"Happiness is always better with a little bit of sadness."

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for my eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I am a Katherine Center super fan and I was so thrilled to receive an advanced copy of The Rom-Commers. As usual, Katherine Center knocks it out of the park!

Emma has sacrificed a lot, including her screenwriting career, the last 10 years to take care of her Dad who is medically fragile. But when she gets a call to help the legendary Hollywood screenwriter Charlie Yates rework a new romcom script, she hops on a plane and leaves her dad in the care of her college graduate sister. Charlie is a royal jerk at first but soon Emma starts to wear down his cynical ways with her humor, optimism, and love of love. But tragedy strikes and Emma makes it clear that their ease of working together means more to her than being colleagues. Will Charlie open his heart?

I am forever amazed by Katherine's ability to take the sadness of life and turn it around. She never shies away from acknowledging the bad and tragic, but doesn't dwell on it and focuses on the joy that can come from it. I'm so excited to celebrate this book and can't wait for more from her!

Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers is her latest romantic comedy and it’s wonderful. The writing is brilliant and insightful, laugh out loud funny and very romantic in an every day sort of way. He ties her shoes. She helps his fears.
The characters are richly detailed with wonderful dialogue and plot that took me from the lowest lows to the highest highs. There’s a point at the end where you can’t believe what you just read and as you’re bawling you turn the page to once again experience the special joy she infuses in all her books. A winner. Again.

ahhhh! Just when you didn't think Katherine Center could write another fantabulous book. WOOOOWWWW!!
Center hits it out of the park every time and always leaves me so fulfilled.

Emma's dream job is screenwriting and her dream man is award winning screenwriter, Charlie Yates. She knows both are only dreams and not possibilities because she’s been her father’s sole caregiver for the last 10 years. When she has the chance to turn her dreams to reality by spending 6 weeks ghostwriting Charlie Yates’ latest screenplay, a romcom, she jumps at the opportunity. Can they teach eachother the skills they are each missing?

Katherine Center has become an auto-buy comfort author for me.

Emma and Charlie = MAJOR opposite attract vibes. And the result is humor, comfort, joy and a story rooted in hope. If you enjoy Emily Henry, you will really like this one! And, all of Center's work for that matter. AND, IT'S COMING OUT IN HARDCOVER WITH INCREDIBLE FUSCIA PAINTED EDGES!!!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC via NetGalley of her latest title The Rom-Commers which releases in June 2024. Thank you Katherine. Thank you St. Martin's Press.

I simply cannot put how much I loved the Rom-Commers into words. It is so early into the year and I have zero doubt this will be one of my favourites from 2024!

It’s no secret that I am a big time Katherine Center fan - but I was not prepared for the number of emotions The Rom-Commers would evoke, laugh out loud, kick my feet and squeal giddy with happiness moments, followed by many “what the heck he’s the worst!” And gut wrenching moments that had my stomach in knots. I LOVED Emma as a character - she is so relateable and hers and Sylvie’s sibling relationship is beautiful. Also Charlie’s relationship with his Guinea pig Cuthbert was such an unexpected, hilarious and perfect addition to the story. The Bodyguard is also one of my favourite books, so I was also thrilled to have some Jack Stapleton appearances!

What I love most about Katherine Centers books is how real they are. Not everything is that’s happening is happy or good or even pleasant in any shape of the word. Much like real life her stories are full of ups and downs but despite that, they are overflowing with an undeniable sense of joy. Everyone should try to live their life like a Katherine Center book!

At one point our main character Emma describes love as “it feels like your heart is glowing” and I can confirm that that is in fact what I felt reading this book.

Center is truly THE master at writing books that radiate happiness. You are definitely absolutely positively not going to want to miss out on the Rom-Commers (also this needs a movie deal ASAP)

Team Charma forever ✨

I have struggled to read a digital or print book for 2 years but when I got approved for the galley of The Rom-Commers I set out to finish it before March. Well, I finished it in 2 days! I couldn’t put it down, responsibilities be damned! Katherine Center could give a master class on chemistry and banter. This book is laugh out loud funny from page one and gives you all the feels! I am already excited to listen to the audio because I know it’ll be so good! I know this will be in my top 10 for the year and possibly my favorite romance novel of the year.

Katherine Center never disappoints! I couldn't put it down and it had me giggling out loud! Such a sweet story about love and about how opposites can be 100% perfect (with a bit of research of course) 😉 So much humour, so much heartbreak, so much love! "Alexa, add canned biscuits to my grocery list" 🍩❤️🥰

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the ARC of this book.

