For 10 years Emma has sacrificed and put caring for her father, who was injured in a tragic accident, and her sister as her number 1 (only actually) priority. When her former high school boyfriend Logan, who is a big shot agent in LA calls her with the chance of a lifetime, no one will let her turn it down. Emma quickly learns the true meaning of “never meet your idols” … but nothing is quite what it seems.

I truly loved this book! I don’t know much about the behind the scenes of making movies, writing screen plays ect but it didn’t take away from the story. I loved how fiercely Emma loved her family. I loved Charlie and his quirks. The story was engaging and the end was such a roller coaster! I loved the twists and turns. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to watch someone learn how to fall in love.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC copy of this book!

Katherine Center cannot write a bad book, I am convinced. She has outdone herself with The Rom-Commers. Spoiler it is my new favorite! I know it is too soon but I am ready for her next book! If you have read The BodyGuard you will appreciate the little cameo. I absolutely love this book, I flew though it. I had so much fun! I laughed and I cried and then I laughed some more. Emma's backstory really got me, if you have ever been a caretaker or an older sister you know. I love Charlie and Emma so much! Plus Charlie has a Guinea Pig. If you have not read a Katherine Center book you are missing out and I highly recommend picking this up.

I recommend Katherine Center's books for anyone who is looking to try romance but all of it just sounds too cheesy or all spice, no plot...

Katherine Center DOES IT RIGHT! Its real life, relatable, imperfect people who just happened to fall in love. We watch her characters grow together as well as watch them go through a ton of personal growth.

The third act conflict was fantastic, I honestly wondered if this would end with a happy ending even after all the screen writing talk about happy endings being so necessary.

Katherine Center is an auto buy from here on out!

This is the fourth book by Katherine Center I've read and it is by far the best. I absolutely adored Emma and Charlie. I laughed, I cried, I got a bit miffed. 5 HUGE stars!!!

I hereby declare this as my favorite Katherine Center book and so far, my favorite book of 2024! As the title suggests, this book is the perfect romcom. I loved it the whole way through because it’s not just a surface level enemies-to-lovers/forced proximity trope, but it also has some deeper themes and heavy topics intertwined! This book touches on death of a parent, caring for elders, guilt (ohhh the guilt), cancer, anxiety, overcoming fears, and more. The whole book was good and it gripped me from the start, but the last 20% I simply could. not. stop.!! Some little twists at the end had my heart racing and while I didn’t want the book to end at all, I needed to see how it concluded.

One of my favorite parts of this book were the small romantic gestures that really highlight “it’s the little things” that matter- the hands in the pocket kisses, tying her shoe, line dancing, learning the special birthday donut recipe, all the things that took grumpy Charlie into a full-on romantic. I loveeeeed to see it! And not to mention Emma’s unwavering passion to make sure that Charlie starts believing in ALL of that- romance, love, and the importance of writing a great rom-com of course. She was a great main character and I fell in love with her and Charlie’s story.

Prob some spoilers in this paragraph so be warned, but there were seriously so many aspects of this book that I loved- Emma’s backstory with her parents and sister, the LA setting and glam lifestyle, the history between Emma and her ex-boyfriend, her initial obsession with Charlie that turned into a “don’t meet your idols” moment, her wild red curly hair, Emma helping Charlie with his terrible movie script, forced proximity, the high dive, the cameo of Jack Stapleton and Hannah from “The Bodyguard”, Charlie’s history with his ex-wife, the guinea pig, the intense twist and anxiety-ridden ending, and OBVIOUSLY the tension building between Emma and Charlie the whole time!! And last but not least, the happy ending. UGH. beautiful.

Katherine Center is an auto-buy, auto-read author!! You gotta add this book to your summer tbr!! This book hits the shelves June 11 and I am SO grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me get a sneak peak with a digital copy! Thank youuuuuuuu!

Read Completed 3/26/24 | 3 stars
Wow, I'm incredibly disappointed that I didn't enjoy this one more. The ratings so far (this is a June release date and I read it in March) are very high with mostly 4 and 5 stars, but this one just didn't do it for me. If this was my first Katherine Center book, I probably wouldn't have picked up another one.

My main disappointment was that I felt zero chemistry between Emma and Charlie. ZERO. I didn't feel any butterflies, I got not emotion from Charlie, and it felt very one-sided and disproportionate to have Emma infatuated with him a little bit in the beginning. I've read plenty of rom-coms where the affection is unrequited at first and then they fall in love, but I don't know. For some reason, it didn't work here for me at all, and Charlie is so closed off that I didn't EVER feel like they were falling in love. There was a point about that in the book, kind of, but as a reader, I just never really felt it at all.

