Another cute, romantic comedy from Katherine. The more of her books I read, the more I want to keep working on her backlist.

Emma is a screenwriter. Her friend sets her up to work with big name Charlie Yates, basically against Charlie’s will. In the beginning she didn’t even want to take the job, it meant leaving her disabled father behind and traveling to LA. Even though Charlie doesn’t really want her there, he allows her to stay. He needs her help fixing his rom-com screenplay that is just terrible. She’s a romantic at heart and is determined to teach him what true romance is.

There were moments when I wanted to strangle both characters, but I guess that was kind of the point. The story is about showing them grow, as individuals and as a couple.

I enjoyed the narration. Patti did a great job telling both sides of the story.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies of this book.

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for the ALC/ARC!

🩷 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🩷
This book was fantastic. Katherine Center’s stories are so heartfelt and well thought out, I wouldn’t be able to recommend this story enough! It left me feeling happy and hopeful at the end of it, and that’s a great feeling to get from a book!

I love that this story is about two screenwriters writing a romantic comedy story… a romcom story about romcom writers!! Emma is the romcom know all, amateur screenwriter. Charlie is the famous, well-known screenwriter who does Not write romance, and needs help writing a romance moving re-doing, It Happened One Night, that he got roped into writing.

Emma’s manager gets her the job of partnering with Charlie to write together. Charlie is not in favor of the situation and Emma is trying her best to work with him. Emma stays with Charlie, and slowly a fun relationship develops between the two of them. When real chemistry arises, and Emma wants to teach Charlie what a romance is all about in a romcom, feelings start to get involved!

I enjoyed Emma’s backstory here as being a caretaker for her father. Emma is a very take charge person but still has a lot to learn about herself. Charlie seems to have it all going for him on the outside, but has some internal struggles happening that Emma notices and empathizes with.

The ending of this book has such sweet and heartfelt moments that Katherine writes so wonderfully. She has easily become a go-to author I look forward to her books releasing.

Side note: I was supposed to see Katherine at her book tour in Indiana this past Thursday and half way there, my car broke down, so I couldn’t go! 😭 I was super disappointed because listening to Katherine would have been amazing, so I can’t wait to hopefully go in the future!!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Patti Murin did an amazing job narrating this story!! She felt so very Emma-like, and her emotion and depth poured into the story and characters. Katherine Center herself also narrates an audio bonus chapter and acknowledgments, and she is wonderful to listen to!!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🩷 RomComs
💚 Grumpy Sunshine
💜 Fun Banter
💛 Closed Door
🧡 Celebrity Romance/Screenwriters
💙 Forced Proximity/Roommates

I really enjoyed Katherine Center’s latest book, The Rom-Commers! Emma Wheeler is selfless, having put her life on hold to care for her father and support her sister’s education. When she's recruited to help an award-winning screenwriter rewrite his romcom script, you can feel her excitement and trepidation. The chemistry between Emma and the screenwriter is palpable, and their journey in writing a love story together is comedic, heartwarming, and full of witty banter. This book is a delightful mix of romance and personal growth, and it left me with a big smile on my face.

Fans of Annabel Monaghan and Abby Jimenez will enjoy this one. I switched back and forth between the book and audiobook and really enjoyed Patti Murin’s excellent narration.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I JUST finished the ALC of this book and absolutely loved it!! Emma is a bit of an anxious character who learns to let things go, just as Charlie learns more about love!

With a few plot twists that had me on edge and grabbing the tissues, this is a beautiful story of two people learning life lessons from each other all while working in close proximity together.

This was the first book I’ve read by Catherine Center and now I want to go out and grab all her other books to read. Such a heartfelt story that definitely tugs at your heart strings!!

Well...

KC has done it again with a delightful romance that defines the word rom com. I absolutely loved this audio!

Emma Wheeler gets a job of a lifetime, screenwriting a story like one of her beloved rom-coms. After taking care of her dad for so many years, she finally gets a chance to follow her dreams. Her screenwriting partner just happens to be Charlie Yates, one of her writer heroes, who also wants nothing to do with her. He works alone. But as fate has it, they get stuck together, in his house for six weeks and Emma teaches this experienced writer how rom coms should be written.

Forced proximity for the win! I loved the grumpy/sunshine vibes, L.A setting, and falling in love when you least expect. Fantastic dialogue, swoony romance, and a beautiful and fun story. Easy five stars for this contemporary romance magic.

Perfect beach read or summer read. Keep writing KC! I want to read them all!

Thank you Macmillian Audio for my Advance Listening Copy. All thoughts are my own.

