The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson

funny 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
💕 audio book narrator is easy to listen to and upbeat.

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

Bryony is an author trying to publish her debut novel, which is admittedly an epic. She goes to a convention for aspiring authors, but the competition is oversaturated. The agents there simply don't have enough time in their day to hear everyone's pitch.

There is one literary agent that everyone steers clear from, though, and Bryony is determined and takes the chance. Jack is intimidating and he rarely takes on new authors. In fact, he rarely goes to any conventions.

Though he turns down Bryony's novel because he believes her novel is too long, he has another proposition: to become a ghost writer for best-selling author Amelia Benedict.

Bryony basically has to sell her soul though, and Amelia puts no effort in and gets all the credit. Jack did promise to put in her manuscript though to potential publishers...

Bryony and Jack become fast friends and co-workers, but when did they step into something more? Was it the lunch dates? The late-night phone calls?

And that ending was soooo swoon-worthy! Bryony deserved every piece of 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.

This romance was a really good one. The friends-to-lovers story felt natural, with no rush or forced moments. I liked how the characters took their time to figure things out, and the chemistry between them was believable. It wasn’t one of those stories where everything feels rushed just to get to the good parts.

The office setting added some great moments—awkward, funny, but also moments where you could feel the emotional depth. It had just the right balance between humor and more serious parts that made me care about these characters.

I did wish for a little more spice, but the emotional connection was enough to make me invested in their journey. I ended up really liking how the story played out.

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 ALC!

This is very much a Hallmark-esque rom-com that felt pretty surface level. I didn’t feel as though I got to know Bryony very well at all, beyond her interest in publishing her book. Because we get a 2 year fast forward, I felt as though we skipped over a lot of the relationship building, and character building. Jack was fine but like Bryony, I felt I only got to know the surface level and there wasn’t a three dimensional character on the page. I enjoyed the overall storyline, it was easy to listen to and quick overall. The narrator was great. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Listened to the Audiobook.
.
I have read other Melissa Ferguson books and this is probably my favorite. Maybe because two weeks notice is one of my favorite rom-coms. But this is a great take on the classic movie ( at least classic to me)
.
The narration was on point, quick and witty, with plenty of emotion to carry the story. Karissa Vacker absolutely nailed it.
.
The story pulls you in from the very beginning, her work, her personality and her trials are part of who she is and Melissa did a fabulous job getting me to root for Bryony.
Jack is not perfect, but man does he knows how to play the long game, and puts in the work. If slightly annoying at times.
.
I devoured every word on this book, stayed up to 2 am just because I couldn’t stop.
.
.
Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book.

The storyline of this book was beautiful and for me when I read the synopsis I was attracted to the fact that it was loosely inspired by Two Weeks Notice which is my favorite RomCom of all time. I can see the parallels but love that it’s not 100% the same.

I have to say the narrator Karissa Vacker is perfection with the audio. Her ability to do so many characters and have them with their own voice is unmatched. I love any audio by her.

I fell head over heels for the characters and love how it all played out. From start to finish emotions were high and I was invested from the get go! A definite must listen/read!

Bryony’s dream to publish “Under the Bridge”, her manuscript about her grand mother’s organisation to teach English to foreigners. Is nearer after two years ghost-writing for Amelia popular rom-com author. Working side by side with Jack, literary agent of a legendary agency has make it almost possibly. But their feelings are getting involved and waiting is making Bryony go crazy. Can her dreams come true or will she let everything goes? The audiobook with Kariisa Vacker makes a great story in an ever better one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC copy. This is my honest review.

‘The perfect rom-com’ is a cute romance following a wannabe writer and her soon-to-be agent. Bryony Page becomes a ghost writer for one of Jack Sterling’s biggest clients a really super annoying writer. She was truly unbearable.

The novel had an amazingly over-exaggerated plot. The characters were a friends to lover match. I really loved the teasing and slow-burn of their friendship. The only downside is I wish there was more time within the relationship.

I was obsessed with all the side characters – the ESL students, the stressed assistants and multitude of industry professionals were really the stars of the show. I thought they were all fun in the glimpses we got.

I would recommend this book to someone wanting something really lighthearted with a wide cast of characters.

In terms of narration, the narrator can do one hell of a man voice and was not jarring when she would use her Jack voice like I find a lot of female’s reading a man in romance.

3.75/5

Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC.

