⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Meta-rom-com magic wrapped in a swoony, laugh-out-loud audio package

Melissa Ferguson’s The Perfect Rom-Com delivers everything the title promises—and Karissa Vacker’s sparkling narration elevates it into “favorite-shelf, instant-relisten” territory. Think You’ve Got Mail meets The Proposal with a generous dash of Notting Hill self-aware charm.

📚 A love letter to romance readers
Bryony Page—mild-mannered ESL teacher by day, secret ghostwriter by necessity—gives every bookish listener that “she gets me!” rush. Watching her pen blockbusters for a diva author while fighting for her own story is both hilarious and heart-pinching.

Jack Sterling, suave literary agent with hidden marshmallow center, brings the slow-burn sizzle. Their banter feels like top-tier rom-com screenwriting—clever quips that still hit the feels.

🎧 Narration that sparkles
Karissa Vacker nails multiple voices effortlessly: Bryony’s earnest warmth, Amelia Benedict’s theatrical flair, Jack’s patient baritone. She keeps comedic timing razor sharp and emotions authentic—so a single sigh or chuckle lands with cinematic precision.

✨ What made it a five-star listen
Meta hijinks: A rom-com about writing rom-coms, complete with wink-wink tropes that never feel forced.

Heart stakes beyond the meet-cute: Bryony’s mission to save The Bridge gives every plot twist extra resonance.

Chemistry you can hear: From phone-call flirting to epistolary exchanges, every moment drips with tension and tenderness.

Final verdict
The Perfect Rom-Com is exactly that—an effervescent blend of humor, heart, and publishing-world escapades that leaves you grinning like you’ve just binge-watched your favorite feel-good movie. Five gleaming stars and an enthusiastic “add to queue immediately!” if you crave clever, cozy, and utterly charming romance in your earbuds.

A perfect rom-com about writing the perfect rom-com. The characters in this book were amazing - I either loved them or loved to hate them, which I think is always the goal authors should strive for.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one sitting. Could not put it down. I love that Bryony believed in her students so much that she was willing to do whatever it took to keep the bridge open even if it meant sacrificing herself. I see myself in her. It made the story so relatable but still intriguing.

Bryony attends a writers’ conference to try to find an agent after writing a manuscript to benefit her grandmother’s ESL program. Unfortunately, no one wants to take on her manuscript, but she strikes a deal to become the ghostwriter for rom-com author Amelia Benedict in exchange for her agent taking Bryony’s manuscript. Although the new Amelia Benedict books take off and she becomes extremely famous, Bryony doesn’t feel as fulfilled as she thought she would. And when she finds out her agent, Jack, has been lying to her, she starts to wonder if she can trust him (and herself) as much as she thought either. This was a cute little rom-com, and I enjoyed it! I liked Bryony and Jack (even though they infuriated me a few times lol), and the ending was very sweet. If you’re a fan of closed-door romance, you’ll enjoy this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for my copies! ALC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Thoughtful, Heartfelt Rom-Com with Surprising Depth

I received The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson as an ARC audiobook and was genuinely impressed by how much and how quickly it grew on me. I’ll admit I was a little hesitant at first, but it didn’t take long before I was fully invested in Bryony’s journey.

The story follows aspiring author and ESL teacher Bryony, who ghostwrites romantic comedies for a self-absorbed influencer while yearning to publish under her own name. When she discovers the real reason her manuscript keeps getting rejected, her world is turned upside down.

This book strikes a lovely balance between rom-com moments and meaningful emotional beats. The integration of the ESL community — both in Bryony’s life and in the stories she writes — adds a layer of authenticity and heart that isn’t always present in the genre. The connection with her students and how their stories influence her writing was especially moving, and while that subplot could easily have stood on its own, it was beautifully interwoven with the main romantic storyline.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s both fun and thoughtful, The Perfect Rom-Com delivers just that. It was lighthearted, heartfelt, and unexpectedly impactful.

I received this work as an advanced review copy and offer my honest opinion voluntarily.

I was struggling to connect with the characters for most of this and not really a fan of the miscommunication trope but I did enjoy the ending overall.

