Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center can do no wrong. I love her writing, I am always sucked into her stories and The Rom-Commers is no different. Katherine Center has a gift for writing and she will always be an auto buy/read author for me. Every book she writes is my new favorite by her and I already can't wait for her next one.

Emma wanted so desperately to be a successful screen writing and she was on her way until a tragic accident changed her course of life. Emma put everyone else's needs and wants in front of hers and she is content in doing so. Until her friend/agent calls her with a once in a life-time opportunity, to write a romantic comedy with non other than the famous screen writer Charlie Yates. Emma flies to LA to help him, but their very own romantic comedy unfolds in the process.

I am obsessed with this book. I couldn't put it down when I started reading it and I haven't stopped talking about it since I finished. Katherine Center knows how to pull you into the story and make you laugh, cry, swoon, and be mad at the characters. I cannot wait for her next book.

Writing reviews for romance books, as someone who loves a silly little romance, is difficult. I feel like there isn't all that much to say about them - generally, you either like them or you don't. However, I will say, the interesting thing about Katherine Center's 'The Rom-Commers' were the very real traumas of life.

'The Rom-Commers' stars Emma, a young woman. who longs to be a screenwriter, but is forced to reconcile those dreams with her duties as a care-taker for her father. When Emma is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, she opts to take it and (shocker) she ends up falling in love. While the book is 90% romance, it also touches on sensitive, but important issues like familial responsibilities, guilt, illness, and emotional trauma. Allow me to reiterate that, this is still a classic rom-com in the boy-meets girl, they fall in love, kind of way, but it's refreshing because of Center's extra contextual plot lines. Also, while a small detail, I especially appreciated Center's discussion of requisites for a rom-com, which acknowledged the way this genre can be repetitive - noting that this factor its not important to me, nor is it likely important to other fans of romance.

I would definitely recommend this to lovers of romance, and fans of Katherine Center. I'd like to warn, though, that it touches upon topics like cancer, disability, and death that might be sensitive to some readers. I, for one, lost my father to cancer and the book definitely tugged on my heartstrings a little more than the average romance. 4/5 stars - as someone who reserves 5 stars for books I could 100% read a million times.

Just when I think I've already read Katherine Center's best work yet, she shows up with a new book to prove me wrong yet again. This, friends, is officially my favorite Katherine Center book yet. For real this time. I started crushing on this book when I met its cover (and sprayed edges and end papers - swoony!) but fell all the way in love with the magic that was written inside that bright and cheerful housing. Katherine Center has a true gift for writing flawed, realistic characters that I immediately would like to be friends with.

Once upon a time, Emma dreamed of becoming a successful romantic comedy screenwriter. A tragic accident changed everything, though, and Emma has spent the past 10 years tending to everybody but herself. She's perfectly happy with her life, but finds herself on a plane to LA when her friend calls with the professional opportunity of a lifetime. Her favorite screenwriter, the super-famous Charlie Yates, has written a screenplay for a rom-com and it's something worse than terrible. Emma arrives to help him re-write his screenplay, and their own personal rom-com unfolds.

This book is written in Katherine Center's traditional style that will capture your every emotion. I laughed, I swooned, I tried not to cry. My heart broke for these characters, and then sang as they each grew as a person and blossomed as a pair. Katherine Center remains an auto-buy author for me and I'm already excited for whatever she publishes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin's Press for introducing me to Emma and Charlie in exchange for my honest review.

I've enjoyed Katherine Center books in the past, and I loved the Rom-Commers so much. It really epitomized everything good about any Center books and totally captures the fizzy feeling of the best of the romcom genre. It's about aspiring screenwriter Emma who is starstruck when she lucks into a gig re-writing a romantic comedy script with the renowned Charlie Yates. She's spunky and determined and he's grumpy and withdrawn. There are some sparkling setups right out of old Hollywood screwball comedies. (Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.)

What a treat this book was!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from this gal!
Emma, has always wanted to be a screenwriter. She loves romantic comedies, and writes as much as she can. But she’s also the full-time caretakes of her dad and has had to pass up on many opportunities
Then she’s given the chance to re-write a script for a famous screen writer who is doing a romantic comedy for the first time- and the script is awful!

I loved the nuances of explaining what makes a good rom-com… in a rom-com. It was so cute.
It was a fast and enjoyable read. I loved the banter, I loved the characters. I laughed… I may have shed a tear or two (in a rom-com…what?) What a sweet book.


