Without a Clue - Review

Without a Clue

By: Melissa Ferguson

Publication: February 17, 2026 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--When a mystery writer mysteriously dies on a cruise filled with rabid fans, his protégé (and personal assistant) teams up with a rugged cowboy and fellow writer to crack the case. One part Only Murders in the Building, one part Book Lovers, and a whole lot of laughs, Without a Clue will keep readers guessing and swooning until the very end.

If there's one thing Penelope Mae Dupont prizes most, it's her composure--her ability to stay calm in the face of stress. It's a vital trait in her job as a personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven--seven celebrated authors from different genres who have supported each other through thick and thin--her famed composure is in danger of sailing away. One boat, hundreds of devoted readers, and seven Big Personalities. What could possibly go wrong?

Disaster strikes when, on the second day of the cruise, Hugh is found murdered. And, in the face of gross incompetence by the on-board security force, Pip realizes she'll need to be the one to discover who did it. With the ship stranded in the middle of the Atlantic and no help on the horizon, it's up to her to unravel the mystery. Along with her friend Nash--a dreamy Western author who's just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about. As Pip's composure starts to sink faster than a leaky dinghy, Nash becomes her anchor in a storm of clues and red herrings.

With Nash at her side, Penelope dives into the murky depths of the mystery, navigating treacherous waters filled with unexpected twists and turns. No one, not even a desperately hopeful mystery sleuth named Pip, could anticipate the wild ride ahead. Whether she likes it or not, she is on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and maybe, just maybe, she'll find love along the way.

In this laugh-out-loud funny Clue-meets-Emily-Henry rom-com, Penelope Mae Dupont is about to find out that in the world of mystery and romance, you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.

I've had an up and down relationship with Melissa Ferguson's books. Yet I've found that the ones I've loved the most have been the books that she writes about books. Meet Me in the Margins and The Perfect Rom-Com were two that stood out to me in the past. But I'm not a big fan of mysteries, so I put off reading Without a Clue for longer than I intended, and I also started it and put it back down due to a slower beginning. But once I get into the heart of the book, I found it easy to keep going.

I really feel like Melissa Ferguson has written these books about books, about stories, as a way of venting her love for each of the genres. I could be reaching, but that's how it appears to me. As I already said, I'm not the biggest fan of mysteries, and I find that when they are mixed with romance, the plot can overtake the relationships. Or the mystery becomes the major conflict instead of relational conflict. One I appreciate, and the other I don't. Without a Clue was enough romance to suit my preferences there.

Penelope has been a writing assistant for an author for years. She also organizes and keeps things together for a group of seven famous authors. Hugh, the author she's an assistant for, keeps trying to get her to write her own book. She's also developed a crush on one of the other authors who she has a close working relationship with. Yet they never associate outside of work. When Penelope's long-term boyfriend breaks up with her in a public way, she's feeling herself on the verge of an emotional breakdown. This vacation (a celebrity cruise) is just what she thinks she needs. Only Hugh ends up murdered, and Penelope is the only one who can solve the murder.

I can't say more due to spoilers.

Without a Clue was an enjoyable read, and I got into it once I made it about 20%. There was mystery-genre plotting, and romance. I wasn't always sure who I could trust. At the same time, I wasn't surprised by the outcome or ending of the book at all. Without a Clue gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Without a Clue? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Christmas Yes List

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Christmas Yes List

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: October 6, 2026 by Thomas Nelson

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Get ready for a laugh-out-loud holiday romance that's brimming with witty banter and heartwarming cheer by the bestselling author of Meet Me in the Margins, Melissa Ferguson.

Chronic people-pleaser Chloe Hollis is determined to finally learn how to get over her fear of rejection. Her unconventional solution? She must collect ten "nos" before Christmas Day by asking strangers for the most ridiculous favors she can dream up. But her plan goes hilariously off-track when she meets James Dutton.

James, a rule-following workaholic, has decided to do the exact opposite of he's saying "yes" to every opportunity that comes his way in hopes of finally embracing life--and maybe a little Christmas spirit.

As they continue to get tangled up in each other's wild experiment, Chloe and James find themselves in a whirlwind of festive, awkward, and delightful situations. But no one is more surprised than they are to realize they're falling in love.

With sparkling humor and swoon-worthy heart, this delightful Christmas rom-com is a feel-good story about facing fear head-on, choosing growth over comfort, and finding the courage to say "yes" to the things--and the people--that truly matter.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Without a Clue

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Without a Clue

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: February 17, 2026 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Christian

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--When a mystery writer mysteriously dies on a cruise filled with rabid fans, his protégé (and personal assistant) teams up with a rugged cowboy and fellow writer to crack the case. One part Only Murders in the Building, one part Book Lovers, and a whole lot of laughs, Without a Clue will keep readers guessing and swooning until the very end.

