Characters that had me laughing out loud, romance that had me swooning, a HEA that had me tearing up—this book was quite literally The Perfect Rom-com!!!
 
The main characters, Bryony and Jack, were so, so lovely. Bryony, with her passion and ambition, was the most lovable heroine I have read up to date. And Jack... oh gosh, don’t get me started on that man. I am so smitten with him. The ultimate book boyfriend material!
 
While the main characters were AMAZING, the side characters are equally worth the praise, and I will miss all of them so much! They brought so much humor and heart to the story, I had no choice but to fall in love with every single one of them. Except Amelia, of course...
 
There’s only one teeny tiny thing about this that I, however, did not care for. Despite Bryony and Jack knowing each other for years, I feel we needed a little more of a romance buildup rather than a let's-just jump-right-into-this type of thing. But don’t be deterred; this book is beyond enjoyable and a total must read! I cannot wait to see what Melissa Ferguson has in store next!
 
💌 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
HE fell first (BE STILL MY HEART)
Workplace romance
Friends to lovers
HUGE grand gesture

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾!
 
4.7 ★

I had the privilege of receiving an ARC for this novel, my first written by this author.

The Perfect Rom-Com follows our FMC Briony Page who is an ESL teacher shamelessly passionate about her students and the school she teaches at which is her grandmother's legacy. To help save the school from closing, Briony writes a novel based on the school and it's history, and attempts to pitch it only to be ruthlessly turned down by agent after agent at a book conference. When she pitches to the usually relentless Jack Sterling, Briony strikes up a deal to be a ghostwriter to a famous socialite, and two years later Briony's books are bestsellers, though none one will ever know this. The novel progresses as we learn about Briony's journey as a ghostwriter, the debut novel she never gave up, and her relationship with Jack which a highlight of the novel.

I really liked the idea of this book's plot and found the behind the scenes aspects of ghostwriting to be quite intruiging. I also liked the love story of Briony and Jack, and enjoyed how the author solved the various conflicts in the novel and wrapped the novel up with a neat and satisfying bow.

Unfortunately, I never really connected to Briony, and found that her lengthy inner dialogue started to grate on my nerves to the point that I would skim those sections. Though I appreciated the Bridge and loved reading about the side characters that Briony taught, at times I found that Briony's constant references to the Bridge grew tiresome.

In general, this is a light and easy read with a lovely HEA. I will likely try another book by this author as overall this was an enjoyable read.

For those interested, there is no spice in this novel, only kissing is mentioned.

Tropes include strangers to lovers, workplace romance, and forced proximity.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author Melissa Ferguson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: February 11, 2025

Melissa Ferguson writes such meaningful characters and stories. The climax of this book reminded me of the other Melissa Ferguson book I've read (Meet Me in the Margins), namely, an emotional release that leaves the main character in tears. The kind of scene that has you holding your breath because it could bring a happily ever after or everything could go terribly wrong, and even though it's nearly the end of the book, you're just not sure which way it's going to go!

This story really is for book lovers who want a bit of romance. Despite the title, it is not a rom-com. The romance was really a subplot to the main story of Bryony and her growth in standing up for herself, realising how much she has grown and finally taking some advice about her book and achieving her dream. I could easily relate to Bryony in her people-pleasing, conflict-avoiding never being an inconvenience character. But she was also so passionate about saving her grandmother's legacy and providing ESL classes for her students.

The first chapter gave me so much anxiety! I knew the journey to publishing could be stressful, but this brought it up another notch. I was really intrigued to learn more about the world of traditional publishing and all the different people involved.

I hated Amelia! I spent half the book internally yelling at Bryony to just quit! She was an easy-to-hate character who lacked depth as a secondary character, but that was her role in the story so I was okay with that. She created drama and tension between the characters.

I found it hard to reconcile Jack's manipulation of Bryony as her agent, and his love for her as her friend, even though I thought his confession to her was so sweet. He redeemed himself by the end of the story. I did enjoy the banter between Jack and Bryony, it provided moments of comedy in this story. Also to note for those who care: the kisses were low on the intimacy scale (not swoony or hot).

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and the opinions expressed are completely my own.

I instantly adore any book about an inspiring author! And the reason why Bryony wants her book published is super heart warming (the students were so sweet!!🥹) Similarly I’ve read other books where the MC becomes a ghost writer and this is up there with the best!!📚

Jack, a big deal in the publishing word, is amazing!! I really liked this character all the way through, he’s confident and has a very cute soft side. This amazing guy alongside Bryony, whose character development is amazinggg, is the perfect combination. Watching their relationship develop beyond just working together was done really well🫶🏼

The grand gesture is perfect! The story was a little slowww in parts but the ending was great💖

Overall, it’s a quick cute read with no spice although I was disappointed about the two year time jump, just feel like I missed out on some of the relationship development🤷‍♀️
Would recommend for a sweet easy romance between larger heavier books ☺️♥️

This book was fine—cute, light, and super quick, but it felt a bit thin overall. It’s a fun, breezy read, but The Perfect Rom-Com? Not quite. The two-year time skip meant we missed the real relationship buildup, going from hate to friends to dating with minimal depth. The ending was also hard to believe, with plot holes that stood out. If you want something light and easy to clear your reading palate, this works—just don’t expect something groundbreaking.
2.75–3 stars.

