I was wanting the uniqueness of Center’s other books. I did finally get this about halfway in. I liked Emma and how she dedicated her life to her Dad. I loved how her story with Charlie ended up (like a rom com would). I loved how her Dad wound up loving the neighbor and how he never blamed Emma for what happened to their mother. I will remain a Center fan.

The Rom-Commers has everything you want in romantic comedy- it's an endearing romance with plenty of drama and a splash of humor. Katherine Center has the most incredible knack for taking a familiar plot line and transforming it into a story that feels fresh and vibrant. When Emma is hired to help esteemed Hollywood screenwriter Charlie Yates salvage his abysmal first attempt at writing a rom-com (Charlie is beloved for his action filled westerns), the sparks truly fly. Charlie is arrogant and stubborn, and has little interest in working with an "amateur writer" as he dubs Emma. Miss Center is a strategic story teller-her novels often feature strong women, a path to "happily ever after" that is stalled due to family or medical issues, and appearances by characters from previous novels in secondary roles (hello Jack Singleton!) And what a winning strategy it is! You'll know how The Rom-Commers ends-but the journey is so delightful you'll want to take your time getting to the destination.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Katherine Center is an author I enjoy more and more with each book she writes. She is a humorous, intelligent and articulate writer. I never feel like my time has been wasted. I am entertained and learn a thing or two. The Rom-Commers is another engaging story with several opportunities to laugh out loud. Need a pick me up, then pick this up!

I adored this book! When I was finished I truly had book hangover. It hit all of my favorite notes when it comes to romance reads - the perfect amount of swoon! I rooted for most of the characters - a wonderful read!

A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter who loves romcoms and Charlie Yates, a big time Hollywood screenwriter who writes everything but. So when she’s given the opportunity to work with him to fix one of his works, a very sad attempt at a romcom, she jumps at the chance. The only problem is, Charlie Yates is a grump who doesn’t think he needs any help, especially not from somebody with zero credibility in the industry, and he has no problem saying so.
Katherine Center’s main characters are always so well written and developed and genuinely funny. The antics that take place are somehow always ridiculous in a wonderful and believable way. The dialogue is quirky and I loved the ode to some of the old time Hollywood romance flicks.

5 stars (of course - it's Katherine Center, y'all!)

I knew I didn't want to start this book. Why? Because, I knew that once I started, I wouldn't put it down, And then I'd be bereft when I finished since now I have nothing to look forward to in life. Nothing.

There is just something about KC's writing that brings me joy. The banter, the crazy catastrophes (swan dive, anyone?), the positivity. I highlighted so many passages in this book that were meaningful, about living life, about appreciating it, warts and all.

I don't really need to recap the story, because that's what the back of the book is for. I'm just going to say that if you need to smile, to remember why life is to be lived, to believe in love (in all forms - family, romantic, friendship), read Katherine Center.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

P. S. Macmillan Audio, please approve my request to listen to the audio book so I can spend time with Emma and Charlie again. Please!?!

Really this is more of a 4.5 than 4! Katherine Center is an automatic read for me, every time. Her stories never fail to make me laugh, cry, and feel all the feels. And The Rom-Commers is battling for that number one spot amongst her other books right now. It was witty, smart, slow burn fantastic. The only thing that kept me from jumping up to 5 stars was the random narration of addressing the reader. It through off the rhythm of the book for me. But that’s probably more of a personal preference. This is definitely one to pre-order and put on your TBR! Releasing in June 2024!

The Rom Commers is a perfect!
Emma Wheeler is a talented writer who has been unable to launch her career. When her high school ex contacts her with a job she grabs it and finds herself helping her idol, screenwriter Charlie Yates with a fix up job for a Rom Com that is being shopped in LA. She uproots herself and arrives in Los Angelos to find that Charlie neither knew she was coming nor wants any help.

What happens next will keep you glued to your seat as you furiously flip the pages. Can't wait for this to be a movie, I loved it that much!
What else do you need to know? Katherine Center has the goods! Pick up this Rom Commy book now! #katherinecenter #therom-commers
#stmartins

I inhaled this book. Katherine Center has an incredible ability to completely pull you in. I really loved both Emma and Charlie. I would read this over and over.

I laughed, I cried, I squealed, I swooned.

This is the ultimate rom-com and truly has it all—the funniest meet-cute, great banter, lots of comedic moments, a slow burn romance, and one of the BEST first kiss scenes. I just loved every minute of reading this book and didn’t want it to end.

Despite the premise and the cover, this story isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It also deals with some heavy themes, which only gave the characters more depth and made them feel more real, and honestly made me love the story even more.

This is only my second Katherine Center book (I read Things You Save in a Fire when it came out years ago), so obviously I have some backlist digging to do!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC!

This was such a sweet read! THE ROM-COMMERS follows Emma Wheeler, who's always wanted to become a screenwriter. However, being the sole caretaker for her dad has forced her to put her dreams on the back burner. When she gets the opportunity to rewrite a romantic comedy script for award-winning screenwriter Charlie Yates, she jumps at the chance. With caretaking duties left to her younger sister Sylvie, Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks to help write the hit romcom she knows she can deliver, and show Charlie that true love is real—and worth believing in.

This book hooked me instantly! I was rooting for Emma from start to finish, and loved her chemistry and banter with Charlie. I also thought all of the romcom and Classic Hollywood references were so much fun to spot (like Charlie living in Esther Williams' house—how cool is that?); Center does a fantastic job of weaving those tidbits throughout the story. Beyond the romance and the comforting, lightheartedness tone of THE ROM-COMMERS, I also appreciated the overarching theme of being torn between showing up for your family and following your dreams. Emma carries a lot of guilt about her mom's death and her dad's condition, and sometimes struggles to balance her responsibility to her family with her screenwriting goals. It was heartwarming to see her realize that she didn't necessarily have to choose one or the other. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for anyone in search of a swoon-worthy romcom that will make you laugh and tear up in equal measures! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARC of The Rom-Commers in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will begin by saying Katherine Center quickly became one of my favorite authors after reading just a few of her books. When I start one of her books, I know that I will quickly become engrossed and basically get nothing done for the next day or 2.

