Huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love stories had lifted me up, delighted me, and educated me on the power of human kindness for years. I knew a lot about love. A lot more, I bet, than all the people who took it for granted.

I absolutely loved this book. Katherine Center's books have always been enjoyable and sweet - similar to books from Sophie Kinsella, as they feature quirky heroines, a sweet romance, and ridiculous and humorous shenanigans. The Rom-Commers completely stole my heart as I was reading. I was immersed from the start and couldn't put the book down. I found Emma to be the most enjoyable of Center's protagonists that I've read from. I admired her fierce selflessness and devotion to family, her ability to find humour in almost any situation, her excessive and all-consuming love of all things romantic cinema. I found her at times to be a little juvenile and selfish, but that made her more of a fleshed-out character. Charlie, I loved. He was a true definition of grumpy and stubborn, and I loved seeing him soften with Emma. Their chemistry sizzled; they were simply adorable together, and the banter was top-tier. There were moments of such intense emotion, and then such tender, swoony romance. I just loved every minute. The perfect summer read, and if you love romantic comedies as much as I do, this book was made for you and you'll love every moment.

I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, Charlie and Emma were endearing. I loved the plot, two writers writing a screenplay with classic witty banter between these two writers. I smiled as I read much of this book., This was my first book by Katherine Center, and I am already looking for more. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s for the opportunity to read this book in advance of it’s publication.

Once again, Katherine Center entrances readers with her light hearted comedic ability to articulate the way two people fall in love. I giggled like a school girl the entire way through this novel. & teared up at the ending. Literally the last chapter had me in all the feels. This would easily make a seriously adorable movie. 🍿

When Emma receives a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with her favorite screenplay writer of all time, she finally feels like her hasn’t-really-gone-anywhere writing career has been worth it. Until she shows up on Charlie Yates’ doorstep & finds out he had no idea she was coming & doesn’t want anything to do with the ‘amateur writer’.

The imperfect parts of these main characters help readers relate in so many ways. Emma creates charts and lists in an attempt to have some control on parts of her life that seem so uncontrollable. Charlie tries to scoot through life sacrificing to get the things he thinks he should want.

This will be the P E R F E C T summer read for readers who love romantic comedies, mysterious MMC’s & banter.

S o loved this book! I rarely read books of this genre but the cover and name appealed to me. This would make a cute movie

Katherine Center does it again! The Rom-Commers has the magic that makes Ms. Centers other books excellent reads, including flawed and relatable characters, laugh out loud moments, delightfully witty banter, furry friends that you’ll fall in love with, and complicated family dynamics that will pull at your heart strings.

Emma Wheeler is a writer, who is mostly writing movie reviews for minimum wage, but has entered (and won) screenwriting competitions. She had big dreams and a promising future when a terrible accident affected her family, leaving her dad in need of around the clock care. Emma, the oldest daughter in a family of 2, is responsible for being the of sole caretaker of her dad in their shared apartment in Texas.

Emma’s high school boyfriend, Logan, happens to be a high profile Hollywood agent, who basically represents her on a charity basis. He calls one day asking her to help infamous, mega hit producing screenwriter, Charlie Yates, rewrite his new romantic comedy. Charlie only agreed to write a rom com in exchange for getting his zombie apocalypse movie made. His rom com is terrible, mostly because Charlie doesn’t believe in love. A series of fateful events occur allowing Emma to travel to LA to meet and write with Charlie.

There are so many nods to romance tropes, both within the storyline and within Emma and Charlie’s screenplay, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, close proximity, opposites attract. I felt the full range of emotions in this novel. I laughed uproariously at all of the research Emma and Charlie were doing from line dancing to kissing FOR RESEARCH. And can falling on top of each other really be sexy? I worried with Emma when it came to her dad, understood the complicated dynamics between sisters, and grieved with Cuthbert, the guinea pig. My one grievance in the whole book is Cuthbert’s character arc (but no spoilers here). I loved the cameos by Jack Stapleton and Hannah. I loved the ending, happy of course, and especially the insight from this, “Poor happy endings. They’re so aggressively misunderstood. We act like “and they lived happily ever after” is trying to con us into thinking that nothing bad ever happened to anyone ever again. But that’s never the way I read those words. I read them as “and they built a life together, and looked after each other, and made the absolute best of their lives.”

I have been a fan of Katherine Center since I read her first book, so I was shocked when I could not get into this one. I felt like I was being told a story, not involved in it. The characters felt stiff , not really relatable.

I thought I was in a workshop on how to write a rom-com, instead of actually being in a
rom-com and falling in love.

I hope to love the next Katherine Center book because she has been one of go-to authors for a great get away.

Thanks so much for this arc!

Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers truly delivered. I was so wrapped up in this story. I couldn’t wait to figure out the cover & title and watch it all unfold.

Emma hasn’t had the best of luck. She’s always wanted to be a screenwriter but it seems to be the type of thing that’s so challenging to get noticed for. She’s also caring for her ailing father- which is a full time job. This forces her to put herself on the back burner in all aspects of her life.

