Rom-Com agenda hit all the feels on this. Love it all and will read more form Jayne Denker. Must read.

I know this was supposed to be an “ode to all things rom com” but I couldn’t get into it. The meet cute wasn’t that cute and the male mc’s obsession with getting his girlfriend of 3 months back who dumped him was obnoxious. Just not for me that’s for sure.

Eli Masterson’s love life is a disaster after his girlfriend turns down his marriage proposal to jet off to Rome for a year. The grand solution? A makeover to turn Eli into a swoon-worthy, vulnerable leading man by making him watch rom-coms and taking notes. Leah Keegan is used to her loneliness, but after her foster mother’s passing, it’s time for her to move on. But Leah is looped into Eli’s makeover to help him navigate the highlights of romance. As you can imagine, Leah is falling head-over-heels for Eli and vice versa.

From the get-go, our love birds are undeniably loveable and endearing. Leah and Eli’s interactions can only be described as heartwarming¬––which is the point of a romance novel. Still, these two take it to another level. Throughout the story, Denker weaves gentle nuance paired with hilarity to bring Leah and Eli to life.

As much as “The Rom-Com Agenda” is a romance, it dives into themes of loneliness, insecurity, self-discovery, and grief. Although I wish there were more romance, Leah and Eli's themes made up for it (mostly).

I’m all for endearing romances that aren’t borderline “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Still, Denker’s take on the classic rom-com was severely lacking in the actual romance between Leah and Eli. Don’t get me wrong––there are plenty of endearing and sweet moments throughout “The Rom-Con Agenda,” but the couple felt forced and lacking. Also, I was disappointed in the fade-to-black scenes scattered throughout the novel. Readers don’t always need a sex scene, but since it’s alluded to more than once by Leah and Eli, it seems like a sanitized rom-com.

Sentimental and endearing, “The Rom-Com Agenda” is a cute take on the classic rom-com that could have done with more steam.

I received an arc for this in exchange for an honest review.

A well written romance novel. The story excelled at the found family part. I just officially hate the "help you get someone else" trope.
The story revolves around this group of friends making over the MMC to get his ex girlfriend back. It just isnt my thing. Call me petty, but I dont want a romance where the FMC isn't worshipped basically from the beginning.

The book was a fun rom com. Most people will enjoy! It had cute characters that work together to reach a goal. Love is very prominent in this story.

This was a really cute book in a lot of ways, but the plot itself just wasn't my taste.

I did like the main character Leah and the focus on her rough past aging out of the foster care system and dealing with familial chaos as this is not a topic often seen in typical contemporary romance books. I also liked how hard of a worker she was in working various jobs to part ways with the cozy town she was looking to escape from. Her shy and awkward nature with fitting in was perfect for her character and story and made you root for her from the beginning.

It's Eli as a love interest that didn't impress me. While he was cute and charming in his own way, he also felt very superficial. His sole obsession for most of the book is on changing himself in every aspect possible for his ex-girlfriend of 4 months he was rejected by in a marriage proposal. He was so focused on his ex's looks in conversations and didn't read much into character (which let's be honest, is probably too realistic for men in real life so this book won't be an escape from that). His family and friend group was fun and enjoyable for the most part, but they also never truly had a "come to Jesus" meeting or intervention with him over his ex which he desperately needed. His banter with Leah was cute and all the rom-com references will appeal to any movie buff. His falling for Leah while still obsessing over his ex just wasn't my cup of tea as it made him feel emotionally immature and completely unaware of himself for his character's age.

Overall, this was a cute book, but it was just okay to me. I can see the potential, but it just didn't deliver as well as I had hoped. That being said, I did enjoy the author's writing style and would definitely consider reading future works.

Denker does a great job of making this read descriptive and painting a beautiful picture that you feel you’re seeing right before your eyes. A cute love story tied to some classic pop culture and rom-com references to give you some good laughs along the way. I slightly wish we had a little bit more story/details that first brought Eli and Leah together because it felt things started shifting without much context to get them there. Overall, a cute read that I’d recommend!

Did someone say ROMCOM?!?!?! I love this. I laughed and blushed. I just had the best time reading this. I loved these two.

Thank you to Jayne Denker and NetGalley for an eARC. The Rom-Com Agenda is out January 10, 2023.

Eli thought he met his perfect match Victoria. Though when she rejects his proposal and then leaves for Europe he's not sure what to do with his life. Meanwhile Leah just saw the failed proposal but doesn't want to be seen or heard by Eli. Fast forward a few months ahead and Elis friends and family come up with a brilliant idea; Project Makeover. Leah just happens to be everywhere Eli is and gets involuntarily roped into this Makeover. Though what happens when you start having feelings for someone who isn't "the one", and what happens when the loner actually starts enjoying having friends?