If there's one thing Penelope Mae Dupont prizes most, it's her composure--her ability to stay calm in the face of stress. It's a vital trait in her job as a personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven--seven celebrated authors from different genres who have supported each other through thick and thin--her famed composure is in danger of sailing away. One boat, hundreds of devoted readers, and seven Big Personalities. What could possibly go wrong?

Disaster strikes when, on the second day of the cruise, Hugh is found murdered. And, in the face of gross incompetence by the on-board security force, Pip realizes she'll need to be the one to discover who did it. With the ship stranded in the middle of the Atlantic and no help on the horizon, it's up to her to unravel the mystery. Along with her friend Nash--a dreamy Western author who's just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about. As Pip's composure starts to sink faster than a leaky dinghy, Nash becomes her anchor in a storm of clues and red herrings.

With Nash at her side, Penelope dives into the murky depths of the mystery, navigating treacherous waters filled with unexpected twists and turns. No one, not even a desperately hopeful mystery sleuth named Pip, could anticipate the wild ride ahead. Whether she likes it or not, she is on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and maybe, just maybe, she'll find love along the way.

In this laugh-out-loud funny Clue-meets-Emily-Henry rom-com, Penelope Mae Dupont is about to find out that in the world of mystery and romance, you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

The Perfect Rom-Com - Review

The Perfect Rom-Com

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: February 11, 2025 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--She's written dozens of smash hit novels as a ghostwriter. Too bad no one knows it.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother's financially-struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitching session, she stumbles into correcting another author's work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.

No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one she'll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.

What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony's books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.

And just like that, the Foundry Agency can't let her go.

But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can't either.

The Perfect Rom-Com is the fifth book I've read by Melissa Ferguson. I won't say it was my favorite, but I have found that I've enjoyed the books where her characters are part of the publishing industry the best. 

Bryony is an aspiring author. She's been working as an ESL (English Second Language) teacher at a facility her grandmother founded. She's fallen in love with the people who come through her classes. But the facility is losing its funding, and Bryony wants to publish the book she's written about the facility and her grandmother to support it financially and raise awareness about it. The only problem is that Bryony keeps getting turned down by agents. She needs representation to get her book in front of different publishers.

After a disastrous meeting with agent Jack Sterling, Bryony leaves, not realizing that she left her manuscript on the table. Jack sees enough promise in her from reading what she left that he hunts her down to get her opinion on a new book being ghostwritten under a famous name. Jack convinces Bryony to sign on as a ghostwriter for Amelia in exchange for representation. 

The romance was SLOW building. So slow that tension wasn't even there until about 65% or more. Usually, that would bother me, but truthfully, I was enjoying the story just fine without a heavy romantic push. Bryony's struggle with writing for someone else was the heart of the story. And it's not even that she couldn't get credit for her work; the real issue was how resentful Amelia was toward Bryony, who was literally saving her. At the same time, Bryony is struggling to wait for her own book, continuing in limbo. Plus, there's the added pressure of the center she works for rapidly running out of funds and nearing closure. 

The big conflict resolution was entertaining but highly improbable in the real world. 

I didn't highlight much, but this quote does a good job of showing Bryony's struggles. 

-But the fact is, these books are meaningful to me. They’re meaningful to readers. And I sit by my computer, day in and day out, living on crumbs of news about my own story. When on earth will it be my turn to write under my name? When on earth will I get the chance to reach readers with words only influenced by my mind and not dampened by Amelia’s input?

Most of all, I enjoyed another look into publishing, writing, and all of the aspects of the industry that Melissa Ferguson highlighted. I find the whole industry so fascinating. And man, I know the waiting and not hearing back would drive me crazy. 

I also want to mention that I appreciated how the ESL topic was handled. She could have gone completely political over this topic. Even the funding being lost was handled well. I applaud this because most authors, when touching on subjects like this, can't help but be divisive. Good job, Melissa and the editors.

Also, on that note, this was a clean book. There's no on-page spice at all. And I don't remember any language used. Proof that those things are not necessary to write a good book. 

