I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off really strong, and as it progressed I did not feel any connection with either main character, and did not connect with their relationship at all. There are definitely heavier themes (TBI parent, death of parent, cancer) prevalent throughout the story. This will work well for some readers but definitely has a target audience - which I am not.

Things I enjoyed:
- FMC is chaotic and funny
- forced work proximity
- FMC taking care of sick parent

Things that should have worked for me but didn't:
- meddling friend
- enemies to lovers
- the actual romance
- the cancer subplot

Things that definitely did not work:
- what man in his 30s parts his hair?
- without spoiling, there were a lot of "near misses"
- no spark

Readers should be prepared for a no-spice, two kiss scenario in this book, with none of the romance starting until about 65-70% into the story. But - you typically get a lot of character development and buildup that make the relationship believable when you have a slow burn. That did not happen for me here, so I mostly felt disconnected.

The narration was good. I listened at 2x which is the fastest Netgalley audio goes, and probably would have sped it up a little bit more. This narrator does a good job of both male and female voices. Since this book is single POV, having one narrator makes sense.

I will read more by this author. This is my second book of hers and I enjoy her writing style, but will be more careful when picking books based on themes.

Emma Wheeler is a little-known screenwriter whose career has taken a backseat to devotedly caring for her dad and managing his medical issues. When her agent presents an opportunity to work with Charlie Yates, her favorite writer ever, she can hardly believe it – hardly believe how bad his screenplay is, that is! But this is THE Charlie Yates, so Emma reluctantly leaves her dad in the care of her younger sister and heads out to L.A. to save Charlie’s script, where she just might find love – and herself – in the process.

Readers who love Katherine Center are going to love The Rom-Commers. I once saw someone describe Katherine’s books like a warm hug, and I don’t remember who you are, but THANK YOU, because that’s exactly what they’re like. Her books are like being wrapped in a big warm hug; a tender, funny, sometimes teary hug that makes you believe in love and happy ever afters. Charlie and Emma have chemistry for DAYS, and even when Charlie was a grumpy curmudgeon (okay, even when was downright mean), I was rooting for him to redeem himself and realize how awesome Emma was. I also loved Emma’s character growth from a single-minded caretaker to letting go a little, learning to trust other people, and ready to embrace life and love. If grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, and sweet romance with a heaping dose of witty banter are your jam, The Rom-Commers is the book for you!

This was my first time listening to one of Katherine’s books on audio, and obviously I have been missing out before now! Patti Murin does a fantastic job of narrating! She’s perfection as Emma, bringing her to life with so much enthusiasm, humor, and emotion. Oh, and the audiobook has a bonus scene from Charlie’s perspective, which was a great surprise!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The Rom-Commers is a great summer (or whenever you find it) read (listen) by Katherine Center. This forced proximity rom-com has all the emotions squeezed into it.
The main characters are well-developed, and have great chemistry and clever banter. Narrator Patti Murin, nails the deadpan delivery.. Her performance is excellent all around and I would absolutely rate the narration 5 out of 5 stars.
The backstory will pull you into rooting for the couple, especially Emma. There were a lot of intense moments that had me crying quite a bit, but I am a big softie and Katherine Center's books usually have pretty heavy backstories. The female main character, a screenwriter of romcoms, straight out says that in order for a story to be a true romance the couple must get together in the end, but there were points where it seemed really unlikely with Emma and Charlie so there were some moments where I was hesitant to keep going. But I persisted and I was glad I did. That's the only reason I gave this audiobook 4 stars instead of 5.
As a side note to all the medical professionals picking up The Rom-Commers: Katherine Center did an amazing job accurately representing the medical events in this book. You won't want to throw it across the room at all.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of Katherine Center's ''The Rom-Commers'.

Big thank you to Macmillan audio for the ALC copy of this incredibly sweet little rom com 🥹

This was just so dang cute. Fun banter, quick storyline, wonderful little ending! The audio was perfect for this!
The characters worked absolutely perfect for what the story needed!

