"The Perfect Rom-Com" by Melissa Ferguson was anything but perfect—or a rom-com, for that matter. The characters were dull and flat, with absolutely no chemistry. Bryony and Jack felt more like acquaintances than love interests, and the book lacked any real romance or relationship development. It read more like a forgettable, cozy read than a proper rom-com, and even that dragged for at least 70% before anything noteworthy happened (which was easy to spot a mile away).

One of the biggest issues was the time jump—it skipped over crucial moments that should have built the romance, making the connection between Bryony and Jack feel completely unearned. Where was the build-up? The tension? The chemistry? It just wasn’t there. The ending also felt incredibly unrealistic and left a bad taste in my mouth.

Aside from that, a key as to why this was lackluster read was the writing. The writing was all over the place, and the story itself felt like words on paper with no real meaning behind them.

All in all, a cozy read for those just looking to kill some time, but not something I’d recommend if you’re looking for actual romance or comedy.

Oh man I wanted to love this book. I went into it with high hopes after being a fan of the author’s. While it had so much potential, so I kept reading, but there was nothing really happening until abiut 50% in amd even then the characters were flat and there were so many plot holes that left you feel like you’re missing the meat if the story and just getting the side dishes. And the characters had zero chemistry! And the worst part, for being a rom com there was minimal comedy.
Sadly I won’t be recommending this ine, but that won’t stop me from reading the authors future books.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Based on the title and the my previous experience with this author's work ,I was really excited for this book. I was expecting a fun rom-com, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver that vibe. While there’s some romance, the connection between Bryony and Jack felt awkward and lacked chemistry, which made it hard to invest in their relationship. The first half of the book dragged, leaving me wondering when the plot would pick up. This feels more like chick lit than the rom-com I was hoping for. If you enjoy a more character-driven story, this might be for you, but it wasn’t the lighthearted read I anticipated.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author and Publisher for the Arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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

This book was such a treat! I adored Bryony and Jack...and totally loathed Amelia!!

Jack is an agent. Bryony is a writer needing an agent. Their meeting and eventual work relationship is not what Bryony had planned. She is hired to be a ghostwriter which leads her to great success, but unfortunately, she gets no credit. Bryony and Jack had such witty banter, and their relationship was so much fun with a connection that felt real. These two were just so perfect together even with the ensuing conflicts and misunderstanding. The moment when Bryony finally realized her feelings...and to know Jack had always been there (and even though she didn't know it he was dating her!) was the sweetest moment. The romance was great, but the side story with the Bridge/immigrants also captured my heart.

I am still smiling!

5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing and captivating experience, and I found the writing to be both engaging and accessible. The story flowed smoothly, making it easy to stay connected to the plot and characters without feeling lost or overwhelmed. The author struck a perfect balance, keeping things interesting while still making the content feel approachable. Overall, it was a wonderful read, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and easy-to-digest book.

Read this book in one full setting. I felt like it was relatable and livable. Everyone has a bit of Bryony in them and has that guy friend that they're not sure where they stand; a career that they are hoping really gets off the ground one day and a family member/friend cheering them on in the background if they're truly lucky. It was a great light hearted read that was catchy and had enough spirit to it that kept you entertained and wanting to know what was going to happen.

I was not expecting this book, and it surprised me in the best way! I usually really struggle with books written in the first-person present tense, but Melissa Ferguson knows her craft, and she created a compelling, gorgeous rom-com in "The Perfect Rom-Com." I adored Bryony and Jack, and between the tense and the pacing, Ferguson may have created a perfect rom-com. It's giving Norah Ephron in the best way.

Bryony is just the right blend of a down-to-earth teacher, gifted author, and confused adult, while Jack balances between swoon-worthy, smarmy, and surly, a flawed and loveable leading man. Ferguson's dialogue is snappy, she gives plenty of detail without overwhelming the reader, and she keeps the plot and characters tight. She knows the ins and outs of the publishing industry, and she illuminates them without ruining the magic. I loved to hate her villain, appreciated the wrap-up, and overall just could not put this book down!

