THE PERFECT ROM-COM by MELISSA FERGUSON is an enjoyable read with unforgettable characters, witty dialogue and the author’s great insight into her characters’ emotions. There were times when I laughed out loud and others when I was close to tears!
The story starts with Bryony Page at the last day of a writer’s conference where she desperately wants to encourage one of the agents to take on a manuscript that she has been working on for two years. She is emotional about the story about her grandmother and the school for immigrants that she started and where Bryony teaches English. The school has run out of funds and she hopes her book will create an interest and bring in investors to keep the school going. She has two chances of trying to persuade Jack Sterling to take her book, but he has other ideas for her literary career ……
Other interesting characters are Bryony’s intensely loyal, incredibly amusing, court reporter sister, Gloria, the foreign students with their loyalty and interesting English, and the narcissistic Amelia Benedict, to name a few.
i am not going to tell you any more as I do not want to spoil things for you.
I highly recommend this “perfect rom-com” which I found quite inspirational as well as hilariously amusing.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

2.5/5 star romance.

Okay, I had very high hopes for this one. I loved the premise and the cover is super cute. But I felt like the story fell a bit flat. The romance between the two main characters really didn't connect for me, and I found myself kind of skimming through the middle because I just wasn't feeling a connection to the FMC at all. This is my first book by Melissa Ferguson, so it may honestly be that the writing style just isn't for me!

After attending a writers conference Bryony gets the chance of a lifetime. She’s offered a ghostwriting position for one of the most famous romance writers. But it’s not what Bryony wants. She wants to publish her own novel that’s near and dear to her heart. Jack made a deal to take her book on, but 2 years into ghost writing and Bryony book is still unpublished. As the pair work together will they become more than literary agent and author?

This book shouldn’t be classified as romance, it’s definitely more general fiction/women’s fiction. Very slow start and choppy beginning. The first chapter did not suck me in at all. I think it would’ve been better to have a one chapter flashback to her meeting with Jack agreeing to ghost write and then jump into the story. The beginning was just too long. And a 50% into the book there was only one slightly romantic scene. Given the title/genre I was hoping for at least some sparks early on. I think most of my disappointment comes from the fact that this book was classified as a romance, which obviously there’s some romance but it’s such a tiny portion, it’s really not fair to readers to market it as such.

really liked how this book started off, how ever it lost me somewhere in the middle. I felt as if the romance fell a bit into the background and was rushed off. I really liked the FMC, the writer really had me rooting for Byrony, but the MMC wasn't my cup of tea. I really did enjoy the banter though.

Although I was a bit disappointed about the whole romance bit of the story, I did really enjoy reading the FMC's journey as a ghost writer and how she fought for het Grandma's ESL school. That's why I gave it 3 stars.

Thanks to netgalley and the Thomas Nelson for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fun literary-themed rom-com from Ferguson. I loved Bryony and rooted for her (and Jack!) the entire way through to the happy ending!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

So, so, so good! Devourable! "The Perfect Rom-Com" by Melissa Ferguson kept me turning pages all night long. All the feels, drama, laughs and depth that you're looking for.

Ferguson's protagonist, Bryony Page, whose journey from aspiring author to secret ghostwriter is both inspiring and entertaining. Her dedication to her grandmother's ESL program adds depth to her character, making her instantly endearing to readers.

The author's keen understanding of the publishing industry shines through in the vivid descriptions of writers' conferences and the intricacies of book deals. This insider's perspective adds an extra layer of authenticity to the story, making it a must-read for both romance enthusiasts and aspiring writers alike.

The chemistry between Bryony and Jack Sterling, the literary agent, is palpable and electric.

Ferguson's writing style is crisp, witty, and engaging.

In short, Melissa Ferguson has penned a winner with "The Perfect Rom-Com." It's a book that deserves a place on every romance lover's shelf. Highly recommended!

3.5
Fun, but...I don't understand the compulsion to make the bad-guy so repellent she has no redeeming qualities or any real reason to have garnered the support that kept her in her enviable position from which to go forth and do evil in the first place.

I love Melissa Ferguson so I was excited for this book. It was a very cute story and I loved the relationship set-up with friends to lovers trope. However the writing and the plot felt a little flat and just were not as great as Ferguson's previous work.

A sweet romance about an author and her secret

Bryony Page is dreaming of publishing her own book. But since none of the agents will accept her lengthy manuscript, she accepts an offer to ghostwrite for one of the biggest romance authors in the genre. While getting closer to her agent Jack, she doesn't lose sight of her original goal of releasing a semi-biographical novel that could well save her Grandmother's ESL school.