I received an ARC to review this book from MacMillan audio and this is the first Katherine Center book that I have ever read so I was so pleased to get to listen to one of her books. The narration of this audiobook was done by Patti Murin and it was done beautifully. The way that Patti delivers some of the fantastic lines in this book had me chuckling out loud. This book is the epitome of a rom-com and has everything a great rom-com book should have in it including a main character who is obsessed with rom-coms herself. Emma, the lovable main character, is trying to make it big as a screenwriter when she gets an opportunity to help re-write a script for a slightly grumpy and quite unwilling albeit famous screenwriter named Charlie. The book follow their journey from reluctant coworkers to inevitably falling for one another. Rom-commers is a lighthearted and entertaining listen that is a great kick-off to anyone's summer reading list!

You will like this book if you like: grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, enemies to lovers. or workplace romance tropes.

Narrators: Patti Murin, Katherine Center
Duration: 11 hours, 21 minutes, 22 seconds

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.

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. I listened to the audiobook - perfect for that summer road trip! Patti Murin brings the characters to life and it’s just a delight. (I listened while doing chores around the house, and the time flew by!)

the narration for this really did not work for me. :( made the character feel very immature and the voice for logan's character was very annoying.

“Love is something you can learn. Love is something you can practice. It’s something you can choose to get good at. And here’s how you do it…Appreciate your person.”
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Katherine Center is soaring to the top of my “must read” authors. Narrator, Patti Murin is also quickly becoming a favorite. She really brought the characters to life and added so much to the story. A narrator with such passion is a treat!
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The Rom-Commers has everything. From sarcasm to humor to one-liners that keep you wanting to turn the page (or listen to another chapter 😉). It was a wonderful book about life, family, love, and finding light in the darkness. Such a great comfort of humor and romance. It was a lighter story, but touched on some tough topics of grief and healing.
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I enjoyed it SO much. Made my heart happy!! Highly recommended for all but especially for fans of Abby Jimenez. Enjoy!! 💕 
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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.

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.

The plot is right up my alley. I love a good forced proximity trope, and when authors (or, in this case, screenwriters) are involved, I'm sold. I loved the witty banter between the characters. There were many points during the book that I genyuinely laughed out loud. The narrator was enjoyable.

That being said... the MMC, Charlie, was absolutely not it for me. He gave me the ick so many times. He was quite awful to Emma, the FMC, to the point of bordering emotional abuse. It happened multiple times throughout the book, and I kept rooting for Emma to stand up for herself, but she never did. She just kept excusing his behavior as 'hiding' his true feelings. Unfortunately, even at the end when the 'reasons' were explained, it wasn't enough of a redemption arc for me to forgive his crappy behavior throughout 90% of the book.

While this one never hit me in the feels like I had hoped, largely due to having no positive emotional connection to the MMC, I do note that the majority of people have already rated this highly so I'm certain it will be a hit!

I have loved Katherine Center's wit and optimism for a while now. Her bubbly personality is evident in every book she writes. This was no exception. It was beautifully written and had all the right pulls. The dynamic between sisters can be tense and that was definitely felt, especially with the family situation Emma and Sylvie were dealing with. Great read. The narrator was wonderful and added to the story.

Emma has wanted to be a screenwriter for as long as she can remember. Instead, she teaches college classes from home while caring for her father. An ex-turned-friend calls Emma up with a job offer - help fix the disaster of a script someone wrote. Only that someone is her idol - Charlie Yates, world famous screenwriter. When Emma’s sister comes in to care for their father, Emma jets off to LA to see if her dream will come true.

This book was so good, I didn't want it to end! There were so many magical moments here. So many things that came out of left field, but somehow made perfect sense for Emma and Charlie. Both Emma and Charlie come with a lot of “medical baggage” I'll call it. Charlie used to have cancer, and Emma is the primary caregiver for her partially paralyzed father. This is one of my favorite things about the story - how they help each other move on from this type of trauma and support one another. Another favorite part is the bonus scene from Charlie's POV. This is not my first Katherine Center book, but it does make me want to dive into her blacklist more!

