Short synopsis: Emma gets the chance to help her favorite screenwriter rewrite a script for a rom-com, hesitantly leaving her sick dad with her sister.

My thoughts: This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint. There is so much emotional growth throughout the pages, that I couldn’t help but root for Charlie and Emma.

I’ll admit, it took me a HOT minute to warm up to Charlie. Was a little too much male privilege that he eventually grew out of, but he did redeem himself with the picket square (if you know you know).

I also liked the growth emma went through. She needed to relinquish some control and let some things go, which she eventually did.

All in all, perfect classic Katherine Center. All the wit and banter which amazing characters.

Read if you love:
- Rom-Com movies
- Writers
- Celebrity romance
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Workplace romance

Granted, this was precisely the kind of book I needed right now--light and happy and not a lot of work--but it was also good. I am not a "romance" reader but I do like them once in a while, especially Katherine Center who is on the right side of romance--a bit corny at times but not silly or insipid. I am now in my summer reading mode and, especially with the end of the school year and upcoming surgery, I have very little focus and need lighter fare. It's like food: who wants heavy dishes in the middle of the summer; I need salads and things that are easy to digest. It is the same with books.
The reason I liked this book (and Katherine Center in general) is the voice. The narrator is likeable and funny, struggling with real life issues. And in the midst of some significant problems, she is optimistic and genuine, even if not perfect. Her love interest is curmudgeonly and who, at first, seems virtually misanthropic but with a heart beating somewhere inside under all that scorn. Has this been done before? Of course and it will be done again undoubtedly. However, Center has a really good handle on voice and character development so that the plot, while done before, doesn't really matter; I just want to listen to the character and have coffee with her. I would love to see a sequel, one where she and her curmudgeonly beau get married and navigate more life and difficulties alluded to in this novel.
Hopefully the author will see this review.
I read parts of the e book and listened to the audio; I think I preferred the audio but it may be my frame of mind. But also, the narration suited the voice of the main character.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for providing me with the arcs in exchange for my honest opinion.

Katherine Center’s latest follows Emma, as she lands her dream job working with her screen writer hero, Charlie. The problem is that he doesn’t believe in romcoms, which is what Emma writes. The story was cute, but not too saccharine, with some real issues for both of the main characters. However, we didn’t really get to see them fall for each other, which made it rather unsatisfying. Also, Emma seemed to act uncharacteristically at times.

“Was this a happy ending? Of course. And also only a beginning in the way that beginnings and endings are always kind of the same thing.”
Emma Wheeler has always wanted to be a screenwriter in the style of Nora Ephron or Nancy Meyers - classic romantic comedies that leave you with a wistful sigh and live rent-free in your brain for the decades to come. But as the primary caregiver for her beloved father, Emma put her dreams - and prestigious screenwriting school acceptance - on indefinite pause.
When Emma’s one-time boyfriend turned Hollywood agent offers her a chance to help Charlie Yates, her all-time favorite screenwriter, she finds the one thing that catapults her out of her comfort zone. Charlie has been commissioned to write her first romantic comedy - and it’s terrible. But why would it not be? Cynical Charlie doesn’t believe in love, but he does believe that Emma could help him make his screenplay passible. So the two team up…
Because this is a rom-com, we know we’ll end up happily ever after. But in the capable hands of Katherine Center, we also know the destination will contain surprises, depth, nuance, warmth and characters who make you fall in love that lasts beyond the pages.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 STARS - The Rom-Commers is a highly anticipated book this summer so naturally I wanted to read it and was lucky to get an advanced copy from the publisher.

This contemporary romance story is a bit slow to get into its groove, but soon will sweep readers up in a charming story about love, navigating the bumps life throws at you and includes a few bits that made me laugh out loud.

I loved that Center incorporates a few of my favourite tropes into her story. Forced Proximity and Grumpy vs Sunshine are used well here with Charlie as a highly celebrated writer/misanthrope and Emma playing the chatty/sunshine role who has dreams of writing RomComs. I liked the couple but wanted a bit more. Getting a stronger lead up to the romance and more of Charlie's POV would have tipped this book into a 4 star for me.

This was a cute romance with very low spice, a few good bits of banter and two characters who have a lot of emotional baggage to contend with. Center includes interesting themes of loss, resiliency and moving on, making this a bit less comedic and more of a dramatic book for me.

