I thought this was a very good book! It felt very comfortable! I honestly can’t wait to read it again

Oh, I loved this book. It was such a fun read with a refreshing, unique plot. I liked that they weren't just stuck in another universe; there were other elements to the whole situation as well. The characters were likable and had great banter. My attention was held throughout the book.

As a Dawson's Creek fan I found this really fun as well. I also loved all the little features in the back of the book.

Again, it's just a unique, refreshing read I would definitely recommend as something cute and quick!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Kate Robb for allowing me early access to this novel.

3 ⭐️
3 🌶️

Prime Time Romance is the first book of Katie Robb’s that I have read. This book had a really interesting plot, and I liked that it was different than what is most commonly on the market right now. I started this book and finished it within a matter of 18 hours.

I liked the female main character. She had a lot of spunk and energy about her that wasn’t like the typical female lead that we see in romance novels. I also enjoyed the male main character and liked that he had depth to his personality and backstory versus just being a pretty face.

One of the biggest things that fell a little flat for me in this book were the Easter eggs that gave nods to the television shows that inspired this book. I hadn’t seen any of the shows that the tidbits were pulled from besides Riverdale. On that note, however, I did find myself seeing the characters in this book as the actors who portray similar ones in Riverdale.

I felt like there was a lot of showing and not a lot of telling in this book. Certain elements and information felt spoon-fed for me instead of readers piecing information together as they go. However, this does enhance an experience where you can kind of turn off the deep-thinking part of your brain and just melt into the story.

My favorite quote from this book was: “All of the things I wanted to say are forgotten as I lock eyes with a man I’d cross a hundred dimensions to find.”

The ending of this book was EVERYTHING. It made up for any of the little things that I may not have agreed with and made me so happy. I loved the author’s note and especially loved the little Bake a Wish recipe at the end. I would LOVE to either see or create a playlist for this book, I feel like it would be full of all of the best 2000s songs!

This was my first book of Katie Robb’s but it definitely won’t be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to experience this book in an advanced format.

My review will be published tomorrow on my Instagram page, @graciesbooknook, and again when the book is published in September. I will tag both author and publisher to ensure it can be found.

“I don't want to wait for our lives to be over.
I want to know right now what will it be.”

If you read the above lyric and immediately felt nostalgic for 90’s teen dramas like Dawson’s Creek, then this might be the book for you.

I fell in love with Kate Robb’s debut last year, so I was excited to dive into another speculative romance by her. I’m happy to say that this book did not disappoint.

Brynn has been going through a rough time. Rewatching her favorite teen show, Carson’s Cove, always makes her feel better. One night while watching an episode, she and her roommate, Josh, get a mysterious cupcake that ends up transporting both of them into the show. While there Brynn gets to live her perfect life in Carson’s Cove helping her character get the love of the boy next door that she spent her teen years pining after. Is Carson’s Cove really as perfect as Brynn as always thought, and is Spencer the perfect man? Brynn starts to question everything as she starts falling for Josh.

I’ll admit that this book is a bit out there in plot, and the magical aspects aren’t really explained in a way that makes sense. If you’re able to ignore that and just have a good time, I think you’ll like this book.

This book is a whimsical journey into some soap opera magic! “Prime Time Romance” by Kate Robb is a love letter to teenage soap operas, a celebration of second chances, and a reminder that sometimes, the small screen holds more magic than reality ever could. Dive into this whimsical world, trust me, you won't regret it.

Meet Brynn. She is newly divorced and sharing an apartment with her roommate. No stranger to heartbreak, she has one solace: Carson’s Cove, her beloved 2000’s teenage soap opera. The show ended abruptly after five seasons, leaving fans hanging on a tantalizing cliffhanger. The two main characters were star-crossed lovers and never had the chance to declare their love for each other.

When a mysterious birthday cake appears on Brynn’s doorstep, she makes an impulsive wish for her own happily-ever-after. But she doesn't wake up in her familiar apartment. Instead, she finds herself in Carson’s Cove, a place where scripted romance reigns supreme. And her roommate is there too, transformed into the show's bad boy.

Robb masterfully weaves the allure of nostalgia into her narrative. As Brynn navigates this parallel universe, she encounters familiar faces and the soap opera tropes come alive! It’s dramatic confrontations, stolen glances, and lingering kisses. The dialogue sparkles with wit, and the chemistry between Brynn and her newfound leading man sizzles.

