Brynn is having a tough go with life. She's been recently divorced, lost friends and us living with Josh in order to afford rent. Her one solace in all this turmoil is watching her favorite teen soap opera, Carson's Cove with Josh. On the night if her 30th birthday, a stranger brings a cake where she makes a wish for her happily ever after. When Brynn and Josh wake up, they find themselves in Carson Cove where they have turned into Sloan and Fletcher, the main characters in Carson's Cove. What they soon find is that in order to leave, Brynn (Sloan) and Josh (Fletcher) have to give the main characters their happpily ever after.

This book gave such strong Pleasantville and Dawson's Creek vibes. I was really looking forward to this book and the premise of it, unfortunately, I don't feel like it really hit it's mark. I feel like the characters could have been more fleshed out and an ending that was somewhat more comprehensive. Regardless of that, there were some very funny moments (like not being able to swear) and spicy moments.

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Brynn is on the eve of her 30th birthday and sick of heartbreak after her divorce. Instead of getting back out there, she spends her nights bingeing her favorite teen drama from the 2000s, Carson’s Cove. When Brynn makes a wish on a mysterious birthday cake, she wakes up the next day to find herself - and her hot roommate, Josh - in Carson’s Cove. The more time the two spend in the fictional town, the more they realize they have feelings for each other - and that things might not be as perfect there as they thought.

A twist on Dawson’s Creek meets Pleasantville should be catnip for certain pop-culture obsessed readers, but how well this book works will depend on their ability to suspend disbelief. The world-building is missing something, making the jump in the narrative a bit jarring, and the romance never fully gels on the page. The characterization also feels thin, as though the people inhabiting the world are only half-fleshed out. It will likely work for readers who prefer no spice on the page, but it might fall flat for those looking for more depth in their characters and their connection. The book's highlights are definitely the Easter eggs that Robb sprinkles in, but it's not enough to sustain the novel as a whole.

Overall, it was cute book. It wasn’t something I loved, but wasn’t mad about reading this. I would be interested in reading future novels by her and would recommend this as an easy whimsical type of romance.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted e-copy.

I absolutely LOVED This Spells Love, so I was really excited to read this one! I enjoyed it, but I read it right after Christmas and I'm not sure the timing was right for me.

This book gave HUGE Dawson's Creek vibes, and I was totally here for it. I loved that show when I was in college, so it brought back some big nostalgic feels for me.

Brynn and Josh are roommates, not really friends but cordial to each other. Brynn makes a birthday wish, and they both wake up the next day living in this fictional town from Brynn's favorite show (that had been cancelled years earlier). In order to get back home, Brynn needs to give her main character a happy ending and end up with the boy next door crush.

Obviously it won't be that easy, since her and Josh have some chemistry that grows as the book goes on, but she was supposed to be having sparks with Spencer.

I really liked the premise of this book, as I loved the shows like Dawson, Felicity, etc. But there was something about Carson's Cove that hit me wrong. I'm not sure if it was because I never actually watched that show (because it's FICTIONAL and doesn't exist) or what, but I didn't like the characters, and the town itself gave me some super creepy vibes. Also the fact that this book takes place about 10 years after the show "ended" gave me a weird disconnect between Brynn and the characters.

Although I didn't like this one as much as This Spells Love, I still had fun with it, and will look forward to the next book by this author!

3.5 stars, rounded up

Prime Time Romance was just the vibe I was looking for. Cute, fun with side of feelings. Brynn is newly divorced and turning 30 and in general struggling when she ends up making a wish that sends her and her roommate Josh straight into the fictional Carson's Cove, her comfort show. This has Pleasantville vibes so if you enjoyed that movie you will enjoy Prime Time Romance. Brynn is given a mission to "fix" the ending of Carson's Cove (which was cut off abruptly a la My So Called Life). Only things aren't what they seem. As Brynn tries to give Carson's Cove the ending it deserves she starts to discover what she really wants, which appears to be in direct conflict of what she needs to do to get back home. I had so much fun reading this and seeing Brynn discover herself and discover that things aren't always what they seem.

I went into this story not knowing anything about it so it was a fun twist when I got to the morning of Brynn’s birthday. This story kind of gave me Pleasantville vibes. I mostly enjoyed it, but something about it made me a little meh.. maybe the whole Sheldon storyline?

This was such a fun read for me. As a girl who was deeply into Gilmore Girls, and Teen Wolf growing up, I would’ve LOVED to go on those shows and decide the fate of my beloved characters. The amount of investment and time put into watching a favourite tv show or movie and knowing you can choose your own adventure would truly be a dream.

Also, like Brynn, I too love Josh and that was a bonus.

This was such a charming and lighthearted romantic comedy. The story follows a TV producer who unexpectedly finds love while working on a reality dating show. With a mix of humor, heart, and relatable characters, Kate creates a fun and engaging read. It’s an easy, feel-good book perfect for anyone looking for a sweet escape with a touch of romance. Ideal for fans of light, enjoyable stories with happy endings.

I was beyond excited to read this, especially after enjoying This Spells Love. Unfortunately, despite being intrigued by the synopsis, the concepts didn't deliver for me. I wanted to like the characters so bad but something about the storyline and even some of the dialogue didn't sit right with me. It became very difficult to enjoy the story. I did not finish this one. I feel like readers who love Gilmore Girls would love something like this though, it just wasn't for me.