I don't know where to start with this, I have several things I really didn't like about this book, but they are my opinions and I don't want one one to read this and say " ehhh I won't read that " when maybe they would have before reading this. Maybe I give to much credit to that people will actually read my review, but if one person read it and that one person judged it by me I would feel awful. So let me get on with it...

I have never read anything by Melissa Ferguson, and I would never judge her entire writing history on one book, her writing was fluid and easy to read, but like a lot of things The Perfect Rom-Com and me just didn't get along. There would not be a second date, I barely survived the first one.

But let me tell you what I did like. I liked the main character Bryony. She had tons of compassion, seemed to be very driven, and she seemed to be a wonderful teacher, and friend to her students. Besides that I didn't really connect with her.

Again, I liked the authors writing style, it was easy to read, not complicated .

I learned a lot about the publishing business, of which I know NOTHING of.

I am a huge fan of Chick Lit, I love Plum Sykes, Sophie Kinsella, and many more, and this book to me fit into that category , but this alone was a problem with me. I went into this book wanting to read a Rom-Com and it didn't feel like a Rom-Com to me, it certainly wasn't a perfect one.

I felt like Jack was missing through out the book, I didn't learn enough about him to get to know him and form an opinion on him, our their relationship. They are already together in the book, and would occasionally speak on aspects of that relationship in the past. It was like we were given information on their relation ship in little bits and pieces, but nothing solid.

Listen, the book was find, and I know so many people I know who will love this, I am just not one of them.

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.

This was a cute story but did not feel like a romcom despite the title. It was womens contemporary fiction. I wished there was a bit more romance but the characters were likeable and there were plenty of laughs.

3.75

Very cute solid romcom!! I tend to love bookish books so the story itself outshined the romance for me. Overall very enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book! I am definitely interested in looking into the author’s previous works now!

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 loved the narrator! Karissa Vacker is amazing at what she does!

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, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Melissa Ferguson for giving me an ALC 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 🩷

This was my first ALC(I’ve done lots of ebooks but this was my first audiobook ARC), and I LOVED it! The narrator was wonderful, putting so much emotion into Bryony’s character. I was also very impressed with her impressions of Amelia and Jack, making them distinct voices. I’m always a little skeptical of women performing men’s voices, but Karissa Vacker did an excellent job performing in Jack’s unique voice. I am excited to listen to more books narrated by her, read more books by Ferguson, and to listen to more ALCs!! :)

I received the audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book. It was different from a lot of rom-coms I've read. The main character was stubborn and loveable all at the same time. The author really had me feeling all the feels. I was mad for characters, felt 2nd hand embarrassment, was laughing and felt that feeling when someone falls for another person. It was a good book overall!

The narration was perfection.

I have truly enjoyed this audiobook. I listened to it (at 1.75 speed) within one day! I like that it is different than most romance novels but still have the "he fell first" trope. I also highly enjoyed that the author wrote about her love of being an ELL teacher and then brought that into her book! A great twist ending! Overall enjoyed this book!

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!

An aspiring author attends a conference to find her perfect agent—okay, any agent—and winds up ghost writing for the latest “big name” romcom author who’s actually a nepo baby sham instead of finessing and workshopping her own beloved manuscript.

First and foremost, Karissa Vacker is becoming a favorite audiobook narrator. I’ve enjoyed her every time.

I liked Briony’s voice and personality, overall. Her swings from desperate, anxious woman with imposter syndrome to end-of-her-rope losses of temper were authentic—relatable, even. The love interest, Jack, started out prickly and abrupt, and lost that personality way too quickly, in my opinion. It didn’t help that immediately following their first meeting there was a two-year time jump. Readers miss out on all of the relationship-building, the feet-kicking banter, the breakdown of Jack’s grumpy exterior. Except for a couple tiny flashbacks to hangouts during that two-year period, we get no buildup. All of a sudden there are references to how they’re best friends now, and I guess we just have to accept that (?). That was my biggest issue of this book: the pacing. Otherwise I liked the writing!

I almost never think this, but maybe this would’ve benefited from dual POV. We don’t get enough into Jack’s mindset from the time he first meets Briony to when they’re supposedly best friends. If not chapters from his perspective, then more moments that Briony observes but disregards that show he’s starting to be interested in her. Without that, the love interests lack chemistry. By the time the big conflict came, there hadn’t been enough buildup to make it dire. I didn’t really care if they wound up together.

I did like the creative takedown of the villain, though! That was satisfying.