I am a city girl. To the point where I didn't even learn how to drive until my 30's, and that was under duress. I love NYC life. The convenient public transportation, the ease of obtaining kosher food, the wide array of entertainment and museums that I rarely partake in but find joy in knowing they are there. So when Adina, protagonist of Meredith Schorr's contemporary romance As Seen On TV bemoans that dating in a big city is nothing like the quaint small town life she views on the Hallmark channel, I rolled my eyes. Delightfully, so did Adina's mother.

However, Adina's Mom is a paragon of virtue and still supports her daughter as Adina journeys to the small town of Pleasant Hollow to chase a story she hopes will help her break out as a journalist. Adina, a lifelong Hallmark romance fan, has pitched an article about the small town being usurped by a big bad developer. Except, upon arrival, she discovers that small town living isn't always that great and the Pleasant Hollow residents are either apathetic or welcoming to the development that might bring more opportunity and variety to the town.

I actually did feel sorry for Adina as her dreams of pie eating contests and snowball fights were crushed, especially since this spelled disaster for her journalism career, but I couldn't help my glee when it turned out the only date-able guy in Pleasant Hollow was Finn, project manager for the development that turns out to be not so big and bad after all. As Adina and Finn reminisced about their favorite NYC establishments, many of which I have personally patronized, I found myself rooting for the couple.

A pivotal scene in the romance occurs over Rosh Hashana dinner and fans of casual Judaism will be pleased to note that Adina's religion is sprinkled throughout the book in a way that is organic and real. I was thrilled to see Adina find her way both as a reporter and as a couple with Finn, although the writer in me cringed at both her epic self-sharing in her articles and her subsequent decision to read the comments. Luckily she had a nice group of family, both found and biologic, to lean on. Friends she made despite living in the big city instead of a quaint small town.

#Review As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

As Seen on TV seemed like a fun, promising story, and the first third of the story was great. A struggling 25-year-old journalist who can’t seem to land a full time writer job? Sign me up! I was really relating to Adi’s character until she actually got to Pleasant Hollow and saw that the town was nothing like she saw in Hallmark movies and Gilmore Girls.

Adi made up in her head what a small town should look like based on Hallmark movies and did little research into town life before pitching her story and got frustrated when it was nothing like she expected. As she struggled to find a new angle for the story, she was still hanging onto that original pitch and doing the most to manipulate the town so that it could fit HER story. I struggled with this aspect of her being a journalist, she seems like she still needs basic journalistic ethics class.

Her romance with Finn started out really cute, but as the relationship “progressed” I found it forced and unbelievable. Finn did not deserve a second chance with Adi after being extremely rude and dismissive several times two days into their relationship.

What I did like about the story is the way that Adi at some point finally lets go of trying to force HER story and started to let the story come to her. Her mom was so lovely and supportive to her, I loved that.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

sadly could not get into this book. I was confused by the character introduction in the beginning, it felt like I was missing something.

What’s a freelance journalist to do when the small-town-comes-together-to-fight-corporate-greed story she hoped to write in order to land a permanent job just isn’t true? Adina has to decide how far she’s willing to go to make this story—and her own love story—work. Meredith Schorr turns the typical Hallmark movie premise upside down in this smart and amusing romance.

***DNF AT 32%***

I had high hopes for this one: combining Hallmark movies and Gilmore Girls….a girl can dream right? This is like the opposite of Hallmark, small town charm, which I’m assuming was the point. Adi is a NYC girl who has big dreams and unrealistic expectations of small town life. I liked her to a point. However I struggled with her naivety and how she kept trying to make everyone she encountered fit into her Hallmark narrative. It was cute for about thirty pages or so but not a third of the way into the book. I think this one fits the category of “It’s not you, it’s me.”

What a charming debut! AS SEEN ON TV has a great premise—what if you could move to a small town just like all those women in the Hallmark movies? What would you find? A handsome local, of course, and a charming town? Or is that all a fantasy? The journey is the point.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Meredith Schorr & Forever for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This will be published on June 7th.

"Love isn't always easy, but hard doesn't necessarily equal bad."

Adina is in her 20s, lives at home with mom, works multiple jobs, single and just trying to navigate life in New York City. She works part time as a spin instructor, barista and freelances for a magazine called Tea. She is constantly trying to prove herself to her editor Derek. She came up with a story idea of going to a small town that is being "threatened" by a rich businessman who is trying to revitalize the town. Adina's only knowledge of small towns is those she sees in Hallmark movies. Pleasant Hollow isn't anywhere she has ever been before. Any route she took with her article turned into dead ends. One thing she did not expect was to fall in love. More importantly, falling in love with someone who was not from the small but from the city.

I thought this book was super cute! It definitely gave me the Hallmark vibes. It did get me excited for the holiday movies to start appear for Christmas in July.

I love the relationship that Adina had with her mother and her best friend Kate. I especially loved her relationship with Finn and how supportive he was with her article. I actually was not expecting spice, thought it was going to be closed door but to my surprised there was a little.

This book started off a little slow for me. I also was under the weather so that could have played a role but once we got to the meat of it all, I was fully invested and wanted to see how Adina made out with her article. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a friends to lover, smalltown feels, fan of Hallmark/Lifetime movies and of course those who love a HEA.

3.75

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