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.

A slow burn sweet and clean romance. Everything we've come to expect form Melissa Ferguson. It's so refreshing to be able to recommend books to my friends that want closed=door romances. I bought this in paperback to add to my collection because I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This was a super fun read. I enjoyed the inner thoughts of each of the main characters. I loved getting to know their flaws. I felt their feelings and could easily visualize what was happening. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romcom.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did - this was such a fun romp. Was it a little over the top? Sure. Did I care? Nope! I feel like this is a perfect summer beach read - light, fun, and so entertaining.

How to Plot a Payback has an original premise that hooks you from the start. As an enemies to lovers trope, this one is unique because the feelings of animosity are one sided as Lavender does not know that Finn has been holding a grudge for years. Grumpy meets Sunshine as he Finn plots some petty revenge, and Lavender blithely unaware of what is happening, continues to spread cheer and sunshine wherever she goes. Billed as a romcom, it is high on the comedy, genuinely laugh out loud funny in places. The romance portion was slow burn and feel good, kept at a wholesome level. This was my first book from this author and it did not disappoint. Looking forward to my next read by this author.

Finn is convinced Lavender has ruined his life several times, so now he is a writer on the show she is in he thinks this is the perfect time for revenge. Will he get more than he bargained for? A fun read.

Such a cute, fun read.

This was a fun novel, cute idea, and kept me entertained the whole time.

Take Friends, mixed with Only Murders in the Building (cast dynamic), and then a little bit of Modern Family, and boom.

Such a fun, light rom-com

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well thi really was not book for me. I must say I was bought with cutesy cover, but the story line wasn't made me stick.

I read it, but I just could not connect with MCs.

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

DNF Sadly this title was not for me. I tried reading multiple times to no avail.

I am so sorry, but I really didn't like this at all and gave up at fifty percent. So a DNF for me.

It started off so well. I loved the first chapter and found the MMC really interesting. I was fully invested in the story. But then chapter two happened and the introduction of dogs and I lost all interest.

I also didn't think. this read as a love story.

This just wasn't for me.

I couldn't get into this book mainly due to the writing style. The characters seemed great of what I could tell. I've enjoyed other books by her and will give future books a chance.

This was such a fun book! I went into this one not knowing what to expect but it was honestly such a great easy read, I finished it in a single day!
Both of these characters have an amazing personality and I love how there's truly not a way to pick a side here.
I just truly enjoyed every second of reading this one

If you love
🎬 Celebrity romance
🎬 Grumpy + Sunshine
🎬 Slow Burn
🎬 Dual POV

You need to get this book asap. This story was funny, sweet and full of side characters. Lavender Rhodes ruined his chances of being a star, time and time again. (He has a list) So when he is offered a job working with her he begins to plot his payback. Except that catching feelings for her was not part of the plan. Prepare to laugh and swoon over Finn Masters.

This one just wasn’t for me. Finn read immature and insecure to me and the premise of wanting revenge on Lavender felt flimsy. At one point, I thought it was building to something substantial and was surprised to realize I was already 65% in and didn’t have a good understanding of Finn’s animosity. Super cute cover but ultimately a miss for me.

This is everything a good romcom should be! It was witty, it was fun, and it was heartwarming. The author writes in such a fresh and fun way. I absolutely loved the characters and the character development. The senior citizen aspect was lovely and brought the book to a new level.

Looking for a feel-good romcom that will keep you hooked from start to finish? Look no further than Melissa Ferguson's "How To Plot a Payback." This charming enemies-to-lovers tale follows two Londoners who find themselves unexpectedly reunited on the set of a Hollywood TV show. Finn can't stand Lavender, blaming her for all the problems in his life, but she's completely oblivious to his hatred - and absolutely adorable to boot.

As the two work together, Finn becomes increasingly bent on revenge (or "payback"), but Lavender's sunny disposition and infectious charm soon begin to win him over. With a lovable Bernese mountain dog, a flock of chickens, and endless humor and wit, this book is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone in need of a little romance and laughter. It's an easy, enjoyable read that will leave you wanting more from this talented author.

Thank you @thomasnelson, NetGalley and Melissa Ferguson for the ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I tend to enjoy books by Melissa Ferguson because they are cute & feel good romcoms. This one was cute and fun and I really enjoyed the plot.

I felt a bit of grumpy (Finn)/sunshine (Lavender) which is one of my favorite pairings. However, I didn't feel the chemistry between Finn & Lavender. It felt like it was written to be more of a fiction than a romance.

It may not have been my favorite book by this author, but I enjoyed it for what it was and will continue to look forward to future books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson didn't unfortunately fulfill my expectations.

I really liked the premise, of script writer and an actress, and one of my favorite trope enemies to lovers.
It had so much potential, I am really very sorry it didn't work out for me.

I found the writing style not to my liking at all, too jumbled, somehow rushed and unecessary all over the place.
I had a feeling that the author was trying to say too much too fast.
There were also too many irrelevant details.
I just couldn't enjoy it and I dnf it very early on.

If you're looking for a fun read that has slightly unrealistic characters in wildly unrealistic scenarios, this is the book for you. I typically enjoy either hyperrealistic or completely outrageous fiction, but this one swept me off of my feet. It's charming in its dialogue, sincere in its purpose, and delightful in its plot develoment. The characters were both a bit hard to imagine as people in real life, but somehow that made me love them even more! I don't want to call it a beach read because that can seem reductive, but it is exactly that: the kind of book that you want to inhale in a single, sun-filled day at the beach. You want to wiggle your toes in the sand and immerse yourself in their SoCal world because sometimes we all just need a little break from the predictability of daily living. This text provides the perfect antidote for that & I can think of no better place to read it than in a location than snuggled up under a beach tent!