This was my first Katherine Center book but definitely won’t be my last. It was the perfect palate cleanser and such a fun story. I loved the rom com aspects, but I also love that the author included deeper topics. This was a heartwarming story about life and love. The story had deeper levels which helped make it a multi dimensional read. I would highly recommend this one! Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook.

Emma, an aspiring screenwriter, gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with her favorite screenwriter of all time, Charlie Yates. The catch? She has to leave her dad’s caretaking duties to her sister to go move in with Charlie in LA and help rewrite his terrible romcom script without any credit.

As a long time Katherine Center fan, this book felt a little different from her previous works. I had a really hard time connecting and liking the main characters since most of their interactions felt forced. Charlie repeatedly treated Emma poorly and it only worsened after her multiple attempts of conquest. The reasoning for his actions is revealed at the end but it didn’t quite feel justified. I also felt uncomfortable with Emma constantly trying to be romantic with Charlie in the name of “research,” especially because of the power dynamic difference and knowing everything that has come out from Hollywood and the Me Too movement in recent years.

I’ve enjoyed Patti Murin’s previous narrations of Center’s books and was not disappointed with her narration of The Rom-Commers! She did a wonderful performance and really brought these characters to life!

Title: The Rom-Commers
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: June 11, 2024

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Brisk • Entertaining • Cliché

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? 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.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After not absolutely adoring The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger over the past two summers, I was determined to give Katherine Center one more shot. I was hoping for a return to her earlier writing style, unfortunately that didn't happen.

There is no denying Katherine Center knows how to write banter. However, the banter overtakes the narrative entirely. Neither main character is overly likeable, in fact, Charlie is down right mean at times. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, hence wasn't rooting for them to end up together.

I would have preferred more of a focus on Emma with her family - the caretaking, the grief, their relationship dynamics, the history. It was the scenes that included her father that really hooked my attention. Otherwise, I was overly invested in the story.

My main issue is how the whole cancer aspect was handled. It definitely knocked it down another rung. The book would have been fine without this plotline and I am not even sure what compelled the author to include it here. This whole part left an ick feeling, and was just a solid no from me.


The audiobook narrated by Patti Murin was fine. Nothing really stood out and I would have expected a different tone for Charlie's voice, but it read mostly in the same voice. I didn't necessairly notice as I was also reading with my eyeballs, but I can see how it would be an issue for someone solely listening. The bonus content and the author's note are a nice addition at the end.

There is no doubt in my mind The Rom-Commers will be one of the most popular titles this summer. However, it will not be a favourite of mine. It's evident to me Center has taken a more comedic approach to her writing than focusing on depth and development, which is what originally drew me to her books. This is the third straight release that wasn't for me, and so it's officially time for me to break up Katherine Center as a favourite author. Maybe I will still read more in the future, but they won't be on my most anticipated lists nor will they be a priority.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• The Bodyguard and/or Hello Stranger
• banter
• closed door romance

⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, grief, cancer, injury/injury detail, traumatic brain injury, medical content, medical trauma, chronic illness, car accident, cursing, alcohol, panic attacks/disorders,

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"You had to maximize joy when it fluttered into your life. You had to honor it. And savor it. And not stomp it to death by reminding everyone of everything you'd lost."

"I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we are looking for- adventure, excitement, emotion, connection-we turn to stories that help us find it."

"Tragedy really is a given. There are endless human stories, but they all end the same way. So it can't be where you're going that matters. It have to be how you get there."

I absolutely loved this story by Katherine Center! There were so many bits of wisdom scattered throughout this book which made it even better. The audio narration was perfect and I wanted the story to keep going. Highly recommend

Katherine Center has solidified her spot as my favorite romance writer with this gem of a book!

With quirky characters and a wonderfully paced plot, this book really worked its way into my heart. Emma is a great main character! She’s very likable but has just the right amount of flaws, so we don’t find her annoyingly perfect.

And Charlie Yates is the most excellent candidate for forced proximity. His grumpy to sunshine arc made my head so happy.

As always, I was plunged into a new world and this time it was the world of screen writing. This is something I was wholly unfamiliar with so I enjoyed the education but also the wealth and glamour it leant the story.

