I liked this book but didn’t love it quite as much as This Spells Love. I did enjoy the creativity in terms of the storyline and the characters. I LOVED the references in the back and the recipe. It adds something really personal, memorable, and tangible to the story! I think I would have *loved* it if I had grown up watching Dawson’s Creek or a similar show. I would definitely recommend for anyone that watched Dawson’s Creek and/or loves a friends-t0-lovers story!

I will continue to read Kate Robb’s books since I love the creativity she adds to her romances! It is something new and fresh!

I want to start out by saying I adored this premise. Getting sucked into a 2000s teen drama a la Dawson's Creek? Fantastic. Brynn being a 30 year old divorcee who binge watches her comfort show she watched as a teen maybe a bit too much to cope? Relatable. She just wants everything to work out like it does in her favorite show. Which had a controversial cliffhanger ending. So, when her birthday wish to live out that sort of life comes true and her hot bartender roommate gets dragged into the show with her, shenanigans are bound to ensue, right?

Well.. sort of? Here's where I get into spoilers/what didn't work for me. The side characters often felt paper thin. The supposed love interest of the show was boring. Bland. Vanilla. But sugar-free diet vanilla, not that rich, comforting flavour. Poppy, the alleged best friend character, just SUCKED. She was just a mean girl hiding behind "Besties forever". And I get that was sort of the point. However, then we get characters like Luce, who was Poppy's rival in the show. I love Luce. I want to be like Luce. Luce has tings she's passionate about. She has a farm and genuinely just wants to live her life. She's fun and nice to Brynn/Sloan. Why did Luce get to have depth but Spencer and Poppy didn't?

And then there's the- what do I call him? Antagonist? Plot device? Macguffin incarnate? Whose name is Sheldon. Apparently he's like this infamous extra who is often seen in the background of the show. Somehow he shows up and drags Brynn and Josh into Carson's Cove and pulls the strings? But he also might be a real person? Dude was creepy. And I think we either needed to lean into that or pull away from that. Because his very existence implies there might be answers of how this works. And no, you aren't getting answers on how we get from real world to Carson's Cove.

Onto the romance. How did I get a slow burn that also felt rushed? There's supposed to be tension because Sloan (played by Brynn) is supposed to end up with Spencer, the golden boy. But Brynn's real world roommate is playing bad boy Fletcher. One of these men feels like a real human being. The other feels like a cardboard cutout. Josh has drive an charm to him. He validates Brynn, listens to her, tells her when this all seems absurd. He tries to make the best of things. And Spencer... exists. I just wanted some actual tension. For it to be an actual struggle at some point.

Also, there were some 2000s-isms that I understand why they were there, but they really put me off. There's a makeover scene. Quintessential teen drama makeover, right? For a pageant. Where Poppy, the former star cheerleader drags out FMC Brynn to the salon for the BIG MAKEOVER. What does that entail? Straightening her curly hair and bleaching her brunette hair blonde. There are also some comments made by Poppy about Brynn's weight that did not sit well with me. I know the setting was the world of a 2000s teen drama, but that felt kinda gross.

Oh. And the ending. That felt RUSHED. Like I was at the final fifty pages going "How the heck are we tying up all this in 50 pages or less?" By rushing through it. Most everything got tied up. I wouldn't say neatly. There are still some questions left unanswered. (How did Sheldon pull any of this off? Did Brynn get canned from her job due to disappearing from the world for a week? Didn't anyone notice our two MCs were missing? How'd Josh get the money for the auction for his dad's bar?)

Also there's a running through the airport scene. Not literally, but you know exactly what I mean. One character runs to tell the other that they love them and all might be lost if they don't make it in time. Except, there are no stakes for that scene. Both of them are back in the real world at that point. It's only been a week. Why wouldn't Josh still want Brynn?

The writing itself was alright. There were a few too many pop culture references for my liking. But I don't really have any complaints about the writing overall.

This steamy rom-com story is about a divorcee and her male roommate end up in her favorite teen soap TV show. I had a hard time connecting with this story and got a little lost at times.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5/5.

Honestly, in the beginning, it was a book I had almost no interest in reading and I did put it on hold for a little while until I picked it back up again. However, when I picked it back up and continued to read, I found myself really getting immersed into the world the author sets for us. I even found myself falling in love with some of the characters (with Luce being my absolute favorite one)!

The romance in the book itself is very sweet and pretty slow to burn, which I absolutely loved. I didn't mind the magical vibe of the book where the female lead's wish actually becomes true and she finds herself in her favorite TV show - the realistic part of my brain was fighting off every single magical element so hard trying to make sense of it all. But it just works and it's just a fun story to read!

