“A great rom-com… is just like sex. If you’re surprised by the ending, somebody wasn’t doing their job. We all know where it’s headed. The fun is how we get there.” ***

Bwaaaaaaaaahahaha PERFECT

So… I’m a big dummy and hadn’t read any of Katherine Center’s books until now, even though I know they are beloved by a gazillion people. My only excuse is that it’s only been over the past year or so that I figured out that I deeply love rom-coms, and books like this are exactly why. There was great, legitimately hilarious banter, wacky situations, heartfelt moments — all of the things (except steam, which, honestly, felt like kind of a relief).

I have a lot of (fun!) catching up to do on Center’s books!

*** quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may change prior to publication (but should not) ***

✨ ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀 ℛ𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 ✨
𝒯𝒽𝑒 ℛ𝑜𝓂-𝒞𝑜𝓂𝓂𝑒𝓇𝓈
ℬ𝓎: 𝒦𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒞𝑒𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇
𝒫𝓊𝒷𝓁𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝒟𝒶𝓉𝑒: 𝒥𝓊𝓃𝑒 11, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Just a tip: if you are going to read this book, start early in the day because you are not gonna want to put it down until it’s done!

Emma Wheeler is a struggling screen writer who put her career as well as her life on hold for the past ten years to care for her father after a tragic accident hit their family. When she has the opportunity to work with her idol, Charlie Yates, she can’t turn it down. Tasked with re-writing the awful script he’s written, Emma quickly realizes the biggest reason Charlie’s script is so bad is because he doesn’t believe in love or happy endings. What comes along is a journey of discovery for both Emma and Charlie.

WOW is all I have to say! From the first chapter, I was immediately hooked and knew this book was going to be great. Katherine’s writing style just draws you in and manages to touch your soul throughout her book. The main characters were so lovable. I completely adored the banter between Emma and Charlie. The friendships, family ties, and all the moving pieces made this story wonderful on all kinds of levels. This book is fun, lighthearted, and will make you believe in the power of love and how important it is to chase your dreams.

Thank you @netgalley & @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange my honest review.

What an absolute delight of a book! A rom com within a rom com, what’s not to love?! I say this every time, but I have not read a Katherine Center book that I haven’t loved. This one might be my new favorite. I loved the premise, every rom-commy situation, and all of the quirky, delightful characters.

I absolutely devoured this book, and it was just what I needed on a cold winter day. I liked that I knew where is was headed but did not see clearly how it would get there. So many great quotes and gems to take away as well.

Katherine Center just never gets it wrong.
Her books are absolutely delicious. I'm not usually a romance reader. I usually either find them cheesy or ridiculous. But Katherine Center is an exception. Her books are intelligent, truly funny, and always, always satisfying.
Now, for THIS book. The characters are vivid and lovely. I really enjoyed all the conversation between Emma and Charlie about what makes a rom com a rom com.
And I loved the addition of Cuthbert, the guinea pig.
Absolute joy from the first page to the last. I read it one day. Which I don't recommend doing, because then it's over 😞. Make it last! Spread the joy out as long as you can!

This was my first Katherine Center book and it definitely won’t be my last. From the first chapter I was immediately hooked, there’s something about her writing that just draws you in. The characters were so lovable and I absolutely adored the banter between Emma and Charlie. This was the perfect read to pull me out of a book slump. Every time something exciting happened there was a twist I didn’t except later on. Thank you netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a unique plot! And true to Katherine Center, she writes book filled with so much character depth and life reflection that you wonder if you're reading a romance novel or witnessing/having a therapy session. I highlight so many passages of her books as I'm reading. Honestly I would've rated it 5-stars except I personally was absolutely appalled at one of the MC's decisions towards the end of the book that it made me want to throw it across the room and I had a hard time wrapping my head around how such an action could be forgivable...so 10/10 for eliciting strong emotions from me while reading.

