3.5 ⭐️

I overall love anything Katherine Center writes. I adored Hello Stranger. For the most part I also really enjoyed this book but there were just a few things that just didn't work for me.

I absolutely loved this book up the 60% mark. Charlie was really lovable MMC. I believe he was supposed to be grumpy in this grumpy/sunshine book but really he was more of a golden retriever. Which was fine was really sweet most of the time. I didn't like though how he spoke about Emma behind her back and how it didn't really seem to get resolved.

Up to the 60% mark the relationship was progressing well and I enjoyed their interactions. Then it got a bit awkward when things shifted and I felt really uncomfortable with Emma's character and how pushy she was being. I didn't really end up rooting for them anymore. The pacing got off and felt rushed.

I'll continue to read anything Center writes. I think this one will be a book that others will love. I think people who loved Beach Read would really enjoy this one as it reminded me alot of that book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin's press for ties advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center so when I received an ARC for her latest The Rom-Commers I shrieked with glee.

As with most KC books there’s a perfect amount of sadness and joy. The characters are flawed but endearing. Emma has put herself last for ten years taking care of a sick parent and raising a sister, and Charlie has had his heart broken more than enough times. Together they are so sweet. This book made me laugh and sob. It made me grateful for what I have in my life. This has become not only one of my favorite KC books, but one of my favorite rom coms.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC to review.

4.5 stars i LOVED this I always love her writing style and this book is no different. Easy to get into the characters and their lives, easy to follow, easy to love the discord, disputes, relationships, issues and resolutions. Review coming on February wrap up on youtube but highly recommend this!
I liked the back and forth with believing/not believing Charlie
SPOILERS
I saw most things coming; her sister slipping up caretaking (but didn't forsee because of engagement!)
I saw Charlie thinking he was sick again and pushing her away
I saw him saying things he didn't mean just to keep her at a distance... and it was frustrating but not so much that he becomes unlikeable! very well done

My new absolute favorite Katherine Center book and maybe even one of my favorite romances of all time. I really, really loved this one. I was expecting a cutesy read, but Katherine Center has the uncanny ability to create books that are part light-hearted and fun and parts gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Emma and Charlie are both broken in their own ways and I loved that they brought out the best in each other. There was a grumpy/sunshine dynamic between them, but Emma was a lot deeper than a lot of typical "sunshine" leads I've read about. And Charlie wasn't the cliche grumpy hero. He was complicated, but also naive, almost sheltered in other ways. Without the forced proximity, I don't think Emma could've gotten through Charlie's walls.

The side characters were great, especially Emma's family. I loved that she wasn't bitter or resentful over her responsibilities, but understood that the people you love take precedence over anything else.

The ending was amazing and I was sooo happy we got an epilogue. This book was perfection, I don't have a single complaint. Maybe my one complaint is I already want to re-read it and I have a huge TBR pile.

*Will post review on Amazon upon publication

I've not read a Katherine Center book yet, but I have a lot of friends who always talk about her - what a great first read by this author!!

The humor throughout was so fun and enjoyable, and I was surprised at how emotional this book made me (TW - death of a parent is part of the main character's history, which I greatly related to). Add to that there is a pet guinea pig who makes an appearance, and a bit of Hollywood sprinkled in - what's not to love here?

Romance tropes in this one include grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity. Not much spice, but I actually prefer romance books light on that, so it was great for me.

A very solid 4 star romance!

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I cannot even put into words how funny this book was. I haven’t enjoyed reading a book like this in quite some time! Dry humor is my favorite and this book has it in spades. You fall in love with all the characters and the epilogue wrapped them up perfectly! SIX STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC!

Another hit from Katherine Center! I LOVE her books and this was no exception. A romance with depth, not predictable, cute but not cheesy. Put this on your TBR for sure!

👩‍💻 Katherine Center is JOY embodied, and her books always bring a smile to my face. But this book, this book had me laughing out loud in public to the point where I was getting some looks. 👀🤪🤣 Thank you so much to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the early look at this. It’s out in June and BELONGS on your summer TBR. Like if you’re not throwing this in your beach bag this summer, I’m not even sure what you’re doing.

🧑‍💻Ok, so what do we have here:
- forced proximity
- a small taste of enemies to lovers
- Hollywood
- fantastic side characters (particularly Emma’s sweet Dad)
- a swoon-worthy romance for the ages
- important personal journeys and character growth

👩‍💻 Katherine Center is the romance genre’s fiercest advocate. She is unapologetic about the happily ever after, and she is so passionate about the joy these books bring her fans. And this book is a love letter to rom-com as well as her strongest case yet for why these books are valid, and valuable. Romance readers will feel SEEN— I promise!

🧑‍💻 While this book is totally standalone, it does take place in the same ‘world’ as Center’s previous novel The Bodyguard. So if you haven’t read that yet, it will add a touch of fun if you read that while you wait for this one to come out!

👩‍💻 Again, this one comes out in June and I couldn’t recommend it more for your beach bag this summer! ☀️

Katherine Center has done it again! I am a forever fan of Katherine but this book might be my favorite yet. I loved their slow growth from acquaintances to friends to finally figuring out they love each other. This book just felt so special, such a love letter to all us rom-com fans. I was texting friends while reading about how much I loved it and I think it was at 66% if the way through, I realized that it was becoming a instant favorite. Thank you Katherine for this! Its already pre-ordered and I can't wait to have a physical copy for my shelves!

