4.5 stars! I read an arc of this spells love and I loved the authors writing then. I was excited for this one and it did not disappoint. I got the pleasantville vibes right away and also Gilmore girl vibes. I have never seen the Dawson creek which is why I didn’t feel those.

It was a cute rom com and fun take on it. It’s an easy and fun read and I will defiently recommend!

This was a magical and fast paced read. I really enjoyed the story from the startt and will recommend it to friends!

I love how the start of this book reminded of a movie! I really enjoyed the 90s nostalgia throughout the book. I

A light romance that i enjoyed whilst reading it (and read the second half in one go). I appreciated that unlike most romances I've read recently, the two main characters didn't have a massive fight, but I do feel it could've been stronger if they'd banded together to solve their shared problem. Instead, Brynn pretty much deals with it alone.

There was also no hidden reveal or lore or whatever to why or how the two were inserted into this television world, which was a bit disappointing. Like, who or what was Sheldon? How did they end up in the Cove? I guess it was magic.

Overall, a fun read as a palate cleanser between heavier books, or for a bit of escapism on a summer holiday.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 • 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗯
★★★★.𝟮𝟱

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
- Romance
- Magical realism
- Love letter to beloved 2000s television series
- Roommates to lovers
- Love triangle
- Dual POV

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Brynn’s looking for her happily ever after and the only place she can find it right now is in her beloved television series Carson’s Cove (based on Dawson’s Creek). What follows is a birthday wish that sends her and her gorgeous roommate, Josh, to a parallel universe where Brynn needs to win the heart of Spencer to get her happily ever after. However, as sparks begin to fly with the wrong person, Brynn begins to wonder whether love on screen can ever compare to the real thing.

I absolutely loved this. It’s witty, magical, fun, and full of awesome little Easter Eggs of all of our favourite television shows. I loved the tension between Brynn and Josh and how it seemed to grow.

This is a lighthearted romantic comedy that screams “pick me choose me love me” (iykyk) and as a sucker for immersive television shows, I was sold. Although with the magical realism and the premise, I really wish I caught a Charmed Easter Egg, so if anyone else did I’d love to know!

𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀
“𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.
𝘐 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵.
𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦. 𝘕𝘰𝘸, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥.”

I thought this was a really fun read. I loved all the little Easter eggs to teen dramas (Chad Michaels was a particular favourite) and how it really gave off that frothy teen drama vibe. I liked how all the expected archetypes were there and how they all followed their expected storylines. Bryan and Josh were such a fun dynamic and how that evolved against the backdrop of Carson’s Cove. Yes it was predictable, but part of the magic was in everything working towards an happy ending (on multiple levels) even with a few curveballs thrown in.

This wasn’t my usual type of book, but I thought I would give it a go.

It wasn’t bad as such, but it was a harder book for me to get into.

I couldn’t really engage with the characters of the plot so I found it a challenge to keep reading. It was well written, just not my thing. I am sure it would be popular with plenty of others.

What happens when a birthday cake is randomly delivered by an unknown but slightly familiar looking delivery guy, you make a wish and wake up in your favourite series (which was cancelled on the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers) along with your roommate and now have to give the main character the happy ever after they deserve but never got to get?
But whilst you’re playing out your teenage dreams of giving Sloan and Spencer their rightful ending, you start falling for the wrong guy!

This is pure 00s and 90s TV and film nostalgia in a book. The story is full of subtle references and nods to popular shows at the time (think Dawsons Creek, Buffy, Riverdale etc). I think this is why I tore through in it 24 hours 😂

It’s a predictable story. From the beginning you know how everything will play out. Nevertheless it was still a fun read!

I did feel like the romance aspect could have been covered more, as for me it was quite rushed. I would have liked to have seen more relationship development between Josh and Brynn.

It’s definitely one to read for a refreshing take on romance and for the throwback vibes ✨

This is everything I love about reading romance and I’d give it ten stars if I could! A brilliantly original concept - waking up inside your favourite teen comfort TV show and you’re the main character - this is a smart, funny and spicy story that has its tongue just enough inside its cheek. Highly highly recommend if you love Dawson’s Creek, Riverdale and everything cheesy telly.

I really enjoyed this fun, easy read romance.

I love a book that provides whimsical escapism and that’s exactly what this was. I love the great gatsby vibes… was it a dream??

I do have a couple of things that confused me though…. I felt like Josh just got thrown in there as they were in need of an MMC but I felt there wasn’t enough backstory of Josh and Brynn to make it as strong as it could have been.

Secondly I’d have loved a bit more background on Sheldon… why did he randomly appear?? Why did the wish get slightly twisted and why was he threatening them so often/a little sinister? I didn’t understand why he cared so much, if it was her wish?

I loved that Brynn worked hard to do the right thing throughout the story, even though the choices were difficult. I liked seeing Josh reignite his passions again and I loved Sherry as a side character!

