Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to have an ARC copy of Prime Time Romance.

This is my first Kate Robb book and I absolutely adored this book.

Honestly I knew at the dedication mentioning Joshua Jackson I was going to love this book. This book takes you from the characters' reality to 90s sitcom reality. I loved all the little Easter Eggs that brought back all the nostalgia of our very own 90s sitcoms that I watched religiously.

This book to me was a fun little mix of Dawson’s Creek and Pleasant Ville with a little spice.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book or how it would all tie back together but I loved the charm and all the elements that Kate added to it. If you are looking for a nice and easy read this is perfect to add to your list.

~~~~~

The FMC Bryne has her heart broken and while she wollows rewatching re-runs of her favourtie 90s sitcom Carson’s Coves - she watches it so much that her handsome bartender room mate Josh starts to watch with her and gets involved in the dynamics only a 90s sitcom could deliver.

On Bryne’s 30th birthday she makes a wish to find love again and a perfect happily ever after. What she doesn’t expect is to wake up and land herself and Josh into the world of Carson’s Cove. Now they have to find a way back home all while playing a part in their new reality as Bryne’s favourite characters.

** spoiler alert ** The romance genre is not my first choice, but I do like magical realism, and I enjoyed This Spells Love , so I was looking forward to this one.

The premise is fun and I had big hopes for it. It was a fast read, to the point where parts of the plot felt rushed, and the resolutions of conflicts came so quickly that it was hard to truly care for the
characters' issues.

Sheldon is, once again, an insignificant extra in this story - he just can't escape his fate, it seems. He has so much potential and power that the MC sees him as "almost the devil himself" at one point. Yet he is completely harmless at the end and slinks back to her door with "please forgive me" doughnuts. For a split second there, I thought Poppy was the evil mastermind behind it all, which could make for a better story and a bit more drama, in my opinion. But all we get is the (obvious) admission that she was the one who stole Sloan's dress all those years ago, preventing her from winning the pageant.

The repetition of "folds" and "velvety soft tip" sort of made me gag a little, but I know it is hard to write these scenes to please everyone. However - the focus on female pleasure was obvious and appreciated.

If you are looking for an easy read that will invoke your nostalgia for the late 1990s teen shows, this can be just the ticket. (Did I start rewatching Dawson's Creek last night? Maybe.)

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House, and Kate Robb, for an early reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out on September 3.

🏖️ Book Review 🏖️

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: September 3, 2024

Rating: I enjoyed it!

This is my second book by Kate and though not mu favorite it was still a fun read! I fell right in at the beginning of my vacation weekend and it was the perfect beach read. I liked that Brynn and Josh are trying to tackle heavier topics but the book is still fluffy enough that it’s not too dragged down.

Overall, a cute beach read that is a predictable plot.

For fans of:
🦞 First person
🌊 Dual POV
🦞 Roommates/strangers to lovers
🌊 FMC in her 30’s
🦞 Divorced FMC
🌊 Bartender MMC
🦞 Magical realism
🌊 Stuck in 2000’s TV show
🦞 Small town
🌊 Cheesy cute
🦞 Predictable
🌊 Beach vibes

🌟 What to Read Next 🌟

💫 Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner by Katherine Freeman (roommates to lovers)
💫 Anything by Ashley Poston (magical realism)

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
Romance with magical realism
3/5 stars

Brynn loves the happy endings of her favorite 90s teen drama Carson’s Cove because they reassure her that everything will be okay in the end. In real life, however, she’s recently divorced and living with Josh to afford her mortgage. After making a birthday wish for her own happy ever after, both Brynn and her bartender roommate Josh, wake up in Carson’s Cove as characters from the show, and they have to decide whether or not to stick to the script.

I was really excited to read this given my own teen-drama love from high school: waking up one day in Tree Hill, at Constance Billard or in Stars Hollow?! Sign me up! 

I do feel like I wanted more believable chemistry between the main characters and a little less rushed feeling at the end, but overall loved the nostalgia and fan-forming and the overall theme theme of not expecting perfection to equal happiness! 
The biggest lesson from this book is that personally, I like romance and I like fantasy, but I have trouble getting INTO magical realism. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-copy of this ARC!

