Sweet, fun but kind of forgettable? I don’t really have much to say except I think I enjoyed it?

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

I don’t read much romance, but when I do, you can bet it is either a Katherine Center or Annabel Monaghan book. The Rom-Commers was a funny delight! I read an advance copy with my book club and we are diverse group, but we all enjoyed this one. Center tells the story of a script writer who is stuck in her hometown taking care of her father who was ill. When she gets the chance to work on a script with a famous actor — make is script better, she goes west to California. Turns out the actor didn’t ask for her help and so the story develops! I enjoyed the banter and the character development. Even if you don’t love rom-comms, throw this one in your beach bag or buy it for when you need a mood adjustment upward.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Katherine Center does it again! I love her writing style and the way she creates a story.

The story is lighthearted (for the most part) and I had several lol moments. The banter between the two main characters is hilarious and giving a slight Luke and Lorelei vibe. I love how she pushes him out of his comfort zone.

Each of the characters in the story bring more to the story. The sweet dad and the well meaning best friend. There is one particular character that just makes you roll your eyes with his made up name. If you know, you know.

My only complaint is toward the end of the book there is a part that had my rethinking my rating. I didn't like the way the author "brought back" the male mc's illness and turned it into something else. I think it could have been written differently and handled in a better way.

This story includes cancer, a rock accident and death of a parent.

Overall I enjoyed this story. I you want a quick funny, summer read this is a great choice!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved Hello Stranger and Katherine Center… in person is absolutely adorable, hysterical and you could listen to her tell stories forever!
So when I got this ARC from NetGalley, I was so excited.
I’m not going to lie the beginning irritated me a little bit, but Emma intrigued me and drew me in. I literally could not put it down. There was so much heart and laughter, and even though I don’t care if I ever hear the name Charlie Yates or Jack Stapleton again 😊😉 iykyk, I loved this story and these characters 💜
You might cry you will for sure laugh and feel all the feels.

“ It’s just like sex. if you’re surprised by the ending, somebody wasn’t doing their job”
“ happy ending-essential”

Katherine Thank you for making rom-coms and love stories fun to read 💜📚
4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Having a Katherine Center rom-com - the aptly named The Rom-Commers - saved for a reading slump and a tough period of complete burnout was pretty perfect. I eat up pretty much any Hollywood story, so I really enjoyed the somewhat meta pairing of anti-love, anti-rom-com Charlie and romance-loving, big-hearted Emma, chaotically paired together to work a screenplay. It's a delightful set-up that, of course, does not go to plan; their differing opinions on the genre influence their own relationship. I adore Center's recent books from her shift into straight romantic comedies: they are so charming, sweet ,and fun, as well as perfect quick reads, and The Rom=Commers was no different. This was extremely charming and feels like watching a classic rom=com.

As a self-proclaimed up and coming romance reader, I was impressed by Katherine Center's newest read, The Rom-Commers! Our protagonist, Emma Wheeler, is a wannabe screenwriter and current full-time caretaker for her father who suffered debilitating injuries in a rock climbing accident. But, she gets the offer of a lifetime from a long time friend to fix THE Charlie Yate's romantic comedy script. After making sure her sister knows how to take care of her dad, she hops on a plane to LA....and learns Charlie doesn't even know she was on her way. He's an asshole AND doesn't believe in love. But Emma's friend and Yate's agent forces them to work together and slowly, very slowly, they rebuild the terrible script and somehow start falling in love. Center has expertly weaved in life lessons, made you care about these two characters - asshole included, and root for their relationship to succeed. It's a slow burn but it's worth it ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my unbiased review.

4.5 stars — I adored this book. It took me a minute to get into, but the payoff was so worth it. I laughed through this whole book - the depth of grief, anxiety, and love are so beautifully woven throughout.
The mmc was written as stand-offish yet a total golden retriever at the same time. The fmc was independent and anxiety-filled and talented. Their dynamic was awkward and funny. I enjoyed the romance and chemistry between them a lot.
The ending had me in a chokehold and nearly brought me to tears.

Emma Wheeler has put her career and pretty much her whole life on hold to care for her father, who needs round-the-clock care. She's sacrificed so that her younger sister Sylvie can have the freedom she has denied herself. But she's a darn good screenwriter in need of a break. She gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with her idol, Charlie Yates, an award-winning screenwriter who has been tasked to write a rom-com for the first time. His first draft is awful and his manager (who is also Emma's manager and high school ex-boyfriend) knows that Emma is the perfect person to help Charlie. She doesn't want to leave her father but after making arrangements, she heads from Texas to LA. Only when she arrives at his mansion, it is clear that Charlie had no idea she was coming and has no interest in her help. Emma ends up demonstrating to Charlie the recipe for a good rom-com. But she discovers that Charlie can't write about love because he isn't able to let himself love. Will Emma be able to get through to him? 

