DNF at 33%. I decided to try the audiobook for this one, but it didn't work for me. I loved The Good Place references, but the whole thing felt a little too sweet for me. The characters all just felt flat. It could be more with the way I tried reading the book too than the actual book.

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I ended up being very surprised and enjoying it! It was a very interesting love story and a great light-hearted rom com. Not the best i've read but also a great filler book when you aren't looking to think too hard!

I loved the idea of the small town romance from a tv show where they essentially prove how unrealistic it is, though it is based off Dawsons Creek I was picturing Gilmore girls!

The premise of Prime Time Romance is a captivating one. The idea of escaping into a beloved TV show, the promise of humour, nostalgia, and a sprinkle of romance, all leading to a heartfelt journey of Brynn from heartbreak to self-discovery. It's a setup that draws you in with its potential, making you eager to dive into the story. However, the execution, unfortunately, falls short of these high expectations.
The dynamic between Brynn and Josh, the central couple, feels underdeveloped. This lack of depth in their relationship makes it hard to fully invest in their journey. Their banter, while present, often falls flat, and their emotional connection lacks the depth needed to make their evolving relationship engaging. While fun in concept, the setting of Carson's Cove doesn't immerse you as much as you'd hope. Instead of fully embracing the charm and quirks of a fictional soap opera world, the plot gets bogged down by predictable twists and surface-level conflicts.
The pacing of the story is uneven, which can be frustrating. The first half moves at a slow pace, with too much time spent on Brynn's adjustment to her new surroundings. This slow start can make it difficult to fully engage with the story. The resolution, on the other hand, feels rushed and unsatisfying. The story has the potential to delve into themes of self-worth and letting go of idealized fantasies, but it only scratches the surface.
Ultimately, while the book had moments of lighthearted fun, it left me feeling more frustrated than fulfilled. It's a story with a creative premise that didn't quite deliver the emotional punch or engaging character arcs I sought.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is my second book by this author. I will say, she writes cute romances and her writing style is consistent. This felt similar to the last book I read by the author. The characters are super cute, but I did not find the plot very riveting. I bet if you enjoyed the authors first romance that came out in 2023, you will also enjoy this because it seems pretty on par. This author may not be the best fit for my preferences but I can see others enjoying this style!

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

OMG this was so good! This was a wonderful romance but also coming of age/moving on book. This was the ultimate genre bending novella, with a sweet romance, coming of age, magical realism.

Brynn (MFC) is divorced young women who is a secret hopeless romantic. Thrown into a TV show (magical) she has to navigate the not so perfect world of film she once dreamed of. This was short and sweet. I loved the references to shows that made my teenage years!

PRIME TIME ROMANCE is a fun, light-hearted romance about a woman who finds herself in the world of her favorite 2000s teen soap.

The plot and setting in this novel were so nostalgic for a reader -- making me wish I could jump into the setting of my favorite 2000s tv shows!

I'm not a big magical realism reader, so I did sometimes struggle a little with the concept of the characters being stuck in the town and having to find their way out. But this is definitely a "me" problem!

I loved reading a book with a female main character who shares my name!! I don't see my name in books often, so it was really fun for me!

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Pub date: September 3, 2024

Thank you @netgalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m officially a fan of Kate Robb!
I had the pleasure of reading her first book, This Spells Love as an ARC and LOVED IT.

I was fortunate enough again that I was able to read this ARC as well. Robb did not disappoint. I love her writing, dialogue, and loveable characters.

The setting was unique and fun, even if it wasn’t my favorite.
I really liked the homage to the 90s TV shows mixed in as Easter eggs throughout the story.

A great light romance read!

I LOVED this book. Kate Robb does such a great job weaving an intriguing story that readers will fall in love with like I did!! I would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves romance books!!

DNF for me at 58%. I think this is definitely a case of it’s not you, it’s me. I am realizing that the very specific trope of being transported into the world of your favorite tv show is just not my jam. The concept is cute, albeit a little cheesy. And if this is something you like, I would recommend. The town is cute and our main characters seem to have some chemistry. I don’t want to give this a star rating because I didn’t finish, but it is required for Netgalley.

✨ The Vibes ✨
Your favorite YA TV series with a rom com twist

📖 Read if…
✨ You always wondered what happened after the finale of your favorite show
✨ You wished Schmigadoon was about rom coms instead of musicals
✨ You loved The Good Place

Kate Robb has nailed the formula for combining smart, witty, emotional romance with just the perfect amount of magic sprinkled in. And Prime Time Romance has all of that and more!

