this had a promising start but personally for me, the spark between the leads fizzled out once the premise shifted into the magical realism elements. a lot of over-explanation of the fictional world and not enough character development for solid impact to be felt in the HEA. enjoyed the redemptive friendship plot line and references to familiar comfort shows.

the overarching theme was not to dwell on the old chapters (or episodes) of life to the point where they prevent you from moving on to the next. i loved how this was pitched in the first few chapters but wish so badly it had been expounded upon especially towards the end. i felt like any intended takeaway was left in the dust for the sake of staying overly loyal to the role playing plot.

read if you like:
— magical realism (mcs are transported into a favorite tv show)
— small town
— dawson’s creek/teen beach movie

thanks so much to random house for the digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts

Incredibly Strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This is for the lovers of late 90s/early 2000s teen dramas everywhere. I will say I have never seen dawson’s creek so I didn’t have an immediate connection to the specific nostalgia of this book, there is a bit of something for everyone. Above all I love how Robb uses her supernatural premises to actually further the story and they aren’t only plot devices for fun but say something meaningful about her characters. That maybe escapism through nostalgia isn’t something we should indulge in all the time, that it’s good consider new chapters.

Cute story, decent pacing, Brynn and Josh needed more time pre-cc!

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

This book immediately drew me in, but kinda fell flat about halfway through. I love the premise and genuinely did enjoy the story and the nostalgic vibes I got while reading it! I just felt that the second half was rushed and that there was a lot of telling instead of showing, especially with the romance aspect. I also have a few questions… like Sheldon?? Is he a genie?? A wizard?? I needed more information on this blond wacko.

If you enjoy a quick, light-hearted read with very little spice, 90s/00s TV nostalgia, and HEA, give Prime Time Romance a try.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✍🏻

If you enjoyed the teenage dramas that we all loved in the early 2000s, and you have also seen and loved the movie Pleasantville starring Reese Witherspoon and Toby Maguire then you are in for a TREAT, in the form of a mysterious 30th birthday cake with one candle and one magical wish...

Prime Time Romance is about newly divorced Brynne who finds comfort in her favorite on-screen drama, Carson's Cove. She believes things always work out for the best, and there's always happy endings. She feels like her life isn't where it needs to be. Single, living with her roommate, Josh, just so she can afford her mortgage and just not happy with life.

But is love on the small screen better than the real thing?

3.75⭐️ rounded up.

📺Roommates to Lovers
🪄Magic Realism
📺90s/00s Nostalgia
🪄Small Town
📺Light & Cozy, Low Angst
🪄Dual POV

Think Pleastantville x 90s/00s WB/CW teen soaps with a sprinkle of 13 going on 30 vibes and you have a cozy, low angst millennial feel good story.

Brynne’s comfort show, Carson’s Cove, has been her go to escape as she has adjusted to life post divorce and questioning if true love is only possible in fiction. After a terrible date and girls’ night gone wrong, Brynne cannot wait to get home. Surprisingly, her roommate is there to offer support. A surprise birthday cake delivery and birthday wish gone wrong leads to an unsuspecting Brynne and Josh to wake up in Carson’s Cove as characters from the popular teen drama. With guidance from a “spirit guide” Brynne, with the help of Josh, sets out to give the main character the HEA that never was due to a premature cancellation. Spending time with Josh changes Brynne and she starts to wonder if her ideals and fictional happy place is all she thought it was?

This was a fun and cute story. I enjoyed the callback to my preteen and teenage years of watching all the WB/CW shows. I wouldn’t say it’s the love connection between Josh and Brynne was super strong or all that swoony, or even the prime focus of the story but I enjoyed the story overall.

It took me a little bit to get into Prime Time Romance, but I enjoyed it! It felt very nostalgic for the soapy shows I loved as a teenager. The turns it took were predictable, but overall this was a fun, easy read.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Kate Robb's Prime Time Romance is a delightful blend of magical realism, humor, and romance. The premise is clever and engaging, imagining a beloved prime-time television show transformed into a book. Robb's writing is skillful and engaging, and her characters are well-developed and relatable. The magical realism elements add a touch of whimsy and enchantment to the story, while the humor provides a lighthearted counterbalance to the romantic elements. Overall, Prime Time Romance is a thoroughly enjoyable read that is sure to appeal to fans of romantic fiction and magical realism alike.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for this early copy 🙏 🙌

This is a delightful blend of nostalgia and magic. Fresh off a divorce, Brynn finds comfort in binge-watching her favorite 90s teen drama, "Carson’s Cove!. But after making a birthday wish, she and her roommate Josh wake up inside the show, living as the characters Sloan and Fletch. As they navigate this alternate reality, Brynn discovers that real love might be better than the scripted version. This book is a charming tribute to early 2000s TV dramas, filled with humor, heart, and magical realism. Fans of nostalgic romance with a whimsical twist will adore this journey into an alternate universe where second chances are possible.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much that I plan on buying the physical copy so I can read it again!

