Caught in the boathouse near where Victoria is currently breaking up with Eli, Leah accidentally overhears every embarrassing moment, although neither of them knows she’s there. When Eli enlists his sister and female friends to help him makeover his life, they head to the clothing store Leah is working at and she recognizes him. Soon, Leah joins the group making Eli into the perfect boyfriend, but not without catching feelings for him herself.

The name of this book, the Rom-Com Agenda, easily gives away which category this belongs in, and it fits into it perfectly. Leah and Eli are great, well developed characters, as are their family and friends, but I found the story quite predictable and slow moving. Overall, it was cute and funny.

The Rom-Com Agenda is a fun gender-switch on the 90s romance movie genre.

Leah and Eli have met before, Eli just doesn't know that. Overhearing Eli's failed attempt at a rushed proposal at the end of summer, Leah is shocked to see Eli in person that winter with his sister and best friends on a mission: get a makeover to earn Victoria back. Getting roped into their scheme when his makeover turns to studying male heroes through movies, Leah starts making Eli question his plan and listening to his friends and family a little more. Do you really need to change everything about yourself if it's actually meant to be? Leah likes Eli just the way he is, but she's heading out of town after the loss of her foster mother. It's up to Eli to convince her to stay, and it's up to Leah to show Eli he's perfect the way he is.

Jayne Denker is a new author to me and I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for a review. This book had several parts that kept me laughing out loud and overall I thought it was a cute take on the typical make=over storyline. If you grew up in the 90s, you know all about the geek girl that gets her glasses removed and suddenly the popular boy wants her. Not only was this a gender switch in the trope, but Eli changed a lot more than simply removing glasses (he didn't have them anyway), and did it all while Victoria wasn't even in the country. I loved the banter between the friend group and liked the overall connection between Eli and Leah, but there was just something missing with the Victoria storyline and the ending was a little rushed. I also wish it had an epilogue, but overall I still recommend the book!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
I was drawn in by the characters and the story right away. The way the author began to tell Leah’s story and her background immediately made me sympathetic towards her. I really began to like her right out of the gate.
Eli started out with me not quite liking him. He seemed a bit too aloof and clueless for me.
The friends added a lot of fun to the story. The whole “makeover to win the girl” idea I felt was a bit cheesy and reminiscent of a 90’s rom com teen movie but as a millennial and a huge fan of 90’s rom coms I secretly loved it haha. All of the movie references were fun and a great addition to the story.
What really made this book so endearing was the found family that Leah gained. It really added another level of a different type of love we can experience in life. I hope there will be more books spinning off with Jenna and Dickie, Delia & Grey. I would definitely read those!
In the end I really liked the genuine way Leah and Eli came together and really found myself doing a complete turn around on Eli. He ended up a really thoughtful, kind and endearing character.
Cute book!!

I loved Leah and Eli. Super adorable friends-to-lovers romance. They were so easy and natural with each other from the beginning. Also, the idea of not needing to change for the right one was emotional.

The whole found family was amazing and adorable. They really rallied around Leah which made me super emotional. 

The walkthrough rom-com memory lane was really cool to see fictionalized.

The only downside was that I don’t feel like I know Leah as much as I know Eli but it makes sense with the story's plot.

I can’t help but wonder about Delia and Grey (I can only hope they get their own book!)

This was a really adorable romance with a nod to 80s and 90s culture. The idea that you could learn how to be something to someone based on popular culture. Leah is a favorite heroine, she has lived through a difficult childhood, and lives everyday being true to herself. I loved how the whole village enveloped around Leah to accept her. I loved that this HEA was not only for romance but for being accepted whole heartily.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

I liked this story but had mixed feelings about it.

Leah has a lot on her plate packing up her late foster mother’s house while working multiple jobs to save up enough to leave town soon. Although she tries not to get attached to anyone or have a reason to want to stay, Leah longs for stability. A place to belong and plant roots.

Eli is a kind man who loves the outdoors and has a great, supportive friend group. But, from one hopeless romantic to another, Eli is a hot mess when it comes to love and relationships. During the opening chapter, I felt as awkward as Lead did about what was happening. Eli has such a good heart; it was sad how much he spiraled post-breakup.

Eli and Leah do make a cute couple. They get along well and feel most comfortable with each other. Far better than what Eli thought he had with Victoria. However, I can kind of see this relationship not working out but only if they both don’t put in the necessary work given where they’re coming from. Particularly with Eli being so fixated on getting his ex back so that he can have the kind of relationship his parents had.

The story did drag some - maybe it could have been a shorter read? Eli does spend an extensive amount of time wearing rose-tinted glasses before he finally realizes what was right in front of him all this time. I also think Leah may have been too close to the situation (alongside having feelings for Eli) to be completely objective about his predicament, even though what she was telling Eli was correct.

This was a cozy read that had me laughing and smiling, especially whenever Leah and Eli hung out together or with friends. I liked that the story emphasized that you shouldn’t have to change who you are or give up your passions/dreams, etcetera, in order to be with/appease someone. And, if you’re like me and Eli and aren’t very familiar with movie rom-coms, you now will have a considerable watch list afterwards, which is cool to have.

