I absolutely enjoyed this book. I went in based off the title and limited knowledge about the description of the story and I feel like that was the best way for me to enjoy the story.

The slow burn that happens in the story was done well. I haven’t enjoyed this type of romance in a while.

Bryony was an easy character to like and her determination throughout the story was lovely to read. She was dedicated to her passion at The Bridge. When she was hurt you as the reader felt the pain she was going through.

Jack was a character that is closed off and has his guard up but watching the fall was lovely to see.

Overall this has become one of my new favorites and recommend reading this story.

Ooof, more like a terrible rom-com.. maybe if this was titled different, my expectations would have been slightly different too, this is no way brought anything perfect, romantic or comedic.

Unbearable main characters and miscommunication the whole way through, which is a personal hate of mine. I wish our main character Bryony would have stood up for herself in so many situations and Jack, well he was just a jerk and he was way too easily forgiven for his lies. There was also 0 chemistry, it was all very forced and no humour, which was a disappointment.

My only slight positive from this book was the “villain” of the story, Amelia Benedict - she was serving Angelica from Rugrats vibes and was the most developed.

Thank-you NetGalley, Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Melissa for a Digital Advanced Readers Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book and it was a perfect read for valentine’s week. I’ll definitely check out some of the author’s other books in the future.

"The Perfect Rom-Com" by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful and heartwarming novel that lives up to its title, offering readers a captivating blend of humor, romance, and insight into the literary world.​
The story follows Bryony Page, an aspiring author and dedicated ESL teacher, who attends a writers' conference with high hopes of securing a publishing deal for her manuscript. Her goal is not just personal success but also to raise awareness and funds for The Bridge, her grandmother's struggling organization where she teaches. After an unsuccessful pitch session, Bryony unexpectedly lands a ghostwriting opportunity for the renowned rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict. She agrees to this arrangement on the condition that Jack Sterling, a prominent literary agent, also works to promote her own book. As Bryony's ghostwritten works propel Amelia to greater fame, she finds herself entangled in a complex relationship with Jack, leading to personal and professional challenges.​
Ferguson's writing is both witty and engaging, drawing readers into Bryony's journey with relatable characters and authentic scenarios. The novel offers a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry, highlighting the often-overlooked role of ghostwriters and the sacrifices they make. Bryony's dedication to her students and her grandmother's mission adds depth to her character, making her struggles and triumphs resonate on a personal level.​
The chemistry between Bryony and Jack is palpable, with their interactions filled with sharp banter and genuine emotion. Their evolving relationship adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, keeping readers invested in their story. The novel also addresses themes of identity, recognition, and the pursuit of one's passion, all wrapped in a charming romantic comedy.​
Readers have praised "The Perfect Rom-Com" for its clever plot and endearing characters. This book is an absolute delight! With witty banter, a touch of romance, and a fascinating look behind the literary curtain, this is a must-read for anyone who loves a feel-good story. A fellow reviewer commented, "I greedily devoured this book in one sitting. I've never read this author's work before, but I was charmed by her characters before the end of the first chapter."
In conclusion, "The Perfect Rom-Com" is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and those interested in the intricacies of the publishing world. Melissa Ferguson delivers a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a standout addition to the rom-com genre.
This was one book that kept me fully on my toes and just as the fellow reviewer mentioned above I personally have not read a book with the mixed emotions that it had. I was in awe and will be recommending this to my personal book lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC.

For romance readers, The Perfect Rom-Com is a love letter. With two extremely relatable characters and a spectacularly lovely grand gesture at the end, this was the very definition of meet cute. I enjoyed reading this book!

Such a fun read. It was funny, emotional, and hopeful. Loved how it turned out. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Content warnings: squeaky clean

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Publication: February 11th, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Melissa Ferguson delivers a delightful, self-aware romance that plays with classic rom-com tropes while still feeling fresh and fun. With witty banter, lovable characters, and plenty of bookish charm, The Perfect Rom-Com is a love letter to romance readers. The humor and heart are perfectly balanced, making this a light yet satisfying read.


Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction

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

Melissa Ferguson is right up there with the best in writing rom-coms, and The Perfect Rom-Com fits that genre to a T! I laughed often, and the sweet romance and "meet cute" were wonderful.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference with her first manuscript, brimming with optimism. She hopes that selling her book will benefit The Bridge where she teaches ESL as her full-time job. Her optimism is trampled by editor after editor who reads an excerpt an rejects her book without giving it what she feels is a fair chance. After one last pitch ends in another flaming rejection, she tries critiquing another author's book as a last-ditch effort to make a good impression on the agent, Jack Sterling. Her spot-on observations do impress him, but not enough to put her book out into the world. He does, however, have another idea.

Jack Sterling is used to seeing desperate authors, but none has been as persistent as Bryony. Her book is a monstrosity with way too many things going on, so there is no way any publisher will want it as is, and she refuses to have it edited. However, her critique of the manuscript he gave her as an example impresses him with her insightfulness, and he realizes she just may be the ghost writer he is looking for to write the next Amelia Benedict book. He offers her the job, and she accepts with one caveat: Jack must also sell her book.

No one could have ever predicted that Bryony's books would turn socialite Amelia Benedict into a household name, putting every book she writes on the best seller lists. She is so good that the publisher makes her the exclusive ghost writer for the brand. She writes and Amelia takes all the credit. She makes more money in royalties than she ever expected, but her book still isn't in the hands of an editor. On the up side, Jack has become one of her best friends, but he thinks she should be satisfied with the success she's already had. Can she convince him that her book just needs to see the light of day to be a success?

Prepare to snicker, guffaw, and outright belly laugh at the antics and misspoken idioms of Bryony's ESL students! They were hilarious! I also enjoyed the interactions of Bryony and Jack. He is very good at "talking her off the ledge" so to speak, every time she gets frustrated with Amelia, who comes across as the uber-spoiled rich girl she is.

Readers who enjoy romance with a heavy dose of comedy will love The Perfect Rom-Com. In my opinion, this book IS the perfect rom-com and I highly recommend it! I listened to this on the NetGalley app and the narrator is wonderful!

Thank you to netgallery for the arc.

I went into this completely blind, it was an enjoyable read but nothing to shout about from the rooftops.
I would like to preface this by saying I read this whilst getting out of a slump.
I didn’t feel any chemistry but it is perfect for a pallette cleanser.

What makes the perfect rom-com?⁣
⁣
Sweet and swoony with all the witty banter is a definite requirement for me. Melissa Ferguson books are always fun and flirty, consistently checking all those boxes.⁣
⁣
The Perfect Rom-Com is the perfect blend of humor and romance and was just a pure delight to read. ⁣
⁣
When aspiring author Bryony Page meets ruthless literary agent Jack Sterling, she ends up cutting a deal to become the ghostwriter for rom-com queen Amelia Benedict, in exchange for getting her manuscript published one day. When they end up roadtripping together on Amelia’s cross country book tour - in true rom-com fashion, they end up falling for each other, just when it feels like everything is about to fall apart.⁣
⁣
This was the most perfect meet cute, with two super lovable leads, ending in an epically adorable grand gesture… and it has one of the most hilariously hateable characters I’ve read to date - and I loved her, too, in the weirdest of ways.

Melissa Ferguson delivers yet another heartwarming and delightful read with The Perfect Rom-Com. This novel is a swoon-worthy, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers story that offers everything romance readers crave. Yet, it goes beyond the typical rom-com formula, reminding readers that real love isn’t a Hollywood fantasy; it takes effort, growth, and courage to reach “happily ever after.”

While Bryony and Jack’s chemistry crackles throughout The Perfect Rom-Com, their individual authenticity and charm steal the spotlight. Many would have abandoned their humble jobs to chase their dreams, but Bryony’s unwavering dedication to her ESL students added a beautiful depth to the narrative, showing that purpose and fulfillment don’t always come from fame or fortune. On the other hand, Jack faces his own reckoning as he learns that success isn’t all about strategy but vulnerability and sacrifice. 
 
Beyond the central love story, Melissa Ferguson masterfully crafts a vibrant supporting cast. By the novel’s end, Gloria, Penny, Serghei, and the others felt like old friends. 
 
