Absolutely loved this book! The Perfect Rom-Com was full of depth and beautifully written. I loved the journey that Bryony went on as she goes from aspiring writer to ghost writer to published author.

The antagonist, Amelia, was truly terrible (in the best way) and the resolution was super satisfying between her and Bryony.

The romance was so sweet, though at times tumultuous. I was so curious how it would all work out and what Jack’s motives were in some ways, but it all came together beautifully. If you like friends to more and he falls first, this one is for you!

Content:
🔥kisses only
🤫 no language or innuendo
⚠️ nothing noteworthy that I recall

I give this book 4.5 stars (I rounded up on goodreads)

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

This book started out so promising. I really thought it was gonna be on the best enemies-to-lovers stories. But then, we skip 2 years into the future and miss the actual enemies-to-lovers part. Now they're friends, and they're definitely in love with each other but they also don't really truly deeply know one another? It was mind-boggling. As well, I was not a fan of either of our main characters. they were both too immature and unrealistic for my liking. 2/5 stars.

Book Review: The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson’s The Perfect Rom-Com lives up to its title by delivering a charming, laugh-out-loud story with just the right mix of humor, romance, and heart. True to its genre, the book explores familiar romantic comedy tropes but does so with a fresh perspective and a delightful twist on expectations.

The story centers on a quirky and relatable protagonist whose journey through awkward mishaps, unexpected encounters, and swoon-worthy moments will have readers both laughing and rooting for her. Ferguson’s writing shines in the way she brings out her character’s vulnerabilities and strengths, creating a heroine who feels genuine and multidimensional.

The romantic interest is equally engaging, with a personality that’s layered and compelling. The chemistry between the two leads is electric, built through witty banter, misadventures, and tender moments that tug at the heartstrings. Ferguson excels at creating tension and payoff, making the romance both entertaining and deeply satisfying.

Another standout aspect of the novel is its lighthearted yet insightful approach to modern romance. Ferguson weaves in themes of self-discovery, the importance of friendships, and the courage it takes to let love in, giving the book emotional depth without veering into heavy territory.

The humor in The Perfect Rom-Com is sharp and perfectly timed, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. From hilariously awkward situations to clever dialogue, Ferguson’s wit keeps the tone playful and fun.

Whether you’re a rom-com enthusiast or just looking for a feel-good read, The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful escape that’s sure to leave you smiling. Melissa Ferguson delivers a masterclass in romantic comedy, making this book a must-read for fans of the genre.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

The Perfect Rom-Com delivers a mix of humor, romance, and charming characters, making it a satisfying choice for fans of rom-coms. The story centers around Lauren, a woman who, after a series of romantic mishaps, decides to take matters into her own hands and create the perfect romantic comedy for herself—with meet-cutes, big gestures, and, of course, a swoon-worthy love interest. What happens next is a mix of witty dialogue, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of romantic tension.

While the book is undeniably fun, it doesn’t always reach the depth or complexity that could elevateit. Some of the plot twists and character developments feel predictable, and at times, the narrative leans a bit too heavily into clichés. However, Ferguson’s engaging voice and the chemistry between the leads still make the journey enjoyable. The humor, though consistently lighthearted, also brings some insightful moments about love, expectations, and the messy reality of relationships.

I wasn't sure what to expect but this was a wonderful treat for rom com lovers. In my mind it is a book by book lovers for book lovers and the passion for the genre seeps of the page. Both the behind the scenes and the romance had such great vibes. The chemistry and banter between Bryony and Benedict is excellent and it has some very well developed buildup. The Perfect Rom-Com might not be perfect but it is pretty adorable.

Another great romcom hit by Melissa Ferguson! I love a romance set around the publishing world. I especially loved Jack & Bryony’s banter.
This was a darling story, although I will say I wish the romance would have come in sooner. Didn’t cover enough of the story for my taste.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and characters!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. This was my first Melissa Ferguson novel I throughly enjoyed the story and her writing style. I loved reading a book about books and found the love story between Jack and Bryony very sweet. While at times there were moments of cringe, overall it was a really lovely story that I looked forward to picking up and reading! I will definitely be picking up more of Ferguson’s novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I enjoyed the characters here and like other books by this author found the story overall cute. The time jump felt a little jarring to me though and overall the plot pacing could use work.

Melissa Ferguson did it again in this adorable romance. I only wish it was a little heavier on the romance. I love books about books and this one was different than any I've read before. The big time gap in the beginning confused me, I was hooked at that point, and then the time jump happened, and I was lost all over again. I would have appreciated a way to tell the story without the jump. Overall, I loved it and thought it was a wonderful story. Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I read by Melissa Ferguson.
The first part seemed to be all over the place, and honestly, the writing was not the best.
I really liked the banter between the two main characters and the comedy aspect of it. This would be a perfect book to read during a summer afternoon with an ice tea on the side.

The second part picked up much more faster and the storyline actually evolved in a way I was not expecting. Really liked the way the writer solved the final "problem", but still wanted to know what happened to Amelia and how it affected her future.

Jack is a perfect gentleman and my favorite in the entire book, by the way.

This may not be the perfect rom-com but it was definitely worth pushing through those first chapters.

The book felt very boring to me. The characters were very flawed and the whole plot lacked direction as well as depth to the storyline was missing. Bryon, Amelia and Jack all three characters were majorly very flat and I did not enjoy reading this romcom.

I read this in under 4 hours so needless to say I loved it!

I always know when I start a Melissa Ferguson novel that I am going to find a charming, lovely story that feels simply realatable. I truly loved our mc Bryony and following her journey as a ghostwriter and an ESL teacher to immigrants and refugees. It was so refreshing to follow her and her story filled with imperfections but at the core of it, a heart to serve and help others. She is truly admirable. The insight into the publishing world was also fun to learn about (and stressful sheesh!)