I read The Perfect Rom-Com quickly, especially given that I've been in a little reading slump. I liked the romance even though it wasn't at the forefront of the entire book. I loved the view inside the industry. And so much more. The Perfect Rom-Com gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Perfect Rom-Com ? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases Q1/Q2 2025

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases Q1/Q2 2025

1. After Life by Gayle Forman
2. The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson
3. The Folklore of Forever (Moonville, # 2) by Sarah Hogle
4. Everything I Promised You by Katy Upperman
5. Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy, # 1) by Mimi Matthews
6. Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, # 3) by Rebecca Yarros
7. Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 1) by Helen Scheuerer

And 3 I've already read:

8. Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan
9. The Rules of Matrimony (Matchmaking Mamas, # 4) by Anneka R Walker
10. Beyond the Crescent Sky (The Balkan Legends, # 2) by AL Sowards (releases today)

Which books are you anticipating from the first half of 2025? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Perfect Rom-Com

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Perfect Rom-Com

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: February 11, 2025 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--She's written dozens of smash hit novels as a ghostwriter. Too bad no one knows it.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother's financially-struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitching session, she stumbles into correcting another author's work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.

No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one she'll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.

What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony's books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.

And just like that, the Foundry Agency can't let her go.

But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can't either.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

How to Plot a Payback - Review

How to Plot a Payback

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: April 2, 2024 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--She’s been muddling his plans for years—now he’s the writer for the beloved character she plays on television, and it’s time for payback. Murders have just become so tedious . Finn Masters has been in the business of murders for five years. Writing murders for the television drama Higher Stakes , that is. And he’s more than ready to move up the corporate ladder until, ideally, he gets his own show about almost anything else. So when an unbelievable offer is presented to him—becoming the supervising producer in none other than the nation’s most popular ongoing sitcom, Neighbors —it’s an opportunity he can’t pass up. Despite the fact that the star of the show and of America’s heart is Lavender Rhodes. And everybody loves her. Except him. And for good reason. Because Lavender Rhodes is generous to everyone. But there’s a figurative price to pay for the fortune she bestows time and time again upon those in need, and the one who always ends up “paying” it, unbeknownst to her, is him. Finally, after she unknowingly destroyed his acting career, accidentally wrecked his relationship with the love of his life, and inadvertently begins to tear his new job to shreds, he’s had enough. He’s now the writer for the beloved character she plays on television. And it’s time for payback.

Melissa Ferguson is a bit up and down for me. I have never out and out-disliked her books, but I go from blown away to meh. I struggled to get into How to Plot a Payback, and I was a little confused partway through. Finn's list of things Lavender has ruined for him was funny but confusing. I must have read through his list wrong because I thought he said he'd had a three-year relationship with Lavender and almost proposed when she suddenly dumped him. But when they met at work, and she didn't even recognize him or his name I was thoroughly confused. Turns out, they went to high school together but haven't seen each other since.

Poor Finn. He was negatively impacted by some major coincidences involving Lavender. And she was completely unaware of them. I loved how the way he perceived her was nearly the exact opposite of who she was. And I also truly loved how every attempt on his part to pay her back in big or small ways always turned out to backfire on him.

Lavender is a sweet person without a bone of malice in her body. She loves those closest to her and cares for them, even to the detriment of herself. I found myself laughing at the shenanigans of her dog Bernie because my sister-in-law recently got a Bernese Mountain dog, and he is absolutely huge and not even a year old. Over a hundred pounds already. Plus his fur is fluffy and all over the place. They've just started obedience school for him, but the lack of obedience so far has me completely picturing the antics that Bernie gets up to.

I loved Melissa Ferguson's Meet Me in the Margins because it felt like a love letter to stories, to writing, to readers. And similarly, How to Plot a Payback was also about the love of writing. Just this time, the medium was film and not books. While I do appreciate a good TV show, I didn't get into the creative process as much with this book as the other I mentioned. I am curious if they could take a show (that seems to be fashioned after Friends) and turn that into a crime/mystery show with the same cast. It seems impossible, but I'd like to see it happen now. Like Friends alternate universe, and Phoebe turns out to be a serial killer.

Favorite quotes:

-She's so good at ruining my life that of course I should've suspected she could ruin my payback.

-"No, Lavender. I very much do not deserve your forgiveness." "Maybe, maybe not," I say, "but that's the beauty of forgiveness. You don't get the say. I do. And I say"--I shrug-- "I forgive you. Life's much too short for me to hang on to resentment, especially as none of us is perfect."