There was just something about the characters too... I didn't like any of them. I actually really didn't like Emma right from the beginning. Charlie was a jerk when they first met. I didn't like the randomly British best friend. I didn't like her sister. Okay, her dad was sweet. We'll give them that one, but everyone else I just actively didn't like. This is SO WEIRD because I adored THE BODYGUARD and really enjoyed HELLO, STRANGER.

One of the things I really appreciated has to do with something Charlie reveals to Emma that becomes something important to the plot. MINOR spoiler but I'll put it in tags in case you don't want to know... Charlie reveals his ex-wife left him when she found out he had cancer. He was going to celebrate his 5-year anniversary of being cancer free with Emma and that it was basically cured at 5 years, which I appreciated like crazy being that my husband had cancer and hitting that 5 year remission mark is huge, amazing, and also the same for his type of cancer where you're basically considered cured at 5 years. So that was a big thing for me and I appreciated the heck out of how that was written. But THEN... more major spoiler since it's a thing that happens in the end.... I HATED that she gave him a cancer scare. Charlie had bronchitis and is coughing a lot throughout the middle of the book. They think he may have lung cancer because they can see something on his scan, but it's just bronchitis. I absolutely hate that it was used as a cancer scare and that it was used as a turning point for the characters to profess their love. That ruined the magic of him being cancer-free and as someone who has also had that feeling (a plain old boring cyst that didn't show up well on a scan and then we had to wait to find out what it was), I hated that moment and it ruined things even more for me.

I also didn't really like the asides to the reader, breaking the 4th wall, essentially. I would rather Emma just tell the story and not like she was telling the story to you, dear reader. It got like, cheesy movie rom-com instead of cute book rom-com. I don't know. Something about it just really took me out of the reading experience.

Clearly others loved it so I will be the outlier opinion here (hey, did you also not like HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry? Let's join this lonely club) while others gave it 5 glowing stars. You'll just have to read it for yourself! But if you find you're feeling no chemistry, maybe we feel this together.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Patti Murin was the narrator for this audiobook and normally I usually love her. I've listened to many of her narrations and she voiced both THE BODYGUARD and HELLO, STRANGER and I had no issues with her narration. I guess combined with this book, it just didn't work for me. She was fine, but I didn't like the characters and that just all compounded. I really hated her voice for Charlie? It didn't feel attractive or like much of anything at all. Again, probably the character's fault, but I just didn't connect with that.

I thought this was such a cute read! It wasn't a light read by any means, but the comedy aspects helped it feel that way. I felt like I was experiencing everything right along with them. I do wish we saw more of Charlie & Emma's life together after their reconciliation.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite Romance authors, her stories have depth and vulnerability while still being full fun and joy. Her characters face all that this messy adventure we call life throws at them and find people that value them to love along the way. The Rom-Commers is another wonderful story that teaches us to chase after our dreams and passions, to be true to ourself and find fulfillment in the things that bring us joy. I loved watching Emma teach Charlie to appreciate and understand Rom Coms and the joy and wonder they bring to the world. I loved watching them both learn to love and be loved in open and healthy ways, to see that sharing your struggles and sorrows doesn't make you weak, but does allow you to find the strength to face hard things and to go on with the help and support of those who love you. As always, I loved the supporting characters. This is a gem of a love story! The beauty of romance is that readers are guaranteed to come away from the story glowing and joyful and lifted by the HEA and by characters figuring out how to love and connect deeply. A romance about teaching others to value romance, even better!! I'm on board 100%

I especially LOVED the author's note at the end of the audiobook that shouts from the rooftops that Romance is not a genre to be scoffed or belittled or ridiculed, but should be valued and appreciated as the most pro-social genre out there. Love stories are actually the most hopeful and healing stories. The world will always be better with more love and kindness and people learning to connect and appreciate others and treat others well. I LOVE romance and I'm always thrilled to support the authors and stories that put more hope and joy and love into the world. Katherine said this in her author's note, "If you've been shamed away from reading love stories, hello friend, come over to the fun side, the ridicule is wrong...come hang out with me on my hill of love stories." Thank you so much Katherine for adding this wonderful story to the hill of love stories that fill me up and let me soar! The Rom-Commers will speak to the soul of every hopeless romantic and closet romantic out there; come join us romance readers, writers and lovers on the fun side!

