How to Plot a Playback successfully blends rom and com in this sweet confection of a story. It’s the perfect companion for a cozy night in.

The Plot:

TV writer Finn Masters ascends to his dream job on the hit sitcom Neighbors. However, his new job tangles him up with the talent, specifically the show’s star, Lavender Rhodes.

The Payback:

Finn and Lavender have crossed paths in the past. Finn has receipts and is ready to match the mayhem Lavender caused in his life. However, Lavender’s charm proves to be more compelling than Finn anticipates. Their misunderstandings set the perfect backdrop for comedic and romantic havoc.

The How To:

This was my first time reading a novel by Melissa Ferguson. I’m already looking forward to reading her other books. I love Ferguson’s approach to prose. Her writing has a comfortable pace and flow. It’s easy to get lost in the plot.

Speaking of plots, I also loved that Ferguson focused on humor without leaning into over-the-top drama. Too much drama would have detracted from the cute and funny moments. The pranks gone awry lent the perfect touch of physical comedy to the story.

Ferguson builds up some initial suspense about Finn’s past with Lavender, and drops enough bread crumbs along the way to keep the reader satisfied. The dual point of view gave a balanced understanding of where each character was coming from. It was satisfying to see Finn and Lavender develop new perspectives as the plot progressed.

Ferguson also mixed in a helping of the grumpy/sunshine trope, while giving the characters realistic nuances. Finn’s grumpy persona was easily counterbalanced by loyalty to his neighbors. Lavender’s sunshine personality was endearing without becoming too sweet. I enjoyed Lavender’s moments of self awareness, especially when she sees how her status as a celebrity affects her relationships.

I loved that this book delved into the question of what makes a long-running TV show compelling. The characters, setting, and plot do an interesting tango to keep viewers entertained. Finn and the writers had a thoughtful push-and-pull about whether to keep their beloved characters the same or put them in fresh situations. Ferguson did a mix of both throughout the book, which kept the characters interesting.

Sonya was hilarious as Lavender’s best friend. Her blunt observations and zany ideas had me laughing out loud. She’d be the perfect protagonist for a spinoff.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a wonderfully sweet book. I liked the background being in the world of Hollywood and learning about tv show writers. I also enjoyed all the fun dog scenes as well as the one sided enemies to lovers trope.

It’s always refreshing to know that there are people out there that have a conscience when plotting a payback.

This book was extremely funny. I felt like I was watching a romantic comedy the whole time I was reading. The fact that Lavender has been Finn's unsuspecting nemesis, without them even really meeting each other all these years, added just the right touch. She really is the black cat of Finn's life. Everything falls apart around him as soon as she's around and it's very fun to read, if a little long at one point. You really end up wondering how he's going to overcome his almost-fear of her to come to fall under her spell and finally come to understand that these terrible things happening to him are also of his own making and his sometimes risky choices.

In the end, I was delighted to see the characters realize their faults and the impact they've had on each other's lives, whether positive or negative.

A lovely love story.

I had really hoped to love this more than I did in a enemies to lovers sort of way. But I found Finn eternally annoying with these weird grudges and blaming everyone else for everything in his life. Lavender was a complete dope and beyond naïve to the point of disbelief. As in, this is not a real or serious person. This book just didn't work for me. I hope you have better luck!

How to Plot a Payback comes out next month on April 2, 2024, and you can purchase HERE.

She's so good at ruining my life that of course I should've suspected she could ruin my payback. Take all the fun out of it and leave me to another week of working to the bone, trying to fix the problems this has caused.
Brilliant. Just positively smashing.

Overall, I really liked Melissa Ferguson's How to Plot a Payback. A cute plot, engaging characters, a sweet romance, nostalgia for the days of sitcom tv... this book has a great premise! Though I rated this book 4 stars, I have to admit that the first half of the book fell flat for me. It was a struggle to get through because the main characters were not my favorite at first. Finn was annoying and a bit arrogant, and Lavendar came off as selfish and difficult. However, I found the author's writing style to be engaging and decided to keep reading, and ultimately I am glad that I did. The second half of the book was fantastic. The characters came together, drew apart, and then came back together in the sweetest, sincerest way. I felt that both members of the couple (cause I hope it's not a surprise that Finn and Lavendar become a couple) grow and change in the happiest of ways. There is even a fun twist in their vocational relationship that I did not see coming but was perfect nonetheless! A fun read for sure. (On a side note, if you're a dog person, the first half of the book may be more engaging for you!)

