Thank you Netgalley for the gifted ARC of this book.

Book: The Rom Comers
Rating: 4 Stars ****(4/5)


My review:
I am a big fan of Katherine Center and she continues to shine and be my number one author when it comes to light hearted romantic stories. I love how she structures her stories. There is a love story at the core and so many other human emotions are dealt at the periphery of that story. The family ties, the responsibilities, the grief, the guilt, and yet the subconscious desire to chase your dreams.

Katherine Center does it again. She is a fabulous writer and the best part about her contemporary romance novels is that they are refreshingly unique and utterly enjoyable. I am not a big fan of spice, so I give her extra credit for that as well. She writes these highly effective wonderful stories around such brilliantly carved out characters, you fall in love with all those people.
The loved the Rom Comers. It takes you to an amazing world of Hollywood and LA, where the characters are running into popular Hollywood stars at cafes, restaurants, or any public place. With a famous screen writer by her side, our female character gets introduced to most of them which had us fangirling on her behalf.

The love story is such a swoon worthy slow burn, that makes you fall in love with love itself. In addition to the love story at the core, which delightfully progresses in this book, her characters exuberate so many other emotions.
This is a pattern I have seen in all Katherine Center books. Her stories always deliver a beautiful message around hope, positivity, looking at the half glass always full, and the light at the end of the tunnel. The Rom Comers also come with the same message. Each character in this book, gives us a message of being positive, building a life worthy of living around grief, around something that happened in the past, and trying to make the most out of what life even after you have been served with some tough curveballs thrown by life.
Another beautiful novel by KC. With her captivating and fast paced writing style, teamed with rib tickling humor and breath-taking romantic moments, she is ready to win millions of hearts again.

Highly recommend The Rom-Comers if you are looking for an uplifting story , a romantic comedy without much spice.

Plot Summary :
Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter. This was her dream job but she could not pursue it the way she had dreamt of , as she is also the full-time caretaker of her lively and kind hearted father who is not healthy enough to stay independently. She lands a wonderful opportunity to re-write a Rom-Com script written by a famous, Hollywood screenwriter, Charlie Yates. She adores his work and is an ardent fan. But romcom is an unexplored territory for Charlie Yates and his romcom script is “Apocalyptic”.
When Emma’s younger sister volunteers to taking care of their dad, Emma travels to LA for six weeks. The job was even more challenging than she thought as Charlie Yates does not need anyone to write for him, he is not convinced that the script needs to be handled by a writer who is not famous or experienced enough and to top it all, he does not believe in Love as a concept.
Emma takes this up as a challenge. She is determined to make him believe in Romance, to make him understand that Romcoms are real, and love stories matter and need to be told. Whether this will shape into something else, you need to read the book to know that 😊

5/5 (Finished 02.25.2024)

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First ARC received from NetGalley :)

Prepare to embark on an emotional rollercoaster with this book—it'll have you laughing, crying, and experiencing a myriad of unexpected emotions.

I absolutely adore this book. Right from the start, it captivates you with the premise of an anonymous scriptwriter being enlisted to ghostwrite alongside a celebrity.

Let's talk about Charlie Yates. He's a delightful mix of hilarious, caring, and romantic. Despite being in his mid-30s, his occasional naivety adds charm to his character. From googling the duration of falling in love (all while denying any feelings for Emma) to waking up early to bake birthday donuts—despite his lack of culinary skills—and even begrudgingly joining Emma for line dancing practice, Charlie's antics are endearing.

Yet, beneath his humor lies a selflessness that's deeply touching. When he learns of his cancer diagnosis, his instinct to push Emma away stems from a desire for her happiness, despite his lack of interpersonal experience.

And then there's Emma—funny, oblivious, and refreshingly honest. I adore her candidness, her willingness to confront her feelings head-on, even as she navigates the complexities of her relationship with Charlie.

The heartbreaking confrontation between Emma and her sister towards the end of the book left a profound impact on me. Witnessing Emma's trauma, compounded by her feelings of guilt over their mother's death, being weaponized against her by her own sister was deeply painful.

It vividly portrays the complex dynamics inherent in familial relationships, where love and care coexist alongside the potential for hurt and misunderstanding. Despite their mutual affection, Emma and her sister found themselves inadvertently inflicting emotional wounds upon each other, highlighting the intricate nature of sibling bonds and the profound effects of unresolved trauma.

However, this is a beautifully written story of love, of hope and of family.

I thought The Bodyguard was going to be my all-time favorite Katherine Center book, and then I read The Rom-Commers. WOW. I ran the whole gamut of emotion reading this one! Trepidatious, excited, outraged, swoony, angry again, swoony again…what a ride. I LOVED Emma, and Patti Murin is such an incredible narrator…she really brings characters to life. I also appreciate that when she voices male characters, her voice doesn’t go all weird. There was a point I got mad at Katherine, haha, but to divulge any more would be to give spoilers, and I won’t do that!!