Also as a millennial, I really enjoyed the Easter egg hunt as the end of the book… so much nostalgia from my teen years!

Anyway, overall I really enjoyed this book and I couldn’t put it down! Definitely worth a read!

Thank you Net Galley for this e-ARC

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the supernatural element mixed with the romance and Kate Robb did an excellent job of capturing the nostalgia or late 90s/early 00s TV shows.
My only slight criticism is that the 'magic' is never explained, but that just adds to the mystery.

What if your favourite tv show was cancelled before the characters got their perfect endings? Imagine you got the chance to be transported there and fix all those mistakes that lead up to the unsatisfactory storylines. But somehow you ended up there with your roommate and starting to fall for him instead of fixing all the ending was not supposed to be a part of the plan…

I absolutely loved this! I loved this spells love when I read it last year so I already had high hopes for this one and I can say it definitely did not disappoint with its magical and romantic plot! Brynn and Josh were both great and the chemistry between them was sparking the entire way through this as they went from roommates to more.

✨ dual pov
✨ friends to lovers
✨ magic
✨ he falls first

REVIEW
cw: grief, brief mention of pandemic,
A young divorcee finds herself in the ideal world of her favourite 90s nostalgia TV show, in this second-chance romantic comedy

When divorcée Brynn and her roommate Josh are interrupted from binge-watching her favourite 90s TV show on her birthday by a mysterious stranger, they wake up in the seemingly idyllic small town of Carson’s Cove, the location of the show Brynn loves, in the body of Sloan, the main female character. She can't swear. She's tasked with giving the characters the ending the fans wanted, but were robbed of by its sudden cancellation. But is falling in love with the man of her (teenage) dreams all she hoped for?

This was a pretty cute read and such a fun premise. If you grew up invested in the lives of fictional teen characters, as I did, you'll immediately be able to spot several of them here. And, while I very much enjoyed the nostalgia of the similarities between Carson’s Cove and several VERY famous 90s and 00s teen dramas, there were a LOT of similarities (with quite a few of the episodes Brynn watched described in great detail). It took up a lot of the first half of the story, and while, yes, there were a lot of fun Easter eggs, I think a lot might go over some reader's heads. I liked Brynn and appreciated her journey. The story flourished when she began to reassess a lot of the plotlines in the seemingly sweet, nostalgic TV show, through a more mature, more experienced, and modern lens, and the realisation that the wholesome angle wasn't representative of real life and that she needed to learn to trust herself. I loved how she dealt with that realisation, and especially how she grew closer to Josh and treated Luce at the pageant.
I loved Josh. He was such a sweetheart, and my heart broke for him whenever Brynn/Sloan obliviously chased after Spencer early on. But his story ARC felt authentic, and through the lens of the brooding bad boy 'screw up' of Carson’s Cove, I loved how found the courage to face his grief, fear and previous failure. The romance didn't begin until just over halfway through. Still, it was worth it once we got there. I loved how caring Josh was, and the ending, though a little rushed, was satisfying.
There were some interesting supporting characters, all within the fictional Carson's Cove. I really loved Luce, and the friendship she and Brynn developed was lovely. Her strawberry wine sounded DELICIOUS, but I found myself wishing she'd appear at the end. I loved Sherry and her snark. But I also loved her advice for Josh. Sheldon gave me Wanda Maximoff vibes, and while I liked the resolution, it didn't really explain how he was able to manipulate things.
Though I was left with questions, and felt some parts were a little superficial as well as having huge potential for more swoon, I enjoyed this unique story.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️.5
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own*

Favourite Quotes:

...I like this feeling that she’s got my back. That we have this ability to communicate without actually saying anything.

...Every time I eat a strawberry, I subconsciously think about her, and now I wonder what else she’ll ruin for me once I taste her.

She’s a clammy shade of white. Definitely sweating. Her hair is wild, and she smells a little like barf. And f**k, I think I really like her.

"Carson’s Cove is a television show. Sure, it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but it’s not the end of the world. And that’s why there is fanfic. You can dream up any ending you want.”

“Don’t worry about me,” I tell him. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”
He tightens his arms again. “We take care of each other.”

“I just didn’t want to be hurt again. And he seemed safe. He didn’t make me feel at all.” Emotion swells in my chest. “But when you were out in the water, I realized losing you would feel way worse than anything else I could imagine. Because being around you is the best feeling I can imagine."

“Don’t forget,” I whisper. “When you go back. Don’t forget me, okay?”

“I want messy days that make me appreciate the really good ones, and I don’t so much mind that feeling of hitting rock bottom because it makes me appreciate that I’m a tough-a$$ b**ch capable of crawling out of it. Divorce, despair, having my entire life pulled out from under me and tossed into a new dimension—I can take it."

Ahh Kate Robb has done it again, a wonderfully whimsical romance that's full of magical realism.

