This book had me nearly completely - until the end, it felt forced, like it was too far into wish fulfillment, and honestly kinda mean and unprofessional in general. There were just too many things about this that wasn't realistic for me to suspend belief, and they happened back to back.

The writing is good and I liked the characters. It felt like this was forced repressentation instead of actual representation of a community as well.

3.75

Well that was just the sweetest thing I’ve ever read!! I swear I spent 90% of this book smiling! I loved it! Bryony is so relatable and the development of her character is perfect. It felt exactly right from page one to the end of the epilogue. I loved getting a kind of inside peek of the publishing world and ghostwriting too!! I really enjoyed this!

**Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I received the audiobook version, so I will be specifically commenting on some elements that are only present in this version.

“The Perfect Rom-Com” this is not. There was quite a bit of romance missing, considering the title. Let me preface: I don’t have a problem with this, but with the title, I feel like I knew what I was going into, but it did not follow through on that aspect. I loved the inside look into the publishing industry. I have gotten a few similar stories in other books, but this one felt much more “real” comparatively. I assume some of it may be truth (LOL)? 

Also, nothing really happens in the romance department until the 75% mark, which is a bit crazy, in my opinion. The characters I thought were lacking in chemistry despite this, and their pre-existing relationship finds the dynamic a bit….eh. The main characters are not quite boss/employee, but I’m not sure what else they would really be considered.

I find it hard to believe they have been working together for over two years, in relationships, and somehow, on a random weekday night, they suddenly decide that they are in love. I literally forgot about her boyfriend, and so did she, I guess. I think this was used as a crutch to defend why they weren’t exploring a relationship sooner, but with the sudden and random breakup, it just felt like it was shoved in. I think I audibly gasped when she said she was in love with Jack almost instantly. Also, miscommunication trope boooooooooo

I know I harped on a lot here, but I did enjoy it overall and find it funny! I liked the inside look of being a ghost writer, with a more comedic tone. I thought Bryony and Amelia’s dynamic was fun despite the dramatics.

For the audiobook, I thought the narrator did an overall good job, but I felt like some of the accents/secondary voices (especially her sister) were annoying and overdone. Also, as a South Carolina resident, BEAUFORT SOUTH CAROLINA IS PRONOUNCED BEW-FORT, NOT BOW-FORT. That drove me insane.

Bryony and Jack were super cute.
This is such an easy cosy and heart warming read and that I did devour this.

Melissa’s writing is lovely and her progression in her characters are beautiful I really enjoyed this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(This was the physical read arc review)


Thank you netgalley for the audio arc in exchange for an honest review

WOW
I by my last review Melissa’s writing is great and her character progression was on point.
The audio book however made this so much better I loved the narrator and she brought Melissa’s characters to life I laughed out loud and kicked and screamed.
This book was sooooo good and I loved every second of it more so this time then the first time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️3.5

This is such a heartwarming story, I laughed, I cried.

Byrony and Jack are so adorable together!

What a cute rom com! I love this narrator so I knew I was going to enjoy it. This is my first from this author, but definitely won’t be my last! Definitely recommend for the wholesomeness alone 🥰

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a copy of this audio ARC.

Despite its title, The Perfect Rom Com didn’t feel like a romantic comedy to me. Instead, it read more like chick-lit, focusing on personal growth and career struggles rather than romance. While I usually enjoy both genres, I couldn’t help but feel that the marketing set the wrong expectations, which left me searching for the romance that never really took centre stage.

The pacing also felt off. The story starts by introducing Bryone, an ESL teacher passionate about saving her grandmother’s foundation, which helps immigrants learn English. Her plan? Publish a book to bring attention to her cause. She attends a book conference to pitch her idea, failing miserably. This is where she meets Jack, an agent who rejects her book but then, unexpectedly, offers her a ghostwriting opportunity for a socialite.

This setup had so much potential, but then the story jumps forward in time, skipping over the most interesting parts. We don’t get to see how Bryone adjusts to ghostwriting or how her dynamic with Jack actually develops—instead, we’re told about key moments after they’ve happened. Because of this, I struggled to connect with the characters and their relationship, as it felt like the most compelling parts of their story were left off the page.

I kept waiting for something to pull me in, but the romance felt secondary, and most of the story was built on reminiscing about past events we never got to experience as readers.

