Such a fun and interesting look into the book writing and publishing industry! The love/hate chemistry between Jack and Bryony was laugh out loud funny at times and kept me hooked. The sister relationship and the hilarious way that Gloria helps to alleviate Bryony's anxiety and nervousness was the icing on the cake.
This was the 'Perfect Rom-Com'!

Okay, The Perfect Rom-Com is seriously chef’s kiss perfect! 😍 Bryony Page is an aspiring author with big dreams to get published and save her grandmother’s ESL school. But after a cringe-worthy pitching session, she ends up ghostwriting for a bestselling author (who’s, like, the worst) while still trying to get her own book out there. Her agent, Jack, is a total swoon-worthy mess—funny, sweet, and just a little bit flawed, which made him way more relatable and charming. I loved watching Bryony’s determination and ambition unfold. She’s not your typical rom-com heroine—she’s bold, smart, and unapologetically herself.
The whole ghostwriting aspect was such a fresh twist! It gave the book an extra layer of depth, making it feel more unique than the usual rom-com tropes. Plus, the dynamic between Bryony and Jack was perfection—there was so much banter, and it made me laugh out loud more than once! 😂
And shoutout to Karissa Vacker, the narrator—she absolutely nailed the voices, especially the playful back-and-forth between Bryony and Jack. She brought their chemistry to life in such a fun way!
This book? Definitely worth the read (or listen). It’s witty, heartfelt, and so easy to root for the characters. If you’re into rom-coms with a little more substance and lots of laughs, you’re gonna LOVE this one. ✨📚

I loved this book!!!

It was so entertaining! I stayed up all night to finish it. The characters were very relatable, I LOVED the main character. The way the plot unfolded was very fun. I wish I could read more about the characters and The Bridge.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!

This book was a sloooooooooooooooooooooooooow burn. I was half way through and kept thinking to myself nothing has happened yet.! Especially for the title, The Perfect Rom-Com. I couldn't see how Jack and Bryony were to ever make sense. I was really rooting for Bryony though and her backstory was very special and I actually wanted more of that! There were a lot of subplots and I just couldn't get that invested in all of them. I am definitely willing to try other books by the author.

If you need an easy read, a palette cleanser, consider picking this one up!

'Bryony Page. What agent would be crazy not to want this?'

I dare you to read this book and not feel completely endeared to Bryony Page.

...and Jack
...and Gloria
...and Penny
...and Trina
...and Susanna
.... and even Albrecht

This book is without a doubt making my top 2025 favorites list and to be quite honest by all-time favorites list. This is my first book by Melissa Ferguson and I have never been happier to see a backlist from an author.

I am completely hooked.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

This book had so many fun elements to it from the characters, the romance, the dialogue (Bryony + Jack are completely swoon worthy together!), the settings, the side plots and back stories, the villain (and woowhee is she a great villain!). If you're looking for a romcom filled with HEART AND SOUL this is the book you want to read.

10 OUT OF 10 RECOMMEND, ALL OF THE STARS, ALL OF THE THUMBS-UP, SERIOUSLY--GET YOURSELF THIS BOOK ASAP!

I really cannot recommend this one enough. If you finish this without tears in your eyes (or completely running down your face) you are not human :) This book is quite possibly the definition of perfection. Thank you Melissa Ferguson for bringing this beauty in to the world (sincerely, your newest fan!).

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

Content/Trigger: death of a loved one (off page), romance-kisses only!

This was a fun story about a ghostwriter, Bryony, and her literary agent, Jack.

Even though this one is considered a romance, I feel like the romance wasn’t the focus of the book. There was romance but it was about Bryony and her struggles as an aspiring author (to get her own book published) and the grueling publishing industry. I loved Bryony especially that she was ESL teacher by day/writer at night. She was a strong-willed character with the desire to help others, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. The romance was slow burn but it was definitely worth the wait because I loved the ending.

3/3.5 stars. I have enjoyed Melissa Ferguson's past books but this one felt like there was too much going on unfortunately. I liked the audio more than the book, but this might be because some of the book felt slow. I did like Bryony as a main character however I found the plot deviated too far away from her own story at times. Was the ending realistic? Maybe? I guess it all depends on the contract both main characters signed. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital and audio copy.

My first read from this Author. I stumbled across it on net galley, and received an ARC. I don’t usually read clean romance. But this book! It was absolutely adorable. The FMC was passionate, searching to fond someone to represent and publish her book. Her book was a love tribute to her family, and their school, which teaches English to immigrants. The story begins with them loosing their funding, her writing a book about the school, hoping to find a miracle with her book, and keep the school open.

In enters Jack Sterling, literary agent. He offers her a chance to ghostwrite for a popular rom-com writer instead, while she edits her book and finds someone willing to publish it.


Cue cute tropes, cuter banter, and a brewing romance.
Tropes: traveling together, strangers to best friends to lovers, and more.


“I’ve been in love for quite some time, I just didn’t realize it was with him”

I loved this cute rom com! I loved the characters and I loved that it was a closed door romance that I can recommend to younger readers. It was a bit predictable, but I still really enjoyed!

I really liked the premise of this book and the dynamic between Jack and Bryony. I thought they worked well together after the time skip and it made sense to me that they would end up together.

I didn’t like that a lot of this book felt like it was a summary in place of a plot. The two year time skip caught me off guard but it was necessary to the rest of the book so I’ll let it slide even though we really missed a lot of Jack and Bryony moving from unlikely coworkers to friends. I think it would’ve been beneficial to see more of that relationship growth in the novel instead of in flashbacks.