Kate Robb’s Prime Time Romance is a romcom for millennials told in a dual POV. The main characters, Brynn and Josh, are roomies who are curiously unattracted to each other at first, but a magical birthday cake changes their reality. They find themselves in Carson’s Cove, the setting for Brynn’s favorite, but canceled, prime time show. She has a terrific crush on the lead character and finds herself starring in her favorite soap opera, opposite her dream leading man.

Much about Prime Time is reminiscent of The Good Place esp in the way they are unable to forking swear but this is not a squeaky clean book either. I found the middle of this book long and the characters stereotypical, but I am not the demographic for it. Fans of friends to lovers millennial romance will enjoy this book as well as those who like touches of magical realism. Robb is able to bring it home when Brynn realizes that fantasy and reality don’t match her expectations. Thank you to Random House/Dial Press and NetGalley for making this eARC available for my honest review.

Is love on the small screen better than the real thing? This contemporary romance has a dash of magical realism.

f you had the chance to get sucked into your comfort TV Show and live life amongst your favourite characters, which one would you chose? One Tree Hill or The OC would be high up on my list! When I first started watching The OC, I always swore to myself I would make it to Newport Beach one day and find my own Ryan Atwood. Last year we actually did make it to Redondo Beach, where The OC is actually filmed (I was surprised too, that it was not Newport Beach, but alas) and walking the pier and the beach was unreal.

Things are a bit different for Brynn though. Four years after her divorce, she finds herself in Toronto with no real friends and no real prospects on the night before her 30th birthday. She finds herself watching her comfort show Carson’s Cove, when she receives a cake from a mystery sender and makes a wish. The next morning, Brynn and her handsome roommate Josh find themselves in the midst of Carson’s Cove. The two of them need to navigate the seemingly perfect town and try to find their way back home.

I had the best time reading this book. It may be because I am the true target audience, having grown up with all of the teen dramas and truly soaking them up. Or it could be because the book is just really great!
I loved Kate Robb’s debut novel This Spells Love, which came out last year and had high hopes for her second one. It did not disappoint and I am truly looking forward to what she will write next!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for the advanced ARC

There is nothing Kate Robb does better than magical realism. Truly, this is her calling. I've read Kate's debut book, which was another book from this genre and just like Prime Time Romance, it was absolutely amazing.

Prime Time Romance follows a newly divorced Brynn and her roommate as Brynn makes a birthday wish while blowing the candles on a cake that mysteriously showed up on their doorstep. To their surprise, her wish becomes reality--or so she thinks. Brynn and Josh wake up in Carson's Cove (Brynn's favorite tv show).

What I absolutely loved about this book was its creativity. Yes, getting stuck in a tv show isn't that uncommon in fiction, but Brynn and Josh weren't casted as the main "couple" of the show, leaving Brynn with a dilemma. Does she want to follow the script or does she want to follow her heart? I also really enjoyed the way the book revealed Brynn's rose-colored glasses when it comes to her favorite tv show. I too have my comfort tv shows but in reality, if I was stuck in them, I too probably would not like what I'd eventually learn.

I absolutely loved Brynn and Josh's dynamic throughout the book, but I enjoyed reading about them both as separate characters. I liked how Josh's backstory matched the character he was casted as, and how the fictional character helped him solve his unresolves issues.

This book was just perfect in every way. If you love a little magic in your life, pick up this book.

This romance novel revolves around the adage “Be careful what you wish for.”

When a down on her luck divorcee, Brynn, blows out her birthday candles wishing for a HEA, she never expected to wake up on her favorite prime-time show, Carson’s Cove. A show that was canceled after the 5th season on a cliffhanger.

Brynn finds herself playing the role of Sloan, the girl next door, 15 years after the show ended. Only to find that with time and personal growth, a person’s perspectives and dreams change.

So… does the girl next door get her happily ever after with her crush Spencer, or does the down on her luck Brynn find true love with a person that’s been in her life unnoticed for months? After all, “You can’t start the next episode of your life if you keep rewatching the old ones.”

This was a fun, light read that kept me turning the pages. It shines a light on the progression of life and television over the past decade. There is just enough substance to the character growth and depth to keep this from feeling like a rom-com.

If you like a wholesome small-town vibe, or if you have ever been madly in love with a TV show heartthrob, I think you will enjoy this charming read.

Besides reading, one of my favorite things to do is watch TV shows. Dawson's Creek, Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, and Supernatural are a few of my favorites, so when I heard about Prime Time Romance I knew I needed to read it. Being pulled into the world of your favorite TV show seems like a lot of fun, but also a nightmare.After reading this, I'll definitely choose to just keep on watching my shows instead of living in them. Today I want to talk about five reasons why I loved Prime Time Romance.

