Prime Time Romance is a cute small town romance with a twist, kind of. The small town most of the book is set in isn’t actually real, it’s a fictional town from our FMC’s favourite TV show. Sloan and Josh get stuck in Carson’s Cove and are tasked with fixing the abrupt and unsatisfying ending of the TV show. But of course, nothing goes the way they expected it to go.

The book is full of cliches but I actually really resonated with it. I think it might be a universal experience to rewatch TV series or films or rereading a book you used to love and realising that maybe things weren’t actually that sweet (I think I’m not the only person who woke up one day and realised Rory Gilmore is far from perfect). There’s something quite reassuring that comes with this realisation as it almost removes the pressure of trying to recreate as picture perfect of a life. Nothing is ever perfect, especially not when it looks like it from the outside. The magical realism twist was done really well and felt unique and refreshing. It distinguishes this book from other romcoms. It is still full of kitsch but it works within the context of the story. Anyways, I would definitely recommend the book, it’s a feel good romcom with a slightly different twist from my usual reads.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

After loving This Spells Love, I was so excited to receive an arc for Kate's new book.

I think the premise of this book is really interesting and it gives me the vibes of the movie 'Teen Beach'. I loved the beginning of the book, it was really good and interesting and the set up for the book made me hopeful that the rest of the book would be the same but something was missing.

Maybe it felt a bit rushed, characters could have been developed further/more insight to their personality but to be honest, I still managed to really enjoy this book despite the above.

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Plot: Brynn's life is chaotic. She is recently divorced and her friends forget her birthday and she feels her life is a mess. She finds comfort in a TV drama 'Carson's Cove', where everything is perfect and works out and after her roommate Josh asks her to make a wish for her birthday, the next day she finds herself in Carson's Cove, with Josh. And to further this, the background character wants both Brynn and Josh to pretend they are the main characters of the show, as he felt the show didn't end the way it should have in the 2000s.

Throughout the book, Brynn realises that the idyllic world of Carson's Cove is maybe not what she wants in life and we see her navigating her relationship with Josh and other characters of the show 📺🎬🌇⛱️

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In conclusion, I think it is a unique and fun book and it is an easy light-hearted read.

It has:

🌠Magical Realism
💖Friends to Lovers
🌇Small Town Romance
🎬2000s TV nostalgia
⛱️Teen Beach Movie Vibes
👫Dual POV

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Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!
The cover and blurb really drew me to this book to begin with and then I started reading and realised I also got a perfect slice of escapism at just the right time!
Though I do read a lottttt of romance, it was so nice to read something a little different from my usual picks and this book, full of nostalgia, nods to the shows I loved as a teenager and a little sprinkle of magic was an absolute joy to read.
I loved Josh (swoon) as soon as he appeared on page and knew he was going to be the perfect guy for Brynn but I really loved that this book was as much about their individual stories as much as the romance.
They both had things to grieve, confidence to find and love to fall in but they stuck together (mostly) throughout this nightmarish dimensional travel (complete with the evil bleach blond -big yikes to Sheldon) and while we all knew what was going to happen I liked waiting for both of them to get there in their own time.
All in all it was cute, easy and fun
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from Kate in the future.

i did love the nostalgic element and the book was super easy to read however, I felt the language was trying to be too modern and it was trying so hard. I loved the small town vibes and is a perfect book for those sit com lovers.

rounding this up to 3.5

when brynn is given a chance to fix her favourite 90’s romance sit-com tv shows with her roommate.

i did love the nostalgic element as a sit-com tv show lover. however, at times i felt the language used was trying to hard to be modern - whilst also bringing back the feeling of 90s nostalgia.

the book is still a super easy read regardless and i loved the cozy small town vibes through out the book. for sit-com romance fans this is a perfect book to read.

Ever loved a show so much you wanted to be on it? Well, that’s what happens to Brynn after she makes a wish on a mystery cake for her birthday. But should some things be left on screen?

Following Brynn and her roommate Josh as they take on new identities in the show, they’re both meant to find the happy ending for their characters, but things don’t quite go to plan.

