The Brief: Bryony wants to be a writer, but when she gets the chance it’s not at all what she expected.

Jack. Jack. Jack. The laid back editor who works his way out of uncomfortable situations. This author has a very unique way of telling a story and I was hooked. I like to read blind, but here are come some thoughts.

-Amelia was something else
-The Bridge students had my heart
-author bus tour was so fun
-the on pointe banter
-the author’s notes made it more special
-ghost writing was totally interesting
-the narration was fantastic! she totally nailed the voices

I received an audio copy from NetGalley and highly recommend this story. So much heart and plenty of laugh out loud moments. I’ve read one other book by this author, but this was a fav for me. My own thoughts.

I could not put this book down! It was captivating and enjoyable. It felt like a true friends-to-lovers romance since Bryony and Jack's friendship was so natural. It did get a bit too wordy at times to keep up with and all the legalese and contract talk did confuse me a bit, but that's more on me. I loved the inclusion of immigrants in this book and how it shed light on their efforts and hard work.

This was such a fun audiobook. Karissa Vacker was such a great choice for this narration. She really helped the book come alive for me and made me love it that much more.

Thank you for the early arc audiobook of this novel!

I have loved all of Melissa Ferguson's books and this one was just as fun and cute. I will say there is one annoying character but that is on par for the story and makes it all worth it!

This story is a wonderful mix of love, friendship and fighting for what/who you believe in. I loved the tie in of the ESL students and organization along with the meaningful message behind it.

This was a great read and I hope you enjoy it as well! 📖✨

3 stars only because I love Karissa Vacker and she will elevate any book she narrates!

I had high hopes for this book, but y'all it was sloooooooow. And where were the rom and com in this rom-com? Other than the title, it was too much of the build up and not enough of the romance for me.

Not a horrible book, but definitely not for me.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it very much. The narrators pace and tone were good. I didn't find myself bored or falling asleep. The story is very cute. I felt the MFC was the child not the MMC who she accuses. No explicit sex or mature language.

I received the audiobook for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️ 2.5 ⭐️

The main character was insufferable and I didn’t feel any chemistry in the romance.
Although I did like it how it was a story that took place over several years.

Ok so the title is pretty misleading because this was definitely NOT a perfect rom-com... BUT i will say the audiobook was probably the most enjoyable way to read this book because you can listen to it while doing other things and not focus on how not very rom-comy this felt. And I guess the payoff at the end did add one star to my review.

📚🤍💫 the perfect rom-com by melissa ferguson || 4 ⭐'s
such a fantastic spring read, it was adorable & entertaining. i adored the friends to lovers vibes. the ending just felt a little bit rushed.

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson was one of the best books I read this year. The banter was outstanding, the main characters were so relatable that they felt like friends and the narrator added the perfect tone and cues to the dialog. The story itself is highly entertaining and provided a unique view into what goes on behind the scenes of the romance novels we all love. I highly recommend this book - you won't be disappointed!

I LOVED this book! Huge fan of a FMC who knows what she wants and gets it, no matter what. This story had an FMC who showed both strength and softness. The male main character was cheeky and fun, but also truly was so in love and romantic. Loved listening to this story!

I am a huge rom com lover. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. I appreciate the chance to listen.

A sweet rom-com for any book lover! I was hooked from the beginning, it’s funny, light hearted and cozy friends to lovers read. I became invested in Bryony’s journey to be a writer and her love of teaching and serving her community. I loved the banter between Bryony and Jack, and friendship! I enjoyed the audiobook so much, the narrator was great.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the ups and downs Bryony had in the publishing world. I have never given much thought to ghost writers and it was so interesting to witness the writing world from that perspective.

Bryony and Jack have great chemistry. I love their banter, love/hate relationship, and the way they communicate. If you love romcoms with witty banter, this is one for you. I love the unexpected turns this book took and the ending that was absolutely perfect.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator wasn’t quite for me. It made me feel a little like the main character was whining a lot of the time. I had to keep reminding myself to focus on the words and now how they were said. I think I would have preferred a print version for this book.

After initial dislike on her side, Bryony and Jack a fantastic pair; their easy camaraderie eventually morphs into more as they navigate Bryony being hired to ghost-write romcoms for a selfish and horrible heiress. Along the way, we get an in-depth look into the world of traditional book publishing with all its twists and turns, from writer conference to meet literary agents to book publicity tours to morning talk show author appearances. I loved the narrator of the audiobook, and I laughed aloud while some of the humorous events were happening. Bryony has a flair for the dramatically relatable and hilariously real view of situations and people as the protagonist/narrator of this novel. Her "day job" as an ESL teacher in her grandmother's organization, especially her interactions with adult students from all over the world, was endearing, and I followed the plot with growing anticipation as to whether her (along with all the) classes at The Bridge would continue or be cut due to funding issues.

This book was an absolute delight to read! It had everything I look for — engaging writing, memorable characters, and a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The author’s voice is distinct and compelling, making it easy to get lost in the world they created, no matter the genre.

I'm incredibly grateful to the publisher for the early copy. It was such a joy to read this in advance, and I can’t wait for more readers to experience it. Highly recommend!

Super cute book! I really enjoyed the characters, setting, and dialogue. I like a sweet story and felt this was that.

