Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
Narrator: Kristyna Ruth Zaharek and Sean Patrick Hopkins
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 9/3

Thank you so much to Dial Press for my advanced copy and PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook.
The story follows Brynn, a recently divorced woman who finds comfort in binge-watching her favorite nostalgic TV show, Carson’s Cove. Living with her roommate Josh to make ends meet, Brynn wishes for her own happy ending—and wakes up one day in the very world of Carson’s Cove. But she and Josh aren’t just Brynn and Josh anymore; they’ve become Sloan and Fletch, two iconic characters of the show.

What a cute story! This heartwarming escape into the world of 90s teen dramas is all wrapped up in a charming, second-chance romance and the perfect follow-up to Robb’s This Spell’s Love.

Watching Brynn and Josh navigate this crazy new reality is so much fun. Their chemistry is spot-on, and it’s hilarious to see them try to follow the show’s script while figuring out their own feelings. It has all the fun twists and turns you’d expect from a 90s teen drama.
I did wish for a few more heart-throbbing moments between Brynn and Josh to ramp up the romance a bit more. But honestly, the throwbacks to pop culture totally made up for it. The book is packed with references that will have you grinning from ear to ear.

Overall, Prime Time Romance is perfect if you’re in the mood for something light, nostalgic, and super entertaining.

Read if you like:
*90s/2000s nostalgia
*Dawson’s Creek
*magical realism
*small town
*dual POV

Thank you to Dial Press & NetGalley for the free e-arc!

READ IF YOU LOVE:
- Roommates to lovers
- 90s/early 2000s tv shows (specifically Dawson’s Creek and Gilmore Girls)
- A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
- Cheesy rom com cliche moments

THOUGHTS:
The reason that I requested this title on NetGalley is 50% because of the synopsis and 50% because of the cover. I mean the cover is stunning, and one thing about me is I love a 90s/early 2000s teen soap. The synopsis gives major Dawson’s Creek vibes. But, while I was reading the book, it also gave me some Gilmore Girls vibes!

The main things I loved about this book is the magical realism of the plot, and the main characters. Josh really gave me Pacey energy, iykyk. Brynn was so funny and quirky in a good way! I also loved how the storyline of the “show” and what’s going on in the main character’s real lives paralleled. What they learned in the show helped them in their real life.

The few things that I found lacking in this book both have to do with the ending! I feel that the ending was sort of abrupt. Along those same lines, I actually wish the story had a proper epilogue. I would have loved to see how things were further in the future for Brynn and Josh.

I definitely recommend picking Prime Time Romance up when it releases on September 3, 2024! It was a fun and silly time with a good overall message.

Teen Beach Movie meets Dawson’s Creek, this was a fun rom-com based on the premise of what would happen if you and your (super hot) roommate were transported to your favorite teen drama…15 years in the future. Still reeling from the end of her marriage, Brynn makes a wish on a cake with mysterious origins and wakes up in Carson’s Cove as its lovable girl-next-door, Sloan. Neither Sloan nor Brynn got their happy ending the first time around - can Brynn change that now for at least one of them? And will her plans be derailed by her roommate, Josh, who has also showed up in Carson’s Cove as the neighborhood bad boy, Fletcher, looking like a snack? This was cute but forgettable for me - I felt like the characters didn’t get fleshed out enough or experience meaningful growth on page, the insta-love was not super believable for me, and I wanted more on the “how” of this rip in the fabric of space-time. But it was definitely a nostalgic romp through the good teen dramas of yore (check out the author’s summary of the Easter eggs at the end to see if you caught them all) and will be loved by many!

Pub Date: 9/3/24
Review Published: 8/27/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

— 3 stars ★

If you loved teenage drama shows growing up, then I think this would be the perfect book for you. What made me excited for this book wasn't the homage to teenage dramas but the magical element being thrown in - similar to Ashley Poston's novels. It's such a fun way to spice up a normal romance book and add some fun to the story.