I found this a really fun read (if not a little sinister at times - like, imagine being forced into a tv show and no being allowed to to leave…) and I genuinely could’ve done with more of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the ARC.

I read this book in one sitting and loved it.

There may be too many references to teen dramas of the 90/00s for some people but it hit just the right amount for me. Robb never over explains a reference or a joke based on the tropes of those shows but that doesn't mean that someone who didn't watch them wouldn't get it or feel left out. Its lovingly teasing. One of my favourite moments was Brynn mentioning that Sloan's wardrobe was just sundresses and no hoodies, so Josh gives her his. Without overexplaining the joke being that her wardrobe intentionally facilitates a love interest giving her his hoodie.

I really enjoyed Brynn and Josh's romance. I honestly thought that was Sheldons end goal all along but he really shone as a sinister character.

The comments on female friendship, tropes of mean girls and pranks/sabotage really resonated with me. Luce and Brynn finding a friendship was great, my only quibble is that I felt that Brynn would have mourned that loss a little more.

4.25 ⭐️

teen beach movie meets dawsons creek meets funny story if it had a fantasy element to it!

i realllly enjoyed this one it’s been a few books since ive actually laughed out loud and had fun and this book delivered on that throughout. i read this in one sitting and couldn’t put it down.
there’s just something so nostalgic about this book it’s like a warm cozy summer hug that just had me in such a good mood while reading it.

brynn and josh were just two cuties and i could read about them all day, completely related to brynn and finding love again after a breakup but could also relate to josh trying to come to terms with seeing himself as a “failure” even though what had happened was out of his hands.

the side characters were written so well and felt so authentic to those late 90’s early 2000’s sitcoms you would watch and Kate really painted them in such a vivid way that i just KNOW i was meant to cringe when spencer was doing mundane things (like yoga or talking about his weird kombucha)

such a fun lighthearted fluffy read that will just put you in a giggly mood and want to reread it again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for sending me the arc!

I loved this book! The premise was original and interesting, I was instantly drawn in by the characters, dialogue and the plot. I loved Josh and Brynn and how their relationship developed!

The idea for the story was original. I adored the setting of Carson Cove. Definitely gave me Gilmore Girls vibes. I was cheering on Josh and Brynn. The changes that they brought to the setting made me love them more. Their developing feelings for one another and their instant friendship was heartwarming.

I wished some parts of the story had been a bit more fleshed out. Especially the ending, as it was resolved maybe too quickly.

A perfect summer read!

I will definitely be recommending this in store!

Mixed feelings about this one. It was a really unique and interesting plot and I loved the idea of self development and letting go of the past. I did struggle a bit to get into it and I thought that there were possibly too many characters but overall a good summer read.

This book had such a fun, interesting concept. It took a little while for me to get into but turned into a lighthearted and entertaining read. I felt there were perhaps a few plot holes that might have been a bit better explained but overall it was a cute summer read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This took me a little while to properly get into and I really had to force myself to sit down and continue on. The idea of the story was a little strange but interesting, and idk i think everything was a little rushed. Too many characters to try and remember (felt a little like josh with that) and took me a while to catch up and realise what had happened.

I did enjoy it however it was a fun read

I'm not sure how I felt about this book to be honest.

As someone who loved The OC, One Tree Hill & Gilmore Girls, I really enjoyed this and could completely relate to Brynn using Carson's Cove to cope with her real world problems.

On the other hand, Brynn and Josh go from barely talking to eachother as roommates to confessing their love in a week? That part isn't for me.

I'm not sure I loved a lot of the background characters and found it difficult to connect them to the characters that Brynn loved so much, but maybe that's just because Carson's Cove is a fictional series that I've never binge watched.

The magical element of the story wasn't ever really explained either, which bugged me. Was Sheldon magic or was it just completely coincidental?

There also wasn't a lot of background around Brynn's divorce and I felt that Josh's guilt about not being able to successfully run a bar in the middle of a global pandemic was reaching a bit.

It was also mentioned that Josh was Brynn's brother's friend but the brother was never mentioned again, which was weird.

Overall, I enjoyed it but there were a few niggles for me. I would read this author again and enjoyed the way it was written.

