Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb is very similar to Ashley Poston's A Novel Love Story, in that our character Brynn is coming off a nasty breakup and finds herself stuck in the setting of her favorite TV show. Full of references to the TV shows of our millennial adolescence, Kate Robb wrote the book that feels like I've always clamored for. Sure to be a favorite for 30-soemthings who miss debating the romantic choices made by Ryan Atwood and Rory Gilmore.

This book is full of nostalgia and cozy, satisfying resolutions. If you’ve ever discussed which of Rory’s boyfriends was the best or which OC man you’d want to date, this book is for you. The plot resolved conflicts without getting too dark and addressed problematic things that we accepted in our youth (real life and TV viewed) that don’t sit right with us anymore. Full of references to Dawson’s Creek, Buffy, and Riverdale, this romance paved its own path to my heart with its fulfillment of the true love and adventure promised to us by teen dramas, shared in breezy prose with a creative storyline.

3.5 stars. This book is very cute and its premise is a nod to some of the tv shows of my youth but it doesn’t exactly stick the “magical realism rom com” landing. (If you are looking for a book that does that read The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston.)
Prime Time Romance tells the story of Brynn, a 30 year old woman, post divorce who is foundering in her life and somehow (the details are super fuzzy) ends up trapped in Carson’s Cove, the setting of her favorite tv show. She inexplicably brings along her roommate, Josh, who she barely knows but they somehow inhabit established characters from the show (again the details are super fuzzy.) Hijinks ensue as Brynn and Josh try and get home and of course there is a happily ever after ending. Definitely pick up this book if you like a light rom-com and if you were a big fan of Dawson’s Creek back in the day.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My first thought upon reading this book was that it reminded me of the movie Pleasantville. I mean, imagine wanting nothing more than to be a part of your favorite television show and have your world play out the way you wanted it for once. No drama. No broken hearts. Just your very own happily ever after. And with a little touch of magic, your wish unexpectedly comes true...

As a huge fan of 90's movies and TV shows, Prime Time Romance was right up my alley. Prime Time Nostalgia is an enchanting read with delightful characters. If I had to make any complaints about the story it would be that the pacing was a bit inconsistent. I thought the story started strong, but the pacing fell apart somewhere along the way.

Despite the pacing issue, I'm really glad to have taken a chance on this story. Prime Time Romance is a truly unique and cute rom-com with just the right touch of magic.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb is a Pleasantville meets Dawson's Creek (or any other teen drama) romance where strangers-to-sudden roommates-to-lovers are forced to work out the screws of traveling inside a favorite tv show to be able to help Brynn have a love she's been fantasizing about.

Despite the setup feeling a bit convoluted, I love the premise, but getting to the town felt incredibly muddy. I kind of understand that the author was having to explain away the reason that Josh and Brynn would have to be alone together, but considering they're roommates it felt like a larger stretch than necessary to get us there and left more holes...like why she didn't just go and search for her phone at the club instead of leaving it in a pile of coats?? Most people understood now that a phone is an incredibly expensive item with personal information on it if accessed, and it felt as if the author was forcing this proximity between people who were already roommates to happen.

Once they arrive, things do not pick up steam, and I was neither charmed by the chemistry of the MCs or interested by the various other characters that were introduced.

I think this may charm some people that were a fan of 90s and early 2000s high school dramas. Another shoutout for a female character whose heartbreak is the result of a divorce. I was happy to see this rep!

I was hoping it would be a winner, but the execution simply fell flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

I loved this one!! The feels of teen dramas from the 2000's was so well done, and I could picture it so well. I love magic stories like this where they're stuck somewhere and I loved the notes at the end about shows and easter eggs in the book

If you loved 1990/2000s teen dramas, you NEED to read this.
Brynn, a recent divorcee goes to the club where her new roommate, Josh, works at. He takes her home and when a birthday cake arrives on their doorstep for her birthday, she decides to wish for a happily ever after, just like her favorite show, Carson's Cove. The next morning Brynn and Josh wake up in Carson's Cove and they are being manipulated to be the town's sweetheart and bad boy. They are there to help the show achieve the ending it never got.
This town is so cute, but also eerie! Nothing ever goes wrong for more than a day, a storm will hit and there will be no debris! But there is a lot going on between Brynn and Josh as they are stuck here with all of Brynn's favorite characters and her first love, but not everything is as she dreamed.
There are great antics, the side characters are so loveable and horrible at the best of times, and I loved the two main characters. The romance was romancing, the reality of teen dramas was hitting real, and the rom com was *chefs kiss*. I devoured this book in a couple days because I couldn't put it down. Definitely recommend and will be going back to read her other novel now!
Thank you Net Galley and Dial Press Trade for my eARC!

