4.5/5 stars This is my third Ferguson book. I’ve loved every book, and she’s now officially a member of my auto-buy list. Screenwriter Finn Masters has landed his dream job writing one of Hollywood’s highest-rated and longest-running sitcoms. The only problem is that his nemesis, Lavender Rhodes, the star of the show and adored by millions, is in reality a fellow school chum from England who destroyed his acting career and wrecked his relationship with the love of his life…and she doesn’t even know that he blames her. The payback (of the title) is a series of ways that he strategizes to seek revenge for his losses and the impacts they made in his life’s path. Lavender is a sunny, optimistic, down-to-earth giver who comes off as a bit naïve and too trusting to those who don’t know her well, but as Finn spends time around her on the show, he discovers that it’s not just a veneer, and she’s definitely not naïve as she’s had to learn to navigate the Hollywood hurdles of fame. Everyone loves her, and he begins to grudgingly see why. This was such a sweet, slow romance, and I loved to be able to read both mains alternating perspectives as it brought them really into focus…their motivations, their fears, their dreams. Both Finn and Lavender were equally compelling, and the humor (especially from Finn’s side) was just rollicking-good fun. Can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed reading this, and I highly recommend it. My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing the free early arc of How to Plot a Payback for review. The opinions are strictly my own.