However, I didn't care for this that much. I didn't watch a lot of teenage tv shows growing up, so that could contribute to me not liking the plot much. But also, I just didn't get the romance from Brynn and Josh. It felt rushed and almost insta-lovey, as we barely got to see them interact before plopping into carson's cove and after. Out of nowhere, Josh became jealous of Brynn's attraction for Spencer - whether it was to help them leave Carson's Cove or not.

This book was just kind of meh for me. I liked the writing and the premise was interesting, I just couldn't connect with the characters or understand where the romance came from!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of Prime Time Romance exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was so fun and so nostalgic! Even though I’ve not watched many of the teen dramas of my day, I still had a great time. I love dual POVs as well as magical realism romances but so often they aren’t combined. So this being both a portal fantasy and dual POV, I was living for it. Getting to see both sides as this odd plot and the love triangle storyline was happening was really interesting and less stressful for me as a reader knowing how Josh was feeling. I loved how both learned a lot about themselves in this weird little town they appeared in. Also, having gone back and watched shows I loved when I was younger, you really do notice things that maybe weren’t all that great or realize maybe you were cheering for the wrong person so I enjoyed the concept of “finishing the story” but also changing it to fit where the characters would actually be after all this time. Sometimes fans don’t know the best ending and that’s okay! I also am obsessed with the Easter egg explanations at the end, pretty much everything after the story the author added was super fun. (JVB WAS perfect in Don’t Trust the B!) My only issue was they fell in love in under a week which…damn that’s so fast.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! (Might just finally watch Dawson’s Creek now…)

DNF. It started off great, but then it just seemed to go quickly downhill. I didn’t believe the connection between the characters, nor did I care what happened. The pacing was slow, and it just lost me.

After absolutely loving this author’s debut last year, I was really looking forward to PRIME TIME ROMANCE. I’m so sad to say that it didn’t work for me. 😩 The writing is good, and the concept is fun, but it just came across kind of awkward. For one thing it’s hard to follow (via print or audio— didn’t matter, I still got mixed up some between the “real” characters and who they were been on the “show”) I liked the male MC a lot but don’t really understand the relationship or how any of it makes any sense in the end. The chemistry was there during the steamy parts but the whole relationship wasn’t quite right to me. I love the 90s sitcom idea, but it also made the book feel like it was two different things all together instead of one fluid story. I don’t know, I just wasn’t into this at all. I will still absolutely give this author another shot— her first book was excellent, I think this time the whole idea/concept just didn’t work out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

Read if you like:
💖 dual POV
💖 roommates to lovers
💖 a little bit of magic ✨
💖 a lilllll spice 🌶️

I loved Kate Robb’s last novel so I knew I was going to love this as well. Her books always have a little bit of ✨ magic ✨ in them and I really enjoy it; they are perfect for the upcoming spooky season.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing style, it felt very natural and enjoyable to read. The author was very good with the description and I could picture everything in my head perfectly 🩷
The most important part of a rom-com for me is the banter between the 2 main characters, and I really enjoyed the banter here. I even laughed-out-loud a few times while reading this book, which I love 🤪

First thank you to random house for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨3. 75 stars

Synopsis: Brynn is divorced and living with a roommate on her 30th birthday. Her friends invite her out but only because she has a connection to the hottest club in town. After a long night out she goes home to watch her comfort show on the couch. She gets a birthday cake and makes a wish. The next morning she wakes up in her favorite show with her roommate. Is this a dream or a nightmare?

What I liked: I was a huge fan of Dawson creek so I was very excited for this book. I thought it was very realistic if you were a fan of Dawson creek. Jake was a great MMC and liked him a lot. He was so kind and genuine. I loved how he improved the bar and took care of Brynn. Brynn did take a bit for me to grow on me as she seem a little more self centered. I like how she did come around and changed for the better.
The plot itself was fun and loved when Brynn had to explain the plot lines to Jake and get his reaction. I thought it was a little predictable how her relationships played out but still enjoyed it.