I will read anything Center writes. She has a way of drawing in the reader. I loved Emma and Charlie together. I do wish we would have had more of their dialogue together instead of just Emma’s point of view. I was lucky enough to grab this as a read now from NetGalley so thank you!

I had fun reading this book but I think I’m going to forget it pretty quickly. The Rom-Commers is told from Emma’s POV. She’s a full time caretaker for her dad but also still trying to follow her dream of writing screen plays. Her manager calls her and says she has a job opportunity to work with one of the best screen writers of their time and her number one idol, Charlie. At first she doesn’t want to take the opportunity because she’s worried it’s not the best fit for her family, but eventually is forced to agree. She arrives in LA and meets Charlie who has no idea of this plan. Chaos and falling in love ensues.

It was really fun and easy to read but I’m not sure I liked the relationship between the two main characters. They are supposed to be somewhere around their thirties but their interactions feel very juvenile. The way they talk about their relationship does too. Charlie also had the emotional intelligence of a rock. I expect more from a man close to 30. But it’s pretty clear he’s been emotionally stunted, he just needed to find the right person to make him want to work through it. There were some very romantic parts though that made me kick my feet a little.

Overall, this book was well written and fun. I read this book in one sitting and that always speaks for itself when it comes to how a book can pull you in. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was its description of romance, falling in love, and the feeling of being in love. Katherine Center does a really good job describing feelings.

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

Reading this felt like drinking hot chocolate: delicious, sweet, and a bonafide guilty pleasure.

Emma has put her life on hold for the past ten years to take care of her father but when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes to work with her favorite screenwriter, she finally does something for herself. Except that said screenwriter doesn't want her there. Nor does he want her help. Commence witty dialogue, many rom-com references, and whiplash from wanting to strange Charlie to hugging him.

My only complaint is that The Rom-Commers does what I feel every contemporary romance has been doing lately: it preaches to the choir. Yes, readers of this book, clearly know the merits of a romance or romcom. That's why we're reading it. We don't need to be sold on its value, yet every romance book lately must have the heroine justify her love of romance and preach its merits. Maybe this is meant to create a sense of solidarity but after book #8 of this being a central part of the dialogue, I'm over it.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible. It had a little bit of everything and kept me wanting to come back for more. It was the perfect rom com without being cheesy. Highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
I can’t find the right words to adequately describe my love for this book. I LOVED the characters, I LOVED the banter, I LOVED the message. It was just a perfect book about how life is imperfect, but how it can be made better and easier and more lovely with the right people by your side. It’s my new favorite romcom.

Literally just finished this one - and I can confidently say this is my favorite Katherine Center book to date. How relatable to me was Emma? I too have a taking care of other people instinct. Not only that, I am self deprecating and I also am not stingy with my crushes. I too have made a fool out of myself telling someone I liked them only for them to reject me heartily. I could go on, but you get the point.

*Please say my Charlie is out there for me someday.*

Things I loved:
Emma. Did you not just read what I wrote?? I relate to her so much and I loved her spirit. I admired her guts. I loved her everything.
Charlie. What a lovable mess. He is everything to me.
Emma’s family. Her dad and sister were just *cries.*
The shenanigans. Oh how I loved every single situation.
“For research.”
That third act was fantastic.
The epic grand gesture of all grand gestures. I literally cried my whole way through the last pages and epilogue of this book.
I loved it I loved it I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Rom-Commers was a fun, lighthearted read! It was so easy to read and I enjoyed some unexpected events throughout the book. I typically enjoy Katherine Center books because they aren’t always all positive the entire read. She captivates the reader by making some events real life things we can all relate to.
Although it was a typical rom-com book, I enjoyed reading this!

A Rom-Com about Rom-Coms?? Count me in! I loved this book. It was like a warm, fluffy blanket on a cold day - just made me feel so happy! I think Charlie was one of my favorite male characters in a Rom-Com. Emma and her family were so lovable too. There were also some really great life lessons and reminders woven through the story - here's one that really rang true for me "...love is something you can learn. Love is something you can practice. It's something you can choose to get good at. And here's how you do it. ...Appreciate your person." Love it. Another 5 star book from Katherine Center!!

I stopped at chapter 3 but so far, it’s perfection. Great characters, strong motivation, and I’m definitely rooting for our lead to find her happily ever after. Easy three to four stars and five for the right reader.

It does carry Katherine Center’s signature readability and style.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

If you don't read the whole review, here's why you should read this book: slice of sweet sunshine and goodness and all things happiness, like kicking my feet and giggling at what a fictional character is doing type giddiness. please, do yourself a huge favor and pick this one up

Here's some tropes:
-forced proximity
-opposites attract & grumpy/sunshine - although I wouldn't identify Charlie as a total 'grumpy guy' stereotype, he's more of a pessimistic in the face of love whereas Emma is the total opposite (kind of reminded me of Nick/Jess from New Girl)

Here's what I enjoyed:
- the banter between the characters: you know when the banter is just *too good* and it has you reading until 2am? yah, that's this book.
- the 'research' scenes
- Emma (our m/c) being a "romcom expert" trying to persuade Charlie that love exists even though his heart is a "suicidal bird" (also Katherine Center just has a really funny sense of humor)
- the message that we can't have the good without the bad, and at the end of the day its how we choose to tell/remember/etc. those times emphasizing the good.

I read this in less than 24 hours and it was soo good like all the others. I loved the plot. I laughed. I cried. I had every emotion and it was such a fun romance/comedy. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.