I was very lucky to get an ARC of Meredith Schorr's romance novel "As Seen on TV". Thank you, NetGalley!

The story of Adina Gellar, a twenty-something journalist in NYC living with her mom, is inspired by Gilmore Girls and a twist on the Hallmark and romance trope of a city girl falling in love in a small town, in ways that made me think back to Emily Henry's new novel "Book Lovers," which I adored.

I loved Adina's relationship with her mother, her best friend Kate, and her pursuit of a story in Pleasant Hollow. The love story with Finn was so sweet, and I'm really impressed with what the author did reflecting on how to communicate with someone who you are dating. While the Gilmore Girls's "Year in the Life" let us down when it comes to Rory's career and character development I was so happy that Adina stays committed to herself and to building a career that is meaningful and economically sustaining. I do think the writing could have been more "Show Don't Tell" and a bit tighter without repetition, but since it's a debut novel I'm curious to see how the author will develop with her next book. She clearly has a sense of place and knows how to write a romantic story about modern dating.

This gave me all the Hallmark and Gilmore Girls feels that I could want in a story! As Seen on TV showed how love can be messy and beautiful all at once.


Thank you #Netgalley for an early read of #AsSeenOnTV

I first read this perfect summer read back in December, and finished again yesterday afternoon.

Let me just say again - As Seen on TV is the perfect summer read! Meredith Schorr has an incredible way of telling a story which makes you feel like you are right there with Adina Gellar on her journey to see if real life can actually play out like all the Hallmark Movies she loves watching with her mom.

When Adina (an aspiring writer) finally gets her chance at a full time writing gig - she hops on the first train to a quaint upstate NY town to chase a story and see if her dreams will come true. Will she find that hot local resident and fall in love? Can she save the town from the “big bad” developer? Or are all her Hallmark Movie theories going to be thrown up in the air only to come crashing down with the realization that real life isn’t quite like the movies - at all?!?

When Adina arrives, she quickly meets Finn at the B&B she is staying at. What follows throughout the story is a developing flirtation, relationship, and some fun romping in the sheets scenes. Finn isn’t just a pretty boy - he is a character written with some depth to him and has a backstory which will see him grow as a person during the story. Readers will find themselves rooting for the Adi and Finn HEA as they are adorable together.

I have now read every one of Schorr’s novels - my hope is; readers who are new to her go find her earlier novels. Her books are all great, fun, laugh out loud, and romantic - just what you need to get you through the summer!

An absolute 5+ star review!

My thanks to the publisher (Forever), Author, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is total Hallmark Movie fan fic! In the first part of the book, the main character was a little overwhelming with her love of Hallmark movies/tropes and this is coming from someone who has seen every Hallmark movie ever, ha! But then the story started to develop and I actually found her really endearing and her amplified love of Hallmark movies really moved the plot forward for an enjoyable ending. I liked her story ARC and character development. I thought this was a really cute read and I enjoyed the references to specific Hallmark movies sprinkled throughout. If you aren't the biggest Hallmark movie fan, you might want to skip this but if you like cute romances with some steam mixed in, I'd recommend this.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I loved everything about this book! The characters were fantastic. The references of Gilmore Girls, Sex and the City, and New York living had me sucked in from the very beginning. I was 100% rooting for the main characters' love story. If you are looking for a fun summer read, I highly recommend this book!

This was a really cute read! I love a small town romance and I loved that this was about someone seeking out that charm and discovering it’s not as idyllic as the movies make it out to be. Funny and heart-warming, definitely recommend.

Adina Gellar, an up and coming journalist, has given up on the dating scene in New York City. If Hallmark has taught her anything, it’s that she’ll find the man of her dreams in a small town filled with quirky townspeople and harvest festivals. When a big city real estate tycoon targets the small town of Pleasant Hollow for development, Adi jumps at the opportunity to write the story that will guarantee her spot at a popular online magazine. And what better place to find the man of your dreams? Adi quickly discovers Pleasant Hollow isn’t exactly “pleasant” after all. When Adi falls for the enemy, is it possible that Hallmark got it all wrong?

Are you a big Gilmore Girls or Hallmark fan? If you are, then add this one to your TBR! Unfortunately, this just wasn’t the book for me. I couldn’t relate to Adi and she really got on my nerves a lot. I felt like she was trying too hard to force Pleasant Hollow to be something it wasn’t. The romance was very hot and cold, then hot again. But I did love Finn’s grand gesture at end. So sweet! On the bright side, the writing was fun and the story moved at a decent pace. Lots of pop culture references! Thank you to the author and publisher for my e-ARC!

