Yet another good read from Katherine Center! No surprise that a book named the Rom-Commers is about a romantic comedy. In this case Emma, who has spent 10 years caring for her ill father, has a once in a lifetime chance to cowrite a screenplay with a Hollywood legend. Cue the hilarity! Charlie may be Hollywood’s golden boy but has no idea how to write a romcom. Enter Emma who has no track record writing for movies, but is a romcom savant. I admit that it took me a while to warm up to the book but once I did, I loved it.

Emma Wheeler dreams of being an accomplished screenwriter. She is an expert in rom-coms and has even had to opportunity to get her big break in the past but being the caretaker of her father has made it difficult to follow her dreams. She finally gets a big opportunity one she can't pass up, rewriting a screenplay for her idol Charlie Yates.

She leaves her dad in the care of her sister while she goes to LA for six weeks, but it does not go to plan. Charlie is no interested in having anyone write with him, less a person he considers a nobody. Her agent lied to her in saying she had the job when Charlie had no idea she was coming. Emma doesn't leave without first making it clear Charlie has no idea how to write a rom-com and how utterly terrible his script is. Over the next 6 weeks they really start to know each other and their writing goes well. A little too well and the love the write on the page may start bleeding into real life.

The author does it again. This was phenomenal I honestly would not change a thing about any of it. I laughed, I cried a lot, and i was rooting for both characters from the get go. Charlie is the ultimate grump but I never got annoyed with him. His motivations made sense and he was a very well rounded character. Emma was a doll and so funny. She brought so much optimism and warmth to the dynamic. It was really a beautiful novel and love story.

This book is a new favorite of mine. I adored The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger. This was no different. I feel that other authors have tried to encapsulate the same energy this book contained with little success. This story is beautiful, romantic, and will make you laugh out loud. Center has a talent for writing about unrealistic circumstances with utmost reality. They are everything romantic comedies should be! I can't wait for all my friends to read this book so we can yap about it and its perfectness.

Emma is a writer with potential who has been living in Texas caring for her invalid father for a decade but is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime - in LA. Charlie is an incredibly successful, and grouchy and arrogant, screenwriter who needs Emma's help and doesn't want it. This book has banter, it has cooking together, it has a despondent guinea pig, it has a high dive rescue. Emma works through grief and family issues. She stands up for herself to Charlie and to her sister.

I first listened to the audiobook, and I have to say the narrator's voice was perfect for the Emma, the heroine. The only part that bugged me was her British accent for Logan, it reminded me of Lindsay Lohan's faux accent in The Parent Trap. Shudder. After I listened to the audiobook I read the actual book and oh, why is reading the words always so much better. It was as lovely as reading it for the first time. And I have to say the piece de resistance was the author's note. In the audiobook, Katherine Center herself reads the note. It apparently didn't get published in the book, but it can be downloaded from her web site. She's the real thing and I'm a fan for life!

Kathleen Center does it again! In my experience her books never disappoint and this one is no exception.
Emma gets an opportunity to work with her hero writing a romcom movie. Charlie has spent his career writing thrillers and has written an awful romcom that needs a lot of work.
Emma is surprised to find that Charlie is kind of a jerk. But, she sticks it out in the hope that she’ll get her own script sold. Over time she and Charlie find the best in each other, it’s a sweet grumpy sunshine love story. 5 stars.

From the publisher:
Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.

Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“Logan Scott called just as I was making dinner, and I almost didn’t answer because my dad and I were singing along to Abba’s greatest hits. ”
Here are reasons to read the Contemporary book:

Writer - Emma is a writer but she really wants to be a screenwriter sometime
Family Issues - but she has to take care of her dad who has a lot of different health issues
Her Crush - until one day her ex tells her she should help a famous screenwriter (and crush) re-write his terrible rom-com
Learning - because it’s quite possible he never really learned what love really is

After really enjoying a lot of this author’s stories, this one was anticipated this month. Emma is such a sympathetic character because she feels the burden of putting her own life aside to help her dad. The screenwriter, Charlie, is truly a grump who can’t communicate. While there are certain aspects of this story that seem familiar, I really loved how fast and enjoyable the story was.