The stakes didn’t feel very high for The Bridge because of all the skipping around in time. We never really saw Bryony there so it didn’t feel like as big of a deal as it was made out to be. Her Gran isn’t really in the novel that much so I didn’t feel like I knew her enough to feel sad about the Bridge closing.

Overall I wish there was more plot development and more relationship development but it was a fun read

After a disastrous pitch session at her first writers conference, aspiring author Bryony Page stumbles into correcting another author’s work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with literary agent Jack Sterling. When he offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist, Bryony agrees on one condition: she’ll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as he works to sell her own book too.

Bryony couldn't predict her books making Amelia literary royalty. She still held on to her publishing dream but stayed the ghostwriting course for her grandmother's struggling ESL organization.

I loved the narrator on this one. She brought out Bryony's chaotic life perfectly as she went on a book tour, tried to market her manuscript, and even fell in love. I loved the last chapters as everything fell into place for her beyond her wildest dreams.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

A very intriguing story of an aspiring author that starts ghostwriting! It honestly intrigued me so much and I’m disappointed I couldn’t get behind the entire novel.

The beginning of the book was really hard to get into. It was confusing because there’s this huge time jump and the beginning of the friendship between Bryony and Jack is never explained. They did not like each other at all when they first meet and I wanted to see that. We didn’t even get much of a flashback either and all of a sudden they’re in love with each other? Make it make sense please.

What I did like was the fact Bryony teaches English to immigrants and refugees. That part was so wholesome and I loved all her interactions with her students.

The last few chapters were intriguing with Amelia and the secret. Honestly one of the most entertaining parts of the book because I was not expecting it.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75

A book that feels like a stroll in Starshallow. This book is all golden retriever energy & no black cat.
What I loved💕:
💕 The banter between Jack and Bryony
💕 Up and coming author FMC
💕 Literary events
💕 Bryony sassiness
💕 that it included bookclub questions

What’s not my cuppa tea:☕️
☕️ all the extra information- it slowed down the book and I’m reading a romance to focus on the main characters
☕️ Hate for affirmations in the bathroom scene

the perfect rom-com was a super cute cozy romance. i saw some mixed reviews on this was but, i enjoyed it. bryony has a dream to a be a best selling author, after lots of rejection she gets a once and a lifetime opportunity. to ghostwrite for a very popular author . while doing this she meets jack and through ups and downs their relationship flourishes.

as someone who is an aspiring writer, this book was a great way to peak behind the curtains of what writing actually is like. i loved the characters, the love story and the banter and i cannot wait to get a physical copy

This was a cute book. I love an enemies to lovers trope. The main female being clueless was also so relatable. Melissa’s books are always heartwarming and bound to leave you feeling fuzzy. The banter between the two was so good. Not much for spice, but it didn’t feel like the book was missing anything without it.

3.5? This was… okay. It kept me entertained while reading & listening, but I’ll immediately forget about it. The length was perfect, but I do wish we had a little more backstory into their friendship, and a little less Amelia tour. Minus the miscommunication please. The end reveal? So sweet.

"The Perfect Rom-Com" by Melissa Ferguson is a sweet, heartwarming story about books, friendship, and love.

Bryony Page is an ESL teacher and aspiring author. Bryony's book is close to her heart, as it tells the story of her grandmother's legacy. When she tries to convince book agent Jack Sterling to publish her book, he gives her a counteroffer she can't refuse. Jack and Bryony work closely together to achieve their goals, and their easy friendship blossoms into romance.

Jack and Bryony's dynamic has lots of witty banter and cute moments. As main characters, they're both well-rounded. The secondary characters added a lot of humor and energy to the story as well, especially Bryony's students.

Bryony and Amelia's dynamic was entertaining. It was an interesting spin on an author/ghostwriter relationship, and their tension added some weight to the narrative.
Ferguson's writing has an upbeat, easy flow. She transitions from one chapter to another seamlessly. Ferguson's writing is so effortless, it makes it easy to want to keep reading.

"The Perfect Rom-Com" is the perfect beach, airport, or armchair read when you're looking for something sweet and heartfelt.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGally for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love reading romance books, and rom-coms rank pretty high. Hand over one that can give me more than a chuckle, and I'm good to go. Melissa Ferguson’s “The Perfect Rom-Com” was a fun read that takes readers almost into the mind of a rom-com writer. In this case, Bryony decides to write a novel and pitch it at a writer's conference to get an agent. She flubs it up but works an agreement in which she ghostwrites for a well-known rom-com author in exchange for her new agent to sell her book.

There were some funny exchanges. I did have challenges connecting with the characters. The plot was paced slower than I expected, which impacted my interest levels throughout the story. Though “The Perfect Rom-Com” may not have resonated with me, others will find several aspects of the story entertaining.

This was far from the perfect rom-com. It worked as a quick, fluffy palate cleanser, but nothing more. The writing was cheesy in a good way, and if you go in with low expectations, you might be pleasantly surprised. However, the biggest issue was the timeline—we completely skipped the two years where Bryony and Jack went from hating each other to best friends, which was arguably the most crucial part of their relationship development. Instead, we got tiny flashbacks, but it wasn’t enough. The story jumped from hate to friends to dating without really showing how they got there.

On top of that, the ending had massive plot holes, and it just wasn't my vibe. It was distracting, and it made the resolution feel rushed and unrealistic. The characters also felt a bit empty in places, like they needed more depth to make their emotions and choices fully resonate especially after having developed feelings over the span of two years!

Overall, while the romance felt more like a subplot to Bryony’s personal growth, it was still an enjoyable, light read. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, this fits the bill, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!