While The Bodyguard remains my favourite book (and Jack Stapleton makes an appearance in this book!), this was a story that will hit readers in the feels this summer.

Note: One of the highlights of this book are the many quotes that I highlighted on my kindle.


My Favourite Quotes:

"Kindness is a form of emotional courage."

"Whatever story you tell yourself about your life, that's the one that'll be true."

"Tragedy is a given. There is no version of human life that doesn't involve reams of it. The question is what we do in the face of it all."

"The whole trick to life. Be aggressively, loudly, unapologetically grateful."

"It's all about writing the very best story of your life. Not just how you live it - but how you choose to tell it."

Thank goodness for Katherine Center! Always an enjoyable story with interesting characters and not an ugly word or graphic moment in the whole book. It can be done well, yet it has become so rare that an author does it, so more and more love for Katherine Center. There is always a health/sickness aspect to her stories that I always find interesting. This was only the second Center book that I listened to rather than read a paper copy, and just like with the other one, it was a fun surprise to have a bonus chapter at the end and also that the audiobook includes the Author's Note (which note only makes me love KC more!)
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for my ARC audio of this book

“I’ll take it! And I’ll spray-paint it bubblegum pink and write my name on it in red Sharpie with little hearts! And I’ll tell everybody I won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay for a rom-com so rom-commy it was called The Rom-Commers!”

“He felt real.
But more than that: he made me feel real.”

The Rom-Commers is a triumph of PURE JOY! Katherine Center dazzles with an adorable story oozing with love and hope and kindness. Reading it is like cozying up in a warm blanket… I always have a smile on my face reading her books, and this one is no exception.

Charlie and Emma, two writers, wind up working together on a rom-com screenplay. Along the way Charlie discovers what it feels like to be in love and they both learn how to give themselves permission to be happy. They each bring anxieties and baggage to the table. Just two souls figuring out that “Whatever story you tell yourself about your life, that’s the one that will be true.” It’s funny and charming and also brought tears to my eyes. My favorite kind of book…it delivers all the feels.

I was so excited with the Easter egg of finding Jack Stapleton from the Bodyguard in this book. These are FICTIONAL characters, and I found myself actually HAPPY that Charlie had Jack as his true friend. That’s a great writer… Katherine Center somehow makes me care about Charlie enough to be happy that he has a genuine friend that I feel I KNOW because I read all about him in The Bodyguard. Well done!

KUDOS on another gorgeous cover! And please never lose Patti Murin as the narrator of your books….she has a perfect voice for these books, just adds warmth and joy and absolutely brings these characters to life.

Thank you, Katherine Center, for your passion for the rom-com! Your words in the authors note are sooo true… we do find the stories we need to read, they call to us from our hearts. I will continue to “hang out with you on your hill of love stories”… you keep writing, I’ll keep reading!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
#netgalley #theromcommers #romcom #katherinecenter #pattimurin #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress

Katherine Center is an auto buy for me. I love her and this book has every reason why. It’s a beautifully written novel with tragic characters and moments and it’s delightful and full of depth. At the same time Center is unapologetically SWOON mastered. Bringing in characters from my all time favorite Center novel is heart eyes wonderfully executed. I could go on and on where this is one of my favorite troops when done well and least favorite when it misses. This only hits its mark…camera,lights,bitch smile.

Emma has had years of caring for her father after a tragic accident. She’s given up so much of her life to care for her father. She gets a chance of a lifetime to help write with Charlie, a well known Hollywood screenwriter. She’s able to be honest and completely herself with him in a way most people aren’t. You are able to follow their story, laugh at parts, and relate to some piece of you’ve ever been in love. This book is the perfect beach read this summer!

I adored this book. Katherine Center never fails to make you fell in love with her stories and characters. This one was super fun and enjoyable. It was also romantics and so wholesome.

“Appreciate your person. Choose a good, imperfect person who leaves the cap off the toothpaste, and puts the toilet paper roll on upside down, and loads the dishwasher like a ferret on steroids - and then appreciate the hell out of that person. Train yourself to see their best, most delightful, most charming qualities. Focus on everything they’re getting right. Be grateful- all the time - and laugh the rest off.” - Emma’s dad

I love Katherine Center and everything she writes. You can feel her love for romance novels as her words jump off the page. I love the way she takes complex, made-up characters and forces you to see yourself in them or to empathize with them.

