Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - April 14, 2024
Publication Date - June 11, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @katherinecenter, @stmartinspress and @netgalley!

St. Martin’s Press is releasing a fun version of The Rom-Commers with vibrant spray-painted edges!

Right away, I liked the way that the narrator talks to the reader. It feels very immersive and like talking to a friend who is spilling all the tea about her life! I could never be friends with an ex but I know there are many people who may find that normal or be in similar situations. The writing is very dramatic with so much exaggeration at times, so I can understand why some readers might not like it. Personally, I feel like it works because the main characters are both writers! What else would you expect from the writer of a rom-com? I liked reading about the writing process because every author has their own quirks and methods. There were also some great takeaways about love and life throughout the book.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I am so excited to read more!

Get excited to read this newly designed copy of The Rom-Commers, available June 11! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

I seriously love the way Center tells a story. In every book I’ve read by her she’s done and amazing job of making me feel deeply for the all characters. This one was beautifully done, I even cried at one point which is very rare for me in Rom coms.

I adored her authors note at the end and wholeheartedly agree that the world needs these stories. We need more hope and love and kindness in our lives. This was a fantastic read that I loved and needed in my life!

Thank you St. Martins Press for the arc via Netgalley!

Classic Katherine Center rom-com, no one does it better!
Loved the plot of screenwriting a rom-com and the commentary about the genre in general.
KC is a rom-com queen!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

I have read all of Katherine Centers books to date and have enjoyed them all. This book was no exception. Her books are fun, funny, and touching at times and over all just really good.


I enjoyed listening to this book. I can't wait until I read her next one!

Every time I read a Katherine Center book, I don't see how she can out do herself, but she always does. This has to be one of the funniest, relatable, entertaining books I have ever read. I literally snort-laughed out loud in a public place, several times, while reading this. You will both love and hate Charlie, the famous screen writer, as he "allows" Emma to help him get his writing groove back. You will love Emma's strength and wit as she stands up to Charlie and his overinflated ego. A truly wonderful read!

Overall I really enjoyed this read! I find Katherine Center's books very easy to get into and fast to finish! I loved the banter, and the re-creation of rom com scenes in the purpose of "research" for the new script that Charlie and Emma are writing together. The book was heartbreaking but also funny and makes you smile for the characters in the best way, and 100% root for their happiness in the end! I definitely recommend giving this one a read when it comes out!

4.25 stars

Good. Emotional. Angsty. I actually cried at one point, which I don’t do with a lot of books right now (there were extenuating circumstances, but still- this one was making me feel things). I liked the ending. All in all, I’ve been pretty happy with the handful of books I’ve read from this writer, and I look forward to exploring her next story as well.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley. I enjoyed this book, I enjoyed that I knew I would get the happy ending that a typical rom-com delivers.

There's something in Katherine Center's romcoms that makes me devour them SO fast. The Rom-Commers was no different! I binged this so hard. I never wanted to stop reading it, and even when I had to stop reading, I thought about the characters constantly. I adored this story and its characters.

I loved the setup of two screenwriters writing a romcom together and falling in love along the way! It made for a unique story and the perfect excuse for forced proximity. The two main characters were so vibrant in my mind. I appreciated Emma's wild red hair and her witty, dependable personality. I had a soft spot for Charlie's grumpy but kind demeanor. And I loved the journey they took together discovering what love looked like for them.

As expected for Katherine Center's book, this book dealt with some tough themes. Emma and Charlie went through some really hard times. But that's what I love about Center's romcoms. The banter and chemistry was delicious, but it was made even more special though the hard times the characters overcame. And while I had some issues with the ending (no spoilers here), I really appreciated this story and would absolutely recommend!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4.5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for the arc!
Releases June 11, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: death of a parent (recounted), chronic injury, care-taking, cancer (recounted), kisses, near drowning

