As advertised, As Seen on TV is a blend of Gilmore Girls and a wholesome Hallmark movie. It’s a bit of a Hallmark movie inside a Hallmark movie. Or the opposite of a Hallmark movie? Anyway…

Adina is a twenty-something single girl living in NYC, sharing an apartment with her single mom. They’re super close, and her mom helps support her while Adina’s pursuing a career in journalism but mostly working as a spin instructor and barista. One night, feeling despondent about her career track, she turns on Million Dollar Listing and gets inspired to write an article on a big-time developer whose building a luxury housing development in a small-town upstate. In her mind she pictures herself writing it like it was a Hallmark movie… big-town girl goes to a small town to write about a big bad developer who’s moving in and disrupting a charming community, where she is welcomed with open arms by the locals, has a meet-cute with a handsome man, writes the expose that drives the developer away and saves the town while finding her happily ever after. During a fall festival or carnival probably. Except when she arrives in town, the locals act in exactly the opposite way she wants them to. They don’t welcome her with fresh baked goods and hugs, they’re unfriendly. They aren’t fighting the new development, they’re looking forward to it. And the diner doesn’t even bake on-site! And worst of all, the handsome and charming man she hit it off with? Not a local! He’s a fellow city dweller who just happens to be the project manager for the developer. The harder she tries to get what she needs to write the story she pitched, the more she realizes that she judged a real town based on a unrealistic made-for-tv feel-good premise. And that the things she wanted aren’t what she really needs. And that man she’s falling for isn’t the enemy she’s making him out to be.

As Seen on TV is a charming rom-com with nods to our guilty pleasure of binge watching Gilmore Girls and heartwarming Hallmark movies.

Adina grew up and lives in NYC. She and her mom moved there from a small town after her dad died when she was 3. Adina finds herself disenchanted with the big city, romanticizing small town USA after watching too many Hallmark movies and episodes of Gilmore Girls. As an aspiring lifestyle journalist who cannot catch a break, she pitches a piece about a big time developer buying property in small-town Pleasant Hollow, just outside NYC.

As Seen on TV is a delightful small-town romance that follows its own path. When Adina arrives in Pleasant Hollow, she is shocked at the fact that it’s nothing like she expects. The locals are indifferent and even supportive of the new development. Additionally, she can’t believe that the locals aren’t welcoming her with open arms and trying to charm her into staying. I loved watching Adina struggle to find her way as all of her preconceived notions of where the grass is greener crumble before her eyes. It’s hilarious how she attempts to adjust by trying to make the town fit her story. We witness how Adina’s own life parallels each iteration of her story plans. It isn’t until she stops trying to force her own take on the town and listens to the citizens that she finally gets her story and hears what her own heart wants and needs.

I really appreciate that the author doesn’t fall back on over-used plot twists to create unnecessary conflict. The fact that there is so little conflict with the town and developer when Adina expects it actually is fun and entertaining. And then there is Finn, her small-town love interest. He is charming and handsome, and his only flaw… He is actually from NYC himself. It’s clear that they click from the start, but those darned preconceived ideals prevent them from thinking longterm. How they eventually get to their HEA is sweet, and worthy of a Hallmark movie.

In the end, I adored As Seen on TV. It’s the non-Hallmark, small-town romance that still manages to be a Hallmark story, teaching us that it’s good to open your heart to all possibilities and don’t judge a book by its cover.

My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot

Adina Gellar is trying. She’s trying to make it out of freelance journalism, into something more permanent. She’s also trying to find love amidst the endless swipes and sights of New York City. In love with love, Adina can’t help but wish real life was like the life she watches on TV. Where is her Hallmark Channel-like happy ending?

So when Adina gets the unexpected chance to merge the personal and professional, she naturally jumps on it. Late night inspiration introduces her to the nearby small town of Pleasant Hollow, currently being targeted for a major redevelopment. Pitching the idea to her current employer, Adina sets out to visit what she hopes to be the place of her dreams, full of quirky locals and quaint shops. Surely her HEA is to be found there as well. Be still her made for TV loving heart.

But when Adina arrives, she quickly realizes not all small towns are synonymous with the word charm. Sure there are storefronts and residents, but there’s no sense of community. Making matters worse, Adina finds herself connecting with the one person she shouldn’t. With a deadline looming and no story to speak of, suddenly real life has a longer running time than she’s bargained for. Can she pull it together before the credits roll?

As Seen On TV is the perfect rom com to digest in one sitting, not unlike the television stories it pays homage to. Spicier than your Hallmark movie, this story still manages to have a wholesome vibe that reminds readers it’s ok to watch the jaded reporter fall in love with the mysterious mogul for the millionth time. I think this is because stories like these allow us to leave real life behind for a bit, and we all can use a break from reality, especially these days.

