Member Reviews

I really wanted to love The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson—who doesn’t adore a story about writers, quirky romance, and hidden talents finally getting their due? But while the premise had so much potential, the execution fell flat for me.

Bryony Page’s journey from hopeful author to ghostwriting superstar felt riddled with clichés, and her relationship with Jack Sterling lacked the spark I expect in a romantic comedy. Jack’s personality was underdeveloped, leaving their supposed chemistry feeling forced. Instead of rooting for their love story, I kept waiting for something deeper or more believable to emerge—but it never quite did.

While the book had some laugh-out-loud moments and a sweet message about finding your own voice, the pacing dragged, and Bryony’s constant martyrdom became exhausting. If you’re a fan of behind-the-scenes publishing drama, you might enjoy it more than I did, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What’s inside?:
Workplace Romance
Opposites Attract
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
No spice

Despite the name of the book being The Perfect Rom-Com, there was very little romance inside. The romance really took a back seat and is secondary to following Bryony Page and her journey as an aspiring writer who is simultaneously trying to save the non-profit, ESL school she works at called The Bridge.

Bryony is fiercely loyal to her family, both biological and found family, at The Bridge. She has written a manuscript about her Gran, who founded The Bridge, and the incredible work they do there. In an effort to get her manuscript picked up, she finds herself represented by hot shot literary agent, Jack Sterling. But Bryony isn’t writing books for herself. She is a ghostwriter for another popular author and absolute nepo-baby, Amelia Benedict. This is supposed to be a short term, one time thing. But then two years has gone by and she has found herself to be too important to lose as a ghostwriter.

I enjoyed rooting for Bryony as she slowly descended into madness while dealing with the endlessly infuriating Amelia. Amelia wants to keep the books light and fluffy, whilst Bryony wants there to be meaning and substance to the work. This keeps them at odds with one another.

And then there is Jack. Who is…there. There really isn’t much to say about him beyond he is an agent and he is in love with Bryony.
We don’t know much more than that. He comes across a bit flat as the love interest as their past history is talked about, but not shown. We don’t really get to see their connection developing. They meet, then there is a two year time jump where their co-dependent best friendship slash work relationship has already occurred. It’s a personal bone to pick in stories for me. I prefer showing to telling. My final thought on Jack was that he felt rather manipulative of Bryony, and others, throughout the story. His “apology” at the end absolutely did not make up for the lies and manipulation.

I did enjoy getting a front seat to the behind the scenes, red tape, and struggles of traditional book publishing. But found the ending to be very chaotic and unrealistic. No way they all walk out of that situation without being sued.

I’ve enjoyed books from Melissa Ferguson in the past. And while I enjoy her overall writing style, the pacing and characters meant this one just wasn’t for me.

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Thank you Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a copy of The Perfect Romcom to read and provide my honest review. I’ve been really looking forward to reading this book after reading Melissa Ferguson’s previous novel Meet Me in the Margins, and I did enjoy The Perfect Romcom. I love the fact that Melissa Ferguson features writing and publishing in her novels. There’s just something extra special about reading books about people that love books as much as you.

The Perfect Romcom was both heartfelt and lighthearted. I adored the concept of The Bridge and the wholesome bonds formed between the people learning English and Bryony (and Jack). Bryony and Jack had such a sweet relationship and I wish we hadn’t had that 2 year time jump, so we could have seen their bond form. It was nice getting some context to what they had been up to after the fact, but I wish we could’ve been in the moment with them as it happened; their romance would’ve been all the more sweet. Jack and Bryony’s relationship felt easy and they had great communication and banter; there were moments when I actually laughed out loud.

Bryony’s inner monologue was really charming and relatable. I adored how devoted Jack was to Bryony. This story did not really go the way I thought it would, so the unpredictability was a pleasant surprise. Although called The Perfect Romcom, the romance felt more like subplot, but that didn’t really bother me that much because I found the rest of the story funny, enjoyable, and entertaining!

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I’m not even sure exactly where to start with this book. The first 10% had me curious and then we skipped two years which would’ve been pivotal to understanding the relationship between Jack and Byrony. Skipping the part of how they got to be friends made zero sense and honestly it would’ve made a better romance. Speaking of that, why was this marketed as a romance? There was literally no romance for the first 50% except when they discuss her long distance boyfriend who she hasn’t seen in two years and it was pretty much just saying his name. Byrony thought she knew everything when she quite literally knew nothing. Jack was such a one dimensional character that I couldn’t even remember his name when I was almost done with the book. The romance took up about 5% of the book. And honestly half the time I felt confused on what was going on even though I was taking my time reading it. I think there was just way too many words.

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The Perfect Rom Com by Melissa Ferguson

Publication Date: 11th February 2025

Thank you to @netgalley and @thomasnelson for the complementary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Perfect Rom-Com follows the story of Bryony Page, an ESL teacher at The Bridge, a centre set up by her grandmother that is now facing financial difficulties.

Bryony is an aspiring author who has written a manuscript for a book that means a lot to her, a story raising awareness for The Bridge.

Bryony attends a writers conference where she pitches her story to literary agents, hoping that the final one will give her a chance.

Literary agent Jack Sterling is very dismissive of Bryony’s manuscript but is interested in her thoughts on another author he represents, Amelia Benedict’s upcoming romance novel.

Jack gives Bryony the opportunity to become a ghostwriter for Amelia so she agrees on the condition that Jack helps to sell her story about The Bridge.

I loved Bryony’s dedication to help her family, never backing down and pushing for her voice to be heard. I was routing for her to get her name on her own book cover.

I really disliked Amelia’s character. She was very demanding and shallow but that shows how well the character was written and I loved the way her true colours were finally shown in the end.

This book genuinely made me laugh and I loved the relationship and banter between Bryony and Jack.

I recommend reading this book when it is published if you enjoy:
- he falls first
- books about books
- friends to lovers

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Read this if you love:
⭐ friends to lovers
🧼 clean romance
🎬 the movie Two Weeks Notice

For years, Bryony Page has been ghostwriting for the prolific yet conceited rom-com “novelist” Amelia Benedict. She made a deal with her agent, Jack Sterling—Bryony will continue to ghostwrite if Jack promises to sell her original novel, The Bridge. Bryony needs the cash from the sale to save her grandmother’s ESL center. After a publicity disaster, Bryony is forced to go on a book tour with Amelia and Jack. Chaos abounds in the close quarters of the tour bus.

This was the perfect vacation read—it has compelling characters, funny dialogue, a quirky sense of voice, and was easy to get through. I read the majority of The Perfect Rom-Com on Thanksgiving Day. This is my second novel of Melissa Ferguson’s, so I can’t wait to read her backlist.

Bryony and Jack’s relationship is the crux of this story. If you like the relationship in the Sandra Bullock rom-com Two Weeks Notice, you’ll LOVE them. It’s very much a “just kiss already!” dynamic. I can see how some reviewers might find them annoying, but I personally felt they were well-suited. Their dialogue made me cackle. The agent x writer dynamic added another layer to the story. Books set in the publishing industry are usually a win for me.

As well, I loved how much Bryony cared for the mission of her grandmother’s ESL center and her students. It brought a needed Found Family element to the story. Melissa Ferguson includes interesting details about side characters that make them feel well-rounded.

I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 for a couple reasons. First, this novel has a slow start; I didn’t get invested until 20% in. Second, some of the plot points were outlandish, though I ultimately decided to embrace the rom-comminess of it all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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3.75 stars!

The Perfect Rom-Com was the second book by Melissa Ferguson - my first being How to Plot a Payback and I enjoyed this one just as much!

Rather than centering on the romance, the story takes a refreshing turn by focusing on the protagonist’s personal growth—her journey through life, coming-of-age, and self-realization. So, it might be better described as a chick lit rather than a typical romance.

This read was heartwarming, engaging, and full of charm!

I know including the topes, especially when it comes to contemporary romance books (including myself) find them very helpful.
So here are some of them:

-Workplace romance
- Forced proximity
- Literary agent
- Friends to lovers
- Ghost writer
- He falls first

I will definitely check out this author's other works more regularly!

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The perfect rom rom

I got the privilege to read advanced copy to this book. All these opinions are my own. Thank you @netgallay and Thomas Nelson Fiction for ARC copy of the book.
Pub date is February 11th!!
I started this book earlier, but didn’t focus it until recently. Some books are starting slow but actually they’re great books and take you with them that you just need to read whole book in one sitting. And that’s what happened here.
There were funny different characters in the book and those made the book so funny! The plot was well written, not really knowing how things gonna go! So refreshing ✨
Overall I enjoyed the book!
4/5

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This was a beautiful plot overall. However, I found the story to be very slow. It did not catch my attention until 50%. The ending was amazing.

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This was a great quick read and palette cleanser in between some heavier books. I really enjoyed the characters however this book seemed more like contemporary fiction than a rom-com.

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Read this book for:
✏️Workplace romance
✏️Author x Agent
✏️Forced proximity
✏️Slowburn

Synopsis
An ESL teacher during the day and a ghostwriter at night.

Bryony Page has one goal in mind when she attends her first writers' conference: to sell her manuscript and raise awareness for her grandmother’s nonprofit. But after a disastrous pitch of her manuscript, her dreams of becoming a published author seem crushed. Until she gets to her last meeting of the conference with a literary agent, Jack Sterling, changes everything. When she unknowingly impresses him by correcting another author’s manuscript, Bryony is offered a chance to ghostwrite for the celebrated rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict.

What starts as a mutually beneficial arrangement, Bryony ghostwrites while Jack works to sell her manuscript, turns into an unexpected success as Amelia’s career skyrockets, thanks to Bryony’s ghostwriting. But as the world falls in love with Amelia’s books, Bryony’s writing success remains hidden. Jack finds himself growing closer to Bryony. As Bryony balances her secret life as a bestselling ghostwriter with her dreams of making it on her own, she must decide if she can continue to live in the shadows of Amelia or if it’s time to step into the spotlight and if Jack is the man who will help her get there.

My Thoughts
This was the first book I have read that was written by Melissa Ferguson.
Overall, I enjoyed the storyline. However, I felt that the characters—especially Jack—lacked depth. I didn’t really get to know him beyond a few cute gestures and his manipulative behavior. His character could have been developed more, as it left me feeling like there was something missing in terms of emotional connection and understanding of his motivations.

Additionally, the first two years of their “friendship” after their agreement were skipped over, and I felt that this was a key period for providing more background on both of them and the initial dynamics of their relationship. The same goes for Bryony’s long-distance relationship. It’s briefly mentioned during the breakup, but we don’t get much insight into it otherwise. More exploration of this relationship could have added some emotional complexity to Bryony’s personal journey.

While the book primarily focuses on Bryony's personal development and the mission to save The Bridge, which is enjoyable, the title of the book suggests a rom-com vibe. As a result, I was expecting a more typical romantic comedy storyline, rather than a journey of self-love. It would have been nice to see a stronger balance between the romance and the personal growth themes.

That said, I absolutely loved Gloria and her motivational pep talks, as well as the heartfelt relationship Bryony shares with her grandmother and the students at The Bridge. These elements added warmth and depth to the story, providing a strong emotional core. I also really appreciated the plot twist surrounding the publishing industry—what happens behind the scenes in the literary world was an intriguing and unexpected angle.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Bryony is an aspiring author who starts ghostwriting for a best-selling celebrity author. Jack is her agent and friend and has to manage keeping Bryony motivated to ghostwrite for his A-list client while also supporting her own goals to publish a novel that is dear to her. This convoluted situation results in a cute romance with fun side characters, some commentary on "the perfect rom-com," and an inside look at the publishing world. Although I enjoyed the book, I thought their chemistry was lacking and would have liked a little more 🌶️... as in: any.

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The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson was an absolute hoot from the start. At first, I was stunned a bit silent by her "chatterbox" style of writing. But then I found myself engaged and laughing out loud with a few gasps of surprise throughout the storyline. It truly was a pleasure to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

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The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful and heartwarming romance novel that celebrates the power of perseverance and the magic of storytelling. Bryony, an aspiring author, finds herself in an unexpected partnership with the renowned literary agent, Jack Sterling. As they navigate the challenges of the publishing world, a budding romance begins to blossom.

Ferguson’s witty banter and charming characters make this book a delightful read. The author skillfully balances the romantic tension with the complexities of the publishing industry, creating a well-rounded and engaging story. The supporting characters, particularly Bryony’s grandmother and her students, add depth and heart to the narrative.

While the plot may be somewhat predictable at times, the author’s ability to craft believable and relatable characters keeps the story fresh and engaging. The book’s exploration of themes such as friendship, ambition, and the pursuit of dreams is both heartwarming and inspiring.

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I loved everything about this book. It’s possible this is my new *favorite* by Ferguson. I loved the way the two main characters banter, support, and challenge each other. I love that Bryony really has to step out of her comfort zone to find who she really is and doesn’t take no for an answer. I loved that Jack, her agent, is patient and gentle. I loved this and will definitely be recommending personally and professionally!

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I enjoyed reading this book - particularly the end, when it got a little wild! The premise and setting were both fun, and I liked the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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I basically read it in one sitting so it was definitely engaging. Sweet romance about a romcom ghostwriter trying to get her own work published. And trying to save her family’s ESL school at the same time. No spice here but the connection between Bryony & Jack was believable. Bryony starts off as kind of a pushover. We jump forward in time quickly & I was happy that she had more of a temper & backbone. I love the community she builds for herself and others wherever she goes. Cozy, friends to lovers romance. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction & NetGalley for the advance reader.

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It was a good decent book that I really liked. I think it's a quick read that by the time you know it, it's already done. I really did like the main character but couldn't connect with the MC, but overall it was a really fast read and I might pick something else from the same author. I think the story line was there and it played out in this book.

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I finished this a bit ago and thought I had reviewed but recently realized I had not! This was a good read so this defintely needs a review.
I loved the opening line. I loved the main characters banter and lots of moments I highligthed that were lol The main characters were likeable. He was witty with great dry humor. I loved her inner dialogue. Jack and Byrony were just wonderful together and indiviudally. Gloria was great as a friend to Byrony and their scenes added nicely to the story. A favorite quote: "But as often happens in life, the greatest joys and the greatest struggles tend to be delivered to your doorstep in the same basket. And it's up to you to dissect the two and embrace the good without letting the bad overcome." I could put this in my re-read section.
*great flow to story
*great characters
*great plot
*great dialogue
*subtle and gentle build to their relationship
*he falls first
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an arc of this book. All opinons are 100% my own.

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This one was just not for me. I just didn't feel the romance in this book. There felt like no connection between the characters. I also found it weird how Byrony had a long term boyfriend (never seen) until right when it was time for her to hook up with Jack. This book was cheesy, and not in a way that worked for me.

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