This is the story of a writer, desperate to become published. She meets an agent who initially turns down her own work, but offers her the chance to maybe get it published if she agrees to become a ghost writer for a one-hit wonder. She takes the deal because she is trying to save her grandmother's business--an agency that helps immigrants adjust to life in the US. The author tells the stories of each of these immigrants in a way that makes them just as enjoyable as the main story line. It really makes a case for honoring diversity and ought to be something that everyone in the US should read. Loved the rom-com aspect as well, and would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Harper Collins Christian Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

I just finished The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson, and while the title promised romcom vibes, l'm not sure it fully delivered. The story follows Bryony, an ESL teacher turned ghostwriter for a bestselling romance author. A fun and unique premise, especially for book lovers and those curious about the publishing world!
The plot was interesting, but I found myself wishing for a bit more sparkle and humor to match the rom-com promise. Still, it's a light listen with a behind-the-scenes book industry story.
Thank you to @netgalley for the #arc in exchange for a honest review. The Perfect Rom-Com is available now!!

Aspiring writer Bryony Page attends a prestigious writers’ conference, hoping to land a book deal—only to have her manuscript brutally dismissed by Jack Sterling, a top literary agent. Just as she’s ready to give up, Jack makes an unexpected offer: ghostwriting for Amelia Benedict, a glamorous heiress whose debut novel became a runaway bestseller—not because of its literary merit, but because of Amelia’s celebrity status. The catch? Amelia has no writing talent whatsoever, and Jack promises that if Bryony helps maintain the illusion, he’ll finally get her own book published.

What was meant to be a short-term gig turns into years of crafting bestsellers under Amelia’s name, while Bryony’s own dreams remain unfulfilled. As the years pass, Jack and Bryony form a close friendship, their bond deepening through late-night edits, countless revisions, and navigating the chaotic world of ghostwriting. Despite the undeniable chemistry between them, neither of them is ever available at the right time for anything more.

Amelia basks in the fame, Jack keeps her pacified with empty reassurances, and Bryony is stuck behind the scenes, watching someone else take credit for her words. When she’s forced to join Amelia on a nationwide book tour—coaching her through interviews and fabricating stories about “her” writing process—Bryony reaches her breaking point.

Despite being a secret literary powerhouse, no one in Bryony’s life knows the truth. Her family, including her sister Megan, and even her students at the ESL school are all oblivious to her ghostwriting career. As she juggles the demands of her “day job,” Amelia’s diva antics, and Jack’s unfulfilled promises, Bryony is faced with an impossible choice: continue building someone else’s fame, or finally fight for her own voice to be heard. And as the years have passed, will her friendship with Jack Sterling turn into something more, or is it too late to rewrite their own story .

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book! It’s the perfect romcom with plenty of heart, humor, and romance. A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read it. The narrator did an excellent job, bringing the story to life and making it an even more enjoyable experience. Highly recommend it!

4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I listened to this audiobook and really enjoyed it!! I think I have read almost all of Ferguson’s books and this one didn’t disappoint! Super cute rom com with very likable characters. I love books about writers/ghostwriters and publishing agency’s so this was right up my alley. Loved the MFC and MMC’s meet cute early in the book very fun. Not as much flirty banter as Lynn Painter or Sarah Adams, but I love that I don’t have to worry about there being any surprising spice in Ferguson’s books. Love just a fun, clean, cute story.

Truly, I am not someone who falls head over heels for romantic comedy, finding so many of them to be excessively cringy without a sincere reason, leaving the FMC falling all over herself, embarrassing herself for the sake of a laugh. This is absolutely NOT the case in The Perfect Rom-Com. Ferguson created a well-rounded FMC in Bryony Page, someone passionate about her students, her family, and her friends doing all she can to support her passion - helping teach immigrant students the language and skills needed to survive in the US. Now, I understand this is more chick lit than romantic comedy, but perhaps that's what has me rating it higher than most seem willing because they didn't look past the title, but I suppose that's on them.

I enjoyed the inside look into the trials and tribulations of the publishing industry throughout the story. As a reader, it makes me appreciate authors more and the insanity that they have to go through to make it in this industry, for Bryony - as she is desperate to publish under her own name - accepts a role as a ghostwriter for a nepo baby turned "author" via agent Jack Sterling. Flash forward several successful books for Amelia, the nepo baby, we find that Jack and Bryony have a friendship that involves bowling, dinners, and gifts but despite being told by her friends and family, Bryony insists they're only friends. After all, they're both seeing people. We'll ignore that Bryony's partner, Parker, has been MIA across the globe for the past year and a half, right? What unfolds is a story Bryony of slowly falling for Jack and a series of plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat!

