Emma is a writer, lover of rom coms. She’s been her dad’s caretaker for 10 years. She’s had to pass many opportunities in her life, until the biggest one yet arrives. She has the chance to re-write a script for her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. She travels to LA for the chance of a lifetime, but once she’s there, she realizes the saying “never meet your heroes” may be truer than the thought.

This was my first book by Katherine Center. The synopsis instantly had me interested. After all, I love rom coms. Not to mention I love the colorful and bright cover!

What liked:
Her attitude of “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Her selflessness when it came to family.
The way she stood up for herself with what she wanted.
Meryl Streep cameo.
Singing to the guinea pet.

What lacked:
I had trouble connecting with Charlie’s character. It does have the grumpy-sunshine trope, but I just didn’t find Charlie too likable (mainly at first). While I did enjoy Emma’s inner monologues, I feel like there was not enough connection between them (even if this is an unpopular opinion.) It felt rushed towards the end. I feel like I needed a bit more romance. (I’m sorry! :()

I thought for a while what ny rating would be. Settled for 3 stars, since it was an overall enjoyable read.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center has become one of my favorite authors! How she writes witty banter, authentic character you some to care about, and yet the ups and downs of real life, make her novels some of my favorites. I always highlight wonderful phrases, I always laugh, and I always cry. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Emma is a rom-com screen writer. She has always been obsessed with Charlie Yates who is a famous Hollywood award winning screen writer. She gets the opportunity to work with Charlie who has never written a rom-com script before. It is up to Emma to teach him what goes into the making of a good rom-com. Along the way they both overcome many personal challenges.

I always love Katherine Center books. They are an uplifting and a delightful escape. The writing pulls you in and you are rapidly turning pages to find out what happens with these fascinating characters. This will be another hit for her. A great read. Don’t miss out! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center is the queen of romance for me!! Rom-Commers was adorable! You will fall in love with Emma and Charlie! This is laugh out loud funny and full of tender moments!

What I love most about Katherine Center’s work is her witty and clever dialog! The Rom-Commers will be another hit because it’s cute and charming, but it also tells a more expansive family story than just the love interests. It’ll make you laugh and cry. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rom-coms or anyone with a beating heart. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley who provided an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

A lovely story about two screenwriters (one very famous, one very not) unexpectedly thrown together on a project. Katherine Center is one of my favorite rom-com authors. Emma is obsessed with rom coms - both in written and cinematic form. She is a gifted screenwriter, but is unable to pursue her passion due to family obligations. Enter Charlie, a wildly successful and decidedly NON rom-com screenwriter who has written a terrible screenplay for a rom com in order to get his new pet project (action/sci fi) movie produced. She is the sunshine and he is a grump (for some pretty good reasons). I also loved her family relationships with sister and dad. Great banter with scenes and conversations (and guinea pig care) that will make you giggle. Sweet romance, no spice.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite rom-com authors. I have read all of her books and I think this one is my new favorite! 4.5 stars!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I didn't think I could love Katherine Center more than I already did, and then I read The Rom-Commers. When this book actually comes out I'll be first in line to buy a physical copy--that's how much I loved this story and these characters. Emma is one of my favorite rom-com protagonists: she smart and funny and confident. And her relationship with Charlie is so lovely. The whole thing (the writing, the characters, the setting, etc.) kept me up just wanting to read "one more chapter." I'm already looking forward to what this writer does next.

Catherine Center is one of my favorite authors. She knows exactly how to pull me in and keep me invested. Her character development is unmatched. The ROM com is as much romantic as it is funny. It is also very meaningful. If you want rounded book read this.

Katherine Center is an absolute auto-buy for me, I have always loved her conversational writing style and her great use of tension since I first read Happiness for Beginners. The Rom-Commers is no exception, and might be one of my new favorites (and if you are new to Ms. Center, you are are in for a huge treat as she has an extensive backlist- I particularly LOVED The Bodyguard and Things You Save in A Fire).