How to Plot a Payback was a good book. I loved the romance. I especially love the story of Finn realizing that Lavender was never the villain he made her out to be. I loved Lavender's goodness. I liked the animals, Miles and Bernie especially. The ode to writing in the film sense versus books was good but not as well done as her previous book Meet Me in the Margins. And I was confused a time or two--probably my own fault, but it still adjusted my experience of the book. How to Plot a Payback gets 4 Stars. Have you read How to Plot a Payback? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Books I Didn't Get to in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Books I Didn't Get to in 2023

1. A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel
2. The Getaway List by Emma Lord
3. Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, # 30) by Janet Evanovich
4. How to Plot Payback by Melissa Ferguson
5. Finding Us by Tracie Peterson
6. Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry
7. Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by James Sturm
8. The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing
9. Fairest of Heart (Texas Ever After, #1) by Karen Witemeyer
10. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

Which books are you hoping to get to that you didn't get around to reading in 2023? Let me know!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases Q1/Q2 2024

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases Q1/Q2 2024

1. A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel
2. Finally His Bride (Bride Ships: New Voyages, # 1) by Jody Hedlund
3. If the Boot Fits (Texas Ever After, # 2) by Karen Witemeyer
4. How to Plot Payback by Melissa Ferguson
5. Funny Story by Emily Henry
6. Highcliffe House by Megan Walker
7. Fate of the Sun King (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 3) by Nisha J Tuli
8. The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing
9. To Love the Brooding Baron by Jentry Flint
10. A Thousand Broken Pieces (A Thousand Boy Kisses, # 2) by Tillie Cole

Which books are you anticipating for the first half of 2024? Let me know!

Famous for a Living - Review

Famous for a Living

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: May 16th 2023 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From Park Avenue to the Parks Department—the world’s most beloved social media star is about to get a rude awakening.

With her millions of followers, Cat Cranwell is adored around the world. But when an app partnership goes very, very wrong, Cat suddenly finds herself shunned from the community that not only fed her soul all these years but paid her bills. When Cat’s closest living relative, Uncle Terry, offers her a position on his staff at a small national park in Montana to get away from the city, Cat hesitantly accepts the opportunity.

What she doesn’t realize is that as the new social media strategist her goal is to save Kannery National Park from being absorbed into Glacier National Park by boosting the number of visitors. And at least one of her new colleagues—namely, handsome and rugged ranger Zaiah Hudson—thinks social media is the root of everything that’s wrong with the world. Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.

My first Melissa Ferguson book was The Dating Charade. I liked it, but I wanted more. So much of the story was devoted to things aside from the romance. That caused me to avoid some of her next releases. I prefer books to be relationship focused. The description of Meet Me in the Margins pulled me in and I decided to read it. And well, I loved it. I did have the same complaint--that I wished more of the story focused on the romance--but the subject of writing, editing, and publishing was so dear to me that I didn't mind as much as I normally might have. Famous for a Living was really good. I devoured it, but when I look back I can see that this book also could have used a little more romance.

Cat is a social media influencer. Every moment of her life is curated for her next photo, video, and post. She thinks about her next caption and post more than her friends and family. Her business partner screws her over and drags her name through the mud. Of course, her followers and pretty much everyone online turn on her. She leaves the city to help her uncle as social media manager for the small national park where he is the head park ranger.

Zaiah is a park ranger and he hates all things technology. He has a flip phone and shows open disgust for Cat's profession. It's only when he sees the good she's able to do with helping Mina, a park coworker, and the park itself does he sway his opinion, and even then only slightly. See, Zaiah has a past with influencers that didn't end well. He appreciates Cat as a person but sees that she's addicted to social media and her phone which worries him.

I didn't exactly feel like Melissa Ferguson was preaching the woes of social media and phone addictions to the reader, but it came close. This is an interesting and relevant topic in today's society. It's something to consider at least.

I read Famous for a Living in two days right before Christmas, which is kind of amazing with 3 kids 7 and under. Looking back the relationship feels like it could have been further developed and I wouldn't have minded more romance. The bigger story of social media and phone addictions made the story feel relevant and even dare I say important. Famous for a Living gets 4 Stars. Have you read Famous for a Living? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Books I Read in 2022

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Books I Read in 2022

1. Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (4.5 Stars)
2. Edward and Amelia by Karen Thronell (4.5 Stars)
3. Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch (5 Stars)
4. FLIP the Gratitude Switch by Kevin Clayson (4.5 Stars)
5. From the Jump by Lacie Waldon (4.5 Stars)
6. A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame, # 1) by KA Tucker (4.5 Stars)
7. A Curse of Blood & Stone (Fate & Flame, # 2) by KA Tucker (4.5 Stars)
8. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (5 Stars)
9. Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa TerKeurst (5 Stars)
10. Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul by Jennifer Tucker (5 Stars)
11. Book Lovers by Emily Henry (4.5 Stars)
12. A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram, # 3) by Darynda Jones

Which books were your favorites reads of 2022? Let me know!