This was a feel good read that best reminds me of Dawson’s Creek meets The Good Place.

After making a 30th birthday wish, Brynn ends up in Carson’s Cove, the set of her favorite 2000’s teen drama alongside her roommate Josh. The twist is that she is now playing one of the characters, Sloan, who fans believe never got the happily ever after she deserves, and he is playing the bad boy Fletch. So what happens when Brynn (or now Sloane) begins to fall for the wrong guy?

I love how Kate Robb always puts a unique magical twist in her books, and the concept of this was unlike anything else I read. Robb made the story of Carson’s Cove come to life (at first I googled if this was in fact a real TV show) with fully developed subplots and a full cast of dynamic characters. I loved Brynn and Josh together, but I would have loved even more angst and heartfelt moments between them as their love story moved pretty quickly.

Read if you like:
-2000s TV nostalgia
-Magical realism
-Lighthearted reads
-Friends to lovers
-Small town romance
-Dawn’s Creek, Gilmore Girls

Set in a fictional coastal town that was the setting for a beloved teen drama, two roommates find themselves characters in the story fifteen years after the show ended on a terrible cliff hanger.

Brynn is recently divorced and about to turn 30. Josh is her fairly new roommate, who works as a bartender so their lives don't overlap much. When a birthday wish goes wrong, they find themselves not in their Toronto townhome, but in Carson's Cove thanks to a bit of magic and someone with control issues. (I pictured Kirk from Gilmore Girls but dialed to eleven.)

A super fun, quick read! The two main characters had gone through some rough times, so this was a chance for them to see what was really important. And their moments together were so great!

This is perfect for those of us who have loved an early 00s teen drama or two.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Open Door / Spicy

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Kate Robb for the ARC of Prime Time Romance

Thank you Net Galley and Kate Robb for the chance to read this.

I loved the main characters, I just really didn’t like the back and forth the MFC felt with being in the show and dealing with her true feelings. I wish we got to see the main characters get together sooner, although watching them fall slowly was great too.

Josh is perfect. Not Spencer. I said what I said. 💁🏻‍♀️

4/5!
I really enjoyed this! A fun read that fans of 2000s TV shows will love.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group Random House and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expected publication: September 3, 2024

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for this digital ARC! This is a sweet, quirky, feel-good romance with nods to some late 90’s TV. If you enjoyed late 90’s TV and the ability to escape into the world the show created, you’ll love this book.

Kate Robb outdid herself with Prime Time Romance! Who doesn’t love a small town romance with dual POV? If you grew up in the 1990’s/2000’s era- you will love this book even more. This one felt very reminiscent of Dawson’s Creek & I could not get enough. If you’re looking for an easy, fun read with a happy ending - this is the one for you!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, & Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC copy of this book.

Kate Robb has created another fun romance with a whole bunch of Hallmark and tween angst overlaps. I loved that this basically pulled in a mish mash of plots and characters from TV shows she watched or watches, including the main inspiration: Dawson's Creek. Well, and Gilmore Girls too. And the way that she listed the shows and the different ways she used the plots, characters, etc. in the book was appreciated because there were a few moments where I was wondering if the overlaps were indeed intentional or where something may have gotten its roots.

The concept of a character or characters being swept into a book to live out their romance in a period drama, snow globe, etc. is not new, but I always enjoy them. And this was no exception. I will say that Brynn's insistence on the HEA that the TV show characters should have had, based on her tween desires, became a bit too much when the cracks in the plots started to show. But I think that was all part of her figuring out that fiction is not always 100% true to life.

Josh was a highly likeable character. I wish that he had been more positive about his abilities especially where Buddy's was concerned. But I enjoyed how he got into The Bronze and owned the space the way it needed to be owned.

The romance works well. The characters are enjoyable. Luce and her animals were a fun addition. And overall, the book was a great romance for someone looking for a quick read on vacation or, well, anytime. I'm looking forward to what Robb comes up with next.

This was my first book by Kate Robb and I loved every minute of it! The storyline of the book is very intriguing and I was swooning from the nostalgia of the 90’s/2000’s references of shows.

Brynn being a new divorcee is struggling with her new life after her husband leaves her. Josh a bartender is also struggling having just lost his father. While binge watching an old favorite tv show, Carson’s Cove, Brynn and Josh have transported into fictional characters lives in order to get a happy ending back in the real world.

The storyline was funny with both characters having great chemistry. I am obsessed with the friends to lovers troupe and the dual POV made this a fun and quick weekend read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange of my honest review.

I love small town romance which makes me love this book! Dual pov so you get the idea of what each character is thinking is a must!! Roommates, 90s/00s nostalgias all my favorite things !!

I’m going to preface this review with - this book was made for me. I’m a woman in my 30s (albeit not divorced) who grew up on early 2000s teen tv. I love teen tv so much I have a podcast about it (this is not a self plug, just a fact), and a BtVS tattoo.