The Perfect Rom-Com tagged along with me on my holidays and it was a good read for such a period. It is a heart-warming rom-com about an talented author who turns into a ghostwriter, in the hope of getting her own work published one day. The agent of the both of them needs to walk the fine line to keep both the ghostwriter and the official author happy, while maybe catching feelings?

I really liked the dialogues between Bryony and Jack: they really were my favorite moments in this book, fun, sassy and provocative sometimes. I clearly was rooting for them early on. So why the 3.5 stars? I would have liked to have more process between the first audition and the two years later. How did they grow to be friends? I think there could have been more funny lines along the way there.

The final solution also felt anti-climactic to me, like a magic save and the reaction of Bryony to it was probably the only moment where I felt like the dialogue was a bit off.

Still, I very much enjoyed the ride, so thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson fiction, as I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The book was a quick read for me, although it felt drawn-out.
The characters were solid and I liked their interactions

This story was just cute. You could tell that Melissa wrote so much heart into the story and I really enjoyed seeing her settings branch out from Nashville. I really enjoyed the main characters' dynamic and I felt like they worked really well as a couple. Jack is a real cutie. I thought the ghostwriter premise was really interesting and it gave a unique perspective on publishing. The story is sweet and a little corny (in a good way) and i enjoyed the entire experience. <3

Gloria and Jack ran this show, that's for sure.

This had some really cute moments, but it's definitely not my favorite Melissa Ferguson book. A lot of it just felt pointless and without enough romance for my taste.

Really, I just wanted to run Amelia over with a bus the whole time.

3.5 stars.

I'll admit I was immediately hooked by the premise of this book. Who doesn't love a good book about an aspiring author?! Bryony Page is a new author trying to get a publisher to pick up her first novel. There is a slight problem with this as it is super hard to enter the publishing world and her novel is somewhat lengthy and hard to describe. She has written a book in hopes that she can use the profits to save her grandmother's education organization The Bridge. Enter Jack Sterling, a very well-known name in the world of book publishing. Jack only takes on a select few clients at a time and they are all wildly successful. After a disastrous pitching session with Jack, Bryony makes a last-ditch attempt to impress him and ends up being offered a ghostwriting position for one of the most popular rom-com novelists. Bryony spends much more time as a ghostwriter than she initially anticipated and ends up being too good to let go for the Foundry Agency and Jack Sterling. This is such an interesting concept and I did truly love it. I loved Jack from the very beginning. He is confident and self-assured but we also learn eventually that he has a sweet side too. I loved Bryony's character development. After learning some pretty hard lessons she grows into a woman who knows her worth. I also loved Jack and Bryony's relationship. It is just so precious to see their work relationship grow into something more. One of the things I adored the most was the storyline with The Bridge. The students absolutely stole my heart. This book takes readers through all the emotions from anger to laughter to tears and sorrow. Melissa Ferguson is always a joy to read and this one was no exception!
Content: kisses only
Thank you to NetGalley. I was not required to leave a review and these are my own opinions.

I was a bit wary of Ferguson after reading Famous for a Living as it was not a hit for me, but this newest book by her completely delivers. I am always drawn to books about people who write books for some reason. I loved Bryony's spunk and her banter with Jack. They make a great pair. I also wanted to punch Amelia in the face. My hurt for Bryony, too. I liked the HEA of this and how things got worked out. I was genuinely surprised to find that it was over - I did not want to leave these characters behind yet. Readers should be sure to give this one a chance. It is quite "the perfect rom-com."

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction and Melissa Ferguson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up!

The book starts with Bryony Page trying to get an agency to pick up the manuscript she wrote as a passion project about The Bridge, the place started by her grandmother that teaches English to immigrants. She meets with the arrogant literary agent, Jack Sterling, who sees something in her he likes, just not her manuscript. He offers her a ghostwriting job for Amelia Benedict, a spoiled, untalented writer who is very good at marketing herself.

Fast forward two years, Bryony is still in the same long-distance relationship, but she and Jack have become best friends, spending tons of time together as she continues ghostwriting for Amelia, who is incredibly famous now, thanks to Bryony's writing. It becomes pretty obvious as you read that Bryony and Jack have feelings for each other, but neither one of them wants to act on it for a couple reasons. One, Bryony has a boyfriend; and two, they don't want to ruin their professional relationship.

This book was a quick, enjoyable read with little spice (just kissing). I feel like we missed out on a lot of relationship development between Bryony and Jack during the two year time hop, and that was disappointing. The developing emotional connection is one of the best parts of reading romance!

The grand gesture was fantastic and I love how the story ended. There was a lot of focus on Bryony's teaching and journey as a writer, so I'd say this book was more women's fiction, with a romance undercurrent. Therefore, the title "The Perfect Rom-Com" is a little misleading.