Posted to Goodreads 8/25: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6789492786
Posted to instagram on/around pub date 9/3:

Honestly..loved this book. I loved the concept of them going back and being apart of her favorite tv show because honestly who hasn’t had dreams like that? Especially if it had ended on a cliffy like it did? I enjoyed getting to see Josh have the realization that he could run his dad’s bar and loved that he ultimately got to do that at the end. Don’t ask me why but I for whatever reason thought he was going to come back as Spencer but I’m glad he was Fletch.

I was a tad annoyed with Sloan and her constant ‘well this is how it i on the show’ and was sad for her that it took Fletch leaving for her to be her own version of Sloan. All the shenanigans were so much fun and it was kind of like watching a tv show.


However I will admit that the Covid talk kind of bummed me out. Yes it happened, but I lived it so I don’t enjoy reading it.


All in all it was a great story. I read it in one sitting it was a perfect Saturday read.

Infinite, infinite thanks for the early copy!!

I'm going to be the grinch for this one because I just couldn't relate to the whole Carson's Cove thing. Brynn and her roommate Josh wake up one morning in the middle of their favorite teenage binge show- and they can't get home to their real lives until they give the characters the ending they deserved rather than the cliff hanger they were given. Those who watched the Dawson's Creeks and so on from this period likely will find much to enjoy here but if you like me, missed the trend, then it might be less relatable. Regardless, the characters are good as is the storytelling. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

This book is cute with a nod to 90’s sitcom and all those teen heartthrobs. I really liked the chemistry between Brynn and Josh. Life can be perfect but still be messy and unpredictable. You can’t always have your perfect ending can you? Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for allowing me to read this cute romance and the journey of self discovery.

3.75 🌟

This brought back nostalgia for some of my favorite sitcoms (Full House, I'm looking at you).

This was such a fun, different take on a romcom. I loved the magical element of traveling into a sitcom. However, the ending felt a bit rushed and unresolved for me.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

A fun, quick read! I think I was more invested in Brynn's and Josh's individual character growth than the romance between them, but that didn't take away from the story. I also really enjoyed how Robb skewered some of the teen TV show cliches.

This is a love letter to late 90s early 2000s teen dramas and I loved it! As someone who lived for shows like Dawson’s Creek, The O.C., and One Tree Hill in their prime, loved the movie Pleasantville, and has a deep-rooted nostalgia attachment, this book was an absolute freaking delight. I love a reality slip and to land in a combination of some of the best shows of my teen years? Sign me all the way up.

Brynn, the newly single, post-divorce heroine, is navigating adulthood one rerun at a time. Her favorite TV show, Carson’s Cove, is her happy place, until she and her roommate Josh are literally zapped into the show itself, transforming into Sloan and Fletch, the show's dynamic duo. What follows is a hilarious, heartwarming adventure as they fumble through their new roles, with Brynn realizing that maybe what she’s always wanted is right in front of her, Josh, anyone? The pop culture references had me squealing, and though I would’ve loved a few more swoon-worthy moments, the romance between Brynn and Josh was just too cute. If you’re craving a feel-good romcom with a side of magical nostalgia, Prime Time Romance is for you. It’s like a love letter to the teen dramas we all grew up with, wrapped in a romcom that’s as addictive as your favorite TV show.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I feel bad saying this, but having recently read Kate Robb’s debut book before receiving this arc, Prime Time Romance felt like reading the same book by the same author, twice. The plot line felt just too similar to the plot of her last book, just with a different magical element and in a 00’s tv show setting.

With that being said, I still had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a quick read and did make me giggle at a handful of parts and had good foundations. It just didn’t feel original to the author, and I have decided I am not a fan of the way she writes spicy scenes.

