The Rom-Commers by @katherinecenter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book got me RIGHT in the feels! It was so cute and romantic but full of so much emotion and personal loss and heartache. I loved every minute!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the arc!
This one comes out on 6/11/24

long story short, the rom-commers was bizarre. and that statement is coming from a reader who gave katherine center's last two releases, the bodyguard and hello stranger, five stars. unfortunately, the magic infused in those stories was missing here. the combination of the celebrity romance trope and forced proximity sounded promising, but ultimately, certain developments and unusual characterization led to disappointment.

after emma, our female lead, dropped her entire life to assist acclaimed screenwriter, charlie yates, with a failed script, the plot was quickly forgotten in favor of stunted conversation and time jumps that weren't needed. while the first third of the story was good, the wheels began to fall off after that. for much of the read, almost to the 95% mark if you can believe it, charlie felt like a huge question mark. he was tight-lipped about much of his past and resisted emma's advances at every chance. it was only in the final moments that the reasonings behind those behaviors were revealed, explanations that did not justify or convince me he was worthy of forgiveness.

the only factor that saved my rating was that I never wished to skim. it was readable. somehow, I blinked and the final chapter had ended and I could hardly make sense of all I had read. super bummed that this title didn't work for me, but realize you can't win them all.

thanks to st. martin's press and katherine center for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this. Katherine Center follows a formula that is always enticing and always hits the spots. I also loved the connection to The Bodyguard, which is her best book in my opinion. My only complaint - page 182 she uses “Wah-lah” twice, which is not a word. The word is French and it’s “voila”

The Rom-Commers is about Emma and Charlie. Emma is an aspiring screenwriter who has put her career aside to care for her ailing father. Charlie is a famous screenwriter who has little time or patience for anything silly like romance. They find themselves working together to write a screen play for a romantic comedy and find themselves entangled in a rom com of their own along the way.

This was a cute, fun and entertaining as all of Katherine Center's books have been! It hooked me from the beginning and I flew threw this one (as I have with all of Center's books). I liked Emma for most of the book (though I'm still frustrated with her for one thing that happened at the end with her sister). I wasn't sure about Charlie at first, but he grew on me by the end and probably ended up being my favorite character once I got to know him.

If you have read The Bodyguard, there is a fun cameo in this one!

This book reminded me of Beach Read by Emily Henry with the two writes and the topic of rom coms vs. more serious works and whether both have value. I once was in the anti-romantic comedy camp, but I have most certainly changed my ways, due to authors just like Katherine Center.

The Rom-Commers will be out in June, and you will most definitely want to read it!

Katherine Center has done it again, I loved this book. The way it was narrated was so fun, Emma is so delightful. Her family is so sweet and their story is so heartfelt. The banter with Emma and Charlie was so entertaining and such a sweet slow burn romance that gave me butterflies. Definitely recommend this one,

I gave this book 4/5 stars because it’s a fun story, but predictable. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family! Thanks for an ARC!

Katherine Center is a literary goddess.
This was SO super cute.
Seriously loved both of the MCs.
Maybe it got a little wild and far fetched but whatever. It made me happy!

I have received early arcs of the last three Katherine Center books, and I have enjoyed them all. This is probably tied with The Bodyguard in the top spot for me.
Our heroine wants to be a screenwriter, but her career has been largely put on hold while she is a caretaker for her father, who was in a terrible camping accident, that she blames herself for. When her younger sister comes home for the summer, everyone agrees that our heroine is going to take the job of a lifetime and move to LA to write a rom-com script with her favorite writer.
Important piece of information, the Hollywood writer has no idea his agent has brought in someone for him to write with. And he is not happy about it.......until he hears her ideas on how to save the rom-com script. I'm sure you can piece together the rest.
But this book also has important conversations about chronic illness, caregiver burnout, grief, loneliness, sacrifice, and the importance of support. And of course a crash course in love and how to sell it on the screen. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to shake both of our leads until common sense returned to them. There are similarities to Book Lovers by Emily Henry, where our lead is the eldest daughter and older sister who can't let go of her need for control and to protect at all costs.
My only gripe is that our lead really hurls some hurtful words at her sister in our big implosion. The sister utters only one zinger back. And somehow the sister is the only one who ends up apologizing....or even recognized as in the wrong. I felt like I was going crazy reading it. There was no self-awareness on the part of our heroine. But otherwise, I thought there were good lessons, swoon worthy descriptions, and of course a happily ever after worth waiting for.