This book was just the cutest all in all. The banter throughout the whole friend group was chefs kiss. We really got to feel the emotions of all the characters and I for one could really relate to Leah. Not really sure if you fit in anywhere and not sure how to act when people start wanting you around.

I did feel like the book was a little longer that what was necessary, though that being said I did read this book fairly quickly,

If you are looking for a feel good book, that tugs on all your emotions, than this is the book for you!

Found family. Friends to lovers. Kisses only.
Loner Leah Keegan has been taking care of her sick foster mother and is struggling with her loss, eager to move out of town. Eli thinks a physical and emotional makeover will help him win back his ex who’s left the country. Leah doesn’t think Eli has to change and they fall for each other as she becomes his guide to rom com movies to help him win back his ex.

I was distracted by how many characters called Leah hon or honey. I found it condescending since she was the outsider in so many ways and less well off financially. It would have been nice to see Eli’s sister and friends welcome Leah as a genuine member of their friend group first rather than just as a means to help Eli. Eli was blindly hung up on his ex for 3/4 of the book, even when he was attracted to Leah. He never turns to Leah until Victoria finally tells him she’s moved on.

Some things didn’t ring true to me. “Rounds” of Minecraft. Teachers and principals saying ugly things about students. Eli doesn’t appear to work for 2/3 of the book. Thirty year olds sincerely using phrases like “gettin’ busy”.

The banter and rom com references were fun, but I wanted a little more depth. And for a rom-com, it didn’t really find it funny.

I received an arc from NetGalley

This was a very cute, very predictable rom-com story. It has all the makings of a Hallmark movie with a cutesy small town full of lovable weirdos, a heroine with a backstory and a connection between two people that everyone can see but them. However, I was not expecting the emotional pull of the main character, Leah’s story. I liked her and was rooting for her almost immediately. The rest of the characters, including the love interest, Eli, were rather forgettable.

The book got a little slow at the mid-point as we’re dragged through the “will they, won’t they” for the tenth time. And, if I have to read about the fact that our heroine looks like a pixie, a fairy or a teeny tiny Tinkerbell one more time…But it gets extra credit for the overload of 80’s and 90’s rom-com references and the feel-good vibes you’re left with at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jayne Denker has written a dynamic, emotional, romantic and genuine novel. The characters are honest, sweet, broken, emotional, dynamic and genuine. They are written to be funny and romantic and caring and one a true a-hole. But that makes the novel so wonderful. This has been the best novel of the fall.

Leah has been caring for her foster mother for the last year and has recently lost her to cancer. Since then, she has decided that she needs to move away from Willow Cove. That, and she is living in her foster brothers home and he surely will want her out as soon as she can be, right? Therefore, Leah works a number of odd jobs around town.

Eli has been dating Victoria for the last 4 months and right before she leaves for a year long sabbatical in Rome, Italy he decides to propose. And Leah bears witness to the proposal. Though Eli has no memory of her presence.

As Eli's friends make him their mission, Leah inadvertently gets involved and adventures and craziness ensue. Leah falls in love with Eli's friends and family and is second guessing leaving Willow Cove.

You must read this wild and crazy adventure filled with friends and family and romance in order to know what happens with this wild bunch of Willow Cove residents.

Leah is a loner, former, foster care kid that returns to aid her dying foster mother. But she unintentionally finds herself swept up into the love life of Eli Masterson, more than once. Now that her foster mother has passed away she’s working at least a dozen jobs to pay her bills and save to get out of town.

Eli is suffering after a failed proposal (that Leah happened to witness) and his sister and friends decide that they’re going to give him a makeover to win his ex, Victoria, back. Somewhere along the line, Leah gets roped in to the makeover, after assisting at one of her many jobs.

Eli and Leah grow close. Bonding by watching one Rom-Com at a time. Eli takes too long to realize he no longer loves Victoria, instead, he loves the girl right in front of him.

This book is really cute. It’s a nice, cozy read for a weekend in the winter.

I LOVED this book!!! Denker writes a story of family, friends and acceptance in a witty and easily relatable story. The warmth Denker creates around the town of Willow Cove invites the reader into the story and the lives of the characters as if they are included in the group themselves. The characters of Leah & Eli are perfect for each other. The importance of family is so strong - so fierce - it radiates from the beginning to the end of the book. Leah’s need for acceptance and her struggle to deal with believing in it coming from others makes her a very relatable character. I throughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Denker’s novels.

