"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!

Bryony Page believes that selling her novel will be the financial answer to saving The Bridge, an organization where she teaches ESL, and then fails miserably pitching her novel to literacy agents. Literary agent, Jack Sterling, rejects Bryony's proposal, yet offers her a chance to proof another author's work. Her critique is spot on, and she becomes a ghostwriter for a best-selling author. The only condition is that Jack Sterling has to try to sell her novel. After best seller after best seller, Jack can't let her go both for business reasons but also on a personal level as he has fallen for this woman.

Bryony Page has written a book to raise awareness about The Bridge, where she teaches ESL to immigrants. However, finding someone to represent her and her book has been a bit of a challenge…until she meets Jack! Then, as luck would have it, she starts ghostwriting for a well-known author, and her life takes an exciting turn.
I have mixed feelings about The Perfect Rom-Com, but mostly, I enjoyed it! Bryony and Jack are such lovable characters, and their chemistry is just fantastic. I also found the secondary characters like Gloria and Penny to be refreshing and fun. However, there were moments when Bryony came off as a bit stubborn and immature, which was a tad frustrating. Plus, at times, the story wandered off on tangents that felt distracting, while some elements, like Bryony’s family, could have used a little more detail.
Despite these quirks, I really appreciated how the story developed and how everything came together in the end. I adored Jack and Bryony's interactions; their banter and sense of humor made me smile! This story is definitely character-driven, I kept turning the pages because I wanted to see what would happen with them. I was looking forward to a big finale, and it definitely delivered! It felt like Bryony had so many possibilities ahead of her that she just didn’t notice.
Overall, I really liked it! It was a light-hearted and enjoyable read that brightened my day. I especially loved the focus on the classes and their importance, being an ESL teacher myself (though not working with immigrants), I appreciated that aspect so much.

I wanted to share my thoughts because I’ve seen so many glowing five-star reviews for this book. I’m currently about 30% in, and I’m just not connecting with it yet. I’m going to put it down for now, but I’m open to giving it another try in the future. I won’t be leaving any negative reviews anywhere, though. Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

First 6 star read of 2025!!! This story gave me all the feels.

Bryony Page has a plan. She has to save her grandmothers business The Bridge from shutting down. The Bridge helps so many immigrants with learning English, taking their GED, and preparing them for life in America. It’s important and necessary and it can’t shut down. The plan is to take the story she’s written about her grandmother and the business, get an agent and sell it for a hefty sum. All while also bringing much needed awareness. Every other agent has turned her down, and this is her last shot. He, is her last shot. Jack Sterling, the toughest and most exclusive agent. And he’s just turned her down.

Jack knows that the book in front of him is not ready, but that’s not what’s troubling him. He has other problems. Problems he needs to focus on, if the girl with the book will ever leave. She’s insistent, and it piques his curiosity. He can’t help her with her book, but maybe she can help him.

An agreement is made, and these two find themselves working together, and becoming friends. Good friends. Best friends?? More than friends??

I was hooked early with this one. “I love shaping words and worlds within my story that bend to the dreams and hopes I wish the world existed on. I love that in a world so uncontrollable, I write so that the guy gets the girl in the end. The dog finds his family. The mother never dies.” This description right here just tugged at my heart so much!!

The bond between Jack and Bryony is perfection. There’s an ease that’s been formed that gives “my person” vibes 😍. And the way they both know one another and are able to banter and volley back and forth. I loved the little hints of them both bringing up their significant others, as more than just a reminder 😏😏.

I will say I wish the ending was longer. I loved it, but I do wish we got to sit with it a bit more. It was fast.

Jack Sterling!! Damn you Jack!!! His revelations were 😭😭 and his actions, though sometimes not right, were done with such care.

This is very much a happy ending lol!!

Just adored this one. Def need to read! And now I’m searching through Melissa Fergusons other books for my next read ☺️

I loved this book! The female main character was multi faceted and well developed. I loved the romance and found Jack to be swoonworthy. I also loved the deep look into the publishing world as well as the FMC’s work with ESL students. My biggest complaint with the book was that I just wanted more! I wish that it was at least 50 pages longer so that we could have delved into the themes of the book even further.