What to expect:
✨️90/00s nostalgia
✨️Easter eggs nods to your fave 00s TV shows
✨️Second chance romance

Brynn whilst trying to get fully over her divorce and move on makes a wish for her life to be exactly like Carsons Cove, her favourite TV show that she has binged obsessively whilst she was going through a bad time. Honestly this is so relatable we've all definitely been there. Everyone has a comfort series they go back to, and for Brynn it's Carsons Cove.
Her roommate Josh gets dragged into the TV show too, by the mysterious Sheldon, who wants Brynn to complete the last season of CC and make her character (Sloan) end up with Spencer. Sloan and Spencer were the IT couple of the show that never truly revealed their feeling for each other. It's 15 years later and Brynn has a chance to end the TV show how she always thought it was meant to be.
But what if the perfect guy isn't the one for her? What happens if it's her hot roommate Josh? And what does that mean for the CC storyline?

Brynn soon learns that whilst life in CC might look idyllic and perfect, it's anything but.

I just adored all the references to the TV shows of the 00s. The plot moved along so quick I read this one in a day. If you're looking for something nostalgic, cozy and fun this could be for you!

3.5 stars
This was a fun read which I enjoyed more than I expected. I loved the premise and I liked the characters, the plot and the romance. The book was well-paced and it didn't feel like an insta-love which I'm super grateful for. My only real critique would be that I wanted more in the ending. I wish there'd been a few more chapters, I will definitely read more by this author.

Overall, I'd recommend it to anybody who loves romance with magical realism.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the stories in this book. Loved every single second reading it.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publishers for allowing an e-arc copy of this book, In return for an honest review.
Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me, and I had to DNF at 18%
The whole blurb sounded right up my street (hence requesting this book), however when I began to read I’m not sure if it’s the writer’s writing style or something else (my mind set, my anticipation of the story), but it just didn’t grip me how I hoped it would, and I really struggled.
I really wanted to like this story, and who knows maybe I will pick this book up again in the future and really enjoy it.
I wish the author and publishers all the best with this book and truly hope it does well for them.
Happy Reading!

I thought the plot line of this was unique, there were times it dragged a little however was enjoyable overall.
Not quite enough romance for my liking however is a fun, easy read!

This was an incredibly fun read, I had an absolute blast. The plot line of being placed in to your favourite show is such a unique concept and one that I could only dream of! It was extremely nostalgic and I loved the little nods to iconic tv shows throughout. The romance was perfectly executed and unlike any other, the build up and the pining was literally everything you could ask for in a tv show and Kate gave us that with our lead characters as they explored a fictional world where they was never meant to be. I'm really enjoying Kate's stories, she has such a unique taste for storylines and they're my most favourite kind of genre so keep them coming!

Remember that time as a teenager when you discovered that one show that resonated with you on a cellular level? You adored everything about it! There was that one character you just knew you'd have an instant, raw connection with if you met them in real life. You were certain that if you lived in that universe, all your problems would melt away. What if you actually got that chance? Would you take it? And more importantly, would everything turn out as perfectly as you envisioned?

Prime Time Romance explores this tantalising premise. It follows the story of Brynn, a newly divorced 29-year-old struggling with the social isolation that stems from losing the communal friend pool post-divorce, and Josh the roommate Brynn had to take on to afford the mortgage on her now single wage. Finding life and the merry-go-round of building a friend circle too trying, Brynn slips back into the comfort of her favourite teen soap Carson’s Cove. Its endless reruns bring solace in the way that everything always works out and people always get exactly what they deserve. So, when Brynn made a wish for her 30th birthday thinking that’s what she wanted for herself…. She wished for exactly that.

Thrown into this new reality, both Brynn and Josh get the chance to explore their true desires, ones they've been too afraid to pursue in real life. Watching their personal growth gives both characters a very satisfying character arc. The romance unfolds in multiple layers, echoing themes of "be careful what you wish for" and "don't overlook what's right in front of you." Yes, the story can be predictable, but in the best way possible. It's not overly dramatic and may be a touch subtle for some, but fans of slow-burn romance will find it utterly charming.

Author Kate Robb clearly had a love of 2000s soaps and this shines shines through in the multitude of Easter eggs scattered throughout the book, offering a delightful nostalgia trip for anyone who fondly remembers their own teen-soap obsessions. It’s a smart move as readers become engaged with the story filled with their own feelings from the same period in their life. It really helps with deepening their connection to Brynn's story.

I love how the book challenges the simplistic views we often hold about our favourite shows. It reinforces the idea that people are multidimensional, not just defined by a single characteristic. It gives you the same feeling as the first time that you watched Dirty Dancing and realised that Baby’s dad was actually quite reasonable.

Overall, Prime Time Romance is an easy, enjoyable read. The characters' growth is satisfying, the romance is sweet and subtle, and the backdrop of teen drama nostalgia makes it the perfect holiday escape.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Publishing for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own.</i>