Finn Masters is a renowned screenwriter, having cemented his name among the greats for his work on a murder mystery show. He elects to try his talents elsewhere, hopping on the writing team and production staff of the long-running show Neighbors working with the best in the biz. But there's one problem: his high school rival and the woman who has ruined his life at every turn, famous and beloved actress Lavender Rhodes is the star. But realizing this could be his opportunity for revenge, he begins writing in more and more outrageous scenes for her... only for her to come up smelling like roses and him to get in trouble with his boss. The more her works to make her miserable the more he realizes he make actually like her, after all.

As soon as I read the premise for this book, I was like SIGN. ME. UP. I adore celebrity romances, especially the more plausible ones between a celebrity and another celebrity or at least someone who runs in the same circles--and here, we have exactly that. I think the build up to Finn realizing he didn't actually hate Lavender was perhaps too long and the pranks could have starter earlier, but as a whole I really, really enjoyed the book. They were two immensely fun and lovable characters that I shipped so hard. The ending tied everything up with a bow (perhaps even too perfectly) but I like see the characters happy--I'm reading romance for the HEA, after all.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Uplit Reads for my eARC and finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

*ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️ (no spice)

After years as a screenwriter, Finn Masters gets the opportunity of a lifetime: to work as a writer on the well-known, and loved sit-com Neighbors. The only snag - Lavender Rhodes is one of the stars of the show, and she is the reason for a lot of Finn's dreams falling apart. He plots a payback for all she has cost him, but well . . .things don't always go as planned. It may prove to be more difficult than anticipated to want bad things to happen to such a charismatic person, specially when you are secretely a total sweetheart.

One can only love Lavender Rhodes; she is such a quirky and loving person, always seeing the best in people and putting others first. She also has no clue of the effect she has on people and what chaos she brings into their life without any ill intent. She seems like such a sweet character, and more than once I caught myself smiling while thinking about what her charm will provoke next. Overall, such an enjoyable character, a pure ray of sunshine.

Finn Masters comes across as grumpy. Specially at the beginning, I pictured him with a thundercloud above his head, ready for a pour-down whenever something doesn't go as planned. He is a good guy at heart and very caring of the people around him, always putting on the extra work so that everyone is well looked after.

This was a lovely story, there were parts where I couldn't stop smilling. The chemistery between these two is unbelievable and you keep rooting for them. There are so many small moments of misfortune and these characters are constantly drawn to each other without him wanting to. I also really liked the setting of the story, the show Neighbors reminded me of the series Friends, which added a nostalgic touch to it. The furry friends Miles and Bernie were the cherry on top of the cake and added to the authenticity of the story.

(Possible spoiler ahead) I would have loved a slightly different pacing; the romance is introduced very late in the story, and there was plenty of opportunity to introduce it sooner with small meaningful moments. The ending was also a little bit strange in my opinion, regarding how some things were resolved, you will understand when you read it. But oh well, it worked for them and the story. (end of spoiler)

Overall, I really enjoyed it and the author will stay on my radar for future releases. You should definetely pick it up if you enjoy sweet romances without any spice, or if you are new to the genre.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This was such a fun, rom-com with a fresh storyline surrounding an enemy to love interest premise. Finn and Lavendar are from the same hometown in England. Over the years, situations have occurred that in Finn's eyes have destroyed his life due to Lavendar (unbeknownst to her!) Finn now has his dream job in the states as a screenwriter for the highest-rated, longest-running sitcoms...which stars his nemesis, Lavendar!

Oh, my! The hilarity of the two and so many puppies and cats and senior citizens. Finn sets his mind to payback Lavendar in negative ways...but he is a good guy at heart which doesn't mix well with his schemes. As Finn secretly plots against Lavendar, nothing goes as planned. Including his feelings!

This was a super sweet, fun story! Looking forward to what is next for this author...

4 stars

I've read and/or listened to several of Melissa Ferguson's books now, after doing one for a library book club (Meet Me in the Margins). This author has a talent for writing fun, interesting stories without the spice (for those that prefer that), but manages to remain interesting for mainstream readers as well. This book delivered on that in the same way her other books have and I'm certain it will be wildly popular with the patrons of my library!

This was fun and I adored the writing style (each character had a distinct voice), but I also felt like there were some gaps that made things a little confusing at times (the transgressions weren’t clearly explained and some of the scenes cut abruptly). The romance also didn’t feel 100% developed unfortunately. Overall though, it was a cute read.

