This book super cute and a fun read. I’m absolutely obsessed with Jack’s and Bryony’s relationship. They have such a fun and sassy friendship and it’s honestly the cutest. And if we are being honest I was rooting for them from the minute she dropped her proposal in his lap. I thought Bryony’s story was really cool. She had passion and drive and didn’t give up when things got hard and that is something that I think everyone can look up to. Jack is cool and strong willed. He is really sweet when you get to know him but also is super funny! And on that note, the humor in this book was RIGHT up my alley and It definitely kept me laughing. I’m super grateful that I was able to read this arc from netgalley, and if you are looking for a cute romcom with a good plot then this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this #gifted book!*
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Title: The Perfect Romcom
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Genre: Clean Romcom
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Synopsis: Bryony Page is an aspiring author with a manuscript that needs work to say the least. When she finds herself rejected again, she is desperate to make her last pitch at the writers conference count. And through a strange turn of events, she becomes the ghostwriter for the queen of romcoms represented by the most successful but also the grumpiest literary agent, Jack Sterling. As the two work together to publish best-selling romance novels, Bryony still longs to share her own story and hopefully financially support her grandmother’s ESL program. But a sudden change in relationship status leaves Bryony questioning everything she thought she knew about her agent and best friend Jack. Maybe she won’t just end up writing a perfect romcom but actually living it.

Analysis: Melissa Ferguson is known for her romcoms that are just plain fun, and that is exactly what this one is! I absolutely loved the witty banter between Jack and Bryony. There’s a total grumpy sunshine trope that I am totally here for! And even though it’s fun and funny, Bryony really shines through in finding her value as a writer. There was a moment with someone where I felt like I was finding out who the bad guy was in Frozen the first time (How dare you, Hans!), but since it is the perfect romcom, I think it’s safe to say there’s some redemption in this story! My only reason for dropping it to 4 stars is that I didn’t always love the ESL parts especially when it came to the humor. Some of it was fine, but I think it could be sensitive for some readers. As far as plot goes, the ending was so fun! Maybe not super realistic when it comes to the details of publishing contracts, but I think if you know that going in, you’ll really enjoy this read. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Note: One thing that surprised me is there isn’t much faith in this book (maybe none)—especially with it being a Christian publisher. But it is clean/closed door!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

THE PERFECT ROM-COM is absolutely @ourfriendlyfarmhouse best writing to date! Thank you so much for my copy, @tnzfiction {partner}, which publishes February 11, 2025.

The banter between Bryony & Jack- chef’s kiss perfection!

Jack is a literary agent, Bryony is an aspiring author with an endearing, yet terribly written, first novel. The two clash right away, and Bryony is swept up into the world of ghostwriting.

Bryony has two loves: writing and The Bridge.

As the years progress, Jack is still there, and her writing has grown tremendously, but not without its share of hardships along the way, most commonly under the name Amelia Benedict.

I literally cannot stop thinking about this storyline, and the fact that I stayed up way too late to finish it- always my marker of a 5 star read or not!

Add it to your Valentine’s Day RomCom reading list, or just grab it at Target- you won’t be disappointed!

I binge-read this book in two evenings after work. I couldn’t stop! I loved the characters and the story and it was so perfectly done. Another 5 star for Melissa!

Gave this a second chance. It was hard for me to get into, but was cute once I got into it. I wish there would have been more to it in some places, but overall it was enjoyable.

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful and charming read that offers both heartwarming humor and an insightful look at the world of aspiring writers. The story centers around Bryony Page, a hopeful author attending her first writers' conference with the dual goal of selling her manuscript and raising awareness for her grandmother’s struggling ESL organization. After a disastrous pitch session, Bryony unexpectedly finds herself offering unsolicited feedback to another author, only to impress a literary agent with her keen eye for editing.

What follows is a surprising twist: Bryony is offered the chance to ghostwrite for bestselling rom-com novelist Amelia Benedict, and the deal comes with a catch—she’ll write for Amelia as long as Jack Sterling, the agent at the prestigious Foundry Literary Agency, helps sell her own manuscript. As Bryony’s work makes Amelia a household name, things take an unexpected turn. Jack, who has been working closely with Bryony, finds himself drawn to her in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

Ferguson blends wit, romance, and a touch of drama to create an engaging story about love, ambition, and the complexities of navigating both the professional and personal worlds. Bryony is an endearing and relatable protagonist, and the chemistry between her and Jack adds a sweet and authentic layer to the plot. The Perfect Rom-Com is a delightful exploration of what it means to follow your dreams and find love where you least expect it—making it a perfect pick for fans of feel-good romantic comedies.

