Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. I didn't mind that it was a closed door romance however the rest of the plot took too long to really get going for me and I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style.

This was my first book from this author and I've heard good things however in the end I did have to DNF at 20%.

FIVE STARS FIVE STAR I LOVE JACK SO SO SO SO SO MUCH. IT WAS SO SO SO AMAZING./ LOVED THAT IT WAS 100% CLOSED DOOR

I really was hoping that I was going to enjoy this one but unfortunately I ended up DNFing. I was drawn to this book by the title and the cover but didn't find myself falling in love with the read at all. I read until chapter six and I personally found the writing style, plot and characters to be not for me. I wasn't able to follow along coherently with the story and found the characters to be confusing and rather boring. I found myself dreading picking this read up and really struggling being able to read as the words and story didn't flow well at all for me - a very good indication that this book isn't for me and its time to move on. Thank you to Netgallery for providing me a gifted copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“I love that in a world so uncontrollable, I write so that the guy gets the girl in the end. The dog finds his family. The mother never dies.”

I always know when I sit down to read a Melissa Ferguson story that I’m in for a treat with no distasteful language or explicit content. Her romcoms are a delight and this one is my favorite so far.

Rating:
I loved it

What you’ll find:
Closed door romance
Literary references
Publishing industry
Ghostwriters
Immigrant and refugee assistance
Grandmother/granddaughter relationship

Thank you Thomas Nelson and UpLit Reads for a gifted copy.

I enjoyed the premise of this novel; an aspiring writer finds success as the ghostwriter for a popular author. She has dozens of bestsellers, but since none are under her name, she is unable to leverage that into publishing the book she has poured her heart and soul into.

There was a lot about this book that felt very surface level. I didn't feel the love and yearning between Jack and Bryony. She spends the first third of the book in a long-distance relationship. We are supposed to just accept that she and Jack have a mutual, unrequited attraction, but that didn't really translate too well on the page. I didn't get that giddy feeling when they finally admit their crushes to each other. And the conflict that developed between them was also not the strongest, and felt really selfish of Jack.

What I did enjoy more was the relationship between Amelia and Bryony. I wish that dynamic could have been explored more. I also thought there should have been more build-up to Amelia's downfall. The ending was expected and wrapped up too quickly and neatly.

Overall, I wanted a bit more from this book. I would rate this a 2.5 rounded up to 3 out of 5.

The first chapter was insanely long and had so much info dumping. I wasn't super invested in the characters, and then there was a time jump which eliminated the ability for me to see them get to know each other. Needless to say, I just wasn't really feeling it.

Book Review: An Uplifting Journey of Aspiration and Success
In her latest novel, Bryony Page takes readers on an inspiring journey of ambition and determination. With a rich background of crafting numerous romance novels, Bryony’s story begins at her first writers' conference, where she arrives brimming with optimism and dreams of promoting her grandmother’s struggling organization, The Bridge, which provides essential ESL education.
After a challenging pitch session, Bryony unexpectedly finds herself correcting another author’s work, impressing an agent with her keen insights. This pivotal moment leads to an incredible opportunity—Bryony is offered the chance to be a ghostwriter for the renowned rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict. However, Bryony sets a condition: while she helps Amelia achieve fame, she also wants the chance to promote her own book.
What unfolds is a delightful twist of fate that catapults Amelia Benedict to the heights of literary success, transforming her into a beloved household name with millions of books sold worldwide. The unexpected success of Bryony’s writing not only elevates Amelia but also solidifies Bryony’s place in the literary world.
As the narrative progresses, the dynamic between Bryony and Jack Sterling, the literary agent from the prestigious Foundry Literary Agency, adds a touching layer to the story. Jack realizes that his connection with Bryony transcends professional boundaries, making their relationship a highlight of the book.
This novel is a heartwarming tale of perseverance, creativity, and the unexpected paths that lead to success. Bryony Page's journey is not just about achieving her dreams, but also about the power of collaboration and the bonds formed through shared passions. A must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of storytelling and the pursuit of one's aspirations! #netgalley

Byrony wants to save her ESL tutoring academy, so she writes a book about it. When she is pitching at a conference, she meets Jack, a literary agent. Her writing skills and spunk impress him, but he can't accept her book for publication. He does offer her a job as a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, a social media heiress who cranks out the romance books and then tours to promote them. This is the story of Byrony's job as Amelia's ghostwriter, spending her days with Jack (who has become her best friend), and chasing her dreams.