Overall, this was a 3 star read for me, as it was just…fine. I don’t think I will continue reading books by this author personally, but I could see a lot of people really enjoying her novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Robb is a genius! When I read romance novels I always want that magical touch! That sparkling moment or sci-fi base. Kate is a one-of-a-kind author that brought together all three qualities! Prime Time Romance is the kind of genre that needs to be brought into life more! Charlie got a golden ticket in Willy Wonka I got this awesome addition to my bookshelf! I win!!! Lol 📖

The main characters are absolutely a treat! To go back into a favorite TV show and live out your Romance is any TV show fanatic dream! Living by the script and also writing your own is the best combination of both drama an excitement! And most of all love!💕


Every time I turn the page I wanted to know what would happen next! Maybe the characters would decide to act out a scene differently? I love the characters knowledge of the TV show which help them navigate this mysterious occurrence 💌

I will be reading more by Kate!💋

Bravo! ❤️

Brynn is navigating post-divorce life, and Josh is dealing with the aftermath of his father’s death. At midnight on her birthday, Brynn’s wish transports her and Josh into her favorite television show, the show that brought her solace in her teen years.

And so, Brynn and Josh find themselves thrown into the fictional town from that 90s teen soap opera, Carson’s Cove (re: Dawson’s Creek). The show, cancelled on a cliffhanger, expects out two fish out of water main characters to fashion a happily ever after for our CC heroes..

While the concept is cute, this one was overall a miss for me. The characters weren’t compelling, and though I liked Josh, I wasn’t invested. Motivations, especially those of Brynn, seem questionable, and much of the cheese of these 90s soaps is evident - but then again, perhaps that was the desire.

I think it’s time for me to admit that magical realism just isn’t my jam. Lots of others enjoyed the nostalgia, so this might be for you!

Thanks to @netgalley for the chance to read and review this eARC. This one comes out September 3, 2024.

I loved this book!!! Honestly! I laughed out loud, cried and blushed! It was so different from anything I have ever read. It was funny, full of wit, banter and yet brutal honesty. I loved the revelations in the story! Thank you Kate Robb for allowing me to fall in love with Brynn and Josh! Your writing was wonderful.

If you loved Dawson’s Creek and the movie Pleasantville you will LOVE this book!!! Thank you Nat Galley for the ARC of this book! It was worth every moment!

Brynn’s absolute favorite show to binge in her newly divorced status is Carson’s Cove. On the one night that Josh, her roommate, joins her to watch the show, there a magical birthday cake that shows up at her door that she wishes upon. Her wish transports her and Josh into the show’s world and they take the place of two of the main characters. There’s a bit of suspense as they try to get back home. There’s some humor, and a lot of emotions throughout their journey that makes them deviate from the script. The whimsical setting of Carson’s Cove and the side characters really helped keep me hooked in to the plot line. I would recommend for anyone who has a love for nostalgic TV and magical realism! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Such a fun, atmospheric, light hearted rom com! Felt like watching my favorite comfort show for the first time. I did feel like there wasn't as much depth to the relationship as I wanted, which was a note I had about Kate Robb's first book as well, so it's probably more of a me thing. Great if you want to read something light and fluffy, but I like her characters enough that I leave slightly disappointed that there wasn't more to them.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Absolutely adored this! The millennial in me ate up every word and loved the mid 2000s vibes!

The characters were heartwarming and I loved how we really got to know them. I can’t wait to read more by Kate!

This book was kind of weird for me. The beginning and the end of the book were both solidly 2/5 with the middle section when they’re actually living life in Carson’s Cove being a 4/5 so…I guess it averaged out to a 3/5. There were parts I liked quite a bit, but the overall “why” behind the whole plot was just a big question mark. Nothing about Sheldon made any sense.

But once we get into Carson Cove life, things picked up for me. I actually liked both Brynn and Josh quite a bit as characters and I enjoyed watching the transformation of the Bronze. But the tension between them and Spencer also didn’t make sense to me. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I felt like Josh needed to have his eyes a little more on the prize so to speak.

Overall, I thought this book was just okay. Pacing was a little off at times, but there were genuinely parts in the middle that I really, really liked.

Note: I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved it! This was my first time reading magical realism and it was great. I knew it was going to be 5 stars pretty early on from reading. I thought Brynn was hilarious mostly when she was being serious which just made it that much funnier. Having the chance the live out your teenage dreams and jump into your favorite tv show and get a chance with your childhood crush? I think most of us would love that. This book made me laugh and even tear up a few times! I really enjoyed this one and I have her first book “This Spells Love” on my bookshelf I can’t wait to give it a read!