This is everything I thought it would be. It has the wit, humor, and tenderness I have come to expect of all Katherine Center's books. She finds a way to make all of her characters incredibly lovable.

Emma is a bit of a nerd, and I love that about her. I also love that Charlie is a complete grump. He also thinks that he’s the best there ever was, until Emma knocks him down a peg or two. I love that they need each other. And I love the forced proximity. Can I just mention again how much I love Katherine Center’s characters?

There is so much to love about this book and any true romantic comedy fan is bound to love it. And for those audiobook fans? Yes, Patti Murin is fabulous. I don't know how else to put it!

“The job of a rom-com,” I said, “is to give you a simulated feeling of falling in love.”

Katherine Center has officially stolen my book-loving heart with her latest masterpiece, The Rom-Commers! She has definitely become an auto-buy author for me this year!
Emma Wheeler is living the dream after finally getting a break from caring for her father for ten whole years. And who's she teaming up with? None other than one of her idols, the legendary Charlie Yates, to write a screenplay. But Charlie is not thrilled about the idea of a rom-com, no sir.

“A great rom-com,” I said, “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. Seriously—have you ever had fantastic sex that culminated in an epic orgasm and then said to yourself, God, that was so cliché. It should’ve had a different ending?”

Enter Emma, the whirlwind who's determined to make it work. He's only in it for the green light on his own mafia script, but Emma is all in for this rom-com ride. She's not backing down, determined to show Charlie the power of love stories, even if it means bending a few rules along the way. The chemistry between these two is slow to start, but boy does it gradually build. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and I couldn't get enough of their banter and charm.
I can't even put into words how much this book wrecked me. I ugly cried, laughed so hard I snorted, and fell head over heels for Emma and Charlie. This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, with a perfect mix of heartwarming moments and laughs. Trust me, read it and thank me later. Katherine Center, you've done it again! 📚💕

“I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we’re longing for—adventure, excitement, emotion, connection—we turn to stories that help us find it. Whatever questions we’re struggling with—sometimes ones so deep, we don’t even really know we’re asking them—we look for answers in stories.”

Thanks to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was my first ever book by Katherine Center, and it certainly won't be my last. The Rom-Commers was one of those stories that deals with so much and just teaches us to appreciate the little things in life.

Emma Wheeler is an aspiring writer who had to put her dreams on hold to become a caretaker for her father. She receives the opportunity of a lifetime; go to Hollywood and assist her favorite screenplay writer of all time, Charlie Yates, in writing a rom-com.

You can say it isn't smooth sailing between these two at first. Emma will not give up, and Charlie is adamant that he won't write this story. He doesn't believe in love, and Emma fiercely tries to prove him wrong at every turn.

You can say Charlie was frustrating, and there were times when he said some hurtful things to Emma. These weren't the best moments. He was stubborn, but slowly, you see his love for her in all the smallest ways.

The Rom-Commers was such an emotional rollercoaster that had tears brimming in my eyes. I wanted to hate Charlie, but I just couldn't. He was just a little broken. This was a journey, and a slow burn one at that. These two took their time, and the forced proximity was chef's kiss! Also, let's not forget the cute guinea pig named Cuthbert. What a fun, yet angsty read!

loved this book! I think that this book had everything I look for in a romance. I will always give praise to any book that makes me cry. This story was cute and sweet while also being realistic and heartfelt. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the characters.

This was my second novel by Katherine Center, and I definitely prefer this one, but I am looking forward to reading other works by her.

The Rom Commers is such a pleasure to read! This witty banter makes the story that much more engaging. This was my first Katherine Center book and it will not be my last. The approach she takes with these characters are amazing and I absolutely love it.