This book is everything I was wanting, needing, and hoping it would be. Somehow this author manages to touch your very soul throughout her books. I don't know how, but the characters are so personable, it's as if you knew them. The story moves along at the perfect pace, the characters are absolutely adorable, yet relatable, and touching in so many ways. Whenever I'm done reading one of this author's books the characters stay with me, the storyline touches my heart, and I look forward to reading another book of hers. These books are like a warmth and smile to your heart. Needless to say, I loved this book. Emma and Charlie were completely adorable from beginning to end. The friendships, the family ties, all the moving pieces made this story just wonderful on so many levels. I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone, and honestly can't wait to re-read it. Wonderful, outstanding, and lovely book!

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 glowing stars

I laughed and balled my eyes out! I loved it. The last few releases haven’t been my fave. I can definitely say this will be an all time fave for me now. At first, I wasn’t too sure about this one, then bam, I was all about it. It was cute, sad, swoony. This one gave me all the feels.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this one for my shelves.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Publish date: June 11, 2024

This book was fantastic. I absolutely LOVE Katherine Center’s books. I would love to write a full review once St. Martin’s Press appropriately responds to the racist actions of their employee and commits to making their readers and reviewers or color comfortable continuing to support them as a company.

I adore all Katherine Center books! Seriously she can do no wrong.

This one is a play on rom- coms as the title suggests and was delivered in such a cute way. I adored the main character Emma and felt so invested in her story! I really enjoyed the banter with her and Charlie and also getting to see Jack from the Bodyguard again.

My only qualm was that there was a good amount of cheese in this one. I think it was fairly internal but sometimes I had to just go with it and not think too much. It is also perfect for people who don’t like 🌶️ in their books- there were a few kisses and that was it.

I will continue to read anything this woman writes! Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Solid 4.5 /5 stars for the always sensational Katherine Center.
As an aside right off the bat: seeing Jack Stapleton again was lovel.y.
I thought this was a really great deep dive into the world of rom-com script writing coupled with a quirky love story grumpy-sunshine trope. I LOVE a story that really focuses on a female leads career path, and Emma's journey in script writing was really fleshed out and layered with family trauma and the need to 'love' the rom-com motif. Charlie was such a great grumpy counterpoint with his own interlaced trauma around self-care that I found very believable. Their banter was deliciously full of chemistry and, as a big fan of closed-door steam, I thought this was the perfect slow burn story.
I think this requires a bit of suspension of belief, particularly around how Emma and Charlie get sucked into the close-proximity trope, but I really enjoyed it regardless. I've also always really enjoyed how Center's female leads almost break the fourth wall, like they're talking to a journal or a friend, but if thats not for you you may not love this.

Kathrine Center does it again…I don’t know of a single book of hers I haven’t given 5 ⭐️ to…

I love how this book tried to make romantic scenes not be romantic and then of course they ended up being hilariously romantic!

I laughed out loud reading this so many times my kids had to ask me what was so funny. 🤣

I can’t stop smiling after reading Katherine Center’s newest novel, The Rom-Commers. She has packed this book full of all the things I adore about a well written rom-com: plenty of witty banter and main characters who are adorably flawed and worthy of a happy ending. This book is lighthearted, fun, hopeful, and will make you believe in the power of love and the importance of chasing your dreams.

Emma Wheeler is a struggling screen writer who put her career - and life - on hold for the past ten years to care for her father after a tragic accident. When she has the opportunity to work with her idol, Charlie Yates, she can’t turn it down. Tasked with re-writing the awful script he’s written, Emma quickly realizes the biggest reason Charlie’s script is so bad is because he doesn’t believe in love or happy endings. What follows is a journey of discovery for both Emma and Charlie.