All in all, As Seen on TV is a fun rom com that makes those of us who grew up watching (and wishing for) simple romances feel seen.

I wanted to like this book, and the synopsis sounded really cute, but the plot was so predictable that I ended up completely losing interest around a third of the way. The writing style (or maybe just the MCs inner dialogue) was just too naive for me and it wasn’t a good match. 3 stars because I didn’t hate it/ it wasn’t offensive in any way, just not the book for me.

What a charming and fun story! I really loved the characters and I loved how Adi never gave up, she trusted herself and worked hard and in the end things worked out for her. The banter between Adi and Finn was so cute! I also loved her relationship with her mom- very Gilmore Girls but all grown up. I love Hallmark movies and the idea of small towns, so this totally spoke to me. I loved everything about it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Meredith Schorr, and Forever Publishing for an Advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this cute book that follows an aspiring writer who travels to a small town in hopes of finding a hallmark type story there. Pleasant Hollow turned out to be not so great for Adina and we follow her as she meets many supporting characters who shes hoping to connect with in hopes of finding a story. This one has love, friendship, family, and hallmark type moments- it was very cute! This one will be available on June 7th, and would be a great beach read for all you romance lovers out there.

If imagining what I’ve read of this book so far as a dating profile, it would look something like “Aspiring single NYC woman looking for a small town Hallmark-movie inspired romance. I live in a fantasy world where this type of relationship exists. I’m also immature and frequently love to speak in crass ways.”

This book and I are breaking up. It was a short-lived relationship. Maybe it wanted to take things further than I did, but after getting to know about 40% of it, I can clearly see we’re not meant to be. I wanted sweet and happy, with maybe a little bit of “Ooo la la” *wink, wink* later. This book initially seemed like it was going to be that, but quickly after meeting one another it went all Penthouse magazine on me, with such enticing phrases like ‘boning’, ‘gets a lot of tail’, ‘getting drunk and laid’, ‘f*ck buddy’, ‘hot’ and ‘pound’. Be still my heart! How could I resist such romantic eloquence?

Sorry, As Seen on TV. I know I agreed to this date, but you and I just aren’t compatible. I’ve seen great feedback from many of your other dates and I’m sure plenty more will fall for your charms and swipe right. I wish you all the best!

Thanks to Forever/Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and author Meredith Schorr for the opportunity to review this ARC. It will publish June 7, 2022

I really wanted to love this one more, but the FMC seemed to be lacking in journalism skills and kept trying to force everyone and everything in the small town to fit her narrative. I DNF this, unfortunately.

This was an okay story of romance and small towns. I struggled just a bit with the overly sparkly-eyed view of small towns. I mean I loved Gilmore Girls too, but I also grew up in a small town, so I know the difference. It just seemed a little farfetched that she was truly expecting a movie-scene atmosphere. Outside of that, I didn't love the enemies-to-lovers feel between the two MCs. It felt so strained, and I just didn't fully believe her anger at him.

The perfect rom-com for a Hallmark movie and Gilmore Girls fan. Loved all the references. Steamy and funny!

Watch my Amazon Live with Meredith: https://amazon.com/live/broadcast/111009c4-85bf-4b52-aa3d-495de8182c1f?tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv&ref_=social

Thank you for an advanced copy of As Seen on TV!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: June 7, 2022

This book was a slow burn romance that had references to all my favorite things, including Gilmore Girls! I thought the romance was sweet, the plot was interesting, and the overall book a fun read. The topic(s) in the book were a bit heavier than I expected, but I didn't mind that so much. I really liked the characters, and I thought the book represented their story well.

Where I was disappointed in this book was in that it just didn't wow me. I wasn't transported into the characters' lives like I have been in other books this year (new releases), and sometimes reading the book felt like a forced activity instead of fun.

Overall, this book was engaging, but it didn't give me anything unexpected or special, which was disappointing.

Reading the description of the book I had high hopes. I was let down. Adina is a struggling journalist who decides to head to a nearby small town in hopes for a story. This small town is definitely not like the ones she has seen on tv and in Hallmark movies. I was hoping for a friendlier town. I had a hard time with this book because I didn’t like Finn at all.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Dnf

I adored the sound of this. I absolutely love small town romances but this just fell flat for me. It didn't give me the small town vibe I was after everyone felt kinda rude and boring. I guess the plot straight away and the mc was a bit to over the top for me. Lots of hallmark references which I may have enjoyed more if I'd ever seen a hallmark film to understand what the hype was around them. Sadly not for me

In AS SEEN ON TV, Meredith Schorr hilariously takes iconic small-town-tropes and turns it on their head. Adina Gellar, a journalist on a mission to earn full-time writing status at a magazine, visits Pleasant Hollow in pursuit of a story that will tug at the heartstrings of readers: a condo complex is being built by a real estate mogul in the small town, threatening to destroy its traditions and businesses. Surely Pleasant Hollow residents are opposed.