(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own)

Publication date: 11 February 2025
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction

First book read in February and it is off to a good start!

Bryony Page, a dedicated ESL teacher dreams of becoming a published author. After a disastrous attempt to pitch her own novel, she unexpectedly lands a job as a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, a renowned but demanding romance novelist. Initially agreeing to the arrangement to gain the attention of a prestigious literary agent, Jack, she quickly discovers her own talent for writing romance. As Amelia Benedict's books become popular, Bryony finds herself caught in a web of secrets, forced to remain anonymous while her own dreams of being an author fade further away. Meanwhile, a budding romance with Jack who helped her land the ghostwriting gig adds another layer of complexity to her already complicated situation.

The start of the book had an interesting hook to it that just makes you continue reading, before I knew I was at chapter 6 within a few minutes. I love the fire Bryony had and how even though she had her doubts she was persevering on. Jack too came out of nowhere but he is a great friend to have around when everything goes wrong around you, even if he was slow. The romance between them was slow burn and not the main plot which I found intentional.

But, I felt like we were not getting the full essence of it. There was a fast forward and it didn't tie up the loose ends around it, I felt like I was watching them and not feeling the characters. Jack had too many secrets and I felt like if I were Bryony I would have given him a piece of my mind. It was also really draggy at a few times in the book especially after the midway mark with details that I felt were not adding value to the main plot of Bryony and her growth.

Definitely a light and clean romance! I don't know if this is an accurate picture but learning about what goes on behind a book was interesting too. Kudos to all the literary agents, publishers and proofreaders out there!

I just finished The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson, and it was such a heartwarming, feel-good read! It’s all about chasing dreams, finding your voice, and stumbling into love when you least expect it. The characters are so lovable, and the humor had me smiling the whole way through. If you’re a fan of second-chance romances with plenty of charm and laughs, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

What an interesting story - writing about ghostwriting, and the world behind the scenes of the writers’, editors’, publishers’, and promoters’ lives! I was drawn into the complexities of writing a book and amazed at all the pressures and backstage antics that went on for Bryony’ story to be born! I thoroughly enjoyed the book and thank NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I didn't quite love this author's last novel but the premise and cover of this one were so good that I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me. Perhaps if you really like Emily Henry-type books, this will be for you. I didn't like any of the characters and the plot ended up being ludicrous. Not for me but I hope you have better luck!!

The Perfect Rom-Com comes out next week on February 11, 2025, and you can purchase HERE.

"Bryony, you're cutting off my oxygen," he chokes out.

But even in that moment, I feel him sinking into the hug. Not peeling me off but tentatively lifting up his arms. Wrapping them around my rib cage. His hand resting ever so tenderly on my shoulder. Resting his cheek against my very unwashed, very tangled hair.
I don't know if I'll ever speak to Parker again. Or see him. And he was wrong, so very wrong, about so many things.

But he was right, to a degree, about one thing: I always have had Jack.

Thank you for this ARC! This was my first time reading something by this author and I had a really good time doing so! The writing was great and really fast-paced; I finished the book in two sittings. The plot was a bit to quick for me though, a lot happened, but also nothing happened at the same time, until the last half of the book. I still really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it!

This was a slow start for me, a lot was introduced and I wasn’t sure if all of the detail was important or not. It didn’t grab my attention or interest. Just too much and too slow.

It has a cute promising premise. Bryony, a wanna-be writer is persuaded to be a ghost writer by Jack, the agent for a published yet undisciplined author. Jump forward two years to publishing success for the ghostwriter along with a friendship between her and Jack. We don’t get to see the friendship grow because of the time skip. At the same time, Bryony is also an ESL teacher at a charity founded by her grandmother. A lot of characters from the ESL class are met along the way.

Yes, there is a lot going on and I can’t truthfully say I cared. If this had been more of a rom-com in the beginning maybe I would have enjoyed it more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the complimentary eBook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book! It is charming and witty and sweet.