I finally read this book after having it on my TBR forever, it was absolutely PRECIOUS! I ended up adding another of her titles to my summer reading list, because this was just such cozy, comforting writing. Not to mention, it was FUNNY!

I picked this one up for the fact that it was based on the movie Two Weeks Notice, one of those nostalgic rewatches for me that still gets me every time. Boy was it a good one! While I could appreciate the nods to the inspiration, I feel like it improved on the original and was completely its own at the same time!

Bryony Page just wants to be an author. And honor her grandmother, who founded The Bridge, where she teaches ESL and has seen it change lives. Her manuscript - a dense historical fiction, with light fantasy elements, romance and slightly biographical piece - that tells about the founding of the bridge, and how it stands as a pillar in it's community, an homage to her grandmother's legacy. She's at an author event, and the only agent she's managed to connect with is the intimidating Jack Sterling. A man who takes one glance at her manuscript, tells her it would never sell, and then goes back to checking his email. An encounter that almost has Bryony giving up, she's almost out the door when she realizes this is her time, and she'll make Jack listen if it's the last thing she does.

Fast forward two years, and Bryony is a published author. Fans love her books and come for miles around to meet - Amelia Benedict. The publishing heiress who wrote one book herself before being propelled to fame by ghost writers. Like Bryony. When Amelia fumbles at a tour stop, thoughtlessly letting the audience (and Bryony) know that Amelia doesn't even read the books, the publishers have an answer. Send Bryony with Amelia on tour, set up with an earpiece, so when fans ask thoughtful, pointed questions, Bryony can feed Amelia the answers.

The more time she spends with Amelia, the more she's sure this isn't what she wants. The Bridge, where Bryony has been funneling all her book money and continues to teach ESL at, is shutting down. Bryony would much rather be there, taking on more hours and trying to find ways to get more funding, then on this Amelia focused tour. Especially when Amelia starts butchering her current manuscript, forcing her to take out characters she loves, and make it more whimsical. Less potent. Along for the ride is Jack, who has managed to become one of her closest friends, and her supporter in this whole mess. Yes, Amelia is his client, who he needs to keep happy, but he also has Bryony's back. He's still trying to publish her first book, making sure it finds the right audience.

Secrets are revealed, lines are drawn. This one had heart, and I really felt like Jack was there for her the whole time, even if he didn't handle everything in the best way. I loved the narration, and I'll be sure to give Karissa Vacker more listens in the future! And Melissa Ferguson, if I can expect this level of humor, heart, and romance.

Thank you for the audio ARC from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun and sweet surprise! I laughed out loud so many times, but it also had so much heart. Amelia’s journey was totally relatable—trying to stay true to herself while the world pushes her in a different direction? Yeah, felt that.

Karissa Vacker’s narration was perfect. She nailed the humor and the emotion, and really made Amelia feel like a real person. Such a feel-good listen with the kind of ending that makes you smile for a while after.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pure romcom magic! Melissa Ferguson delivers all the laughs, swoons, and heart in The Perfect Romcom. The fake dating trope? Chef’s kiss. 👩‍🍳💋 The banter? Flawless. The chemistry? Off the charts. I laughed, I swooned, I immediately texted my bestie to read it. If you’re craving something sweet, funny, and full of feels—this is it! 💖🎬📚

Such a fun read! Loved the vibes in this one and will definitely recommend. The narration was well done and invoked a lot more emotion than just having read this on its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the audiobook ARC of The Perfect Rom-Com.

This was a breezy, light read that made for an enjoyable listen. I appreciated getting a peek into the world of publishing—it added an extra layer of interest, especially for book lovers and aspiring writers. The behind-the-scenes look at ghostwriting and literary agents gave the story a unique hook.

I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator well-matched to the tone of the book. She brought energy and charm to the characters, which helped keep the story moving and made Bryony feel relatable and real.

While the plot had fun moments and the premise was clever, some of the emotional beats didn’t land as strongly as I’d hoped. It stayed surface-level for much of the book, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth from the characters and relationships.

Still, it’s an easy, fun listen with a creative setup, and readers looking for a rom-com with a publishing twist will likely enjoy it.