Two writers working together to write a rom-com... genius, right? This is my first book by Katherine Center, and I'd give it a solid 4 stars. It’s an excellent beach read with great banter between the main characters, Emma and Charlie. The story made me laugh and also had some sad moments (see warnings). While I personally can’t relate to Emma and her story, I found her likable and believe many people will connect with her. I wish there was more development in Emma and Charlie's romantic relationship.

The narration by Patti Murin was outstanding, capturing the characters' emotions beautifully. The pacing was good and really brought the story to life.

Tropes & Warnings:
Grumpy x Sunshine
Workplace with Forced Proximity
Closed door romance
Death of a Parent & Grief
Caretaker
Cancer
Divorce
Trauma

Genre: (Clean) Romance

I find Katherine Center's romance books so enjoyable. They have fun characters, quirky romances, and all-around happy vibes. The Rom-Commers is no different. I enjoyed the themes of fangirling and Hollywood/movie tropes, all while teaching a standoffish male the rules of romcoms. It was so much fun. I was also a fan of the narration. The narration perfectly matched the vibes of the book. This is the perfect fluffy romance to read while relaxing in the sun this summer. I give it 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. All opinions are my own.

Katherine Center has done it again! She's created characters that are funny, real, and likable with banter that had me cheering them on.

Emma has always wanted to be a screenwriter, she's spent hours watching and studying movies (especialy romantic comedies), and even written a few screenplays herself. When she's given the opportunity to write with one of the most famous and successful screenwriters in the world, Charlie Yates, Emma jumps at the chance...until she realizes he doesn't actually WANT work with her, he does NOT want to write a romantic comedy and he REALLY doesn't believe in love.

Emma is determined to change his mind, though--she IS a good screenwriter, romantic comedies CAN be successful, and love stories DO exist.

The story will leave readers smiling and believing in love themselves.

It was great as an audiobook--kept my attention and was just a delightful read.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center was exquisite! I absolutely love Center's writing, plot points and characters. Center writes different occupations superbly which in turn opens a lens to new worlds for us readers. Her character development and growth are unmatched! You can lose and find yourself in her characters. The Rom-Commers and Hello Stranger are both my fav books by Center although every one of her books are fantastic! The audio and narration on this audiobook was perfection!

🎬 The Rom-Commers - Katherine Center

4.25 ⭐️ - I said it once, I’ll say it again. Katherine Center has a fan in me. Every time I read one, I wonder why it took me so long to find her. I’ve enjoyed every one of them, her newest is no exception. It’s heartfelt, funny, serious, and thought provoking all at the same time.

Emma Wheeler desperately wants to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her whole life studying, writing romantic comedies, and winning contests. But, after an accident, she became to sole full time caretaker for her father. When she gets the chance to rewrite a screenplay for her favorite writing god, Charlie Yates!, the opportunity is too good to pass up. When Charlie doesn’t want to write with her, Emma does everything in her power to change his mind.

This book is so fun. How to write a good rom com while reading a good rom com! It has personal and professional growth, family issues (and solutions), and fun, playful romance. This is a great summer read and I cannot recommend it enough. I love the way KC tells a story, grows her characters, and develops a book you never want to end. It even had some little book crossovers (if you read the bodyguard, you’ll catch it!) which adds some fun flair. I definitely recommend picking this one up this summer! I can’t wait to see what KC does next.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St Martin Press for the early arc and listener copies!

I loved this one! All the feels! I laughed I cried I was furious and all of the above! Some profound life lessons learned and plenty of swoony moments! So good I would definitely recommend this one! Content- This is a closed door romance but it does have a dozen or so f words and some other mild swearing so if that bugs you maybe skip this one. Trigger warnings- loss of parent in a traumatic way and cancer

Katherine Center is an author that always heads right to the top of my reading list when she releases a new book! She has hit another home run with her recent release - "The Rom-Commers”. This is a delightful contemporary romance novel that balances humor and depth and I had the pleasure of enjoying it in audiobook form. Patti Murin added so much to my reading pleasure with her fun and lively performance. The audio also features a bonus scene and the Author's note read by Katherine Center herself.

Emma Wheeler, a struggling screenwriter, gets the chance of a lifetime to rewrite a romantic comedy script for her hero, Charlie Yates. Despite Charlie’s initial resistance, sparks fly as they work together, going through delightful rom-com tropes like enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity. Center's writing and snappy dialogue had me grinning and smiling as I was listening. She has a special approach to dealing with difficult topics like family complexities, sickness, and loss which seem to shed some brightness in challenging times. I felt a mix of romcom, humor, and wisdom/life lessons while enjoying "The Rom-Commers". Even the name of the book evokes a feeling of lightness and creativity.