1. TV show references
As someone who watches quite a few TV shows, I definitely picked up on the hints to other shows while reading Prime Time Romance. Some characters have names that are definitely hinting at actors and characters. Also, some of the things that supposedly happen on Carson's Cove come close to things I've seen on other shows. This really made my TV show loving heart very happy. I loved that the author talked about some of these references and her love for some TV shows.

2. Dual POV
I think Prime Time Romance worked really well for me, because we got to read from Brynn's and Josh's POV. I feel like this made the story more complete and definitely made me get to know and love these characters more. Both of our characters haven't had the easiest time in life recently and are trying to figure out what they want.

3. The Romance
So Brynn was supposed to give her favorite main character her happily ever after with the star of Carson's Cove, but Josh (the bad boy in the show) keeps catching her attention. I loved the chemistry between Brynn and Josh. Being together in this whole adventure brings them closer together and they really started opening up to each other. The scenes with these two together had me smiling.

4. Character Development
Even though Brynn and Josh are stuck in a TV show and are technically somebody else, they definitely start figuring out stuff about their actual lives. Both kind of get confident boosts and start dreaming about what could be. The lessons these shows try and give people were definitely affecting these two. I also loved Brynn near the end and when she took her moment to shine, she really took it!

5. The Side Characters
Because Prime Time Romance takes place in a TV show, we get quite the cast of characters. I loved meeting them all and loved some more than others, but they really helped this story be what it is. I feel like we got the typical best friend and rivals, and the crush where there's a will they, won't they plot. These characters made this book come to life and I loved it.

My review will be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on September 12th!

I loved the idea behind this book. The second chance aspect, small town 90s TV shows vibes, fixing the cancel show to return, not knowing what you've got until you try to play them out differently add in all the nostalgia & toss in magical realism and you've got such a fun story.

I think the magical twist Kate puts in makes her books so enjoyable and fun to read! (I LOVED This Spells Love.) I just feel like, and I don't even know what reasoning to give as to why, but, I did not connect to this as much as her previous novel and couldn't rate it higher than a 3.

I do feel, with all the tropes in it, it is going to be a well loved book. Thank you to so much NetGalley, the Publisher & Author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
While I wasn’t a fan of Kate Robb’s debut, that did not surprise me in retrospect, as the “13 Going on 30” ripoff romcoms have frustrated me no matter who writes them. But her new book, Prime Time Romance, sounded promising, so I decided to give it a chance. And it was just the balm I needed after yet another string of disappointing reads. While a lot of the teen drama references went over my head, as that’s not really my genre of television, and I did have some frame of reference for them, having grown up during the 90s and 2000s. And Carson’s Cove in and of itself is a fun homage to both the cozy small-town with a lot of drama and the now-ubiquitous concept of remakes and revivals, albeit with a magical twist.
Brynn is fairly easy to resonate with, given her nostalgia for this old show, as it’s something I can connect with even without that specific medium meaning anything to me. Her investment in the storylines and the characters feels infectious, and given the shambles of her real life, it’s hard not to relate to her wanting to escape to something more predictable and simple.
Josh is not a fan of the show, so he’s harder to really feel invested in at times, but I like that he was along for the ride as a bit of a “fish-out-of-water.” And the jokes about him being a bartender in real life, and then being shunted off to be one in the Carson’s Cove universe were gold. And I’ll take some minimal development of the love interest in a consequential way over things “resetting” by the end so nothing matters but the female protagonist’s personal development.
While Brynn in particular did sometimes get a little “lost” in the character, on top of Josh not having a ton of personality, I did root for Brynn and Josh throughout, and their romance grew organically. It’s a bit cheesy and even predictable, and Brynn is the one who has to figure out what happily-ever-after looks like, but I had a big smile on my face as it came together nonetheless.
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to readers looking for a slightly magical homage to teen dramas.

This was a really fun read - perfect for anyone who has had a TV Crush in their teen years.

I have a hard time with things like this premise: being transported to her favorite TV series...but this worked. This was fun, light and I loved the romance that seemingly came out of nowhere. I loved our two main characters, their partnership and eventual love.

So sweet and fresh!

Thank you for the ARC.
I enjoyed the small town and magical realism aspect. I thought the plot was really fun and the romance was cute!

Imagine waking up one morning to find yourself playing the lead in your favourite soap opera, in the town you have loved to watch. This is exactly what happens to Brynn and her roommate Josh. But Josh is the bad boy in the soapie and not the one she's meant to be with...or is he?

If you know me then you know I'm not a big magical realism fan BUT this book was written so well with a cute storyline, that I couldn't help devouring it. I loved seeing the relationship grow between our two main characters while they also dealt with their soapie love interests. The ending did feel a little rushed and I would have liked a bit more build up to the grand gesture. I haven't read Kate Robb's first book, This Spells Love, so I look forward to going back to read his one next.