After reading This Spells Love, I was really excited to have the opportunity to read Prime Time Romance. Sadly, I just really felt that this missed the mark for me. I will start off with the good. I really, really liked both Brynn and Josh. I thought their story was lovely and special, and their characters were exactly what I hoped for. I'd read 10 more stories about them.

But sadly, everyone else SUCKED. Well Aunt Sherry wasn't so bad after all. But I'm convinced Sheldon is a psychopath. He could very well have been Jigsaw from Saw with how creepy he made me feel. The parts where he got extra angry just gave me the serious ick. Poppy is a mean girl, which I guess could be expected, but she was awful. I despised her and am glad that we outgrow most of our high school friendships. Spencer read very dim witted until the end.

I'm just so sorry to say that I just didn't enjoy this one. That being said, because I liked This Spells Love as much as I did, I will still pick up Kate Robb's next one and chalk this one up to bad luck.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Unsurprisingly, all thoughts are 100% my own.

Brynn's miserable due to a past breakup. She's floundering and can't keep her apt without help from Josh- a friend of her brother's stepping in as a roommate. All she wants to do is escape into the world of her favorite streaming show Carson's Cove. She wishes on her birthday cake to have her life be a happily ever after, just like in Carson's Cove. The next morning, strangely she and Josh have been transported into Carson's Cove as characters. She is tasked with giving the main character her happily ever after. Is any place or life truly perfect? Brynn of course finds that her new life isn't really a great place to be either but with Josh's help, she starts to unravel the story of her new life at the same time as she learns how to solve problems in her real one.
It took me a little while to get invested in the story since Carson's Cove isn't a real show (although it resembles Dawson's Creek I believe) but I found it fun. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This was such a sweet story. If you are a fan of Friends, Gilmore Girls, and other similar series, than this is totally your vibe. I love the way this book highlights the importance of living in the present—not the past.

The mix of small town sweetness and the sexy moments between the main characters is perfectly interwoven.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

I enjoyed this fun and fluffy book to finish my 2024 reading year. I was a fan of a lot of the TV shows the author references, so it made the book even better. Brynn had a nice evolution throughout the story, losing her starry-eyed idealism of Carson’s Cove and realizing that there was no such thing as a “perfect” place. Heads up that there were some spicy scenes about 75% of the way in.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I was interested in reading this book after reading the synopsis, but was left highly disappointed by the plot line. The characters, even the main ones, were not people I would want to root for which made becoming engaged in the story extremely difficult.

Thank you to Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. Like most women my age, I was a fan of the WB/CW early aughts shows of teen drama. This novel was a delightful takedown of the tropes therein and how problematic they are when looked at with a more modern and adult lens. Having the Pacey-like character be the romantic hero always fills my heart with joy and seeing character development. While the way the spell works to send Brynn and Josh to Carson's Cove is never explained, it does not need to be since that is not the point. Cute quick read for the end of my reading year. 4 stars.

This book was not for me. And that’s okay! I think it’s a great book but this one just wasn’t for ME.

This was such a sweet and magical romance! I enjoyed it very much. After Brynn has a terrible birthday, she gets stuck in the life of the main character of her favorite teenage TV show along with her super hot roommate. Prime Time Romance is a cute and fun romcom. You'll like this one if you're into magical realism and forced proximity.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you so much @TheDialPress for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 03 September 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Brynn and her roommate Josh wake up to find that they've been sucked into a popular teen drama TV show (Carson's Cove) because of a birthday wish that Brynn made. Not only are they in the show, but they've actually become the leading characters (Sloan and Fletch) and the only way to return to their real lives is by giving the characters the ending they deserved before the show was cancelled.

WHAT I LIKED:
- loved the late 90s early 2000s nostalgia
- a really fun concept with lots of little Easter Eggs giving a nod to Pleasantville, Dawson's Creek, Buffy, The O.C. and Pretty Little Liars
- I don't read a lot of magical realism stories but I always seem to enjoy them when I do!
- acknowledging the comfort that rewatching films and shows can bring when we need a little escapism into a predictable story or world

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- at times it read a little bit too young adult (which is kinda hard to avoid when the premise is about getting sucked into a popular teen TV show)
- most of the characters didn't have a lot of depth
- the pageant plot line dragged on a bit

✨ Publication date: September 3, 2024✨

Primetime Romance is a kitschy Rom-Com reminiscent of the 90’s and early 2000’s drama shows. I really loved the idea of this book but struggled connecting with it.

Brynn is recently divorced and has a pretty messy life. She spent several months this afternoon her husband left her binge watching her favourite drama show from her teenage years.

Josh is Brynn’s roommate. Brynn needed help paying the bills after her split with her husband and Josh needed a place to stay, they work opposite shifts so while they are polite to each other, they barely know each other.

When a cake arrives at their door for Brynn’s 30th birthday, Josh encourages her to make a wish. Next thing you know, Brynn and Josh wake up and are part of the show Brynn loves. They are portraying two of the main characters and it’s real life not a show.

Somehow they must help the main characters find the perfect ending they deserve which was cut short by the show ending abruptly. As Brynn and Josh navigate the perfect little town with the perfect townsfolk, they realize, nothing is quite as perfect as it may seem.

This story relied heavily on the kitschy dramas from the 90’s and early 2000’s like: Dawsons creek and 90210. I haven’t read this author before but I did like her writing style, I just didn’t connect with the story or characters at all. This is a 3 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #katerobb #primetimeromance