As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr is a charming romance novel perfect for those of us who enjoy Hallmark movies. The storyline is fun and highly entertaining. As Seen on TV publishes on June 7.
From The Publisher:
Fans of the Hallmark Channel and Gilmore Girls will adore this delightful rom‑com about a city girl who goes in search of small-town happiness, only to discover life—and love—are nothing like the TV movies.
Emerging journalist Adina Gellar is done with dating in New York City. If she’s learned anything from made-for-TV romance movies, it’s that she’ll find love in a small town—the kind with harvest festivals, delightful but quirky characters, and scores of delectable single dudes. So when a big-city real estate magnate targets tiny Pleasant Hollow for development, Adi knows she’s found the perfect story—one that will earn her a position at a coveted online magazine, so she can finally start adulting for real . . . and maybe even find her dream man in the process.
Only Pleasant Hollow isn’t exactly “pleasant.” There’s no charming bakery, no quaint seasonal festivals, and the residents are more ambivalent than welcoming. The only upside is Finn Adams, who’s more mouthwatering than the homemade cherry pie Adi can’t seem to find—even if he does work for the company she’d hoped to bring down. Suddenly Adi has to wonder if maybe TV got it all wrong after all. But will following her heart mean losing her chance to break into the big time?
Book Review:
I really enjoyed this book! Adi and Finn are interesting characters who meet in a town so different than the ones found in Hallmark movies. The idea that all small towns reflect those found in the movies was certainly dispelled in this book.
Adi is a free-lance journalist hoping to gain a full-time job with an online magazine. She currently lives with her Mom, but desperately wants to start her true adult life. She has 2 other part-time jobs in addition to her free-lance work, but there are not leading her to the career she truly wants.
After she successfully pitches her idea for her story to a prospective employer, she sets off to write a story set in the small town of Pleasant Hollow. Her assignment is to get the town’s perspective on a new large development project which is currently being built. The town is filled with plenty of quirky characters that kept me highly entertained.
Finn is the attractive construction manager who is in charge of the job site. He’s also staying in the same Bed and Breakfast as Adi is. As they two begin to learn more about each other, it’s easy to see their chemistry. But what they truly want for their own lives is something very different.
I enjoyed the Gilmore Girls-like relationship between Adi and her mother and the references to the show throughout the book, including the town’s name and Adina’s surname (same as Rory’s friend Paris). On a more serious note, the author does a great job of discussing difficult subjects such as alcoholism with compassion. This balance of comedy and serious subjects makes for an enjoyable read.
What I Liked:
- The storyline which shows that all small towns aren’t the best locations for a Hallmark movie
- The likeable and relatable characters
- The balance of humour and serious topics
My Rating:
★★★★☆
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central) publishing for the ARC of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:
Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens
Fadima Mooneira
This book sounds like my kinda read. I will check it out. Thank you for sharing.
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading Fadima!
Amanda Kay Oaks-Christman
This book sounds great! Wonderful review!
thathappyreader
Thanks so much Amanda!
Jenny in Neverland
This sounds like a fun book! Perfect Summer beach read by the sounds of it x
thathappyreader
It would make a great beach read Jenny! Thanks for reading.
Stephanie
I loved this book so much! I gave it a similar rating (4.5 stars) and found it so entertaining as someone who has always loved small-town stories. I also got a chance to join a virtual author event with Meredith and Dylan Newton for the release of Dylan’s new book, which was a blast! I can’t wait to add a physical copy of As Seen on TV to my shelves soon!
thathappyreader
I’m so glad you loved it too Stephanie! I love the virtual events too and couldn’t make this one. Thanks for reading!
Carla
Wonderful review, Jodie. This definitely sounds like a book I would love. Hallmark movies and Gilmour Girls are both favourites of mine.
thathappyreader
They are both favourites of mine too Carla! Thanks for reading!
Wendy Williams
I loved The Gilmore Girls and I know I’d love this too. Wonderful review, Jodie!
thathappyreader
Thank you Wendy!
Lauren
I haven’t heard of this book before, it sounds like a fun and interesting book to read this Summer. Thank you for sharing your detailed review and experience.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl
thathappyreader
Thank you for reading Lauren!
Allison
Yet another addition to my TBR list! I doubt I’ll ever get through it! Thanks for sharing!
thathappyreader
I hope you enjoy it Allison! Thanks for reading.
readandreviewit
Great review! This sounds like a really lovely read, and just in time for summer too! I love the theme of things on TV not always being the way they seem and the characters themselves sound fascinating too. Thank you so much for sharing!
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading Ceri!
Sophie
You had me at Gilmore Girls to be honest. But I like that this one sounds a little more real than a quaint Hallmark movie too. Sounds like a great read x
thathappyreader
Another Gilmore Girls fan! Thanks for reading Sophie!
ellegracedeveson
Ooo this sounds like the perfect summer read, I’ll for sure be picking this up. I’ve never actually watched Gilmore Girls but after reading your post today, I think I’ll get watching that asap! Thank you so much for sharing this in-depth review with us lovely Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
thathappyreader
Thanks so much for reading Elle!
Molly | Transatlantic Notes
I think I’d quite enjoy reading this book — thanks for the review!
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading Molly!
Jaya Avendel
Loving the sounds of this fun and entertaining book! I love small town mysteries and romances so I definitely relate to Adi’s logic that she can mimic what she sees on TV and find success in her own life. 🙂
thathappyreader
It was a fun book Jaya! Thanks for reading!