Center’s storytelling skillfully weaves in themes of family, sacrifice, and perseverance, making this book a heartwarming read. If you like audiobooks as much as I, this is a perfect listen for the beach, your summer vacation, or cozy porch read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange from my honest and personal review.

Katherine Center strikes again. This was my second book of hers & I loved that she brought in characters from The Bodyguard. The banter between Emma & Charlie was spot on. The Rom-Commers was an overall entertaining read (listen).

There were times that I wanted to yell at Emma for being so dense, but she was likable, witty, & smart. Charlie was a great character also & it was fun to see Emma get the best of him multiple times overall. Katherine does a really good job with character development too, which makes the reading experience believable.

Around the 50-75% mark the book felt like it started to drag a little & Emma constant waffling began to get annoying, but it picked back up & started to moved along after 80%.

In a Nutshell: A fun romcom with an entertaining premise, but mixed feelings about the lead characters as they are so toxic. Liked the secondary characters much better than the main pair. The first half is much stronger than the second half.

Plot Preview:
As Emma Wheeler is the sole caretaker for her dad, she has willingly put aside her dreams of becoming a screenwriter for more than a decade. But when her friend and agent calls her with the opportunity of a lifetime, and a chance to work with her idol, acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Yates, Emma cannot resist. With her younger sister Sylvie stepping into the carer’s role, Emma flies to Los Angeles, hoping for the chance of a lifetime to convert into a memorable work experience. What she didn’t expect is that Charlie Yates didn’t even know about her arrival, and is adamant that he doesn’t work with amateurs. Never mind that the romcom script he wrote was garbage. After all, that script is just a filler to get another pet project greenlit, a project far more important than romcoms. Emma, of course, can’t accept this. Die-hard fan or not, she will not allow anyone to tell her that romcoms are useless, or to mess with the only career-transforming opportunity she has received in ages.
The story comes to us in Emma’s first-person perspective.

Bookish Yays:
💖 The secondary characters are mostly memorable. I thought Sylvie would be a bit self-centred as is typical in this genre, but she was so sweet, as was her partner Salvador. Barring one, no one is an outright jerk. And all have at least one flaw, so they are realistic as well.
💖 Witty banter that adds some entertainment to the story. Also, some genuinely funny comic situations.
💖 All the positive advocacy about romcoms. So many readers shame romcoms and romcom readers, so it was great to see this book give it back with vehemence. Also loved all the observations on books and writing and reading choices.
💖 No insta love, no outright steamy scenes. Yay for me, might be a Nay to others.
💖 Cuthbert the Peruvian Guinea pig, even in his minimal role, is adorable.
💖 The author's note, which roots so strongly for romance novels to be accepted. Appreciate it!


Bookish Mixed Bags:
💓 The book started excellently, and I began dreaming of hitting that elusive 5 star. But soon, the main characters began revealing their true selves, and the potholes of this genre started making the story a bumpy ride. This made my rating slide beyond control. The first half of the book is still okay and has many lovely moments; the second half is nonsensical. One cliched drunken scene towards the end goes so unbelievably farfetched that I couldn’t stop my eyes from rolling. There is one scene where Emma goes ballistic at Sylvie over something the latter said. I just didn’t get that! How are we supposed to feel sorry for Emma when Emma herself was the first to say something equally bad, or possibly worse, to Sylvie!?
💓 Emma is a huge fan of Charlie Yates. This means that almost every time she sees him or talks about him (which is a whole load!), she keeps referring to him by his full name. (If I didn’t have the audiobook, I would have actually counted the number of times “Charlie Yates” appears on the page.) Why is this a Mixed Bag and not a Nay? Well, if Colin Firth comes in front of me, you might see me shouting his name with equal gusto hundreds of times, so I do understand Emma to some extent. 😆
💓 It is nice to see a story with screenwriters; rarely do we get to see this profession in romcom fiction. However, we hardly get to see Emma and Charlie hash the script out together. After the initial discussions, it was more like they were typing side by side while working independently.
💓 The ending is pretty good for the genre. It is still hyperbolic, but compared to some other scenes in the book, it is still decent. Liked the epilogue even better.

