Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Contemporary Romance
February 15, 2022 by Thomas Nelson
Reviewed by Kate
Meet Me in the Margins is a very cute, very bookish, romance. It has Hallmark channel movie vibes and is an enjoyable read.
Meet Me in the Margins stars Savannah, an acquisitions editor at a literary fiction press, and William, the new boss, who happens to be the son of the owner of the publisher. Savannah is also an aspiring romance author, and one day in an attempt to hide her manuscript from prying and disapproving eyes, she puts it in a secret room in the attic, only to come back and discover editorial notes.
I was inclined to like this book purely based on the premise alone – one of my favorite tropes is notes or other text based communication between two romantic leads, and that part definitely delivered. In my opinion, the reader quickly realizes who the mystery editor is, though Ferguson does a good job of at least planting a bit of doubt. What I enjoyed about the way this plot is done is that there is no moment where Savannah is embarrassed by the secret. Sometimes I feel these types of plots, where one half of a leading couple is unknown, can be ripe for humiliating moments where (typically) the heroine makes some grand romantic gesture to the wrong person. Luckily Ferguson steers away from this kind of drama.
Another aspect I liked about the book is that the storytelling itself feels very cinematic. I could easily picture the setting and really felt myself getting lost in the world of the book, whether it was a honky tonk Nashville bar or the old Victorian house that is the office. The side characters are also fairly fleshed out, and stick out in my memory days after finishing the book.
Though the romance is clearly a main plotline, there is also the plotline of Savannah editing her book to pass along to an editor at a very well-known press. She also gains more self-confidence, and as a result, her arc is very satisfying. Will’s arc as a character is a little less fleshed out, but I believe that’s because the reader is in Savannah’s head, so we only know what she learns about him.
Overall, Meet Me in the Margins is a fun read that veers a bit toward contemporary fiction but ultimately has an enjoyable happily ever after. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy romances like The Flatshare or books about books.
Grade: A-
Books about books are definitely amongst my favorites as are novels that contain epistolary content, so you definitely have my attention, Kate. Thanks for your review!