4 stars for a closed door romance book! Emma and Charlie are :::heart eyes:::! I loved their banter and the gradual unfolding of their relationship. Katherine Center has a writing style that i just love and enjoy reading so much. But I wasn't a huge fan of so much of Emma's internal dialogue and not a huge fan of the cover art. Overall I would highly recommend to rom-com fans!

My favorite quote from the book " if you wait for other people to light you up. Then I guess you’re at the mercy of darkness."

📑Book Review📑
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Summary; Charlie Yates is a great writer. He wrote the epic screenplay that made Jack Stapleton a household name—and became a household name himself. But now he’s written a romantic comedy . . . and it’s terrible.

Emma Wheeler could have been a great writer—but her life didn’t quite go like she planned. Now, when she gets the chance to rewrite Charlie’s apocalyptically bad screenplay—uncredited, of course—she jumps.

But Charlie doesn’t want anyone to rewrite his work—least of all a “failed nobody screenwriter”—and Emma can’t support a guy who doesn’t like rom-coms adding another terrible rom-com to the world.

So what choice do they have, really . . . but to fall stupidly, crazily, heart-poundingly in love?
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- I loved this one 😍 this one is beyond cheesy and ridiculous but I loved every minute of it. Katherine Centers writing is just magical, I’ve read all of her book and will continue to do so. This is the perfect enemies to lovers read this summer, with a hint of some serious topics as well. Emma was impossibly loveable and this was just the most cheesy love story that will make your heart happy! 🥰
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QOTD- what is your favorite romance book this year?! Mine was the new Abby Jiminez 😍
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The Rom-Commers did not disappoint! Aspiring screenwriter, Emma, has sacrificed her career to care for her disabled dad. Her whole life has been consumed by medication charts and diligently tracking her dad's symptoms. When her friend from LA, Logan, shows up with a terrible screenplay written by one of her favorite writers, she (with the help of her sister, Sylvie), rearranged everything and left 10 years of caretaking behind to move to California to help Charlie Yates clean up his awful script.

I knew pretty quickly that Charlie wasn't as bad as he was made out to be, and I also called it pretty early on that he would fall first. Can we talk about their first kiss? Katherine Center is a master of the slow burn, and I've never anticipated a kiss as much as I did with Charlie and Emma!

Like most of Katherine's books, she masterfully balanced the struggles of every day life, loss, and grief with the fun and light-hearted nature of a new love and romance. There were definitely some cheeseball/cliche moments in the book, but I still enjoyed everything very much.

The banter, the characters, the storyline… I loved it all! I loved loved loved Emma and Charlie-her love of love and his pessimism about it-I felt both-if that’s even possible! Also, loved how it was written. I love this author and this is one of her many books that is the reason why.🩷🩷

There was so much I loved about this one! The banter between the characters was amazing! I always love it when the guy falls first, too!

Emma has always had the dream of making it big as a screenwriter, but she gave up that dream to care for her father after an accident. When her friend from LA proposes a once in a lifetime chance to be a ghostwriter for one of the biggest screenwriters in Hollywood, she jumps at the chance to finally do something for herself. Through lots of miscommunication and snafus, Emma finally does being working with legendary Charlie Yates on his Rom-Com screenplay. While teaching Charlie how to believe in love, Emma finds that it just might be time to finally take a chance on herself and her own happiness.

This was an adorable romcom. I loved how Charlie's love language was doing kind things to show he cared and that Emma's was helping Charlie do things outside his comfort zone.

There were a few things that I didn't love that prevented this from being a 5 star. The narrator, Emma, talked directly to us as the reader, and that writing style didn't always work for me. I also didn't love the overuse of eavesdropping as a plot device.

I’m not sure what to say about this one. I wasn’t in love (ironically) with it, but I didn’t hate it. It kind of just felt very surface level for me. There wasn’t much depth for the characters. Not plot driven or character driven.

This is the first of the author’s I have read, given that I don’t have a comparison, I’m just in a weird limbo after finishing it. And the scene from the awards show rubbed me the wrong way just a little bit with the whole misdiagnosis moment.

I just don’t know.

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley and St.Martin Press for both the Audio and Ebook of The Rom-Commers!

If there is one thing that is true about me, it’s that I’m a Katherine Center girly. I’ve read multiple of her books, so when I found out that she was releasing a new book of course I had to read. Not only did I read this book in a couple of days, but I also talked about it on my podcast called Just One More Page.