KThis book is available June 11, 2024. Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am always awestruck at how Katherine Center consistently brings fictional characters to life. I will never pass up a read by my favorite author, despite knowing the ache I’ll carry for a few days after. Despite the number of pages, I always want more time with the cast. She animates them to the exact amount of personality and realism that I miss them! I could have read 100 more pages and not lost interest.

If you want a feel good, well rounded book that has real life problems (and a few TW) settle in and read The Rom Commers.

Bravo!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - in stores in June (just in time for the beach read of 2024)

This book is some of Katherine Center’s best work!

One of the things I love about her books is the way she sprinkles in these quotes just LOADED with wisdom. The characters may be learning some things about themselves, but I end up doing the same. Her books are uplifting, inspiring, and hopeful.

A lot of her books are also entertaining, funny, and swoony. The Bodyguard (which is the companion book to the Rom-Commers) was the most lighthearted of her books so far, but I felt like it was missing the depth I love from Center. But The Rom-Commmers had eeeeeeverything I wanted and needed! I cannot tell you how many quotes I’ve written down (and referred back to!) from this book, or how many times I caught myself laughing out loud.

No review of this book would be complete without mentioning how much I loved Charlie—so thanks, Charlie, that was great. And I’ll end by saying that I could read about Katherine Center defending the value of Rom Coms all day long.

Beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

This book was very entertaining and fun to read. I did thoroughly enjoy learning about the process of writing a screen play. I enjoyed the banter between Emma and Charlie and would definitely recommend the book. It was however, so very similar to The Bodyguard in plot, even some of the scenes were identical.

<b>4.5 stars, rounded up because only Katherine Center can make me laugh AND cry in the best way possible</b>

While not my absolute favorite of Katherine Center’s books, I wholeheartedly loved this one! I couldn’t put it down. The dialogue was so snappy and witty. I loved Emma and Charlie’s banter so much. There were many humorous scenes between the two of them. But this is so much more than just your average rom-com. I loved the deeper story as well. I definitely teared up a couple of times. Overall it was a beautiful story and I loved it so so so much. I can’t wait to read another book by this author.

3.5/5
This is my second Katherine Center book and she’s becoming my go-to for romance novels that aren’t always about sex and how hot each other is that they can’t keep away. Don’t get me wrong, I love regency bodice rippers and other “spicy” novels, but sometimes I like read about characters learning to trust one another and love each other through action versus lust. That was a long way to say there is no spice in this book, but you shouldn’t discount that.

This book felt a little more dramatic than it had to be compared to her last novel, Hello Stranger, but it was still a quick fun read.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the characters, I laughed, and I cried with them. I've never thought about how a screenplay is written, so that part of the story was actually interesting to read and learn about. While the ending was a little predictable, it was still engaging and enjoyable. I love Katherine Center and her books, and this one did not disappoint! Thank you to Netgalley.com for this ARC!

I could not put this one down! I don’t feel like the title is very fitting cause while there were comedic moments, this was definitely more heartfelt than I was prepared for.

Emma is a screenwriter who puts her dreams aside to act as a full-time caretaker for her disabled father. When she gets duped into writing a rom-com with her screenwriting idol Charlie, she finally is able to focus on herself and discovering what she wants.

I love the banter as Emma tries to show Charlie the appeal of romance as a genre. They could be characterized as sunshine and grump, but Emma has gone through a lot in her family life and doesn’t quite fit the mold. Seeing Emma’s relationship with her family made her seem like a more well-rounded character and I liked how the romance wasn’t the sole purpose of the book.

Four stars cause the third act breakup is just unnecessarily cruel and over the top. There’s already so much going on that could push them away from each other more organically.

Katherine Center has wowed me, dazzled me, and left me full of happiness yet again! The Rom-Commers was instantly gripping from the very first page! I found it to be endearing, sweet, hard to put down and a wonderful read. Plus, this book had characters who won my heart not to mention characters from The Bodyguard.

I love Katherine Center's writing. She had a knack for creating likeable, realistic, and engaging characters who are dealing with real life issues. This book is no exception. All of the characters in this book, just like all of us in real life, have things that they are coping with, dealing/not dealing with, doubts, insecurities and dreams.

