“Meet Me In The Margins” by Melissa Ferguson is my fave romance of the year so far. I read this one in under 24 hours. Savannah Cade loves books and has a dream job at a publishing house…. Well, except for her other dream- having her own first manuscript published. Unfortunately, the house she works for looks down on what they consider “frivolous” genres, including the one she’s writing: romance! On the verge of being caught working on her romance novel at work, she stashes her manuscript in a secret hiding place, only to return to it later to find anonymous editor notes marking up her work. Much to her chagrin, the no-nonsense critiques of her manuscript left by her mystery editor are actually good. Thus starts back and forth conversation in the margins of her work, with chemistry on paper sparking.

“You’ve Got Mail” meets modern office romance, with a hint of grumpy/sunshine dynamic, this novel is just the book you want to curl up with in your favorite chair with a cozy blanket and read in a single sitting. This book is a sweet and funny romantic comedy, rather than a steamy romance. The main characters are flawed but lovable, the supporting characters add layers to the work and home life drama, and you definitely can’t help but dream of getting to wander around the ARC room at Pennington Publishing! This one left me smiling big.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read and review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

This story was such a delightfully fun and enjoyable book to read! I loved every moment I was in it; so much so, that I didn’t want to put it down!
I’ve never really known what it takes to be a writer and all the moving parts to putting a book out in readers' hands. This story truly gives us, the readers, a glimpse of what it takes.
Melissa Ferguson has a wonderful way of sharing all the struggles writers face when all they want is to tell their stories.
I LOVED the fun dialogue, the quirky characters, and the sweet touch of romance that makes up this book. The whole story moved so smoothly with moments of delight, but also with moments of pain as we feel all that the main characters feel. When we can put ourselves in the characters’ lives and understand the pains and joys, that is what makes a book great! This author has done that!
After reading a few of this author’s books, I know that whenever I hear Melissa Ferguson has a new book written, I’m going to jump right in and get it!
AFTER ALL, I now know all the ins and outs of what it took for the book to be in my hands!
I loved this story and will recommend it to anyone and everyone who wants a fun book to read.
I was given this book by the publisher and NetGalley which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel is a cute slow-burn romance. Savannah Cade works as an assistant editor for a stodgy publishing house that only produces the finest literary works and non-fiction. Her boss’s son has come to help out at the publishing house, because they’re losing money and fearful her job may be cut.

Absolutely loved the premise of Meet Me in the Margins and I really enjoyed the author's writing style. Felt a bit slow at times and didn't feel overlay connected to the characters,

FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Slow beginning. Get to the meat. Give readers a reason to stay. If you bore them, you lose them. Awkward word choice? Drop this paragraph. We don’t need this character. Rabbit trail, stick to the point.”

More chick lit than romance, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this sweet (no sex!) novel. Savannah is a secret aspiring romance writer, working as an assistant editor for a boutique publishing house that is disdainful of commercial fiction. Her life is in a bit of shambles. She is living in her younger sister's spare bedroom and her sister is engaged to her ex-boyfriend. Work has gotten more stressful because she has a new boss, Will, who was recently let go from a powerhouse publishing house in the city. Savannah escapes to her secret room at work and discovers that her room is not so secret. More than that, this person is editing her secret work. I really enjoyed the witty banter, interesting characters and the secret room premise. The identity of the mystery editor was never in question and I would have enjoyed more interaction and intimacy between the two main characters but overall an engaging and fun read. While I received a preview copy from Netgally, this review is all mine.

A book about books, a publishing house, an aspiring author, and a romance all rolled into one. Sign me up! This book is super cute and I enjoyed it. The only downfall is that it was a little Hallmark-ish as in you knew the plot from the get go, but like any good Hallmark movie I still enjoyed the ride.

3.5 stars

Ohhh, I loved this read! Melissa Ferguson may have outdone herself here; it’s at least on par with “The Cul-de-Sac Wars,” if not even better (and I loved that, so!).

I loved everything about Savannah’s life in the publishing world, from her job as an editor (hey, I am one too! And it won’t ever get old being able, finally, to say that, haha—a dream finally fulfilled after 20 years) to being an aspiring author (wouldn’t that be fun! Also something I’d love to do, but I also find I do better editing other people’s words and, myself, sticking to book reviews like thjs). Life imitated art in this book; the lines were blurry at times (in a good way) regarding Savannah’s own quest for publication and the actual, literal book I consumed as a reader. As much could be said about one as the other, and that was so fun (even the quirks and challenges in her manuscript could apply to the book itself).