I LOVE Katherine Center and anything she writes. The Rom-Commers did not disappoint. Highly recommended to any and everyone.

As you are likely aware, there is an active boycott of your publishing house due to the failure of St. Martin’s Press to ensure the safety of their Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian influencers. Over 7,500 influencers to date have signed the petition demanding that St. Martin’s Press meet the incredibly reasonable demands below.

- Address and denounce the Islamophobia/racism from their employee.
- Offer tangible steps for how they're going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
- Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab readers, influencers, and authors in addition to their BIPOC readers, influencers, and authors.

Readers for Accountability recently brought to your attention the threatening behaviors displayed by friends of your employee towards multiple members of their team. This not only includes online harassment with threats of lawsuits and reporting but has extended to tracking the whereabouts of a prominent Black creator whom you chose to unfollow.

Your refusal to engage with the influencers who provide you with free labor is both disheartening and offensive. As such, I will no longer be reviewing ARCS from this publishing house until steps are taken to meet the demands Readers for Accountability have laid out for you.

The Rom-Commers was my first Katherine Center book and I immediately binged her others upon finishing. I love an ooey-gooey cheesy romcom with some added depth. This was every bit as charming as I hoped it would be. I was fortunate enough to also snagged an advanced copy of the audio, which was wonderfully done by Patti Murin.

LOVE!! Love, love, love. I loved this book so much. I flew through it and couldn’t get enough of it! I loved the enemies to lovers, the grumpy meets sunshine, the forced proximity, everything! It was everything I hoped for and more. The effortless banner between the two of them, the slow burning heat, the side characters being perfectly perfect, the humor. Katherine Center has hit it out of the park again and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to read another one of her amazing novels! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Katherine Center for the eARC!

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

I have really enjoyed Katherine Center's books in the past, and I was very excited about reading this book. However, this book seemed very disjointed and unfinished to the point where I didn't actually know the story that was being told anymore. This book was seemingly a character- read, which I am usually fine with, but Center's characters just seemed all over the place that it was hard to keep their feelings and motivations straight throughout the book. I feel like the book suffered a lot from only being single POV, and a lot of it likely could have been cleared up if she had opened it up to dual POV. Mostly, I felt myself being frustrated at Charlie and not knowing why, and him being mean to the point where being around him was not doing himself, Emma, or me any favors.

Everything just seemed very wishy washy and not well put together. Emma's characterization was inconsistent at best, and honestly, hard to swallow. The situation with her dad was not nearly built up enough so that I could genuinely feel the tensions she felt in leaving him after being his caretaker for 10 years. I couldn't tell if she actually liked Charlie, even when she was actively saying that she did on the page. There was just no spark or "shimmer" as she called it, and it felt about as unromantic as all of those situations she said to Charlie.

Not a bad book, per se, but not my favorite.

Thank you for giving me a copy of this book. I was obsessed with it and it was so stinking cute. I didn’t much like The Bodyguard but I really enjoyed this book- it was wholesome and makes me rethink my life a bit. I loved it and I loved Charlie even more.

I had so much fun reading the Rom-Commers! I always love a book with a Hollywood/celebrity adjacent story line. I laughed out loud several times and the swoony moments delivered. I felt like the ending gave me whiplash but I still had fun

This was my first KC romance! All in all I really liked it and may check out some of her backlist

There were some parts that weren’t quite my cup of tea and I think I’m realizing I like a little more spice in my romances than KC offers

However, the first chunk I read super fast, I liked the banter and things falling into place and seeing the relationship develop between the main characters, it reads quick and I like how it was written and the FMC breaks the 4th wall sometimes so to speak.

I did see what may have been a “twist” coming but all in all I really liked reading it and definitely liked a lot of messaging that came through in the end!

I also really liked seeing into the world of writing a screen play.

I do like this author but her books are just not for me. I find them too depressing and I read to escape real life and to enjoy a good story. I don’t think the cover and brightness match this book. I will read this author again as I do enjoy some of her books.