As a general rule, I love Katherine Center's novels. They are full of humor and heart, with endearing characters who usually have obstacles of their own to overcome before they can find their way to love.

This one has some of the elements of a typical great novel of Katherine Center's, but they did not all combine the way they usually do for me. Emma and Charlie, the protagonist screenwriters, are both quietly suffering from the effects of their own individual sad back stories. As a result, it is not easy for them to start a new chapter with each other, literally and metaphorically.

Charlie, in particular, is tough to like initially. He is mean and dismissive of Emma at different points. She seems to just keep trying to write the rom com script with him, despite his off-putting attitude. They eventually start to find a rhythm together.

For whatever reason, this rom com just struck me as not as fun as Katherine Center's others. At the same time, I devoured the last half of the book in one night, staying up late to find out what happened. I think the bar is just so high in my mind for her books, that it is not always possible to reach it.

This is overall a worthwhile read and I will be certain to pick up anything Katherine Center publishes in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital review copy.

I was excited to get this as a read now on NetGalley and absolutely devoured and loved the first half of this book. The analysis of what defines a romcom was so fun, and I enjoyed all the movie industry talk. The first half was fun, funny, and unputdownable.

The premise was good—struggling writer gets a six week job revising a romcom script with a legendary screenwriter, who doesn’t believe in love. It felt like the author didn’t know where to go once the basic set up was established. I hated the reasoning at the end that’s revealed for why the male lead acted the way he did. The female lead shouldn’t have let him get away with all the things he said to or about her. I can’t reveal more without spoilers, but I think there could’ve been a different third act conflict that would have made for a more satisfying and romantic story than what we got.

I feel like Katherine Center has started writing the same characters and themes in each of her books—just with a different plot. Some may like that as kind of a comfort cozy read where you know what to expect, but it’s becoming frustrating for me. Why is the female lead always a doormat who gets into the cringiest situations and reads like a cartoon character? Why is there always some crazy medical condition? Why is there always some kind of extremely superficial and one dimensional “villain” character who never really contributes much to the plot? Why is the theme always about finding joy in the midst of tragedy/loss/life? I know she’s capable of more. I’ve seen this in Happiness for Beginners, The Bodyguard, and Things You Save in a Fire.

Overall, this was just ok to me. If you love all of Katherine Center’s books, then I think you’ll love this one too. It was a quick read that was pretty fun for a while.

3.5-3.75

this was such a cute and interesting concept. i really do enjoy katherine center’s books and have fun reading them and am so grateful to have this be the second ARC i’ve received from her. i am still intrigued and wanna read more of her older books, however, besides these ones in this era that are sorta interlocked and with these kind of covers ! <3

overall, i was pretty interested in the main characters. i’m not really sure how to describe the aspects i didn’t like but i feel like they shined more in the last 1/3 of the book. i had less fun or interest in reading this book at that time. it was also just something with the characterization of the characters and more stuff we got revealed and repeated in that section.

however, i really enjoyed this book ! thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc :)

As someone who has always just been lukewarm on Katherine Center I was utterly charmed by The Rom Commers.

The banter! *standing ovation

I could not get enough of these two characters the dialogue was snappy, fun, quick, both characters so deeply loveable. I adored their journey and the messages delivered.

A fave romance of the year.

Emma - a selfless daughter and a somewhat failed screen writer- meets Charlie- the darling boy of Hollywood screen writers. Together they will write the next great rom-com! Maybe. If Charlie accepts her help.

I loved the friends to lovers vibe and the quirkiness of each of the characters. I’m convinced every man needs a pet guinea pig and every woman needs a strawberry hoody- without these two accessories there is no success. KC has the amazing ability to write characters you feel like you know or could meet on the street and I love that about her books.

This book was really cute. An overall fun read! I enjoyed the references and cameo from The Bodyguard! I loved the dynamic between Emma and Charlie too. I highly recommend this one! 🩷⭐⭐⭐⭐

Katherine Center has done it again. She is a go-to for me and I always like her books and occasionally I love them. This one is a solid strong good for me. I love how there is always real life situations/drama with romance that builds.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The ROM Commers

By Katherine Center

This might be my favorite Katherine Center book yet, and I have loved all of the other ones!

Two screenwriters are forced into the same house… to write a romcom together… what could possibly go right?

A few twists and turns within the story allows for growth, movement, and excitement in the story. Yet it all ties up neatly at the end - just like a romcom should, right Katherine?

