This was a cute story that gave me Gilmore girl vibes. Thank you for allowing me to review this book.

First I want to start off by saying I love the dedication (& Dawson’s creek reference). Going into this book I didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised! This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I can confirm that after reading Prime Time Romance I would read another! This book hit all the teen feels that you get from a 2000s romcom but had a more adult plot and I really appreciated that. Having a 30 year old FMC was refreshing, especially a woman who has been through a divorce and come out the other side. I would 100% recommend this book for anyone who watched Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, or other early 2000s teen dramas and liked those. This book was unique and different from anything else I’ve read! A solid 4 stars for me!

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5 stars)

Katie Robb's sophomore novel, "Prime Time Romance," delivers a unique and engaging story filled with magical realism that will captivate readers. Set in the fictional town of Carson's Cove, home to Brynn's favorite 00's teen drama, this novel blends fantasy with reality in a unique and engaging way.

Brynn, a woman on the cusp of her 30th birthday, finds herself at a crossroads after an unexpected divorce and a forgotten birthday by her friends. Wishing to be part of the idealized world of her beloved teen TV show, Carson's Cove, Brynn's life takes an unexpected turn when she and her bartender roommate, Josh, wake up in the fictional town itself.

Tasked with giving the show's main character, Sloan, the happy ending she never received, Brynn soon realizes that the idyllic world of Carson's Cove isn't as perfect as she imagined. As she deals with the realization that the happy ending she seeks may not look like her idea of a happy ending, Brynn embarks on a journey of self-discovery, unexpected friendships, and unplanned love story.

"Prime Time Romance" offers a refreshing perspective on the notion that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Through Brynn's experiences, we are reminded to appreciate the complexities of real life, even when it comes with its challenges.

As a fan of 00's TV dramas, I appreciated the nostalgia and the themes of self-discovery throughout the story. I loved the exploration of the contrast between fantasy and reality, and the realization that happily ever after can start with happy for now, and grow every day.

Recommended for fans of forced proximity, roommates-to-lovers tropes, 00's TV dramas, and magical realism.

Young divorcée Brynn Smothers is struggling. Since her ex-husband unexpectedly dumped her, she’s having trouble believing in love and Happily Ever After. After a disastrous dinner date and a night spent dancing in too small shoes, Brynn just wants to spend the rest of the night before her 30th birthday curled up on the couch watching her favorite tv show, Carson’s Cove. But her purse has been stolen and the only way to get home is to ask for help from her new roommate, hot bartender Josh Bishop. Josh is also struggling. When his father died, Josh took over running the family bar, which he was forced to sell after the Covid-19 Pandemic. Both Brynn and Josh have lost confidence in themselves and can’t find ways to move forward. When a mysterious Uber Eats driver arrives on their doorstep with a birthday cake for Brynn, Josh insists she make a wish. Brynn wishes for a predictable, peaceful life where everything always turns out ok just like in her beloved Carson’s Cove. Upon waking up the next day, Brynn and Josh find themselves inside Carson’s Cove with Brynn playing the town good girl Sloan and Josh in the role of bad boy Fletch. There they are instructed by the Uber Eats driver to give Carson’s Cove the perfect ending it deserved before it was unceremoniously canceled…or else! Now Josh and Brynn must find a way to get Sloan and the town’s golden boy together so they can get home. But what happens when Brynn starts to fall for the bad boy instead?

Kate Robb’s Prime Time Romance is the perfect Dawson’s Creek and Pleasantville mashup! A fantastic send up to all the amazing teen dramedies of my younger years. TV shows where the town was perfect, the people were beautiful, the drama was high, the romance was epic, and everything was tied up in a neat little bow at the end of the episode. Robb gives us a neat little peek behind the curtain and what happens when you dig beneath the shiny exterior and find the cracks underneath. It’s so much fun! Brynn and Josh are two characters beaten down by life, given an opportunity to live glossy TV character lives. Brynn is ecstatic, Josh a bit skeptical, but they both dig in to their new surroundings . It was great to actually see how their perspectives on the their lives, themselves, and their circumstances changed. Sometimes what you think you want turns out to be the worst thing for you. Josh and Brynn had excellent chemistry. They just couldn’t stay away from each other even when their ability to get home hung in the balance. A hilarious look at what it would look like to be a character in your favorite TV show. Loved it!