I can’t recommend this more highly. This story is such a brilliant defense of rom-coms, and it just makes you feel GOOD. And if I’m not reading to feel good, then why am I reading? Well done. I cannot WAIT for the next KC book, and I hope against all hope that Patti Murin narrates it!!

Katherine does it again—reeling me in hook, line, & sinker. This follows two people rewriting a romance, and while also changing the narrative of their own love stories. Emma dreams of being a screenwriter but is a full-time caregiver for her dad. When an opportunity to leave and work with her idol on a script, Charlie Yates, it seems like the perfect chance…but he is less than perfect and he doesn’t want to change his terrible romcom script. Six weeks to make a new script, they must work together and it’s not long before sparks are flying.
I loved reading this and falling for the characters. Katherine has such an endearing way of making love stories feel real and translate off the pages.
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The romance had build up, I felt close to characters and the “falling” felt genuine. What I enjoyed most was the witty banter between the two main characters.

I felt iffy about the male main characters angry outbursts and a weak apology - although the end did reference this.

Don’t be shocked but this is my first Katherine Center and now I’ll need to binge all her previous works because I couldn’t put it down!

Absolutely adored this book. It was nothing like what I was expecting! Which I loved!! It was so much fun to read something with such a different plot. The characters personalities were so much fun. Dare I say I enjoyed it more than the bodyguard? Because yes. I did. It’s the perfect fun summer read - grab an iced coffee and lounge outside while enjoying this one.

Emma Wheeler put her own screenwriting dreams on hold to be a full time caregiver for her disabled father. When Emma is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime, to work with her screenwriting idol Charlie Yates on his romantic comedy screenplay, she reluctantly seizes it. The only problem is that Charlie Yates never agreed to write with Emma, doesn’t want to write with anyone, and doesn’t believe in romance or romantic comedies. Emma has her work more than cut out for her as she has to convince Charlie of the value of her favorite genre and get him to believe in real life love.

Katherine Center is one of my all time favorite authors, and this is my new favorite book that she has written. I loved every bit of it, and it absolutely has that special, joyful magic that Katherine is known for.

I loved Emma, so unapologetically herself and so certain of her talent even in the face of harsh criticism. Emma may not have been a multiple award winning screenwriter like Charlie, but she absolutely schooled him on romantic comedies and on love, and it was just the most fun ride as a reader.

Recommended for everyone who loves love! But especially those who enjoy: 🎥 movie magic 👩‍🏫 romance lessons 🤿 jumping off the high dive 🐹 temperamental Guinea pigs 👞 grumpy yet secretly soft heroes 👩‍🦰 strong in her convictions about love and romance heroines 🎬 they all lived and loved happily ever after

Just finished reading “The Rom Commers” by Katherine Center.

This book is about Emma, a writer who wants more than anything to be a screenwriter. She has spent her life taking care of her disabled father.

She’s been given the opportunity to help one of the best screenwriters in the business writing a rom com.

What follows is a true rom com as they get to know each other. I really enjoyed this book.

The Rom-Commers is an absolute delight! I binged this book in 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. Katherine Center’s books just keep getting better with age. ☺️ I always finish with a giant smile on my face.😄 If you want something light, funny and heartwarming, grab this book. 🥰 The Rom-Commers releases on June 11th, 2024.
P.S. Katherine, I am now officially obsessed with Cuthbert the Guinea pig and I think he deserves a cameo in your next book. 😆🤣😆

How many Katherine Center books have you read and which are your favourites? I’ve read 7! My faves are Things You Save in a Fire, How to Walk Away, The Bodyguard and The Rom-Commers.

Thank you to SMP, Netgalley and Katherine Center for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🙏🏻🥰

This was so, so good! I might have a new fav author on my hands. This is book should go down in writers’ history as the handbook to banter. 🧑‍🍳💋 So. Good. This felt like a light story, the kind that makes your heart smile, while simultaneously navigating very real and heavy topics with grace. There’s such an effortlessness to Center’s writing in this book. I’m very impressed.

I am absolutely going to dig into Center’s backlog. I am an instant fan!

eARC: thank you NetGalley, Kathrine Center and St. Martins Press

As usual, Katherine Center does it again! Her books do not miss. Though I was a little skeptical at first - it gave e similar vibes to Book Lovers and i was not a huge fan of that. Also, she does a really good job of making the MMC unlikeable - too good. He was infuriating. But his redemption was good and even had me rooting for him in the end, Emma was a great FMC. She had her insecurities nand fears, but she let her priorities and her passion for others always win when it came to her decisions. The banter in this book was so cute, and I always truly enjoy the narrator engaging directly to the reader. As always, forever recommending Katherine Center and all of her books.

Katherine Center may just be my author soul mate! Her books always grab me right away, hit me in the feels and jump right into my favorites books list! This one is no exception! This may be my favorite book of hers! Just when I think I have found my favorite book of hers she goes and writes another one! I highly recommend this book!! It’s sweet and funny and real!

Full five stars. This book is as moving as it is funny.