“Happiness is always better with a little bit of sadness”

This book is a rom com about rom coms and it could not have been more perfect!! Emma longs to be a famous screenwriter but she hasn’t been able to follow her dreams because She is the sole caretaker for her father. when she gets a chance to to rewrite a script for a famous screenwriter that she admires (and has a crush on) she cannot pass up on the opportunity. Charlie Yates hates love and has wrote the worst rom com on the planet. He hates working with people especially “a failed nobody screenwriter”. Can Emma convince him to write the best rom com and that love does exist?

AHH THIS BOOK 😩😭 Amazing balance of romance and emotional depth. This is so Emily henry & Ali Hazelwood coded. I felt so alive reading this book!! I went through so many emotions. I laughed a bunch. I cried. The familial relationships and the romance had my heart twisted into knots. The moments between her dad and the grief and guilt had me choking on tears.

Charlie Yates & Emma Wheeler <3
I feel completely in love with them as a couple and as individuals. So complex. So heart wrenching. SO FUNNY. Katherine Center has taken the top spot of BEST BANTER IN ROM COMS. The research kiss, handkerchief, cuthbert, suicidal birds, line dancing & donuts changed me and I will think about these moments forever.

🍩 Opposites Attract
🍩 Grumpy x sunshine
🍩 celebrity x celebrity crush
🍩 forced proximity & roommates
🍩 workplace romance
🍩 hate to colleagues to lovers

Thank you St. Martins for this arc!! I loved this book with my whole heart💕💕💕

ARC REVIEW (thanks NETGALLEY!)

You know what? I liked this. Women’s lit isn’t usually my jam, but I was Offered a copy to read and I enjoyed Hello Stranger so I took A chance. Has this story line been written a bajillion times? Like most rom coms, yes of course it has. The banter between Emma and Charlie really made it fun. My only beef was that Emma was such a pushover but towards the end she finally found her voice and stood up for herself. I also Got a little confused the mingling between real and fictional characters (is donna Cole a real person? Idk, but Meryl Streep is)

Ah this was all the right feels for a romance book. It was so sweet and heartwarming. Emma was tasked to help out a famous screenwriter named Charlie to rewrite his disastrous rom com . At first, there was a huge hiccup because of his ego and his lack of cooperation, but that quickly changed to a working relationship between them. The smaller tasks of them trying to wrangle the mess of his screenplay into a really good one was amazing. I loved the scene of them line dancing together. Emma’s clumsy attempt to do so gracefully was a great scene to laugh over. I also enjoyed the complexity of Emma’s character as a caretaker for her dad. It added to the realistic story. I also enjoyed Charlie’s story and his unwavering sense of loyalty. I really enjoyed this gem of a book. The overall joy and hope radiating off this book was pure magic. The ending was perfect in all ways of a sweet romance. I highly recommend this book. A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my invite ARC in exchange for my review.

Love rom coms that make you swoon, and madly fall in love with the main characters. Katherine Center always seems to do just that, and her latest book is no exception.

Famous Charlie, male heart throb, living in LA and has a drawer full of Oscar’s. Emma is a writer who had some breaks, but choose to help care for her ailing father. When they get together to work on a script, all the feelings come out. I devoured this book in one sitting, during the NFL playoffs. This book was more captivating to me.

Katherine Center is right up there in my favourite rom com writers. Always giving me goosebumps.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and the author for an arc of this book.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Katherine Center is a master at writing multidimensional characters, the kind you expect to meet tomorrow at the coffee shop or wave to as you walk through your neighborhood. I love the real-ness of the situations she creates; that even when they are really outside of what we will probably experience, they still seem possible.

If you are already a fan, this book is everything you love about and expect from Center's books. If you have never had her books, start now. Absolutely delightful!

The Rom-Commers is another perfect novel from Katherine Center. Like The Bodyguard and Hello, Stranger, you get a page-turning mix of humor, emotion, and serious chemistry between the characters. You'll love and hate almost every character at different points because she writes in a way that makes you care about each one. Like the rest of us, they're flawed humans who don't always say the right thing.

While this is a rom-com by every definition, be warned that there are also enough meaty topics to make it a stellar book club pick. The final chapters are especially lovely, with a perspective on grief that is likely to trigger some reflection.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher, but my love of Katherine Center and her books is real. I'm sure I'll buy a paper copy when it's released!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s A Real Life Rom-Com 📚 🤍
As with all Katherine Center books, I loved it.
Emma, fully immersed in her filial duty taking care of her father, has let her screenwriting dreams fall to the wayside.
A call from her best friend with the chance of a lifetime working with the screenwriter she most looks up to, comes at a perfect time where she can actually make it work, and after 10 years, do something for herself.
But her first meeting with Charlie Yates goes so far off script that she’s dragging her broken suitcase and downloading the Uber app to head for the airport before they’ve even made official introductions.
But, a little hiccup in the story is good for the plot, right?
And maybe, just maybe, this will be the story she’s always wanted to write.
Thanks so much to @Netgalley for this ARC.
Definitely mark your calendars for this one out June 11th!