In this story, Emma is a wanna-be screen writer who hasn’t followed her dream because she has been taking care of her dad for the last 10 years. She has turned down opportunities and dream jobs so her sister can live her dreams. But now an opportunity of a life time has fallen into her lap and she gets to take it! The opportunity is writing a rom-com with her hero: Charlie Yates.

Problem is the whole saying “ don’t meet your idols” may be true in Charlie’s case. While brilliant he doesn’t like rom-coms, he doesn’t know how to write one and he doesn’t believe in love (typical). So it is Emma’s job not only to help him fix the horrible script but to show him what love really is.

Rating: 4.5

Anything written by Katherine Center goes immediately to the top of my TBR list! I love everything she's written and this is no exception.

Emma is a writer, but has put her career on the backburner to take care of her father full time. Now that her sister is graduating and coming home, Emma has a huge opportunity. She is asked to "fix" the new rom-com written by Charlie Yates...who happens to be her favorite screenwriter.

Charlie, however, does not want any help with the rom-com. He doesn't even care about it. He only wrote it in hopes of it leading to another project's approval. Plus...he doesn't even believe in love. Will Emma be able to work with him? Can she change his mind about love?

I love the development of both Emma and Charlie. I felt attached to Emma immediately, but it took a while to feel the same about Charlie. At first, he just made me angry...but as the layers were peeled back, he really grew on me and I loved him by the end.

Katherine Center tells the sweetest stories and pulls you in as if she's sitting right there sharing it with just you. Her stories have such heart and always leave me feeling hopeful...something we all need more of!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Adding to my list of favourite books! 🤍

Emma and Charlie’s relationship starts out quite rocky when they are set up by a mutual friend to write the screenplay for a romcom, both doing so for different reasons.

Without giving anything away, I LOVED Emma’s character and related to her family responsibilities and ~~eldest daughter syndrome. The writing of this novel is unmatched and I found myself unable to put it down!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review 💕

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors because she has the distinct ability to make me bawl my eyes out, want to punch something, and kick my feet giggling all in a matter of a few chapters. Her books are full of heartbreak, tragedy, and healing, and The Rom-Commers is right on par. There were moments when I wanted to shake some sense into the main characters, but I had so much fun on this journey. The plot is fantastic, and honestly, I would love to see this on the big screen. I think it's only fair, no?

Admittedly, I was a bit hesitant to dig into this story as the first chapter or two didn't peak my interest. I'm so so glad I kept listening because I found myself squealing during adorable parts, laughing in public during the comedic blunders, and rooting for the main characters until the very end.
I really enjoyed Katherine Center's ability to write a "rom com" with such a unique twist, as the characters are reliant on one another to succeed in their own careers. I appreciated the realistic aspects of the characters' lives, such as being a caregiver for your parent, having a few strings still attached to an ex, and feeling lost on your own path in life!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

Katherine Center never fails. Never. The Rom-Commers is another beautifully written book, complete with plenty of character growth and sweet romance.

Emma Wheeler writes contest-winning romance screenplays. So what's holding her back from pursuing her dream of hitting it big? Emma happens to also be the sole caretaker of her father, who needs care around the clock due to an accident that occurred around a decade ago.

Charlie Yates is Emma's screenwriting idol. When she gets the chance to help him with his newest screenplay, a romance (which is not in Charlie's wheelhouse, but is definitely in Emma's), Emma is thrilled, but she can't just leave her dad and go to LA. Fortunately, Emma's sister, who is fresh out of college, forces Emma to follow her dream, promising to take care of their father. UNfortunately, it turns out Charlie Yates does NOT want her help. He doesn't ever accept help on his projects, because of a failed partnership on a screenplay in his past. But after reading (and enjoying) some of her works, Charlie decides that he does in fact need Emma's help.

The two spend hours upon hours at Charlie's kitchen table, writing and rewriting the screenplay. They come to appreciate each other as friends, even enjoying each other's company. Just as they are nearing the end of the rewrite, Emma has to rush home for her father. And when I say I was swooning for most of the 3rd act....