But when her friend asks her to help ghost write for a very famous author, Charles Yates, she can not refuse. She rearranges her life and gives up some control of her father to make this happen. This is a huge deal for her- not only personally but professionally as well.

Things start of quite rocky but Emma chooses to stay and help Charlie. They both have secrets from each other as they start to build a fun little friendship. I enjoyed the banter between the two. Emma loves love and Charlie isn’t quite sold. She not only needs to teach him for his book but for herself as well.

I will say some bits were predictable but that’s what we love about a romance. This book had all the aspects of an adorable rom-com that rom-com readers love. Well done!

Uhm, hello? I laughed and cried………. a lot.

Katherine Center is becoming an auto-buy, auto-read author for me. Her characters are relatable, silly and the banter is off the charts. Everything about this book feels like a warm hug and I loved everything about Charlie and Emma.

The Rom-Commers features grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance and opposites attract. Not a whole lot of steam but it’s true to its name – it’s a classic contemporary rom-com. It’s just one of those books you have a smile while reading the entire time and that makes it impossible to put down.

Go pick this up this summer because it is the absolute perfect beach read!

First, thanks to Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advanced copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I'M NOT OK. Katherine Center almost always hits me with the perfect story at the perfect time to get me out of the slumpiest reading slumps, and this book is no exception. I mainly listened to the audio, and I just need to make a note that the audio was really well done and Patti Murin did a beautiful job of bringing this story to life. She's the perfect Emma.

I'm a huge fan of when the main character of a story has spent their whole life putting the people they love first and their own hopes and dreams on the backburner with the idea that "their time doesn't need to come because their loved ones are where their time belongs," only to be slapped in the face with their moment. Emma is the epitome of this to a T and it was so much fun to watch her and Charlie figure out love together.

A "failed" screenwriter and full-time caretaker matched with a (fairly clueless about real life but) super successful Hollywood screenwriter. What could go wrong? A lot. But the journey in this book to make it to the happily ever after is worth every stumble and bumble along the way.

Katherine Center never fails to make me laugh. I loved this book; I could not put it down. And the extra bonus chapter from Charlie's POV from that night!!! I'm screaming. "The fear was big, but how I felt about Emma was bigger."

All to say, another win in my book and I'm so stupidly, unbelievably excited to be having FUN reading again.

I hope I don’t sound too cliche when I say this is the best romance novel I’ve read in years; and I’ve read what some people might call an unhealthy amount of them.

This is the book for hopeless romantics. The ones who giggle and blush at cheesy k-dramas, who dream of a person who kisses like Colin Firth in Bridget Jones’ Diary. The ones who can quote the entire Pride and Prejudice rain scene (accents included!) and those of us who swoon over Billy Crystal in a chunky knit sweater.

Katherine Center has created the most perfect blend of cliches, misunderstandings, and bickering; of tenderness, heart, and endearment. These characters are messy, wounded, and sometimes maybe just plain annoying. But they’re also sensitive and vulnerable and lovely, actually. There were times while I was reading where I just wanted to shake them and there were times where I really just wanted to comfort them. (Or as Bill Pullman once said, ‘you don't know whether to hug them or, or just really arm wrestle them’).

Reading this book was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. There is banter, tension, swooning. There is heartbreak, anger, and grief. I giggled and blushed. I rolled my eyes. I sighed. I laughed and cried in equal measure, sometimes managing to achieve both on the same page. Like all the best rom coms, the ending supplied me with happiness and a sense of hope.

While a lot of romances for me are one and done, I’m happy to say that this is one I will be rereading for the rest of my life.

If you’re a lover of romance and romance movies and there’s only one book you pick up in 2024, please let it be this one.


Mild spoilers:

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PS. If there is a man out there who sings Queen to a mourning guinea pig on hunger strike, burns 100 biscuits just to make one perfect birthday donut, or studies k-dramas to reenact the perfect kiss, please send him my way.

I have to say I see the hype with Katherine Center’s books. This was my second one by her and it didn’t disappoint. The story was very unique and quite clever. It wasn’t your typical rom com, as it held so much depth and meaning. The book spoke a powerful message about enjoying the journey of your life, rather than obsessing about the destination. I found myself highlighting my kindle with various quotes which I seldom do. I appreciated how she incorporated other characters from her other book “The Bodyguard” which was an unexpected fun twist. There is a lot of angst and waiting that drove me nuts, but I finally understood the reason why after reading the last couple of chapters. Highly recommend this book for something both light and powerful!

Truly obsessed with this story. I love books where writing or story telling are major plot points. Katherine Center’s writing made this bingeable and emotional. And an IMMEDIATE five stars.

Crying at 2 am over this one. A sucker for rom-coms, this one hit all the marks.

I loved the banter between Emma and Charlie and, to be honest, Logan was such a fun sidekick in the story. While Logan played a huge part in connecting the two, his role in the book wasn’t overwhelming and I loved that. Back to Emma and Charlie, I think I loved Charlie more than anything. Especially towards the end. I couldn’t quite figure him out, I loved that he kept me guessing, but you just knew what was coming given the book theme. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll roll your eyes, you’ll CRY.