This was just the book pick-me-up I needed! Who doesn’t love a book about books and especially one that centers around the publishing process. I loved learning about this side of my favorite pastime.

Yes, the book is titled The Perfect Rom-Com and that’s more about the books in the story than the story itself. There is a romance, but it’s such a small player in this book that I certainly wouldn’t call this a rom-com as it’s more about Bryony’s journey to becoming an author..

Bryony stands up to a jerk agent, and then finds herself ghost writing one of the world’s most famous books just 4 years later. She’s trying to get her agent to publish her manuscript, an ode to her grandmother’s life work and her current job as well, but can’t seem to get any luck. The twists and turns that ensure as she tries to write the perfect rom-com, star in her own romantic story and get her book published take you on a wild ride!

I really enjoy some of this author’s other stories, and I would say that this one fits the bill for me. An enjoyable rom-com, with a cool publishing/author subplot, and a few other plots that tie together perfectly in the end. What more could you want from a quick, easy and fun read? I really enjoyed the complexity of the characters; I wish that they had more of a love story before they got pulled apart by their circumstances, but I was still rooting for them throughout the book, which is a sign of a good love story to me! Highly suggest this author, and specifically this book, if you enjoyed Book Lovers by Emily Henry or other of this author’s work!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

First off – the cover? Obsessed. It totally pulled me in, and I was crossing my fingers that the story inside would live up to the adorable, feel-good vibes it was giving.

This is actually my second book by Ferguson, and also the second one she’s written about a writer. I love that little peek into the publishing world; it always feels like such a fun, behind-the-scenes treat. Sadly though, beyond that, the book didn’t quite hit the mark for me, which is such a bummer because the concept had so much potential!

But here’s the thing: Bryony? She kind of drove me nuts. She gets an idea in her head and just beats it to death, even when it makes zero sense. Her inner monologues were endless, and sometimes I just wanted to shake her and be like, “Girl, please!”

Also, for a book with “Rom-Com” in the title, I was expecting a lot more romance. I was hoping for more cute, flirty moments between Bryony and Jack, but instead, most of the book just follows Bryony on her writing journey. Honestly, the title feels a bit misleading because the romance felt pretty minimal.

I think getting more of Jack’s perspective could have helped a lot. It would have made me feel more connected to the characters and their relationship, which felt kind of underdeveloped.

That said, the ending did give me some satisfaction. I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say someone gets what’s coming to them – and it felt GOOD.

Overall, it had its moments, but it left me wishing for more romance and better character development. I’ll still keep an eye on Ferguson’s future books because I know she can deliver, but this one was just okay for me.

DNF
I warmly thank the publisher for the chance of reading this book in advance.
The premises had multiple elements I love in a story, so I was super curious about this title and this author.
Unfortunately, the writing style isn't my cup of tea.
The narration flows flat, making me go back multiple times to reread the same passages and that dissolved my enthusiasm.. I couldn't empathize with the main character and feel invested in the story. That's why I decided to stop.

This whole story was so dull that I don't even know what to say about this one. The characters were so uninteresting I didn't even root for any of them. The only remotely interesting thing about this book was The Bridge and its students. I couldn't care less about Bryony and Jack was an awful person. His actions weren't justifiable, no matter the meaning behind them, and I can't even begin to comprehend how Bryony forgave him. I was cringing hard during the whole grand-gesture portion of the story, which was very unbelievable, even for a romance book.

During the entirety of The Perfect Rom-Com I felt like we were given a version of Amelia's first book and were left waiting for the Bryony's version of it.