While this book may work better for those who enjoy women’s fiction with a light romantic element, it didn’t deliver on what I expected from a rom-com.

📖 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

To be completely honest, I gave The Perfect Rom-Com five stars purely on vibes. This book is the cutest one I’ve ever read. The writing itself is just okay, and the grand finale is a bit unrealistic, but the romance between Bryony and Jack is exceptional. Be prepared to giggle and kick your feet in the air while reading this adorable romance.

The Perfect Rom-Com, is a bursting with heart from start to finish. This book is timely, as well. Main character, Bryony works for an ESL program for refugees and other immigrants. After writing about her experience in her debut novel, we first meet her while pitching her book to literary agents. Enter, Jack- our grumpy literary agent who sees an opportunity for Bryony to help another one of his authors. What unfolds is fun and heartfelt. I loved the multiple settings of this book, and would want *most* of them in my friend group.

I had such a great time while listening to this book. The narration was here! I loved their story telling skills! But story wise, I was captivated. I was thoroughly engaged. There were minor flaws, but nothing too major. Overall A very cute, wholesome read

I can say that I have really read and enjoyed several books by Melisa Fergusson. Its characters are witty, funny, fun to get to know page after page and this book in particular made me notice the difficulties that authors have to go through and the little-known face of the publishing industry, with fictitious characters and situations of course, but which have made me appreciate more each new book that comes into my hands.
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Having said this, I want to say that I really enjoyed Bryony, her charisma, her love for books and how she did everything she could to continue trying to get her book published, and her school open. But when Jack began to make her a different proposal that the one she was hoping, I became suspicious and from then on, no matter how beautiful their friendship, chemistry and dynamic they had together, I began to dislike Jack.
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Every time the protagonist is going through a difficult situation, every time she felt about to leave the vicious cycle in which she was living stressed, feeling low and Jack opened his mouth, it made me want to scream "he's gaslighting you!!" "He is so patronizing!! “, and “he’s saying it only because he needs you to comply with the goals that are demanded of him or he imposes himself." It was very difficult to like him so I only saw Bryony's point of view and hope for the best
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I was really intrigued and get me worried that there was no way out of the situation and at several moments I wished that Bryony would man up and put them in their place or say that it was enough, you know that the MC has to work more and give in to have a good ending.
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Despite wanting to scream at it several times, especially in the audio book narrated by Karissa Vacker which feels so vivid and real as funny and entertaining , I really enjoyed this book, a solid 3.5 4 stars
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Thanks to Melisa Fergusson and Thomas Nelson fiction and Harper Collins for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion.
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The Perfect Rom-Com was a book I received for free on NetGalley as an audio book and I loved it. I couldn’t get enough of the story and listened to it constantly to finish it in just a few days. I loved how connected I felt to Bryony and how protective I felt of her. Melissa also did a great job of making me want to jump through my screen to slap Amelia for Bryony. I would give this book 5/5 stars and would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves romance books without any spice.

Wow! I have not come across a Melissa Ferguson book yet I have disliked. Jack and Bryony have the chemistry and the friendly banter down. There are no swears, brief mentions of alcohol, and level 1 low-descriptive kisses only I received a complimentary arc of this book from @netgalley and @thomasnelsonfiction All opinions listed are purely my own. #Netgalley #ThePerfectRomcom

The witty banter and easy-to-like characters make this book a perfect choice for anyone looking for a cute palette cleanser rom-com.

OMG. I loved it. Which is odd because it was like of a closed door romance in that the "falling in love" part all took place off screen. Ironically enough, I read two other books by this author and didn't care much for them, but this one is The Perfect Rom-Com. Her Meet Me Under The Bridge. Bryony can be cringey awkward but the book acknowledges it and leans into it. The collateral characters were all so loveable. 4.75 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. Loved listening to this book. The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful and charming read that offers all the sweetness and humor you’d expect from a romantic comedy. The story is filled with witty dialogue, lovable characters, and plenty of heartwarming moments. Ferguson’s writing is light, engaging, and easy to get lost in, making it a perfect escape for fans of feel-good romance. The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and the plot keeps you entertained from start to finish. Overall, The Perfect Rom-Com is a fun, feel-good book that’s sure to leave you with a smile.