“If I recall correctly, you actually tried to staple yourself to my side.”
My nose wrinkles. “It wasn’t that bad—”
"Were it not for the annoying bell girl, I think you would’ve trotted along after me home—”
“That is absolutely false—”
“Probably would’ve moved next door to me if you could—”
“Hang on—”
“Anyway, according to your very organized folder system”— he pulls out the folder and taps the color-coded tags—“ I like this tab system here. It’s handy, even if it smells of desperation. We have a flight to Newark leaving in an hour and forty five—”
“We? You’re on the same flight?”
“It took a while to get the flights rearranged, but I am now.

And it was at that point, in all of chapter 3, that I knew this book was going to be a new all-time favorite.

I cannot hype this book enough! Seriously, the whipped back-and-forth banter alone is top tier. Aspiring author Bryony Page meets agent Jack Sterling at a conference to talk about her manuscript and winds up becoming a ghostwriter for a bestselling author instead.

The book then spends most of the time following Jack and Bryony balancing how to keep Amelia Benedict happy with Bryony's ghostwriting work with finding a publisher to accept Bryony's original manuscript.

Jack and Bryony's developed friendship is adorably snarky and my prediction has proven true that The Perfect Rom-Com is now officially one of my all-time favorite reads!

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. This book was very poorly written. There were times that I wanted to give up but I picked through.

The plot of this story was perfect...but the execution was not good at all.

received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I am so in love with this book. I read it in less than 24 hours. I’ve loved all of Melissa Ferguson’s books and this one is no exception.

I love books that are about books. They are kind of my jam. I jumped at the chance to read this book. This book is so special, and so timely right now, as it also deals slightly with immigration and has several side characters who are learning ESL. I love this side of the book and how Melissa brings such levity and brightness to the situation.

Such a charming closed door romance set in the publishing world, but with a bit of a twist. Bryony, our heroine writes a book about The Bridge, a community centre founded by her grandmother for English as a second language students. When she pitches to literary agent Jack, he knocks her book back but signs her up to ghost write romances for one of his more demanding clients. Over the next two years we see Bryony and Jack working together as her ghosted books become best sellers. What she wants though is to publish her book about The Bridge and Jack doesn't seem to be helping.

This worked so well for me – the publishing world is fascinating, and it's all so well done (the bus trip is a hoot!).

What made it fabulous was Bryony's voice. She is distinctive and engaging and funny and clever – I went from wanting to know her, to wanting to be her. Her tenacity and love for her community are so wonderful to be part of. As the book is only from Bryony's point of voice, Jack is more enigmatic and although we want to trust him, can we really? The romance itself is understated and satisfying, but the jam here is in watching and waiting for Bryony to get what she wants for The Bridge.

This is my third read from Melissa Ferguson and my favourite so far. Recommended 💕

Thank you Melissa Ferguson, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. I had high hopes for this one based off the title and cover, and I was instead sorely disappointed. The characters were very bland and one-dimensional, the storyline was flat and boring, and overall I struggled to get through this book. I was tempted to DNF many times, but I wanted to push through for the sake of my review and because I had already invested so many days into trying to get through it, but it was an absolute struggle. The title didn't make much sense in regards to the actual storyline, and much of it just dragged needlessly, ironically much like the FMC's manuscript for her novel. Honestly, I was relieved when I finally got to the final page of this one.

Really cute story - Bryony has written a book - hopefully one that will help keep her Grandmother's financially struggling non-profit organization above water. But first, she has to find an agent who will help promote her book. When she meets with a potential agent, he shuts her ideas down, but ends up offering to clean up another writer's work that he has on the table in front of them during her pitch. She ends up becoming a "ghost-writer" for a popular rom-com novelist, who doesn't really write her own books. She agrees to act as a ghost writer, on the sole condition that Jack, the agent, introduces her own work, under her own name, to book editors.