The audiobook was wonderful and I really enjoyed the narrator that was selected for the book. Between the story itself and the wonderful narration, this kept my attention and kept me coming back for more and is one I'd re-listen to over and over again when I need a little uplifting, feel good, mid-level stakes story.

Tropes Include: Agent x Author, Slow Burn, He Falls First, Third Act Breakup, Closed Door Romance, Forced Proximity, Minimal (See: Almost No) Spice

Thank you to Melissa Ferguson and NetGalley for this opportunity to listen to this ARC!

When aspiring writer Bryony Page attends a writing workshop, her hope was to get her book published and to save her grandmothers organization where she teaches ESL. What she didn’t expect was to end up with an agent and to be offered a the opportunity of a lifetime to be the ghostwriter for one of the most famous writers of all time albeit the most worst and most self centered. Although she loves writing, her dream is to still get her own book published but after 2 years she is still no closer. But her agent Jack promises he is on it but will it happen or will she lose everything that matters the most to her?

This was such a cute book. There were so many laugh out loud moments. I really enjoyed it and I loved the chemistry between the two MC’s. Overall this was super cute!

The Perfect Rom-Com | Melissa Ferguson

This book was such a cute, light, fluffy read- I enjoyed the manuscript/ author/ editor/ ghost writer aspects with the slight romance sprinkled in there!

Bryony is eager to publish her debut novel in order to make enough money to save The Bridge, a place that she teaches English to Spanish speaking adults. She pursues publishers and is turned down time and time again. By determination and boldness, she meets with a literary agent who doesn’t want her book, but wants her stories. She becomes a ghost writer for an unpleasant gal all while still trying to get her book published. I absolutely loved the way this story wrapped up for Bryony and Jack. I was expecting more blow back from the actual author Amelia, but I was honestly glad to see her out of the story by then.

I love Melissa Ferguson’s writing, she is just so relatable with her characters and stories. They make me feel like a friend of the main characters and that I’m right along side them. She is witty and funny as well as clean and kind.

The audio presentation was great! I felt like the narrator did a perfect job expressing these characters and really made it an enjoyable read.

This was a fun romcom that had a different topic than I’ve ever read. I really loved the book production storyline and the ghost writing aspect - I mainly requested this on NetGalley for this part of the story; it’s something that we know happens but rarely, if ever, hear about it. I also really enjoyed that parts of this felt a little raw and chaotic; I felt like I was seeing the story through Briony’s eyes. I liked that the romance was as minimal as it was. I also liked the ending because of its chaos it left us with - I wish we got more of the afterward, but I still enjoyed it! Would recommend!

This is my first Melissa Ferguson novel and it definitely won’t be my last! This was a captivating journey of a talented author who passionately worked hard for years to support the cause she loved while also doing the jobs she loved, even without the recognition she deserved. In the beginning I wouldn’t have guessed the romance that was coming and was even more into this story when that subplot began. I love how the author tied up this story perfectly in the end, with a lovely happily ever after, in more ways than one. No question, this was a five-star read for me!

This book is a delightful read about Bryany, an aspiring author, and Jack, who works for an agency. Their paths cross when Bryany presents her novel to Jack, but he ultimately rejects it. However, he shows her an unpublished work by a famous author and solicits her opinion. Bryany, surprised, shares her thoughts, which impresses Jack enough to offer her a job as a ghostwriter for that author.

At first, Bryany enjoys seeing her work published, but soon becomes frustrated that another author is taking credit for her hard work. Despite her struggles, she still hopes Jack can help her find a publisher for her original novel, but things are tough. Their playful banter is charming, and it’s clear Jack has a crush on Bryany, even if she doesn’t realize it. There’s a bit of a miscommunication issue that annoyed me; I feel like things could have been simpler if Bryany had just listened to Jack instead of ghosting him. Overall, though, the story was really fun and cute, with lovable characters!