And, may I just say…Will is just…swoonworthy. Loved him as a foil to Savannah.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book follows Savannah, an aspiring romance author who happens to work at a publishing house that looks down on romance. The mysterious William Pennington – son of the publishing house’s owner – shows up and shakes things up. Meanwhile, someone is secretly editing Savannah’s novel. Despite the fact that she doesn’t know who this person is, she needs all the help she can get if she wants her book to be published.

As with most romances, this book was very predictable. However, I still enjoyed it a lot. I wish we could have seen more of the romance development – it felt like it happened quite quickly. William made for an interesting if generic male love interest, but I didn’t care much for Savannah.

That being said, the other cast of characters made up of everyone who works at the publishing house was a fun addition. I also liked that there was a bit of family drama when it came to Savannah’s personal life.

While this romance isn’t groundbreaking, the backdrop of the publishing industry made it stand out amongst a sea of other romances. If you’re a book nerd like me and you’re fascinated by the publishing industry and everything that goes on behind the scenes, I’d definitely recommend this one.

I am absolutely in love with this book by Melissa Ferguson. Savannah Cade is so tired of always being an afterthought. She is tired of being told what to do and being pushed around. Yet her work at Pennington Publishing is just as stifling as her overbearing family. That is until she meets her mystery editor. Through notes left in the margins of her manuscript, Savannah is challenged to bring out the best she has to offer. I am so grateful to Nelson Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC of this well-written and inspiring story.

My thoughts: I loved this book so much! First of all, it was interesting to see the behind the scenes of the editing, writing, and publishing world. It gave me a new appreciation for how hard authors/editors work to put books on our shelves. Yes it was totally predictable, but I loved the plot/connection through the editing of the manuscript! The title is adorable and the cover is perfect too.

Savannah was such a sweet character, but she did frustrate me a bit with her reactions to her overbearing and inconsiderate family. I wanted her to yell at her awful sister/fiancé so badly!

As for the romance, it was cute and fun! I was craving a solid feel good romance (keep in mind if you need steam in your romance this is a more innocent read). Just picturing Will made me want to drool - he seemed like a total heart throb!

When I rate romance books I always think of whether or not I'd watch it as a movie; I would love to see this one in film! Add a little steam and a blow out argument with the horribly annoying family and this would be a 5 star for me!

This was such a fun read and the chemistry between Will and Savannah was apparent from the beginning. The backdrop of a publishing company, secret rooms and an Arc Room were enough to draw me in and not let me go.

So, I’ve definitely read this book before. It was called The Hating Game. And we all know how much I loved that book (I didn’t).

In all seriousness through, there were so many similarities between this book and The Hating Game beyond them both taking place at a publishing house with a grumpy boss. The main female characters are similar, the male love interest is similar, and the personal twist is the same, just with different characters.

I don’t really read rom-coms, but this promised to be like the films The Proposal and You’ve got Mail. And it kind of was. So, I did enjoy that. It was cute.

My main complaints were that there was zero intrigue. The whole “omg wHo’S mY MysTeRy EdiToR? I cAn’T fiGurE iT oUt” was ridiculous. It’s obvious and our main character is just super naive. But I also think that’s the writing style. It didn’t convince me that there were any other male characters that could fit the bill. If anything, I was more interested in her sister’s relationship and what would happen there.

And second, the pacing at the end sped up so rapidly I was like, “oh, so we’re done now and everything magically came together? Okay, cool.”

Was it cute? Yes
Did I enjoy it? Yes
Did I enjoy it more than The Hating Game? Yes.
Did it blow me away? No.

Very cute read. I love almost any book that deals with publishing and this didn't disappoint. I enjoyed the (clean!) romance and thought it had a lot of laugh out loud moments. There were a few instances with Savannah's family that were hard to understand logically, but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story. I'll be looking for more stories from Ferguson.

I adore stories about books! The author successfully cultivated the idea of falling in love with a person via written editorial notes on a manuscript in the story. Savannah, an editor for a struggling publisher, has always wanted to pen her romance novel. Will is the serious and stoic man brought in to save the failing company. After being caught working on her novel at work, Savannah hides her manuscript in the secret room she stumbled upon behind a cabinet in the ARC room. It is a total shock when she discovers that someone else has visited the room and left notes in the margins of her pages. At first, the secret editor is harsh in his critique, but Savannah eventually sees the truth in his words. Slowly, a friendship grows through the exchange of anonymous notes. Over time, they both wonder if it is more than friendship.