Overall cute read, cozy like a Hallmark movie or watching Gilmore Girls. I'm always a sucker for books with small town vibes and some good banter. This one was good!

This is my first time reading her book. I always enjoy reading any small town romance book, and it makes no difference if it’s the author's first debut book.

I don’t know how I feel about this book. I’m kinda conflicted on how I feel. Like this book had the potential to be a good romance book with its small town romance vibes. But yet, I find myself bored reading this book. There were too many parts that were dragged out. It should have been straight to the point about the female character finding love in a small town setting. Instead, we were stuck reading about her struggles with journalism while also struggling with love as well. It was too much back and forward for my taste in reading.

If you're looking for a great follow-up to Book Lovers, this is the perfect summer read for you! Another adorable take on the Hallmark movie trope, As Seen on TV finds Adina, an aspiring NYC journalist, relocating to a small town in order to report on what she thinks is a slam dunk story. What she finds instead, is a pretty boring town, a nice real estate developer, and maybe a little bit of romance? This book was a little bit cheesy and quite a bit heartwarming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I was drawn to Meredith Schorr’s new novel As Seen on TV as soon as I saw the comparisons to Hallmark Channel movies and to the Gilmore Girls, two of my favorite things.

Adi Gellar works as a freelance journalist in NYC. She’s hoping to land a permanent writing position at an online magazine, but so far that hasn’t panned out. That frustration, coupled with rising rents in her apartment building and a serious lack of good dating prospects has Adi feeling jaded about big city life.

When the opportunity arises for her to temporarily relocate to the small town of Pleasant Hollow to write a story about a real-life Hallmark-like small town, Adi can’t resist. And maybe if she’s lucky, she’ll not only write a story good enough to land her a permanent writing position, but she’ll also find someone worth dating because isn’t that what always happens in those small town Hallmark romances?

I loved Adi and sympathized with everything she was up against in NYC, but, man did I get a laugh out of what happens when she rolls up in this small town with her Hallmark expectations. Not only is there nothing charming about Pleasant Hollow; the people aren’t even nice! Then she meets Finn, a nice guy in Pleasant Hollow that she considers to be excellent boyfriend material only to learn he actually lives in NYC. Haha!

It’s such a reality check for Adi as one by one, all of her assumptions about idyllic small town life are turned upside down.

Adi, although flustered by how completely wrong she has been, is smart and resourceful and I enjoyed watching her regroup in order to try to meet her writing deadline.

The relationships in this book were a huge draw for me, not only the amazing chemistry between Adi and Finn, but we also get to see how close Adi is with her mom. I adored their scenes together.

If you’re in the mood for a charming, feel good romance that has a fresh take on the small town romance trope, you’re going to want to check out As Seen on TV.

I thought this was a really fun adult romance! And I think it's perfect for Hallmark fans! Overall, I would definitely recommend to people who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

As Seen on TV was super easy to binge! Adina Gellar is feeling some major burnout in her life. Dating, living, and working in NYC has pushed her to her limits, and the Hallmark-movie superfan is ready for some big small-town changes. She pitches a story that seems made for the movies she adores– big-city real estate guy targets small town for huge development. With her boss's blessing, but her own small budget, she heads to Pleasant Hollow with hopes of breaking the perfect story to catapult her stagnant journalistic career into success.

Adi quickly finds Pleasant Hollow is anything but. From rude residents to lackluster dining options and nonexistent festivals, Adi is grasping at straws to find an angle for her story. So far, the only decent thing she’s found in the small town is Finn Adams. He’s handsome, charming, and helpful, but despite pouring out her heart and soul to him, Adi finds herself wondering who Finn really is.

I enjoyed this story so much! There’s great Jewish rep, plenty to learn about reframing expectations, and cute banter to keep romance readers satisfied. It’s a much more realistic look at real-life small-town living, but still has the charm you’d expect from your favorite rom-com movies. (Content warning for parental death (off-page), alcoholic parent, and verbal abuse.)

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for a digital review copy!

I really liked the premise for this book. The small town of Pleasant Hollow felt a bit like Stars Hollow in that there were some kind friendly people, but then there were the grumpy Luke's and particular Taylor's. I liked that Adina dreamed big and hustled while working towards her dream career. I thought Finn was a great character who had a hard past and present with his father. Together I liked Adi and Finn for the most part. There were a few times when I thought they were a bit wishy-washy, but I guess that's relationships though theirs did move rather fast.

I enjoyed the side characters of Kate and Adi's mom more than those in the town. The people in Pleasant Hollow didn't add as much to the story as I thought they would.

If you like Hallmark type romcoms, you'll like this book.