3.5/5⭐️

When Bryony Page finds out that The Bridge, her home away from home where she is an ESL teacher, is at risk of being shut down, she decides to write its story. With an epic manuscript in hand, Bryony heads out to a writer's conference with the hopes of landing a deal. After several unsuccessful meetings, Bryony meets with Jake Sterling, a star literary agent, who not so subtly turns away her manuscript. Although Jack just so happens to need a ghostwriter for upcoming star Amelia Benedict and doesn’t Bryony seem like a good fit? Bryony agrees to be the ghostwriter in exchange for Jack agreeing to take her on and get her book published. Now, after years of working closely with each other and Amelia getting closer to that number one best-selling spot, can Bryony finally get her wish to save the Bridge?

Overall, I enjoyed the glance into the inner workings of the publishing industry that Bryony’s character gave us. It was also nice to see that Jack didn’t play a stereotypical hot shot agent and just push Bryony around, he tried to be in her corner, even if he made some miscalculations. Although the “villain” was a bit one-dimensional, their plot had me rooting even more for Bryony.

This is slow-burn where we see the characters grow as friends more than lovers. I would recommend this to anyone who loves rom-coms like Music & Lyrics and Two Weeks Notice.

The audio version of this book was really enjoyable, with the narrator adding depth and emotion to each character. She had me wishing we got even more of the side character interactions.

Overall I would rate this a 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me with an ALC of this book!

This book was a quick read, I read/ listened to it in one go.
The story:
I really enjoyed the setup for this book. With the background in both ESL and the publishing industry it offers something a little different than the normal cutsie rom-com that I though I was going into. The ESL background of this story intrigued me, while in college I worked as a student mentor in their English learning program. Bryony and Jack were well flushed out, entertaining characters that kept me hooked on the story. Amelia was a great villain, she could have come across as a cardboard cutout of a villain and that still would have worked for this genre but, she was fully formed and I could kind of understand her motivation for her behavior.
audio:
The performer was great, she definitely helped to keep me hooked on the story. She had a great inflection in her voice that kept me invested in the characters. While I admit I'm a 1.5 speed listener, the narrator didn't lose the inflection or cadence in her voice.

I think I am in my sweet and clean romance phase of reading right now. Do I read all other kinds of romance? Yes, but for some reason, these heartwarming rom-coms with the subplots just hit all the right feels. I could gobble them all up, and my heart would be happy. This particular book is about a prospective author whose initial manuscript was written as a passion project. One that is meant to save her grandmother's school. A school for adults who need to learn English and get their GEDs. Bryony is a teacher at this school and knows that if she writes a book, this school will be saved. The only problem is that no one wants it. She goes to a writing convention determined to sell her manuscript and meets with the best of the best agent, who turns her down. She keeps at him, and she still doesn't get her book sold, but she does get a job offer as a ghostwriter for a romance author. Cut to two years in the future, Bryony is still a ghost writer, she is still trying to get her book published, but she is making secret donations to help keep her grandmother's school a float and she has now become best friends with Jack, the agent she met at the writer's convention. When the author for whom Bryony writes for messes up during interviews, it is decided that they will go on a road trip for the book tour. Bryony and Jack are already BFFs; maybe this trip will help spark a little bit more feelings.

Oh, that was a rough description, but anyway, I thought this story was sweet. Not only do we have this budding friends to romance story we also have a story about personal growth. Learning that sometimes our best ideas need help and that we can't always fix everything on our own. Learning that standing up for oneself is important and friendships can come in many forms. This story has the perfect villain and the justice that you know is coming, but you love to see how it plays out. I just loved the romance, though. We don't see the two-year budding friendship, but we have the chemistry, and the characters know each other so well that they catch on to each other's facial expressions and body language to help one another when needed. I love the relationship that Bryony has with her ESL students and that she puts her whole self into all that she does. The narrator is amazing as well and really shows the heart of the story with her narration. Overall, this is a sweet rom-com that is a perfect cozy read and one I had a hard time putting down.

This book had all the ingredients for a charming, bookish love story—an underdog heroine, a dreamy literary agent, and a behind-the-scenes look at publishing. But while the premise was promising, the execution left me wanting more.

Bryony Page is an aspiring author who stumbles into ghostwriting for an egotistical rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict. Watching Bryony’s words make someone else famous was equal parts fascinating and infuriating. The industry drama kept me engaged, but Bryony’s naïveté made it hard to fully root for her at times. She felt immature in moments where I wanted to see her stand up for herself, especially when dealing with Amelia, who was the absolute worst. Seriously, after all the lies and manipulation, I needed a bigger takedown. The resolution felt too easy, and I wanted more consequences for Amelia’s actions.

Then there’s Jack Sterling, the swoon-worthy literary agent. While I loved his role in Bryony’s journey, the romance between them felt underdeveloped. There was so much potential for tension and longing, but the relationship took a backseat to the publishing drama. By the time things finally started heating up, the book was rushing toward the finish line. I wanted way more Jack and Bryony moments—more banter, more chemistry, more everything.

Overall, The Perfect Rom-Com is a light, entertaining read, but it didn’t fully deliver on the romance or character growth I was hoping for. If you love behind-the-scenes publishing stories and don’t mind a slightly frustrating heroine, this might still be worth a read. But for me, it left too many loose ends and missed opportunities to be truly satisfying.

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.