This is quite possibly the perfect summer read. Finn and Lavender have history that only Finn recalls and his recollections are what make this novel hilarious. Lavender's blissful unawareness just adds to the hilarity.

Finn is holding a huge grudge against all things Lavender. But Lavender doesn't have a clue and is determined to win him over. The problem for Finn is that the real life Lavender is hard to resist.

I absolutely adored this story and I'm hoping that Melissa Ferguson supplies us with more just like it (including these characters would be a bonus). In fact I think this would make a delightful movie.

I recommend getting a copy of this book (or audiobook) and pop it in your bag for your next trip, whether it be to the pool or the beach. You're not going to regret getting this one!

What a delightful read! This book is a great read that hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. It has wonderful characters, a great plot and will keep you reading late into the night. I loved it!!
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to wright a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for the advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review. A Hollywood romance between screenwriter and longtime "it girl" who have history, How to Plot a Payback was cute and funny, though sometimes Finn and Lavender's shenanigans were a bit over the top. The early pages may also raise eyebrows for animal lovers - would a charity trying to help pets find homes really just give cute puppies away during a fundraising event? There's zero spice, so if you're in the mood for a sweet workplace romance with some laugh out loud moments, How to Plot a Payback is one to check out!

I enjoyed this newest novel by Melissa Ferguson. I love a good enemies-to-lovers story and I love when two people stand out from the crowd - for instance, the two main characters being Brits. I will say, this is the slowest Ferguson book I’ve read so it took me a little longer to get through. But I ended up liking the ending enough to justify it!

Also, I struggled with the romance side of it all - I didn’t really feel like the characters (both) showed a ton of interest in each other and then they end up together. The chemistry could have been played up a little stronger.

Looking forward to the next release from her!

This one was confusing to me. Having read Ferguson's previous work Meet Me in the Margins, this felt like a totally different writing style and perspective. It was hard for me to grasp that the main characters were British but now working in Hollywood. It was hard to believe that two people from the same town in England from the same school/childhood ended up halfway around the world working on the same TV show...
I also get that Finn is the grumpy trope but it also took me a minute to be ok with a grown man holding this childhood grudge for years into adulthood, and still going through on plans to get even.
All that being said, once I got into it, the fast paced writing and humorous responses were fun to read. Hollywood/TV world was an interesting backdrop to the storyline. And they are dog lovers! This is also a slow burn romance and I wished there had been a little more to it in the end.

I'm not sure I would call this a romance -- more of a general fic/women's fic with a romance plotline. That said, it was fun -- I enjoy Melissa Ferguson's writing.

Loved these audiobook narrators! Truly! I was super into both of their stories - very relatable. I thought the part where Lavender is trying to give away dogs was super long and way too detailed.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Melissa Ferguson writes such fun stories that are easy to get lost in and this one was no different. From the hilarious situations, the rescue dogs, and the character development, I really enjoyed this.

Lavender Rhodes is the hottest actress in Tinseltown. She stars on a long running hit sitcom called Neighbors. Finn Masters is a screen writer who has just been poached from his true crime show to write for Neighbors. Unfortunately Finn holds a grudge against Lavender who has unknowingly ruined his life numerous times over the years. He starts to plot a payback by writing out of character things for her to do and say. But the more he writes, the more he realizes Lavender isn't so bad after all.

Read if you for:

-a Friends based sitcom
-tons of rescue dogs
-dual POV
-revenge gone wrong
-slow burn romance (no spice)
-the audiobook narrators were so good and perfect for Finn and Lavender

Really enjoyed this grumpy/sunshine romance book. The author did a great job introducing the characters as well as the reason they were behaving the way they were. I particularly liked the behind the scenes of a TV show with the writers and staff fleshing out the dialogue.

This was hilariously good and witty and easy to get into. I just struggled a little with the characters.
3.5 overall and thank you for providing me with an arc :)

I’ve read other books by Melissa Ferguson and really enjoyed them. This one was harder for me to get into and I can’t quite put my finger on why. The characters were fun, but I just didn’t connect to them at all. I think some will definitely enjoy it, and maybe it just was a wrong book, wrong time for me. I’ll definitely still give the author a try on future books.

A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

How to Plot a Payback
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Melissa Ferguson

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Thomas Neilson and Harper Collins and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Successful screenwriter Finn Masters just landed his dream job writing for Neighbors, one of Hollywood's highest-rated, longest-running sitcoms. The only downside? It will put him back in proximity of the show's universally adored, optimistic, altruistic star, Lavender Rhodes, who has been inadvertently ruining his life since they were school chums in England. But she doesn't even know she destroyed his acting career and wrecked his relationship with the love of his life.

He's not about to let this woman yank yet another dream out from under his feet. In fact, he realizes he's been given the ideal opportunity to plot his payback: spinning her character in shocking new directions.

What could go wrong? Only everything. As Finn's not-so-brilliant plot backfires one scene after the next, catching him in the blasts, he's forced to think about this impossible, infuriating... and maybe even lovable woman in an entirely new light.