Prime Time Romance is a charming very unserious book and I mean that in a good way. The story is very silly but fun to read. This is not a serious romance and I loved it. Brynn is having a rough time after her divorce and she takes solitude in her favorite show Carter's Cove. (Think Dawson's creek) One morning her and her cute roommate Josh find themselves in the Carter's Cove show and they are supposed to finish their character's story lines. This whacky story takes Brynn and Josh on a funny, dramatic, and romantic ride. Okay, now I'm off to re-watch Dawson's Creek.(Team Pacey for life)

I loved this book and really enjoyed getting to know the characters! This book made me want to go and find every single thing the author has wrote and read that too!

This is a cute, fast read! Loved the story line of the book. But of course I'm a gal who loved Dawson's Creek so it definitely had that feel to it. I'm also a sucker for a happy ending and this one was so good!

Prime Time Romance is a cute, nostalgic, fast read that doesn’t take itself too seriously (in a good way). The premise is quite out there — our leads Brynn and Josh wake up as the stars of her favorite teen-soap. As a diehard fan of the OC and Gilmore Girls as a teenager, the story grew on me and I found it fun and unique. This was my first book by Kate Robb, and I really enjoyed her writing, the characters were relatable, the banter was witty, and the chemistry was believable. I think this is a great palette cleanser if you’re looking for a light, fluffy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book felt like Schmigadoon meets Dawson’s Creek meets The Good Place meets a cheesy made-for-Netflix movie. The pop culture inspirations held lots of promise, and although they fell short for me, I can see how this book would really resonate with other readers!

Vibes: Dawson's Creek meets Pleasantville, plot > romance, "and they were roommates", arrested development

Heat Index: 5/10

Turning thirty and newly divorced, Brynn is stuck in a rough patch. Forced to take on a roommate, Josh, to keep up with her mortgage, she's most happy watching Carson's Cove, her favorite teen soap, over and over. Until a random Uber driver shows up with a birthday cake; and both Brynn and Josh wake up in the show. Brynn is now Sloan, the female lead, and she's meant to tie up loose ends the cancel series never could--including making sure that Sloan ends up with her childhood friend, Spencer. Josh is in the role of the town bad boy, Fletcher... and for some reason, even as she lives out the fantasy of falling for Spencer, Brynn finds herself a lot more drawn to her real life roommate than her dream boy...

Okay so. I will admit! This was an outlier for me. Although I respect the premise, I wouldn't say it's something that I immediately thought I would like. The roommates angle isn't always friends to lovers, but this sounded like it could be... And though I've seen a decent amount of Dawson's Creek episodes, it's really not my kind of show. Nonetheless, I appreciate a big swing of a premise, and so I tried it out.

The big swing really isn't the problem with this book. Or--it isn't the main one. Exactly. The issue is that it feels as if the author was so enamored with the fake TV show that it kind of took over the romance. About halfway through the novel, I realized--practically nothing has happened between Brynn and Josh. They've barely spent any time together! And the "why" really bugged me.

Quick Takes:

--So, the thing about this is that I kind of do like the premise of a heroine who is truly in her pathetic era. I mean, I'm Brynn's age, I was in my pathetic era last year, I get it. Her watching the same show twice in a row (six times total)? Not a problem for me in terms of relatability.

And obviously, there was a goal here of having Brynn realize that she needs to prioritize real life and leave this fantasy world, with Josh representing real life.

The issue is that so much of this book, especially in the first half, is Bryn summarizing shit that happened on this fake show. A lot of which, based on what I've seen and heard of Dawson's Creek, is very much like Dawson's Creek. And like? I don't know that you could entirely avoid catching readers up on the show's storylines with a plot like this, but surely, surely some editing would have trimmed it down a bit. I felt like I was getting to know these TV characters, who ultimately wouldn't matter, more than I was getting to know Brynn and Josh.

Certainly more than I got to know Brynn and Josh's love story. We get a hint that she finds him hot before the TV stuff begins, but other than that their relationship is fairly shallow at the beginning of the book. Which is fine! A romance novel is about developing the romance. But because you spend so much time building this TV-verse, there is really no time for Brynn and Josh to truly sell this love story. It's like--suddenly, they're in love. Suddenly, moral of the story.

