Member Reviews
You know when you read just a few pages and you realize that it's going to be a 2am night? That's this book. Don't start it anytime after 7pm unless you're content to be a zombie in the morning because you stayed up until 2am reading. This was my first Katherine Center and it gave me all the feels. Emma never had the chance to truly pursue her passions (hehehehe) due to a family tragedy but then she's given the opportunity to work with her dream screenwriter, Charlie, who is grumpy and hates romantic comedies. Typical romantic comedy hijinks ensue but Katherine Center provides depth and emotion to all of it. Do you self a favorite and just read the book, you won't regret it.
4.5 stars
Another good one from Katherine Center!
Emma’s life has been on pause since a serious accident caused a life-altering injury to her father ten years ago. She’s been his constant carer for a decade, setting her career and social life aside so her younger sister could finish up her schooling and take over. At this pivotal point, fate intervenes and a job fixing up the truly awful rom-com script of her favorite screenwriter drops in her lap. The only problem? Charlie Yates hates rom-coms and seems determined to let this script tank.
There was a lot of fun moments in this one. Center really leaned into the tropes of a good romance and it was deliciously done. I wanted to rank it higher, but there were a few things that just didn’t jive with me. I could understand Emma getting information from eavesdropping once, but having it happen three times just didn’t sit well with me. I wanted her relationship with her sister and how she may have been resentful of her life not going as expected pre-accident to be a little bit more flushed out too.
Overall it was a fun read and a great concept!
This book was enjoyable…until the 3rd act conflict when apparently both MCs lose their minds and any good sense. Emma flips out and says some awful things to her sister. Charlie gets some bad news and blows up his life as a result. Also, this has to be the weirdest bait and switch I’ve read — (SPOILERS) In the penultimate chapter, you learn that Charlie was diagnosed with an aggressive terminal lung cancer, only to have the next chapter be like “LOL the doctors called and it was only bronchitis!” What??? So, pre-3rd act conflict this book is 4 stars. After that it’s 1 star. Overall I’m giving it 2.5 stars.
Thoughts
This was a great rom com. It was funny and sad, which all rom coms should be.
I loved the appreciation it showed to rom coms and the funny and sometimes ridiculous tropes lol.
It is a quick read and perfect for when you need something fun to get you through a slump or you're just in need of some entertainment.
💕 Preorder Alert Book Review 💕
Title: The Rom-Commers
Author: Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Thank you to @stmartinspress for sending me a netgalley widget to read and share! Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me; her books just make me happy! And I don’t know about you . . . but there are days when life can feel like one big dumpster fire and I run to anything feel-good!
We all love books about books or authors. But what about screenwriters!? The Rom-Commers is so clever and fun!
Emma has big dreams to be a screenwriter. However, when her family experienced a tragedy during a vacation causing her mother to pass away, her father to need in home care, and her younger sister someone in her corner looking after her, she put all her dreams aside. But, now her sister is graduating from college and it’s Emma’s turn. With her sister taking over the caretaker role, Emma heads to L.A. for a six week writing gig of a lifetime!
The problem? Big shot screenwriter Charlie Yates (Emma’s idol!) doesn’t know she’s coming. He doesn’t know that she is to be staying in his home for the duration.
But, Charlie can’t ignore Emma’s wisdom and the fact that they make magic writing together. They are like two puzzle pieces that just fit together. And maybe it isn’t just the writing…
Rating: Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me by this author! I just felt happy reading it. I was rooting for Emma to follow her dreams. I wanted Charlie to not be such a loner and let people in. They both had been dealt some difficult hands and together were just what they needed. Having dreams is amazing, but having dreams with people in your corner is even better!
Out 6/21 Preorder those PINK edges!!
I have never read a Katherine Center book I didn't like and this one was no exception. I really loved the exploration of familial relationships, grief, and parent care. I thought the development of the relationship between Emma and Charlie was so sweet.
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center is not just a rom-com about writing rom-coms. It's a deeply emotional and character-driven story that will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately, feel completely satisfied. The emotional journey of the characters, the twists and turns of the plot, and the satisfying conclusion all contribute to a story that left a lasting impression on me.
The emotional depth of 'The Rom-Commers' is what truly sets it apart. It's not just a light and fluffy rom-com; it’s a story that took me on a profound emotional journey, leaving a lasting impression on on my heart and mind.
The characters in The Rom-Commers brought me great joy - alone and together. Emma, a talented writer, has put her career on hold to care for her father, who was in an accident and then diagnosed with a disorder that requires around-the-clock care. Her decision to work with a famous screenwriter, Charlie Yates, is driven by her passion for writing and the push that she gets from her father and sister, who insist everything will be fine in her absence. Conversely, Charlie is a grumpy and renowned screenwriter who is initially resistant to the idea of writing a rom-com, a genre that’s clearly outside his comfort zone. However, their collaboration proves to be pure magic, with each complementing the other’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Rom-Commers is a full-bodied romantic comedy that brought me immense joy and left me emotionally spent. The story, the characters, and the emotional depth of the book all combined to create a reading experience that I can't wait for others to enjoy.
Witty Banter at its best! The Rom-Commers is yet another winner from Katherine Center!
When approached to re-write a screenplay written by her favorite screenwriter, Emma can’t help but say yes, even though her life isn’t that easy to walk away from. Try as hard as she might, she’s never been able to “break through” - and this might just be her chance. Little does she know that Charles Yates is a major pain in the butt. Working together is only half the battle, trying not to fall for each other is the other.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.