I struggled through the beginning of this book. A grown man keeping a list of grievances against a woman (young girl, really) is a bit absurd. It did get better, but not enough for me to rave about this one.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Melissa Ferguson has written another highly entertaining and enjoyable book that I couldn't put down and simply had to read in one night! I loved both main characters, Finn and Lavender, and that the book was written in dual point of view, crossing between Finn's grumpy thoughts to Lavenders sunshiny outlook on everything. Their dynamic was perfect and kept me guessing as to how far Finn would go in plotting revenge or if he would thaw towards Lavender. The behind the scenes look at the writers room, set and cast of a tv series was interesting too, I enjoyed reading behind the scenes of that industry alot. All up it was a great book that I would recommend and I can't wait to read more by Melissa Ferguson. I received a complimentary copy, opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

You guys, this book was hilarious. And so original. Two Londoners with a past, unbeknownst it to one of them, wind up on the same set in Hollywood, working on the same show. One loathes the other because of all the problems she’s caused in his life, but the other is adorably oblivious to her hand in upending everything he’s worked for…
I couldn’t help but fall in love these two! Finn is bent on revenge (sorry, payback), and Lavender is just sunshine that you want to hug. I love that this book wasn’t what I initially expected from the author, but throw in a Bernese mountain dog (who stole my heart), some chickens, and endless wit, and you’ve got Melissa’s signature stamp all over it! 👏🏻

🎶 I just wanna stay in that lavender haze🎶

Warning: you will have Taylor Swift stuck on repeat once you realize how many times lavender is mentioned in this story.

How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson is a dynamic story that toggles between a down in the dumps screenwriter named Finn and the thorn in his flesh, Hollywood daytime starlet, Lavender Rhodes. Finn somehow lands a role of a lifetime working as a head screenwriter for a very popular show that…. Lavender is the star in!! (Cue the suspenseful music NOW) Finn now has the power of payback on his watch
and the reader is given a backstage pass of how he plans his diabolical sabotage for Lavender.
Honestly as the story played out, I found myself uninterested in Lavender’s reactions to Finn’s failed attempts for revenge. It could have been much more and don’t even get me started on Finn’s neighbors. Ugh, they are so cute but we see so little them!?! 2.5 ⭐️for me
🍿Dual POV

🎬Grumpy x Sunshine

🎥Slow Burn

❤️Enemies to Lovers

🌶️No Spice
🐶Dog lovers

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me with an eARC of How to Plot a Payback in exchange for my honest review.

Ferguson is a favorite of mine! How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson is another fantastic story that was such a delight.
Right from the very beginning I found myself fully immersed in this book and couldn’t put it down. And if I did happen to not be able to read it for a day or two I was able to get right back into the story when I did.
Her rom-com’s are the best and she never disappoints!
This is one of those books that will undoubtedly leave me in a slump for days because I want to be back with Finn and Lavender.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Happy Publishing Day to Melissa Ferguson and the delightful book, How to Plot a Payback!

Y'all know I loooooooove a Hollywood romance and that enemies to loves is my fave trope... needless to say, this one was right up my alley and I devoured it on Sunday afternoon.

Finn Masters is an accomplished screenwriter in Hollywood. He is stunned to be offered a gig on one of the longest-running sitcoms. It feels too good to be true and in a way, it is... because the star of the show is Lavender Rhodes, his nemesis since their school days back in the UK.

Finn takes the job and quickly realizes that while he has spent most of his adult life avoiding and blaming Lavender, she has spent that time... just living. He is determined to not fall her charm like everyone else and decides that she needs to be taken down a few pegs. And yet...

Finn and Lavender are easy characters to fall for. And what a supporting cast! If you're looking for a sweet Hollywood romance, this is it! Big thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for this ARC to read and review.

Will post on GoodReads, retail sites and my bookstagram @scottonreads

DNF at 14% this one I just couldn’t connect with, the writing and characters felt so surface level. I think the premise was fun and I enjoyed the setting but this one was sort of meh.

Thank you UpLit Reads, Melissa Ferguson, Libro.FM, Thomas Nelson and John Marshall Media for my #gifted copies of How to Plot a Payback! #HowToPlotAPayback #melissaferguson

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐅𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

4.5★

Melissa Ferguson is seriously my favorite. I can always count on her books to bring me so much joy, and her new release, How To Plot a Payback, is an absolute hit! She writes the best characters and this heartwarming novel will have you laughing out loud!

Finn Masters just landed his dream job writing for Neighbors. The only problem is it will put him back in close proximity with Lavender Rhodes who ruined his life when they were in school in England. What better way to get back at the person who ruined his acting career and his love life, than to plot his payback by spinning her character in shocking new directions. The only problem with Finn’s plan is that it backfires, forcing him to think about Lavender in an entirely different light.

Melissa Ferguson writes the sweetest rom-coms that are so heartwarming and always leave you with a smile. She is so talented and I always look forward to reading her books!

🎧I alternated between the physical book, and the audiobook, which was narrated by both Fiona Hardingham and Steve West. I found both narrators to be so dynamic and I really enjoyed my time listening to them bring Finn and Lavender to life! I would highly recommend both the physical book or the audiobook if that option is available to you!

🎬Dual POV
🎬Actress x Screenwriter
🎬Grumpy x Sunshine
🎬Hollywood Setting
🎬Slow Burn
🎬Enemies to Lovers
🎬Closed Door

Posted on Goodreads on April 2, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
Posted on Instagram - Full Review- April 3, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 3, 2024
**-will post on designated date

✨4 STAR READ ALERT ✨

👉🏻Last year I read @ourfriendlyfarmhouse ’s “Famous for a Living” and absolutely loved it! So when I got the opportunity to read her newest book “How to Plot a Payback” a little early I was like…. Ummm yes please!