In The Rom-Commers, Emma is approached by her close friend who happens to represent her favorite screenwriter fix a rom-com he has written. This means going to L.A. for 6 weeks to work closely with her idol. It also means asking her sister to look after their father with whom Emma lives and takes care of. Charlie is the screen writer who wrote the screenplay in question.

I enjoyed Emma and Charlie's forced meet cute. They agree to work on writing a rom-com together and along the way, both will have to step outside of their comfort zone. Romance is a journey for me, and I absolutely loved the journey Emma and Charlie went on over the course of this book.

This book touches on guilt, illness, loss, love, relationships, pursuing your dreams, attraction, and sense of duty to name a few.

Gripping, engaging, beautifully written, and hard to put down!

I can't wait to read what Katherine Center writes next!


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up. I can’t get enough of Katherine Center’s writing! Her books are always so delightful, and this one is no exception. This is Katherine Center at her best. She mixes laugh-out-loud moments with tender real-life situations, and I’m all in for all of it. I loved the LA setting, the adorably flawed characters, and even the lovable side characters. (How delightfully wonderful is Emma’s dad?!) This book is a good time and fans of KC should pick it up ASAP. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I have a full backlist of ARCs but when I got this one it jumped to the top of my list!

Everything she writes I just love and this book was no exception. I great feel good story with angst and longing to keep the pace of the book engaging!

The Rom-Commers is my top 2024 read, and I don't know if anything can replace it!
I loved every chapter and every page of this book. I rarely cry or burst out laughing when I read books. However, while reading this novel, I cried twice and laughed numerous times.

Katherine Center is my favorite author, and I can't wait to buy this book when it comes out!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press eARC!

Two opposite forces come together in this story which could be called, In Defense of Romance. Emma Wheeler has put all dreams aside of writing romantic screenplays after her family was devastated by a tragic accident. For the last ten years, Emma has been the sole full-time caregiver for her father who has several health issues because of his catastrophic injuries. When the chance of a lifetime comes along for fan girl Emma to write with her hero, Charlies Yates, she cannot pass up the chance though it means relying on someone else to care for her father.

Charlie Yates has written an awful rom-com in order to get one of his other scripts made into a movie. Not only does he not care about the script, but Charlie disdains any sort of romance in movies or real life. For the next six-weeks living in Charlie’s LA mansion, Emma intends to not only show Charlie the value of love and happily ever after, but to dismantle his travesty of a script one painful page at a time.

Charlie’s cynical attitudes comes from his own life experiences as well devoting all his energies to writing to the exclusion of all else. He has little time for a “nobody screenwriter” who happens to be an ex-girlfriend of his agent with clearly not much experience, but as they live and work together, there are some attitude adjustments happening.

Emma is determined not to blow this big chance despite the odds even with the contrary opinions and irascible attitude of the man whom she had previously greatly admired as the best screenwriter in Hollywood. Charlie cares nothing about making this project a success; however, Emma skills and determination to make him understand why people need fictional love stories slowly wins over his grumpy heart. Ms. Center’s stories always draw me in; she writes convincingly about the love of family, friends, and that one special person people seem to be looking for as a life companion.

Emma has been the care taker for her father for many years but when offered the chance of a lifetime to work with her screenwriting idol Charlie Yates she heads to LA for six weeks. What follows is a wonderful story of standing up for yourself and following your dreams no matter how hard that is sometimes. I really loved all the characters in this book and although Emma and Charlie were the main two, I found myself invested in all the other smaller stories. Another wonderful read by Katherine Center!

Loved this book. This author is an automatic buy for me. Here are the things that I loved about it:

The main character, Emma, was so likeable to me. I loved that she was honest and not timid and stood up for herself without being obnoxious or offensive. Her voice and vocabulary were great. She was a smart character. I wanted to be her friend. Even when she was being put down, she didn't stand down unless it was her own choice as a strategic move.

I personally related to the caretaking of her father. My own father was in a very serious accident that changed the course of our family's life. I understood the anxiety and worry associated with that situation. The author articulated that well.

I love a grumpy MMC with a heart of gold. The banter between Emma and Charlie was top notch. The longing was there. I had butterflies.

This is a five star read for me. Will recommend.

I laughed a lot out loud while reading this one. Katherine Center really nailed it with this book. I will always put her books on my TBR list. I love the way she writes!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc of this book.