3.5 🌟 Very cute. Perfect light-hearted book when you need a break in between large fantasy series or emotional reads.

This was a cute rom-com centered around the world of books. Bryony Page meets book agent Jack Sterling and stumbles her way into a situation she thinks will give her the dream. But is it actually a nightmare come true? Can Bryony learn to listen to those around her, step out of what she thinks she knows to get what she truly wants?

This story was fun, introduced a forced proximity storyline I have yet to read and had interesting characters. At some points it felt like the storyline dragged a little longer than I would have liked, and I found myself wanting to skip some scenes. Overall though, I enjoyed it and gave it 4.5 stars!

This was such a great rom-com. :) The perfect Rom-Com perfectly titled. :) I loved Bryony’s character and her drive to do more for her community and her family and follow her dreams as a writer and her incredible dynamic with Jack.

This is a no spicy romance which is perfect for a quick read and all audiences. I absolutely loved the end with the big reveal it was so incredible and I might have cried. :) This is my first Melissa Ferguson book and will be checking out more of her books.

This book comes out in Feb 2025 and I’m so honored to have gotten an advance copy from @netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction! I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy when it’s released!!

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

Synopsis: Bryony Page sets out to make her way as an author, with a heart to help her grandmothers struggling ESL school for immigrants. She ends up as a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict — heiress to a publishing house throne whose personal knack for cruelty is only rivaled by her inability to care that she is cruel. Truly heinous. Also, Bryony would NEVER do something as stupid as fall for her agent, Jack Sterling… right?

Review: Melissa Ferguson does it again. She writes a book that manages to be funny, romantic, and has depth to the characters and their struggles. “The Perfect Rom-Com” is actually the PERFECT rom-com. Can someone make this into a movie? The pace was great, never a dull moment. Bryony was relatable to every girl who’s ever wanted to accomplish a dream, but doesn’t quite know how to make it come true. She stumbles forward, in a lovable way that made me root for her the whole time. The conflicts and tensions in this book are just the right amount of tense, and I was left wondering how or if Bryony would accomplish what she set out to do. This is a book of hoping against all hope, and daring to keep going, even when it looks like you won’t make it.

For the love of reading (and writing), I urge you to read this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Melissa Ferguson for the eARC of this book. All reviews reflect my honest opinion.

Melissa Ferguson is a new author for me and I just LOVED this book. The characters were hilarious and overall this was such a fun read!

Ok this book. Is 100% a 5⭐️ read for me. It had me drawn in all the way until the end. I loved their friendship and then their romance and what he did for her in the end just had me in tears. It was so sweet and Bryony’s journey over the entire course of the book, you could just FEEL IT. This has to be the most real when it comes to authors and their struggles and their first “baby” of a manuscript that they guard with their entire souls and never stop fighting for.

But listen up here…the ending…is amazing. Ohhhh my gosh just the satisfaction of…ooooh everything. Penny is my 3rd favorite character and Albricht a very close 4th 😂. All the characters you can’t help but fall in love with.. well…except for the ONE you know who.

Get this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this opportunity to provide my honest review.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.]

To save her beloved ESL school, Bryony Page attends a writer's conference, hoping to get a book inspired by her grandmother published. Instead, she's offered a job as a ghostwriter for the famous Amelia Benedict. Bryony agrees, but only if Jack Sterling, a top literary agent, promises to get her book published.

Ferguson's books are always easy to get absorbed into. Her writing style makes for a quick, enjoyable read. Bryony is super likeable and her friendship with Jack is filled with fun banter. We just from their initial meeting to them being best friends, but.I wish we had seen more of their relationship build over time.

I will say that the story focuses more on Bryony's journey than romance, so it feels more like chick-lit than a traditional romance (this didn't bother me, but I can see it frustrating some readers). Initially after I finished reading, I thought the title might not be the best fit but after sitting on it, I think it might be meant as a critique on the publishing industry and how quickly authors are expected to publish new books. This story offers what I imagine to be a good representation of how the publishing industry works, with trying to get noticed and then for the lucky ones, trying to meet deadlines while possibly still working your 9-5 job.

Overall, this book is a pleasant and fun read. Bryony and Jack's dynamic reminded me of the movie "Two Weeks Notice", so if you loved that, you'll definitely enjoy this book!

This book is admirable that Bryony will do anything to prevent the Bridge from closing including her being the ghostwriter for the detested Amelia that even though her books may be emulated as ROM coms, doesn't deviate from her being a soulless human being. Bryony is determined to fight for her cause to help those entering the country to have a better quality of life. Knowing that her insufficient income will do so, she takes on the role of ghostwriter as well as touting her own book. During the entire time, she has Jack as her agent and as becomes to realize, her most staunch supporter. I must admit to shedding tears that Penny and Gloria convinced to realize that Jack is her person. She will be a success but to celebrate in that outcome with Jack even makes it better. This book makes one laugh at their sarcastic exchange as well as champion Bryony to fight for what she believed in. Great book. Her and Jack ended up living the perfect ROM com.