The book follows Brynn, a recent divorcée, and her roommate Josh as they find themselves in the world of her favorite teen drama (think Dawson’s Creek) after a birthday wish goes awry. They have to stick to the script to give the show the happy ending it deserves, but of course, have to deal with the feelings that arise between them along the way.

This was super cute and will definitely be a book I revisit again and again! While I loved the romance between Josh and Brynn (obviously), I was an even bigger fan of the larger non-romantic themes, like how to be OK and find happiness, even if things don’t turn out the way you initially planned. Robb also includes SOOOO many references to other teen dramas throughout the story, which adds even more fun to the story.

Prime Time Romance is available now. Thanks to the Dial Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5⭐

This was okay. Definitely not memorable for me. I think Sheldon's character wasn't necessary to the plot. I kept asking myself why he had the capability to send Brynn and Josh to Carson's Cove and why he was forcing Brynn and Josh to complete the happy ever after for Sloan and Spencer. We could've just had them magically appear in Carson's Cove without Sheldon as a go between. I also struggled a lot with the romance here. There was no chemistry whatsoever. Brynn and Josh's feelings for one another just developed out of nowhere and all of a sudden they are calling each other the love of their lives. I wasn't fully invested in the story or characters which is very unfortunate, because I really enjoyed her previous book, This Spells Love. I did like the concept of getting sucked into a tv show, but the execution didn't quite work for me.

What would you do if you were sucked into your comfort TV show?? And then made to play the staring role??

Well that’s what happens to Brynn and her unsuspecting roommate, Josh, after a late night binge watch on her birthday! Brynn is then made to play the role of the girl next door returned to her hometown, and give the show the ending it never got back in the day! But things aren’t quite what they seem in this early 2000s town. And Brynn and Josh might want to shake up the love interests anyways 👀

This book was fun! But the longer it went on, the weirder it got. It was a little flat, and unfortunately I kept comparing it to Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston (where her favorite book series comes to life) and it just fell short of expectations when held up to something similar.

However, if you were a big fan of early 2000s teen dramas, this one might really scratch an itch in your brain! I wasn’t that big into them, so it just didn’t do for me what it might do for others.

Thank you to @netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for access to this eARC! This title is out now!

This was interesting. I went into it expecting vibes like Pleasantville the movie. You know outsiders coming in and making everything go haywire.

I always loved a good wish made that goes wrong and this was very similar. I enjoyed seeing how they were going to get back on track to get home and how our fmc slowly fell for Josh. I was nervous with how it would go after the opening with the crap friends.

There were moments that felt over explained but when you’re explaining another show inside a book you kind of have to. I did enjoy the juxtaposition of having the perfect guy on paper or the perfect guy for who you are. 3.75/5 rounded up

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

I loved the little magical aspects and just how cozy it made me feel. The perfect book to snuggle up with!

Genuinely I love Kate Robb but I struggled with this book. I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the main characters as much as I thought it should. No butterflies while I read it sort of thing. All in all it wasn’t bad but it not going in my top reads for the year.

I wanted to love this, but I found myself struggling to get into the story for so long. I kept trying to start, and something about it kept me from diving in. Finally, I sat down and just read. Then I was in it, but it lulled heavily in the middle. The connection of “Sheldon” was frustrating for most of his appearances. I was rooting for Brynn and Josh, but I didn’t know how it would resolve for Sloan and Spencer. I was a very big fan of Brynn’s solution to the conflict, and I appreciated her breaking the patterns of the show. Ultimately, my complaints were similar to ones I had with Robb’s first book. I will still read her writing again in the future though because she eventually pulls it out

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC!

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

As a huge One Tree Hill fan, I thought I’d love Prime Time Romance, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The concept of getting stuck in a TV show was fun, but I think it would’ve worked better if the main characters were somehow themselves in the show, rather than replacing existing characters. It just felt a bit off.

I also love magical realism, but would have preferred the magic to be unexplained and mysterious. The whole "bad guy” or puppet master trying to control everything, felt unnecessary in a romance.

That said, the nods to Buffy, Riverdale, and other teen dramas were fun. Overall, it was a decent read, but not 5 stars.

I was super excited for this book. I only made it 30% in before putting it down. It just ended up not being for me.

The beginning of this book was so great and I really liked the premise for the story line, but it really wasn’t for me. I was hoping for stronger character development and plot. Wanted to like it!!