I just love Katherine Center's characters so much. Every time. Her writing style makes me care so much about the characters and the growth they experience.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC through Netgalley. It was my pleasure to read and offer a review!

I absolutely devoured this within 12 hours, it was that good. However it is not without its flaws. I really loved both Emma and Charlie, but her bad decisions and his constant rejections got old halfway through.

Ms. Katherine Center's winning novel, THE ROM-COMMERS is a tour de force of nature! It stars a talented pretty writer, Emma Wheeler, and a crochety big time screenwriter, Charlie Yates. Emma thinks working with a grumpy well known screenwriter is like pulling teeth. She is talked into it by her best friend, Logan. To work with one of the best screenwriters is her dream! However, moving across country, leaving her ailing father with her sister, is scary. But, Emma is determined to persevere. Emma has her work cut out for her, because Mr. Yates doesn't believe in love. Can she teach him what love is and how to love?

Charlie Yates, Hollywood screenwriter, decides to change genres. He wants to switch gears from his usual action movies for a rom-com. Not good, since he isn't one bit romantic and doesn't believe in happily ever afters. He really doesn't even want to write a rom-com, but a happy go-lucky girl, Emma, explodes into his life, like it or not. Will they be able to work together? They find out things about each other that altered their views on life and romance. It's not all rosy between them, as they learn to get along. Especially, since Charlie is not an easy person to work with, talk to, and is basically a loner. Emma wiggles into his life to his big surprise. Will they turn out a winning novel? Is love in the future for Charlie? Does Emma even like Charlie? Big surprises are ahead!

I loved this story of a crabby screenwriter working with a charming, talented girl who sees the big picture. It's a boost to Emma's career to work with her idol. However, it comes at a cost, since she leaves her elderly dad with her sister. Meeting Charlie is a shock in every sense, who is abrupt, rude and wants to work alone. What will it take for them to work together? This story has a lot of heart and grief. It explores family dynamics and how hard it is to find yourself among failed relationships. This is a love story of sorts. I couldn't put it down, it's so surprising the way the plot unfolds. I fell in love with all the characters, as they each have quirky personalities that capture your heart. Ms. Center brings magic to her stories by embracing the unexpected. THE ROM-COMMERS is a lovely, swoony romance story by my favorite author! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All my opinions and thoughts are my own.

This book was exactly what I would hope for in a Katherine Center novel. A fun romance. Lovable characters. A breath of fresh air.

When Emma Wheeler has a chance to write a rom-com with none other than the prestigious screenwriter, Charlie Yates, you can bet her family makes it possible for this to happen! Can he write a rom-com? Debatable. Is he who she expected? Nope. Does he care about the script? Unfortunately not. But can she convince him the romantic stories, and rom-coms, do matter? And that love does exist? This is for you to find out!

This is another amazing book that I couldn’t put down. It was enjoyable, easy to read, and just plain fun. A romance I just loved reading.

Emma and Charlie had a great storyline. From when they met, I enjoyed their banter and negotiations. Even though I expected the overall ending, I appreciated reading the journey of how they reached it.

The twists were unexpected. (I really need to start expecting the unexpected at this point. But, you know, it just makes it that much better when I don’t.) But I thought they added to the story and threw me for a loop. And almost right from the beginning I was thrown off. I loved the first twist, especially.

This is a book for me to reread soon. If you like rom-coms, I highly recommend this one. It was classic, and fun! A great summer read too!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from the publisher and author through NetGalley. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

Katherine Center is one of those authors who goes straight to the top of my tbr. I absolutely have loved everything I have read from Katherine Center so far, and this one did not disappoint. I usually do not enjoy slow burns, but this one was soooo good. I was constantly engaged and never bored by the story, and I found myself laughing and crying too often to count. I want to be adopted into Emma’s family, they seem like such an amazing support system to have. Although Charlie made me so mad at points, I also loved him. And the story, a guy who doesn’t believe in love until he’s forced to write a romcom with Emma who believes fully in love. She has to make him learn to believe in love, and the ways she goes about it, GENIUS. I love that the story wasn’t instalove. Overall, I absolutely adored this story and Katherine Center is keeping her streak for being a favorite author of mine!