The Perfect Rom-Com brilliantly balances lighthearted fun, relatable emotion, and meaningful takeaways. Whether you’re reading it with your girlfriends or curled up on the couch, it is the perfect pick-me-up to binge on the weekend. Once again, Melissa Ferguson proves why she’s a standout voice in contemporary romance. Her latest release will leave you smiling long after you turn the final page.

It wasn't that this book wasn't bad, but it was a bit forgettable for me.

I immediately didn't like Jack (he was so mean to Bryony at first???) and that made it hard for me to enjoy the eventual romance. I actually didn't like or connect with any of the characters in this book, and I felt like there was cruel rhetoric towards Amelia (calling her a sociopath seems a bit much?)

Also, I think this book needed more editing passes. At one point, the character mentions "one of those Zootopia movies," and there's only one? Maybe nit-picky, but there were some other syntax issues I hope got fixed in the finished copies.

Not my favorite, but I hope this book finds its right audience!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson to Netgalley for the e-book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE PERFECT ROM-COM is out now!

Arc Review ~ The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

This rom-com by Melissa Ferguson was such a delight to read. Melissa has crafted such a lovely story. It was witty, charming and an incredibly fun read.

I was immediately drawn to our FMC Bryony, an ESL teacher and aspiring author who falls into the job of ghostwriting for one of the most popular and entitled authors in the literary romance world, all in the hopes of having her own novel published. This engaging plot line along with the beautifully written friendship and romance between Bryony and Jack, her literary agent, had me flying through the pages. The dialogue was witty, the characters were incredibly likeable and I really enjoyed the focus on Bryony’s journey.

The Perfect Rom-Com was a fun and heartfelt read. It pulled at my heartstrings. I ugly cried. That’s a 5 star read for me. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you Melissa and Thomas Nelson Fiction for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Perfect Rom-Com.

I thought that this book was very cute! The only reason why I rated it very low is because I did not comprehend most of this book as this was an arc for me so I was trying to speed read through this. Also I was in a book challenge while reading this and felt as if I needed to get this done really fast so hopefully my team would win the challenge!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Perfect Rom-Com is available now!

I'm not sure what I expected going into it, but I don't think it was whatever I just finished reading. For a book that's titled The Perfect Rom-Com, the "rom-com" was NOT in the room with us for all 304 pages of the book.

Bryony Page is an aspiring author looking to get anyone to publish her first book. She shows up to her first pitch session trying to get someone to believe in her magic realism-contemporary fiction-literary fiction-romance-semi-biographical mashup of a book that's based on her grandmother's life running The Bridge, an organization Bryony works at teaching ESL. After getting rejected multiple times, her shot in the dark is with Jack Sterling, an agent that works for the prestigious Foundry Literacy Agency. The two strike a deal: Jack takes on Bryony's book while Bryony unexpectedly becomes a ghostwriter for one of Jack's authors: Amelia Benedict, bestselling rom-com author. Years pass as Bryony quietly writes Amelia's novels as Amelia takes credit for all of the success and becomes the top-selling rom-com author in the industry, while Bryony's book she wrote all those years ago for the writers pitch has yet to find a home with anyone.

There honestly isn't much to say about The Perfect Rom-Com. It felt like nothing was happening and nothing was developed. The book is titled the way it is because Amelia makes it Bryony's mission to write her the "perfect rom-com" that will blow all her readers away. Other than that, it didn't feel like I was reading a rom-com. It felt very much like a contemporary fiction novel about the ins and outs of the publishing industry and then it had a single sprinkle of romance. Don't get me wrong, I think learning more about the publishing industry was super cool and interesting to read about. It's not an area I know much about but want to considering I read so many ARCs and just read a lot in general.

I felt like nothing was happening because most of the book was Bryony's drawn out monologues that went on for what felt like forever. The entire book is from her POV and I'm sure she was written as this cutesy, relatable, quirky character you wanted to root for because she struggled to keep The Bridge above the water financially, her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, Parker, was fading, and wanting someone to believe in her book and take her on as an author, but she was so stubborn and it drove me crazy. She was told time and time again that her manuscript needed major edits and that's why no one wanted to take her on as an author. It was too long, too detailed, and there were way too many moving parts to keep readers entertained. Even after she's written multiple novels under Amelia Benedict's name, she didn't think to take the things she's learned from becoming a best-selling writer--albeit a ghostwriter--and apply it to her own book because she believed there was nothing that could be changed.