That’s exactly what happened with The Rom-Commers. When Emma gets the opportunity to work alongside her favorite author, Charlie Yates, she is beyond thrilled. Hesitant to leave her father in the care of her sister, she goes to live with Charlie, for several weeks, to rewrite a rom-com with him. Her first meeting with him does not go as planned. It’s basically a nightmare.

Prepare to fall in love with Emma, get angry with Charlie, and then just not want the story to end! I look forward to more Katherine Center books!

Katherine Center has done it again. The Rom-Commers was an adorable book, I love how she has so many different parts storylines come together. You get so many different facets of the main characters lives that make you love them even more (even people you didn’t think you would). You get it all with her books. The Rom-Commers was no exception.

Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The Rom-Commers was such a cute book with quirky loveable characters. I thought the story was well written, funny, and so cutely romantic.
Katherine Center writes such...what I call "well-adjusted romance" where the love interests are always adults about their feelings and have adult relationships. It's refreshing!

My heart has melted! I loved these characters so much. Katherine Center’s stories always have so much heart and I think this is her best. I devoured it in one day and know I will reread when it after publication. I have no notes. Five stars.

I have been a long time fan of Katherine Center’s work. This one unfortunately fell flat for me. I did not feel chemistry between the characters, felt like there was a bit too much random information thrown into the story, and found the ending predictable.

Katherine Center has a way of writing stories that will have her characters facing very hard, very real struggles but done in a way that allows the reader to find the beauty in the struggle. There is always hope and the belief that there WILL be a light at the end of the tunnel even in the darkest moments the characters may face. I realize part of that is the promise of the genre (which I know Katherine is steadfastly committed to) but it’s also a very well-honed skill of hers. The heavy things never feel quite as heavy in a Katherine Center book.

Emma is a talented screenwriter who has never been able to seize opportunities that have been presented to her. She has been her father’s primary caretaker for the past decade and has consistently put his needs ahead of her wants. When the chance of a lifetime lands at her feet to rewrite a truly terrible attempt at a romcom written by her screenwriting idol, Charlie Yates, it’s too good to pass up. Charlie is a divorced cynic who no longer believes in love and simply wants to get his Mafia movie made, which hinges on delivering the romcom script. Emma, wanting to deliver something she is proud of and not just ‘passable’, has to convince Charlie that love is real and romance isn’t dead. They’re both in for some surprises and getting caught up in the line between fiction and reality.

Emma is an incredibly admirable character. She has big dreams, but she has willingly put herself on the back burner for her dad. She doesn’t seem to harbor any resentment over her decisions and it truly feels like if taken back in time she would gladly make the same choice over and over again. Her relationship with her dad is beautiful. That’s not to say it has been easy. His health challenges make life hard for both of them, and she is confined to a very insular life, whether she resents it or not. Seeing her get a shot at her dreams and take that chance by the horns despite all the obstacles she faces throughout is endearing. It was so easy to root for her and want all the best things in life for her. It also made the hurt that much more visceral when it felt like the things she wanted were being stripped away one by one. I felt like I was right beside her on the roller coaster journey she was being taken on.

Charlie is a complicated man. He’s pretty emotionally stunted and, for a screenwriter, really struggles with using his words. There’s something inherently tender in him though that makes you want to protect him even as you want to shake him. His actions regularly contradict his words in thoughtful ways and executed through both covert and overt methods. Both warmed my heart. He’s a tough nut to crack, but what’s inside is a soft and melty center.

Charlie and Emma have both had to face some truly horrific circumstances in their lives and it heavily influences how they handle different situations that arise. The path to their happiness is heart-wrenching and not without fear, but there is beauty in the road they have to take to get there despite everything. The light is there and feels warmer in the end because of the obstacles that had to be overcome along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really love all of Katherine Center's books, they are full of fun ad relatable characters, great writing and just so much fun. I feel like this book for anyone who is a fan of rom-coms, like the ones from the nineties. We follow Emma who once was a promising screen writer but is now a care taker for her ailing dad but when Emma gets the chance to work with a renowned screen writer on his new rom-com she knows she can not pass this opportunity up. What follows is a grump sunshine friendship/romance that I loved from beginning to end. I can not recommend Katherine Center's books enough! This one comes out June 11, 2024. Thank you St.Martin's Press for my gifted copy for review!

I have read all of Katherine Center's books and I was so excited to read The Rom-Commers! This book was everything I expected it to be and more! We are introduced to Emma Wheeler - a writer who wants to write movies. She is given an opportunity to work with her favorite screen writer, the famous Charlie Yates. But the job doesn't go exactly as planned. I was rooting for Emma the whole time during this book. Another great one by Katherine Center!

It's been a long time since I've read a rom-com that actually gave me the warm, tingly, falling-in-love feeling that a great rom com can generate, and I felt it at least a half-dozen times while reading this book. I loved how Center leaned into the meta aspects of this type of book without it feeling too cheesy (OK, it was a little bit, but it almost felt like that was the point, and the reader and the author could laugh about it together). You know exactly what you're going to get when you dive into a book called The Rom-Commers, and Center delivered in every possible way while still keeping me on my toes, so it was an utterly pleasant and satisfying read while still feeling unique and creative.