Publication February 11th, 2025

Melissa Ferguson delivers a delightful, meta take on the romance genre in The Perfect Rom-Com. Packed with humor, heart, and bookish charm, this story is perfect for romance lovers who appreciate a touch of self-aware storytelling. The narration enhances the witty banter and endearing characters, making it an engaging and lighthearted listen


Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio

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

A light and fun romantic comedy that plays a little in the publishing world. Bryany has been working on her novel for a really long time and has been turned down by agency’s over and over. she puts her last hope on Jack who in turn also turns down her novel. He then shows her an unedited version of a novel by a very popular and well known author, and asks her what’s wrong with it. Bryany in turn is so surprised that she loses her filter and spits out a list of things she thinks are wrong with the book. Jack is so interested in her opinions that he ends up offering her a job as a ghost writer for said author. The banter, the growing relationship between Jack and Bryany is very sweet to read about and how it blossoms until it blooms. The publishing world can be cruel just like people but with friends like Jack anything might be possible. The characters are relatable and the story with be perfect to devour on an afternoon on the beach or in the air flying, this one is fun to read and well worth picking up. Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins and the author for the opportunity.

Melissa Ferguson’s The Perfect Rom-Com is an absolute delight—but maybe not in the way some readers expect. Before diving in, it’s important to clarify that the title refers more to the MC’s job and life’s purpose rather than the book itself being a textbook rom-com. If you go in with that mindset, you’ll have a much better reading experience.

First off, I loved the main character. Her voice and personality made this book such a fun read. She’s witty, engaging, and full of life, and I found myself flying through the pages just to follow her journey. The story is clean and well-executed, making for an enjoyable, lighthearted experience.

That said, as a romance reader, I personally would have loved more of a romantic build-up. I tend to look for those swoon-worthy moments, and while the romance is there, it’s not the central focus. If you’re expecting a slow-burn, emotionally intense love story, this might not fully deliver in that department. But if you’re looking for a well-written, charming story with a fantastic protagonist, you’ll find plenty to love here.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced and heartwarming in its own way. Just go in with the right expectations, and you’ll have a great time!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the opportunity to read and review the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this audio copy of The Perfect Rom Com. It was just that, perfect. I really had a great time listening to this on audio. The banter between the characters was very well played out.

Oh my goodness, this audiobook was completely adorable and exactly what I needed! It was cute, it was romantic, it was funny, and it hooked me from the very beginning!

I enjoyed the characters and could relate to them. I also adored the unusual occupations and the forces that brought these two together. This book was exactly what the doctor ordered, and I read it when I truly needed a light read. The narrators in this audiobook were excellent, and I thought their voices perfectly complemented the characters.

I’m not gonna lie, I almost wanted to rate this book 5 stars to counteract what I consider to be an egregious mistake in its overall rating score at present—this is a solid four star read and for the average to be below that is so depressing to me—but also—? If I’m being completely honest, I totally get why some people hated this. Ironically, that’s probably why I loved it so damn much.

I think the first issue with Melissa Ferguson’s The Perfect Rom-Com is near precisely the issue that Amelia Benedict sort of takes (in a dumb, I don’t understand good books sort of way) with the original draft they’re discussing toward the beginning of the book. I don’t think this book is, strictly speaking, fully a rom com. There are elements of romantic comedy in the novel, but by and large this is Bryony’s story. If I were to pick a genre for it, I would say this is more Women’s Lit than rom com. And therein lies the reason behind why so many people picked up this book and wrinkled their noses at it.

Is that a mistake? As far as I’m concerned; absolutely.

But I also don’t expect everyone to share my opinion. If someone picks this book up expecting the cutest of rom coms, they run the risk of being disappointed. For me, I imagine my general preference for richly developed stories over romance for romance’s sake played a huge role in why this aspect didn’t bother me at all. I am also not one to dock a star for the marketing decisions of a book not matching what I’m reading.

Thus, when it comes down to it, I think the biggest thing that I disliked about this book was the unnecessary inclusion of Bryony’s long distance boyfriend. His entire existence was just so pointless, serving only to…what? Explain why these two characters didn’t get together sooner? Which is fine, I guess, but it does leave the whole thing feeling a bit contrived and sort of results in the first half of the book dragging along just a bit. The way the relationship ends also doesn’t help the romance aspect of this book nor does it create opportunity for chemistry—speaking of! The two year time jump, while fully necessary given the broader context of the book’s plot, made the chemistry between the romantic leads miss out on so much buildup opportunity and sort of forced us to experience Jack’s burgeoning feelings via dialogue exposition about a PAST EVENT we don’t get to experience with them.

All of that said, since the plot (in my opinion) is not truly about their romance, however, these are some deeply forgivable missteps. And Bryony’s journey? Beautiful in every sense of the word. I was at the edge of my seat for every aspect of her author journey from the ghost writing and subsequent villain to the desperation and strong feelings about her personal novel—and that’s without even getting into the brilliance of her day job and how much she cares about her students. I feel like a foodie chef’s kissing everything to do with this aspect of the novel. I love, love, loved this story.