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes you're in the mood for a sweet romance that isn't too spicy, and this one fits that bill. I liked both characters point of view throughout the book. I usually enjoy an enemies to lovers premise, and I did enjoy this one. Great spring read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

This book really had the potential to be great but the execution was not. The MMC is so annoying I just eventually got fed up of his narrative that I had to dnf like his hatred for the MFC did not make sense and the writing did not flow well in my opinion.

Finn Masters, a successful screenwriter, lands his dream job writing for a top sitcom, only to find himself working alongside Lavender Rhodes, his lifelong nemesis. She unknowingly ruined his past, and Finn sees his chance for revenge by altering her character on the show. But as his schemes backfire, Finn discovers a new perspective on Lavender, leading to unexpected revelations and possibly, a change of heart.

Light and fun! I’ll be honest though, it took me a few weeks to get to the 40% mark in this book. It wasn’t a page turner for me at first. But once I got into the swing of things, I really loved how everything was coming together and the overall feel of the story. The writing is truly reminiscent of a sitcom and the characters are both comedic and endearing. Finn’s methodical manner complements Lavender’s airy and bubbly personality so well. If you like fun dogs and community living, you’re sure to find lots of gleeful moments throughout this comedy!

While I did enjoy the ebook, I want to try out the audio version when it’s released. The British accents, sitcom atmosphere, and the feel of the dialogue would make this an excellent audiobook!

Thank you @tnzfiction @NetGalley for the eARC 🧡🩷 #netgalley All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Perfect for you if you like:
Hollywood tv setting
Schemes and revenge plots gone awry
Sitcoms (Friends) + romantic comedies (You’ve Got Mail)

Similar to:
The Rom-Comers by Katherine Center
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (not a rom-com, but a ditzy female lead and opposites-attract British main characters)
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (open-door, “real life” feel but on the set on SNL)

✅clean (a couple sweet kisses)
⚠️no CW/TW

Lavender Rhodes is the bright and perky star of America's favorite (and soon-to-be longest running) sitcom. Finn Masters, under orders to transform said sitcom, has just been hired as the show's executive producer. The problem? Finn can't STAND Lavender, and he has his MANY reasons.

I have been very into settings that are movie/tv show sets and/or with characters starring in/writing for shows/movies; needless to say I was VERY excited for this one. There is something about this book that I just can't put my finger on, try as I might while I was reading. After looking at similar reviews, it's possible that I just could not connect with Ferguson's writing style. At times it felt like the pacing was TOO quick, especially when trying to understand Finn's (many) reasons for disliking Lavender. I think I would have preferred some flashbacks to the actual incident between Lavender and Finn (as I am very much a show not tell reader). Both Lavender and Finn fell flat as characters for me as well.- Finn would attempt to do something as "payback" for what Lavender did to him, only to find out he'd taken it TOO far and, instead of relishing in sweet victory, found himself playing chivalrous gentleman.

Overall, this was a quick, more com than rom read that, while not the most dynamic, is sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I enjoyed this book so much. It a rom-com about a tv show that is also a rom-com. The banter in this book is awesome. I could not put it down. A must read.

From the moment I saw this cover/read the title, I wanted to read this one... and though it was a little different than I expected, I found that I really did enjoy it!

From the start, I was drawn into the story. We meet Finn who is a TV writer who is offered a new job on one of TVs hottest sitcoms--- a show called Neighbors that was giving off some pretty major Friends vibes, which was super fun! The problem? The star of the show is his worst enemy... only she doesn't know it! Unbeknownst to her, he has a running list of all the ways he feels like she has caused issues in his life and so he decides he will get payback. Is his attitude a little bit childish? Yes, but I found myself enjoying the story, nonetheless. Lavender is a really sweet character--- almost perfectly so. Every attempt he makes to get revenge... well, let's just say it doesn't work out for him. This leads to some humorous mishaps throughout. This is definitely very much a slow burn... I would have definitely enjoyed the romance starting earlier, but for those who prefer that slower burn, they'll definitely appreciate that. I felt like the story was definitely more personal growth than romance for the larger part of the story. Enjoyable, just a little different than expected. Overall, I really enjoyed this story... it was cute and unique and definitely worth a read!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

CAN I SAY HOW MUCH I LOVE MELISSA FERGUSON!??!