Synopsis: Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter stuck in her career and love life while she takes care of her father after an accident made it so he can’t live on his own. When the opportunity of a lifetime comes her way to work with her screenwriter idol and longtime celebrity crush, Charlie Yates, it’s too good to be true. Her sister convinces her to go by coming home to take care of their dad. But as soon as she gets to LA, things do not go as Emma expects them to in the slightest.

Review: I was so lucky to read an advanced version of this book thanks to @katherinecenter and @netgalley! I also did a fun buddy read with good buddies @booksmartkate @bibliolater.alligator @kansasreadsalot! (We are very much under the impression that Katherine is also one of our new book besties just FYI.)

This was a very quick read because it was one of those you just can’t put down! I absolutely adored this book. Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my very favorites and I can’t wait for everyone to read this one in June!

Katherine Center does it again! Recently, I've been struggling to stay focused on a book, and that was not the case with this book. I was hooked from almost the first page and could not put it down. The characters are so real, and I felt emotional and every page! Thank you Netgalley, for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC!!

Another fantastic book by Katherine Center! I really enjoyed this slow burn rom com about 2 screen writers writing a rom com movie. I loved the characters and their relationship and watching them become friends first. The author did a great job at dealing with some tough subjects. I would have liked a little more romance but I still really enjoyed everything from start to finish with this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center.

5 Stars. No Notes. I laughed. I bawled. I wanted to read it all over.

The Rom-Commers was so delightful to read! Katherine Center has a knack for reaching a reader’s heart with wonderful, witty writing, and relatable characters. Emma Wheeler has been the main care-taker for her father for the past ten years after an accident left him half-paralyzed and with other medical conditions. During this time, she has been pursuing her screenwriting dream, however she can, given her circumstances. When she is presented with an opportunity to work with Charlie Yates, one of the most renowned action screenwriters in the industry, re-writing the most “terrible” romcom she’s ever read, she is hesitant to accept but eventually takes the big jump. There are a few problems though: Charlie doesn’t believe in love and he’s only doing this to get his mafia movie off the ground. Can Emma change the grump and convince him to take this project seriously and maybe even change his outlook on love? I was rooting for Emma and Charlie the whole time. Every scene was so easy to picture, the chemistry between the characters and conversations flowed so naturally it was like I was inside the book witnessing everything. I loved the interactions between Chalrie and Emma and seeing the change in both characters as they learned and grew more comfortable with each other. If you liked Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan you will love The Rom-Commers by Katherince Center.

4.5 stars!!

I LOVE Katherine Center's rom-coms! They're such a quick read with complex characters that will make you swoon and your heart break a little.

Emma is a teacher that lives with her father so she can help take care of him since he cannot take care of himself. She has always wanted to be a screenwriter, but her dream was put to a halt after her mother passed and her dad suffered a severe injury. One day, she receives a call from her ex (who still keeps in touch) about a job opportunity.. working with Emma's FAVORITE screenwriter ever. The only problem? She has to go to LA and leave her dad in Houston. After convincing, she leaves her father with her sister and makes her way to Charlie Yates.

Charlie is a grump who wants to finish his (awful) screenplay that just so happens to be a Rom-Com. He's never written a Rom-Com and only wants this done so that his Mafia movie will get published. Emma is the queen of Rom-Coms. After some convincing, Charlie agrees to work with Emma. Charlie says he doesn't believe in love, and Emma is determined to fix that, and the screenplay.

The banter, the grumpy/sunshine, the representation of Menieres disease! I loved it!!! A certain someone from Center's past book makes an appearance and I LOVE when authors do this! If you've enjoyed Center's other 2 more recent novels, you'll enjoy this one. It is a great romantic comedy that will have you feel all of the emotions!

Thanks to NetGalley, Libro.fm, and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center is absolutely a feel good romantic comedy that had me smiling, laughing, crying and thoroughly enjoying this book! This was my first Katherine Center book, but it certainly won't be my last.

Emma finds herself in LA at her favorite screenwriter's house, thinking she is here for the opportunity of her life to help Charlie Yates re-write a rom-com. However, what both her and Charlie don't know is that they have been tricked by Logan and Charlie refuses to work with Emma. After this tough realization, Emma plans to book it back home to Texas the next morning after Charlie agrees to let her crash for the night. But spending one night explaining how romantic comedies work has Charlie asking to her to stay and help him re-write this screenplay for real, even if their motives still don't align at first.