CW: recent death of a parent due to cancer, caregiver ptsd

"What's... what's the movie where the guy is so stupid and so blind he doesn't see the best thing that's ever happened to him is the woman who's been right in front of him the whole time?"
This is what this book is really. As cliché as it is, its fun & hilarious😂

Liah is a sweetheart & an extremely hardworking & stong woman. Eli is a great character even though there were a number of times I just wanted to vigorously shake sense into him.

All the side characters are extremely fun & have their unique personalities which I completely adore. The found family trope is done really well. I just extremely love this trope. It kind of makes me all sappy🥺 There's something extremely beautiful about finding your people, making friends who somehow become your family, without you even realising that🖤

There are A LOT, I MEAN A LOT of movie references✨️

Enjoyed this book through i really wish it had an epilogue 💗
It's hitting the shelves 10 Jan'2023!

"Thank you NetGalley & the publishers for the advance copy."

I love the found family and friends to lovers aspect of this book. It’s sweet ad fluffy hey hits all the emotional beats. The author’s writing is enjoyable and engaging and it was overall a great book!

Despite the title and the role romcoms play in this book, I wouldn’t actually consider this book a romantic comedy. Leah has had a rough go caring for her dying foster mother and instead of a meet-cute, her first glimpse of Eli is his rejection. Eli is a kind, sweet guy who’s desperate to win back Victoria, who he inexplicably thinks is the girl of his dreams. I liked both main characters and the supporting friend group as well—but I couldn’t decide if the way they “hired” Leah was weird. Also, the makeover plot line seemed a bit odd; it would have made more sense for a teenager or 20-something in a YA or new adult story than for a 30 year old. This one was a slooooow burn in part because of the Victoria plot. I just wanted Eli to get it together! The found family trope was honestly the best part.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Vibrantly funny, endearingly sweet, and a love letter to all things rom com, Jayne Denker's The Rom Com Agenda is a story of two people finding love right when they least expect it.

You know how the story's supposed to go...but love makes its own plans.

After reading the blurb I was excited to read The Rom-Com Agenda but once I actually started it I struggled getting through it.

Leah overhears the breakup between Eli and Victoria then goes about her business but when he comes back into her life 6 months later it's like nothing has changed with Eli. He's still obsessed with Victoria even though she left for Rome.

The book just felt lacking to me. It felt like it just went on and on with stuff that really didn't matter in the end?

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book wasn't for me, but I could see others liking it. I found I struggled with liking the characters. They both felt a bit immature, hard to connect with, and I just couldn't engage with them well. I felt the MMC situation was over the top and it felt like the author was trying hard to make him be a character in an 80s rom com. Problem is most 80s romcom characters are teens and our MMC is 30.
I was expecting it to be a little corny, given it's a romcom, but it felt to me like it went beyond corny into campy at some points.
Overall, I think others would probably enjoy this book, but I just struggled with enjoying the characters and finding the plot too much at times.

It took me till atleast Chapter 8 to get into this book...Leah was everywhere and it was confusing but then the "Gilmore Girls" line let me know incase taking this read too seriously. Once Leah and Eli started watching movies I felt like I had found my groove with this story and started to really enjoy it.
I enjoy the character Gray and the older sister, Jenna.
I really liked this story, it's sweet, not spicy, and references some of the greatest Rom-Coms of all time. I like that the main characters had depth to them. This book may be predictable but it's anything but cheesy.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Leah was there for Eli’s disastrous proposal to Victoria before Victoria left for Italy for 10 months. She also found herself involved in the makeover Eli’s friends are doing to prepare him for Victoria’s return. The more she gets involved, the more Eli wonders if he really loved Victoria as much as he thought. His head is turning more towards Leah. Leah, who’s ultimate goal is to leave town.

The makeover concept is cute. Getting Eli all dolled up is only one part. His friends are making him watch all the rom-coms to learn about relationships. I mean, Dude thought Pretty Woman was only a movie about a guy getting a hooker! The love story that develops is as cute as any rom-com movie.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #theromcomagenda #jaynedenker #smpinfluencers

Leah Keegan has never really settled in one place too long. She returned to Willow Cove to look after her foster mother when she was ill, and since her passing, Leah’s not sure how long she’ll stay.

Eli Masterson proposed to Victoria after only four months and instead of saying yes, she left for Italy. His group of friends, which includes his sister, decides he needs a makeover if he intends to win Victoria back when she returns.

Leah has a number of part-time jobs in an effort to save money before she departs Willow Cove for good. She happens to work at a few of the businesses Eli’s friends drag him to as part of his makeover. Part of his makeover is to watch Rom-Coms to see how other guys interact with females. Leah ends up being enlisted into helping with Eli’s makeover, from being hired to clean his cabin, watching rom-coms with him to being included in group activities. While Eli is still pining over Victoria, Leah starts to fall for Eli, but will a friend group who treat her like family and Eli be enough for her to want to stay in Willow Cove?