Thanks St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC! Katherine Center does no wrong in my opinion - this book was no exception! I loved this book immensely. I laughed, my heart ached and I found myself cheering for the two to end up together. I positively sped through this book. I genuinely couldn't put it down.
I really enjoyed this book! It was the first I read of Katherine Center and it was very enjoyable. I look forward to reading more in the future!
First off, I love Katherine Center. She is one of my favorite authors. I did love parts of this book but also there were parts I didn’t. I felt like Charlie was kind of mean, I get he has some personal issues to work through but the amount of times Emma was about to walk out of his life got ridiculous. I was screaming for her to just leave this guy, even when the good part came I wasn’t all in for them getting back together. It didn’t give me the RomCom feel of true love. This one just fell short for me. But still 100% a KC fan and will always read her new books.
Every time I read a Katherine Center book I always think wow this one is the best one. Her newest book that releases at the beginning of June is no exception. I absolutely loved and devoured this book.
Emma is a writer whose life was altered with an accident that left her taking care of her ill father. As soon as her sister graduates from college, she is given an opportunity to trade her places and work toward her own dreams. She’s travels to California to work with her idol of screenwriting. 
After a rocky start, she and Charlie begin working on a failed romcom that Charlie has already started. She works not only fix the screenplay, but also to fix Charlie‘s opinion about love and the power of a good romcoms.  
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think we all have authors that seem to write in a way that’s perfectly suited to us, and for me, one of those is Katherine Center. I get sucked into her books immediately and always enjoy the characters, dialogue, and romance. There’s just something about the level of humor, pining, and chemistry that really hooks me.
This story was a delight to read. There were serious elements—death, disease, and sacrificing for your family—but they were tempered by some fantastic banter and a few ridiculous situations that only seem to happen in romcoms. The romance between Charlie and Emma built slowly but beautifully, and I absolutely loved how everything was tied together when they got their essential, blissfully happy ending.
I'm so glad I got to read this as a ARC. I'm never disappointed when I read a Katherine Center book and this is one of my favorites. She is a great storyteller and I always become so invested in the characters. This book had a good amount of angst, which I love. It brought me to tears in places. When an author can bring those kind of emotions out in me, I feel like they are truly a great writer. This book is worth your time!!
Katherine Center writes the most heartfelt, funny rom-coms, and her latest is not exception - literally lives up to the name! Center is an author who has been able to capture that Ephron vibe in all the books I've read of hers so far, and it's very present in this one. If you're looking for a summer read that is evocative of the genre and leave a big smile on your face, definitely add THE ROM-COMMERS to your TBR; you won't regret it!
What a delight!! So much heart in this story. I love how Center writes complex families and weaves her characters’ worlds together.
I was wary of this after finding the FMC in Hello Stranger difficult, but I was rooting so hard for our screenwriting, strawberry hoodie wearing heroine Emma! I loved the forced proximity as she worked along side her idol/hero/crush writer Charlie and they learned from each other.
I was a little frustrated with some of the later miscommunication (or lack of communication entirely) towards the end but the grand gesture absolutely paid off.
In all, this was a joyful story with the core belief that our relationships don’t complete our identities, but they can change our lives.
Katherine Center is a must read author for me and her newest book does not disappoint. This story moved me and I could not put it down. I finished it in one night. I loved the cameo of the stars of her book, The Bodyguard.
This book made me laugh, angry, giddy, and it made me cry (just a little). I was immersed in this beautiful and messy story of Emma and Charlie, a story of conquering fears, finding hope, and, of course, love. I enjoyed the whole journey. It’s a rom-com masterpiece.
Thank you to Net Galley, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! This book releases on June 11, 2024.
The Rom-Commers was, in true Katherine Center fashion, a heartfelt romance that made me laugh and cry. It was also a very fast read, and it got me out of a bit of a slump. So, much thanks to KC, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is June 11.
The Rom-Commers follows talented but inexperienced screenwriter Emma as she receives an offer to ghostwrite a rom-com screenplay with Charlie Yates, a talented and experienced screenwriter who doesn’t write rom coms. Emma has been taking care of her dad for over ten years after he was injured in a tragic climbing accident. Emma suffers from a lot of guilt and anxiety over what happened and sacrificed her life after that. So, the opportunity to write with Charlie Yates is one she can’t pass up - even if it means she has to let her younger sister pick up the slack at home.
Can Emma convince cynical Charlie that love is real, or will the two of them write a successful screenplay without experiencing romance?
Read if you like:
Grumpy x sunshine
Forced proximity
Witty banter
Closed door romance
Found family vibes
He falls first
Jack Stapleton and Hannah cameos
Cinnamon rolls
I enjoyed this book a lot, but I did find some of Charlie’s behavior to be *not the best*. I understand where Center was coming from given his background, but I would have liked it more had it come with an explanation or apology about why he did what he did. I think that would’ve made the book longer and probably less meta rom-commy, but it may have meant I rated this a little higher. I’m glad that Emma stood up for herself and began to chase what she wanted! And I loved the quiet scenes where she and Charlie Yates did small things and built up their trust and their friendship. That gave me When Harry Met Sally vibes, and who doesn’t love a good Nora Ephron movie?
All said, I really liked this read and left it feeling happy- just like Center wants for her readers.
Center never disappoints, and her latest heartfelt romance is a winner. I love how she brings emotion to the forefront by placing her characters in real-life situations that we all deal with over the years. In this novel, Emma is a caretaker for her father, and as someone who took care of my own parents as they aged, I could relate to many of her feelings. I loved the banter and play between her and Charlie and especially loved the glimpses into the writerly life. If you’re looking for a book with hope and goodness at its core, pick up this one!