After several best-sellers on behalf of the spoiled "author," Jack still hasn't been able to sell Bryony's own work under her own name. Fun little Rom-Com just in time for Valentine's Day!

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this title. Watch for "The Perfect Rom-Com" on February 11th, 2025!

The pacing of this one was a little slower than I would have liked however, the lead characters stole the show. They were utterly charming- their backstories, their banter, and their antics made for a fun read. I loved the organization aspect and found it (and all of the students) to be a wonderful addition to the story. This was a clean, feel good story with lots of charm.

This rom-com was cute! Bryony and Jack were a cute match. I loved their friendship to lovers tale. Bryony’s tenacity to reach her goal was admirable. The idea of a ghostwriter, in this situation, was also fascinating. A light and quick read. 3.5 stars, rounded up because I enjoyed the ending. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read an egalley via NetGalley. All thought and opinions are my own.

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


Let’s begin by saying that the title of this book has very little to do with the category of fiction it belongs in. While there is a bit of rom-com, that definitely is not the main theme. What is it about? Well, the reason I selected the book is because it’s about the publishing industry; a place I worked for 25+ years and loved every minute of it.

How accurate is the publishing stuff? Some of it is bang on. The antagonist is a wretched author - entitled by birth and successful due to the labors of others. I took more than a few just like her on tour, back in my early days…eewww. Other elements, like the potential legalities of the ending? THAT is a travesty or you could chalk it up to an huge fictitious plot point and suspend your rational thinking for the sake of reading enjoyment. There’s a bunch of other details about publishing that’s is spot on so if you’re interested in that aspect, the story be enjoyable.

It’s hard for me to say the story is well written because the grammar is incredibly frustrating. Author, Melissa Ferguson, needs to learn how to write a compound sentence. The word: AND, is a conjunction. It’s used to connect two clauses or phrases. You do not start sentences with it! I am SO over this lazy approach to writing and TikTok short everything. Argh! Her writing is replete with non-sentences, floating conjunction clauses, and poorly identified speakers.

Still, there’s a charming quality to this story. Bryony, the main character, has a strong sense of family, desire to help others, is committed to her word, works incredibly hard and perseveres, whatever it takes. Written as a first person accounting, she is the only character we get to know well, so it’s a good thing she’s tolerable. I really wanted to know more about her Grandmother, Jack and best friend. Very little relationship information is provided or developed. Considering this story spans 2 plus years, that’s a big missed opportunity, IMO. I liked what I did know but wanted so much more.

Told without any foul language, sexual content or violence, THE PERFECT ROM-COM can be read by anyone interested in the story content, including your 13 year olds📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC with thanks

This was cute and a great story about ghost writing and finding your voice, BUT I don’t think it is the perfect rom com and I don’t think it’s much of s romance either. There’s way too little time for Jack and perhaps not having his perspective means that we don’t know or fully understand how much he pines for Byrany.

Great story but not a perfect romance by any means.

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary ARC of this book. This is a good Rom Com story filled with all you would expect. It did have a bit of a slow development. However, once I was more invested in the characters, I was pulled in to see what would happen. I would have loved an explanation on the name Bryony. I have never heard this name before. Does it have a special meaning? cultural heritage? I liked the nickname of Bryn but her sister was the only one to call her that a few times.

It does give an interesting look into the publishing industry. I also liked that she had a passion to teach & help others new to the US learn English. I loved the Amelia character. I could really see her come to life in a screen adaptation. Penny was fun too. I loved the plot twist in the end. It was a fun way to wrap the story up. Good for a quick, light read. It was a clean romance appropriate for young readers. However, it would have been nice for the characters to get to develop more of a serious relationship. We never got to see any real passion between them. Maybe a sequel...

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a palate cleanser. The majority of the book takes us through Bryony's journey of attempting to get her own book published, while being a ghostwriter for a spoiled heiress. It was a cute rom-com with no spice, but I felt like it could have used more romance. It was hard to feel the emotion and chemistry between Bryony and Jack. Overall though, it was a cute story and was enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC!