Member Reviews
Robb’s debut is in my top five favorite reads this year so I’m sad her second book didn’t meet my expectations.
:( This was a great lighthearted read, but not memorable. Josh was my favorite character and I loved watching his & Brynns love story come together. If you need a pallet cleanser or looking for quick read that involves magical realism, this would be perfect.
The concept of this was so unique. Like most of us, the main character has a comfort show. She finds solace in during difficult times . So on her birthday when she wishes for an easy life like the characters on that show, she doesn’t realize she’s going to be transported there.
I love the idea that not everything even our favorite show is as a perfect as it seems and sometimes the things we really need are what we least expect. I think the book took a little too much time and emphasis. building the characters from the TV show and I wish we had more focus on the love story but overall I enjoyed it.
Brynn is newly divorced and lives with her roommate Josh. A birthday cake is delivered one night for her birthday and she makes a wish. The next morning, she wakes up in Carson Cove, her favorite 90’s TV show. Josh is there too but they are not Brynn and Josh. Instead they are the sweetheart and the bad boy.
Fun light read. I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick, fun read.
Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced digital copy.
It’s Gilmore Girls, meets Dawson Creek. It’s all of our favorite things about 2000s tv rolled into one.
I personally fudging loved this (😉). The concept was so different and it gave me all of the nostalgia we all love from old tv shows. From Gossip Girl, to Riverdale, to the Cinderella Story, to Dawson Creek and Gilmore Girls. It was a refreshing change to the “typical” small town/ second chance romances.
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc. Sorry for not finishing before it was released but this book is OUT NOW!
A little bit of mystical magic has Brynn and her roommate Josh waking up in the town featured in her younger self's favorite show, Carson's Cove. It's Brynn's 30th birthday and she's been in a funk since her divorce a couple of years earlier. She's been reliving her youth watching over and over again the Carson's Cove show that always resolved the weekly conflict. However, the show's final season was never made and the show wasn't neatly tie up. While visiting Carson's Cove, Brynn takes on the persona of the lead female character and wants to give Sloan the HEA with the show's main male character Spencer. In order to get back home, to the present, that's the course Brynn needs to take but during the course of their time in this fictional town, Brynn and Josh discover the Carson's Cove isn't all perfect.
Thanks to @thedialpress for the #gifted copy of this book.
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Summary: Brynn is no stranger to heartache. She's newly divorced, with a roommate she doesn't know to try to make ends meet. Her favorite nights are to rewatch her favorite 2000's teenage drama where everything always turns out just right. So on the eve of her 30th birthday when a cake mysteriously shows up, Brynn wishes for a happily ever after. The next morning she discovers that she and her roommate, Josh, are in her favorite TV Show, Carson's Cove.
Thoughts: I loved the movie, Pleasantville, so when I saw this book I was so excited!! As I was reading, I could see how much this book was inspired by that movie. I devoured this book!! I fudging loved it!! Josh and Brynn were complete opposites, but both learned so much while stuck in Carson's Cove. I absolutely loved that Josh had never watched the show before so he always had to ask Brynn clarifying questions, especially since he was town bad boy Fletcher. It was so nice to watch Brynn learn that happily ever after isn't always what you thought it would be, and to open her heart to options she never imagined. I'm so glad we had a dual POV in this one, so we could see how each of them was doing while in Carson's Cove.
Ahhh be sure to add this one to your TBR. It was by far one of my favorites this year!
Read if you love:
🕰️Magical Realism/Time Travel
💞Roommates to Lovers (hardly know each other)
📺The movie Pleasantville and 90s TV dramas
🥰Swoony MMC
🤩No 3rd Act Break!!
This was a fudging fun time!
Brynn is turning 30 and her life is not what she thought it would be. That all changes when she wakes up in Carson’s Cove, the (seemingly fictional?) setting of her favorite comfort television show. Brynn and her roommate Josh have to fill in for two of the characters and give them the endings they deserved - or else they may never make it back home.
I loved the premise for this novel and it really hit me with the nostalgia. The author notes that there are little bits of Dawson’s Creek/The OC/Pleasantville to be found in Prime Time Romance and as someone who grew up loving all of those things I can definitely see it. The town was almost a character itself and I could easily buy that it was a real place. Brynn easily slips into Sloan’s shoes, but it doesn’t take long for her to realize what she thought was perfect might not be. I loved her as a character and the choices she made for Sloan’s ending. While I thought the romance with Josh was way too rushed (it would have been at least more believable if they were friends before they woke up in CC), I did like him as a MMC and was happy to root for him.
*Small town and all of the shenanigans you’d find there
*Roomates to lovers
*All of the ‘90s/2000s nostalgia!
*A little bit of magic
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. I can’t wait to check out this author’s next book.
Prime time romance was such a fun read. Newly divorced Brynn makes a wish on her 30th birthday and teleports to her favorite comfort TV show. I really enjoyed all of the late 90s - early 2000s references to iconic shows and characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC for this book.
- 3.5 Stars
Prime Time Romance was a book I needed some time with. I read the first few chapters and then processed it for a few days because the premise takes quite a bit of suspension of belief to buy into. I'm not sure if it's my crush on Pacey from Dawson's Creek that kept me going, but I am glad I continued.
Brynn and Josh's lives are a bit of a mess. Brynn is self-medicating after her recent divorce by watching reruns of her favorite show "Carson's Cove" on repeat. After a bit of a disaster night out, Brynn makes a birthday wish and wakes up in the real Carson's Cove with Josh. I really liked the build-up of the twist and how a typical romance does a 180 right into fantasy territory - but I wish that Brynn and Josh interacted more to help build up their relationship. The magic is never explained, and maybe I read too many sprawling fantasies, but I would have loved some more world-building as we headed into the final act.
Overall this is a quick read, is light-hearted and fun, with a little twist of magic.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Imagine being transported into your favorite television show and living out the main character's life. I adored this premise because I have felt the same way at one point in my life. This novel alternates between Brynn and Josh's point of view. Both are characters that you can fall in love with. Brynn is struggling with her new life which means the loss of her best friend after her divorce and a roommate, Josh. Josh is a bartender struggling with the loss of his father and his family's bar. They both get transported into Brynn's favorite television show that was canceled years ago. What follows is a magical rom-com that I adore.
There were so many moments to fall in love within this book. This is a great romance with some steamy scenes. It also has great characters that you are rooting for as well as a dash of magic. There is also a wonderful message at the heart of this book. I highly recommend Prime Time Romance. It is one of those books that you can escape with and feel happier because you read it.
Thank you to Random House Publishing/Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for this Arc.
A perfect, fast-paced, cozy weekend read. It was pleasantly predictable, like a warm hug. As a lover of the movie *Pleasantville*, I was hooked from the beginning and easily binged it in one day.
The FMC was highly relatable. We all read about happily ever afters and grand gestures, but like Brynn, I would be mortified if my partner ever tried to serenade me at karaoke or organized a flash mob.
I love that the author includes a list of Easter eggs at the end of the book. Even without having watched *Dawson’s Creek*, I could tell immediately that Carson’s Cove was inspired by DC. However, I didn’t pick up on many of the other small connections to teen dramas that the author made. This additional tidbit was perfect.
And if that wasn’t enough, I love that Kate Robb included a recipe for the Bake A Wish cake at the end of the novel. Books that include recipes will always have a place in my heart 🤍
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted on Goodreads and Instagram on 9/8, linked below
I’m sorry, but I could not finish this book. I had heard such great things about this author and was so excited to read this, but once they got to Carson’s Cove and there was that weird dialogue with the guy at the diner… I just couldn’t keep going. I’m
This was made for all of us fans of WB/CW teen dramas! It blended that sweetness with some of the magic of "13 Going on 30" and some sinister "Pleasantville" creepiness. The Easter eggs throughout were so fun and the MCs were wonderful characters. It was a really fun read from start to finish!
I give this book 3.5 stars.
This was an interesting book. I read it in one day, so it caught my attention fully. I loved the idea of getting put into your favorite TV show.
Josh was my favorite character. He was so down to earth, and I liked that he acted like himself regardless of what the character from the show would have done.
I had a few issues with the book that made it lose a star. For it being 15 years after the show ending, two characters didn't seem to grow. Poppy was still acting like she was in high school. Spencer made everything about himself and looks. Neither were acting like someone who is over 30.
Another issue I had was the sex. I typically don't care if it is in a book or not, but I feel like it needs to enhance the story. It seemed like it happened to fast and out of the blue. They didn't talk before being put into the show, and it seemed like they just jumped right into bed instead of learning more about each other.
Overall it was still a good book.
I was given this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted on goodreads starting Jul 12, 2024.