This was very enjoyable, I loved the main characters and their dynamic, it was very cute and relatable. It was unique and creative, and they did a great job of making the characters seem realistic.

🎧Song Pairing: I Don’t Want To Be - Gavin Degraw (Iykyk)

💭What I thought would happen:

A little birdy told me to check way out of reality so I’m guessing the main character from a show comes to life…kind of right?

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Think Pleasantville meets One Tree Hill (or Dawson’s Creek but I never really watched that). Okay I am aging myself with those references 😂

I swear Kate Robb and I are soul sisters. Her writing style, pop culture references, and love for Pinot in a Yeti mug…I see you girl 😂

Twas a fun delight! Would recommend 💕

Read if you like:
✌🏻Dual POV
🩷Have an unhealthy attachment to a tv show
🍺Bartenders
🔮Magical Realism
🤬Get offended by salty language (OH FUDGE!)

3.5 rounded up.
This book is for those who found yourself into the 90’s shows like Fawsons Creek, Party of Africa etc. you have a comfort show that you love based in the late 90's to the early 2000's (shows like Dawson's Creek and the like) and wish you were a character then this is a great book for you. I enjoyed this book but did have to push myself to push through some long parts and British humour I did not understand. I will say it is well written and many readers will love it and it was entertaining and sweet with a touch of spice.

4.5 ⭐️

29 year old divorcee, Brynn, is trying to get back out there but is failing miserably. After a particularly bad date on the eve of her 30th birthday, she finds herself out at a club she has no business or desire to be in. A club that just so happens to employ her newish, very unfamiliar but spectacularly hot roommate. After Josh helps her get home, Brynn resumes her happy routine of rewatching her favorite comfort show, Carson’s Cove, in her snuggly. But when an unexpected Uber Eats worker delivers a birthday cake, she wishes for a life like her show — no unexpected plot twists, just happy endings.

When Brynn and Josh wake up the next morning to find themselves thrown into the set of Carson’s Cove, they must pull together to give the show the happy ending it never got to have or risk being stuck there forever.

Oh man, I loved this book! It was cheesy and romantic in the best way. But the premise of the book truly kept me guessing the whole way. I found myself completely unable to put this one down. And the beach/sunshine vibes are perfect for the upcoming season.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

-birthday wish gone wrong, roommates, duo pov 🎬🎂💫
-such a unique storyline and fun read that *literally* sends you back to the series you watched as a teen
-Josh and Brynn were a cute couple and I enjoyed their relationship
-thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

3.8⭐️

This book is so adorable and sweet. It's like taking a trip down memory lane, back to the late 90s and 2000s- pure nostalgic bliss!
Brynn Smothers is a 29 year old divorcee who has sworn off love after her divorce to her ex-husband Matt. She does not want to get hurt again. On her 30th birthday, she receives a cake and makes a wish. The next morning, she and her roommate, Joshua Bishop, wake up in the last place they'd expect- Carson Cove.
Brynn has been obsessed with Carson Cove, a television drama show, ever since she was a teen. It's very much like Dawson's Creek or One Tree Hill, and it has been her coping mechanism for as long as she remembers. However, when she wakes up, she is not Brynn, but instead, she is Sloan Edwards, the main character of the show. She is tasked to give Sloan the happily ever after she deserves. That is the only way she can leave and go back to her real life as Brynn. The only problem is she starts falling for her rookie, Josh, and he is not Spencer, Sloan's love, but instead, he's Fletcher, the bad boy.
This read was so cute and refreshing! It was like a jump back in time, and it was great watching Brynn evolve and change her views on love while learning that there isn't only one path to happiness. Great read!
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Kate Robb for this heartfelt read!

I enjoyed reading this for the 2000s TV nostalgia, but the romance in this was really lacking. It had a lot of potential, but then fizzled out in the second half. If you are someone who loved shows like Dawson's Creek and you need an easy read, it's worth a read for the nostalgia alone.

I really enjoyed this book by the author! I loved the unique story of the two main characters being transported to the female main character’s favorite show and the plot that the author set up for it! I loved that it took a slightly different direction within the context of the show’s setting in that the main characters within the show don’t get together but allowed for the main male and female characters to get together. Overall this was a very cute read and one I enjoyed!

Thanks @thedialpress @netgalley and @kate_robb_writes for the chance to read and review an early copy of Prime Time Romance, the forthcoming romance by Kate Robb comes out on September 3, 2024.