I would encourage you to stop what you are doing right now and read The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. Don’t let another moment go by that you have not read this story. This is probably my favorite book she has written and I am a BIG fan. Emma Wheeler has wanted to be a screen writer since forever. She is currently caring for her wonderful father who needs full time care. Charlie Yates is the screen writer that Emma has admired and read everything about for years. When she gets a chance to work with him her family scrambles to make it happen.

The Rom-Commers had all the feels, all fun, all the love, and all the amazing quotes that I love so much from a Katherine Center book. The themes of loving yourself, accepting what you cannot change, and realizing your attitude directs your day resonated deeply with me. I adored Emma’s inner dialogue, humor, and walking through the story with her. I want her to be my friend. Charlie was the hero I loved by the end of the story. The author’s writing and observations about life made this one of my favorite books of all time! I laughed, cried and was so sad when the story ended.

The Rom-Commers will be my favorite book of 2024. I very very very highly recommend it!
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Each book I read by Katherine Center gets better and better; this is no exception! Emma and Charlie are both very complex characters that really add depth to the story. Emma breaks the fourth wall a few times and talks directly to the reader, which I found pretty charming. The story unfolded like a blooming flower with different challenges and triumphs woven throughout. It was enjoyable to read from beginning to end. There was also a cameo by someone you may recognize from The Bodyguard! This will be a perfect summer read when it comes out on June 11th. I will be purchasing a hard copy to reread by a warm body of water this summer!

Let me start out this review by saying that I love Katherine Center, how she talks about the romance genre, and I think A LOT of people are going to connect to this story and these characters.

And there was so much about this story that I loved! I highlighted so many quotes and sections and I loved Emma's takedown of Charlie when he's an asshole to her in the beginning. The banter in general was top notch! I also loved the multiple grand gestures at the end. I also think the portrayal of Emma as a caregiver (in particular her panic when something goes wrong and she isn't home) was well done and incredibly heartwrenching.

It's really hard for me to talk about this book without also spoiling a bit but I'm going to try. Ultimately one of the major plot points of this book just really didn't work for me and that is a very "me" thing given the work that I do and the connection I have with the disabled community. I know Katherine does a lot of research for her books, so I'm not exactly sure what happened here but there was at least one (somewhat minor) inaccuracy and a lot that didn't really seem to fit with the information provided about Emma's dad. My other major issue with this book is that I get really frustrated when characters martyr themselves and decide what's best for someone else without talking to them - and unfortunately both Charlie and Emma do this to a degree.

Ultimately this was enough to take me out of the book a bit and affect my personal enjoyment of it, even though I really think most readers will love this book and take a lot from it. I did read it in one evening, partially because I needed to know how the resolution would come about. I do still recommend this for

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly sending me an ARC of this book!

I thought the book was charming. The banter between Emma and Charlie was believable and fun. I instantly fell in love with Charlie; it took me a bit to warm up to Emma because she initially seemed like such a martyr.

This was a fun read which made me laugh at some parts, and tear up at other points.. I'm a fan.

I was asked to review this book and, as usual, another great hit with Katherine Center. In this book, we get to follow Emma, who gets a chance to work on a script with a famous screenwriter, Charlie. What she finds during this process is that Charlie is anything but romantic, and his romantic script really misses the mark. Thus, Emma begins a project for herself to introduce Charlie to what a real romantic comedy would look like. Lots of humor, lots of great romance and chemistry with these characters. I always love a great opposites attract romance, and this one really hit the mark. This author just leaves you with a great feeling after all of her books, and this one was no exception. Bravo!

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

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published June 11, 2024.

This is the 8th book I’ve read by this author, the Queen of Rom-Coms and happy endings.

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center as she just exudes joy! Even her writing progress chart that she shares on social media is colorful and happy as she crosses pages off in different colored markers. And her video background is bright flowers. Please come to Portland, Oregon some day on a book tour!

This book did not disappoint. It was a quick and enjoyable read! The funny dialogue, Emma’s dedication to her father, the emotional ups and downs I felt … ALL THE FEELS!

“The job of a rom-com is to give you a simulated feeling of falling in love.” But don’t be fooled. It’s not always a straight line that takes us there, and the author does a great job of introducing us to various obstacles that stand in the way. To me this just makes the story more realistic.

Favorite scenes include the discussion of choice of pen color (“Much like Coke versus Pepsi”), the making of the birthday donuts (“many biscuits gave their lives for this moment”), the conversation about “rewatchable” kisses (“Kisses so good, you’ll watch the movie again just for the kiss”).

My favorite quote: “Because 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.” ❤️

Perfection.

#KatherineCenter
#NetGalley