This book was a breath of fresh air from some of the past romances that I have read. The characters are bright and vibrant, and just come to life. I loved Carson’s Cove and seeing the characters interact with this world where everything seems to be on repeat till Sloan gets the ending, she deserves. This book will just sweep readers off to a new world, one that is new yet familiar. Who wouldn’t want to be placed in their favorite comfort tv show? I just thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to recommend it.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press Trade, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I loved the concept of this story. I thought it was fun to have the characters basically sucked into Brynn’s favorite show, during a time when both characters are facing challenges in their real life. I love how we see the typical characters from teen shows in Carson’s Cove and how Brynn is able to pinpoint what happens in every episode while there. Josh is also such a good sport. Reading the growth of their romance was really nice too. The censored curse words were pretty funny.

I struggled with the ending of this story because I felt like what Josh does, isn’t something Josh would do. I also felt like we never get a wrap up of what was going on while Brynn and Josh were away or when they return, the story just time jumps. I’m also not sure what to make of the final lines of the book. It’s hard to say more without spoiling it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

[SPOILER FREE] - 4 STARS - PUBLISH DATE SEPT 3 2024
Spice level: 1-2 peppers

As a nostalgic person... YES.

In a very common storyline (just divorced and reeling, needs a new start...) comes something a little less common - ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS!!

Now, if you're like me and grew up watching 2000s teen dramas (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, The OC, etc.) AND had a weird obsession with the movie Pleasantville from 1998 with Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire, this will tickle your nostalgic side.

Brynn and Josh, her sexy roommate (of course), find themselves in the world of Brynn's favourite show, Carson's Cove, being told they need to finish the perfect storyline from the cancelled show. What could go wrong?!

I thought this was a cute story with more original plot than a lot I've seen recently. It was super enjoyable, nostalgic, with a bit of drama, some good ol' tension, and some steam full of the tropes from teen dramas (and lots of easter eggs from them, which Kate Robb helpfully lists at the end if you miss them). I completely enjoyed my time reading this and it was an easy, quick read as well. I highly recommend for anyone wanting a quick romance with an original storyline.

[Kate Robb and SMP generously invited me to read this eARC as I previously read and reviewed an ARC of her debut novel, This Spells Love.]

This story is about Brynn, a recent divorcee who is living with a roommate, Josh, to afford her mortgage. Her friends forget her birthday, and she finds herself watching her favorite comfort show “Carson’s Cove” which is a clear ode to Dawson’s Creek. She makes a wish that fateful night and finds herself within her favorite show.

I was immediately hooked at the beginning of this story, and found the concept really interesting. But I felt like I hit 40% and it started to drag for me around there. I think it’s because the book focused so much on the characters in the show, and I wanted it to focus more on Brynn and Josh, and see their relationship naturally build. I didn’t feel much tension or angst, but instead a lot of insta love. I found the end to be a little too cheesy.

An imaginative premise, yet this didn't engage me as much as I had hoped. Brynn and Josh both being transported into her favorite teen soap to provide the central couple with the happy ending that they were denied when the show was prematurely canceled held a lot of promise, and I enjoyed how the world of Carson's Cove had so many nods to existing teen programs from the 90s and 2000s, which Robb clearly has a lot of love for. However, I was never invested in either of these characters and the romantic progression felt very rushed, with there being too little of their current lives as roommates in the beginning to get a sense of their existing relationship as well as what was being left behind that they needed to get back to. Also, the explanation provided for why the magic of going into the show was possible was weak and unsatisfying. Hopefully Robb can strengthen the parts of her books beyond the primary concept in future works to result in a wholly satisfying read.

*I received an advanced copy to review. This is my honest opinion.*

I read this in one day, which almost never happens! It's not super long, and it's a fast, easy read. I JUMPED on the chance to nab this ARC when I saw that Kate Robb had another book out, because I loved her debut last year! Dare I say I like this one even better? The premise is like if Pleasantville met the WB (or any of the late nineties/early aughts teen shows!) but fast forwarded fifteen years.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the premise of this book. I get so caught up in the media I consume, especially the romance of the shows, so seeing Brynn and Josh getting tossed into a show is like...not a dream, obviously, because we all know those sorts of things never end well, but it's so FUN. Living in our favorite shows always seems fun, but Brynn's eyes are opened to the darker, less fun side of what it's like to be the It Girl (or her enemy) in a small made for tv town. And she realizes that maybe the perfect screen boyfriend should just stay on the screen.