I breezed through this book! The dialogue is snappy, the protagonist stubborn but very likeable and the love interest a perfect friends-to-lovers hero. The book is on the shorter side but does not have a dull moment. Melissa Ferguson crafts very memorable characters and while she is not big on descriptions, she makes the bits count. This book is funny, serious, frustrating and rewarding!

I am not sure about the publishing interna, but would be happy to recommend this even to people who know the industry a little more intimately.
There are some elements that are a little bit far fetched and a few characterisations that felt very over-the-top but overall, this book is a fantastic read for romance lovers, aspiring writers and people looking to see that their antagonists get what they deserve. Because all's fair in love and business..

I absolutely loved this! Romantic comedy with a ghost writer? I'm immediately in. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that Jack was introduced so briefly that he didn't seem like a main character or love interest at first. I know he's supposed to be hot in a bookish way, but that's kinda it? I wish he had more of an introduction and that we got to see their friendship unfold. It felt like we met him and suddenly they're really close. But still, loved this book so much.

I have previously read Meet Me in the Margins, and I thought it was a cute fun rom com, so I was excited for this one as well. And while it was cute and sweet, I felt it lacking in some parts.

I thought the book had great beginnings but the follow through wasn't the best. The meet cute between Bryony and Jack was amazing and set up the book to be filled with lots of fun banter, but it seemed to shut off after a third of the book. I also feel like there's such a big deal with how Bryony wants to tell her grandmas story and how much her grandma means to her, but she only has one present scene with her, and it isn't one that would make you feel like they have a great bond. I just wish that their relationship was as profound as she makes it out to be.

What I did like was the bond between Bryony and her sister. And all of her students. They were really charming and made you root for The Bridge.

I think this could be a fun read that people will enjoy. I will say I usually read books within three days, but I've been in a slump where is takes me over a week to finish any book, and I just read this one in two, which I'd consider a positive!

I greedily devoured this book in one sitting. I've never read this authors work before, but I was charmed by her characters before the end of the first chapter.

It was a cozy read, with interesting characters and a sweet friendship and love that wasn't overly sweet. I'd recommend this to anyone who needs to break their way out of a reading slump and find the joy of a good book again!

I felt like I was reading someone's random train of thought, not a thought out story. I didn't know what was going on because I am not an author and didn't understand what was happening.

2.5 stars …

I wanted to love this book as much as all of Melissa Ferguson’s other books, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While there were parts I enjoyed, and I liked the general storyline idea, it didn’t suck me in or make me fall in love with the story or characters.
I felt like the story didn’t come together well. In the beginning, I felt like the main characters were actually antagonistic towards each other, only to suddenly fall in love. I wanted more of THEIR friendship and love story, and way less about Amelia. I also really struggled to care about The Bridge and the side characters to do with that.
I’ll continue to read Melissa Ferguson’s works because I tend to love it, but this one wasn’t my favorite of hers.

I loved this rom com about a rom com ghostwriter. Bryony's emotional development mirrored that of her writing development which I thought was a great parallel. I wish there had been a touch more backstory to Amelia as a character, but the other side characters were a big add to the story, especially the assistant. As a love interest, Jack was both a good friend and also a champion of Bryony's writing!

Bryony is an aspiring author who ends up landing a job becoming a ghost writer for a very well-known author named Amelia. Amelia is very hard to get along with and doesn't read the books that Bryony writes for her. She demands changes to the books that are written for her that don't necessarily make sense to the stories, such as changing the characters or location.

Bryony works directly with an agent named Jack who offered her the ghost writer position. The only thing she wants in exchange is for a book of her own to be published under her name. Both of them are in relationships when they first meet, but neither seem to be happy in those relationships. Eventually, things break off with their respective partners, and Jack makes his move. They spend so much time together due to work, but Jack has realized he has feelings for her. I enjoyed watching their relationship bloom even though they were both a bit stubborn at times.

This book just didn't give me the feeling I was hoping it would. It was interesting learning a bit about the process of publishing a book and how hard it can be to do so. I didn't even know that ghost writers were a thing, so that was neat to learn. I think overall it was a bit slow paced and was hard for me to really get into the book. Bryony was just a bit too hot-headed and stubborn at times in regards to her job and relationship with Jack. I did enjoy the ending and loved the plot twist.