Tropes:
• Roommates
• Magic wish?
• Teen TV drama
• Help! We are stuck in a fictional world (is this a trope? I feel like it should be a trope - I recently read A Novel Love Story which includes the heroine being stuck in the town of her favourite book series so it is definitely a trope I'm into at the mo!)
• Small town

This was such a lovely read.
Funny, heartwarming and nostalgic, all the things I didn’t know I needed!
When Brynn gets transported to her favourite TV comfort show she thinks she will be able to change the outcome and give everyone the happily ever after they craved. Little did she know it maybe wasn’t the ending she wanted anymore!
The character development in this is so good, I loved seeing both main characters get to shine through on the page.
Would recommend to anyone that wants a lighthearted fun read with a little bit of magic sprinkled in.

This was a really fun read! My first book from this author and I will definitely read more by Kate Robb. The plot was really unique and I loved the chemistry!! An easy read that I think a lot of people would enjoy!

Reading this book was like taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscent of the TV shows from my youth. The author's intention to evoke that nostalgic feeling was evident, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I did feel that the pacing seemed to lag in the middle and while the magical elements added an intriguing twist to the plot, the character of Sheldon left me confused; initially, I thought he might possess magical abilities, but as the story progressed, I'm not sure how he did what he did.

Despite these minor flaws, I found the book to be a fun and entertaining read. The characters, kept me engaged throughout. It was an interesting journey back to the teenage TV dramas of the 90s and 00s, and fans of those shows will undoubtedly appreciate the author's homage to that era. while it may have its flaws, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to recapture the magic of their favourite TV shows.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Being an older 30 something reader I am probably somewhere in the intended audience for this book although I have never watched any of the shows the author was inspired by, whoops.

This is the first book of Kate Robb’s I’ve read and it hasn’t disappointed. It’s not normally a genre I read a huge amount of but I really enjoyed this one.
It starts with newly divorced Brynn rewatching her favourite TV show, Carson’s Cove over again with her flat mate Josh when she gets a mysterious visitor at the door.
Through making a wish they both find themselves transported into Brynn’s favourite 90s teenage soap.
There she must make a series of decisions to ensure the correct outcome of the annual pageant in order to send them both back home.
What follows is a tale of self realisation and the discovery that perhaps the show isn’t as great as she once thought it was. She must figure out a way to make everything right again.
Some nice twists that I didn’t expect and a little bit of predictability, it’s essentially a love story in the end, between yourself, your friends/enemies and the boy you were meant to fall for.

Thanks to NetGallery and Penguin General UK for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

A fast and easy read with a fun and unique plot I haven't read a book like it before so it was fun to see how it all planned out.

I loved Brynn and Josh I just wished I got to see more of them together, the plot set up for some great 2000s romance moments just wished we got more for the main characters.

In all the book was a fun read.

Thank you Penguin General UK for the eARC via Netgalley

Title: Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb

Release Date: September, 5th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars


After Brynn makes a 30th birthday wish, she and her roommate Josh find themselves transported to Carson's Cove, the setting of Brynn's beloved 2000s teen drama. In a surprising twist, Brynn becomes Sloan, a character believed to have missed out on her happy ending, while Josh takes on the role of the bad boy, Fletch.

In a delightful twist of fate, Brynn and Josh embark on a charming adventure through familiar tropes and heartwarming moments in their new reality. As they strive to fulfill Brynn's wish for a happily-ever-after, sparks fly and emotions soar, making you cheer for them as if they were your closest friends.

Kate Robb's magical touch adds an enchanting layer to the story, making it a perfect fit for those who love a bit of whimsy in their reading experience. I truly adored this. It was a unique interesting concept. All I would have asked for would be a bit more of those awww moments between the two main characters!

Thank you to The Publisher Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business | Penguin , The Author Kate Robb & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Ever wished you lived in the small little town from your favourite tv series? Well, Brynn finally gets her wish, but things turn out not to be as perfect as she expected them to be.
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I loved the idea of letting the past go and owning up to this new person that you are - there’s nothing wrong with changing!
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”You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep rewatching the old one.”