The Plot - Brynn is a newly re-single woman who, like the rest of us, has her comfort tv show. In her case it’s Carson’s Cove. Her roommate Josh is a bartender whose (formerly owned) family bar is coming up for auction, and his mom wants him to buy it and rebuild the family business.
On the night of her 30th birthday, Brynn accidentally wishes herself into Carson’s Cove’s main female character’s life, 15 years after the show was canceled, and accidentally brings Josh with her. In order to get home she must give her character the ending she deserves, and of course in the process she learns how to grow up and how to move on with her life.

The Good - Again, this book was made for me. If someone gave me the opportunity to transport myself into one of my favorite shows and get a chance with the boy of my teenage dreams I would absolutely jump at it. I love the idea of looking at your favorite show in a new light and seeing that sometimes things aren’t always what they seemed to be. I love the accidental inclusion of Josh, and how he provides a bridge between the fantasy world and the real world for Brynn. I love the pop culture references from all the shows you could imagine (Buffy, Riverdale, Dawson’s Creek, Beverly Hills 90210, and more). And I love the drama of it all, there’s a very ‘straight out of Dawson’s Creek’ kind of moment with a boat and a summer storm and a stupid decision, and just like a weekly soap opera there are no lasting consequences in Carson’s Cove.

The Bad - honestly not much. There isn’t much character development pre Carson’s Cove, so it’s a bit of a slow start. And it would be too long of a book (and a completely different genre) but I would absolutely read a book about a magical uncredited extra who puts people in shows and then torments them to follow a script that doesn’t exist. But maybe that’s a compliment that Kate Robb knows how to write a story.

If you’ve ever had a comfort watch tv show, and especially if it’s an early 00’s teen drama, you’ll enjoy this book. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

<b>"I'm tight with the bartender. We crossed a space-time continuum together. It's bonded us in weird and wonderful ways."</b>

Recently divorced, and on the verge of turn 30, Brynn’s life is not going to plan. She would much rather hide away binging her favorite comfort show than celebrate her birthday. That is until a birthday wish goes wrong and she finds herself sucked into the world of her favorite show and it isn’t as perfect as it seems on screen.

Another fun magic realism romcom from Kate Robb. This is a tribute to 90’s teen dramas - anything on the CW but most notably Dawson’s Creek. It was a lot of fun to pick up on the campy nostalgia woven into the story. She really captured the feel of those shows.

I enjoyed the set up and I enjoyed the fmc and mmc. She's jaded and sarcastic. He's sweet and misunderstood. I think they had great chemistry.
This was a fun quick read. I do wish it had been a little longer to really flush out some of the plot points or perhaps to have had a little bit of a firmer hand with the plot. I think that because the main characters didn’t quite know what to do the reader felt a little lost as well. So I wish their emotional strife had come later after we, the reader, had time to settle into the plot.

There is a bit of a sinister atmosphere in this book, reminiscent of the movie Pleasantville, as things start to show their true colors and the perfect starts to look not so perfect and I really loved this aspect of the book.

I’m not sure if this book will be for everyone but for those of us that know the chokehold these shows had on us growing up, this one is a must read.

3.5 stars!
small coastal town, whimsical ambience, a little bit of spice, nostalgic 2000s vibes... I devoured this!

Brynn and her roommate Josh find themselves trapped in Brynn's television show obsession: Carson's Cove. Pop's diner, the Bronze, and the rest of this seemingly perfect beach town is their new reality; however, they quickly discover just how imperfect, and possibly dangerous, their situation is.

Kate Robb painted a beautiful picture of Carson's Cove and its patrons with her seamless world building and funny banter. I loved the lore of the town's quirky characters and their many, many mishaps.

"I'm tight with the bartender. We crossed a space-time continuum together.
It's bonded us in weird and wonderful ways."
Josh and Brynn's chemistry was sweet and felt so real. Robb depicts the progression of timid roommates to friends to lovers in a careful, considerate way. Their story didn't seem too quick or too much which I always appreciate.

Although the chemistry was great, the spice just seemed a bit rushed. Leading into the scenes felt organic and natural, but the spice itself was quick and not very remarkable.

Overall, Prime Time Romance was a fun and quick read! Funny banter and all the nostalgic small town drama kept me immersed. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a light-hearted romance with some whimsy.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Kate Robb for the ARC of Prime Time Romance

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Penguin Random House, Netgalley, and Kate Robb for the chance to read this book ahead of its publication date!

Like Robb's debut book, This Spells Love, Prime Time Romance is another contemporary romance with the perfect touch of magic thrown in. The book is about Brynn and Josh who end up being roommates when Brynn's husband unexpectedly divorces her, and she needs help paying her mortgage. It is the eve of Brynn's 30th birthday (this little tidbit had me excited since I read this 6 days from my own 30th birthday), and she is finding herself without love and true friends. Brynn's only "friends" end up using her to get into Toronto's hippest new bar because her roommate Josh happens to bartend there. Desperate to escape the loud, Justin Bieber-filled strobe light fest, Brynn wants to go home, and Josh decides to make sure that she gets back safely.