As Brynn grapples with her new reality, she faces a choice: stick to the script or let real love rewrite her story. The tension between scripted passion and genuine emotion is palpable. Robb deftly explores the blurred lines between fantasy and reality, reminding us that sometimes the heart does know best.

The romance is as steamy as a late-night episode, and yet is grounded in vulnerability. Brynn’s emotional journey is relatable. Her chemistry with her roommate crackles with intensity! The banter is sharp, the longing palpable, and the kisses are enough to make you swoon.

Robb's novel is a delightful escape, perfect for fans of both romance and nostalgic TV. Whether you are like me and secretly binge-watched teen soaps like The O.C., Desgrassi: The Next Generation, etc. or dreamt of your own scripted love affair, this novel will whisk you away on a whimsical adventure.

Robb is a wizard with words. She, again, brought her quirky humour and love for all things romantic to the pages. I adore her writing and L-O-V-E that we have Toronto in common. I really pray Robb continues to spin tales of love, laughter, and happily-ever-afters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Random House for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“I don’t want to wait….” any longer to read this! If Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill collided, it would be this book! I devoured this in one sitting. I’d recommend to anyone who loved the 90’s and 2000’s dramas. As perfect as things can seem on TV, sometimes real life can be even better.

Thank you NetGalley and The Dial Press for an ARC of this book! It was a pleasure to read! Publication date: September 3, 2024.

Kate Robb does it again with this fun, love after heartbreak romance. When Brynn makes a birthday with to get her happily ever after, things don't go exactly as she planned. Waking up in her favorite TV show's town, Brynn has to navigate what she thought was the perfect life. When her new roommate Josh ends up there too, things get complicated. Definitely worth the read if you loved some 90s teen TV.

Wow, Kate Robb does it again! I was such a big fan of This Spells Love and was overjoyed when I got an ARC of her sophomore novel as well!

A birthday wish gone wrong sends down-on-her-luck divorcee Brynn and her roommate Josh into an alternate universe where her favorite tv show, Carson's Cove, is real, and she's the main character Sloan! the only way home is for her to fall in love with the show's main man, Spencer, to give Sloane the happily ever after that got ripped away from her when the show got canceled.

While I don't watch any of the shows Carson Creek was emulating, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of this story. Robb really knows how to write sizzling relationships with chemistry that boils off the page! The zany antics of the townspeople was so delightful, and Spencer was giving some serious Ken energy that was hilarious! I always adore how Robb doesn't make her readers dislike The Other Woman (or in this case, the 'mean girl'), and the female friendship aspect may have been my favorite part of this story. My only complaint is that I have to wait a year for her next book!

4/5 stars! This book was super unique, in a good way! I thought the idea of being transported into your favorite teen drama to finish off the series was such an original idea. We all have a tv show that ended with no true conclusion that we wish would finish with a happy ending but sometimes the happy ending is something unexpected. Every character got a happy ending but not in the way you’d expect. There’s also small town drama like you would expect from any good show. Super engaging and fun read!

Thank You Netgalley for the arc.
Since 2023 I realize one of my fav niche romance tropes is magical realism in romance. So I was really excited to read this book, however this book was just really weird for me to enjoy. The book follows a 30yr old divorced woman and her bartender roommate as they find themselves in the world of Carson’s Cove, a teenage slice of life drama tv show that is reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, The OC and other early 2000s teen dramas. Maybe its the fact that I never watched any of these shows or really find myself wanting to watch this genre of tv shows but I found this book so boring and the main character’s motivation and obsession with this show and characters to be…very weird I just didn’t get it. This book is for those millennials who cant get over all of their favorite media that they consumed when they were teenagers….which I am not.

So overall I just found this book to be very boring

Date of Review: March 14th, 2024
Date of Publication: September 3rd, 2024

This was my first book by Katie Robb, and I have to say that it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this original and refreshing concept about a girl (Brynn) and a guy (Josh) getting transported into a popular TV show. I also truly loved the fact that the show was based off of a New England capeside town, as I am a Massachusetts girly at heart.

My one downside of this book would have to be the character development for Josh and Brynn. I just feel like their connection was rather expedited, and I would've loved a few more chapters to get to know about them and their budding chemistry more. Beyond that though, Prime Time Romance is a quick and fun-loving read for when you want to transport to a world other than your own!