And I think, so long as you as a reader can forgive the fact that the romance is really more of a side plot and not the central focus, you may just love it, too.

I also adored the narrator—she did an absolutely excellent job making me feel like I was hearing this from the character’s voice, but her ability to adjust cadence to sound like a completely different character in dialogue was impressive. Especially when it came to the “villain” Amelia Benedict.

Thank you Netgalley for the audioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will preface by saying that Meet Me in the Margins is one of my favorite books so I had high hopes for The Perfect Rom-Com. The romantic moments that were delivered definitely gave me butterflies but sadly there were so few of them in the book overall.

Bryony is an aspiring author who wishes to publish her beloved manuscript honouring her Grandmother's work as a leader of an ESL school. She meets Jack at a writer's conference and he bluntly tells her it isn't anything he can work with commercially. Instead of leaving the conference with an agent like she had hoped, she returns having secured a deal to be a ghostwriter for a very popular author. Bryony releases best sellers left right and centre but is burnt out and frustrated with the anonymity of her work, but most of all, that the manuscript she cares about has never been published. The only reason she agreed to ghost write was to get a foot in the door so she could be the author she's always dreamed of (and help fund her beloved ESL school where she also teaches). And since Jack has a stellar reputation in the publishing industry, he has the power to make her that author, but will he?

I enjoyed the multicultural stories of all the ESL students, the community forged by these immigrants and how much Bryony fostered that and cared for them all. That was probably the highlight of the book.

There is a 2 year gap from agreeing to be a ghostwriter and being a best selling author, anonymously. And in that time, we are told that Jack and Bryony spend a lot of time together, working, despite being in relationships with other people. I think by missing this time in their relationship building, we miss out on all the events that flirt with the line of being out of the friend/coworker zone. I think these moments are important, particularly in a book marketed as Romance. This book was so heavy on the publishing industry and Bryony's inner monologues and self deprecation, the romance part of this romance novel was deep in the shadows of everything else.

This won't deter me from reading Melissa Ferguson again but I did not love this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved her charitable side, even to a fault. I loved how she never gave up and kept working towards her dreams even with all the roadblocks in her way. I felt like the ending was perfect and hilarious. Great summer read!

Melissa Ferguson is right up there with the best in writing rom-coms, and The Perfect Rom-Com fits that genre to a T! I laughed often, and the sweet romance and "meet cute" were wonderful.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference with her first manuscript, brimming with optimism. She hopes that selling her book will benefit The Bridge where she teaches ESL as her full-time job. Her optimism is trampled by editor after editor who reads an excerpt an rejects her book without giving it what she feels is a fair chance. After one last pitch ends in another flaming rejection, she tries critiquing another author's book as a last-ditch effort to make a good impression on the agent, Jack Sterling. Her spot-on observations do impress him, but not enough to put her book out into the world. He does, however, have another idea.

Jack Sterling is used to seeing desperate authors, but none has been as persistent as Bryony. Her book is a monstrosity with way too many things going on, so there is no way any publisher will want it as is, and she refuses to have it edited. However, her critique of the manuscript he gave her as an example impresses him with her insightfulness, and he realizes she just may be the ghost writer he is looking for to write the next Amelia Benedict book. He offers her the job, and she accepts with one caveat: Jack must also sell her book.

No one could have ever predicted that Bryony's books would turn socialite Amelia Benedict into a household name, putting every book she writes on the best seller lists. She is so good that the publisher makes her the exclusive ghost writer for the brand. She writes and Amelia takes all the credit. She makes more money in royalties than she ever expected, but her book still isn't in the hands of an editor. On the up side, Jack has become one of her best friends, but he thinks she should be satisfied with the success she's already had. Can she convince him that her book just needs to see the light of day to be a success?

Prepare to snicker, guffaw, and outright belly laugh at the antics and misspoken idioms of Bryony's ESL students! They were hilarious! I also enjoyed the interactions of Bryony and Jack. He is very good at "talking her off the ledge" so to speak, every time she gets frustrated with Amelia, who comes across as the uber-spoiled rich girl she is.

Readers who enjoy romance with a heavy dose of comedy will love The Perfect Rom-Com. In my opinion, this book IS the perfect rom-com and I highly recommend it! I listened to this on the NetGalley app and the narrator is wonderful!