Another delightful Melissa Ferguson novel! Her romcoms are among my favorites, because her plots are more thought-out, the twists are more surprising, and once the love connection happens, it hits on a deeper level. This newest offering is no exception! The story twists and turns (not so much to give you whiplash, but plenty to keep it entertaining), and the characters deepen at each turn. A romcom is by definition predictable, but Ferguson finds just the right places to keep you guessing, and it's always hard to put her books down.

My only complaint about this one (I'd give it 4.5, if that were possible) is that the two main characters are British, but they don't read British. Aside from the occasional "mate" instead of "friend," their vocabulary and phrasing are very American. Neither of them has lived long enough in the States for their upbringing to have slipped so far into the background. I wanted either more of their humor, mentality, and perspective on living abroad, or they might just have grown up in some out of the way American small town, with the same effect, but less distraction for the reader.

Funny, engaging, sweet, smart--highly recommend!

First of all thankyou to the publishers Thomas Nelson for such a brilliant Rom-Com

I've not read a book by Melissa before but i'm a Rom-Com queen i had a feeling i would enjoy this book and i did WOW!! it oozed everything i need from a romance book .
an enemies to lovers story perfect i was sold . i loved the whole plot it was joyous ,funny ,witty , and cosy vibes we all need .

The characters Finn and Lavender was brilliant both in their own quirky ways and dry sense of humour just perfect .

Melissa writing is stunning and now as my Rom-Com heart forever

I'm giving this Rom-Com of the year 5 stars

Normally I love a good enemies to lovers trope but this one didn't really do it for me. I felt the characters didn't really have any chemistry. It was hard for me to get behind the main character loathing the female character for 50% of the book to suddenly loving her. I was even doubting if this was a romance for the first half because of the lack of chemistry.

I love author Melissa Ferguson's stories as she has a way of making me laugh while at the same time bringing truth. Screenwriter Finn Masters has a nemesis, Lavender Rhodes. He feels she has been the cause of so many things that have gone wrong in his life (an accident; wrecking his acting career; a botched romantic relationship). Things finally go his way when he lands a job writing episodes for the TV sitcom where Lavender is the star. There are so many ways he can make her life miserable.

Holding on to past wrongs or choosing to forgive makes all the difference in the lives of Finn and Lavender. There’s a lesson to be learned here and the comedic way in which it is presented isn’t preachy in the least. I loved seeing the moment when Finn realizes that Lavender is not the enemy. She is truly a loving and kind person that sees the good in life. I highly recommend reading this book.

Some (but not all) things I loved:
Grumpy/sunshine
Chickens
Dogs
Shared secrets
Senior community night
The kiss
You’ve Got Mail vibes
The power of forgiveness

I received this book through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

4⭐️

I thought this book was just incredibly sweet and charming. It really took me by surprise as tv/movie setting books have not always worked for me. This one really pulled it off as the characters were down right loveable.

This can barely be called a grumpy sunshine book as the grump Finn was still just very upbeat and caring. He had some almost comical outcomes that some how Lavendar was in the center of. It just seemed like just bad luck.

I think the only think holding it back from a 5 star read was the romance. I felt like the book could have been just a tad bit longer or more hints that they were into eachother. It seemed to rush at the end and felt like we were missing the middle a bit.

I would recommend this book to most of my friends and other readers in the book community. I do plan to check out other books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I found How to Plot a Payback to be a quick read but not a standout story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

While I thought some parts of it were cute, other parts were lacking. It just wasn’t the kind of book that I couldn’t put down.

I wanted the chemistry to be a bit better explained (before the kiss) because it was mainly the characters saying they had it versus it actually happening.

I did like Finn’s growth, and I truly enjoyed the epilogue!

Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC of How to Plot a Playback! I always enjoy Melissa Ferguson’s books and this did not disappoint!

Finn feels personally victimized by Lavender Rhodes, Emmy winning actress, whom he’s known since they were in school together and she always seemed to be taking opportunities away from him. He’s held a grudge all the years, but when he gets the offer of a lifetime to be a writer on the sitcom she stars in, he can’t turn it down despite his feelings towards her. Through his power as a writer, he starts to plot small ways to get back at her for the grievances she caused him throughout the years. The only problem is, his attempts were a little more serious than he realized and he is too kind hearted to go through with them. Thus begins an unlikely friendship which turns into bigger feelings.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t love either character through the first half of the book or so. Finn seemed to grown up to hold such a grudge for so long, and honestly his attempts at payback seemed utterly against his character. Though I appreciated how kind hearted he was to immediately put a stop to them once realizing he crossed the line. And Lavender just seemed way too entitled and ignorant of her actions, which we learn is absolutely not her character. In the end, they absolutely redeemed themselves and I loved how it turned out. I also really enjoyed their dogs friendship and how unlikely a pair they were (similar to Finn and Lavender).

Given the opportunity to get “revenge” on someone he believed wronged him and television writer is out for revenge and his weapon of choice is his script. Enemies to lovers, show business high jinx, and falling in love, if you like all of those things you’ll probably like this book.

Thank you to the publisher Thomas Nelson, author Melissa Ferguson, and Netgalley for providing me the ARC.