My Thoughts: Finn Masters just landed the perfect job as a screenwriter for Neighbors, a sitcom that has been running for over a decade that is highly successful. However, it will put him working with his nemesis, Lavender Rhodes. She has been ruining his life since school, unbeknownst to her. She didn’t even know that she caused a trail of destruction for his life, making him stop acting and his love life. Becoming screenwriter for this series has given him an excellent opportunity to release payback by writing her character into different scenarios that he knows would be uncomfortable for her. What could possibly go wrong? This follows the tropes of grumpy/sunshine and enemies to lovers.

The story is narrated in a dual narration by both Finn and Lavender, in their respective perspectives. Finn is skeptical, stubborn, and is set in his ways, or what he perceives is his ways. Lavender is a people-pleaser, optimistic, sunshine, and kind. The characters were well developed, fleshed out, had witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. When the payback backfires, it opens up this lovely interaction between our MCs. The storyline had its funny moments, teaching moments, and even very tender sweet moments that touched my heart. The author’s writing style was complex, funny, sweet, thought-provoking, and engaging. One of my favorite things from the book is the transgression book, that was original. I also loved the dogs and sassy eighty-year olds.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio ARC of this story. I love the message of this storyline: To not judge a book by its cover. This storyline made me smile, laugh, sometimes sad, and sometimes even a tear, I really enjoyed this story. I highly recommend picking up this book today.

2.5 stars rounded up

Finn is starting his dream job as a writer for the biggest show on television. But the star is his nemesis, Lavender, and he has a list of ways she’s wronged him over the years. On the flip side, Lavender has no idea of all the wrongs she’s committed. But Finn is determined to get payback for his list, if only Lavender wasn’t so darn likeable.

For a book titled How to Plot a Payback, I didn’t really feel Finn’s sense of wanting payback until close to halfway thru the block. Even then, his payback methods were weak, and his attempts seemed easily given up. In general I found it to be somewhat boring.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy of this book.

Today, I finally finished HOW TO PLOT A PAYBACK by Melissa Ferguson! I had put it on the back burner for a bit because I just wasn't in the mood for the ebook, but I read the second half on audio, and I really enjoyed it.

In this celebrity romance, TV writer Finn Masters gets a job on a popular sit-com where the star is his old schoolmate and long-time rival, Lavender Rhodes. Determined not to let her sabotage this career milestone as she has others, he plots a little payback, using his role as a writer to put Lavender in situations she doesn't especially like. When his little revenge plots continually backfire, however, he begins to see Lavender in an entirely new light that challenges everything he has thought about her all these years.

As she did in last year's FAMOUS FOR A LIVING, Melissa Ferguson has created another set of characters who are down-to-earth and relatable despite their fame, and she has given us not just a fun rom-com, but also a neat peek behind the scenes of TV writing and acting. I'm not always a huge fan of celebrity romance, but I am a big fan of Ferguson's writing and could not pass up the opportunity to read another of her books.

If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers and the world of show business, this will the perfect beach or pool read for you this summer. And if you like audiobooks, the narration for this one is also really well done, and helps bring the characters even more fully to life.

Three stars! I did like this book - I enjoyed the slow burn romance aspect and the wholesomeness throughout. However, Finn came across as really petty and the ending was rather rushed.

I would recommend this as a cute, quick palette cleanser.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This is the perfect read for enemies to lovers fans. The book follows Finn who is a successful screenwriter and happens to land this dream job of writing for a popular sitcom. Picture you landing a job on Grey's anatomy *singing sigh*. Unfortunately for him his job comes with the world's most loved actress Lavender Rhodes .There is a thin line between hate and love and these two blur it. I absolutely enjoyed this read and felt it started a little slow.
Rating: 3.5/5

This book was not my favorite. It wasn't very clear in the beginning to follow along with who and what was going on. I didn't love the characters or how Lavender doesn't know who Finn is. I wanted to love this. I have loved Melissa's other books but this one wasn't for me. It wasn't terrible it just wasn't great. I would give it 2.5 stars.

I wasn't expecting to read this one practically in one sitting, but that's what happened! While I definitely enjoyed it and laughed out loud a lot, the last 25% perplexed me because it veered from the typical romance plot-line. That made me bump it down a star, but I did enjoy it overall!

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

Lavender and Finn have their lives interconnected.
Through time, Lavender has impacted Finn's life in too many instances, and always for the worse. And he blames her for every single one of them.
Even crossing the Atlantic, their paths keep crossing. Until the day Finn has the perfect opportunity to get his long-awaited revenge. But how? Manipulating the plot of their series against Lavender.

Interesting and funny. It is a marvelous way to spend your time!
What did I enjoy the most? The main characters, the community where Finn lives, and the dogs.
What did I enjoy less? The rhythm of the story - although it has a nice pace, some parts are of slow progress.

This is another good book from Melissa Ferguson, just like she made us expect.
(My favorite keeps being Famous for a Living🙂)