Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
The second novel from this author is just as engrossing as her first. Brynn is finally getting over the sudden end of her marriage, one she didn't see coming. She is managing the mortgage on her Toronto condo by getting a roommate. Josh works as a bartender at a popular bar and is dealing with his own grief at his failure to keep his dad's bar going after his death a few years ago. With their different work schedules, Josh and Brynn don't actually see each other that often. Brynn's been bingeing on her favourite television series from her teenager years, Carson's Cove, which centered on a group of teenagers on a small New England island town of the same name. One theme of the show was the love of two of the teens, who never expressed their feelings for each other, although several seasons ended in cliffhanger moments. When the series was suddenly cancelled after one of these scenes as Spencer goes off to college and Sloan travels to Paris, fans were left hanging. Brynn just wants a happy ending, for the characters as well as herself.
The book opens as Brynn is out with some friends, more acquaintances really, she uses her familiarity with the bar Josh works at to get the group in, but soon finds herself wishing she was back home in front of the television. When Josh sees her in need of a way home, he ends his shift early and accompanies her home and watches a couple episodes of the show with her. Just as they are both about to call it a day, a delivery person arrives with a birthday cake, which they both have a piece of.
When they awake, they find themselves in the fictional Carson's Cove, with Brynn living as an older Sloan, back in town for a while. Josh finds himself cast as Fletcher, a guy who lives above his aunt's bar, and has a reputation for unreliability and a bad boy.
With Spencer back in town as well, things seem to be set up for the happy ending Brynn has been dreaming of, but is that really the best outcome for the characters.
I liked how Robb teased a bit with the predictable happy ending, but gave the characters more depth, and introduced a new viewpoint into the nature the main as well as the secondary characters, both friends and rivals.
This had me thinking about the new takes on some shows and movies from the past that reveal some problematic situations and personalities as we look back on them from our, hopefully, more enlightened present.
I also liked the inclusion of real Canadian places, like Orillia into the plotline.
Definitely a page turner for me.
