as someone who loves rom-com movies AND books, i really enjoyed this one!

it did feel a bit bland in the first half but once the pace quickened, i could not put it down

this is such a good-feel read

(thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review)

Leah and Eli's relationship coming so organically was my favorite part of the book. My second favorite part of the book is that it mentioned my hometown more than once, and was set in a place not far away. I feel like some of the story lines were a little bit written to death but overall it was a great read. I will definitely be reading more of this authors books in the future!

The Pygmalion story never gets old. Or My Fair Lady if you are more into Audrey Hepburn. And this was no exception. I truly enjoyed the story and the characters. Leah's odd jobs and the names of the stores injected some humour into the story. As did all of Eli's friends (and eventually Leah's friends). Sure, there were times when the store names and Leah's odd jobs felt like they were there just to feature quirk, but it worked. I genuinely wanted the two characters to figure out their lives and to move forward together, with the cat of course.

I liked that they didn't fall in love right away. That they were able to figure out their relationship over a period of time and in real(ish) situations. Despite that, the book moved along with the story quickly and well so I wasn't forcing myself to read to get to the next part of the action.

I also appreciated the ending (no spoilers) because it worked and didn't seem too off brand for the characters and how their romance grew over time. Also for the side characters ....

The one thing that I could have skipped was the repeated refusal of Eli to recognize that he was forcing himself to pine for Victoria even after he realized he was falling for Leah. Yes, I wanted to slap him. But I also felt like most people would stop the "get Victoria back" the minute they realize that there is someone who is better than Victoria right in front of them. It wasn't that he was in denial per se, but rather that he couldn't give up the Victoria dream even when it wasn't his dream anymore.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance at reading / attempting to read this book.

This book is absolutely cringe-inducing. These people are supposed to be in their 30's and they come across like they just got out of High School. I was willing to suspend belief of girls modeling a man off famous rom com films, giving him a makeover, and getting him to win back a lost love... but HIM?

I was getting intense creepy vibes from this guy. His girlfriend broke up with him after a couple months. On top of that, he becomes so heartbroken over this ending that he gains weight, stops caring about his image, and even seems to adapt depression. His friends then decide to prop him up and help him try to 'win her back'... why? He is a whiny, man-child who appears to be obsessed over her like this was his only girlfriend and he has never been dumped before.

Which makes the entire story of making him over and having him watch romantic comedies to win her back absolutely cringe inducing because after slogging through the 30% of the book I got through, I would not want them to hook up again. This guy needs a therapist and or a self-help coach to get over his emotional attachment to a girl he hardly knew and wanted to settle down with asap. She left you, let it go. But he mopes about it for a year. We know nothing about her or if she was a good person, he is also constantly messaging her and at one point his friends ask if she messages back - twice. Only twice, but he doesn't want to come off strong / dependent. Dude. You are. You are literally showing that by the countless texts.

Then, the friends aren't all that great. A 30 year old man should be looking towards his friends for advice (in which they would hopefully refer him to a therapist or a self-help coach), but no, they come up with this ridiculous idea of having him follow through the notion of watching all sorts of movies with romantic leads. (At one point, one of the movies on the list is Labyrinth! WHILE DAVID BOWIE IS HOT IN THE FILM, Jareth IS portrayed as a villain in the film and not to be idolized and or modeled after... )

Do you see? Why should adults, especially adults with lives in their 30's, do things like this which read off at a teenage level.

I couldn't bother to continue this book and will be DNF'ing it.

While I did find the premise of The Rom-Com Agenda to be a little bit cliche at times, the character writing was really strong and the book has the same nostalgic appeal as any beloved early 2000's romcom. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, cute read!

Too cute of a book to put down. It was almost like a "chick flick" movie playing out over pages as I was reading it.

When Leah accidentally overheard a couple (Eli and Victoria) and his failed proposal- she never thought she would see them again. Much less get wrangled into trying to make over Eli to woo back Victoria.
What Leah really didn’t expect was to find Eli so wrong for Victoria and so right for her. The catch? Leah has never fit in anywhere after years in foster care and is making every dime count to make a move.
Will Eli be the one to keep her and make a home at last?

Okay I LOVED this book a lot! It was cute, lighthearted, and romantic and I just really, really enjoyed reading it!

