Eli is willing to change everything about himself to convince Victoria to come back to him. Leah gets tangled up with Eli’s friend group and offers to help him on his journey to being the perfect rom-com boyfriend. The more time they spend together, the more Leah realizes she may be falling for him, although Eli still only has eyes for Victoria.

The Rom-Com Agenda is contemporary fiction. I have a difficult time considering this a romance when the MMC is chasing after another woman for 90% of the book. There is no HEA ending and it can barely be considered HFN. The plot is appealing but the storyline moves very slowly. There are some good banter and comedic moments.

This is the first book that I have read by author Jayne Denker. While it was not my favorite, I would like to look into some of her other work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin)!

The was a light and cute-ish read but fell a bit short in the process. Though the idea of Leah helping Eli get over and move on from his ex seemed promising there were some hiccups and lags that I wasn't able to get past.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion.

DNF'ed for right now, maybe I'll pick it back up later, I'm just not really feeling it. I didn't find the main characters that interesting and Leah definitely deserved so much better.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC

Totally new author, but I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet , a little sexy with humor but also some drama in the background. It was exactly this kind of story that is good to read in long winter's evening because it makes You feel warm. Author created great story line, and from the beginning I felt, like she has certain plan for her characters. I only wish it could be a little more steamy, because I love when friends to lovers has sizzling chemistry between main characters, but overall, at the end I liked what this story is delivering.

this was a case of not for me. I really wanted to enjoy this one but didn’t like either MC nor did I see any chemistry between them. I kept wondering where the rom-con agenda was for the love story in the book

Do you love rom coms and have a nostalgia for the great rom com era of the 80s and 90s? Then this book is for you. The references alone will have you reaching for a John Hughes movies!

The story starts with Leah overhearing Eli get dumped by his girlfriend Victoria. He fell hard and fast with Victoria and after 4 months together, was convinced she was “the one”. Even though his friends & family didn't really like her, they come up with a plan to make him over into the perfect boyfriend because his current state (of dress, etiquette, culture) isn't good enough. 

Although the concept was cute - using rom com movies as inspiration to become the perfect boyfriend, it fell a bit short for us. It was probably because of Eli and the whole makeover storyline dragging on for too long. Eli is a likeable character when he wasn’t obsessing over his ex, he’s even charming when he’s with Leah. His obliviousness is clearly a plot point.

Leah and her storyline on the other hand was interesting and heartbreaking. She’s the perfect girl for Eli (he just needs to get his head out of his ass!) and she saw him for the great guy he is and thought the makeover plan was unnecessary. You want her to get the guy.

This book is a light, fun read with humour and a great found family aspect to it.


What we liked:
▪️Friends to lovers & found family tropes
▪️All the rom-com references
▪️Eli's family & friends 
▪️All the funny business names (Thousand Island Dressing & Poppin’ Locks)

What we didn’t like:
▪️Victoria for stringing Eli along
▪️Eli leading Leah on (& being hot/cold with her)

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I'm a HUGE rom-com fanatic, even if I haven't seen all the movies listed in this book. But for being an adult romance (with a male protagonist over the age of 30), this felt like such a YA story. I have no issue with fade-to-black sex scenes, and sometimes even prefer it, but this whole story just felt too young for me, even though I am the same age/younger than our main couple.

Leah was a pretty good character, and I liked her quite a lot. But Eli... he was so annoying. As were all the friends/siblings, who all just acted far too young for their ages. Eli is 31 and still doesn't realize that just because a woman is pretty doesn't mean you should propose to her after 4 months and then keep pining after her for 8 more while she's in Rome. He just gave me the ick, so I really didn't care if they ended up together or not in the end (which is sad, because I'm such a sucker for a good friends-to-lovers book).

Instead of reading this, just go watch an old, beloved rom-com instead.

This was a 3.5 star book for me! I enjoyed it quite a bit but there were a few things I wished were different.
One of the pieces I loved most was Leah's growth as a character and building bonds with others. Having previously worked in foster care, her story felt very real compared to some of the teens I worked with. Keeping your head down, working hard, trying to just get through until you could be on your own at such a young age.

I really loved the relationship that grew between Leah and Eli, but oh man were there about 1000 times that I wanted to punch Eli in the face. He was such an idiot and at one point I couldn't help but think "if I was Leah's friend would I let her put up with someone treating her this way?" He was using her as a stand in and refusing to acknowledge what she meant to him. He did feel like he was just genuinely confused though so I didn't hate his character perse, but he did frustrate me.

Overall, it was a really sweet story about found family and I'm super happy that it's published!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Going into this book, only based on the premise, I wasn't sure I would like it. I'm on the record at not really liking books with a ton of pop culture references so a book ostensibly built around pop culture references (romantic comedies in particular) was always going to be an uphill battle for me.

However, despite myself, I found I was exceedingly charmed by this book and found it hard to put down. Ultimately this was a really fun, lovely (closed-door) romance. My favorite part of the book was Leah and finding a family among Eli's friends and family. I think that is where the strength of this book really is - and not on the overall romantic comedy conceit which, cute, isn't where the substance of the book lies.