I really love this story and it's pure escapism and nostalgia. I can't wait to read more from Kate Robb!

Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Robb, and Random House | The Dial Press for the ARC!

2.5 stars rounded up.

Brynn is a new divorcee who loves watching her comfort show Carson's Cove. Everything in Carson's Cove just always works out right and turns out the way it should in the end--unlike her life. On Brynn's birthday, someone gets a cake delivered to where she lives with her roommate, Josh. Brynn makes a wish for "happily ever after," but it does not go as planned.

Next thing she knows, she's waking up in a place that looks familiar, but for a reason she cannot explain--until she runs into Josh with her car. Then, she realizes that somehow, they have entered into the world of Carson's Cove and there's no way out. Brynn loves this place, so she's not terribly concerned at first, but as the storyline of the show progresses, Brynn realizes that what she thought she wanted was all wrong, and she fights for herself, Josh, and Carson's Cove to get the ending they deserve.

In my opinion, this book was.... fine. I'm starting to realize that even when I'm in the mood for a romance, I'm almost never going to actually love it as much as I want to, which is mildly disappointing, but also kinda freeing. I'll forever be a sucker for a Christmas romance novel (stay tuned, I have lots of ARCs for those already haha), but outside of the Yuletide season, I guess I should just stick to the thrillers, hist fic, and fantasy.. *sigh*

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC!

Prime Time Romance is every young woman's dream...to be sucked into your favorite TV show! Brynn has just started dating again after her divorce, and she is striking out miserably. Just before her 30th birthday, she finds herself immersed in her favorite TV show, Carson's Cove, with her nocturnal house mate. She makes an unlikely wish on a surprise cake that arrives with a quirky Uber Eats driver, and wakes up to find she and Josh are in Carson's Cove! They discover they have to make the ending everyone really wanted between the two main characters. However, she finds she's leaning more towards Josh and his character than the main squeeze.

The characters have great chemistry and the quirkiness of the supporting characters make this read enjoyable. Brynn and Josh grow so much, and together they bond in the alternate reality they weren't supposed to be in. They learn to take chances instead of taking the safe route in life. Kate Robb continues with her magical twist imaginings which makes reading her so much fun!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

If you're looking for a literary masterpiece - you should keep looking because this isn't that. However, if you're looking for a book that is as it's advertised - you found your book.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Bryn's; I thought she was dramatic and, at times, very "woe is me". I thought Josh was super sweet, and I loved how "down bad" he was for Bryn. The romance between her and Josh progressed really - really - quickly, but it still felt very reminiscent of an early 2000's sitcom...which was the point...so I'm not mad about it. It was also neat how the author put a note at the end that mentioned where a lot of ideas came from and/or Easter eggs that were in the book.

This was a super quick, easy read - and I will definitely read more of Kate's books in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Kate Robb for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Prime Time Romance was a quick read but nothing to really write home about. At times it felt a little long winded and the TV part felt a bit YA.

Brynn has had a rough few years. Her 30th birthday wish takes her and her roommate, Josh, to the fictional TV town of Carson's Cove. She is brought to give the main character, Sloan, of her favorite show a happy ending after the show was suddenly canceled 15 years prior. What Brynn realizes is the town, and it's characters, haven't changed over time- but she has.
Granter of her wish, former show-extra Sheldon, declares she and Josh can get back to their real lives once Sloan and Spencer (undeclared show love interest) get together and Sloan wins the Ms. Lobsterfest pageant. Yet, in trying to fulfill the happily-ever-after premise, Brynn and Josh fall in love. This detour causes events in Carson's Cove to go off track from Sheldon's expectations. Can Sloan fix the show's sequence and have a happily-ever-after of her own, too?