I loved this book! It had it all! I was rooting for the two main characters the whole time. Katherine Center knocked it out of the park with this one. I liked how she inserted one of her characters from one of her other books. That was a fun surprise.

Thank you to StMartins and MacMillan audio for review copies of The Rom-Commers from Katherine Center. I really loved the fun story, rich with some great background characters who I loved a lot, and filled with a homage to why we love romcoms and why they matter... why our stories matter. Indeed it was the bigger theme of why the stories we tell others and ourselves matter, why hope and openness matter, and how our story is perhaps never fully written.
With the audiobook I loved Patti Murrin's narration, she is becoming a top narrator for me as she has a way of imbuing warmth and smiles in her voice somehow and makes characters sound like the kind of people I want to have as my friends. :)

Standouts
1. I liked that Emma had a lot of growth but was never weak. She had priorities but she also took some chances, stood up for herself at times. I like that she had a little more depth in interesting points in the story. and that she was also at the heart of change and growth for other characters.
2. I would love to see the movie these two wrote, I am all in, and I want to see all of Charlie's movies and the kiss scene montage that Emma made. I loved her love for romcoms as I too love those movies.
3. I adored Emma's father. Her family story is sad but not too weighty, the big themes aren't surprising but are real and handled nicely. Her dad sounds amazing and her other family and secondary characters were great. My only note is Logan, I wanted to know him better and he felt al little less developed, more a device than a character.

4. Please send me biscuit donuts. That is all. :)

For fans of this author, fans of romcoms, and for fans of romance reads, including fans of Lynn Painter, Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella, and others. A great summer read

Katherine Center novels are among the most consistently enjoyable around. And The Rom-Commers is no exception! I was really rooting for Emma front the first few pages. I was hoping she could find the perfect balance between her family responsibilities and her own independence and desire to fulfill her big dreams.

I love how many quirky and inventive details she adds to both the plot and the characters themselves. There were so many cute elements in the story, like line dancing lessons and guinea pigs. I could definitely see this book working well on the screen. It’s just thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming, as I’ve come to expect from Katherine Center.

Thank you so much for the early review copy, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh, cry and swoon. Katherine Center writes the best female main characters around. They’re fully fleshed and relatable. I can’t recommend this one enough!

This was cute! It’s a fun story about love. It was funny and had a lot of depth. I loved the character Emma and thought she was funny and a mess and organized. And dedicated. The humor of this book made it a fast read.

In true Katherine Center fashion…this book has lovable characters and a smooth flowing storyline.

I just adored all of the MCs so much.

The characters were well developed and I loved seeing their interactions play out.

I liked how the romance blossomed between Emma and Charlie and how everyone saw it growing day by day, yet the MCs couldn’t get it together. I mean eventually 🤫🤫🤫…you know Katherine Center wouldn’t do us dirty.

I always find pieces of myself in KC’s characters, honestly I think that’s what makes reading her books so enjoyable because you can absolutely relate to her characters and the challenges they face. Arguments amongst sisters, misunderstandings in romance, work troubles, loss of loved ones, medical challenges, just life in general…it’s all in KC’s books but despite the issues her characters face you’ll always finish the book feeling a sense of satisfaction.

This was an excellent audiobook and I’m so glad I was able to get an early copy so I can tell my friends and family that they have got to check it out.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and The Rom-Commers is a new favorite book. She does romance so well, creating characters that you come to love and truly wish the best. Charlie and Emma feel so real and relatable. Silly foibles, sweet gestures, and chemistry that builds into genuine love blended with a storyline that always provides an interesting learning experience about something new equals a book that I will read over and over again. Or listen to over and over again. Because Patti Murin narrates the audiobook and she is amazing and I loved it.

I was fortunate enough to receive an ALC of this on top of the eARC I had. I had a bad bout of stomach issues and wasn’t able to get into the book and Patti Murin brought Katherine Center’s book and characters to life so wonderfully that I listened to this one eagerly.

