Finn has just landed his dream jobs and the biggest perk? He's now in charge of writing for the show who Lavender Rhodes is the star of. He's about to make her life a living hell. Lavender who is amazing and perfect and has absolutely ruined Finn's life dating all the way back to grade school. But as Finn writes for the show, Lavender seems to be taking all his plot twists in stride and it's not making Finn's revenge any fun. As their lives intertwine, Finn must decide whether the revenge is what he wants to continue to pursue or if Lavender is his finish.

This one was fun but after a while, it got a little repetitive. I liked the story as a whole but Finn's pessimism and antics were just a little... childish. It was hard to root for him and then for him to just decide that he actually loved her... it felt forced. I wish the characters had more chemistry as well. I feel like I liked it overall but it wasn't the best way this book/plot could've been written. It wasn't the worse either though.

Overall 3.25

This book was a little hard to get into in the beginning. But it did get better around the middle of the book. This was my first book by the author and I will definitely be reading more.

The trope of this book is definitely grumpy sunshine plus enemies to lovers. I did find Finn a little annoying in the beginning and Lavender is extremely flighty. They did grow on me as the story went on and their characters developed more. While I found the book difficult to read in the beginning, it did get much much better around the middle and the ending is cute.

I was provided a copy of the book from the author/publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Finn Masters has been writing for the same tv show for several years when the opportunity of a lifetime arises. The only problem is that the star of the show, Lavender Rhodes, has been (unbeknownst to her) ruining his life since they were in school. He doesn’t want her to ruin this new opportunity he’s been given so he does his best to plot his payback, but the payback doesn’t go as planned…

Will he be able to get past the injustices he feels Lavender has caused him? Is there a chance that they might become friends?

I loved this book! The antics that continued to play out had me laughing and wondering what would happen next. I will be recommending this to others to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #HowtoPlotaPayback

Finn’s “arch-nemesis” Lavender is America’s sweetheart. Lavender has been “ruining” Finn’s life for the better part of 15 years - and she has no idea.

She has been on the same sitcom for over 10 years and is beloved by actors, producers, and the public. But her show is getting tired.

Finn has spent the last decade writing about murder and is looking for something else. He meets the showrunner of the sitcom Lavender is on and after some negotiations, he becomes the head writer for her show. Looking to liven it up, he suggests some changes and some of those changes payback Lavender for the suffering she’s caused him. But it hits different and Finn finds himself wanting her instead.

I really enjoyed how Finn and Lavender grew into their relationship after some struggles. I liked the background of the sitcom and secondary characters. This book had some funny scenes and I laughed a bit. It’s a fun and lighthearted grumpy/sunshine romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this eARC. How to Plot a Payback is out now.

DNF at 30%.

This was a really hard book for me to get into and understand. There were some parts I truly didn’t understand why they were happening.

I felt the chapters really hard to relate to and a little annoying.

This is usually an author LOVE & always give her books a chance! But this book was just so hard for me to get into.

Screenwriter Finn Masters joined the staff of Hollywood's highest-rated, longest-running sitcoms. The star, Lavender Rhodes, once destroyed his acting career and wrecked his past relationship and doesn't even know it. Finn won't let her destroy this dream job, too, and realizes he can change the course of her career as he writes for her character. Everything goes wrong with each attempt to do so, and he's caught up in the drama. It also makes him see her in an entirely new light.

Finn is rather grumpy and dour, a serious crime series writer who takes the career opportunity of a lifetime. He isn't mean at heart, though he resents Lavender and hates even the mention of her. She's flighty and perpetually cheerful, almost willfully so, determined to see the best in everything. Their interactions take a turn when he sees the potential harm in his pranks; he isn't trying to seriously hurt her and goes out of his way to correct the situation. That takes it from a dangerous plan to a slapstick one. I sympathized with him from the start and wasn't exactly rooting for Lavender either at first. But like with Finn, she grew on me and I saw her good points, too. The two are a good pair, complementing one another. The book is a fun take on the grumpy/sunshine trope, complete with Hollywood magic.

