for a book rec that is quick and easy to read, where you don't have to think too much, I will be recommending this one. This book was incredibly lighthearted and a goos time. The romance was cute, but it was lacking some chemistry between the two characters. I wish there was more and I didn't really feel the connection between the two of them, but that could just be me.

i wasn't sure how i was going to like this book going into it, but the story took me on such a fun and silly adventure, and i was pleasantly surprised! as someone who loves a good, old rom-com and small town sitcom vibe, i adored the premise of this story and how it used those "childhood" attachments to teach such a good lesson that everyone needs to remember. i do with we saw the main characters fall in love a little more - it felt a little sudden and rushed to me, but overall i really enjoyed this read!

thank you netgalley and random house for the arc!