Brynn and Jack are roommates but don't really know each other or run in the same circles. That is until they wake up in one of Brynn's favorite 90s TV shows Carson's Cove with the task to give the stars their happily ever afters they never got after the series was inexplicably canceled. But what Brynn and Jack soon find out, is that the intended HEA's might be different from what the characters want 15 years later. Will they stick to the script, or will real love change the story forever?

This was such a fun concept for a book. It was giving "A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston, but with a TV show instead of a book series. There was an influencer who was watching old shows and highlighting all these things that didn't age well or we thought were normal back in the day but is really cringe now and this book kept reminding me of that. Yes, I love some really cringe-comfort shows but never would I ever want to go live in one. I loved that we got some dual narration here between Brynn and Josh. Between Brynn knowing everything about the fictional town and Josh knowing nothing, it was a fun contrast. This was a light and fun read!

Read if you enjoy small-town, friends-to-lovers romances. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 9/3

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC of Prime Time Romance in exchange for an honest review.

I have a new auto buy author of Kate Robb. I read her debut book This Spells Love and loved it from the very start. And it was the same for Prime Time Romance. Kate Robb has a way of writing books with a 2000s Rom-Com vibe with magical realism so perfectly!

Robb captured the essence of wanting a TV show that ended with a huge cliffhanger suddenly to have it's happily ever after only for the main female character Brynn/Sloane to realize it's not all that it was meant to be. There were parts of this book that had me laughing out loud and highlighting passages as well.

I highly recommend this for any one looking for a 2000s Rom-Com Magical Realism book when this comes out on September 3rd!

This book is for those who grew up in the 1990/2000s and swooned when they saw “ask me to stay” written on a wal, the ones who dreamed of eating at the Peach Pit, the girls who knew under the bad boy exterior lies a heart of gold, and the ones who seemed comfort every evening starting at 8:00 watching their favorite worlds come to life. This book is nostalgic while being a unique standalone because the author brought some unique touches and really loveable characters to her book.

This love story had my heart from the moment I opened its pages. Brynn is the sarcastic, relatable, and quirky heroine that I just love in a book. She is as real as it gets and her problems are ones that every person has struggled with in one way or another. She was the perfectly flawed lead to match with Josh. Josh is the epitome of the “bad boy” that every girl loves. He doesn’t say the right things and has some emotional baggage he is carrying, but when he loves he loves with this whole heart. He’s there when you need him the most and cheers you on to be the best version of yourself while also loving you for who you are. He doesn’t need the grand makeover to know your beautiful, he’s just there in the background waiting for you to notice him.

This book was everything I needed and more. It was fun and entertaining with enough depth in the characters backstory to make it not a fluffy romcom. And yes, it’s cheesy at times but that’s the beauty of this book and the nod to a generation of TV shows that it embodies. I loved all the Easter eggs and I especially loved the very end of the book where the Easter eggs are explained.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC

I had a genuinely good time reading this book. I'm loving all the recent novels based around people getting trapped in a world from their favorite fiction (see: Lost Story, A Novel Love Story, and Fang Fiction.) It was a pretty quick read, the dual POV and shorter chapters made it easy to get into it and just keep flying through. I've seen some other reviews where people were loving the start and didn't enjoy the rest, but I didn't have that same experience. I thought it was pretty well done throughout. My primary complaint was rectified later in the story, so I really don't have anything negative to say here. Was it the most original story I've ever read? Definitely not, there was even a guide in the back that discussed all the references through the novel. Was it a good time? Absolutely. I'd recommend to anyone that enjoys happy rom-coms and doesn't mind a sprinkle of predictability.

The cover and the book description sucked me right in!

Brynn and her roommate, Josh, get sucked into her favorite teen drama show, Carson's Cove. Carson's Cove ended its series with loose threads and a magic spell gets them to pick up as 2 of the characters 15 years later.

Brynn becomes Sloan and she was the main character of Carson's Cove. Josh becomes Fletch. He was the "bad boy" in their teens and doesn't have the best reputation. It's Brynn's assigned mission to give Sloan the happily ever after she deserved by falling in love with Carson's Cove hunk-next-door, Spencer.

Is the "perfect lifestyle" everything Brynn thought it would be? You gotta read to find out!

I laughed at Brynn's and Josh's attempts at cursing while in the idyllic little town - "What the fudge?!" I loved the friendship that grew between Brynn and an "enemy" of Sloan's, Luce. I really enjoyed this book and now I gotta read the author's other book, "This Spells Love."