The Perfect Rom-Com follows Bryony Page, an ESL teacher by day and an aspiring author by night. Eager to share her grandmother's story and save ESL school she runs from shutting down, Bryony attends a writers' conference to pitch her novel, and although her pitch massively fails, she unexpectedly lands a ghostwriting opportuning for the vain and demanding rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict. In exchange to be Amelia's ghostwriter, literary agent Jack Sterling agrees to help Bryony publish her own work. As Bryony's ghostwritten novels catapult Amelia to fame, Bryony remains in the shadows, becoming increasingly frustrated while grappling with her growing feelings for Jack.

Despite the engaging premise, I had a hard time getting into this one. This book, to me, leaned more toward chick lit than a true rom-com.

It took me about 50-60% in to feel slightly engaged, but even then, I struggled to connect with the story and characters. The writing felt a bit all over the place for me, making it difficult to stay immersed.

One of the biggest issues for me was the time jump - it felt like we skipped over crucial moments, especially in the romance. Where was the build-up? The chemistry? The relationship between Bryony and Jack felt like it came out of nowhere for me.

The ending felt really unrealistic too. I can't imagine a situation where that would happen without major, major consequences.

In the end, this book just was not for me!

This book was cute. Bryony Page is an aspiring writer and attends a writer's conference in Nashville hoping to seek representation. While there, Bryony meets Jack Sterling, a straightforward publicist who tells Bryony her book isn't ready, there is potential but its not there. However, the potential that Jack sees leads to him signing her as a ghostwriter for bestselling author Amelia Benedict. What should be a one and done deal turns into a multiyear partnership that sees Bryony and Jack become closer as friends.

While the majority of this book takes place over a span of two weeks, Melissa Ferguson does a great job of providing enough backstory for Bryony and Jack for this to not feel like a rushed romance as the foundation already exists between the two. While I thought the "oh no" moment that drives our main characters apart was a bit obvious, I nevertheless still enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend for anyone who is wanting a nice vacation rom-com.

The Perfect Rom-Com is Melissa Ferguson’s newest stand-alone romantic comedy. It is a clean workplace romance set in the literary world.

29-year-old Bryony Page attends her first writers’ conference in Nashville, Tennessee, hoping to meet a publisher who wants to purchase her masterpiece. She is an ESL teacher at her grandmother’s charity for immigrants in suburban Florence, New York. Bryony’s 149,000-word nonfiction manuscript isn’t interesting to anyone, and she’s devastated because she has spent years drafting it. When she meets uber-agent Jack Sterling, he dismisses her two minutes into her allotted fifteen-minute pitch. Bryony rallies and comes back, demanding that he give her the remainder of her time slot. They wind up discussing bestselling author Amelia Benedict’s latest draft, and Bryony makes some suggestions. Jack offers Bryony a job as Amelia’s ghostwriter, and in exchange he will try to market her book.

Fast-forward two years and Bryony has written six bestselling romantic comedies for Amelia Benedict. Both Amelia’s publisher and Jack’s literary agency realize that Bryony is the key to Amelia’s success, because she does nothing but make ridiculous demands. Amelia is beloved by the public, and she is booked for a two-week book tour across the United States. So Bryony and Jack are forced to go on tour with Amelia in order to keep her from making any mis-steps. Unfortunately, Bryony and Amelia can’t stand each other, and Bryony is at her wits end waiting on Jack to find a publisher for her book.

The Perfect Rom-Com is a clean romance with no profanity or sex and provides a behind-the-scenes view of the cutthroat world of publishing. The first few chapters chronicle Bryony’s experience at the writer’s conference, and contain more details than most readers are interested in. It was hard for me to get through these chapters, because the action was so slow. Once the story fast-forwarded two years to Bryony’s success as a ghostwriter, the story moved faster and was more enjoyable. The reader is questioning Jack’s motivation and trustworthiness alongside Bryony, while also hoping there’s a way to save The Bridge.