4.75⭐️

This is a review of the audiobook.

This was such an amazingly heartwarming book and I absolutely loved it! The title definitely fits the vibe of this book for me. And I’m a sucker for a brightly colored cartoon cover.

Karissa is one of my favorite audiobook narrators so I was definitely excited for this audiobook. She brought so much life to this book and these characters.

I really loved Bryony’s character progression and how she eventually learned to stand up for herself and what she wants and to go after it herself and to stop waiting for someone else to do it for her. And she didn’t let the MMC influence her decisions and chose herself over him but ended up with him in the end anyways.

This was my first book by Melissa’s and after this one, I definitely plan to read more (if not all) of her other published books!

This is definitely a book I will be purchasing to read again soon!

This book starts fast and never stops. While the fast pace is all fun and games, it doesn't leave much room to get attached to the side characters and the world around the main character. The most frustrating part, to me, was Bryony's inability to reflect on her actions and understand that she needs to let go. My favorite parts were the interactions with the grandmother. She was a lovely addition and I wish there were more exchanges between her and Bryony, and see some development from Bryony as she comes to term with this part of her life ending. Also, some of Bryony's thoughts were incredibly poignant and accurate. Finding a clever way to introduce yourself to someone important at a networking opportunity without coming off as if you are a stalker was particularly relatable to me.

Overall, it was a fun adventure but it could have used a different pace and some more development from the FMC. If you like a book that goes lightning fast, this one is for you!

Thank you NetGalley, Melissa Ferguson, and Harper Collins Publishing for granting me this ARC. The Perfect Rom-Com was listened to on audio and Karissa Vacker is now one of my favorite narrators to listen to. The Perfect Rom-Com was an adorable lighthearted story with a Rom-Com ending, I adored sister Carol's folksy cliches. They had me laughing out loud. I could relate to the author and her passion for keeping the ESL school open, I am a teacher with a large ESL population and could relate to examples presented in the story. The characters were well developed. I felt like I know the characters, could picture their appearance, and was rooting for them to be together throughout the entire story.

A little background on this book.
This is my first Melissa Ferguson book. This was a heartwarming, cozy read about Bryony who is an aspiring author and literary agent Jack who she was so excited to meet at first. Bryony a ESL teacher, working to try to save her grandmothers legacy, The Bridge a center that helps immigrants learn the English language. As part of her plan to save The Bridge she wrote a book and attends a book conference in hopes that she can find an agent to help her get the book published. That’s where Jack Sterling comes in, but Bryony blew hr pitch and Jack being one of the toughest literary agents didn’t want to take on her book because of the length. He may not have wanted her book but he had interest in something else in her. Jack gave her a proposition, he wanted her to become a ghost writer for Amelia Benedict. Bryony might not have been signed for her book but her ghost writing for Amelia, but she did make her become a best selling author and household name, and millions of copies sold worldwide.

I finished this book so fast, I couldn’t put it down. I listened on audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator. I loved the dramatic beginning of the book, where Bryony meets Jack at the conference. But I do feel that Bryony needs to grow a little more of a backbone because Amelia who she ghost writes for is a horrible nasty woman. She cranks out so many books for her, but Bryony still wants her book published. Jack and Bryony started getting closer until they go on a book tour with Amelia on her bus. Things got tough, and Bryony and Jack fight and their friendship or relationship whichever you want to call it. Shortly after Jack pulls a low blow by sending Bryony a lawsuit for breach of contract, but it was all a rouse. The twist at the end of this book was honestly my favorite part. Jack gets Bryony to go to a talk show Amelia is supposed to talk on, but it really wasn’t for Amelia it was all a surprise and coming out as a ghost writer and author of her own book. Jack melted my heart with this stunt, the amount of work that went into getting her to the show along with former and current immigrants that she taught. The fact at the end she gets a partnership with the talk show to help save her grandmothers legacy of The Bridge.

Tropes:
* Strangers to Lovers
* Chicklit
* Slow Burn
* Agent x Author
* Workplace Romance
* Forced Proximity
* Closed Door Romance
* Tension Fueled Romance
* Ghost Writer

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Thomass Nelson Fiction for the ALC(Advance Listening Copy) in exchange for my honest unbiased review.