This novel follows Emma who has spent most of her life, obsessing and writing romcoms. So when she is offered a job to help rewrite a screenplay from one of her favorite writers she jumps right on it. What she isn't aware of is the fact that her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates doesn't want her help. Let alone have her stay with him for weeks to help him rewrite his horrible rom-com. But Emma is determined to make it work, and more importantly, get Charlie to understand that romance does matter. Even if that means she has to kiss him multiple times to get the point across.


The one thing I will say about Katherine Center is that she will have you laughing one second then the next second crying your eyes out. I adore the way she writes her novel, because not only does she include an amazing romance but she also includes a well-developed family. A family that has their own issues, that effects her choices and actions in the novels.

Now as for the romance, I would say that I did really enjoy it but I say this with love. I wanted more scenes of them "acting" out scenes and even more action scenes. I understand that Katherine Center's books are not full of spice, but I just wanted a pinch more. I wanted more kisses, more hugs, and even more scenes where Charlie protects her. Now will I say that the ending of the novel was perfect, because well that would be a lie. I kind of felt like it was cringy and predictable. But we all knew how it was going to go, after all, romance is like sex, and we all know how it's going to end (lol).

I think another big reason why I adore this novel is the family aspect. I understood how Emma's brain worked, trying to hold it all together, trying her best to be the best daughter and then be the best writing partner. I honestly felt so bad for Emma and how she was holding it all together for it to go up in her face.

At the end of the day, I think Katherine Center is an underrated writer. I loved the writer's note at the end of the novel, where she talked about how important love stories are. I as a romance reader have to agree with you, love isn't stupid or lame. It's warm and cozy and feels just like a Katherine Center novel to me.

If you want to know more of my reaction and feelings about this novel please check out my podcast called Just One More Page Podcast!

I have to thank Bookstagram and NetGalley for helping me discover Katherine Center. Her early books’ covers didn’t grab my attention and What You Wish for was my first read of hers. I like how she meshes together life and romance. All with a little humor.

Now fast forward to this book which would have grabbed my attention. I love color and this screams color. Of course the book is good too. And if you read and loved The Bodyguard there is a nice easter egg in this one for you. It really made me smile.

I’ll admit it took me a little while to connect with Emma and Charlie. She was a little too woe is me and he was a little too all over the place, but eventually they clicked with me and I found I really liked and rooted for them. And I just didn’t think they had as much chemistry as other of her characters and other romcoms I have recently read. Now my thoughts could be me and a situation was a little too close to home for me, but I don’t know. (Check trigger warnings if life circumstances trigger you.)

But putting that aside, this one does represent what the author does best. Each character has emotional situations that pulled at my heart but didn’t overshadow this is a romance (that author’s note makes sure you know that is her intention). The characters are charming and have tons of witty quips and some whip smart banter. I like watching them grow together as they discover what they can be. And the romance never gets too sweet. it always remembers it is a romcom.

While this one wasn’t my favorite of hers (read The Bodyguard if you haven’t. It is my favorite. I gave it six out of five stars.), I did enjoy it and will definitely grab her next book the minute I can.

Patti Murin narrates this one and she does an excellent job bringing Emma’s insecurities and Charlie’s eccentricities to life. She captured the ups and downs and all the emotions perfectly.

And if you were trying to decide between audio and eyeball reading, the audiobook has a few bonuses: an author’s note and a bonus scene. Could you live without them? Yes, but they were fun to hear.

For the last ten years, Emma has willingly given up her own hopes and dreams to stay at home and be her father’s full time caregiver so that her younger sister can finish school and live her best life. Emma has managed to have a small career working as a screenwriter from their apartment in Houston. Her agent calls with the job of a lifetime. Move to LA for 6 weeks and help her idol Charlie fix his awful, terrible rom-com script. Everything about the idea is so far outside of Emma’s comfort zone so that when she arrives and day one things are not as promised she’s ready to quit before she’s even started. Can her agent convince her to stay? Will Charlie even agree to work with a nobody? Can Emma convince him love is real and romantic stories matter?

This was such a fun read with so much heart and a beautiful message. The banter between Charlie and Emma is perfect. Witty, charming, and funny. I loved the way these characters are actually spending time together on the page. To me that makes the romance more believable. All the little details Center has woven into the story just make it shine. The guinea pig, the line dancing, the donuts, the cameo characters from a previous book? Amazing!