--That said, I did kind of like the somewhat sinister Uber driver. The parts of this book that were really very much in the Pleasantville lane actually were interesting, to a point. But like. This is supposed to be a romance. Where is my romance?

I can see the appeal, and the way this will cash in a good bit of late 90s/early 2000s nostalgia. As someone who watched a lot of teen soaps in my day... I get it. In some ways, I felt like those aspects were the strongest parts of the book. It just doesn't feel right to call this a romance, and to put romance in the title, when it's really just shoehorned in there. Like, it honestly felt as if it should've been a smaller subplot, with the title changed and the marketing shifted to women's fiction. I see a "woman realizing that she needs to get her life in order" book here. Not a "woman realizing that she needs to get her life in order, triggered by this budding romance with her roommate" book.

The Sex:

There is some. You know where everything is going. It's not super explicit. I think I would've found it hotter if Brynn and Josh had been built with chemistry in mind. But they weren't. So...

The thing is that I don't think this is a bad book, but I do think it falls short as a romance. I liked Kate Robb's writing style. I was hooked in the beginning--it drew me in. But if this is a romance, as the title promises... it misses the mark there.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fun, quick read! This book was a little corny and cheesy, but overall enjoyed the story. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

I was beyond excited to receive this book as an ARC! This is my first Kate Robb book and I loved her writing + the overall concept for this book.

Both of the main characters were surprisingly really likable and I had the best time giggling and kicking my feet while reading this book!

Brynn and her roommate Josh wake up inside Brynn's favorite 2000's drama show and have to give their characters the ending they deserve before the show ends!

I devoured this book from start to finish!

If you’re looking for a great pallet cleanser after a heavier book this one is a great choice!! It was fluffy and hilarious and super light! It’s just a feel-good story! I’ve never read a book with this concept before but it was done so well and the ending was perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the privilege of reading this as a the ARC! ❤️

Kate Robb does it again with another fun romance with incredibly unique twists! I was so excited to be sent this ARC because I loved This Spells Love, and Prime Time Romance made me feel all the same feelings!

Brynn is just a girl trying to figure things out after her unexpected divorce rocks her world. She loves to escape into the fictional Carson's Cove in the form of bingeing her comfort show that ended abruptly on a cliffhanger. On the night of her birthday, her and her roommate Josh are enjoying some episodes when a mysterious stranger delivers a cake to her house. It's her birthday so she obviously makes a wish! What she doesn't know is the next day, she and Josh will wake up in THE Carson's Cove and must take on the roles of two of the characters in the show. Brynn and Josh's only way out of this fictional town is to give the characters the ending they deserve but never got,

This was such a cute, fun, and easy read. The only thing I didn't love was the insta-love between Brynn and Josh. I feel that their relationship could have had a lot more depth but it was lacking here. They didn't really have much of a relationship prior to landing in Carson's Cove, and I feel that could have given their relationship what it was missing. However, I feel Josh was the perfect person to help bring Brynn back down to earth while they navigated their lives in Carson's Cove and I loved the connection they built with each other throughout the story. It was also great to see their individual growth during their time in Carson's Cove! I love when characters can overcome their internal battles while building strong relationships with each other! Definitely will be recommending this one to everyone!

If you love magical realism, alternate reality, roommates to lovers tropes, you'll definitely want to add this to your TBR for late summer/early fall!

I loved Kate Robb's This Spells Love, so I couldn't wait to read her next, Prime Time Romance. I've never seen a premise quite like this! As someone who grew up watching Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek, and The OC, this book spoke to my early 2000s heart.

Brynn and Josh are roommates who are transported into her favorite TV show to give it the season finale it deserved. But despite how picture perfect it seems from the outside, inside, Brynn finds a world she's desperate to escape.

Like her debut, Robb has crafted a beautiful, feel-good romance with a speculative twist and lots of heart.

If you are someone who was raised on late 90s/early 2000s WB soaps like I was you will have so much fun with this book. I had such a fun time watching Brynn and Josh get sucked into her favorite show and all the fun Easter eggs. My only complaint is that I could have used some more time with Brynn and Josh just hanging out.