Review: How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson

If you loved the light-hearted romance of Melissa’s precious novels, or authors such as Courtney Walsh, Sophie Kinsella, and Emily Henry, How to Plot a Payback lives up to this same feel with:

❤️Lovable characters
🌴Enemies to lovers
🥰Romantic tension
🫣Hilarious hijinks
🐾Adorable animals, and
😏Nosy neighbors

So if you’re looking for a fun and flirty rom-com, be sure to check out How to Plot a Payback in March 2024. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This one had everything you'd want in a rom-com! It was cute, funny, sweet and something new! The plot isn't something you've necessarily read before, which is refreshing. I loved the famous actress/screenwriter duo who were connected by an invisible string throughout their whole lives and the LA film set setting.
I genuinely loved both of the main characters.
Finn's sweet, kind and almost nurturing nature shining through in between his need for payback and Lavender's sunshine personality, who is at her core an incredibly kind and good person, whom you can't help but fall in love with. They were both relatable in their own way and the ending was everything I could have asked for.
If you’re looking for a rom-com that will make you laugh and swoon definitely check this one out!
How To Plot a Payback is out April 2nd 2024! laugh and swoon definitely check this one out!
Thank you to Thomas Nelson fiction for the earc.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"How to Plot a Payback" by Melissa Ferguson is a refreshing and engaging read that combines humor, mishaps, and a unique romantic twist. The main character, Finn Masters, is a one-of-a-kind protagonist whose life is a series of amusing misfortunes. Ferguson masterfully crafts Finn's character, making him both pitiful and endearing, allowing readers to sympathize with his struggles while recognizing his flaws.

The storytelling style is vibrant and chatty, drawing readers into the quirky narrative. The mishaps and comedic elements are delightful, and the addition of puppies adds an extra layer of charm. As the romance between Finn and Lavender unfolds, it brings a heartwarming and cute dynamic to the story.

Ferguson successfully navigates the fine line between sympathy and humor, ensuring that Finn doesn't become a jerk, despite the misadventures plotted against Lavender. The book stands out in its genre, leaning more toward general fiction/chick lit than traditional romance, offering a fresh and enjoyable reading experience. "How to Plot a Payback" is a fun and quick read that I highly recommend for those looking for a lighthearted and entertaining story.

Many thanks to publisher Thomas Nelson, author Melissa Ferguson, and Netgalley for providing me the eARC.
Release Date: April 2, 2024

Finn was such a unique, fascinating main character perspective to follow. It was equally pitiful and funny seeing what bad thing would befall him next. I think the author did a great job of making me have sympathy for him, while also being able to recognize his flaws and misplaced blame. The author walked that fine line and didn’t turn Finn into a jerk. The payback was never intentionally harmful or malicious, and Finn was remorseful.

The storytelling style is vibrant and chatty. I was so engaged with seeing how this quirky story would play out and was delighted by the mishaps. Throw in the puppies, and you’ve got me! Once the romance vibes started, I found Finn and Lavender to be too cute! I don’t think I’ve read a book with a plot and main characters quite like this, so the reading felt fresh. I highly recommend for a fun, quick read.

ALERT: The genre leans more toward general fiction/chicklit than romance. The romance is pretty much non-existent until 66% into the story.

✍️ I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I will read absolutely everything Melissa Ferguson writes. I was STOKED when her book, How to Plot a Payback came up on @netgalley and I was granted an advanced copy by them and @thomasnelson 👏👏
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✍️ This book may be my favorite by her yet. There wasn't even any chemistry between the two main characters until halfway through the book...or so I thought. It had been slowly building right beneath my nose and let me tell you - when the tension showed up, it was PALPABLE. 🔥🔥 Like all the sudden, I said "THAT'S what I've been waiting for!!" But it was so much better because of the build up. Genius.
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✍️ The relationships in this book felt so authentic to me, which is on par for Ferguson. These people could've been my cousins. Or neighbors. They just felt so down to earth despite their Hollywood occupations.
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✍️ Per usual, no content to raise an Eyebrow in the least. It was magical and I'm being totally honest when I say I didn't want it to end 😩
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✍️ Oh! And she even referenced the quirky intro song on You've Got Mail. I've never heard anyone reference it. Ever. But my husband and I joke about it all the time, so it was really fun to see 🎶 If only I could have a puppy...I'd call myself so very lucky🎶.....
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✍️ Please please drop whatever you're doing and pre-order this amazing book. It'll be published in April!

This is my first Melissa Ferguson read and I loved it. Finn and Lavender are great albeit very different characters that I loved for very different reasons. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review! I have seen many glowing reviews for this novel, but for me nothing in particular stuck out. The story had a very cute concept and I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I ADORE the Grumpy/Sunshine trope, so me not enjoying this book actually really surprised me. Again, I'm probably in the minority so I would recommend this book just not read it again myself.

Thankyou to Netgalley for an arc of this book! This story follows rivals Lavender and Finn, although only one of them knows they’re supposed to be enemies! I thought the concept of this book was really interesting and I always love a good grumpy/sunshine trope. The writing flowed and I thought the interactions between all the characters felt very realistic, I just thought that the romance aspect happened so suddenly. It felt like Finn absolutely loathed Lavender and then in the next page was head over heels in love with her it was quite jarring but overall I did find this a very fun story!

Fantastic. I loved it. Finns denial and attempts in hating Lavender is so fun to read. I found myself smiling while reading this book... There is so much clever remarks...very witty. I need more.....

"I have the horrible urge to put my hand behind her back, a sign those boys should back off. Frankly, this urge makes me feel equally concerned." “And before you say anything more, please don’t guilt me on this. I’ve lived a good life. I pay my taxes. I take my neighbors’ pets to the vet. I just want this.”

Enjoyed this fast read. Thank you netgalley for this ARC. Will be definitely checking out this author.

Delightful!! I loved this book so much! This slow burn romance that takes places in Hollywood brought me so much joy. It’s fun, it’s charming, it’s emotional, it’s cute, and of course it’s romantic. I love that at first Finn can’t stand Lavender due to a shared history, but due to their proximity working on a tv show things start to change for both of them. At times it felt a little long but that’s my only complaint. I really enjoyed this book!