I liked the pining intrinsic in the book although after a while it is hard to continue to root for Eli who continues to be obtuse about his ex-girlfriend. I felt like Leah had much more depth to her than Eli, so their relationship was a little unbalanced, although I really liked them together.

I do wish what ended up happening with Eli's character had been a bit different. I feel like there was a really good opportunity for character development and growth here that was missed entirely and I'm not really sure why so that felt a little flat for me.

I'm really happy I picked this up and I'm so glad I was there for Leah's happy ending.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martins for the opportunity to review and early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited for this book - it had a really interesting premise, though slow burn, friends to lovers isn’t my normal go-to favourite trope (nor clean/closed door, as this also was). This is also my first read by Decker, and I plan to try her Welcome to Marsden series now! This one has definitely peaked my interest.

The RomCom Agenda was definitely sweet, if not a really slow build from friendship to more, as Leah accidentally witnessed Eli proposing to short-term girlfriend Victoria before she flew to Europe for a year to study, and she turned him down… Leah hiding but Eli briefly spotted her in his grief as Victoria fled.

While Eli is so certain over the months that follow he and Victoria are meant to be and she’ll return to him, his friends and family aren’t so sure, but help him and decide what he needs is a full-on body and soul make-over. One of their stops is at the clothing stores where Leah works, and she is roped into helping out with the plan. Suddenly, she finds herself a part of the entire program, including watching RomCom movies so he can learn what a true good guy does - and thus a true friendship forms between the pair, and Leah finds herself falling not just for Eli but his entire family… and dreading the day Victoria is expected to return.

The chemistry between all of the characters and the writing here is really great and the plot is unique - although of course, with any slow burn where the character doesn’t see what is right in front of him for basically the whole book you want to shake him sometimes (but that’s the whole point)! I really quite enjoyed it and definitely recommend it for everyone. With this being a clean romance, it’s good for all audiences.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and this is my honest feedback.

The Rom-Com Agenda a great novel to end 2022 with. It was a cute and sweet rom-com. I liked all the characters (except one, of course) and loved how Eli's family and friends invited Leah into their circle. The town had a Schitt's Creek feel and the names of the stores were so clever. The descriptions really brought people and places to life. I could even feel the cold winter air.

There was a lot of humor, along with many sweet and romantic moments. I was expecting it to be predictable due to the nature of the genre, but there were some surprises too. I enjoyed all the movie references, of course. My only concern is that the ending felt anti-climactic and there wasn't much of a dramatic build-up to it either. That didn't detract from my overall enjoyment though.

This novel was fun, easygoing, and entertaining. I would love another story featuring other characters from this one, such as Delia and Gray, Jenna and Ben, or Gillian. It would even be interesting to read one about Victoria.

Movie casting suggestions:
Leah: Katie Stevens
Eli: David Corenswet
Jenna: Allison Williams
Ben: Kendrick Sampson
Gray: Dan Amboyer
Gillian: Tamsin Egerton
Delia: Olivia Luccardi
Victoria: Miranda Cosgrove

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC.

A perfectly serviceable rom-com with the focus on making over the male main character in an effort to woo the one that got a way. Enter Leah, the former foster child fresh off a year of caring for her sick foster mother who is dealing with a hard dose of unrequited love while Eli figures out that his last girlfriend was not good for him.

Not going to lie, I spent most of this book being incredibly frustrated with Eli. He put in so much effort and let his family change him to win back a woman who had, at the beginning of the book, very decidedly dumped him. And they had only been together for four months! It felt very desperate and not at all attractive. Meanwhile Leah was pining away, wishing that he would figure out that she was the one for him.

It was excruciating reading about him being dumb for 70% of the book and her just falling for it. It didn't even feel great when he finally admitted that he had feelings for her, mostly because it felt like too much emphasis was placed on this previous relationship.

Overall, an okag book. Not my favorite, but perfectly acceptable for the genre.

This was a super fun, quick read that I think you'll love if you're a fan of meddling friend groups and classic-rom com style makeovers.

This is my first time reading Jayne Denker and I was absolutely smitten. Her writing takes you on a journey that’s nuanced and layered. Her characters are perfectly imperfect and it’s a pleasure to get to know each and every one of them. Each is unique and memorable in their own way, yet not so over the top that they feel like props.

I must admit that the “will they/won’t they” did drag on a bit long for me, but I still loved the story and never stopped rooting for Leah & Eli.

As you all know, along with my love for all things fantasy and paranormal romance, I have a soft spot for rom-coms. When I came across The Rom-Com Agenda, of course, I had to try it out. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started to read this book and I am so glad I chose to read it!

This book was full of vibrant characters and I don’t mean just the main characters. The Rom-Com Agenda has a superb cast who leave you laughing like a loon and endear themselves to your heart so they become part of you. You love them more and more as you get to know them.