A funny, light rom-com that is definitely worth reading! I’d definitely read other novels by Jayne Denker.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheRomComAgenda

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book is adorable and just what my heart needed - a light fluffy rom-com book, with enough predictability that I didn't have anxiety but enough uniqueness to the plotline and characters that I didn't feel like I was reading the same story for the nth time. This book follows Leah and Eli as they find themselves, and subsequently love, as they face the trials and tribulations that accompany big life changes. Leah is learning to adapt to life after a major loss, and though she is used to being alone, this is a new kind of alone. Eli is trying to win back the girl of his dreams (so he thinks), but is being told to change everything about himself in order to do so - he struggles to determine what is beneficial change/compromise for a relationship and what is more harmful to his person. Especially once he is stubborn and has already committed months to said project.

The two of them find out things about themselves through each other, and through their wonderful group of friends, and while this is very much playing off of a lot of Rom-Com's, it still feels very grounded in reality & plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would enjoy reading something else by Jayne Denker.

3.75 stars

Fun, fluffy, and (unsurprisingly) full of references to various major rom-com movies from the past few decades as well as fairly regular allusions to Gilmore Girls. I didn’t love absolutely everything about the book (some of the representation of different identities could have been better, in my opinion), but overall it was a fun story with small-town vibes, an interesting range of characters, and intentional exploration of some bigger issues. I did largely enjoy it.

4⭐for Leah ~ 2⭐ for Eli = 3⭐ total

Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV, foster care, found family, slow burn, friends to lovers, no steamage

Leah & Eli
I really liked Leah as a person. She had a great heart, but I felt she invested way too much time waiting around for Eli.

Eli coulda went for a crack upside his noggin about the whole Victoria thing ~ how could he not see what was going on ~ get a clue, dude.
Foster brother, Patrick, was a tool too.

Overall, this was alright, but I would have liked it much better if Eli got his act together way sooner. I did enjoy all the references that brought me back to the good ole times in the 80's & 90's.

I was fortunate enough to have an audio and ebook to review, but preferred the ebook on this one.
It's narrated by Erika Schindele for 10 hours and 55 minutes. Although she did a fine job I really wish there was a male narrator, so that's why e-book was better.

Everyone loves a Rom-Com movie. Especially the early 2000’s rom-coms. Swoon. This is a book that plays with all the ideas of a romcom like “meet cutes” and “makeovers” but of a male character. Seeing a male character seeing and adjusting his “weaknesses” is unique but I wasn’t sold on his reasons.

This was kind-of love triangley to me. After 4 months he proposed and she fled. Now it’s months/year later and he still wants her back. His group of girlfriends help him “win her back” but our main FMC starts to fall in love with him. So there is a friends-to-lovers once he stop’s pining over his ex which took too long to realize.

The Rom Com Agenda filled my heart with love, humor, and nostalgia. Willow Cove is nestled in the Thousand Islands of New York, along the St. Lawrence River and near the Adirondack Mountains. This small town is the ideal setting for romantic escapades in a story featuring Leah, Eli, and a sparkling support cast of friends and family.

Leah's personality and character won me over. She was very loyal to her foster mom, Cathy, during her illness, and now works hard at several jobs. Eli was rejected by his girlfriend, Victoria, and is the reluctant subject of a "makeover" by his friends to help him out. Author Denker created a perfect ensemble cast of characters, with definite chemistry, in her book about finding love and seeking a sense of belonging.

A fun sub-plot in the book involves watching many romantic movies from generations past, sometimes on vintage VHS tapes. This brought back fond memories trips to the video stores in the eighties and nineties, searching for just the right film for weekend nights with friends. I need to pop some popcorn, curl up on the couch, and re-watch some of those favorite movies from my younger days!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

Leah Keegan is used to being alone, especially after taking care of her sick foster mother for the past year, and now that she's gone, there's nothing keeping her in the small town of Willow Cove. She's working tons of odd jobs to save up money to get out of town, including the clothing store in town, when in comes a group of girls determined to give their friend Eli a makeover. Eli Masterson is all sorts of torn up over his ex-girlfriend, Victoria, who decided to jet off to Rome for a year. He's convinced she's the one who got away and needs to win her back, hence the makeover plan his friends came up with, complete with a list of rom-coms to watch and take notes on. Leah was drawn into the scheme and ends up being Eli's guide through the list of rom-coms, introducing him to the world of grand gestures and meet cutes that will help him win Victoria back. But Leah thinks Eli is great the way he is and doesn't need to change a thing.

As a rom-com lover myself, I chose this book solely for the title when I saw it on NetGalley! I loved all the discussions of some of my favorite 80s and 90s rom-coms, the lovely group of side characters and all their meddling, and the suuuuuper slow burn romance between Leah and Eli. What I DIDN'T love was Eli being the biggest knucklehead and pining over a woman who clearly did not feel the way for him that he did for her. I'm all for fighting for love but this man needed to get a clue. When he finally snapped out of it and realized how great Leah was and how perfect they were together, he was a bit easier to like.

All in all, this was a super cute book that had some depth to it with struggles the main characters faced and I loved the author's writing! I will certainly be checking out more of their work. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!