How to Plot a Payback - by Melissa Ferguson (Paperback)

Melissa Ferguson delivers another clean, solid four star story with wonderful characters, a cute storyline and moments that will have readers chuckling as they devour the pages of this new release. This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting when it came to the enemies-to-lovers trope, but it didn't disappoint nonetheless. Ferguson put her own unique spin not the trope and the tension and depth were still there, even if the banter I expected wasn't. One thing that Ferguson writes well is inner thoughts, sarcasm and slapstick comedic situations, wherein I happily enjoyed many smile-inducing moments. There's a fantastic cast of side characters that made this story highly entertaining for me including, but not limited to, the four-legged kind! Animal lovers like me will adore the cat-collecting Mrs. Teaberry who quickly became a favorite side character, Bernie the lovable Bernese Mountain dog puppy and Miles, the distinguished Weimaraner. Also noteworthy was the premise of working on a Hollywood television set, with Finn being a writer/producer and Lavender starring as a leading actress in the tv sitcom he's writing for making the setting for this novel fresh and fun. While I was hoping for flirting, snark, banter and chemistry from the start, this book is a slow-burn, true to the recent releases from this author. But for readers like me who want it all from the beginning, never fear, it picks up around the two thirds part and has a sweet, rewarding HEA. Overall, a light read that's worth an afternoon or two and would make a great road-trip or vacation read. I highly recommend the audiobook as well as I listened to it while simultaneously reading my e-copy and adored the narrators (especially the narrator who read Finn's POV) who did a brilliant job of making the characters and comedy come alive. *I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Oh. My. Word. This book had me laughing out loud. I also had to tell my husband all about this book, which I never do, because he usually is not interested. But, this one had me laughing so much, I had to share it with him. I loved the interaction between Finn and Lavender. Also, the way Finn discovered that he quite possibly was the villain in their story? It was utter perfection. I have never read a Melissa Ferguson book before, but now all of her previous books are on my TBR list. Read this. You will not regret it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.