After Brynn and Josh get home from the lackluster "birthday celebration", Brynn decides to put on her favorite comfort show, Carson's Cove. A few episodes into the binge-watch session, a mystery visitor arrives with a birthday cake asking Brynn to make a wish. The next morning, Brynn and Josh wake up inside of Carson's Cove and are told that they are to BECOME the characters of the teen drama to give the show the ending it deserves. Will Brynn end up with the man of her childhood dreams? Or was her happily-ever-after the next room over this whole time?

This Spells Love was an easy 5-stars for me, and while I really enjoyed and flew through this book, I didn't enjoy it quite as much. I didn't necessarily expect the magical happenings in this book to be iron-clad, but I finished the book not really understanding the how's and why's of Brynn and Josh ending up being inside of the TV show. The TV show element of the book was cute and fun, but I got hung up on the logistics a bit. I also found the romance to be a tad more insta-love than I prefer in my books. The characters weren't at all romantically interested in each other and then BAM 65% hit and they were in love.

Again, I really enjoyed this book overall! I look forward to reading more from this author. The touch of magic in each of her two books so far have been really cute, and I can't wait to see what else she can come up with.

This is like if Dawson’s Creek was taken over by dark spirits and I am here for it.

We all know Pacey and Joey were meant to end up together. We knew it the whole time. The king of forehead kisses and shy smiles and open adoration could never be usurped by Dawson. And this was IT!!!

There was spooky magic. There was a tiny farm. There were pretty dresses. There was Joshua Jackson fanfiction.

I read the whole thing in one go and I’m delighted. An excellent palate cleanser of a book.

unfortunately, this was a miss for me. the premise seemed promising, but i couldn’t really connect with either character. i found myself skimming and parts that i did read ended up being a little too cheesy for me. the romance also just wasn’t believable that i had a hard time rooting for them.

thanks dial press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Well, this book came at the perfect time: during a rewatch of Dawson’s Creek with my daughter. So much nostalgia, I loved this to pieces.

Brynn and her roommate, the morning of her birthday, are miraculously transplanted to Carson’s Cove. Except Carson Cove doesn’t exist, only on the TV screen.

In order to return home, Brynn and Josh must find the happy ending that the Carson’s Cove fans always wanted, but were cut short as the show was cancelled on a cliffhanger.

This was absolutely a love letter to Dawson Creek, and especially Pacey Witter, so I was 100% here for it.

Prime Time Romance tells the story of Brynne, a recent divorcee who just turned thirty and wants to enjoy the comfort of her favorite teen drama show. After a wish gone wrong she ends up in the world of the show with her roommate Josh, both being forced to play their assigned parts. Neither of them are fully prepared for all the rules that living in this fictional universe entails and that one person’s idea of a happy ending is not for everyone.

This was a quick read and pretty transparent. I was a bit confused at the idea at first of an adult wanting to be in a teen show but once they got there and were trying to find the ending as adults it got a little less weird. One thing I felt was a bit unfinished was Brynne’s relationships outside of Josh, she developed this lovely friendship in Carson’s Cove and we saw some kind of terrible friends at the beginning of the story that I hoped for more there. The romance felt a little instantaneous between Brynne and Josh.

What’s not to love about this book?
I love the nods to all the 2000s shows!

Great dual POV plot. I enjoyed seeing how Brynn and Josh’s stories played out! I’d love to go to Carson’s Cove!

Oh my goodness! Pleasantville was such an adorable movie in my opinion, and this book is such a parallel it absolutely does not disappoint! Recently divorced and afraid true love will never happen for her, Brynn makes a wish on a birthday cake delivered to her by a delivery driver. She just so happens to make the wish next to her roommate Josh.

Waking up, they've both been transported into Carson's Cove, Brynn's favorite sitcom. The delivery driver, Sheldon, has transported them into the show so Brynn's "character" Sloane can get her happily ever after. Yes, you have to suspend some belief here. But oh my is it worth it! The millennial references are endless. Carson's Cove is absolutely Dawson's Creek. The name of the bar is a nod to Buffy. The originality of this story is ridiculously good, and the writing is absolutely perfect! I fell in love with this story in the first chapter and it got better and better as it went on. Part love story, part a novel of finding your own happily ever after no matter what that means you! I fell in love with Kate's writing after reading her first novel, and this one is proof she's just getting better and better! Worth all five stars and then some!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Robb, and Random House Dial Press. 💕

A young divorcee, Brynn (FMC), tries to navigate single life. She moves in with roommate, Josh (MMC), so that she can afford her mortgage. On her thirtieth birthday, she makes a wish for her own happily ever after. The next morning, she wakes up and finds herself in the ideal world of her favorite 2000s teen soap, Carson’s Cove, in this second-chance rom-com.

Read if you like:
-rom-coms
-small town romance
-second chance romance
-2000s nostalgia
-dual POVs
-Dawson’s Creek
-happily ever afters

This book was magical, emotional, adorable, and fun. The writing was perfect! Kate made me love every single one of her characters and feel like I was a part of the story. The chapters were short, so I flew through this. I absolutely loved the concept of this book and it was executed so well. I’m obsessed. I highly suggest adding this one to your TBR.

Thank you to Kate Robb, Random House, and NetGalley for this ARC!