Savannah’s family life made me cringe. The relationship between Savannah and her self-absorbed sister is odd and irritating. I do not know that it was realistic. If my sister wound up engaged to my ex, I don’t think we would be speaking. Don’t get me started on her parents. The family dynamics were very baffling for me. I did not like the doormat qualities that Savannah exhibited. I wish the author spent more time building the blossoming romance than on the twisted family sub-plot.

Overall, the book was enjoyable. The ending wrapped up everything pleasingly. The characters came together as I hoped they would. If you enjoy bookish books, this is a good choice. This book was a 4 out of 5 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book even though it is different from what I usually read. I thought the relationship was cute and I liked the workplace romance aspect of it. But it was a little too tame for me.

Meet Me in the Margins is a delightful and witty romance that was the perfect lighthearted escape!

What appealed to you the most in this story?

Everything, everything, EVERYTHING!! I loved the characters, the plot, the building romance, the humor, just everything!! And it gets even better - This book is set in the publishing world! Need I say more!?! It’s a book about books, and…crud! I can’t tell you or it will be a spoiler!

Wait! There were also so many laugh out loud moments, and I really want to share them with you, but boy would that be a huge spoiler.

Were the characters believable?

Oh yes! They were diverse, fun and quirky, and I wanted to jump into the story and hang out or argue with them. Seriously, this is a cast of characters that will find their way into your heart quickly.

How was the romance?

I loved this pen pal troupe (if it’s not already a troupe it is now). It gave the You’ve Got Mail style romcom vibes with the tension and endearing moments. I loved following their building romance through the margins of Savannah’s romcom manuscript and found myself rooting for them to find each other from the very first chapter.

Steam Level - Clean romance

How was the pace?

This was a fast-paced story that had me flying through the pages and finishing it in less than a day!

Do you recommend this book?

You bet I do!! I’m sure you could tell by my obnoxious use of exclamation marks at this point. If you are looking for a fun story to lose yourself in, that is full of lively characters, and humor, then I hope you pick this book up to read soon. Now…I’m off to read more of Ferguson’s books! (I had to use one more exclamation mark for posterity)

Thank you UpLit and Thomas Nelson for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Ferguson absolutely delivers with her characters and romances. She will surely be added to my list of top romance authors. I can’t recommend this book or author enough!

I absolutely sped through this book! It was such a fun read, especially with all the fun behind the scenes stuff for publishing houses and authors. Someone please grant me immediate access into the Arc room!! I loved Will so much and how he both cared deeply and wasn’t afraid to do the tough or make uncomfortable choices. Savannah was so lovable and relatable and I loved the point she realized she found herself in her writing.

The only flaw in this book was Savannah’s family. They were absolutely cringeworthy. What kind of sister would ever even consider dating their sister’s ex with an 8 year history? And the way they force their kids to just not deal with things and swallow any unsocial “hardship” in the best interest of the family was so awful. No wonder her sister was the way she was. I would’ve preferred some more grieving and actual growth with the sister relationship but I get this was just a minor subplot of a romance and that level of depth may not have been what the author was going for.

Overall this was an enjoyable read, with the meat of the story being enjoyable.

Thank you so much to @uplitreads & @our_friendly_farmhouse for the opportunity to be a part of this campaign!

There were so many things I really adored about this book. The Nashville book publishing scene (MY FAV), the quirky characters, the interaction between the two main characters through notes of a margin. This book was so sweet, and will make you feel giddy! I smiled a lot while reading this ☺️

It is out in the world today! So go snag it up. It is sure to put a smile on your face, make you laugh out loud, and make you fall in love with books more than you already are (if that's even possible)! 💖📚

This was a cute story that had the romance unfolding through notes. I wish there was more in person interactions but there were major life moments the heroine needed to go through alone. There were many satisfactory events that I cheered for. The beginning was slow but the story is a real book lovers dream. It’s a love story for books and people

Wow, so this was a very "slow burn" romance. I really enjoyed it but wanted more of the connection between the main characters overall. There were some twists and turns that kept me guessing but the ending was pretty easy to predict from the get-go. This was a light-hearted, enjoyable read. I always love books that take place in a literary, publishing, agency setting. Overall it was very "clean" romance and fun to read!