Emma is a “nobody” writer, a homebody since she has taken on the role of caregiver to her injured father after a freak accident 10 years ago that has left him injured. Despite a great relationship with her father, she has many unrealized hopes and dreams. When her friend, a successful talent manager in LA, asks her to help rewrite the “terrible” script of her favorite screenwriter, (who for unclear reasons has decided to venture into writing romantic comedy-not at all his normal genre), she reluctantly agrees.

Charlie, the famous screenwriter, also a dealing with life circumstances of his own, is not interested in help. He is blindsided by Emma’s arrival and Emma quickly finds out that he has a wholly different vision for this project. As is her hallmark, Center writes fantastic tension between Emma and Charlie. Although you know exactly what is going to happen (formulaic is the whole point of a rom-com, as Emma will tell you!) Center makes good on her promise to first give you ALL OF THE FEELS before you get there.

My only criticism of The Rom-Commers is that as an Emergency Physician the medical details portrayed in this book were somewhat unbelievable and at times inaccurate. (Ms. Center- anytime you are looking for a medical authenticity reader feel free to give me a ring!) For the most part though, the general reader is not going to pick up on these and this should not be deterrent, they are somewhat small details and likely won’t decrease your enjoyment of the book. (As I always say don’t get your medical advice/knowledge from a novelist, unless they are also a medical doctor, anyway!)

Overall, this was an entertaining read with characters I grew to love and a plot that featured an interesting industry (LA and screenwriting) but in a different way than I was used to (focus on writing not acting- yahoo!).

As always Katherine Center brings us exactly what we’re looking for in a romantic comedy and she again delivers with The Rom Commers. Although hero Charlie would call it predictable, I’m with heroine Emma on this one- it is the comfort of knowing exactly what you’re going to get that makes this book so enjoyable.

Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC copy of The Rom Commers. The thoughts and opinions here are entirely my own.

A heartwarming story about two individuals held back from living the lives they want due to unforeseen circumstances. Emma is the main caregiver for her father and gave up a dream internship to be able to stay with him. Charlie, is a successful screenwriter for the most part, but not for anything involving romance. Love doesn’t exist for him.

The story is fairly predictable, but in true Katherine Center fashion, she hooks you in with funny dialogue/banter and with characters, who despite their annoying faults, are likeable and relatable.

There are some very compelling and emotionally moments throughout the story that make this more than just another cozy romance.

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

This book was everything warm and happy. It was the biggest, warmest hug. It was dancing in the rain. It was cuddling baby animals. It was sitting in your favorite chair with your coziest socks, softest blanket, a hot cup of coffee, and a great book in the dark, quiet, early morning hours. Everything.

It was insta-love from this reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. And thank you Katherine Center for writing this wonderful book. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

LOVED THIS! Center does it again! I flew through this novel, wanting to know what happens between Emma and Charlie. I loved this whole plotline, with Emma as an aspiring screenwriter and Charlie as the jaded, famous, already-successful writer. Their writing partnership was great, and their romance was subtle. Emma's story -- both with caring for her father and her journey of grief -- were handled well and carefully.

I couldn't put this down!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this arc.

Amazing!

Emma is a writer who dedicates her life to being a caregiver to her father and hasn’t had her big break yet. An old friend gets Emma a job helping one of Hollywood’s best screenwriters, Charlie Yates fix a horrible rom com he has written.

This book has
-grumpy sunshine
-family drama
-comedy
-romance

I was heartbroken in the end….because the book was finished. It was amazing, I loved it, will be reading it again.

Emma and Charlie, my newest and forever couple obsession.

This story starts off with a twisting forced proximity/enemies to lovers trope, hard, and it’s perfectly written, as always.

Emma flys across the country to help super successful movie script writer Charlie, write/re-write his first ever Rom-Com. Charlie however, has NO idea she is coming and wants nothing to do with her, which is hurtful knowing he is Emma’s FAVORITE writer.