How To Plot a Payback is nemesis to lovers, laugh out loud. romantic comedy. Great chemistry and banter. A fun and light hearted romance.

I thought this storyline was a lot of fun. I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers and this book nailed it
I love how Finn has this whole list of the many ways Lavendar has done him wrong throughout his life and she honestly had no clue.
So many fun laughs and witty banter as the payback schemes Finn concocts keep falling apart and the lines of his loathing turn to love.
It was a super cute, lighthearted, fun read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of How To Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson. All opinions are my own.

This funny romcom follows Finn and Lavender who went to high school together and acted in their high school shows. After a few unlucky mishaps, they both end up in LA, Lavender successfully living the actors dream and Finn bitterly a writer for successful shows. Finn blames Lavender for every bad thing in his life, and she quite frankly doesn’t know he exists. Until he becomes a writer for her ten year long sitcom.

This girl was really living rent free in his head for 10 years wow lol. This book did make me laugh and I loved the audiobook. The narrators were great.

I really really wanted to like How To Plot a Payback because I’ve really enjoyed all of Melissa Ferguson’s other books especially Meet Me in the Margins but it wasn’t my favorite. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was about the book or the characters but it didn’t have the same magic as her previous works. I don’t think I warmed up to Finn or Lavender and felt like their relationship happened way too fast and there really wasn’t much resolution or much plotting of revenge based off the previous transgressions Finn felt. I did enjoy the community Finn built with his elderly neighbors and the antics of Bernie.



Thank you publishers and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

4 Stars

This was a cute rom-com book that had me laughing out loud several times. Super cute story line about a writer that just starting working on a hit TV show where his arch nemesis is the star of the show. He plans to get her back for all the times she "ruined" his life. Of course nothing goes like he wants it to. I liked this story and would recommend it to friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-Fiction for the opportunity to read this book.

How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson is probably one of my favorite rom-coms she has written. Finn Masters is thrilled to be writing for the hit show Neighbors the highest rated, longest-running sitcom in Hollywood. The only problem is that the star Lavender Rhodes from his home town in England is the star. He considers her the woman who has wreaked havoc on his life. Lavender Rhodes is truly a delightful person. She is kind to everyone and liked by all. So why does Finn feel the need to plot a Payback with her?

This was all things sparkly and fun. I found myself wanting to make Lavender my best friend, and Finn endeared himself to me as I got to know him. I loved the character development and the dual point of views. The story reminded me that we really only know people on the surface most of the time, and what a joy it is know get to know someone better. I enjoyed visiting the world of sit-coms, Hollywood, and the work of screen writers. I laughed out loud so many times.

The story had me laughing, sighing, and remembering the importance of giving people the benefit of the doubt. I highly recommend Hot to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Thank you for the ARC Melissa Ferguson and NetGalley😊
Read from 20 April - 21 April

This was quite a cute story about Finn and Lavender. The flow and writing was good. It was an easy and enjoyable read.
With some of my favorite tropes as grumpyxsunshine with a slowburn romance. Finn was my favorite Character of those two, since he seemed a tad more realistic than Lavender did.

How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson is a chick-lit, contemporary romance about two nemeses: one is a screenwriter, and the other is a show star or actor. Now, Finn Masters and Lavender Rhodes have to work together. But Finn thinks this is the best time to plot his payback and develop her character in the most embarrassing ways possible.

I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the characters, but I felt the execution and the whole plot could have been developed better. This is my second book by the author; the first one was 'Meet Me in the Margins'. While reading this book, I did occasionally find myself laughing out loud.

But as usual, as Finn gets to know more about Lavender, he realizes maybe she isn't that bad at all. Slowly, the feelings start to develop. I loved how, at the majority times, his payback uses backfires in the most hilarious ways possible. And if you are a dog lover, the female MC here tries to foster 10 stray dogs, and that part was the most adorable and favorite of all.