Then we have Jack. Imperfect but the man sure is COMPETENT. I loved how he championed for Bryony whether she knew it or not. It was so heartwarming to see him want the best for her even though at times he sure dropped the ball. But as I sat crying on my porch swing reading that last chapter, he sure made up for it in the end! IYKYK!

The best part about every Melissa Ferguson book is the side characters. She knows how to write an ensemble cast who brings in warmth and hilarious moments that make you feel like your part of the family. Ever since I read Meet Me in the Margins, its been my favorite of her books but oh my The Perfect Rom-Com just tied it up!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Net-Galley for the eARC. I loved it so much!

I received a complimentary copy of The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson, and all opinions expressed in this review are my own. This charming, heartfelt story is a must-read for anyone who adores friends-to-lovers romances! I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this read.

Bryony is the hidden force behind the bestselling rom-coms of the megastar Amelia Benedict. As a ghostwriter, Bryony's identity remains a secret, even to her family, thanks to a non-disclosure agreement she signed. By day, she’s a dedicated teacher at The Bridge, an ESL school for adults, and by night, she’s under pressure to meet tight deadlines while secretly writing books that bring immense success to Amelia Benedict.

At the heart of the story, Bryony faces the challenging task of saving her grandmother’s legacy—The Bridge—from being shut down. She’s determined to ensure the school survives, but balancing her day job, writing career, and personal life proves to be more difficult than she bargained for.

Along the way, Bryony’s agent, Jack, has promised to shop her book about the school's history in exchange for her continued ghostwriting work. But as the story unfolds, the lines between their professional relationship and personal feelings begin to blur. The tension between them, mixed with their shared history and chemistry, adds an irresistible layer to the plot.

If you enjoy novels about friends-to-lovers romance, found family, and characters who are as real as they are lovable, The Perfect Rom-Com will not disappoint. The book is full of heart, and the emotional depth will resonate with anyone who believes in the power of love, friendship, and following one’s passions.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy—The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful read you won't want to miss!

This is my first book by Melissa Ferguson and I really liked it! It was an adorable, cozy rom-com, that was the perfect book to get me out of a slump. Looking forward to reding more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This is far from being the perfect rom-com as the title suggest. HOWEVER, it's an incredibly good book so hear me out.
Let me start by saying this isn't really a romance book. I'd say romance is a strong subplot to the main story that is more about the contemporary struggles of an unpublished author (Byrony) and how she navigates the many obstacles she encounters in the editorial world. I was all in for this exploration of this industry I so deeply love: the writing of a book, the search for an agent and an editor, the marketing campaigns, and ghostwriters. I ate it all up!
I loved Melissa Ferguson's writing style as well! Byrony as the sole narrator and her stream of consciousness was for me an unusual and positive reading experience, being so used to getting dual perspectives from the romcoms I tend to read.
Earlier on I mentioned this isn't a romance for me and that's because the slow burn is REALLY slow (so slow I didn't see anything burning at all until the 60% mark) and it's a closed door romance subplot. There's zero spice! (which I actually prefer)
Lastly, I liked the ending a lot. It made me feel like I was watching a 90s' rom-com film. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother's financially struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitch session, she stumbles into correcting another author's work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.

No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one condition: she'll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.

What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony's books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.

And just like that, the Foundry Agency can't let her go.

But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can't either.

Bryony is an ESL teacher who loves what she does. She also wrote a novel about the experience, and while shopping it around, she finds herself in a position to ghostwrite a romcom, an opportunity that turns into a full time, successful job. Even with all the money she makes from her ghostwriting gig funneling into the Bridge, the SEL school, the business finds itself in financial straights. She struggles under the weight of taking care of the school and the pressure of writing for the infamous Amelia Benedict. (Oh, and there’s a super cute Alex P. Keaton love interest named Jack, and we all love him.)

I really loved this book! It had a real “Two Weeks Notice” feel with cute banter and an adorable cast of characters with The Bridge students. The writing was good and I feel like it would be a fantastic movie. I did wonder about the spotty relationship between her and her boyfriend - that entire situation did not make sense to me. Although this can be billed as a romantic comedy, the story skews more Women’s Literature; the entire story is focused on her growth and character arc, while Jack is a love interest and supporting partner. I definitely recommend this sweet novel - I can’t believe I haven’t read a Melissa Ferguson book before!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was cute! Some of the plot could have been tightened up a bit, but overall I enjoyed the story and the message. I was a little concerned at the beginning that this story would be too on-the-nose as a book about a writer, but it ended up being a really fun and enjoyable read. I enjoyed the romance as well as the representation of immigrants coming to the United States and having the opportunity to learn English and earn their GED. It was a very sweet message.

I really enjoyed this book! The plot was unique for a bookish romcom, and I loved the progression of the couple from enemies to coworkers to friends to lovers. I liked the peek behind the curtain this book gave about the publishing industry and definitely would read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was so fun. I was delightfully surprised by the time jumps within this one but it always made so much sense for the story and really moved it along without rushing it or feeling like everything is happening within two weeks. Jack and Bryony are such a good pair, but I did hope for more groveling from Jack instead of him pulling off a miracle. The ending was delightful but didn't make the most sense given what I know about NDAs and the previous obstacles preventing everyone from admitting Bryony was the ghostwriter. Overall, it was cute and interesting and the perfect book for book lovers or aspiring writers.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother's financially struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitch session, she stumbles into correcting another author's work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.
No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one condition: she'll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.
What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony's books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.
And just like that, the Foundry Agency can't let her go.
But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can't either.