Adorable, fast-paced romance with the perfect amount of zero spice ;)

Successful screenwriter Finn Masters has landed his dream job writing for Neighbors… the only downside is his arch-nemesis Lavender Rhodes is the star of said show. Can Finn get past the long-standing feud he has in order to help the show succeed or will pettiness get the best of him?

I don't often pick up stand alone romance books as I enjoy the wider friend group being more developed and I noticed this alot throughout the book where background characters felt included for plot reasons rather than as they were part of the main characters lives. I didn't love the writing style and there were I found the slow burn lent more into lack of believable romantic chemistry than them taking their time. If you are a fan of frenemies to lovers this may be for you but I can think of several I would recommend before this one. I did enjoy the dual POV and the no spice was a change form my normal books but wasn't a bad thing.

I was excited by the premise of this. The writing style didn’t quite work for me and I struggled to stay engaged. I think if you enjoy frenemies to lovers, this will be enjoyable!

This book was hilarious and heartwarming. It is perfectly paced and engaging from start to finish.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fantastic book by Melissa
Ferguson. This was such a fun celebrity romance with dual POVs. The writing, banter and characters were all so good! I don’t usually like slow burn but the author did such a great job with this story that I didn’t mind

this had the potential to great but unfortunately it felt flat. this was a cute and funny romcom, with an enticing beginning and endearing characters. tho, the pacing was a bit off, the characters lacked romantic chemistry for the most part and we had some comments that imo didn’t have their place in a contemporary romance.

so, this book is not well-rounded but still enjoyable! it’s also slowburn and have zero spice!

3.25⭐️

This is very cute, would make a very fun show!

✅ Lavendar is an actor on a long running, very popular sitcom. Finn is a new writer on the show.
✅ dual POV
✅ grumpy sunshine
✅ one sided enemies to lovers
🌶️: no

Finn Masters, a successful screenwriter lands his dream job writing for the hit sitcom Neighbors. But there's a catch—he'll have to work alongside Lavender Rhodes, the show's beloved star who unknowingly ruined Finn's acting career and love life back when they were schoolmates in England. Determined to exact revenge, Finn sees an opportunity to sabotage Lavender's character on the show. However, as his plan backfires and unexpected twists arise, Finn begins to see Lavender in a new light, forcing him to confront his feelings and reconsider his vendetta.

Melissa Ferguson delivers a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy filled with humour, wit, and charming characters, this novel is a delightful romp through the world of Hollywood and second chances. Finn is a relatable and endearing protagonist whose journey of self-discovery is both entertaining and heartfelt. Ferguson deftly explores themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the power of love to heal old wounds. As Finn navigates his complicated relationship with Lavender Rhodes, readers will find themselves rooting for him to find happiness and closure.

The dynamic between Finn and Lavender is the heart of the story, and Ferguson crafts their interactions with humour and warmth. The banter between the two characters crackles with chemistry, and their journey from adversaries to allies is a joy to witness. As Finn's plan to exact revenge on Lavender unravels, the novel takes unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end. Beyond the romance, "How to Plot a Payback" also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of television production, adding depth and authenticity to the story. Ferguson's sharp wit and clever dialogue bring the setting to life, creating a vivid backdrop for Finn and Lavender's antics.

How to Plot a Payback is a charming and heartwarming romantic comedy that will leave readers laughing, swooning, and cheering for Finn and Lavender's happily ever after. With its lovable characters, witty humour, and feel-good storyline, this book is sure to delight fans of the genre.

Strong 4 stars!

It was very fun and cute. Probably the cleanest romance I've ever read - they kiss at most and there's no any detailed description. Even though the main characters are adults you can easily give this one to a teen.

It's a romcom leaning more toward the comedy aspect rather than romance. I still very much enjoyed it.

What to expect:
- actress and a screenwriter
- workplace romance
- sitcom
- Hollywood
- celebrity romance
- slow burn
- closed door
- (his) enemy to lover
- grumpy x sunshine
- dual pov
- puppy playdates
- two Brits in America