They agree to work together and the story unfolds. As the witty banter continues, they become closer and begin to let each other in…but that’s hard to do when your crazy ex still has keys to the house…

This journey of pain, while finding love, is one of my favorite parts in Katherine’s novels. It’s real and raw. Love is messy and that’s what I love about her writing, she isn’t afraid to suck you in emotionally and connect with everything on a deep level.

This is definitely my favorite Center romance so far. The slow burn is perfect, and the main character, Emma, is delightful.
Center has woven so many meaningful threads through it -- being a caretaker, feeling like a nobody, running at the first hint of rejection, not trusting others to do what you've sacrificed ten years of your life to do, not knowing where you stand, holding onto shame -- it's all here. I can't imagine any reader unable to find some part of themselves in the pages. Add to that the ins and outs of what makes a romance good and the fun of testing out the key points - delightful. And though it could have turned out very schmaltzy, Center has this magical ability to make misunderstandings believable.
All in all, a wonderful read.

4.5 ⭐️
I quite enjoyed this book. Characters were great, story was engaging, a very quick read for me! If you are familiar with this author, do not miss out on this title! If you are new to Katherine Center, what are you waiting for!?

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ LOVED this book! It was such a great story line with twists and bumps along the way. I loved that some of my favorite characters from Katherine Center’s other books popped up! This book had me laughing and crying and I wish I could read it for the first time again, but will definitely recommend it to my bookish friends!

"That’s just life. Tragedy really is a given."

Beautiful. Hilarious. Heart-wrenching. Unique.

I went into this book completely blind. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed because Katherine has never written a book I haven't adored.

Up until this book How To Walk Away was my favorite of his. But this book really hit me hard. I loved every second of it.

This truly was a beautiful book!

The banter in this book was AMAZING. I cracked up laughing so many times. They were both so witty. And the googling!

▪️ I loved Emma's character. Her wild red curls were such a perfect touch to her character. Her past and the way she viewed herself broke my heart!

Emma has lived all of her adult life as a caregiver for her father. She pours everything she has into caring for him 24/7. And unfortunately, that means putting her dream of being a screenwriter aside. Because to her, that's a distraction. And she won't take any chances. So, no friends, no dating, no life outside of caring for her dad! But when she's given the opportunity to work with her favorite screenwriter of all time, how can she let an opportunity like that go without at least trying to work something out?

▪️ Charlie might be one of my favorite characters I've read about. He was jaded, cynical, and VERY pessimistic. But he's was unapologetically himself.

“So you’re saying something terrible is a given.”
Charlie shrugged. “Pessimism’s always a safe bet.”

After his wife leaves him during a really hard time in his life, he's learned that it's best to only relay on yourself. Being alone isn't always a bad thing, right? Sure. Until you're tasked with writing a screenplay that goes against that very thing. Good thing his manager has his back and finds him a ghostwriter who will help him understand just how jaded his beliefs are!


▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

•Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤌
•Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•Humor: 🙃🙃🙃🙃
•Spice: .5
•Angst: 10/10
•Relationship pace: Beautiful slowburn
•Ending: HEA

•Tropes: forced proximity, workplace romance, romcom expert, cynical loner, slow burn, misunderstanding, melding friends

I always find Katherine Center's books to be refreshing. While her protagonists typically face the same type of problem (namely, how they refuse to admit they have some sort of problem), you've got to hand it to her that her characters are certainly different from those found in other romance novels. While her writing seems a bit formulaic at times, I'm still going to eat. it. up.

K. Center will always be a solid go-to for me. The sure thing.

This was exactly what I needed, especially coming off of a month-long reading challenge.
The perfect change of pace: sweet, smart, quirky and oh so swoony…

I highlighted so many passages, it looks like a rubber duckie dragged its ass all over my kindle🥴

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this arc! Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press!

Pub date: 6.11.24