As much as I loved reading this, one glaringly annoying detail that is part of the reason why I'm giving this 4 Stars is a continuum error. Brynn loses her purse and her phone at the beginning of Prime Time Romance however there are a couple of references to her USING her phone even though it's LOST!

Dual POV
1.5 Spice
Roommates to Lovers
Nostalgia (90s & 2000s)
Small Town
Magical Realism

Many thank yous to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Kate Robb for the e-ARC of Prime Time Romance.

I absolutely LOVED Kate Robb’s debut novel THIS SPELLS LOVE, I remember reading it last October and if I can remember a month I read a book on then you know it’s memorable.

In Kate’s latest her main character is post divorce, adjusting to single life and her birthday nonetheless… she wakes up one morning on the “set” of her favorite comfort show Carson’s Cove, she’s not alone her roommate Josh is there too and everyone there knows them, not by there name but by the characters in the show…

Stick with me.

I know this sounds bonkers but Kate Robb does magical realism beautifully and I felt fully invested into this wild story that I wish I could have happen to me 😮‍💨 Jersey Shore!

Thank you Dial Press Trade Paperback and PRH Audio
Release 9/3

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/

Kate Robb is back again with her magical realism romance, this time centered on a magical birthday wish dumping our main character into the picturesque town from her favorite show where she can live happily ever after.

I had mixed feelings on Robb’s first book, This Spells Love, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was a very easy read and felt like the perfect length (fittingly almost like a 30-minute episode of a cheesy romance show).

Josh was literally perfect and Brynn had wonderful growth and their chemistry felt real. I loved Luce and Brynn’s friendship, I always feel like friends are pushed to the side but it’s nice seeing it. Robb is great at writing men that actually are desirable and I loved that she poked fun at the “crunchy” Cali stereotype.

What bumped it off of five stars is just my ick at minor plot holes. She says “bitch” in her final speech, why was Josh even brought with, I never understood what she saw in Spencer originally (maybe because he was always described as kind of gross). Just some inconsistencies that irked me.

I love this book with the fictional TV town. It was so fun to read. I loved how it shows that maybe our favorite teen shows weren’t as perfect as we think they are. I loved the magical aspect of the book and the relationship between the FMC and MMC was so real. If you loved teen dramas, this book will give you all the feels.

4.5 stars. This book is fudging adorable.

I marathoned this book in pretty much one sitting. It was the perfect homage to the teen shows that shaped us. I've been moving further and further away from YA & new adult literature because I just can't relate to the protagonists anymore, and this cute little romance book perfectly encapsulated my feelings on the subject.

It's essentially the film Pleasantville if they ended up in Dawson's Creek instead of a 50s show. And I'm absolutely in love with it. I had such a fun time reading this book and cannot recommend it enough to anyone who made sure they were home on specific nights to watch their teen dramas. (BTW mine was The O.C.).

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Robb, & Dial Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked Kate Robb’s other book (This Spells Love) but for the life of me, Prime Time Romance could not hook me enough and I ended up DNF-ing it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a cute book. How many times have I dreamed of actually being in my favorite shows town? A million. This book answers the ever present question of is living your favorite tv show’s live actually idyllic or is it missing the entire point of truly living?

We follow along as Brynn, after going through a very rough patch in life, magically ends up stuck in Carson’s Cove along with her roommate Josh. They must navigate the characters lives and bring the show the Finale that it deserved in order to go back home and as usual many hijinks ensue. It had me laughing and smiling the entire time. I loved how raw it felt at times but also pure joy and excitement when Brynn finally starts listening and trusting herself. The ending was great and I really wasn’t sure how it was going to end which I liked!

I really liked the concept of this book! Brynn been recently hurt by her ex husband and doesn't know if she'll ever feel safe loving again. She finds solace and escape in her favourite teen show (based on an amalgamation of shows from the 90s/aughts but heavily inspired by Dawson's Creek). She loves the way everything works out the way it's meant to in the show. On her birthday she makes a wish that goes wrong and ends up in the show standing in for the main character, and her roommate Josh is stuck in the shows world with her too. Neither of them can go home until Brynn gives the main character ( Sloan) the ending she deserved after the.shows cliffhanger ending.


I think this book had a great mix of fun and introspection. I liked the reflection on how maybe some things from the show didn't age well, and the realization that just because everything worked out for the main characters didn't mean that everyone else was happy. The concept of the book was fun, the romance was a bit rushed but it was sweet. All in all I'd definitely recommend this book for a light romcom especially if you're a fan of CW style teen shows!