There were scenes that were so funny (one in particular with a country line dancing instructor) that I really had to wonder whether this had happened to the author in real life. Because, you just can’t make up some of the hilarious situations in the book.

I cried at one point and told my husband he needed to understand that I was going through a really emotional part of the book and wouldn’t be back to myself for a while.

I really love these characters. They took up residence in my heart and haven’t left yet.

My only gripe is that book is not spicy. Closed door. But that’s my preference and not a shortcoming of the book. I would have really loved to see Charlie and Emma get it on, but maybe some reader will produce some fan fic to fill that gap :) [no pun intended]

I give this book my highest recommendation for readers who want a contemporary rom com with depth and heart. It stands out as a perfectly executed romance.

If you've read Katherine Centers book The Bodyguard (which is one of my faves!) I think you are going to like this one too! Think of all the cheesy rom-com cliches and they are in this book... which is why I loved it in all its cheesy glory! I will say, there was ONE thing near the end that I just couldn't get passed and so thats why im giving 4 stars instead of 5.

Emma Wheeler is a struggling screenwriter living with her dad in Texas as his full-time caregiver. Charlie Yates is a famous Hollywood screenwriter who is writing his first rom-com. But Charlie's rom-com sucks -- and Emma tells him as much. Recruited to help Charlie re-write the rom-com, Emma moves into Charlie's house for six weeks to go through the script line by line so Emma can provide her expertise as a rom-com fanatic and they can finish the script. Charlie's main issue with rom-coms is that he doesn't care, he doesn't care about rom-coms and he certainly does not believe in love. But Emma is dead set on convincing Charlie that rom-coms do matter and that love stories matter.

As a dedicated Katherine Center fan, I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. Written in her signature voice, her characters are so well-developed and I always love the little hidden meanings behind her stories. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a miss for me. It was fine, but it was just fine. I found so many of the scenes repetitive and the same conversations were happening over and over again. Emma's character was a bit grating and Charlie's character was so hot and cold. Much of the romance just felt like Emma badgered Charlie enough that he gave in.

I am shocked by the number of 4 and 5-star ratings for this book. The adorable rom-com moments are offset by a ton of tragedy and medical trauma that made the book difficult for me to finish. It NEEDS to come with a trigger warning list, the biggest of which is the TRAUMATIC DEATH OF A PARENT. Smaller triggers include car accidents, cancer diagnoses, and panic attacks. I understand that well-rounded characters need challenges to overcome, but this book had way too many for my liking.

The male lead, Charlie, was also really rude during the first half of the novel. He sees himself as the best of the best, and treats the female lead, Emma, like she is nothing because she has not had any commercial success with her writing. This attitude is incredibly ironic, considering he had writer's block for HALF A DECADE before meeting our female MC. His apology for his initial treatment of her is lukewarm at best, and the majority of Emma's attraction towards Charlie hinges on her self-identifying as his #1 fan.

Overall, I would not recommend this book unless you can get over a massive amount of personal tragedy and/or are a fan of insta-love.

A rom-com about writing a rom- com sounded almost too good to be true, but this book was as good as I hoped it would be! The banter was cute, funny, and heart warming. The main character had me laughing out loud multiple times throughout the book. This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy!

I don't think I've ever downloaded and read a widget faster than when I received a copy of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. In true Caroline fashion, though, I then waited over two months to write a review.

Katherine Center's books are always such a treat. This one was a love letter to romance novels, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

I loved how realistically awkward these characters were. I could see myself in both of them, and their relatability made their story a lot of fun to read. Their dialogue and banter couldn't be beat, and they're a couple you can't help but root for.

There's depth to this story, too, as there always is in Katherine's books. Emma acts as a caretaker to her ailing father, and these more somber scenes add balance to the comedic side of Emma and Charlie's relationship.

All that really needs to be said here is that KC has done it again, and her fans will flock to read her next beautiful novel.

This book gets all of the beautiful stars because it is just that good. Katherine Center has such a way with words and stories, characters and emotions, and I just love it so much.

Charlie and Emma, what can I even say about them? They’re perfect. I loved that they were both screenwriters but from such different levels of success. I loved the traumas of their pasts and how they each attributed to their similar but also so different stories.

The side characters bring a lot of flavor and interest to this book (to include the guinea pig). There is banter, there is angst, there is tension, there is chemistry, there is love, and there is heartbreaking sadness and heartwarming connection.

There is so much and even though I knew Katherine would break my heart at some point in this book, because she somehow always does… she also knows how to perfectly put it back together. And she did.

I can’t recommend this enough. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s silly, and it’s sweet. You’ll laugh and cry and then laugh and cry some more. Every giggle and tear was worth it!

This was a delightful read by Katherine Center, who never disappoints. This book made me laugh out loud and just had me swooning with the charm. The characters were relatable and the chemistry between the two main characters was hot. This was definitely a feel-good read and serves as a reminder of the magic of love and that we should always chase our dreams.

4.5/5 stars