❤️ This is a sweet wholesome Rom-Com about two childhood schoolmates who move to Hollywood to start new lives, but not together, in fact our main man Finn has a little bit of a grudge against our Lavender and might just be trying to plot a little bit of payback for an incident with an ill timed trap door accident.

🌻I loved our Lavender and Finn! But I also loved our cast of characters including the doggies🐕 This book also puts the com in rom-com it had me laughing outloud. Equally full of heart as it is laughs I would for sure add this to your Spring and Summer TBR.

Thanks to @netgalley and @tnzfiction for the e-arc! #wholesomeromance #cleanromancenovels #maddiesbookishthings #readersgonnaread

In "How To Plot a Payback," by Melissa Ferguson weaves a tale of personal vendettas. The story follows successful screenwriter Finn Masters as he embarks on his dream job writing for Neighbors - think “Friends”- a highly acclaimed sitcom. However, his excitement is dampened by the prospect of working with Lavender Rhodes, the show's beloved star and Finn's lifelong nemesis.

The central conflict revolves around Finn's desire for revenge against Lavender, who unknowingly sabotaged his acting career and relationship in the past. Finn sees this opportunity for payback only to find his plans consistently backfiring.

As the story progresses, I found this bubbly versus revenge dynamic repetitive and lost interest in the narrative. The predictability of Finn's schemes and Lavender's reactions may detract others from the overall engagement with the plot.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel offers moments of reflection as Finn is forced to confront his feelings towards Lavender and reassess his motivations. Those who enjoy light-hearted romances with a touch of Hollywood may still find enjoyment in this read.

This highly-entertaining romcom was set in the Hollywood film industry and featured a quirky and lovable (and occasionally not-so-lovable) cast of characters who worked as writers, actors, and producers on a long-running and well-loved TV sitcom. The main characters were Finn, a gifted and hard-working writer who had a chip on his shoulder against Lavender, the star of the show who was all sunshine and positivity in real life but oblivious to the ways her actions had caused Finn problems through the years of their acquaintance. I loved the hilarious way the author wove their two unlikely-to-be-friends stories together as Felix decided to exact his revenge through the character Lavender played on the show and Lavender refused to hold a grudge against him. There are lessons to be learned, lots of laughs to be had, and a swoony romance to be savored in this book. I loved it! Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

This is such an entertaining and fun book to read! When I picked it up, I was exhausted from my baby deciding to be wide awake in the middle of the night, and I just needed an easy book that would distract me during his naps that day. This book was exactly what I needed! I looked forward to reading it again every time I set it down, and it made me laugh to myself multiple times.

There isn’t much romance to the book, but the comedic aspects are really fun, and I loved the characters and their growth. I really enjoyed this book, and I would love to reread it again at some point in the future!

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

How to Plot a Payback is a cute rom-com, but heavy on the com (and light on the rom). Finn is a writer who hates Lavender because she ruined his life several times over, and wouldn't you know it, he ends up as a writer on her show. Lavender is an actor who... doesn't remember Finn. (Which I didn't love -- it's annoying to read about a character with a grudge who claims that someone ruined their life, when the supposed life-ruiner doesn't even remember them. It makes the grudge come across as petty.) As a writer, he keeps writing bonkers scenes for Lavender as payback, and of course, it blows up in his face.

It's not just the rom that's com, but the rest of the book, too. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! Sometimes I'm in the mood for a comedy-heavy rom-com, and How to Plot a Payback really leaned into that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me with an eARC of How to Plot a Payback in exchange for my honest review.

Can I start by saying I absolutely love Melissa Ferguson? She's written some incredible books that have totally stolen my heart, so I was so grateful to get this advanced copy to read!

✔️Slow Burn
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Rom Com
✔️Grumpy Sunshine

Such a great line up of tropes!

This one fell a little short for me because I just couldn't connect with, or find either MC very likeable. There was a scene towards the end that absolutely had me swooning, but it was just the one and the rest just kind of fell flat for me. I still recommend giving it a try because maybe it's your cup of tea?!

In this hilarious Hollywood TV sitcom background, there are many laugh out loud moments and sweet awwww inducing moments. How to Plot a Payback was a refreshingly funny read in the midst of this chaotic world.

Finn is a very successful writer for a popular TV show in America, but when he is given the opportunity to write for the biggest show in TV, he jumps at it. Even if that means he'll be writing for his nemesis...the one who seemingly is in the middle of all his failures. Lavender Rhodes is America's British sweetheart. She seems to be the perfect person, but Finn can has countless encounters with her that have sabotaged his career, unbeknownst to her.

This is where the hilarity begins. Finn begins writing for Lavender's character, and he takes her to places she's never been. Much to our amusement, the payback Finn tries to enact, of course, backfires. Readers will not want to put this delightful romcom down!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson - Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.