This book had all the promise of things I love - namely, Cozy small town charm and Hallmark movie references. The idea behind the novel is to throw those things on their head and show us that perhaps things aren’t like they are as seen on TV.

Sadly, this book was a miss for me. I found myself wanting to get it over with fast. The MC was hard to root for - Adina is 25 and living with her mom for free as she tries to get a job as an entertainment journalist in NYC. When her original pitch for an article doesn’t pan out, Adina tries to create a story in small town Pleasant Hollow that will get her a f/t position at a digital magazine.

The MCs lacked chemistry, and the connection they did have felt too strong too soon. I know that’s rich coming from me because that’s the foundation of a romance novel - many of which I love, but this one was just a bit too far for me to get on board with.

On a positive note, I thought the book’s romantic grand gestures were cute and enjoyed reading those 💜

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heat Factor: It’s got its moments of heat but it’s not a rip-roaring fire of a book.

Character Chemistry: They’re very real characters–so their chemistry isn’t overpoweringly “meant to be” but it’s adorable the way they work through things together.

Plot: Adi is desperately chasing a story that could make or break her career–and on the way she stumbles into Finn, a dreamy project manager whose company helps lessen the blow when her whole project falls apart.

Overall: This is a very relaxing and sweet read, which makes sense considering Hallmark movies are an integral part of the plot.

This book opens with Adi in New York City, desperately trying to find something to write about that will launch her writing career. As it is, she’s piecing together an income with three different jobs while still living with her mother in an apartment that they’re about to be priced out of. While moping one night, she stumbles across an article about a small town a few hours outside New York called Pleasant Hollow, where a developer is working to build a high rise for commuters. She immediately thinks about Hallmark movies and pitches an idea to her editor about a real-life Hallmark movie scenario, and rushes off to Pleasant Hollow to fall in love with small-town life.

Only the small town isn’t like the small towns on TV. It’s like small towns in real life. It’s boring, the people aren’t quaint and charming, and most of them are either ambivalent or excited about the upcoming developments. Enter Finn, the project manager for the development company, who is actually the most supportive and charming person in town, and Adi is essentially out of a story.

Finn’s not actually interested in a relationship because he’s carrying the dead weight of his alcoholic father’s dysfunction. And Adi is really struggling under the impossible pressure of her own perfectionist thinking. So it’s not a huge surprise when the story falls apart and so does their blossoming relationship.

The story is really about letting go of expectations and learning to live and love with what we really have. It’s a very sweet and charming story, with very real characters–they’re not idealized and sweepingly perfect. On the other hand, the story Adi ends up coming up with was really actually kind of underwhelming, and so the subsequent ending was kind of out of place for me. I really loved their reunion and mutual grand gestures–it was very sweet.

Ultimately I felt like it was a nice book even though it wasn’t utterly gripping–which wasn’t, I think, the point. Much like a Hallmark Movie, it’s easy to read, sweet, and very low on stress. Which is sometimes just what you need.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

As Seen On Tv
By Meredith Schorr
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this book! Adina, the main character is done dating in the big city. She wants romance like she sees on tv, which they are usually in small towns. A career opportunity takes her to a small town. Excited to meet friendly people, she goes to this small town to find out that maybe romance isn't like the movies portrayed.

As Seen on TV feels like a Hallmark movie with a twist! Adina is a city girl who moves to a small town expecting the quaintness and pleasantries that she's seen on TV. But lo and behold, Pleasant Hollow doesn't live up to those small-town expectations.

Really cute and light-hearted read. Loved the rom-com feel of this book and the budding romance between Adina and Finn. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

3/4 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

This was a very middle-of-the-road book for me. Nothing really stood out to me. I enjoyed the Gilmore girls/ hallmark aspect that this involved. I could see where the author had inspiration. However, I felt very bored while reading this. The romance was just okay, I didn't really feel a lot of passion or chemistry between the two characters. I also wasn't the biggest of the main character. I found her a little annoying and wasn't the biggest fan of her personality. Overall it was a very okay book.

Right from the synopsis I knew this was my kind of book 😍 and I don’t think I could’ve been more smitten 💕

I LOVED the Hallmark & Gilmore Girls references, & the humour was 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Adina was perfect! I loved getting to know her, & watching her go after her dreams ☺️ even when her ideas got ahead of her sometimes. Kate was the perfect BFF & I could see her and I being great friends! And Finn with his grand gestures 😘😘

I am a sucker for all things romance, & this swoon worthy story was exactly what I was hoping for! Thank you @readforeverpub @netgalley for the early copy 💕💕 it is OUT NOW!

Overall verdict: A cute, funny, slightly spicy romcom, filled with tummy flippin sweetness, the best BFFs, & some self discovery 💖👏🏻