That’s my take away. Katherine Center just writes great love stories. They always feel like your dear friend is telling you something really important and I’m all ears!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute read from Katherine Center!

I have read only the Bodyguard by her but even that was an adorable and quirky read that made me smile. Anyways, I was completely hooked by the title and the cover and decided to try my luck to see if I would get the arc and I did! The plot was very cute and both of the main characters felt real and funny in their own ways. If you like Emily Henry but want it to be a tad bit more comedic and goofy then this book is for you! It had some emotional elements but it also had many rom-commy scenes that made me so happy while reading. The third act "break-up' was reasonable and did not make me mad, so!

great read that I would recommend to everyone<3

This is the second book I’ve read of hers and I love this one even more than the last. The writing is so witty and hilarious and I can’t stop reading it. In true rom-com form it is completely unbelievable and ridiculous but I think it just adds to the charm. Thank you to @stmartinspublishing , @katherinecenter and @netgalley for my copy!

This book was just pure joy for me to read! From start to finish, I was invested in the characters and loved every page. Pick this romcom up if you enjoy:
☀️ Fun banter
☀️ Forced proximity
☀️ Grumpy / sunshine

Yes - this is a love story. It’s also a story about the importance of family, finding your purpose, and following your passion.

This is such a sweet, fun read for summer - enjoy it while you sit on your porch or throw it in your bag when you head out to the pool/beach. Perfect for that summer road trip!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

After reading Katherine Center's last two adult romances--The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger--and thoroughly enjoying them, I thought Center was going to be a new auto-buy romance author for me. The synopsis for this one seemed really promising (An aspiring/struggling screenwriter getting hired to work on her idol's failed rom-com script???? LOVE!), but too many small qualms piled up and led to my ultimate dislike of this title (see below).

Things that rubbed me wrong (while avoiding as many spoilers as possible):
-"Real men don't cry" rhetoric
-Possibly the worst MMC I've ever read in a romance--I mean gaslighter, liar, and just plain MEAN
-So many heavy topics! And I don't mind a touch of reality in romance books (e.g., Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez), but man this was bleak at times
-A narrator that breaks the fourth wall in the cheesiest and talking-down-to-the-reader way possible
-(Mini-spoilers here but a possible trigger-warning) A terminal lung cancer FAKE OUT
-The most unlikeable main characters with ZERO chemistry
-A "quirky" FMC who gets off on her martyrdom and is so different from other girls because of her frizzy, wild red hair

...I think that about covers it. Two stars instead of one because I still enjoy Katherine Center's writing style on a sentence level, even if the characters and plot fell short for me with this one.

This is my first book by Katherine Center and I LOVED it!

Emma Wheeler, wanna-be screenwriter, eats, sleeps, and breathes rom-com's. She was supposed to be an award winning screen writer; but instead she has been caring for her dad 24/7 for the last 10 years. She has a real life bulletin board with inspirational photos, quotes, and ideas. One of those inspirations is famous screenwriter Charlie Yates; her personal writing god.

Charlie Yates has won multiple awards for writing films about zombies, the mafia, and alien invasions; but his attempt at a rom-com script is "terrible"! When Emma is given the chance to go to LA to help Charlie re-write his rom-com script, she reluctantly turns over caregiving duties to her younger sister. But will Charlie accept the help from a "nobody" screenwriter? Can Emma convince him that love is not a Ponzi-scheme? And will they both learn something new about life and love?

This book has all the feels, moments of comedy, tragedy, romance, and recovery. It's rare that a book makes me cry, but this one did due to it's realistic earnestness. Emma is scared, but fiercely determined to convince Charlie that love matters; and that writing a fictional rom-com realistically is important. Maybe I'm an easy target audience, because i do adore rom-com's. The research, specificity and detail Emma has put into the craft of writing a rom-com is impressive. She is smart, and sassy, but also insecure and self-doubting. Charlie is cocky and over-sure, but at the same time grumpy and anxious. It is these traits that make the characters relatable and endearing.

I was engrossed from the beginning. The pace of this story was just right. The details of each of their personal struggles being revealed at at precisely the correct moment. You aren't kept wondering too long, but also are left to ponder where each reveal will take the plot next. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it gently twists in a new direction.

I highly recommend this absorbing rom-com and am racing to my library to read Katherine Center's full catalog!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A fun read that's the embodiment of rom-com! There was a lot of goofy moments and witty banter mixed in with tender moments between the characters.

