This book had a really strong start and the premise was so promising, but unfortunately lost my interest about half-way through.

There is some solid hate-to-love, forced-proximity to enjoy in this book. I really did have a fun time with the first part of the book and the romance was cute enough to keep me going.

My biggest issue: the payback plot doesn't even come into existence until 135 pages in. It lasts for about 70 pages before it's abandoned. The MMC, Finn, is as good at delivering payback as Winston is at pranks in New Girl. If you get that reference, let's be friends. It would have been a great opportunity to add some comedic moments, but the attempted payback wasn't funny at all.

I couldn't find myself connecting with either of the main characters. Finn blamed everything in his life on Lavender, such as missing a date when she was distracting him... but he could have easily just been more attentive to what time it was. He really avoids taking responsibility for a lot in his life because he has Lavender to blame. Most of the story is from Finn's perspective, which is actually a good thing, because Lavender doesn't have a lot of complex thoughts or emotions.

The romance was very cute after they get together. I really enjoyed some of the moments they had with Finn's elderly neighbors. It was adorable. However, the part where the hate turns to love was sudden. As soon as Finn abandons hating Lavender, it's like his eyes are open to liking her and the next thing we know, he's practically in love. There isn't much flirting before they fall in love, which I miss. It's the best part of romance books!

Overall, it was just okay.

3.5 stars! This book was a super fun time, cute, and sweet. The only thing holding it back from a higher rating is I didn't feel a connection the the couple, but I do intend to buy this book to have it on my shelf!

It pains me to write this review because of how much i usually love Melissa Ferguson books but this book just isn't good. The MMC has a grievance list against the FMC and 80% of it is never really dealt with. He comes off petty and mean. The FMC is supposed to me this amazing actress/person but she comes off clueless and naive. I kept going hoping it would redeem itself but the story never found its way (or I just hated the way it took). I wish I had a better review to give because I loved her last two books.

Melissa Ferguson knows how to make me laugh. Her newest book, How to Plot a Payback, is a delightful story of enemies turned romantic interests. A comedy to be sure, with twists that both clench your heart and make you sigh in happiness. I quickly devoured this book as Ferguson skillfully moved the characters along a plot worthy of a movie.

With a hero and heroine full of complexities, a story with perfect tension, and prose that never failed to delight, How to Plot a Payback is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. If only it lasted another 100 pages!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I was so excited to read this one. Successful screenwriter Finn Masters just landed his dream job writing for Neighbors, one of Hollywood's highly rated long-running sitcoms. The downside was being in proximity to Hollywood sweetheart Lavender Rhodes, who had been inadvertently ruining his life since their school days back in England.

Finn wasn't about to let her ruin another chance for him. Being a screenwriter, he had the perfect opportunity to get back at her by spinning her character in unexpected directions.

Things took a turn when his plans backfired one scene after another, leaving him with a guilty conscience as he began to see Lavender in a new light. As they spent more time together, he was drawn to her refreshing personality which was opposite of what he expected from a universally adored actress.

This was entertaining. I listened to the audio and that definitely contributed to the hilarity of each situation. Amazing job by the narrators!

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for a complimentary ALC copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

DNfed at 17%

Je je, I KNEW I WAS GONNA HATE THIS AS SOON AS I SAW IT BEING LABLED AS “Christian fiction” or “clean and wholesome”.

The thing that I hated about this book is the chaotic girl wanting to do good and not realizing the disaster she creates and how she disrupts other peoples lives. Like ffs how not self aware are you???? Then this is the girl he falls in love with?????

Bye. I barely have this a chance. I know.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How to Plot A Payback
By Melissa Ferguson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“You are my bigger dream now. I don’t care what I’m writing, so long as I get to share my days with you.”

ARC provided by NetGalley (all thoughts and opinions are my own)
Publishing date: 02/04/2024
Thomas Nelson Fiction

Thoughts…
This was one of the cutest, most feel-good rom-coms ever!!

This book just wrapped me up and took me along for a sweet and funny ride, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I loved that it was silly and goofy, but also heartwarming and incredibly sweet. I adored Finn and his grumpiness, and I loved how lovely Lavender was. They bounced off each other so well and it just had me enraptured. The story was exactly what I needed it to be; simple, cute and had me giggling.

I thought the plot was good and moved well, and I found myself enjoying our cast of characters- especially our elderly community at Finn’s apartment complex. I think some of the best scenes were with all of our favourite geriatrics. I also loved the setting- I always love reading books about writers, and this was my first that featured a show writer. I loved the atmosphere/ambience of the workaholic, stressful and action-packed set. I also loved our comedy of errors throughout the book on Finn’s behalf (if you know, you know).

Overall, this was such a great little read and I can’t wait to pick up all of Melissa’s other books (I have Meet Me in the Margins on my TBR, and the rest of her novels on my to-buy list!!)

Since reading "Meet Me In The Margins", Melissa Ferguson has been one of my favorite romcom authors. I am so grateful to @thomasnelson for sending me the ARC and sharing the audiobook of this new release with me!