Bookish Nays:
💔 Emma and Charlie – Sigh… What tiresome characters for a romcom! Charlie goes in circles, promising Emma something but actually lying about it, again promising something but lying yet again… Not at all appealing behaviour! He is quite mean and selfish at times. This should have made me feel sorry for Emma, but she too isn’t great. She constantly bullies and guilt-trips Charlie so that she can fix him and win him over to her thinking. Not done! In fact, some of her thoughts and actions are so bad that if a male character had done the same, readers would have red-flagged him. We can’t ignore manipulative behaviour just because it is by a female character. In a way, I suppose they deserve each other. They both redeem themselves to a certain extent by the end but it is not easy to ignore their overall toxic behaviour.
💔 Emma has a tendency to break the fourth wall in her first-person narrative. But whom is she speaking to? Us? This writing choice just didn’t make sense in the story.
💔 There’s a health scare in the book that might be triggering for some readers. The trigger itself wasn’t an issue for me, but the way it was (mis)used in the final section was unbelievable. I don’t want to go into spoilers, but I’ll just say: it was ridiculous, both in terms of writing and execution.


🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 11 hrs 21 min, is narrated by Patti Murin. If it were not for her, I would have been far more annoyed at the book. She was okay at voicing Charlie, but she more than made up for it by her performance of Emma’s first-person narration. So much enthusiasm and expression! I could feel every emotion through her voice.
We audiobook listeners rarely get to hear the author's note, but this audiobook has not just the author’s note but also a bonus scene from Charlie's perspective, both narrated by the author herself. A nice double surprise.

This is my first book by this acclaimed author, so I am slightly disappointed to see how it went. It wasn’t a total disaster; I did have a lot of fun as well. Plus, this had a balance of rom and com in equal measure. I was looking for a light read, and in that sense, this offered plenty of feel-good moments.
However, when we read romcoms, we love to root for the couple to be with each other. And we know that if there is ever a sequel or a spinoff, we will see the couple happy with each other. Not in this case. I predict a divorce for Emma and Charlie within a couple of years, unless they kill each other first.
In short, the problematic characters and a couple of really stupid scenes in the second half messed up what could have been an enjoyable book. The audiobook narrator deserves a chunk of the credit for saving the experience. In fairness, I am no longer a regular romcom reader, so I don’t have that much tolerance for OTT scenes. This might work better for the right reader who loves mushy emotions and comic connections.
If you still want to read this, I do recommend the audio version, provided you can toss out your brains and just enjoy the silliness for what it is. Not a must-read though.

2.5 stars. (which could easily have been upwards of 3.5 stars had the second half been more sensible and the main characters more loveable.)

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “The Rom-Commers”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

Content warning: Cancer.

Katherine Center has yet to deliver any book that I didn’t absolutely love, and The Rom-Commers is no exception. Her books blend character development and emotions with fun plotlines. Center’s books are neither too heavy nor too light—I find they fall right in the sweet spot between!

Sometimes I find it difficult to write about Katherine Center’s books in a way that captures the story. Her books sound like fluffy romantic comedies in the description of the plot (and this one is named after romantic comedies so it’s even more prominent), but I find her books to have much deeper character development than the average rom-com. It’s on the end of the spectrum that I’d say is closer to contemporary fiction than romance, though where is that line? It's a love story, but much more.

We are introduced to a woman named Emma Wheeler who dreams of becoming a screenwriter, but is watching that dream pass her by while she stays at home to help her sick father. The deal was that Emma would assist him for ten years until her younger sister Sylvie would take over. When her manager reaches out with a request to help Charlie Yates—one of her all-time favorite screenwriters—with his newest venture into rom-com territory, Emma can barely believe it. Yates is known for blockbuster action films, so romantic comedies aren’t exactly his thing. But surely the great Charlie Yates can’t possibly write a bad script, right?

Wrong. It’s bad. Emma is shocked—how could someone make such a terrible script based on It Happened One Night. Had he even seen the original film? Sylvie has just received an internship, so Emma intends to turn down the author and stay with her dad. She can’t be away for six weeks in LA. Emma’s friend Charlie (who set her up for the job) won’t let her pass up the opportunity.

Emma can’t simply rewrite the script though, it’s Charlie’s project and it’s clear that Logan may have oversold Charlie’s interest in Emma’s help. Charlie doesn’t seem to know why Emma is there. Awkward! Eventually Charlie reads some of Emma’s work and realizes her talent. Over the six weeks in LA, Emma not only helps with the script, but she helps Charlie. Before he can grasp how to write a romantic comedy, she needs to teach him a few things about the genre. Including the fact that a happily-ever-after ending is a must—something Charlie left out of the original script!