Katherine Center delivered again! She knows all the right themes in a book to cover and this was no exception. Her dialogue was relatable and witty and you’ll be sucked into the story from start to finish.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

“There it is. The whole trick to life. Be aggressively, loudly, unapologetically grateful.”

The Rom-Commers
Pub date:
💕💕💕💕💕/5

Can I just say that all of Katherine Center’s books are just so phenomenal? I mean every single book! I adored this one. It was so cute and funny. I found myself laughing out loud at the characters antics. Cuthbert was a cute little addition to the story. Plus Jack Stapleton even makes a special appearance (iykyk) A winner all around in my book!! Pick this one up, you’ll absolutely LOVE it. Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for the chance to read this amazing book.

Katherine Center hits it out of the park again!! Honestly, I’ll read anything she writes, the dialogue is always clever and funny - I power through these books and find myself laughing out loud!

The main character was very relatable and the story was sweet. Highly recommend.

Can I tell you my problem with Katherine Center? It's a BIG problem. HUGE! Ready for it?
HER BOOKS ARE TOO GOOD! Every year she comes out with a book. And I save it for a rainy day. Or a rainy week. And I look forward to reading it so much. And then that day comes and I read the book in that day and THEN I AM SAD BECAUSE I HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR FOR ANOTHER ONE!

CURSES!

I guess this is a love note to Katherine. Thank you for writing another book that got me out of a book slump. Do I like rom-coms? Not much anymore really. Did I love this book? yes. Was it over before I even registered I had been reading it ? Yes.

Emma and Charlie are working together on a screen play that Charlie wrote. Charlie is a famous screen writer, like mega famous, and Emma is a screenwriter that hasn't been able to leave her fathers side in 10 years. The two are connected by their agent who was Emmas high school boyfriend now best friend. I think thats enough of the synopsis but really you dont need a synopsis to get interested in a K.C. book, you know it is fantastic already!

GO READ THIS!

Center's writing style is engaging and lighthearted, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments sprinkled throughout the book. She has a knack for crafting witty dialogue and creating scenes that are both funny and touching. Readers will find themselves rooting for Clara and her friends as they navigate the ups and downs of love and life.

Beyond its humor and romance, "RomCommers" also touches on deeper themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the power of following your passions. It's a story about taking chances, embracing new opportunities, and finding happiness in unexpected places.

Overall, "RomCommers" is a charming and uplifting read that is sure to delight fans of romantic comedies. With its engaging characters, witty writing, and heartfelt moments, it's the perfect book to curl up with and escape into a world of love, laughter, and happily-ever-afters.

As someone who tends to put everyone else before myself, The Rom-Commers really hit home. There was laugh out loud moments, adorable moments, swoon worthy chemistry while having heavier issues. Then tension between the 2 main characters was perfect. The ending was absolutely perfect. I don't know it could have been better. I don't think Katherine Center will ever not write a 5 star book.

Katherine Center's books have been hit or miss for me since How to Walk Away, but I really loved The Rom-Commers. The story had so much more depth than I was expecting from the synopsis and I adored the caregiving representation, and the representation of Charlie's life as a cancer survivor.

This book is written in single POV from Emma's perspective, which made it read a lot more like women's fiction than romance. And I do think the central storyline is really about Emma's identity formation as a daughter, caregiver, writer, and generally person separate from the circumstances of her family. That development - and the backstory of Emma's parents - was really well done by Center in this book. You absolutely understand where Emma's singular focus on her father is coming from, the guilt she carries, how it impacts every relationship and opportunity in her life. Charlie was also really a dreamboat once we got to see more of him. The quiet way he falls in love with Emma was lovely to see. Charlie is approaching his five year cancer-versary which is a big deal for those of us on that journey. He talks about his anxiety with appointments and how he feels about the milestone in a way that really resonated with me as a cancer survivor. I didn't love the "scare" at the end with his appointment, but that was really my only complaint about the book. Finally, I absolutely adored the relationship with Emma and her father in this book.

Content flags: Emma is a full time caregiver for her father after he suffered a traumatic accident and brain injury; her mother was killed in the same accident which is described in one chapter in-depth; Charlie is a cancer survivor and has a scare after a routine scan

I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for this eARC!

i LOVED this book. i mean holy shit i now have to read all of katherine center’s romance novels. it was SO good. i loved the characters and the development of their feelings was so good 🤌 i feel like recently i've been a bit disappointed by the development in the romance novels i've read. like i've loved the characters but there’s been at least one piece of the build up that was vaguely disappointing. this was not that at all. i loved this whole thing, the whole way through. i read it so fast. im so sad its over, i want to read it again. and i honestly might since i've still got 8 hours of a flight left. anyways, all this to say, this book honestly is maybe one of my favorite “rom-coms” i've ever read. it was adorable and i love them both and want to read about the rest of their lives. you should absolutely read this when it’s published!!! its so good!!