I definitely will be reading Robb's other book and hope to read anything she publishes in the future :)

This was basically a Teen Beach Movie dupe. It was an enjoyable premise, but I felt that, like Robb's debut, there was something missing in the chemistry between the MCs. They went from strangers to immediately being in love, and there were not enough scenes that conveyed their chemistry, I think. Also, I think that there were a lot of additional plot points that were just thrown in for the sake of absolutely nothing, which bothered me sometimes. The writing is fine, but sometimes stilted. Again, like her debut, I really liked the premise, but the execution was lacking that extra oomph. Thank you Dial and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this sophomore release by Kate Robb, maybe even more than This Spells Love! The concept was original but also had some Turman Show qualities. Very cute story!

i was really excited to read another kate robb book after i loved her first one, this one was so delightfully good, i was intrigued from the start about the plot
i think she writes in a way that you just can help but like her characters
i was engaged throughout the book and the nod to 2000s teen dramas was so nostalgic
i wished it was longer to see a deeper connection between josh and brynn there was something a little more that was missing from this book to really rate it 5

I've never read a Kate Robb book but her writing style immediately had me book, I finished the book within a day. the fast pace, the build up and the tension of the characters makes you not want to put down the book. this book gave a very witty nostalgic vibe and I adored that. I would definitely recommend this book for any rom com lovers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

✔️ Prime Time Magical Storyline - think Teen Beach Movie and Pleasantville but with spice.
✔️ Small town romance
✔️ Roommates
✔️ Dual POVs

I completely fell in love with Kate Robb’s first novel “This Spells Love” so when I received an opportunity to read her latest book “Prime Time Romance” I knew I had to jump at the opportunity! I’ve decided Kate Robb is an author who absolutely does not disappoint. Her books are so freaking magical and are completely entrancing…I love everything about her storytelling. I definitely recommend adding her to your auto-buy author lists because she’s definitely on mine! 🫶

I won’t lie Disney’s “Teen Beach Movie” was one of my favorites so I absolutely loved the premise of this book - who doesn’t want to get transported into their favorite tv show world? This story was so magical and really blew me away with its romance, comedy, and heart. ❤️ All of the characters played big roles in moving the story along and all brought their own voice to the story. I loved the friendships that were made for both Brynn and Josh throughout this book. I will say though I really want to know more about Luce, we got some wins for her but I want to see her fall in love. (Maybe a sequel?🤞 And yes - before you rip me I know technically this would be a made up television character but I don’t care. 🤣) Josh and Brynn were freaking adorable and I really loved both characters. 🍷🍺 I don’t want to spoil too much but I loved their bond and basic understanding of each other…even in the beginning they knew they could only each other. 🫶

Thank you SO much @kate_robb_writes , @penguinrandomhouse , and @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book! 🫶

I read this book in one day and I absolutely was hooked. It was definitely a comfort read for me and I loved the characters. I can see my patrons at the library LOVING this book as much as I did!

This book was a really fun twist on the modern rom-com. I wanted to get to know Brynn more as a character, but of course I quickly sniffed out that she and Josh were endgame and I enjoyed how that progressed. The teen tv show aspect was new and different - definite Dawson’s Creek vibes with similar-feeling characters.

Thank you for this advanced copy!

This book was so cute! I loved all the references to TV shows through the early 2000's, and the ending was honestly perfect. Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of those shows, but you do have to recognize that sometimes things don't age well. This was a love letter to those shows while also realizing that things can change for the better.

One teensy, tiny thing: I never really understand how two people can be roommates but never even talk. How did the two mc's live together so long and not even become friends? Maybe that's just a trope I can't quite understand, but it doesn't subtract from this story at all.

One day, a chick and her male roommate wake up in what is essentially Dawson’s Creek. See, it’s her Comfort Show and she made a wish on her birthday, and… yeah, just go with it. It’s a cute premise.

The show was abruptly canceled so didn’t get a true ending. She is trapped in the show’s town, as the female lead, and has to get her HEA with the male lead…. OR DOES SHE!? Maybe instead she has to find love with the broody bartender….

I was offered this on NetGalley and was intrigued enough by the synopsis to go for it. It was fine. It’s good, not great. A 5-star rom-com is one I’d read again… but that’s not this. I think it was all premise, not enough relationship.