I liked the small moments between Emma and Charlie almost more than the big ones. Grocery shopping, cooking, and all the tiny moments that lead to an epic love story. Not everything needs to be grand scale for two people to fall in love, and that’s certainly true in this book! Emma is a relatable character in many ways, not the least of which is that she is imperfect (like all of us). I was cheering for her, but also was frustrated by her at times. Charlie is much more supportive and kind than I expected from the initial encounter between the two. A great male lead, and the banter and chemistry with Emma were wonderful!

A delightful story about two compelling characters taking a romp around LA and showcasing some of the great romance tropes. One of my favorite things about Katherine Center’s books are that they aren’t exclusively a light and fluffy romance, her characters are written with a depth that brings authenticity to their stories. As in life, her characters are dealing with not only the highs in life, but also the lows. Emma in particular is struggling with feelings of guilt that she had left her family for this project in their time of need.

Another wonderful book from Katherine Center with wonderful narration in the audiobook format by Patti Murin and Katherine Center.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my copy. Opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Katharine Center. If her other books are anything like this one, I will definitely read them.

I was hooked from the very beginning. Emma had dreams of one day becoming a successful screenwriter. But she gave up her dreams after her father’s injury, becoming his caregiver. Charlie is a very famous screenwriter with several Oscar awards that he kept in a drawer. He doesn’t believe in love.

I absolutely loved it. It was entertaining, funny, but also serious at times addressing the tragic loss of a parent, traumatic brain injury, ptsd, and mental health issues.

Thank you to @netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Katharine Center for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

This book was released 6/11/24.

I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook ARC of The RomCommers but it just didn't fly for me, personally.

Emma, our struggling screenwriter is given the opportunity of a lifetime to write with her hero, Charlie Yates on his new Roscommon. The twist? It's terrible and so is he! Amidst the hecticness of her own life, Emma take a career leep and swoops in the save the day (and possibly find love along the way).

So, I have to say that the premise is good but dissapointingly it doesn't come together.

** Spoilers ahead**

For starters, as someone who has been both a caregiver and now a disabled person in need of care, Emma's description of her caring for her father plays upon disabled people's worst fears- being an unnecessary burden on the people you love. Not to diminish the work of caregivers at all (seriously, yall are the realest, most loving people on the planet) but making it seem like his accident ruined her life doesn't endear Emma to disabled readers at all.

That aside, I find Charlie's general attitude, disdain for romance, for Emma (women in general) unappealing and unredeemable. I didn't come away feeling like they should've been a couple.

Last but not least- I agree that romance is maligned too much in everyday society. People use it to take cheap shots at hope and romance and anything that women love but the author's rant at the end just leaves me feeling prickly rather than inspired or hopeful.

Sad that this one didn't work out.

I adored everything about this book!! No surprise, Katherine Center has done it again!!

It's a sparkling gem in the rom-com genre. It’s a tale of Emma Wheeler, a screenwriter with a heart set on bringing love to life through film. Her collaboration with Charlie Yates is a dance of wit and romance that captures the essence of romantic comedies. A must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of love stories and the power of a well-crafted happy ending. This book will make you laugh and leave you smiling long after the final page is turned.

🎧 Patti Murin (@pattimurin) brings the story to life with her engaging voice, adding an extra layer of charm to the already delightful narrative. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Katherine Center’s work or new to her stories, the audiobook promises to be a treat for the ears.

I’ve always done Katherine Centers books via audiobook and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love how she writes and engages her stories. They’re always so fun and narrated so GOOD. Plot was definitely interesting and maybe because I’ve seen it done before recently. I wish there was more of a connection to Emma and Charlie’s relationship. But opposites clearly do attract though! I really appreciated Emma’s family care and attention with them, it felt too similar to similar to me *ouch*

This book truly was a love letter to rom-coms, maybe even Nancy Meyers should work on it lol.

The Rom-Commers was both exactly what I was expecting and better than anything I could have thought. The characters were easy to fall for, I was convinced of their chemistry from the start, and the entire book flowed very well. I could not stop reading and when I did have to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Emma was a great character to follow along with on her journey to find herself and her relationship that blossoms with Charlie was so swoon-worthy and easy to fall for.

I think Katherine Center enveloped grief and a feeling of moral responsibility very well. As an older sister, I felt very deeply for Emma's character and her internal struggle with her future and her responsibilities. As a huge fan of both literature and movies, reading from the point of view of a screen writer and the little quirks in her mind was so fun and made her commentary laugh-out-loud!

I will be recommending this to all my customers, and especially as a romance with no spice because sometimes it is difficult to sell romance-lovers on these type of books but I feel confident that everyone will fall in love with Emma and Charlie just as I did!