🏠 Small Town
🤩 Multiple POV
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🔗 Roommates
✨ Magical Realism
📺 Stuck In A TV Show

OHMYGOSH I OBSESSED (and still do) over This Spells Love and when I saw this was coming out I SCREAMED when I was given an e-arc of the upcoming release of Kate Robb. This was such a fun and fast read. I adore Kates’ writing and will continuously and always look out for her books. I loved that we got to see both Brynn AND Joshs’ point of views in this book and it was never confusing and the flow was perfect. This was what I love about a good romcom, the characters chemistry and development is flawless and you fall in love with the characters throughout the story.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE how our author sets the scene with a birthday wish and then the two are transported to a tv show and they have to work together to bring her actual wish true to get back home. We walk through twists and turns and the ending I didn’t see coming right away. Definitely leaves you smiling and laughing and swooning throughout the book. This was such a fun concept. I can’t wait for my book besties to get a hold of this book when it releases.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhousepublishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review. Pub Date: Sept 03, 2024

I LOVED this book. I'm a big fan of Kate and have read her previous work, but even knowing how talented she is, this was so freaking thrilling to read. I feel like it's a bit rare when I read something that feels COMPLETELY original, and this does. I loved the idea of the sort of darker side of the perfect Hallmark type town and the standard all happy endings show. I loved Brynn and Josh and their love felt so natural and I loved how it built. I loved their side missions as well as their time spent building their relationship. I do wish the magic had been expanded on the tiniest bit, as I'm still really not sure exactly how the switch was really possible. But I adored this book!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC of Prime Time Romance in exchange for an honest review.

Recent divorcee Bryan’s life is still a bit of a mess resulting in her spending hours bingeing her comfort show, the teen drama “Carson’s Cove.” On the eve of her 30th birthday a special cake is delivered and after her wish she and roommate Josh wake up the next morning as characters in the show. As they navigate their way together their relationship grows and they both learn lessons about themselves and their lives.

Prime Time Romance was a cute feel-good read with just the right amount of magical realism.

Prime Time Romance is a nostalgic treasure chest of joy. Brynn, a divorcee on the cusp of thirty, has moved her brother’s friend Josh in to help pay the mortgage. They live relatively separate lives - he, a bartender that works nights and she, a woman he finds passed out in front of the tv after most shifts. Brynn comforts her broken heart with reliable episodes of her favorite teen drama - Carson’s Cove. On her thirtieth birthday, a familiar-looking stranger shows up with a birthday cake sporting a single candle. She makes a wish to find her happy ever after, and wakes up in Carson’s Cove, cast to play its heroine. Josh is there, cast as Carson Cove’s version of Pacey - reliable fuck-up, Fletcher. Brynn is supposed to give Carson’s Cove the happy ending it never had due to its premature cancellation, but can she do that when her heart is guiding her to Josh?

Such a fun read. Who hasn’t thought about living in the world of their favorite TV show? I loved the early-aught vibes, the love bombing, the banter - this book is on point.

Thank you to @netgalley and @kate_robb_writes for the advance copy - I absolutely loved every page!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-a dash of magic
-small town
-he falls first
-Dawson's Creek vibes
-slow burn

This book is such a love letter to everyone who's social life in middle school/high school revolved around the WB/CW/UPN television schedule. Like taking a dive into an episode of Dawson's Creek and the Changing Channels episode of Supernatural. Brynn is divorced, on the verge of 30 and just feels stalled out in her life. Bartender Josh has moved in to help her with her mortgage. A birthday wish later and they've fallen together into Carson's Cove her favorite tv show.

The easter eggs had me screaming, and just the absolute nostaliga of reading this book of how those shows looked back then and maybe how viewing them now has changed things. That the guy on tv you crushed on may not be the dream guy for you. Josh was just so swoon. Entirely lost in Carson's Cove but always being the first to want to help Brynn. THey had incredible chemistry as they both leaned on each other to realize what they want out of life.

Kate's writing just sparkles, immeidately immersing you in the story and not letting go until the very sweet end. Putting her own unique spin and creating another incredible book boyfriend.