Love love loved.

I have read every Katherine Center novel and this one has pushed all but one (Happiness for Beginners) out of the way and claimed 2nd place in my rankings.

I LOVE THIS STORY. I love these characters.

As far as true romance romcoms go, this is Center’s third following 2022’s The Bodyguard (did not like) and last year’s Hello Stranger (really enjoyed). It’s so great that with each of these releases the writing has only improved. The characters have gotten more vibrant. The chemistry jumps off the page!

Emma and Charlie are everything that I wanted from this book when it was first announced.

Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for the eARC!

Beyond loved this one by Katherine Center! So well written and I absolutely loved the plot line! Definitely recommend!

This book is so good…’we’ll have to come up with a better word for ‘good’’…phenomenal. I loved the voiciness of the main character, the pacing and the banter. And Katherine Center always brings the depth. I liked how perfectly grumpy/sunshine the characters were. Is there such thing as an Ice King? Charlie’s it. There were a few moments I wanted slightly more resolution on, but they’re easy to overlook because it was such a fun romp. And also kind of meta and, of course, well-written. Queer rep: gay side character

Short summary: Emma has spent the last ten years doing nothing but taking care of her father so when her agent calls with a proposal to rewrite her icon’s screenplay - in LA, it’s not only exhilarating but also terrifying. She can’t say no. He’s a legend. And a grump. But a legend! Who doesn’t believe in love, hence his terrible attempt at a rom-com. But Emma, who’s obsessed with romances, is up to the task. At least, she thinks she is…

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I will gush over Katherine Center until the day I die.  She has a way of layering character development with a guaranteed happy-ever-after romance that just sets her apart from your average rom-com author.  The Rom-Commers was equal parts funny and heartbreaking - I dare you not to binge it in one sitting.
I love a strong FMC and Emma was on top of her game. I loved the banter between her and Charlie - a little grumpy/sunshine vibe.  Their sexual tension was fire!!  
This was a perfectly imperfect story that showed us that despite its imperfections things can be made easier with the right people by our side.  Emma and Charlie's journey thought character growth was almost as fun as the actual romance.

Emma's dad and family/neighbors were the sweetest and enduring side characters that had me wishing there was a sequel.  Who wants a story about Emma's sister and husband?  

A comfort story at its finest!! Funny! Clever! Emotional! Sweet!

Read If You Like:
Opposites AttractPet
Guinea Pigs
Swoony "Research" Scenes
Humorous One Liners
Cameo's From Jack & Hannah (from The Bodyguard)
HEA's

The Rom-Commers tells the story of Emma, who is determined to her core to care for those around her. She has dedicated her whole life to her sister and father and puts their needs above her own. Emma is a screen-writer who specializes in romantic comedies. She crosses paths with Charlie, a closed off and unbothered screen writer who sucks at writing romantic comedies, when his rom-com screen write sucks terribly and their agent puts them in contact with one another.

***spoilers***

Right from the very first paragraph, I was intrigued as a lover of all things ABBA (read to see for yourself). My main gripe was that the ‘will they/won’t they work together’ scenario throughout the first 1/3 of the story was frustrating to read at parts. I do feel like Katherine Center did a good job putting those emotions to the page because as a reader, I felt them too. I felt Emma’s disappointment, Charlie’s insistent apathy about all things, his relief when he found out he didn’t have cancer, as well as both of their quirks and charms. The scene with Emma and her sister arguing over the phone was heart breaking. You could just feel all of the resentment coming to the surface and all those feelings of frustration and resentment she didn’t even realize she had just poured out of her.

Overall, I liked the message at the end that the dad emphasized of appreciating the people you love regardless of their flaws, to seek the positives and cherish the small moments in life. Gave me a new perspective on a lot of things.

Thanks to Katherine Center for another feel good romance! And thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I can’t decide if this is a 4 star or 5 star read so tbd on that front.