The premise of this book was so interesting! However, I did find the execution lacking and disappointing.
Brynn is a recent divorcee who is trying to navigate this new phase of her life, and start over fresh. She happens to have a roommate named Josh, a bartender, who moved in when her little brother moved out.
On the night of her 30th birthday, she receives a random cake from a stranger and when she makes a wish for "a perfect life", she gets magically transported into her favorite comfort television show from her teenage years called Carson's Cove that she grew up watching. Josh also gets transported, and together they have to figure out how to complete whatever mission they need to in order to return home.
What I liked:
-there were cute moments of banter between Brynn and Josh, and I liked how their friendship started to develop
-I found Josh's backstory to be quite interesting, and would have loved more about it.
-some of the characters in the show world were quite interesting
-I loved that Luce and Sloan/Brynn bonded and developed a friendship!
-I like the spin of making the perfect guy (Spencer) as the unattractive choice and Josh/Fletch the bad guy as the perfect guy for her.
-An overall happy ending.
-the book paid homage to a lot of classic television shows I know and love! Dawson's Creek, Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill and more.
What I didn't really enjoy:
-the romance felt so rushed and a little non-existent. if we had more time seeing Brynn and Josh bond and get to know each other, or if their friendship became established way before they got transported into the show world, I would have found it more believable.
-the explicit scenes felt out of place and a little...wrong? it's probably because they were dropped into a family-friendly PG rated show with no cursing, so when things went down, it felt as if it didn't fit the overall narrative
-some elements were quite predictable
-Sheldon, the guy who was responsible for having them transported into the show, started to feel very dark and eery and this romance novel started to feel like a dark horror book.
overall still a fun read!
Brynn and Josh are living every TV journalists dream by getting sucked into their favorite throwback teen soap. The beginning of this book is so fun and I was so enthralled, but it starts to drag in the middle. It's obvious from the start that Brynn and Josh are meant to be together, so the work around of trying to hook her up with Spencer just feels tedious. Having that unnecessary and see-through obstacle in the way just made it feel too long until Brynn and Josh finally got on the same page. It's a cute read, but I found it frustrating from mid-way until the final act.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Newly divorced Brynn lives with her roommate, Josh, and escapes into her favorite 90s soap, Carson’s Cove. After wishing for her own happily-ever-after on her birthday, she wakes up inside Carson's Cove with Josh.
Now playing the roles of the show's sweetheart and bad boy, Brynn and Josh must decide whether to stick to the script or let real love rewrite their story.
𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
✨ 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮
❤️🩹 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬
😍 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦
📺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸
🏘️ 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯
𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
🎥 𝗜𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰
📚 𝗔 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ʙʏ ᴀsʜʟᴇʏ ᴘᴏsᴛᴏɴ
𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
Picture your go-to comfort movie or TV series. That early 2000s romcom that never fails to put a smile on your face, or the sitcom re-runs you watch when you need to escape reality for a bit. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 does a great job of capturing that nostalgic feeling and how important comfort films and shows can be. Escaping into familiar stories through books, movies, and television is sometimes just what you need when times get tough.
I absolutely loved the concept of this story, and overall, it was a great quick and easy read. There was a good mix of humor, sweet moments, some self discovery, and some more serious moments. I enjoyed Brynn’s growth- I was happy to see her confidence developed post divorce. I wish there had been a little more depth to the other characters, though. I found they they felt a little flat overall. I also was left with a lot of questions at the end of the story.
All in all, this was a really cute read! I love Kate Robb and was very excited to read this one. I can’t wait to read more of her magical books in the future!
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗯, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.
𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (𝟯.𝟱/𝟱)
𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🌶️ (𝟭/𝟱)
So perfect for today’s day and age when we get so wrapped up in romance in the media. What a cute story about finding love again and such a good millennial connection to Dawson’s Creek!
This book is for anyone who binged the CW shows, love the movie 13 Going On 30 or had a crush on their next door neighbor. I thought it was super cute!
puh-lease!!!! this was so fudging cute!!!! it’s nostalgic, a tad sinister, and extremely charming. it felt like one of the trickster episodes from supernatural (my fave!!) and i adored the teen drama aspect. the only minor negative thing i have to say is it lacked build up, both between the main characters and the tv show development, in the first few chapters that could have made this a perfect read for me
even so, this book is sooo fun and sweet. i loved this spells love when i read it last year, but prime time romance def solidifies kate robb’s spot on my fave romance authors list!