First off, thank you allowing me the ARC. Unfortunately, I struggled through it. I felt like there were too many different side stories that didn’t amount to anything and could have just been left out. Like Gray and Delia, their mom being sick, Patrick etc. It was like a preview of a bunch of different situations. The characters were borderline obnoxious. I liked how they all welcomed Leah in and their friendship grew. I think that Eli wanting Victoria lasted too long and there wasn’t enough of Eli and Leah’s new relationship.

Thrilling read! I was able to connect with all of the characters and throughly enjoyed the story the author painted.

This book has the found family and friends to lovers tropes. As a rom com lover, I knew that I had to read this book as soon as I read that the hero gets a rom com makeover. I really enjoyed the author's writing, the many discussions about all of my favourite 80s and 90s rom coms, and the meddling side characters who stole the show.

What really didn’t work for me was the fact that the hero spent the majority of the book pining over his ex girlfriend. When we met Eli, the heroine, Leah, overheard his failed marriage proposal and subsequent breakup. After months of wallowing, Eli’s friends and family decide that Eli needed a makeover to win his ex back and Leah gets looped into helping. Leah and Eli were so clearly perfect for one another but Eli just couldn’t let his ex go and for me, that tainted their budding relationship.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I’m excited to read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

THREE STARS!!

“If you’re asking me if I want you to stay, the answer is yes…I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Summary: Eli Masterson is trying to get back his so called, “Love of his Life”, Victoria, when he meets Leah Keegan. Leah seems to be everywhere and is always available to help Eli. In order for Eli to get Victoria back his sister and friends decide he needs a full-scale revamp. While this is hard for Eli, he decides he is willing to try anything. During this Leah gets involved in the redoing of Eli and they end up getting closer and closer. While Leah keeps her distance it seems impossible.

CHARACTERS-

Leah Keegan: I really liked Leah and felt bad for her at times. She was so worried about her own situation but was willing to put everything aside to help her new friends and found family. I felt really close to Leah, she was very relatable at times. But on the other hand, sometimes she felt too much like a sob story? She was a push over at times and I just wanted her to stick up for herself.

Eli Masterson: Eli… he went through it this book. Eli was genuinely in love with the idea of being in love. So much that he convinced himself that he loved a girl who really wasn’t perfect for him. Eli was a little oblivious towards his connection to Leah, but it was because he was still obsessed with his ex. I did like how he treated everyone though, he was extremely caring towards his friends and family.

Side Characters: I loved the side characters if I’m being honest. They were what made the plot move faster. The friend group is so warm and welcoming that it was such a comfort to read about. While at first, I might’ve not agreed with the intense transformation they wanted Eli to go through I understand why they did it.

THOUGHTS: The idea and concept of this book is cliché but very cute. Something that I didn’t really like about this book was the progression of Eli and Leah’s relationship. While at first it felt like they had no connection since Eli was just pining for Victoria the whole time. Then once it hit the middle of the book things started to get more romantic but then it would be interrupted. It started to feel like a slowburn until the characters both realized what happened and it became almost insta-lovey. I did like the found family aspect though and really enjoyed all the character interactions. I also did really like Eli and Leah as a couple. They were both there for each other in their struggles and overcame everything thrown at them. I also really loved all the rom-com references so that was a huge bonus.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, The Rom-Com Agenda was a super cute cliché romance read that definitely gives off good vibes. While at times it can feel a little slow the read is worth it due to the super cute romantic interactions.

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and st martin’s for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

So much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Loved Leah, but Eli was so frustrating! Honestly I felt like he wasn’t really worthy of all of their help. I love rom-coms so the premise of this was super fun and adorable but I wasn’t really rooting for Eli if that makes sense. I think this is a fun beach read but not one you’ll be staying up late to finish.

Thank you to Jayne Denker, St.Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Rom-Com Agenda is out January 10, 2023.

Eli thought he found the one in Victoria, does it suck that she is leaving for Europe for a research trip, absolutely. So the night before she leaves he decided to basically propose to her, what he wasn't expecting her not only to say no to his proposal but also break up with him. Six months later he and his friends decide that for him to win her when she comes back from Europe he needs a makeover. On the first day of his makeover he meets Leah, a woman who grew up in foster care and is only in town until she gets the money to leave. They soon become friends while Leah joins the makeover project, a project that mainly involves watching famous rom-coms. Will their friendship stay truly platonic or will Eli realize he doesn't need to change to have the girl of his dreams.

I loved loved loved this book, I thought it was very cute. From the first moment they met I felt their chemistry. I felt like both characters are able to grow in such a natural way. I also loved the side characters, especially because they soon developed into a found family for Leah (I freaking love found family). It also inspired such a sense of nostalgia with all of the rom-com references. Like I said I loved this book, and I hope that you read this book you enjoy it as much as I did. I also can't wait for future books from this author.