The perfect rom-com, by Melissa Ferguson, is a delightful book that made me keep turning the pages, curious about the next chapter. The story starts with Bryony, an aspiring author with her mind set on saving The bridge: an organisation devoted to teaching ESL. It delves into the world of publishing, with some emphasis on " all that glitters isn't gold". The story is a cute rom-com with enjoyable banter between the main characters. Bryony's inner dialogue is unique and hilarious; it makes her stand out and gives her personality rather than just being a 2d stick figure on paper. However, I believe that the book title could be different. I simply feel as though it has no real connection with the book. As for the ending, it was so adorable it made my heart swoon with delight.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this ARC.

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful read. Byrony, an aspiring author and ESL teacher at The Bridge, hopes to get her manuscript—detailing the history of the building she loves—published. While editors reject her book, they recognize her talent and offer her a job as a ghostwriter for the famous Amelia Benedict. As Byrony's writing gains popularity, other ghostwriters quit, leaving her solely responsible for Amelia’s work. However, Amelia proves to be unbearable, and Byrony’s dream of publishing her own book remains just out of reach. Meanwhile, her friendship with Jack grows, filled with undeniable chemistry, but his refusal to support her manuscript eventually leads to conflict. I adored the ending, but I’ll leave that for you to discover—this is a rom-com you won’t want to miss!

Thank you, #NetGalley, for my ARC!

This book was absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!! I loved it from the beginning to the end. It was perfect, I don’t have any critiques for it.

I will undoubtedly read this book again in the future🥰🫶🏼

This was a Rom Com but it also highlighted the reality of publishing and the dark side that aspiring writers face especially ones who choose to be a ghostwriter.

I look forward to reading more from Melissa Ferguson!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson and Melissa Ferguson for giving me an ARC of this wonderful book!

“Fingers gripping me more protectively now, delight clear in the way he holds me, touches me. Draws his fingertips through my hair. Me. His Bryony. His girl. And it feels, well, it feels like home.” 🩷✍️🚍💻🌎🎳😘

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ALC!! I needed an audiobook for my busy day yesterday(getting the house ready for our kiddos and babysitter so we could go on a V-Day date)and this one perfectly fit the bill 😍😍

Bryony Page, aspiring author and ESL instructor, attends a writers conference, ready to pitch her manuscript. Though agent Jack Sterling isn’t all too impressed with her work in its current state, he offers Bryony another opportunity: to be a ghostwriter for bestselling rom-com novelist, Amelia Benedict.

However, what was meant to be a short-lived contract turns into a years-long commitment, in which Bryony becomes THE sole writer for Amelia’s “work.” Bryony is desperate to publish her OWN work under her OWN name, but the agency is loathe to let her go. And Jack, agent and eventual best friend, realizes he can’t let her go either.

I LOVED this story. In the hours listening to the audiobook, I laughed at Bryony’s and Jack’s banter, raged at Amelia’s selfish entitlement, swooned at Jack’s flirting and concern for Bryony, grew frustrated with Bryony while she fought for her beloved ESL program and manuscript, and celebrated when we finally reached a satisfying HEA.

As an aspiring author, this book gave me equal parts hope and anxiety 🤣 Bryony discovers the obnoxious politics of the publishing world, and desperately wants her story told. She finds that her original story needs a lot of work, and I gained a new appreciation for authors who put hours, weeks, months, and even years to realize their publishing dreams. I am anxious, but also excited to continue in this slow-moving journey 🩷

Talk about a fun book! The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful and witty romance that was the wonderful lighthearted escape!

Thank you to everyone for this early gifted copy of The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson.

You guys, Melissa has done it again, and this really is THE PERFECT ROM-COM. So so sweet. Wonderful characters. Great storyline. Parts that made me laugh, parts that had me rooting for main characters and one great part that took a twist and had me laughing with joy. I cannot recommend this book enough.

I have read almost all of Melissa's books, and I think that this might be one of my favorite, if not my favorite now!

i really wanted to love this one because the plot sounded so great - but it was just too slow for me and i didn’t feel any connection to the characters. i get that we need to understand the backstory but when you’re 50% in and you feel like you don’t know what’s going on in the present and some movement towards a turning point, you loose interest!

all opinions and reviews are my own - arc provided by netgalley and publisher for my honest opinion.