3.5

The perfect rom-com was my first book by Melissa Ferguson and I can say that I’ve enjoyed it!

It was a cozy,heartwarming reading about byrony and aspiring author and a literary agent jack!

while reading byrony’s story i was able to empathize with her and rooting for her and i really loved to read her thoughts about the situations she found herself in.

jack what can i say about him? well he was mysterious in a sort way,manipulating but he was pure affectionate about byrony.

the friendship and the banter between byrony and jack was witty,fun and charming and lovely!

The romance could be considered also as a subplot in my opinion because the focus in particular it’s byrony’s journey to stand up for herself and follow her dream!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An ESL teacher at a small, struggling organization called The Bridge takes it within herself to write the perfect novel of how the organization came about. In order to save it from years of dwindling funds, budget cuts, and fading grants, she attends a writers conference to get someone to take it on. In her exuberance, she covers multiple genres, writes almost 150,000 words (twice the industry norm), and tries her best to pitch it to publishers at a convention to vast disinterest.

She meets with her last chance, a ruthless top of the line publisher who doesn't want to be there, and he dismisses her within 5 minutes. She stubbornly stands up for her work, and in a moment of challenge, he tasks her to find fault in a wildly successful authors book he has on his laptop. She reads it and, in sheer desperation, tells the truth. All of it is wrong. It's shoddy writing and awful, and she details what needs to change, tosses her business cards at him, and walks away in tears.

Little does she know this is the start to an entire new chapter of her life as a ghostwriter, forever on the hook to wait for her own work to see the light of day.

******

I greedily devoured this book in one sitting. I've never read this authors work before, but I was charmed by her characters before the end of the first chapter.

Seeing the friendship with Jack in its full blossom as she becomes a ghost writer for his horrendous client was entertaining. I could empathize with watching her describe the push and pull of being a peace keeper and pushover, and fighting her own bitterness of her work being credited to an awful person who doesn't care about it. The entire time, quietly being told, staying in the shadows suits her perfectly fine and to carry on while she pushes it down.

There are nods to Jack keeping a secret, being a master at manipulation, but also being deeply affectionate for her. Seeing the juxtaposition of her own long-distance partner who she hasn't seen in years being a neutral force and not present for her life. Yet Jack being an openly manipulative and convincing force, twisting and turning his words and her perception, yet being there for every moment was so oddly satisfying. He was never presented as the hero, and she never really regarded him as such, which made his actions stand out so much stronger than his words. He eventually works his way into her heart, and she convinces herself this is friendship, for it all to fall apart with massive lies and betrayal.

This book made me so genuinely root for the lead, and I loved it when we slipped into Bryony's eyes and saw the world around her in her author voice. It makes you wish you could read the books she details with so much emotion and description. You could feel the fourth wall of the author herself describing her love of books and characters and descriptors, and it made this such a warm read.

Seeing Bryony sacrifice her joy and work and all that was important to her for a last hurrah, and then to have that perfect conclusion? Exactly what made this book 5 stars for me.

There honestly isn't a single part of this that I could find glaring fault with. It was a cozy read, with interesting characters and a sweet friendship and love that wasn't overly saccharine. I'd recommend this to anyone who needs to break their way out of a reading slump and find the joy of a good book again!

*******

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing - for the digital ARC copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is my first time reading a book by this author. I enjoyed the witty and sarcastic banter throughout the novel. Parts were extremely heartwarming, especially Bryony’s interactions with her grandmother and sister.

For me personally, the romance was not the center to the story at all. The first interactions between our leads started off with great chemistry, but as the story progressed, it felt slightly disjointed and rushed. I don’t want to go into too many specifics and spoilers, but I just wish that the romance made more sense. I was rooting for them as a couple, but was left feeling underwhelmed with the way they came to be.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars. I loved the beginning (4 stars) and I loved the part of the ending which was an homage to a great scene in "Singing in the Rain" (4 stars) but the only thing I enjoyed in the middle was the evil, evil Amelia. The rest was.... meh.

****SPOILER ALERT*** After really getting into the beginning of this story, I then spent the next bulk of the book feeling uncomfortable and annoyed with both of the main characters. There were parts that I skimmed over as well. It was clear pretty early on that Jack wasn't being honest with Byrony and I found it frustrating that she was so clueless about it. However, I also got impatient with Byrony for not giving Jack a chance to explain what happened.

So, overall, it was good enough to read to the end with some minor skimming but was not as good as Ferguson's prior books which I loved so much that I bought both the ebooks and audiobooks.