The Rom-Commers combines the anticipation of love with people dealing with some serious life issues. But count on the ever-joyful Katherine Center to tell a sweet story that will make you happy. She has developed great characters in this fast-paced book filled with snappy, clever dialogue. And a great cameo from her 2022 book The Bodyguard was a nice wink to her legions of fans, which I am happy to be one of. If you haven't read any of Center's books, do yourself a favor and give one a try. 

4.25 stars.

Katherine Center’s latest novel, "The Rom-Commers," is a delightful and heartwarming journey into the world of romantic comedies, both on and off the screen. "The Rom-Commers" serves as a love letter to the romantic comedy genre. Through Emma’s determination to show Charlie the value of love stories, the novel explores the timeless appeal of rom-coms. Center’s writing is infused with references and nods to classic romantic comedies, making it a treat for fans of the genre. The meta-narrative about the process of writing and rewriting a rom-com adds an extra layer of enjoyment for readers who appreciate the craft behind storytelling. One of the novel’s strengths is its ability to blend humor with emotional depth. The comedic elements are sharp and well-timed, while the emotional beats hit home. "The Rom-Commers" is a captivating and feel-good read that celebrates love, both in fiction and in real life. Katherine Center has crafted a story that is as entertaining as it is meaningful, filled with endearing characters, a compelling plot, and a heartfelt message about the power of love and storytelling. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of romantic comedies or simply looking for a heartwarming tale, this novel is sure to leave you smiling and believing in the magic of love stories.

THE ROM-COMMERS

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️
🤬🤬🤬

Initial thoughts: not my favorite Katherine Center book. I liked it because I love Katherine Center’s writing and the underlying messages in her books. The pacing of the story moved nicely and I remained interested in the story but I just didn’t connect with the characters.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

I really enjoyed my time reading this one! This new novel from Katherine Center follows two screenwriters — an aspiring though self-proclaimed "failed" writer named Emma and an outrageously successful and highly awarded writer named Charlie — as they join forces to save Charlie's latest project from its current disastrous state. This is all I will leave you with as I think it's fun to go into this book not knowing too much!

In full transparency, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this one as it took me a while to feel connected to Emma and Charlie as characters. I feel like we got a lot of background on Emma right off the bat which meant a bit of slower start to the story for me (it was a lot of info without being given a reason to care about any of it), but once Emma and Charlie started working together I got sucked in and really came to enjoy their banter with one another other. It truly felt like reading about two characters who were matched in every way and it was fun to see them (rather accidentally) come to care for each other.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and fast-paced yet sweet and heartfelt read this summer — this was incredibly bingeable and is perfect for reading in one sitting during a beach day. I also really recommend if you loved The Bodyguard by Katherine Center: not only did they have a similar energy, but there might be a cameo or two from some familiar faces! And if you are just generally a lover of rom-coms (books OR films!!!), you will probably find something to love here.

✨ Review ✨ The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center; Narrated by Katherine Center; Patti Murin

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, SMP, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

So I typically prefer my romances to be a little less G-rated, but this one was an exception. The book made me laugh and root for the characters and really just get sucked up into the story.

I loved the fun elements of the story - the high dive, TJ's nickname lol, Emma's awkwardness, the line dancing and other research they did, the love of Emma's family, and on and on.

The first 1/3 of the book was near perfection -- I loved how it set the story up, I loved how it paired comedy with the characters' grief, and so many things just made me laugh. The tension was A++

The second 2/3 of the book slowed down just a bit because I felt a little frustrated with the characters. I know people don't change over night but sometimes Charlie was really mean to Emma and Emma too unsure and forgiving. I appreciated the messiness but also wanted something a little more from it. I think also hearing Charlie's POV alongside Emma's might have shifted this a bit for me?