I love how this book had all the good parts of a romance novel, but also had deeper aspects worked into the character's stories and development as well! Emma is a very likeable character from the start, always so kind and giving to others. Charlie was a little rough around the edges at first, but he certainly grew on me and I think he even surprised himself as his feelings grew and changed. The ending had me crying and smiling and I loved how it wrapped up!

This book releases on June 11th and I’d definitely recommend checking it out for a feel good and funny rom com, perfect for summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read and review an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own and honest!

So I wasn't crazy about the title, but I am glad I jumped in anyway! This was a really enjoyable read!

Katherine Center has created lead and supporting characters that feel believable, even if it is a bit of a rom-com world removed from reality. Unlike many novels in which the family members act like toxic psychopaths to drive the plot, Emma's family and friends are flawed, not saintly, but also not abusive. Emma herself can be awkward but remains fun to root for, and while Charlie's life story does feel the most unrealistic of all, he was also my favorite character and I actually laughed out loud at some of the banter.

This is truly a fantastic example of this genre, and I will be looking to read more by this author!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Katherine Center did it again! A rom-com about a famous Hollywood screenwriter and a fledgling, unknown writer from Texas pairing up to write a rom-com? Yes, please!

Emma and Charlie were quirky and lovable MCs. Emma was such a caring soul and Charlie was a supposed anti-love curmudgeon (legit softy at heart though), but they found their groove in writing and built a relationship from there.

I felt like the story was a little too slow burn with not quite as much romantic tension as I like in a rom-com. And given the title and premise, I was just hoping for a little more OOMPH. However, I did love that KC was able to incorporate deeper and more serious issues into the story like she’s known to do. This book had a lot of heart and is a must for lovers of the genre! 💓

Thanks so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this ebook! 🫶💕

"Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion" - Dolly Parton (or the Steel Magnolias screenwriter)

I adored this book. It delivers on exactly what you expect, a perfect rom com.

This was a cute grumpy/sunshine trope. In this novel we meet Emma, who has been caring for her father for a decade. She gets an opportunity too good to pass up to help her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates re-write a romance screenplay – her favorite genre.

As she spends time with him rewriting the screenplay, of course they get to know more about each other the pain each of them carry from their past. Katherine Center does a great job of fleshing out the characters and moving the story along while also creating good sexual tension. I enjoyed tagging along on Emma’s journey as she discovers herself and stands up for what she believes in. Overall this was a fun romance that I would absolutely recommend for those who enjoy a good love story.

#TheRomCommers by @katherinecenter is what I finished listening to today! Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for allowing me to listen to their fabulous production of her work, and for @netgalley allowing me as well to be a member!

**** PEOPLE I LOVED THIS STORY****

I love a story that tells of the process of something, people working on a project, such as : an audiobook or podcast, or in this case: a screenplay. When Emma (who is a complete sweetheart) is called by her agent to work with Charlie Yates (a famous writer/screenplay writer) she is super nervous yet confident that she would help him rewrite a surprisingly bad screenplay. It seems Charlie can make good out of anything except a love topic. Recently divorced he has no mojo for romance. Or so he thinks! I have to say he was one of my least favorite characters because in pushing Emma away, I found him to be so harsh. But mannnnnn when things take a turn!
What I love about Katherine’s particular romcom books is that her characters always have an emotional depth, and she finds a way, even through the tragedies of life, to make her characters be ok in the end. She has these amazing lighthearted banter between the love interests which delights me and makes me literally laugh out loud with the fun of it all, but this one also made me cry. Katherine doesn’t just give you the light, she gives you a bit of the dark just enough to make you engage and root for the MC and becomes hopelessly invested. She shows the intimacy of family life, ripping the bandaid off of bad situations and showing a path to a fix. The scene between Emma and her sister when they had a falling out was brutal, but the forgiveness scene had me crying! I love that her characters find the BEST in themselves and then they GIVE that to their loved ones. It makes me feel hopeful that things that are broke can be glued back together with love and the right words. Maybe. But this is the magic of the romcom - making you laugh, cry, hope, and then it lets you do something that LIFE itself doesn’t always - it lets you put out a huge SIGH of relief!
I’ll always be a fan of Katherine’s humor and the heart of her characters! Coming out June!!