One thing Center does well is banter, and she delivered in this one. I laughed out loud and had to read passages to people multiple times.
I saw a lot of myself in Emma. A father with a medical crisis, the anxiety, the uncoolness when meeting celebrities, the sass, the petty, the die hard love of romcoms.
My dad had the widowmaker ON FATHER’S DAY 2021 and it made him the happiest person on the planet (much like emma’s dad). I loved his wisdom and love for his daughters. I felt like I was seeing a piece of my own dad after his health scare.
I truly loved this, and felt the charm and sweetness in every moment.

My only hesitation to give this 5 stars is from the celebrity name dropping and info dumping on their roles. It got a tad annoying after the first few times, but it wasn’t enough to make me hate it.

All in all, another excellent read by Center

Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book-and thank you Katherine Center for continuing to deliver pure joy! Throughout this entire book, I could only hear the narration in Katherine Center's voice, so much of her quirky and lovable personality shines in the main character. After hearing her speak on her book tour this past year, this book continues the wisdom she shared about "Why Happily Ever After?". In a world that has so
many challenges, I am thankful for the Katherine Centers who remind us to find our happy.

I truly enjoyed this romcom! The way the characters' relationship unfolded and the crazy tension had me hooked. Emma and her family's backstory, despite being tragic, brought a cool and crucial vibe to the story. Watching the main character grow had me rooting for her the whole time. Overall, it was super fast-paced and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is now my favorite Katherine Center book!
This book follows Emma Wheeler, who is a Rom-Com enthusiasts through and through and is the full-time primary caretaker of her father. Even though she is still doing freelance work and has never lost her love for writing screenplays, her dream to work in the screenwriting industry has been on hold ever since taking care of her father. That is, until she gets the opportunity to work with one - if not her biggest - idol, Charlie Yates.

Charlie Yates is one of the most popular screenwriters in the industry and is known for his award-winning films. That is, until he has to write a romantic comedy. Because the thing is, Charlie Yates doesn't believe in love.

This book has one of my favorite workplace romances ever! It is the perfect combination of a Rom-Com with deeper elements and character growth. You follow these characters not only overcoming their past but also reflecting their day-to--day life, and Katherine Center manages to write their stories in such a funny and heartwarming way.

I can't wait for this book to come out on June 11th!
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

this was just not it. where was the plot? wasn't the entire synopsis of this book about rewriting this screenplay to be amazing? there was barely anything on the writing process, but yet somehow, charlie and emma fall in love? make it make sense.

on top of that, charlie and emma are incredibly unlikeable characters. charlie is so rude and aloof, but not in an attractive way that i believe center was trying to achieve. there was not one scene where i believe he genuinely liked emma. their first kiss scene for "research"? so incredibly awkward and forced. what was that? emma on the other hand, is such a naïve character that her reaction to things is just plain childish. i understand her trauma to an extent because losing a parent the way that she did is life-changing, but i really couldn't connect with her. the last scene with her sister and their argument was terrible.

i dont know what this was, but it certainly was not good.

It's been a few books since I read a book that I could not put down. The Rom-Commers is it. The main characters were truly likable, the storyline was interesting, Emma Wheeler is the main character. She is an excellent writer, but who has had to put her dreams of screenplay writing in Hollywood completely on hold for the past 10 years due to a tragic accident that rendered her father very handicapped. An ex-boyfriend of Emma's is an agent in Hollywood and he gets Emma to drop everything and fly over to help a famous screenwriter (Charlie Yates) who has writer's block since his cancer scare 5 years before. Charlie has no idea that Emma is coming and has zero desire to work with another writer. As good novels do, the twists and turns of life make the two work together and slowly along the way Emma realizes she has fallen for Charlie. I won't ruin the rest, but if you need a light, happy book, I highly recommend the Rom-Commers. It's one of those books that you will finish in a day or two. I'm glad that I read this book because I remember reading The Bright Side of Happiness by Katherine Center ages ago and liking it. I am going to have to read more of her books.

I obtained an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

Katherine Center has joined my short list of must read authors. This book was very enjoyable, she does an amazing job layering in character development while maintaining an enjoyable Rom-Com read. Although her main protagonist has been dealing with a difficult caretaker role, she finds a way to inject humor into the situation. I’m also a fan of an epilogue that wraps up the story over a longer period of time. This book will not disappoint.