A true feel-good rom-com of a book, the main characters are both likeable and the secondary characters add a lot (I really adored Emma’s dad).

The Rom-Commers delivered - I adored this one to the last page.

This was my second time reading the author and I can’t wait to read more.

Recommended!



Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC and thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

So so cute! I really loved this one! Perfect for any rom-com lover! Great cast of characters, lots of sweet moments and tidbits of wisdom in this one..

Katherine Center is one of my auto-buy authors for a reason. Every single one of her books leaves me with the BIGGEST smile on my face, and The Rom-Commers does not disappoint. I'm not sure I could choose a favorite, but this one is definitely near the top of the list.

Emma has always longed to be a screenwriter, but when the accident that killed her mother leaves her father partially paralyzed, she becomes his full-time caregiver. She idolizes Charlie Yates, one of the best and most prolific screenwriters of the day, and when her agent arranges for her to help ghost-write a romantic comedy screenplay with the legend, she can't believe it. Her younger sister practically forces her to go, promising to take care of their father while she's gone. The only problem is that when Emma shows up on his doorstep, Charlie had no idea she was coming, and he hadn't agreed to the collaboration. However--after listening to her extensive critique of his current dumpster fire of a draft, he agrees to let her help him out. Their cohabitation and collaboration leads to the development of feelings, and you can't help but root for them. Of course it can't be a smooth ride because that wouldn't be nearly so interesting--but you'll have to pick the book up to find out what happens to keep them apart and also what ultimately brings them back together. I promise you, it's worth it.

I listened to the last hour or so of the audiobook as I was walking my dog, and I'm glad I didn't encounter anyone else on the trail because I was both laughing out loud and crying big fat tears. Center's writing is heartfelt and earnest, swoony yet honest and real. This is the perfect summer read--whether you're relaxing on a sunny beach or walking your dog on a trail in the rain (like I did)

The audiobook is fantastic--the narrator, Patti Murin, delivers a wonderful, engaging performance. Her skills at voicing both male and female characters is incredible, and it's easy to get lost in the story when she's the one bringing it to life.

I was in a mood for a light book and knew from past experience that Katherine Center’s would fit the bill. As it happens, the title The Rom-Commers, was sitting on my review stack AND I was approved for the ALC from Macmillan Audio. That’s an embarrassment of riches and I am grateful!

Go ahead and read the publisher’s synopsis. I just want to give my brief take. I really enjoyed it. The MCs were likable. They grabbed my heart early on and had me invested in their HEA. The true joy for me was how Center got them there. I appreciated the depth given them and I loved the supporting characters.

If you prefer audio to print you can’t go wrong with Patti Murin’s narration. An unexpected bonus is an extra chapter read by Center. Plus she read her Acknowledgments which includes credit to her publishing crew as well as sources for various plot themes.

Katherine Center is one of my go-to authors when I want a feel-good, easy read, and this did not disappoint. A rom-com called The Rom-Commers about two screenwriters writing a rom-com? Does it GET more rom-commier than this? The banter was excellent. I enjoyed the storytelling breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the reader as if we were sitting down to coffee and hearing Emma tell us her love story. It was sweet, it was a little cheesy, it was pretty predictable, and it even had a few wise words about love. A perfect, winning combination for a great feel-good read.

Katherine Center’s books just keep getting better! The characters are so well written and it ties so well into the story you want to keep digging more into the story. It’s truly hard to put down! The story is hilarious yet so very touching and engaging the story has so many facets to keep you interested. Every time I read one of her books I think it is the best and this one is just the same! Keep these great books coming!

Do not be like me and read the final chapters of this book in public, because you will cry and need to hide it, like I found out while sitting on an airplane!

Katherine Center books for me are like a hug, I know I’m going to enjoy them and feel all the emotions. For me, The Rom Commers was a bit of a rollercoaster, I liked the beginning, but the middle slowed down for me, but the end, even with my crying in public, completely sold the book for me. I loved that Emma’s family was able to heal and move forward, forcing Emma to do the same and how Charlie showed up for her, despite how she tried to push him away and what he was dealing with.