The title is fitting because of the story and Bryony’s job as a ghostwriter writing romcoms. But I’ll admit I was expecting the book to be a little more like a romcom itself, based off of the title and the marketing for the book.

This book reads more like women’s fiction with humorous writing and a thread of romance. I liked Bryony and Jack, and it was cool to see behind the scenes of publishing throughout the story. I really loved Bryony’s students and her reasons for writing.

I especially loved the ending! I didn’t know how everything would work out, but it was a perfect ending.

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

3.75/5 stars, rounded up

Thank you Thomas Nelson for the advanced reading copy!

I felt uncertain how to rate this one, because I really enjoyed it while I was reading, but think it had some flaws that kept it from being rated higher. Towards the beginning of this book, there's a significant time jump that I think kept me from fully believing the events that followed. The pacing felt a bit off throughout, both in how it affected the MC's relationship and in Bryony's attempts to get her original novel published.

While the pacing felt off to me, the rest of the story was so delightful. I really enjoyed both Bryony and Jack as individuals, and as friends. I kept thinking "aw this is cute" and laughing out loud at some of the banter. The scenes were well-developed and described, and I genuinely enjoyed this book every time I picked it up. The ending was exactly as I would have wanted it to be and felt super well executed. This feels like one of those books you just have to read and enjoy without thinking about it too much, and that's perfectly okay!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.!

This was a cute, heartwarming, low stakes type of romance story. I think it would be a great "pallete cleanse" between heavier topics or heavier romance stories. I do wish it had been dual POV though. I would have loved to see the MMC's side of the situations and story.

The setting for the book was well done, and i really loved Bryony's tenacity and fight to get her book out there. She had great determination, and i really enjoyed how she was written.

The ending was so satisfying. I felt that Melissa really gave it a solid wrap up so that we had everything that we needed.

This was great! The workplace writer/agent trope is fun since there’s usually a lot at stake. I don’t always miss dual pov but I wish we could’ve gotten the MMC pov with all the pinning he does.

This book was SO adorable. I loved everything about Bryony and Jack's love story. It was so cute and I loved the fact that it was fated to be!

This book turned out to be nothing like I expected. It was so slow, the writing was extremely hard to follow. I found myself having to re-read multiple pages because I wasn’t grasping the flow from one thing to the next. More research also needed to be done as some of the places mentioned do not exist.

The timeline was all over the place too, the book starts with Bryony at a conference, confronting Jack about her manuscript. Then all of a sudden you jump forward 2 years when they are best friends and Jack is in every part of her life. So you miss the entire building of their relationship.

The characters had very little personality and there was so much rambling from every single one. I would get bored and not know what point was trying to be made. They were also very hard to relate to, the sister was just all over the place, and Amelia was so bitchy and self-absorbed it was almost unbelievable .

This honestly would have been a DNF for me but I wanted to see if Bryony and Jack ended up together, and even that part was very lackluster. I was expecting more of them being together, not just brief mentions of it.

The ending also had so many plot holes, there would be someone many lawyers and lawsuits if that happened.
There was not much Perfect about this “Rom-Com”.

Thank You Netgalley for an early arc of The Perfect Rom Com and indeed it was just that and more. I really enjoyed this one and the characters were funny as well. I rated this 4.5 stars.

A delightful, page turning, perfect Rom-Com of a book to keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning.

The Perfect Rom-Com will take you on a trip (literally) as Bryony and her literary agent Jack navigate the world of publishing, ghostwriting and the will-they-won't-they that makes the best romantic comedies come alive.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s take a step back.
Bryony is an ESL teacher who is committed to publishing her debut novel. While an avid reader, and lover of books, Bryony’s desire to be published has an ulterior motive, saving The Bridge that is her place of work and the legacy her grandmother has built.

Her step toward publishing has an unexpected detour that leads her to writing the Amelia Benedict household of books three years after Bryony’s fateful meeting with her agent and best friend, Jack Sterling. As the lines between agent/bff and something more become increasingly blurry, Bryony finds herself questioning the foundation of her work as Amelia while the real Amelia gets all the glory (and none of the facts right), and wondering where she really stands as a writer, a teacher, and more than a friend?

A special thank you to netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read The Perfect Rom-Com ahead of the crowd. All thoughts and viewpoints are my own.