Wow. All the stars for The Rom-Commers. This might be my new favorite Katherine Center book!

A romance writer writing about romance writers… oh my gosh. I had no idea what to expect but it was so, so good. I loved the way that it was written as if Emma was talking directly to the reader. Emma is so genuine and relatable. The relationship between Emma and her father is so beautiful. Having lost my Dad, it was so nice to read about such a wonderful father-daughter relationship. The way that Emma loves her dad is so special.

The chemistry and between Emma and Charlie jumps off the page. The banter between them is everything and the dialogue in this whole book is off the charts.

I laughed out loud (seriously), I cried, I felt empathy for all characters and fell in love with them. This story is charming, emotional, fun and hopeful.

Nobody can write a rom-com like the great Katherine Center!

Loved it! Katherine Center's best book yet, Emma Wheeler, is about Emma re-writing a script for her idol, Charlie Yates. They work together, but Emma discovers that Charlie doesn't believe in love or love stories. The story has humor, heartstrings, and a perfect pairing of opposites. The swoony scenes, pet guinea pig, grand gesture at the end, and amazing epilogue make it a must-read.

Thank you so much to @netgalley @smpromance @katherinecenter for this arc for an honest review.

I can't get enough of Katherine Center, and this latest novel might be my favorite yet. I adored the grumpy-sunshine romance. The banter is top-notch and I laughed out loud at several parts - there are some great one-liners throughout. I was charmed beginning to end, and when I was done I wanted to give my Kindle a hug. I also have this book to thank for my new knowledge of biscuit donuts (so excited to try - and don't worry, I know how to open them like a normal person).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback. Honestly, it's the best. Give me more, Katherine.

I've read all of Katherine Center's work and this was ADORABLE. I like the easy reading (this is not meant as a bad thing at all) and beautiful relationship we see blossom between Emma and Charlie. The plot was sort of hilarious and a bit far fetched as I assume this is not how movies are usually written (but who knows, I'm not a screenwriter). But this book was fun, swoony, hilarious, and an absolute joy to read.

Things I loved:
- the way miscommunication was handled. If there's anything I hate, it's miscommunication but Center does it beautifully without ruining the book for me.
- the guinea pig!!!! I don't know why I loved him so much
- how Emma was able to rile Charlie up so easily, it was fun to read
- the slow burn and "research" especially the line dancing. so fun

What I didn't like:
- the way Emma sorta talks down to herself - it rubbed me the wrong way.
- the grumpy/sunshine trope - I wish it was switched sometimes. It always seem to be the man is grumpy and the woman is sunny. Let's switch it up every now and then.

Tropes:
- Grumpy MMC/sunshine FMC
- Forced proximity
- Miscommunication (only a tad and it's done well)

Content warnings:
- death of a parent (very tragic and seen by children)
- tragic illness
- parent with disability
- childhood trauma/almost drowning

Thank you SMP for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing. Katherine Center does it again. Had to read it in one sitting. Such a fun story with depth, humor and real characters.

I always love Katherine Center’s work, but the Rom-Commers was absolutely my favorite yet. Both main characters are hilariously relatable, with all the warmth and heart we know and love from KC.

Emma Wheeler is given the opportunity of a lifetime when her manager gets her a gig co-writing with her celebrity crush screenwriter, Charlie Yates. The catch? Charlie has been asked to write a rom-com that his heart isn’t in, and Emma needs to turn it around in order to capitalize on her big break.

While obviously an ode to love and the many ways that we show up for those we care about, it’s also a love letter to rom coms themselves. Fans of classic romantic comedies will particularly enjoy Emma’s process of educating Charlie on the finer points of the genre, but there’s something in here for everyone who just loves love. I also appreciated the family dynamics of the Wheelers as they deal with the ongoing impacts of a family tragedy almost as much as I enjoyed watching the relationship between Charlie and Emma. I will be fervently recommending this book to everyone I know and forcing it into their hands on publication day!

title: The Rom-Commers

author: Katherine Center

publisher: St. Martin's Press

publication date: June 11, 2024

pages: 336

peppers: 2 (on this scale)

warnings: injury (off-page, described), surgery (off-page), bar-fight (off-page)

summary: The agent of not-so-successful screenwriter Emma, who's been taking care of her father for the last ten years, finds her a job helping to fix the rotten rom-com screenplay attempt of her favorite writer, multi-award-winning Charlie. Unfortunately for this job opportunity, the agent hasn't told Charlie, who doesn't want a co-writer. The two writers end up living together while they rewrite the wretched script. Love ensues.

tropes:

famous and non-famous
stuck together
chance of a lifetime

what I liked:

Emma's voice and humor
Emma's family
Charlie's pet guinea pig and ex-wife
their life stories
dialogue
talk about writing

what I didn’t like: nothing -- this book is super fun!

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

4.5 stars.

AMAZING. Whenever I learn of a new ARC available for Katherine Center, I arrange my schedule to read it immediately and I never ever am disappointed with that decision. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center is another solid novel of love, forgiveness, community, and friendship. There are tears, laughter, grief, and joy intertwined to perfection. The connection between Emma and Charlie is everything and the way they show up for each other is true swoon worthy material. Highly, highly recommend.

The Rom-Commers is a fun read that tells the story of Emma Yates, a writer and wannabe screenwriter who has spend the last ten years taking care of her disabled father. Emma's high school ex-boyfriend is an agent in LA and he tells her about an opportunity to ghost write with her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates, so Emma packs up and travels to LA, leaving her sister to take care of their father. There is so much more going on here but no spoilers. The characters are well-written and interesting to the point that I found myself reading late into the night to find out what would happen next! Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"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.