But when Adina journeys out to Pleasant Hollow, expecting a hidden gem and the type of place that is so often shown on TV and in Hallmark movies, instead she gets the opposite. Expecting sweet cherry pie at the local bakery? Nope. A charming B&B that welcomes you like family? Try again. Friendly townspeople who ask you about your life story and relationship status? Not this time. In Pleasant Hollow, it’s just a small town that actually welcomes big, new development instead of rallying together to fight it.

But what’s worse? The handsome man she meets at the B&B isn’t her movie-status meet-cute but is instead the man in charge of overseeing the real estate project. This is a fun and entertaining read, especially for fans of Gilmore Girls and Hallmark movies. Don't miss this one in June!

This was a cute, fluffy, read. A cheesy romance, but perfect to read on a summer day. Yes, parts of it were cheesy and parts were a little unbelievable, but it was cute. I do admit, a former newspaper journalist, some of Adi’s methods were a bit cringe-worthy and made it seem totally reasonable why she couldn’t lock down her big journalism job. But overall a good read.

Probably 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4..

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

You know how “they” say that to grow you have to leave your comfort zone? Adina (Adi) Gellar is stuck. Living with her Mom, working 2 part time jobs while freelancing articles that pay by the word, she’s trying to land a full time role as a writer for her favorite publication. In desperation she pitches an article and the editor throws her a challenge: write the story, get 20,000 views and he’ll hire her.

As Adi spends her time in a small town that she expects to be cookie cutter Hallmark, her illusions are quickly shattered. No festival, no bakery, nothing that she imagined. Instead she finds Finn and they start a casual relationship, at least at first. Finn warns Adi he isn’t relationship material and she eventually finds out why he thinks that way.

I liked the story, the characters and the premise. I loved that the author’s acknowledgment started out with excitement that the reader made it this far, it shows how invested she was in the book. The settings are familiar, I don’t live far from them, so I felt some of Adi’s pain. Fun story, quick read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

As a fan of Hallmark movies, this was such a fun read! Warning: it’s not the PG Hallmark movies though… There’s definitely more of an adult theme here!
Adi a struggling writer who loves Hallmark movies, happy endings, and small towns (or so she thinks). This follows her on a journey to find the perfect story to write and to land a dream job (and if she meets a dream guy along the way: bonus! ) Finn is a dream guy who comes with some baggage. The story follows the two of them on the journey to figure out if they have what it takes to live a Hallmark movie happily ever after, or learn that in only happens in the movies seen on TV.
Thanks Net Galley for the advanced copy !

Real life isn't like a Hallmark movie, and in As Seen on TV, we see that it doesn't have to be to get a romantic Happily Ever After. One of my favorite things about the story is the authors wink to all the idyllic small town shows, such as Gilmore Girls. Of course, Pleasant Hollow is the anti-quaint small town we are used to, and the contrast if a fun twist. This is a light read and I enjoyed our main character Adina who was driven and goal-oriented. The romance with Finn was fun and I was rooting for the happy ending very quickly.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to review this cute romance.

3.5 Stars. I really wanted to love this book based off the summary. Small Town Romance! Hallmark Movies! It sounded perfect, but unfortunately the story fell flat for me. I did not love Adina's perspective and felt maybe the book would have benefited from a dual perspective because I really love Finn. He was a perfect dreamy book boyfriend. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Books for the ARC.

Adina believes in all the Hallmark romances about women finding their true love when they leave the big city for a small town. So she is delighted to learn a big city developer is trying to build condos in a small town 60 miles north of New York. It's an opportunity to get another freelance byline and see a Hallmark plot in action. Only, reality may not match the movies.

I love Hallmark movies and watch them extensively in winter. So on that level, I could relate to the main character. In other ways, her voice didn't speak to me. She was quite immature, and the idea that she lived with her mother and didn't contribute to rent surprised me. In contrast, Finn had a great depth of character. But that means I didn't see the two as a great match. And some of the deeper aspects incorporated into the novel felt rushed or oversimplified.

It wasn't a great fit for me, but I recommend this for readers who appreciate small towns and grand gestures with a side of sarcasm.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.