The characters really make The Perfect Rom-Com a special story. Bryony truly loves her job as an ESL teacher, and she’s loyal to a fault. Her younger sister, Gloria, is her ride-or-die best friend and cheerleader. Less is known about Jack, which adds to the conflict and suspense element. Other side characters, including Penny, Susanna, and Bryony’s students, add dimension to the story. Amelia is the perfect villain, and readers wait hopefully for her to get her comeuppance. The Perfect Rom-Com would make an enjoyable Hallmark-type movie.

As a side note, I attended the Tennessee Writers’ Conference in 2024, where this author was a speaker on a Romance panel. She shared her experiences as an ESL teacher and how she transitioned to writing romantic comedies.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 Stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC & HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the ALC through NetGalley! 🎧💌

Okay, so, I really wanted to love this one because, hello, it’s called The Perfect Rom-Com—like, sign me up, right?! But OMG, this was anything BUT perfect. 😩 I had soooo many icks with this book that I honestly don’t even know where to start. Let's get into it!

Where’s the romance, though? I mean, come on, we’re promised the perfect rom-com, and I got like... barely any romance! It was all about the setup and not enough about the connection between Bryony and Jack. I swear, the first half of the book was so slow, I felt like I was waiting for the plot to show up. And then there’s this huge time skip that was just meh—why even have it if it didn’t add anything substantial to their relationship? 💤

I really couldn’t care less about the characters. Bryony? Girl, what were you even doing? I didn’t get what was so special about her, and Jack? Let’s just say I’m not buying the chemistry between them. The friends-to-lovers trope felt so forced, and the “slow-burn” felt like it was on pause the whole time. Like, give me some tension, some heat, anything! But no, instead, we get nothing until it’s like—BOOM, they suddenly like each other? Sorry, no. 😒

I also felt like the whole story was trying to juggle too many things and didn’t do any of them well. Is it a workplace romance? Is it about ghostwriting? Is it supposed to have a happy ending? None of it made sense, and the romance? Nonexistent! 😤

Oh, and don’t even get me started on the conflict. 🙄 It was dragged out, awkward, and honestly just didn’t feel right. I get that there’s supposed to be some tension, but it didn’t work for me. I kept waiting for the big romantic moment to hit, and it just... didn’t. 😑

All in all, I wanted so badly to love this book, but it fell flat. It's just not the rom-com vibe I was expecting. So, if you're here for deep character development and slow-building tension—this might be for you. But if you're craving that classic rom-com magic, this ain't it.

Trope check:
📚 Friends-to-Lovers
💘 Agent-Author Dynamic
📚 Workplace Romance
💘 Chick Lit Elements
📚 Tension-Fueled Romance
💘 Slow Burn Romance

Romance light as a feather, no real chemistry 🔥

Final thoughts: Super disappointed. This one’s just not my jam, but hey, others might enjoy it—just wasn’t for me! ✌️

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the Arc. Bryony Page is a tenacious inspiring author who finds herself fumbling to make a good first impression, quickly realizing she is way in over her head. Bryony loves hard and is a fierce protector of those she cares about including her first book. Talk about love is blind. There's something about Bryony that leads Jack to make her an offer she can't refuse. She desperately wants to make a name for herself to help her beloved ESL students but is plagued by the shadow of being a ghostwriter. Bryony has some tough decisions to make as she finds herself experiencing one betrayal after another. I found the long distance relationship highlighted just how naive Bryony is though she is passionate and strong-willed which is important later in the story. The banter between Bryony and Jack had some notable Rom Com moments. Their relationship read more of a secondary storyline that developed towards the last 20 percent of the book. I found myself wanting more from them especially after Jack redeems himself. Can Bryony get both happy endings that she desires?

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were so lovable and I found myself rooting for them all (except Amelia— although a change of heart from her would’ve been nice to see). I share such a deep love for The Bridge and all of its students, I can really resonate with the mission of The Bridge so for that to be the extra driving force for Bryony to be so determined to become a published author after 2 years of her having a ghostwriting career was truly special for me. I squealed during Chapter 13 when Jack made my heart swoon, and cried happy tears with Bryony when Jack and all her friends who believed in her (despite the consequences) all rallied together to put her name on her hard work and let the world know in Chapter 25. Jack was exactly who she needed in her corner and my heart is fully content with how this story ended. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read such an empowering book.