I believe this is my first narration by Patti Murin and I absolutely would not hesitate to grab another of one of her audiobooks. She's amazing and did a great job with all the different characters in this book.

A big thank you to Macmillan Audio and the author for the advanced copy of this audiobook. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You're looking for a fun, clean rom com with all the hilariousness, fun side characters, and lots of love.

Lots of medical stuff mentioned. Might want to check triggers.

Despite my not loving this at all, I did finish the audiobook in its entirety! applause!

The female lead in this book is so gorgeous, as we can see on the cover, she is really what drew me in, but I unfortunately ended up not liking her as much as i’d hoped. She gave off strong eldest sister energy, but not in a good way. Emma seems to be extremely selfless, taking full time care of her handicapped father, but then uses that selflessness almost as a weapon against others? Blaming all of those around her as to the reason she doesn’t have the lifestyle she wants, when they have not definitively asked her to be so self sacrificing, and then once they offer to give her a break, and things don’t go perfectly at home, as is inevitable, she says some extremely hurtful things and shows her true character, leaving you not completely rooting for her own happy ending. Meanwhile, our main male character is basically perfect in every way imaginable, and any unlikable traits he shows turn out to have been completely for Emma’s own sake.

I think the main couple could’ve definitely used a deeper exploration of equilibrium, and their dynamic felt very unbalanced, which is unfortunate because I could’ve seen them being very cute together if they developed their relationship on more even and open grounds. Our FMC becomes so infatuated with our MMC, after he expresses so many unflattering thoughts about her entire career and passions, and then once we grow to like him more, we simultaneously grow to like our FMC less and less.

I didn’t hate this book, I got through it and was interested the whole time, but I found myself disliking a lot of the attributing character traits given to our main couple, but I guess them both being not very nice sometimes makes them a perfect match? perhaps?

Irresistible, quirky, and unbelievably adorable, just like its heroine, this commentary on happily ever after does so many things well!

Great characters and a thoughtful plot combined with wit and awesome tension, make for a sweet yet poignant take on modern love. I think you’ll love this tale of heart and heartache.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Katherine Center does it again! The character drew you in to their story and you couldn’t help but root for them. Along the way you enjoyed the banter and comedy, while enjoying the love story they didn’t see happening

4.5⭐️
This book was so cute! If I read this as a physical book rather than an audiobook, I would have so many memorable quotes tabbed 😅

I felt like it was such a sweet yet emotional read that had you rooting for the MC’s the whole time. In the book it kinda says something along the lines of how romcoms are supposed to have a happy ending. “We all know where a romcom is headed. The fun is how we get there.” That to me is so true! When I read a romance, I want to be sucked into the characters life. To there emotions and feel like I am living what they are living, or that this could really happen. The Rom-Commers did that for me. It showed you could have a happy ending that looks different from the last person, and it will look different than the person after you.

I would say the only reason for the half star is because I felt like the FMC was a little immature sometimes. If you’ve read it you may know the parts that I am talking about, but overall I absolutely loved this one and cannot wait to read more from this authors books. I am officially a fan of her writing style. Thank you so much Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio in exchange for my honest review 🤍

I enjoyed the narration for this book! If you like a closed-door, grumpy-sunshine, cheesy and predictable romcom, this one is for you. Enjoyable on the whole, but not better than Hello Stranger.

You have to read The Rom-Commers! And the author's note at the end is a must.

Katherine Center has a way of writing that is just magical. She writes such real characters and doesn't skate past the uncomfortable parts of life. This book is full of heartache, hope, and love. But as she points out, every life has tragedy and we can't avoid it. We decide how to go forward after tragedies and that is what defines us. We can choose to look at the good things and be grateful. Being grateful is a choice that everyone has. I love love loved this book so much. I laughed and cried. Please read it. Also, the audiobook is amazing. The narrator did such a good job infusing emotion into the words.