Newly divorced Brynn's life is not at all how she pictured it. On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, she's roommates with Josh, a cute, but mysterious bartender and spends a lot of quality time watching her favorite comfort show, Carson's Cove. So when a birthday cake shows up at her apartment, she makes a wish to finally have her happily-ever-after. But when she (and Josh!) wake up in Carson's Cove, they're not Josh and Brynn--they are Sloane, the town sweetheart, and Fletch, the town's bad boy. Will Brynn find her HEA or write her own story?

This book was SO MUCH FUN. I highly recommend pre-ordering it.

Steam: 🔥🔥
Tropes: speculative, friends-to-lovers, love triangle

This brought me back to 2000s teen dramas and I was here for every second of it! This was a cute fun story that was a quick read!

Add it to your TBR now because we all need a book we know we can pick up when we just need a quick fix.

Quick. Easy. Light. If that's what you're looking for, this is your read.

I think we've all wanted to be transported into our favorite TV show at some point in time. Not The Walking Dead ... I'm talking One Tree Hill, Dawson's Creek, Gilmore Girls. But what would happen if we were ever given the chance?

That's what our main squeeze has to sort through. What happens when you are transported into your favorite show and now YOU are the main character? Do you really want to be friends with the head cheerleader? Do you really want to end up with the cute boy next door that was your blond heartthrob as a teenager?

This was just what I needed for a quick pickup. What I wish it had? A little more substance. A little more tension. Our main squeeze is a divorcee. With a hot bartender roommate. I don't think we needed the TV transportation, but if we're going to do that let's dive into the existential crisis a bit more. If we're going to threaten a dark side in the show then let's really go there. In a town where everything always works out and the main character never has much of a back bone, the tension was a little lacking. But that's OK... sometimes that's what you need. So if you're in that boat where you need all the good stuff without any of the bad drama or angst -- check this one out!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a love letter to 2000s teen dramas, and I'm here for it! And with a lil magic twist? So fun!! This story has a ton of nostalgia, so if that's your thing, you're going to love it.

Not only do they enter Carson's Cove, they become Sloan and Fletch?! That part was wild to me, and maybe the only thing I wished had changed!

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

Prime Time Romance is a wholly original (difficult thing to do in the romance genre) multiple dimensions love story that is born from a passion for the small town teen dramas that were on TV during the 1990s and 2000s. My teen drama of choice was Gilmore Girls, and everytime Robb mentions to town's gazebo in Carson's Cove, I got a flashback to Stars Hollow, and it gave me this deep comfort. Is the romance in Prime Time Romance a 5 star romance, not necessarily. But was Prime Time Romance unique, entertaining, quirky, and kept me on the edge of my seat, yes. So that's a success in my book. I didn't know immediately how the plot was going the unfold and I loved the character growth both Brynn and Josh go through.

I'd give Prime Time Romance 4 out of 5 stars.

Brynn is newly divorced and struggling to find her place in the world. After making a wish on a mysterious birthday cake, Brynn and her roommate Josh are transported to one of Brynn's favorite places, the fictional world of Carson's Cove. And even more mysteriously, Brynn isn't Brynn and Josh isn't Josh. Brynn is Sloan, the golden girl of the town and Josh is Fletch, the notorious recluse and bad-boy of Carson's Cove. In order to get back home, they have to finish the storyline as intended. But they experience a few bumps along the way...

I was a little uncertain going into this book - I loved the premise but I just wasn't sure what I would get. Let me tell you, I ended up LOVING IT. I was completely invested from the 1st page. Brynn is a great MC, with a strong personality and so many likeable qualities.. I also loved Josh from his introduction, he walks Brynn home so she doesn't end up on the train alone, he watches her favorite show with her. Josh is a sweet guy, you can just tell.

Carson's Cove is a charming, romantic town full of all the things we love about TV shows. I thought the town was a completely wonderful place for the story to take place. The story is a great reminder that things aren't always as they seem.

The slow build between Brynn and Josh is what really drove the story forward, despite the "roadblock" that is Brynn's need to drive her relationship with Spencer forward. I like Brynn and Josh's banter, their ability to find safety in each other and they each grow exponentially throughout the story.

Plus - who doesn't love a fictional & real happy ending!

Thank you Random House & NetGalley for the ARC, can't wait for everyone to read this one!

I couldn't get into this one. I feel like I can tell what the third-act conflict will be, and it's not something I look forward to. DNF around 30%.

There’s something special about those small town TV dramas! For this one think- Dawson’s Creek meets One Tree Hill meets the OC, then sprinkle a healthy dose of Pleasantville and you’ve got Prime Time Romance.

I absolutely loved it and although there were hints of so many of my old time favorites, it was awesome and completely its own.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARc! Now excuse me as I go binge watch Dawson’s Creek!!