Very clever and snarky banter, I devoured it in a day.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This is a review of an ARC. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

ARC REVIEW: THE ROM-COMMERS

If Katherine Center writes it, I'm going to read it!

I absolutely LOVED THIS. How cleverly done!! The breaking of the fourth wall at all times had me hooked. This had me laughing non stop. This had me grabbing at my face in full giddiness. This had me crying. What a delight.

I loved Charlie and Emma, together and apart. I loved their dichotomy in pretty much everything they do and believe in. But then you had the moments where he's trying to flip a dollop of whipped cream off his arm and into his mouth and then HUGGING HER and it was like OH OKAY YEAH THIS ALL MAKES SENSE BECAUSE OF THIS RIGHT HERE. And lemme tell you. I ate it UP. Line dancing! Pool shenanigans! Jack Stapleton!

This book is an absolute love letter and champion for the rom-com genre. I absolutely loved Emma's refusal to let anyone, not even her idol, not even The Charlie Yates, tell her that love isn't worth it, that it isn't real, that she's any less a writer because she loves rom-coms.

This was a joy to read and I already can't wait to re-read it again soon.

Thank you SMP and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness, this is my new favorite Katherine Center book. I loved every bit of it. So heartwarming, smart and delightful. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

5/5
Tropes: Close proximity, grumpy/sunshine
TW: Caregiver fatigue, illness/loss in the family

Emma Wheeler and Charlie Yates.

Can a highly promising, aspiring screenwriter and a highly honored, famous screenwriter come together to rewrite an epically failing rom com screenplay?

For the last decade, Emma has willingly assumed the primary role as her father’s caregiver, forcing her own life and dreams to take a backseat. Propositioned by a life-altering opportunity to work together with Charlie, she cautiously stumbles into this chance.

Leading polar opposite lives, Emma and Charlie somehow make complete sense together. Obscure circumstances that surround each of their lives become less dire in each others' presence. For once, Emma is countered to confidently and fearlessly put herself first, and to unapologetically pursue her dream wholeheartedly. But it’s not just Emma who encompasses personal growth. Charlie’s character development is evident, as his once stoic view and approach to love and relationships starts to soften, and he ultimately evolves out of the old shell of himself. This is a story that is brimming with light. A reminder that your story in fact, does not end when tragedy strikes uninvited.

Katherine Center is a beautiful storyteller, and she always has a way of integrating major life themes into her impeccable stories to convey strength and hope. This was my most anticipated read for Summer 2024. I loved every minute of The Rom-Commers. I would love to see a movie adaptation!

If you are a fan of closed-door romance, strong character development, and witty banter- this should be on your TBR this summer!

[Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eARC]

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center was such a delight to read! The story is deep, and touchingly heartfelt while still hitting on the light-hearted, funny banter that you expect from a romantic comedy. The story follows Emma Wheeler, an aspiring screenwriter, whom is tasked to help her screenwriting hero, Charlie Yates, re-write his latest screenplay.

The story follows how both Emma and Charlie grow from their tragic back stories and find companionship even when they’re reluctant to do so. It’s another beautiful story by Katherine Center full of laugh out loud moments and swoon-worthy moments.

Thank you again to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

I really enjoyed the Rom Commers by Katherine Center.!
Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screen writer and a rom com expert. She has put her dreams on hold for the past ten years taking care of her invalid, kind father who requires full time care. Through a twist in circumstances, Emma has the opportunity to transfer the care of her father to her younger sister- and to head to LA for six weeks to cowrite a rom com screenplay by her favorite author- famous, award winning screen writer, Charlie Yates. Obstacles include the fact that Charlie’s rom com screenplay is terrible and he doesn’t write with others- ever. Most importantly Charlie doesn’t believe in love. It’s fun to watch how Emma and Charlie’s relationship unfolds and to see if Emma can help Charlie realize love is real after all. I recommend this book and will continue to read all of the novels Katherine Center continues to write and publish!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy!

When you title a book “The Rom-Commers” it’d better be an incredible romantic comedy - and it is! Katherine Center is an incredible author who always creates complex and sympathetic characters. I loved everything about Emma from her big hair to her big love of RomComs. Charlie grew on me slowly, but stole my heart. Two very different people, one mansion, and a rewrite of the script of the greatest RomComs of all time. Emma and Charlie prove that ANYTHING can be romantic with the right person. I absolutely loved this book!