Marketing this or pitching this book with the idea that there's a romance between Jack and Bryony is doing readers a disservice. I think something of note is that this is a clean romance. There's not even mention of anything sexual happening behind closed doors, so if this is something that deters you from reading a romance novel, this isn't the book for you. I don't care whether a book is open-door or not to enjoy it. You can make two characters have chemistry and good character development without them having to do the deed all the time. However, what I do care about is if the characters have romantic chemistry at all. If they have tension. If their romance seems realistic and believable. Jack and Bryony, to me, weren't anything more than just really close friends. After the first chapter, there's a two-year time jump where we suddenly find out that Jack and Bryony are best friends and we have to imagine and assume that a lot of their relationship was developed off-page. There's also a scene where Jack is talking to Bryony and this entire scene literally made me scratch my head:

"That for all intents and purposes, up to this point, we have been dating."
"What? No, sir." My ears flame at the boldness of his suggestion. "I think I would know if I am dating someone. And I was dating someone." I clarify with an indignant air, "I was dating Parker, and I was very loyal."
"You were indeed. Maybe I should clarify then," Jack says, and there's a bemused grin on his face as he looks down at me.
He slows the moment down.
Lets silence rest between us, so that only the sounds of humming HVAC systems and cicadas whisper around. He takes a step toward me. "You weren't dating me. But I was dating you."


??????????? Huh??????????? Brother, just say you were in love with her and call it a day.

As for Amelia, I swear she was there for ragebait. She did nothing in the story besides make me mad. That's all I have to say about her.

This was nothing more than a quick palate cleansing read. If you're into long, quirky monologues, this might be the story for you, but it's safe to say that this book was NOT the perfect rom-com I was looking for.

2.5 stars

The story starts off slow, so it was hard to keep myself interested. I found the audiobook and decided to have an immersive experience.

We’re introduced to Bryony’s world of publishing very quickly. I expected a lot more to happen in this book, but the characters were slightly uninteresting. I did prefer Amelia over Bryony though. It also didn’t really feel like much of a fun rom-com, despite the title. It was just Bryony complaining throughout the entire the book.

Sadly, this book wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC.

This closed door romance will warm your heart and you will be cheering on Bryony and The Bridge.

# The Perfect Rom-Com
# 3/17/2025 ~ 3/18/2025
# 4.5 / 5.0

ARC/ ALC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Melissa Ferguson pens the “perfect rom-com” in her latest novel!!!

Bryony Page has dedicated her adult life to educating a marginalized community (non-English speakers). Working as an ESL teacher has been fulfilling work. After build lasting relationships (beyond the classroom) with many of her students, she has witnessed them successfully reach their goals. But when she learns the school she works for is on the verge of closure, she vows to save it. Will she be able to garner enough exposure and money to keep the school afloat, or will she lose part of herself along the way?

This book is on track to being one of, if not my favorite romcom of 2025. While I have been a fan of Melissa Ferguson since she began writing, this is hands down her best book to date.

The Perfect RomCom appears to be a passion project for Ferguson. Her real life story is infused all throughout Bryony’s backstory. In the past she worked as an ESL teacher eventually leaving the field to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. Ferguson combined those two experiences to produce a love letter to her former students and ESL teachers everywhere.

Read this book for:
-workplace romance
-friends to more
-he falls first
-slow burn
-books about books

Special thanks to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Melissa Ferguson for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Net Galley, Melissa Ferguson, and Thomas Nelson for the eARC of this book.

I was really interested in this story especially after seeing a snip it that said "if you're a fan of Katherine Center's book, you will enjoy this book." However, there is no romance at all. I respect that this author writes "clean" romance books but i felt like there was NONE. I wanted to read more about the connections between Jack and Bryony not the set up of her book, being a ghost write and and ESL teacher. To many topics to focus on in this book.

Fun read. Engaging characters. Interesting plot. I felt the heroine’s deep devotion to the school was not explained well enough. Like, why did the school need so much money? Why couldn’t she just teach elsewhere?