Do you have a person in your life who is just a "bad luck charm"? For Finn Masters it's Lavender Rhodes. Since their teenage years she has been one single cause of all of his misfortunes. To Finn's horror, years later, his new job as a writer on popular sitcom brings him face to face with his least favorite person who ironically plays the main character in a sitcom. It's time to plot a payback...

Each of Melissa's books is so different from the other, and the unique plot of this novel simply blew me away! Yes, I cheered for the team "Finn" from the get-go, but then I was in for a huge surprise as Finn's plot got completly derailed.

Finn is your perfect book boyfriend: he is considerate, oldfashioned, extremely helpful and is such a gentleman. He even helped Ukrainian refugees! My heart skipped at that - thank you, Finn! I will not reveal a thing about Lavender, because I want you to meet her yourself and have fun with it! The sitcom setting was so well-written! It reminded me of "Friends". I LOVED getting a sneak peek behind the scenes. If you're a dog lover, this book will have you swooning! Lol So many hilarious moments, sweet and tender scenes and fuzzy feels. Fun, engaging writing style was just a cherry on top!

I adored this delightful closed door romcom. This was also a laugh-out-loud read. What a perfect combo. If you haven't read Melissa Ferguson's books yet, definitely grab this one.

My thoughts…it wasn’t the book for me, it was just fine, I could take it or leave it. I didn’t hate it, I mean I finished it without being annoyed.

I just felt like the characters fell flat (I prob shouldn’t have read this after reading a TJR book) and I really really didn’t understand why on earth Finn got so bent out of shape about so many things.

I didn’t feel any real chemistry between the characters.

I did like all of the animal cameos though.

I think it would make a cute lighthearted movie.

Read if you like:
👯‍♀️ Friends
📺 How I Met Your Mother
😂 Funny One-Liners
😠 Enemies to Lovers
🎥 Celebrity Romances

This was a cute story and if you are just looking for something fun, no open door spice, and some enemies to lovers with dual pov I would recommend checking this one out!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my review!

4.5 stars!

This was a fun read! I always look forward to reading anything Melissa Ferguson writes. Her books just keep getting better and better!

I loved being behind the scenes on a tv set and seeing all the inner workings of that world. Finn and Lavender were great main characters and I loved the banter between them throughout. A really great sunshine/grump trope. She was able to bring out moments that were hilarious, fun, cringey (that felt realistic) and sweet. I loved the background cast, especially Finn's friendship with his building tenants. It was a little slow at first but by the middle it really found its groove.

A great read that I highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC copy!!!

Finn is a successful writer in Hollywood. He is making his move to a very successful sitcom, Neighbors. The only problem, this move will put him right back with Lavender. The one person who has had it out for him since they were kids back in England. She single-handedly ended his acting career before it even started. Now he will be writing for her show.
Oh the banter between Finn and Lavender is so good! I found How to Plot a Payback so fun! Funny, clever, romantic, and just a feel-good book! Melissa Ferguson is one of my favorite authors! Every book I have read, reads like an amazing rom-com that should be made into a movie! So very enjoyable and so very sweet. Like your favorite characters and movies on Hallmark. How to Plot a Payback is a very quick but enjoyable read that will have you laughing and swooning over the characters and situations. I will always recommend anything Melissa Ferguson writes and will definitely recommend this to my rom-com loving friends. Special thanks to Melissa Ferguson, Netgalley, and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4.5 stars for me
#HowtoPlotaPayback #NetGalley

How to Plot a Payback is as charming as all of Melissa Ferguson's sweet romantic comedies. It is a story of two long time acquaintances and one-sided rivals thrown together on a TV series where he is head writer and she is the lead actress. Finn makes a halfhearted attempt to get payback for past slights through his writing with hilarious outcomes. What I like about this one is the character development. We really see both Lavender and Finn grow, face their past, and become better people. I love the dual POV. It helps so much to understand the character motivations. In this story in particular it was necessary to understand their past hurts. To my point, at first I thought Lavender was the absolute worst and terribly annoying. After hearing more from her POV it really changes that perspective. Sometimes sweet romance novels can read very YA. I didn't think that was true in this case. Surprisingly I didn't even miss the spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for this eARC!

5 ⭐️
🌶️- just kisses; sweet/clean romance

This is a delightful gem of a romcom story! I loved the main characters, Finn and Lavender. Their stories unfolded seamlessly and each revelation brought new things to love about them, and left me rooting for them to be together, despite the obstacles in their paths. I think many more stories could be told of their haphazard, romantic adventures, and I’d read each one.

I love the author’s writing. It’s easy, enjoyable, and this story is full of wit and charm. Please excuse me while I go and read this authors entire backlog of books she’s released!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for the eARC of this wonderful book.