I was so excited to be offered this ARC as I loved This Spells Love, the author's debut. The premise of this book is super fun! I am certainly a fan of the shows that this book pulls it's setting from. I owned all of Dawson's Creek on DVD, have an annual re-watch of Gilmore Girls every Autumn and binged One Tree Hill for the first time as an adult... That said, the way these settings and characters are alluded to in this book kind of threw me off. The "famous white gazebo" was fine and recognizable but not overtly so, the coastal town and the bar were good too. However, the mention of the background character Chad Michaels and Pop's diner with it's Cherry Chip milkshakes were so specific, it felt unnecessary. We already knew the idea; I was left wondering why it was spelled out this way. It felt jarring. The spicy scenes felt like they were written by two different people. They began a bit juvenile and then the dialogue was suddenly dirtier... It felt clunky and again, took me out of the story. I certainly appreciated the way the characters in this novel were involved in their environment and improved things in Carson's Cove, but I was left feeling like there could have been more. It did not feel as refined as I would have liked. The author's first novel made me want to read this one. I wanted to love it, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

This book had a really fun and unique concept that I haven't really seen before, but I thought it was executed poorly. I didn't love this book, but I also didn't hate it either. I often found myself wanting to just skim it because it was kind of boring and the characters' connections felt kind of random. In addition, the 2 sex scenes were written well but were very random and I felt they came out of nowhere so I wasn't a fan of that. Like I said, the book was light and fun but the actual romance fell short for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reading this book made me feel cozy and happy feels.
Brynn is down in her life - turning 30, divorcee, no friends, and seeking comfort in her favorite teen series. When a mysterious Uber delivery brings her a birthday cake she wished for her happy ever after life not knowing she would be transported to star in her favorite teen sitcom in the imaginary Carson’s Cove.

Man the suave that Josh has is swoon worthy.
This was the fun read that you want in the summer!

Highly rec to check it out!

Prime Time Romance is a dual POV magical realism romance. It centers on roommates Josh and Brynn, who find themselves suddenly in the fictional world of Carson’s Cove after Brynn’s birthday wish comes true in an unexpected way. Suddenly they aren’t themselves, and have to navigate this charming world as Fletch (the town bad boy) and Sloan (the town sweetheart)!

Another great Kate Robb book! This one was a lot of fun to read and I loved both main characters! I really liked Josh and how supportive he was, and Brynn as she grew and accepted that there’s a place for nostalgia and a time for living your life!


Read dates: 08/04/2024 - 08/05/2024
Goodreads review: 08/05/2024
Instagram review: 08/06/2024
Blog review: 09/03/2024

PHENOMENAL!!! Thank you NetGalley, Kate Robb, and Random House Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY DREAMY STARS!!! I absolutely loved this book so much!!! Kate Robb ALWAYS delivers for me and this is no exception!! This Spells Love was one of may favorite reads for 2023 so when I learned that the author had another book coming out I was beyond ecstatic!! Dare I say, I loved this one even more!! The author's books keep getting better and better, and now I have a new favorite for 2024 to add to my list. Prime Time Romance is a delightful, hilarious, and magical romantic comedy that tugs at your heartstrings while transporting you into your favorite television show. Brimming with humor, nostalgia, drama, banter, this story offers palpable chemistry, tender moments, and real relatable characters. Set in a charming small town, it authentically explores a journey from roommates to friends to lovers, featuring a heartfelt second chance at love. I found myself rooting for Brynn and Josh, captivated by their personal growth and the valuable life lessons woven throughout the story. 💗 💗💗💗💗

Is love on the small screen better than the real thing? Brynn's happy ending has gone up in flames. Newly divorced and sharing a mortgage with her roommate Josh, she's struggling to move on. At least she has Carson's Cove, her beloved '90s teenage soap, to binge-watch. When a birthday cake mysteriously appears on their doorstep, Brynn wishes for her own happily-ever-after. The next morning, she wakes up not in her apartment but in Carson's Cove... with Josh by her side. Except they're not Brynn and Josh anymore; they're the show's sweetheart and bad boy. Will they stick to the script, or will real love rewrite the story?