Apart from all the good things, I am still missing something in this plot, which makes it very average for me and not the perfect chick-lit book for me. The romance definitely needs more work, so I do not even consider this one a merely romance book. Pick it up if you're looking for an adult guy who does stupid things and is a total no-brainer. He giggles all the way through the through the book.

Thank you UpLit Reads and Thomas Nelson for the ARC copy!

I absolutely adored this hilarious romcom sitcom based book. The plot setting was unique and fun, and it’s what drew me to the book. Having a book setting on a tv show set seems to always intrigue me! And this story is mixed with some failed attempts at revenge and a blossoming love story.

Finn was a funny MMC to read. He is a screenwriter and in the past has always had unfortunate situations happen to him around Lavender. It’s been going on for decades and now they work together. From day one on set, Finn has bad luck and Lavender has no idea… she’s just so cheery and upbeat. Everyone loves her. Finn wants so badly to exact a small revenge as her shows screenwriter, but again things never work out.

Lavender always wants to do the best for everyone around her, even at the cost of her own happiness. Finn continuously runs into Lavender and learns all the wonderful things about her along the way. Each situation they get into is cute and funny.

The side characters in this book are so fun as well. I love a good side character because they just add so much to the story’s dynamic and this one has plenty of them!!

🎬 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🧡 Screenwriter / Actress
🩷 Sitcom TV Show Setting
🧡 Grumpy Sunshine
🩷 Dual POV
🧡 Closed Door Romance

Be careful what you wish for, it sometimes comes back to haunt you. Finn Masters has been plotting his revenge on Lavender Rhodes since the first incident back in school. Everything bad that has happened in his life he blames her for it. Now he has the perfect opportunity to get payback. Only Lavender is one of the nicest people you want to know. She has two friends and they would do anything to protect her. Finn is the head writer now on the series she stars in and he his plotting his revenge. Only nothing is going to plan. It seems that the feelings he's had all this time for her have surface. What's a man supposed to do. Write his way out of it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was approved for this book in audio and print and I didn't care of it either. Written in a third person tone set it just didn't do the story justice. It was a little over the top and not for me. I was hoping it was going to be light and airy like her other books, but it was too quirky/dramatic for me.

Melissa Ferguson has done it again! This rom com has a nice mix of fun, shenanigans, sweetness, and whimsy. The LA backdrop is interesting and a nice change of scenery while still clean. Pacing was on point. The characters are well-developed, including supporting ones! I feel like a follow-up is made possible due to a new chapter - er, script♥️ - that opens up. I certainly loved the characters and story enough that I would read more. I love being able to read a romcom that is enjoyable for adult readers all the way down to my youngest preteen students.

Melissa Ferguson's newest romcom How to Plot a Payback is a fun read and great for light summer reading. I always have a hard time getting into her novels but enjoy theme once I am about 25% into the book and this followed this pattern. I listened to part of the book on audiobook and the English accents added even more to the story.
The novel is a story of two classmates with one holding a grudge against the other, who is clueless that she is his enemy. Finn is a tv writer and holds many grudges against Violet, a tv star who is American's sweethearts. Finn starts changing Violet's storyline and it becomes even a bigger hit and along the way he finds out she isn't as bad as he thought.
I found the story original in the crowded romcom market with the story of a tv writer and star. It was the perfect companion on a recent trip to the beach.
I received a complimentary copy of How to Plot a Payback, all opinions are my own.

Is revenge as sweet as it seems?

This book pulled back the curtain in the world of Hollywood and TV shows in particular. It got me thinking about what goes into making my favorite shows. It was a fascinating premise that was well-executed.

It was interesting to see the dynamic of one-sided enemies/rivals. Lavender was so sweet and likeable and Finn felt he had been so wronged.

This was a fascinating story. I enjoyed the ending and how everything tied up. This was a sweet romance, I'd rate it PG for kissing.