Finn Masters blames sitcom star Lavender Rhodes for ruining his acting career. They went to school together and he had an accident that he blames on Lavender, but years later when he is hired to work on the sitcom she stars in, he tries to get some payback for what he believes she did to him. This whole plan backfires on Finn when his plans don’t work as he intended. Lavender has no idea that he blames her for some things that happened years ago and is friendly towards him and she is not what he expected. Finn and Lavender start to develop a relationship and he realizes that he needs to let go of his bitterness and stop blaming Lavender for the past. Romance blossoms between the two and also friendship between the dogs that they have.
The story was written well, I loved some of the banter between Lavender and Finn. The behind the scenes of a sitcom setting was fun and I liked the dogs of each character. Finn does realize that he was unjustified treating Lavender the way he did and changes which was good, I just think he should not have felt as strongly against Lavender as he did in the beginning. Overall it was a good story and was enjoyable.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for letting me read an arc on NetGalley. Opinions are mine and mine alone.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (rounded up)

To say I LOVE a grumpy x sunshine, dual POV romance is an understatement, and Melissa Ferguson delivered with How to Plot a Payback!

While I was concerned the ending may be rushed as the first half focuses on a span of five-ish days in the lives of Finn and Lavender, there was no cause for concern in the end. Melissa did SO well in wrapping things up in a way that delivered the right amount of lovey dovey-ness, and was realistic to the situation!

Finn’s vendetta against Lavender was honestly a good laugh because it seemed so absurd that someone would feel such hatred/dislike over such trivial things!

Lavender’s personality was one of my favorite pieces of the book. Surface level, you get to see she’s happy-go-lucky, accidentally-adopt-all-the-dogs, and loving to everyone she meets. Yet, below the surface lies so much more, and only one person can truly see what that is…

How to Plot a Payback is the perfect read to add to your spring TBR and I can’t wait to add more of Melissa’s books to my own TBR!

Thank you @thomasnelson, @netgalley, and @ourfriendlyfarmhouse
for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and honest.

What a delightful read, at times I was laughing out loud!
How would you feel about working with someone that you felt ruined your life? That is exactly what happens to Finn, whom ends up working with Lavender Rose. Does he get payback writing for a soap opera?
We are there to see what happens in this fun Rom-Com, filled with adventures, watch out for the dogs!
I would recommend this read for a book to get lost in and enjoy some great giggles and laughs!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

I love a celebrity rom com so much so I knew I had to read this when I read the description. Going into Finn and Lavender’s world was such a delight. Lavender was the ultimate golden retriever character, rescuing dogs like it was no big deal. Finn was a little too man childish for me - like, dude get over it! I’m glad he saw the error of his ways quickly though. Overall, a cute, quick and silly rom com perfect for TV fans.

As usual, Melissa’s rom-com delivered chuckles and giggles and witty dialogue from a cast of loveable characters. It’s a storyline is fresh and hasn’t been done a bazillion times, at least that I have read anyway, and has my fav tropes-grumpy/sunshine or enemies to lovers (although I wouldn’t really call them enemies as the bad feelings are one sided and kind of misguided really)
Finn sets out to get back at Lavender for what he thinks is a list of wrongs she has done to him over the course of them knowing each other, the thing is, Lavender has no idea that Finn thinks she is such an awful person. When they are forced to work with each other, she as an actress and he as her new head writer, he starts to realize that maybe she isn’t completely awful after all.
Lavender is America’s sweetheart and has been playing in a long running show for years. She’s ready to move on but the world isn’t ready for her to let go of her character. When Finn is hired as her producer, he has a new set of ideas and ways to make changes and Lavender is captivated by him despite the fact that he seems familiar but she can’t figure out how she knows him.
Even during Finn’s childish attempts at payback and petty revenge, I found both characters loveable and I was totally invested in their story. And then once he finally got over it all, it got even better and they just made sense together. Their first kiss was swoon worthy. Slow and sweet like a summer peach.
This story is witty and funny and I enjoyed every bit. It is clean, feel-good and lighthearted and the perfect beach read. I see this as being big this summer.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

- grumpy x sunshine
- nemesis
- clean rom-com
- failed payback

What’s a person to do when they receive their dream job only to find out they will be working directly with the one person who has ruined their life time and time again? Plot a payback of course!
This story takes place on set of a sitcom and I loved getting to feel like I was part of the cast and crew while reading. This book was super light hearted, quick read that definitely gave 90’s romcom movie vibes! However, I don’t think I enjoyed the writing style for this book very much and it made it difficult for me to connect with the characters beyond surface level. As usual with Melissa Ferguson books, the romance isn’t a huge aspect of the book, especially for the first half, and unfortunately I felt that this made it hard to feel any major chemistry between the two main characters. I personally got more of an old friend connection between these two by the end. Overall, there were plenty of times where this book made me smile/laugh (mainly at the terrible plans for payback) and I did enjoy reading it.
If you enjoy a bubbly actress, a grumpy screen writer, adorable dogs, and some hilarious 80 year old neighbors then this may be the book for you!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-ARC! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.