The plotline is a predictable one but the writing is fun and witty with equal amounts of emotional depth. Let me put it this way – if you enjoyed the movie, Love Actually, you will love this book. It’s such a feel-good story, it leaves you with a smile and a warmth long after you finish it.

Book Dragons, you’re in for a barrel of laughs and a whole world of sweetness with this one.

If you love rom coms, friends-to-lovers, and found family, then you need to pick up this book.

Leah is living by herself in a small town after she spends a year caring for her late foster mother. She is working many different jobs to save enough money to leave town and never look back.

One summer day though she sees Eli proposing to his girlfriend Victoria on a bridge, only to watch her dump him.

Leah and Eli’s paths cross when his friends decide that he needs a makeover to win back Victoria, who he thinks is the girl of his dreams. But spending all that time with Leah inevitably leads to something more.

This book was so cute and really funny. I found myself cracking up multiple times while reading! The references to classic rom com movies were fabulous, and you could see how the entire storyline of the book is based on those traditional romantic comedies. And I adored how Leah found her own version of family after not really having one, due to being a foster child.

The issues I ran into was for how long Eli was pining for Victoria, when it was obviously a relationship that was going nowhere. We could have had so much more time with Leah and Eli together instead of him wishing for someone else.

I also felt that there was too much “rom com”, if that’s possible. But the book was full of cliches and moments that led you to predict exactly what was going to happen. Some may like that, but I thought it went a little overboard.

If you’re looking for a fun and cute easy read, then definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own!

What a sweet Rom-Com! I read this book with audio and physical book and was able to binge it all in one day! The storyline is a fun one of friends to lovers + found family. Such sweet tropes.

Eli + Leah first meet when Leah accidentally eavesdrops on Eli getting denied a proposal to a girl named Victoria. That crushed him for a long time. Long enough that his friends and family made a project of him and gave him a makeover to make him more husband material. While I don’t love the whole makeover concept (because everyone should be accepted for themselves) this one was fun because it got him and Leah connected again. From the start Leah was trying to show Eli his worth and help him understand that Victoria isn’t the one for him. He was stubborn but eventually saw what was right in front of his eyes the whole time. I LOVED the “homework” of watching Rom-Coms and the VCR comeback? Classic! And also the Gilmore Girls references…perfection!

Leah finding her family within her friends was enough to make my heart swell. She finally found where she belonged. Such a strong and fierce lady!

This book was the perfect amount of sweet, dramatic, emotional, and hilarious. While at first I was overwhelmed with the amount of characters, I have to say I love them all - all the character’s developments in this book were great. I’m a fan of this author’s writing style and will be on the lookout for more by her!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I felt so conflicted with this book. I absolutely loved the writing and the idea of the makeover, but I wanted to shake Eli so many times... Since the book was almost too compelling to put it down, I am rating it with my heart.

Leah has a goal - work as many jobs as possible to fund her move out of town. She took care of her late foster mom during her illness and is now almost done cleaning out the house. Eli has a goal - win back his former girlfriend Victoria who moved to Italy for a year to study art.

Elis's sister and friends decide to give him a makeover to help win back Victoria, you know, if he really wants her.. Leah becomes drawn in to the process since she works at the local clothing store, tailor shop, and hairdresser.

Part of Eli's education is lots of rom com movies. Sometime within the marathons, Leah starts looking at Eli differently and doesn't see what needs to be changed about him. He's pretty great in her eyes...

Eli is so devoted to Victoria, he can't think of Leah as more than a friend, even after a few really great kisses....oh, and she is his go to movie partner...

The RomCom agenda was a fun and stereotypical story about a guy who chases after the wrong girl and doesn’t realize his girl BFF has feelings for him until he’s made himself look like a complete idiot in front of her.

I really enjoyed the first 80% of this book. I kept hoping that Eli would get out of his own way and realize that Leah liked him just how he was, but he couldn’t help himself. He had to be a stubborn idiot. Men. Sheesh.

Ultimately I enjoyed this book and I’m glad I read it. I would have liked the grand gesture to come from Eli since this was a novel called “the romcom agenda”. The title set the stage for this more to be based around the romance, but the end of the novel felt more like contemporary fiction rather than a feel good HEA.

Rating this 3.5 stars but rounding up because I was really captivated throughout most of this fun northeast romance.

✨Friends to Lovers
✨Found Family
✨Small Town
✨Makeover for MMC
✨Trying to Get Back with Ex
✨80s and 90s rom-com movie references

Book thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Leah and Eli's friendly relationship right from the beginning was adorable. Leah had gone through a tough time in life and didn't feel like she was quite deserving of meaningful relationships. Enter in Eli and his friends and family who were trying to do a whole makeover of him in order for him to win back his ex.. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this book definitely fit the bill for me.

I did find the first chapter to be a bit choppy and almost too wordy but it evened out throughout the story. I did feel like there was something missing from the story or maybe I just had different expectations when it came to the rom-com movie references and makeover. Overall it was a solid and cute story and give it 3.5 stars. I am hoping there will be other sequels featuring the friends because it did leave it open a little and would love their stories to also be told.!