In essence of the story itself, I'd say:

"𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙟𝙤𝙮. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙣. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚..."

This book gave me all the feels, in one word this book encapsulated 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆.

Emma Wheeler has a PhD in rom-coms (not really) but she 𝘩𝘢𝘴 spent her whole life surrounded by them and when the chance arrives to write one alongside her favourite writer 𝘵𝘩𝘦 Charlie Yates, she can't not jump on it (the opportunity, not the person, although...)

But the path to true love or a perfectionism is not 𝘯𝘰𝘵 paved with tragedies and when Charlie meets her with refusal to correct his absolutely tragic attemp at a romantic comedy, Emma brings out the big guns as they, accidentally, live out the story in real time.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮-𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 is a book about two screenwriters who fall in love writing a screenplay of two screenwriters falling in love while writing a script. That was a mindfull (reminds me of that one meme).

I don't think I've ever cried a river but I finally understand what that means as I wet half my shirt reading this (only good tears, I promise).

This story felt like a 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 or a 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 with it's imperfectly perfect collection of all sorts of tropes enfused in one story that had me laughing, bawling, giddily smiling and throwing my legs in the air.

- ~ -

4.87 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

One of the easiest 5 star reviews I have given! I've loved all the Katherine Center books I've read, and this is no exception and perhaps my favorite of hers so far! I fell in love with the characters and couldn't put the book down - I finished it in one sitting and already am looking forward to a re-read once it officially releases! Getting to see a bit more into the internal thoughts of the characters was also a fun experience for me, and it was great getting to read about Emma chasing after her dream.

Thanks to St. Martin Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

I will read anything Katherine Center writes. Forever. The end. I can’t get enough and this may just be my favorite one yet.

I find that some prolific writers are really writing the same story, with different characters, over and over. Not Katherine. I don’t know how she does it. Each story pulls me in. I can see the story play out like a movie in my mind. I’m immediately captivated by the characters that she creates. I’m pulled so deep into the world their world that I usually finish her books in a sitting or two.

Trigger warnings for grief, parent loss, cancer, and parent love after loss.

This is out June 11th and will be a perfect beach read this summer!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this advanced copy and the chance to give an honest review.

This is only my second Katherine Center book and I can’t wait to read more! It was such an enjoyable read. I loved the characters (even though Charlie was frustrating at times!), the LA setting, and the fun storyline. I really liked how everything wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows- there was heartbreak and loss which made it all the more REAL. Definitely recommend!

The Rom-Commers has become my favorite Katherine Center book that I've read so far. I really loved this book and enjoyed both the main characters so much and while it was single POV I still really felt a connection to the MMC. Emma has put her life on hold to care for her father in Texas but she gets her dream opportunity to go to Los Angeles for six weeks and work on a screenplay with her idol Charlie. Of course she doesn't think she can go but after her little sister steps in with their dad she decides to go. From here the story isn't surprising Emma and Jack work on the romantic comedy writing and get closer all the while Emma feels guilty for leaving. While this story of course follows the usual formula it is written so well and and the chemistry between the main characters was so good it made it an exciting story. This one for me was 4/4.5 stars will definitely recommend and will continue to look forward to more books from Katherine Center! I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I laughed and cried my way through this book. The way Katherine Center catches your attention with amusing dialogue and fantastic characters, but then breaks your hearts with character hardships and trials is just magnificent. I loved Charlie and Emma! Their chemistry was amazing. I loved their easy conversations and their sarcasm and wit. Charlie’s grumpiness paired with Emma’s sunshine personality made for a perfect match. Charlie’s transformation from someone who doesn’t believe in love to a man in love was just the best.

My only negative was that there is a lot of language in this book. More than any other KC’s books I’ve read. It was very heavy in the beginning and I almost stopped reading. Thankfully, the language calmed down towards the middle.

This book was so easy to get lost in. It was funny, clever and heartfelt.