Saturday, June 25, 2022

Review - As Seen on TV

Title:   As Seen on TV
Author:  Meredith Schorr
Publisher:  Forever
Genre:  Women's Fiction; Romance
Format:  Audiobook ARC
Narrator:  Emily Lawrence
No. of Pages:   352
Date of Publication:  June 7, 2022 
My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

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? 


MY THOUGHTS:
 
I love that this book can be considered anti-Hallmark. Hallmark movies are sweet, gushy, picturesque and make you think of a nice cup of hot chocolate in front of a fire. Well, don't expect this when Adina Gellar lands in Pleasant Hollow. Yes, it is a small town. Well, it stops there. No festivals, everyone doesn't know one another and each other's business...nothing you would expect if you are thinking you are walking onto a Hallmark movie set.

As a up-and-coming journalist Adi has been burned when it comes to the dating seen. Perhaps it is because being from New York the dating pool was just so large. Headed to Pleasant Hollow should change things for Adi. Meanwhile, that journalism career? Well, it certainly hasn't hit its stride as of yet. So, Adi has the brilliant idea to present Pleasant Hollow as idyllic as possible, even if she has to make a few things up.

Meeting Finn gives Adi pause. Has she found the perfect man already? Was simply moving to the outskirts of New York all she needed to do to reach out for her chance at love? With a story idea that will finally launch her journalism career, accompanied by the gorgeous Finn - well, Adi is on her way. 

Having watched just about every Hallmark movie ever produced has Adi writing her own story. Can she get a homemade pie? Stop in an ice cream shop? Well, considering the fact that Finn is a developer and that he has huge plans for the very small town, well, that rather bursts Adi's bubble. Will the town's members side with Adi in her dreams of something quaint, or will they side with Finn and see nothing but dollar signs when considering the developments that are being planned?

Conflicts abound in this adorable story by Meredith Schorr. Proving that it is okay to dream, to plan, to change minds, all things the loveable Adi does. Not only does Adi work hard at creating her dream small town, she has the chance at love when it comes to Finn. I loved that the two were complete opposites, especially when it came to their ideals. With other supporting characters, including the Adi's lovely mother, this book was truly a delightful read. The blurb compares this book to the Gilmore Girls and that comparison could not be more appropriate when you see Adi's wonderful relationship with her mother. 

The fact that I had this book as an audiobook ARC gave me the feels of watching a movie come to life, because that is exactly what this book did. Emily Lawrence, As Seen on TV's narrator, captured the characters perfectly and this made for a nice, pleasant afternoon of reading.

Here is the kicker when it comes to me - I don't watch Hallmark movies and I never saw even one episode of Gilmore Girls. However, with popular culture being what it is, I could quite easily connect this book to Hallmark movies and also to the television show. That alone is what made this book really work for me. For the author to give me strong vibes, strong connections to those iconic movies and that memorable TV show proves that she knows her readers well. Of course, I can see weeks and months of binge watching ahead, all thanks to this pleasant read - apropos as the town was Pleasant Hollow.  

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A born and bred New Yorker and lifelong daydreamer, Meredith Schorr fueled her passion for writing everything from restaurant reviews, original birthday cards, and even work-related emails into a career penning romantic comedies. When she’s not writing books filled with grand gestures and hard-earned happily-ever-afters or working as a trademark paralegal, she’s most often reading, running, or watching TV…for research, of course. She is represented by Melissa Edwards at Stonesong.  Meredith’s trade paperback debut with Grand Central Publishing/Forever, AS SEEN ON TV, will be published on June 7, 2022.


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