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!!)
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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!
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