ARC REVIEW
Prime Time Romance
By Kate Todd

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (3 out of 5)
Publishing date: 9/3/24

Brynn is freshly divorced and living with a roommate, Josh. No one knows it's Brynns birthday, so it's a bit odd when a cake is delivered late at night. The next morning, Brynn and Josh both wake up in the fictional world of Carsons Cove, which is Brynns favorite television show that ended abruptly. Brynn and Josh are given the opportunity to give Carsons Cove the happy ending it deserves... but at what costs?

Initially, this started very strong, and I was loving it!! I was super into the magical realism and fake TV land. But about 60% in, I started to notice my mind wandering. It wasn't holding my interest.

I wish their was more Brynn and Josh romance. The little bit of spice between the two was good!

This was just an "meh" read for me. This isn't one I'll go out of my way to recommend.

But as always..thank you @netgalley
And @thedialpress for the chance to read this one early!

Kate Robb’s newest novel, Prime Time Romance, has a very intriguing and fresh feeling premise. Once again she’s tackling magical realism and wishes, but this time tying in a nostalgic 2000s type tv show vibe (a la Dawson’s Creek or the like).

The read definitely gave the whole early 2000s teen drama meets Isn’t It Romantic type vibes. Things that really stood out for me would be the writing and our MC - I think Robb definitely has a way of writing that really grabs me. I also really enjoyed getting to know our FMC, she felt relatable.

While the read is definitely a quick one and has kind of the charming, quirky vibes of a Gilmore Girls, etc it wasn’t quite what I had anticipated. Not sure what I was expecting going in, but this wasn’t a perfect match for me in terms of magical realism and the romance was not quite what I was looking for either. For me that aspect felt a bit rushed.

I think it was a cute premise and an easy day read by the pool. I definitely see the appeal and can easily see this one finding its audience.

I unfortunately did not love this one. I never had an issue getting through it, but I felt it was a little too silly and didn't have a major character development like I would've wanted.

Josh and Brynne were a cute couple together, but I couldn't figure out why they actually had feelings for one another. They go from living together, yet barely interacting, to suddenly being in love with each other.

I do think people out there will enjoy this one, I just think it wasn't for me!

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

DNF @ 21%

Unfortunately this isn’t for me.
While the first few chapters were extremely promising- fantastic writing, relatable FMC, romantic intrigue, once we got into the TV setting I just couldn’t continue with this. I found the premise, as well as the dialogue and characters to be too cheesy and on the tip of the nose for my liking.
I can see where the story is going in terms of depth and themes of grief/moving on after suffering hard times, etc but I am the vibes just aren’t pulling me in to continue.

Thank you Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

I read this book word for word so that I wouldn’t miss a thing, I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the concept and characters. The pace was super quick and I liked that quite a bit. Prime Time Romance follows Carson’s Cove-loving Brynn and her roommate Josh, when Brynn makes a wish to have her own happily-ever-after. The premise is that the TV show that Brynn loves so much didn’t get the ending its characters deserved because it was left unfinished, so the next morning after the wish was made, Josh and Brynn wake up in beds that aren’t their own, in a fictitious town in which they are forced to be characters (not too different from their real selves, but having to deal with the pressure that came with being forced to be and live someone else’s life) and give them their own ending according to a script. And I loved that so much! At first, I was a bit wary of Josh’s character, not because of what people think him to be, a failure, but because I didn’t know how this love story was going to go. I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied in the ending!

3.5⭐️

Charming and delightful! Robb blends magical realism and nostalgia so wonderfully and I love how her stories revolve around wishes and second chances after realizing that perhaps the grass wasn’t greener on the other side and embracing the messiness that is living.

I really enjoyed how Robb’s storytelling leaned into and highlighted how the “predictable storylines” in the shows we watched (and perhaps rewatch), gave us a place where we could be seen while growing up and even hope and comfort in times of uncertainty. As someone who loves classic romcoms and the classic teen dramas on The WB, this was such a fun read to escape into and I relished every pop culture reference.

I do wish the ending hadn’t been quite so rushed, I would’ve loved to see the resolutions explored more.

I LOVED this book! This book combined everything I loved from A Novel Love Story and Funny Story into one perfect romance. Recent divorcee, Brynn, wakes up in the town from her favorite 90s teenage soap, and her roommate Josh is with her, except they’ve taken the place as two characters in the show. The magical realism concept of this story was so relatable, we can all agree we’ve wanted to live in our nostalgic teenage shows!

Reminds me a lot of Teen Beach Movie but with a show that was more akin to Gilmore Girls (?) (I haven't actually watched GG, but that's the vibes it gives me). I liked the concept and I think it could become a good adaptation, but it just wasn't that memorable to me. It is still a fun read though and I'd still recommend it to people.