Overall I really liked this book, I thought it was cute. But right away I thought I was going to have some issues with Bryony cause it felt like she had an inflated sense of her own importance. It ended up being that she was just so passionate, but the way she continued to carry on through this book acting like she was going to be the one thing that saved the bridge made me roll my eyes a little bit. And plus, Bryony is nothing compared to Amelia. Amelia is probably the most annoying character to ever exist. Thank god she is not the MC.

But enough complaining about the characters. It makes it sound like I hated the book. And I definitely did NOT. The set up was adorable and I loved the way that Jack and Bryony were brought together and the circumstances leading to Bryony becoming Amelia's ghostwriter. The descriptions of the novels that Bryony wrote as Amelia sounded a lot like Abby Jimenez's books and it made me want to read them all. And through creating them, Bryony clearly learns a lot about what it means to be a working author. She is also an incredibly kind person who is utterly devoted to the Bridge and its students. The ending had me tearing up

Now, I know this book is a rom-com and all, and that means that in the end there needs to be a relationship between Jack and Bryony. But honestly, Jack kind of felt unnecessary, at least as relationship material. The real romance in this book seems to be between Bryony and her book (or writing in general).

As an audiobook, I enjoyed how this played out. The narrator did different voices for characters without them seeming ridiculous and overacted (except for Amelia, but she deserved it).

I have loved all of Melissa Ferguson's books and The Perfect Rom-Com is my new favorite from her collection. I loved the fact that this book talked about the aspect of book publishing which I find very interesting in real life. The chemistry between the main characters is very believable and enjoyable to read. The narrator was great. I would give this audiobook 5 stars!

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

Thank you Melissa Ferguson and Netgalley for the e-arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

This was a sweet and warm book, I enjoyed listening to this one a lot.

This was so cute I really enjoyed it and immediately told my bestie that she needed to read it too. So much fun

3 ⭐️ This was a charming, closed-door romance that offers a lighthearted escape into the world of publishing, ghostwriting, and unexpected love.

Karissa Vacker delivers an engaging performance, giving each character a distinct voice and nailing the emotional beats. Her narration makes it easy to stay immersed in Bryony and Jack’s journey.

Bryony is a likeable FMC: kind, driven, and trying to juggle career pressures with a personal life that’s... well, chaotic. Jack isn’t quite the golden retriever type I usually fall for, but his emotional growth and steady charm won me over by the end. Their relationship starts off professional but builds into something sweeter, with soft moments and just enough tension to keep it interesting.

I really liked the peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry—the ghostwriting angle and the whole "who gets the credit?" question added a fun layer. The romance is a slow burn that fits the story, though a few pacing issues and underdeveloped plot threads held it back a bit.

Overall, this is a light, character-driven listen with heart and humour. It doesn’t fully deliver on the “rom-com” label, but if you’re into clean, contemporary romance with a unique setting and great narration, it’s worth a listen!

For me, the perfect rom com is light and hearty, but keeps you feeling busy. Makes you feel in love with the characters and feel like you’re living through them, right? This was exactly that. Byrony Page is witty, determined, and kind. Jack Sterling just might be the match to her flame 🔥

A peak into the book publishing world and the incredible hard work of ghost writers.
From the title and cover, The Perfect Rom-Com seems like it would be a sweet, light, fun story but this book had so much heart, far more than your average romance novel. The characters felt so real and this story so intimate. While still deeply romantic, Bryony’s journey from writing hopeful, to best-selling ghost writer, to finally getting a book published with her name on the cover took precedence over the love story and honestly felt a little more lit fic than other romance books I've read. But it wasn’t without it’s swoon-worthy, toe-curling moments. And man, can (author) write a totally detestable antagonist!

I don't think I've listened to a Karissa Vacker narration before but she was an absolute delight to listen to! I hope to hear more from her in the future.

Romcoms have been my greatest comfort read and this one was a fun and quick book!
The plotline was nicely packed with an amazing storyline which kept me hooked till the end of the book. I absolutely loved each bit of it as the characters were very interesting and penned very beautifully from the starting to the end.