This was a surprisingly moving read. Based on the title and description, I assumed this book would be an average romantic comedy, so I was surprised at the depth of emotion this book invoked. The characters were very well written and although it followed some traditional romance tropes, this book’s plot still had a lot of refreshing uniqueness to it.
In this book, Emily is the sole caretaker of her dad. He needs round the clock care so she’s basically given up everything in her life to care for him. However, when the chance of a lifetime come up, her sister convinces her to take a leap of faith. She agrees to go to L.A. to work on a screenplay with her favorite screenwriter. However, she soon finds that he isn’t interested in the screenplay and doesn’t believe in love, despite the screenplay being a romantic comedy!
I really liked the characters in this book. I rooted for Emily most of all but could tell that Charlie was worth rooting for behind his gruff exterior. I really enjoyed seeing Emily break through Charlie’s walls to teach him how to feel and express emotions again. Emily’s relationship with her dad was also special although I wish we got to see a little more of that in the book rather than solely her care for him.
This book does deal with heavy themes of death, illnesses, and catastrophic accidents. Yet, Center manages to balance the many emotions in this book with humor, hope, and kindness shining through to balance the good and the bad. I felt like the book ended on a great and realistic note, as well. It was optimistic but not overly so, which I appreciated.
This was the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center, but it certainly won’t be the last!

I have been known to be fairly wishy-washy on KC books. I love How to Walk Away and Happiness for Beginners, but I’m kind of not into anything else. I’m in the minority here, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. I found it to be incredibly boring and the characters to be flat and repetitive. There were also some weird interactions; i.e. Emma’s heart is beating rapidly and she thinks there’s an earthquake and her bed is shaking. Like… what? 🤔

I think a lot of people will enjoy this one and it will make them happy, it just wasn’t for me.

This was a fun read!  It’s funny, witty, and cozy.  The deeper emotional story underneath all the lighthearted wit is captivating.  I love the way Katherine Center has a way of writing emotional stories with the perfect balance of humor and quirkiness.  There was so much to enjoy, but the pacing was a bit slow for me at times.  This is against the plot, story, or writing. I just prefer a faster-paced book that keeps my attention.  There were times when things felt a bit sluggish.

The plot was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the banter between the two characters. I can’t resist a broody character and Charlie was a perfectly GRUMPY closed-off character but he knows how to bring the swoon when needed. There were so numerous subtle romantic moments that captured my heart.  I found myself rooting for these two, and on the edge of my seat waiting for Emma to realize Charlie’s true feelings…despite his denial.

This is a standalone but if you are a fan of The Bodyguard you’ll join me in my giddiness from some surprise cameos. .

Emma Wheeler desperately wants to be a screenwriter, but finds it difficult as she is the sole caretaker of her father. Life changes when she gets the chance to re-write a script with her favorite screenwriter, and longtime crush, Charlie Yates!
Emma sets off to Hollywood for 6 weeks to start the job of her dreams. The problem is, Charlie Yates has absolutely no idea how to write a romantic comedy, doesn't care to make the script any better, and doesn't believe in love. Can Emma convince Charlie that love is real and get him to write a fantastic romantic comedy?
Be sure to pre-order The Rom-Commers out June 11! You won't want to miss this summer romance

”Don’t meet your heroes. Isn’t that what they say? Oh, god. They’re so right.”

Emma Wheeler has put her life and screenwriting career dreams on hold for the last 10 years. After a tragic camping accident the year she graduated she became the sole caregiver of her dad and younger sister, Sylvie. Sylvie’s just graduated and a once in a lifetime opportunity for her to write alongside her favorite screenwriter and crush, Charlie Yates, has been dropped in her lap. And, now she’s on a flight to LA to fix the terribly terrible romance screenplay that Charlie has written in hopes to get his Mafia film produced. Only, something’s been left out. Charlie has no clue that Emma is coming. She’s now the unexpected guest who’s standing on his doorstep with her friend and his manager, Logan. Logan’s bright idea was to make it so he couldn’t refuse. A lot of writing, romance 101 and comedy follows. Both have pasts and feelings that they are having to come to terms with.

“Why are you doing this, Charlie?” Charlie squared his shoulders like he was steeling himself to say something true. “Because last night, when I was reading your stuff, I wanted to work with you. And I haven’t wanted anything—anything at all—in a very, very long time.”