This book was cute but nothing ground breaking. It was hard to like any of the characters too much because they all were pretty one dimensional. But overall not a terrible read

This was maybe a 2.5 star for me, if I'm being generous. I didn't connect with the characters and it took me a while to plod through. Leah was closed off and prickly, due to the nature of her foster care upbringing, but her actions in keeping people at arms length and running away were clichéd. Eli was shallow, fixating on a superficial relationship with Victoria, who he proposed to after only four months, because she was beautiful and couldn't really say much else as to why she was the one. The quirky friends group was too large, and I feel the character of Gillian could be edited out completely, as she barely had any lines and no real backstory or contribution to the storyline except to serve as a foil to Delia and Gray so the group dynamic isn't so neatly paired off in couples. The ending didn't give much closure, just that Leah was going to stay, and ended on a somewhat abrupt note. This was what I would call a "filler" book, something I would read while waiting for other library holds to become available, but not something I would actively seek out again.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4861607930

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read! A bit drawn out in parts and Eli was a little unrealistic but I enjoyed the book!

Leah is a hard working, giving person with a sad, tumultuous past. She has been serving as a caretaker for her terminally ill foster parent when she encounters Eli. Eli is completely head over heels in love with Victoria, who has gone on an extended trip to Italy and broken his heart. Eli’s friends decide to help him get her back by helping him with a complete head to toe makeover. After befriending Leah, she joins the group in helping Eli try to become a better version of himself. Ultimately, both Eli and Leah learn what they really want in a relationship.

This is a fun, quick, light hearted rom com. I loved all the references to rom com movies. Leah was a very likable main character. I did feel like it lacked some romance between the main characters, and Eli wasn’t very likable. I appreciated Leah’s kind and giving personality and would have loved her to open up even more about her difficult past. This is a perfect read for lovers of rom com movies, pop culture references, friends to lovers, and slow burn, closed door romances.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such an interesting plot. Story moved along well. A few spots were kinda cringy, but I expect it in a romcom. Basic story that did what I wanted it to do

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book Leah meets Eli one day and is drawn to him. She is not looking for a relationship, but life has a way of changing. This book was a quick read.

I loved the slow burn romance in this. The character development along with the slow burn romance was just absolutely precious. I was so engaged with this book, and I especially loved all the little moments that led up to the two main characters getting together as a couple. I adored the setting and the supporting characters, as well. It is such a cute, and quintessential romance that is so easy to devour.

The Rom-Com Agenda is a closed door, slow burn romance full of pop culture references. In the beginning, my heart ached for the heroine who seemed to pine more for friends and family than the hero! But Eli helping Leah clean is my love language and these two eventually figured it out. I loved the cockatiel and Blanche the cat's judging looks.

This was a super cute romance! I really liked both Eli and Leah’s characters and the storyline of finding love when you least expect it!

This was a cute, closed door book. It was an easy read that felt like I was reading the script from my favorite rom-com movie. From the beginning, I was rooting for Eli and Leah. It was great to read a book about New York that wasn’t centered around the City. At points, the book felt a little long and I was yelling at Eli to get his act together. But I’m pretty sure that was the point. Overall, this book was worth a read and I would recommend.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

The Rom-Com Agenda is Eli’s plan to win back his girlfriend, that ditched him and his small hometown for Rome. Eli’s friends, an eclectic group, agree to help him from makeovers to movie lists; they're setting out to make Eli the “perfect catch,” even if they don’t agree that his ex-girlfriend Victoria is the perfect woman for Eli. Simultaneously, Leah finds herself back in the picturesque town of Willow Cove. Leah has a tumultuous past, mostly leaving her with no real place to call home. When she’s roped into helping Eli, she can’t deny how great it feels to be part of a community, a group of friends and to fall in love. Jayne Denke nailed the dialogue and the friendships throughout The Rom-Com Agenda and I appreciated that this wasn’t just a romance story. Love is being accepted, for who you are, in a place where you can be yourself and I adored watching Leah find this for the first time. The Rom-Com Agenda is out in early January 2023 and will be the perfect winter read for cozy days!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book!! It had everything that makes a rom com great—unrequited and unexpected love, lovable characters, crazy, well meaning friends and a HEA—I was sold. Highly recommend!!