Katherine Center knows how to tug at a reader’s heartstrings. The Rom-Commers delivers on every level. I laughed, cried, and finished this book believing that dreams do come true. It gets all the ⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was the perfect read to cure my winter blues! Every word resonated so deeply within my heart and soul. I laughed and I cried. Katherine Center is a pro at stirring up your emotions then turning around and making you laugh with tears in your eyes. I loved the complex relationship between Emma and Charlie and the beauty of getting to experience their rollercoaster journey at the same time. The messages in this book about love and overcoming fear and tragedy were relative and inspiring. It was an all-around, feel-good novel with a beautiful story and a cast of endearing characters that I already miss. I have loved all of Center's books, so it's hard to choose a favorite, but I think she may have outdone herself with this one. This is sure to be a 2024 favorite. I highly recommend it and all of her other books as well!

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for granting me early digital access in exchange for my honest review!

This book was amazing. I would have read it in one go if I didn't have obligations like work and family. As it was, I sped through it over two days. I thought the caregiver role was unique, as it is not a typical storyline. Her dad sounds so awesome that I wish I knew him for real. I loved all the love, the three weddings, the sibling love, the love with the grandkid.

They were just such a sweet couple, even when they didn't know it yet.

As with pretty much every book I've read of Katherine Center's, I delved in and finished the book in one day!

Let's start with the characters. Emma is an unknown screenwriter and a lover of rom coms -- the type of person that would probably annoy you at a party with all of the facts and trivia and tidbits she knows about every Rom Com that has ever been made. She's been the full time caretaker of her father since a rock-climbing accident that left him with several life-altering medical issues. Charlie is the screenwriter she has fan-girled over for YEARS, and her best friend (high school boyfriend) has landed her a job working with him to fix a rom-com movie that Charlie does not even actually want to exist in this world. Charlie himself is moody, withdrawn, and also downright mean...but he does have qualities that bring him into a positive light as the story progresses (of course).

So, it's a rom-com book, which should be obvious. Therefore, it follows the exact path that you expect the plot to follow. It was a cute, falling in love story that had bright shiny moments and devastating lows -- everything you look for!

My star deduction comes from a few places that I can't exactly divulge because it would give away huge plot points. And, this is going to be awful, but I didn't realllllllyyy love either of the characters. They were fine, but just not to the point that I desperately needed to know what happened next. I think, because Charlie is so distant and trying so hard to keep Emma at arm's length, that their personal love story didn't get to develop in the best light. But, the banter was on point

All in all, I still recommend the novel to anyone who is a fan of Center, Rom-Coms, or grumpy sunshine romance!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy.

Another good read from Katherine center. A fun romantic comedy about two writers trying to write a romantic comedy!
When Emma is tricked by her old ex boyfriend into moving out to LA for a writing gig she is excited to be working for the famous writer Charlie Yates. Leaving the comfort of her family home and the caretaking of her injured dad to her younger sister Emma hopes the job is worth it. Charlie is being forced to write a romantic comedy in order for another of his plays to be produced. Charlie has never wanted to work with another writer but Emma finally wins him over. Misunderstandings between them and family drama at home for Emma keeps the plot moving along. The characters are likeable as they grow and change and the ending very satisfying.

The Rom-Commers might be Katherine Center’s best book. It was more com than rom. I laughed all the way through the book. The writing was so smart and perfect! Honestly this was one of the best romantic comedies I’ve ever read. It was that good! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I adored this book!! I really couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The characters are wonderful and developed nicely. I was left guessing and wanting more! I loved reading this!

Like a decadent dessert, I wanted to savor every last bit of this heartwarming read. As readers have come to expect from Katherine Center, this Rom-com opens your heart and fills it to the brim with joy.
Emma is probably my favorite Center heroine yet. Her earnestness, her determination, her worrying, her snarky humor and her passion for romance all make her love-able. Charlie, though quite the opposite of Emma, is just as love-able even with his jaded, detached demeanor.
Making this story even more special is the way it’s told through Emma’s first person POV. We are privy to her inner dialogue and she also sprinkles in special conversations with the reader throughout the story. This tale is filled with witty banter, fantastic characters and SO MUCH heart. Very much recommended.
Thank you to the author and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.