Emma was probably my favorite part of this book. She was so relatable to me as she put everyone else and their needs above her dreams, her starstruck-ness in Hollywood, and her passion for romance! She was flawed and I enjoyed her story as she struggled with leaving her father behind, who she was the sole caretaker with, and follow a big chance at her career that she put on the back burner. Her growth was very compelling as she really dealt with not always being in charge and letting go of the reins because sometimes the unexpected will happen.

However, Charlie. I wanted to yeet him into the sun with how hot and cold he was with Emma. His whole personality was very closed off so sometimes it was hard to get a read on him (until the very end).

“Because the more we can imagine our better selves, the more we can become them.”

This is the sixth book that I’ve read by Katherine Center. While romantic comedies are not my usual genre to read, Katherine Center always draws me in. I love every minute of reading her books.
Emma Wheeler is an English teacher and wants to be a full-time screen writer. She has been caring for her dad for the last ten years after an unfortunate accident that left him with a brain injury. She loves romantic comedies and would love to become a full-time writer. When an opportunity comes from an ex-boyfriend, Emma just can’t pass it up, especially since it involves her number one favorite screenwriter Charlie Yates. Charlie is known for his action-packed zombie screenplays, but has recently written a romantic comedy. Intrigued, Emma reads it and is horrified at how badly written it is. It is now up to her to teach him about romance and how to incorporated into a romantic comedy screenplay.
Emma is an extremely likable character. You empathize with her and the choices she has made for her life taking care of her dad. She is quirky and not afraid to speak her mind. She has such a good sense of humor. Jack on the other hand is hard to like. He admits that he doesn’t want Emma around, or any other human for that matter.
As they spend more and more time together, Emma seems to grow on Jack. You can begin to see some sparks flying between them.
While this is a romantic comedy, there are also strong characters along the way. I loved her dad and his sense of humor considering his current limitations. Her sister is also a bright light for Emma and fills in for her while Emma goes to LA for six weeks.

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Published on June 11, 2024.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Rom-Commers. It made me laugh out loud and cry at the same time. As someone who is dealing with a parent who has health issues, it hit close to heart. Charlie was a tough character to like, but in the end, this unloveable character won me over. The main character, Emma, also grows throughout the novel as she develops independence from her family and learns who she is outside of her father's caregiver. The awkward Hollywood run-ins made the story enjoyable and cracked me up. Emma and Charlie had great chemistry which kept me from putting the book down. I was eager to see how everything would work out for these two. I highly recommend The Rom-Commers for anyone who enjoys a Hallmark-ish love story.

Center has done it again. I first fell in love with her writing after reading Hello Stranger and I loved this one as much if not more. She is just so good at balancing the humor, trauma, hope and romance. She is truly an author that I thank time and again for pu ching me in the feels 😂.

I love Emma and was so happy to see her have an opportunity to break out of her shell and do something for her after having spent so much time taking care of her family. Her supposed friend though... Boo...Hiss! 😅 Charlie was so prickly at first 😂 but I love how he became himself again while Emma was working with him. Not gonna lie, I screamed towards the end there because he was so frustrating. 😅 But then, I also thought it was really sweet how he redeemed himself. So I guess he's forgiven. 😂

I absolutely love the moments between Emma and her dad toward the end of the book. 🥹 Family can get messy and Emma had some big feelings but he was such a great dad in those moments.

I went between the ebook and audiobook for this one. The narration of Center's books are always excellent! I love listening to them and I can't wait for the next one!

A huge thanks to St-Martin's Press, Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the ARC/ALC. All opinions are my own.

Wow wow wow! Katherine Center does it again! What an absolute joy of a book. I absolutely loved Emma and Charlie and all the other characters throughout the story. I appreciated their perfectly imperfect story. I loved the banter and the avoidance. I even didn’t mind the story that caused them to separate and then come back together. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy to review.

The Rom-Commers is the story of Emma and Charlie (and their separate underlying traumas causing each to wrap themselves up in their private little cocoons) and how they open up while rewriting a terrible rom-com script. I both read and listened to this title and really enjoyed the way Center wrote Emma and had her on occasion speak directly to the reader, on the page and with the phenomenal narrator on audio. My only quibble was how fast it seemed that the two fell in love as the 6 weeks of writing wasn't clearly differentiated and it felt like days in the front end seemingly to make room for what's coming at the back end. I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and will recommend it, though with some sensitivity considering the amount of trauma and medical complications throughout. This is not a super light book. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion. 4.5 stars