I laughed out loud (literally), got mad about the miscommunication, I cried and swooned. This is my first book I’ve read from Katherine Center. Needless to say, her books are now on my TBR. She writes characters with depth, mental hurdles and human flaws. I couldn’t have loved getting to experience Charlie and Emma wade through their messy lives to each other more.

“Maybe I’d fallen madly in love with his writing for a reason. Maybe we shared some kind of essential linguistic rhythm, or some comic outlook, or some moral framework that made it easier to be friends than enemies. Or maybe we both just really loved writing—in the exact same way. Maybe writing was our love language.”

A special thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for a review.

Book Review - The ROM-Commers

Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me so I was super excited to get The Rom-Commers from NetGalley.

Emma aspires to be a screenwriter but after her mother’s death and father’s injury she sets her dreams aside to manage her dad’s health and help raise her younger sister. When her agent lands her a deal rewriting her favorite screenwriter’s rom-com script, it’s an offer she can’t refuse.

There’s always so much I adorable about Katherine Center’s books. I loved the humor woven throughout the book, the connections to her previous book The Bodyguard and the polar opposite main characters.

Emma is sweet, thoughtful and puts the people she loves before herself in every situation. Charlie is stubborn, eclectic and initially self-absorbed. I love the grumpy sunshine trope and Katherine Center does it so well! I appreciate that her characters grow and change throughout the book from the lessons they learn and the relationships they form.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

#bookstagram

I am SO fucking over Katherine Center books being trash. Do not waste your time with this one. 1 whole star because at least I finished the book.

Emma Wheeler spent the last 10 years of her life caring for others and putting her dreams of being a screenwriter on the back burner. When it’s finally her turn to shine, her role model turns out to be wildly different than she anticipated. Enemies to lovers and miscommunication tropes are included - it’s fun and full of banter and kept my attention, but I hated the ending.

The book in general was 4 stars for me but the ending made me livid. It brought into play a very serious topic that was then covered over in a “oops, just kidding” type of way.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is an amazing read. I absolutely love Charlie and Emma from their first appearance on page until their very last. Their romance is full of twists and turns that is enjoyable to read. Their quirkiness adds to the enjoyment of the story and characters. These two were so much fun to spend time with. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. I love the family and friend aspects of this story.

Katherine Center has this amazing way of expressing human experiences and emotions through her characters and what they go through during her stories. This book is no different. I cried, laughed and swooned. This book touched my heart and soul and left me wanting to read it all over again. This book packs a punch in the best possible way.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am so heartbroken. This was a most anticipated book for me. I was thrilled with a young woman whose dreams were put on hold being thrown together with the screenwriter she most admired. I pictured the banter and the sizzle and the slowish burn. Wheat a got was a woman whose life had taken a different path who is determined to just accept whatever some asshole wants today to her. She’s a martyr, ready to run home because this asshole is sad. She also likes to play amateur therapist and try to fix people. The screenwriter is a complete douche nozzle who thinks because he’s had success he can speak to everyone however he’d like. The only thing he cares about is the pet he shares with his wife, I mean ex wife.
And the former boyfriend/ best friend is a self absorbed narcissistic moving people around like chess pieces to suit him.
But there was some good banter.

Emma is an aspiring screen writer who has put her ambitions aside for 10 yrs to take care of her beloved father. Until her friend (and ex boyfriend) calls her and gives her a chance to work with THE Charlie Yates. Only problem is, she needs to move to LA and actually… live with him while she helps him rewrite the worst rom-com screenplay she’s ever read.

To say he’s against it, is to remember he’s got the arrogance of success. And to say she’s nervous is to remember that she’s been living in the shadows of a caregiver for years.

What unfolds in the story is utterly predictable, wholly loveable and completely grabbed my heart. This is the first 5 stars I’ve given to the author’s books and it was worth it for me.

It will not surprise me if this is up on the big screen in the next couple years

You just gotta “appreciate your person”