In conclusion, I was completely captivated from start to finish!! If you’re looking for a feel good rom-com with a Dawson’s Creek or Gilmore Girls vibe then this is the book for you! I wholeheartedly recommend and it deserves all the stars 💫💫💫💫💫!!!!!

A book that mentions the television series of the 2000s? I'm in.

I super loved it, I really had a lot of fun with the story, Brynn represented Dawson's Creek to me with her feelings and the almost instant connection with Josh I liked, I appreciated that there wasn't excess drama. Suddenly it's nice to read books like this, among so much dark stuff falling into my hands.

If you are looking for an enjoyable book, with nostalgic tinges of a nice time in your life, this book is for you.

*SPOILER*

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded unique and interesting - a woman makes a wish and finds herself living as one of the characters in her favorite comfort TV show (I was picturing a cross between Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek). Unfortunately the execution didn't quite live up to the premise. First, the story didn't need a villain. Sheldon was completely unnecessary and his abrupt change of heart at the end wasn't believable. I wish he'd been eliminated altogether. Also, I'm not sure why, but I was never able to connect with either Brynn or Josh, the two leads. They were likeable enough, but I found it hard to become invested in anything they were trying to do. Perhaps my biggest hang-up though was that Brynn and Josh becoming two of the characters within the fictional town just didn't work. It didn't make sense, and knowing that everything was fictional made me not care about any of the characters in Carson's Cove. I give the plot a 6 out of 10 and the characters a 4 out of 10 with an overall grade of a C-.

I was so absolutely consumed by this book that I finished it in one sitting. The nods to early 2000's teen tv dramas was done so beautifully that I almost forgot I was reading. This was the first time in a long time that I didn't notice how long each chapter was because I was so interested in the story.

It was such a fun, light-hearted read with the best kind of predictable storyline. The premise of the story truly encompassed the "but what happens next" that we all face once our favourite shows roll the credits for the final time. Even if you were happy with how things ended, you always sort of wonder what would have happened had the show continued & this book did a perfect job of portraying that in an engaging way.

Both main characters were extremely likeable & had a beautiful mix of traits from some of my favourite tv characters. It truly was just a perfect love letter to early 2000's tv. Highly recommend if you're looking for a nice blast from the past or break from reality.

A solid book for lovers of 2000s romcoms. It has a nostalgic feel and had me giggling at times. I think it could have used a little more build up and tension but I enjoyed the book!

I really enjoyed this unique rom com! I’m a big comfort show girl and one tree hill is my favorite comfort show! Carson’s Cove and its inhabitants gave all the OTH vibes. I loved the dual POV and the magical elements!

3.5 rounded up

This one felt more like the characters' personal journeys were the main plot with a romance subplot.

I read open door all the time so this next statement surprises even me buuuut kind of felt like it should have been more vague or even fade to black? They're in a teen sitcom setting where they can't even properly swear but we're getting a detailed description of sex? Just didn't fit the vibe for me.

My last gripe is that the ending felt a little anticlimactic back in the real world.

I did enjoy the easter eggs of various teen shows throughout. The town definitely felt like a sitcom setting. Wondering how it would play out kept me invested.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for review.

For those of us Millenials who grew up loving shows like Dawson's Creek, you'll love this novel.

Brynn's life sucks. She's newly divorced and unlucky at love. On the night of her 30th birthday, she goes out with "friends" and finds herself promptly ignored. Thankfully, she's saved from a disastrous night by her roommate, Josh, at the bar where he works. Josh gets her home safe, where she can watch her favorite show, Carson's Cove. But a birthday wish for a better life winds up with both Brynn and Josh being sucked into Carson's Cove. Not only do they have to navigate this new world, but Brynn is required to give the show's leads the happy ending they never got. But threatening that is her newfound feelings for Josh. Can she save the show and get them back to the real world?

I absolutely love this book. The main characters are relatable and fun, and the premise is literally out of this world. Kate Robb tells a great story filled with humor, passion, and magic. I love this so much I now want to check out Robb's first book.

This was super fun for a quick summer read! I crushed it in less than a day because it is very readable, even if predictable.

This minus the spice would’ve been something preteen me would have ate up! But grown up me just doesn’t love shows like dawsons creek, Gilmore girls, etc. so the premise is my actual nightmare lol.