“The Perfect Rom-Com” wasn’t so perfect for me. I love a story about someone getting to live their dream. Add in some romance, witty banter and I am typically hooked. It’s a well written witty story with great banter. That aside, I didn’t love it. Bryony, the FMC is determined to find an agent in hopes of getting her novel published. She knows it may need some polishing, but she believes in her heart that with the right agent, it will be a success. She just needs someone to champion her. When she attends a publishing event she is scared and hopeful. Things do not go as planned. Then Jack, world's most condescending and pompous agent of them all makes her an offer. She sees it as a once in a lifetime offer and believes every promise he makes and signs on the dotted one without hesitation. What could possibly go wrong? We do get to the inevitable HEA for Bryony, but by that time I wasn’t terribly interested. I found most of the characters not terribly likable. Additionally, I didn’t find there to be much real chemistry between the two main characters. Love this author, this just wasn’t my favorite.

A delight of a book! The Perfect Rom-Com is the second book I've read by Melissa Ferguson and my favorite so far.

Plot Summary: Main female character Bryony wants to be a published author, and use the money earned from book sales to save a charity she loves. She attends a literary conference to pitch her manuscript, and meets a grumpy agent named Jack. Jack doesn't like her manuscript, but likes her writing ability so he hires her to be a ghostwriter for one of his romantic comedy clients. Fast forward two years, and Bryony has become a wildly successful ghostwriter, but doesn't have the personal fame to get her original manuscript published under her real name. Through a series of events, her forced proximity with Jack turns into a more romantic relationship than agent-author. However, the issue of her manuscript and the charity she wants to save still exists. Can she find a way to save the charity, write under her own name, and also enjoy a relationship with Jack?

My Thoughts: This book has snappy dialogue and great pacing. There are no lulls in the middle as with some books. The overarching genre is women's fiction, with the romance plot picking up about halfway through the book. I was captured into the story at the very beginning and didn't even miss the lack of romantic interaction in the first half of the book.

The writing style reminded me of a Katherine Center book, minus any language or intimacy beyond kissing. The plot felt original and fresh; it didn't overuse romantic tropes like many romantic comedy books fall prey to.

I enjoyed learning abut the back end of the literary world and how agents work with authors. I didn't expect to learn so much about publishing books from a fun rom-com book! As an avid reader, I loved the snippets where the author described the stereotypical personality of book fans, such as wearing book shirts. The author's stream of conscience style of writing for the main character was one of my favorite parts. Her insights were relatable and authentic.

I highly recommend this book to any rom-com reader!

Content considerations: There is no language or spice. Kisses only. No faith content mentioned.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book. My review is my own opinion and my words are in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

Melissa Ferguson delivers a rom-com with heart, humour, and a fresh take on storytelling. The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful read with a charming mix of romance, career ambition, and just the right amount of drama to keep you hooked.

Bryony is a fantastic FMC—driven, passionate, and refreshingly level-headed. She’s got a mission and sticks to it, which makes her an easy character to root for. She doesn’t get caught up in unnecessary drama, yet she’s full of spark and determination. Then there’s Jack, the loveable literary agent who had me on his side from the start. I enjoyed how his career in publishing added depth to the story, and the journey of a ghostwriter unfolding in the background was a unique and interesting layer.

The antagonist is written so well—frustratingly so! I wanted to reach into the book and slap her on Bryony’s behalf more times than I can count. That’s a sign of excellent writing, though, right?

Now, onto the romance. This is where things were a little hit-and-miss for me. The time jump of two years felt jarring—I wanted to see Jack falling for Bryony rather than just being told it happened off-page. A dual POV would have worked beautifully here, giving us insight into Jack’s feelings and showing his pining firsthand. And while I’m not usually a fan of a third-act breakup, this one was handled better than I expected, so I’ll give it credit where it’s due.

