Title: Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 319 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
You’ve Got Mail meets The Proposal—this romance is one for the books.
Savannah Cade’s dreams are coming true. The Claire Donovan, editor-in-chief of the most successful romance imprint in the country, has requested to see the manuscript Savannah’s been secretly writing while working as editor herself—except at her publishing house, the philosophy is only highbrow works are worth printing and commercial fiction, particularly romance, should be reserved for the lowest level of Dante’s inferno. But when Savannah drops her manuscript during a staff meeting and nearly exposes herself to the whole company—including William Pennington, new publisher and son of the romance-despising CEO herself—she races to hide her manuscript in the secret turret room of the old Victorian office.
When she returns, she’s dismayed to discover that someone has not only been in her hidden nook but has written notes in the margins—quite critical ones. But when Claire’s own reaction turns out to be nearly identical to the scribbled remarks, and worse, Claire announces that Savannah has six weeks to resubmit before she retires, Savannah finds herself forced to seek the help of the shadowy editor after all.
As their notes back and forth start to fill up the pages, however, Savannah finds him not just becoming pivotal to her work but her life. There’s no doubt about it. She’s falling for her mystery editor. If she only knew who he was.
Review:
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson is an enchanting contemporary romance.
Savannah Cade is an assistant acquisitions editor for a family-owned publishing company in Nashville. Since the company does not publish romance novels, Savannah pitched the book she has been writing to an editor who works at a different publishing house. She has been polishing her romance for several months and time is running out for her to submit it to editor-in-chief Claire Donovan.
After Savannah drops her manuscript during a meeting, she hides it away in the secret room no one else seems to know about. When she later retrieves her work in progress, she is demoralized by the discovery that someone has critically edited her novel. In a moment of pique, Savannah finally sends her manuscript to Claire. Unfortunately, the mystery editor’s observations are spot on and Savannah needs this person’s assistance in order to get published.
William Pennington has recently returned to Nashville and his family-owned publishing company. He is rigid and somewhat grim at the office which is why Savannah is so surprised by how friendly and open he is off the clock. He also values her opinion and she is stunned when he takes her advice as he begins making changes at the company. As much as Savannah enjoys spending time with him, she loves the written exchanges between her and the mystery editor.
Set against the backdrop of the publishing world, Meet Me in the Margins is a funny contemporary romance. Savannah is absolutely marvelous but she is a bit of a pushover when it comes to her family. William is doing his best to save the family business but he and his CEO mother are often at odds over some of his decisions. The storyline is engaging with an understated romance. The cast of characters is wonderfully quirky and quite entertaining. Following a very touching dénouement, Melissa Ferguson provides a sweet epilogue that will delight readers who enjoy wholesome romances.