Average these together of 5 star x 1/3 + 4 stars x 2/3 gets my rating lol (too much math sorry)

🎧 I listened to most of this on audio BUT I think the jokes landed more via ebook for me, which might be why the first 1/3 ranked so much higher for me. Definitely a fun and quick summer listen!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.33)
Genre: f/m contemporary romance (closed door)
Setting: Los Angeles
Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
Pub Date: Jun 11 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ squeaky clean romances
⭕️ forced proximity with lots of banter
⭕️ guinea pigs
⭕️ tensions on the high dive
⭕️ instruments you can play with one hand

I love Katherine Center but this is her worst book. Wow. Emma and Charlie were both awful! There were multiple things that happened in the book that made me pause, open my chat with someone else who already read this to rant about it, and then go back to finish it. I’ll definitely keep reading her books but this was a huge flop for me.

This was a cute book but fell flat for me in the “rom com” department. I wish the characters were a bit more developed and it was at times a bit boring.

Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter who spends most of her time taking care of her dad who's still recovering from an accident. Her life's on hold until her agent calls her with what could be a life-changing project. At first, she declines, but then she finds out it's a rewrite with her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. This one is drastically different from his other work as it's a romance and it's a complete mess. She decides to take the chance and goes to Los Angeles to work with him.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I think that may have actually worked against me as I came in with high expectations from all the hype. I just never felt the spark with Emma and Charlie's chemistry. In fact, Charlie treats her terribly for a significant portion of the book. His "conflict" just gave me whiplash — I will leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

Also, I have decided clean romances are lame.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

This Grumpy/Sunshine, forced proximity, workplace romance is an adorably, cute, fast, summer read and I was hooked from the very start.

Another great book from Katherine Center.

Thank you Katherine Center, Netgalley and St Martins Press for the advanced reader’s copy (ARC), all thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars - This book was a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way. I may have been crying as much as I was smiling like a loon while reading this story.

The characters were unique and endearing and wildly lovable and frustrating. Two writers… the definitive grumpy sunshine pair… in a long term forced proximity situation… painful trauma in both of their pasts… created incredible chemistry. The banter! The friendship! The slow burn!

A little cameo from a beloved character from a past Katherine Center book was so fun! I definitely don’t want to say too much on the plot- just go read it! 🤣

This is definitely my new favorite Katherine Center book. And one I know I will come back to again.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review an advanced copy.

4.5 stars

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center was such an adorable - you guessed it - rom-com. I loved every minute of reading it and had a hard time putting it down because it was such a fun, fast read. At a time when I was really struggling to find something I was interested in and which could hold my attention, this was the perfect palate cleanser.

The characters stole my heart so quickly. Charlie and Emma both have this quirky, awkward energy like they’re aliens sent to earth and have to pretend to be humans that was both hilarious and so heartwarming. I find them both so adorable and so relatable which kept me devouring the book because I just wanted more of their combined energy in my life. Their chemistry and just the way they worked off of one another was my favourite part of The Rom-Commers and I’m completely obsessed with how the both of them somehow work together perfectly.

This book also had one thing I thought I would never see in a romance. That’s right: communication. Just when I was bracing myself for the angst of a couple in strife over not talking something over, lo and behold they talked and cleared the air. This was such a breath of fresh air and had me sighing with relief because it’s so rare.

This is definitely the kind of story that has me a bit melancholy upon finishing it. I was so invested in the story and the characters that having it come to an end is super bittersweet. I ended up falling for this book so much harder than I expected to and it has quickly become my favourite book by Katherine Center I’ve read so far. I very eagerly look forward to her next book because this one has exceeded my expectations.

*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A cute, fast, summer read! Perfect for the beach and summer fun. A true love letter to the romance/romcon genre.

***TRIGGER WARNINGS: cancer and loss of a parent***

The Rom-Commers follows Emma who wants to be a screenwriter. But she is the sole caretaker for her dad. Her idol is Charlie Yates. Soon she gets a chance to help him rewrite one of his scripts. But she would have to move away from her dad for 6 weeks. She wasn’t going to go but her sister agrees to take care of their father while she is gone. Charlie doesn’t want to work with anyone and he doesn’t want to write a rom com. He doesn’t like them but is forced to right one. Emma is convinced she can work with Charlie and get him to like rom coms. While writing the script the two start to hit it off. Is this real love or is just for the script?

I was hooked with this book from the very start. I was a little nervous to read this one. I have read two other books by this author and thought one was just okay, and I thought the other was bad. This book is my favorite of hers that I have read. I am so happy I decided to give this author another chance. For a romance book it did lack a bit of romance so that is why I rated it the way I did. And I did wish there was more romance. But I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it dealt with some pretty serious topics and it did it in such a great way.