The only real downside? Bryony’s long-distance relationship subplot dragged on longer than necessary. It was obvious where that was headed, and I wished it would resolve sooner.

Overall, I devoured this book and would recommend it. It’s a fresh take on contemporary romance with an engaging premise, lovable characters, and a satisfying balance of humour and heart.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for an eArc of this book; my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating 3.5/5
It was perfect, it made me giggle, swoon and giddy for the most part. The dynamic between the main characters, the challenges faced by a writer said in such details but funny and emotional at the same time - it was all so good.
The immigrant community , the teaching and the heart felt moments
Friends to lovers
The sisterhood
The banter and fun moments
The BTS of writing and publishing industry
I loved every second of ot until like three fourth.
This friends to lovers rom com wa so perfect until it wasn't for me. The one trope that I dislike- miscommunication between the main characters was so huge, I couldn't ignore it - mainly from Jack's part. Also the part where Bryony didn't edit or read through her first draft at all until she was literally forced to be in a position seemed kind of far fetched. The drama that unfurled at the end was understandable but not quite? Something didn't sit well there when it said Jack eluded from all legal issues due to the drama he pulled. I genuinely wanted to love it, so I listened to the whole book for a second time, although some of the intentions seemed fine, still the FMC being so annoying and MMC being so elusive weren't for me.

The Perfect Rom-Com is Melissa Ferguson at her finest. I absolutely fell in love with the FMC Byrony from the moment I met her. She is tenacious and scrappy. I loved her relationship with her sister and her meeting with potential agent, Jack, was so good. Epic!

There are so many laugh out loud moments and many other subtle moments that had me smiling or giggling. This is a book that I needed to relish every word for fear of missing something.

I loved that this took place in the literary world, it seemed so real, highlighting many of the challenges writers experience in this age of social media.

It concludes with the most fabulous grand gesture, truly unmatched!

So so good! The perfect clean romance and truly the "perfect rom-com" 😉

The Perfect Rom-Com follows Bryony, an ESL teacher turned ghostwriter, as she tries to save her school by getting her manuscript (inspired by the school and her grandmother) published.

I was really looking forward to this book because it was described as a publishing world take on 2 Weeks Notice (one of my favorite movies!) but this was not it. This story was incredibly slow- the actual action/problem (beyond the initial “save the bridge” goal) wasn’t really clear until about 40% through. Much of the book is Bryony’s internal dialogue which is often repetitive and very judgmental- big “not like the other girls” energy. I also got the feeling that the author has contempt for romance writers and readers, which is weird because that’s literally her genre.

The romance aspect was really lacking as well. There was little tension/build up between the two main characters. They are friends and then one day she realizes she likes him. Literally overnight. We don’t actually get to see any of the relationship develop. (I will say the “you weren’t dating me, but I was dating you” conversation was swoony but that was it.)

The book relies on a miscommunication trope and it is done in the most frustrating way possible. There was no nuance or novelty. She hears something that doesn’t match what she thought and then refused to hear any explanation- going so far as deleting emails- from a man who has apparently only ever been wonderful for two years. It’s my least favorite trope and this was not my favorite execution of it.

Last thing which is not a big deal but was distracting to me— the description of Seaside, Fl and Rosemary Beach make it so clear that the author hasn’t been and didn’t even bother to google maps the area. The bookstore in Seaside (shout out to Sundog Books) is teeny tiny- definitely no stage and no room for a long Q&A line. Rosemary Beach has no strip malls at all (definitely no Tesla dealership or Williams Sonoma!!) and all of the buildings are based on the French Quarter and all neutral colors. Again really not the point but it was jarring having actually been to both places.

Overall I liked the premise but the execution was lacking.

Not spicy, male female, 1st person single point of view, contemporary romance. I really enjoyed this author's writing style. Interesting premise, great banter, and fun to read. The story flowed well and was the perfect length. I look forward to reading more from this author.