I hope you’re not tired of reading rave reviews of Katherine Center’s latest yet! Because I have one more! 😆

The Rom-Commers is one of my top romance reads of the year. It has the heart and emotion and swoon of all of Center’s novels but something about it really grabbed me and shot the book to the top of my KC favorites list.

Emma’s passion and ambition for screenwriting was the perfect counter to Charlie’s grumpy reluctance to move forward. Their forced proximity/“let me prove it to you” romance while they worked together blossomed in such a lovely, organic way. I adore the way that Center writes relationships. They never feel forced, the chemistry always burns off the page, and the dialogue is both realistic but also better than real life?!

My favorite romance novels are ones that make me laugh and cry and KC books always fit the bill. There’s a lot of seriousness in her stories but it’s balanced by humor. And her characters don’t exist in a bubble; there are always family and friends filling out the plot and making the books even more addictive!

Absolutely recommend this sweet and romantic story about two people writing a love story!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up since there are no .5 options here.

The Rom-Commers was an unexpected delight. I went into it without knowing a single thing about the plot and I think that’s just the way to read this one.

This isn’t a spicy romcom, but this is a beautiful story of life, love, and gratitude. Emma and Charlie have such a cute love story and they both deal with some really heart-wrenching hardships in their lives. The Rom-Commers was filled with so many reminders of how we need to approach life with gratitude and give ourselves grace.

I laughed. I cried. I got the butterflies.

In the midst of trying to catch up on a Katherine Center backlog, I couldn't resist reading her upcoming novel as well.

Emma Wheeler is stuck, willingly. Since her mom died and her dad was injured in a camping accident when she was a teen, Emma has been the chief caretaker of her disabled father and substitute mom for her younger sister, Sylvie. Her dreams of being a rom-com script writer have been on hold for ten years while she cares for her father and encourages Sylvie to chase her dreams.

Her manager and high school friend Logan calls with the offer of a lifetime - assist Emma's idol, legendary screenwriter Charlie Yates, with a rewrite of a truly awful rom-com he wrote. After much convincing from Sylvie and her dad, an anxious Emma flies from Texas to LA for the six-week job. And then it all blows up. Amidst confusion and conflict, Emma is still trying to keep up with complicated family dynamics from afar.

I'm not going to spoil some twists for you, but there were several things I like about this that stand out from a "typical" rom-com. First of all, the whole "rom-com in a rom-com" plot is fun and gives Center the chance to simultaneously poke fun at and champion a devotion to rom-com. Next, the characters are much more relatable. I read a lot of romances where the female lead is described initially as "mousy" or "bland," but then suddenly, an impossibly handsome man falls in love with them and thinks they are the most beautiful girl in the world. I love that Emma is self-conscious about her curly red hair and that she has a feature that some men think is crazy and others might find appealing. That's real life. What I especially appreciate is how she describes the male lead, Charlie. Emma sees him as a bedraggled mess, but she admits that he could be found attractive and that he appeals to her even though he might not appeal to others. He's not an Adonis; he's more of a personal preference. This is so much more relatable to me than many other rom-coms I've read.
Finally, read the book for the banter and the humor if nothing else I've said resonates with you. There are some sparkling debates and hilarious asides. Jablowmie - enough said.

This is absolutely required summer reading.

I found my way to Katherine Center’s books in fall of 2023. I have loved every one I’ve been able to read so far! They are a delightful blend of humor, real life, and classic rom-com storylines. In The Rom-Commers, Emma believes she’s been given the job of her dreams - helping to re-write a Rom-Com movie script written by her idolized screenwriter, Charlie Yates. What she doesn’t realize is that Charlie doesn’t know she’s coming and doesn’t want her help!

Will Emma convince Charlie that Rom-Coms are worth the time and effort like all his other famed screenplays? Will they fall for each other while she does? If you love Rom-Com, you’ll love this double Rom-Com - a Rom-Com about a Rom-Com!

Katherine Center has a wonderful way of combining all the emotions into one lovable story. I also love how she dropped Jack Stapleton into this book, so be sure to read The Bodyguard too!

The Rom Commers was very cute! I loved the cameos from The Bodyguard!

My only complaint is the ending. I’m not a fan of 3rd act break ups and miscommunication!

Overall, 4 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was so fun! This author has quickly become an author I look forward to reading. I know her books have heart, but also are light enough to make me smile throughout. This was no exception. I didn't love the characters as much as I usually do-but I loved their story as they rewrote a rom com script. I would have liked even more of the actual story of the script. But I read in two days, rooting for Charlie and Emma the whole time!