This places high on my list of favorite Katherine Center books, tying for the top three positions with The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger. This book came out this week and is NOT to be missed!!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook ARC! Amazing audiobook that kept me wanting to keep listening. Filled with cute funny moments, just what one looks for in a rom com book. Dropped one star because there were times in the book that the main character, Emma, was annoying me but would overall recommend, especially if you are a fan of Katherine Center's The Bodyguard.

Katherine Center continues to be an instant-purchase author for me. Her books are consistently among my favorites each year, and the Rom-Commers easily joins this year's list. The audio version was excellent, with good narration. I love how I almost always learn something new about an obscure medical condition in her recent books. It feels like a fun quirk, among an excellent of novels.

I wanted to love this one, but I only liked it.

The plot was great, I was really intrigued with how the dynamic was going to play out. It definitely had the rom com feel, with a touch of more depth than most.

The main female character is very likable, and I loved the narrator in this audiobook. She had such a personality in this audiobook that added to the likeness of the MFC.

HOWEVER, I never liked the main male character. I am all for a grumpy MMC, but he was straight up just an A-Hole. And he had no redemption ARC for me. He was just so mean to the MFC. I never liked him, and I couldn't get behind him.

Katherine always writes captivating stories and every one is just better than her last, I just love her!
If you are looking for a delightful romantic story about overcoming life challenges, you need to read this one, trust me, you won’t regret it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this gifted copy and complimentary audiobook.

Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance writers. I love how she crafts worlds and always provides readers with relatable MCs with depth and a love story we can root for. Thank you, Netgally and St. Martin's Press, for the arc!

Final Rating 4/5

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me. And this might have been my favorite of her books yet. It was adorable and the perfect book to read by the pool or at the beach. It gets all the hearts and stars.

What a fun read! This is the book you want to read this summer. It is the perfect beach or poolside companion. You will laugh, cry & even be angry but the ride is so fun!!! I loved wondering how the story would unfold. I couldn’t have loved how Ms. Center wrote this book more. I listened to it and her choice for narrator was fabulous. Go get this book!!! Listen to it, read it but do yourself a favor and get it!

I was instantly hooked on Katherine Center's writing after reading "The Bodyguard," which piqued my interest in her book "Rom-Commers." I'm thrilled that I picked up "Rom-Commers." Intriguingly, the book is titled "Rom-Commers," as romantic comedies are my favorite. I found myself laughing throughout the book. The main character, Emma, was incredibly amusing, and I admired her quirky, resilient, enthusiastic, and nurturing nature. The male lead was equally charming and quirky. Both characters had their struggles and inner battles to conquer. I loved that they were both screenwriters. Katherine did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life and depicting the life of a screenwriter. This book is perfect for anyone seeking laughter and a feel-good story.

My Narration Thoughts:

I was so impressed with Patti Murin's performance in bringing the characters to life. Her brilliant portrayal effortlessly captured their personalities and humor. I felt the most connected to her narration of Emma. I laughed so much because of how well Patti portrayed Emma's reactions and encounters with Charlie. It was heartwarming to listen to her narration of this book.

Love Always Catherine

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin Press, for gifting me this audiobook.

Katherine Center can do no wrong. This book was amazing. One of my newest favorites of hers! She had a way with words. If you need a good, feel good story.. this is the book for you! Thank you netgalley and Katherine Center!

Helllo to another sweet and fluffy romance by Katherine Center. I really love reading her books during the summertime. They’re the perfect amount of happiness, romance and also have some depth to them to keep me entertained. Don’t miss this one and it’s beautiful cover!

she’s rewriting his love story but can she rewrite her own? 🌼 the rom-commers by katherine center 🎧 thank you for the audio copy macmillan audio!

I really felt for emma and charlie’s situations, they were both well developed characters making their imperfections feel so real. I would've loved chapters from charlie yates’ pov! it had sweet moments, funny scenes, and was just an all around feel good book that had my eyes tearing up at the end.

there were a few things that kept me from loving this though. I thought this book was wordy and could’ve gotten through situations faster. I wasn't the biggest fan of the heated moments, forceful kiss/ attempted sexy scene and constant mixed signals. I’ve never felt that spark, or a deep connection to a katherine center book but I still enjoy my time with her stories.

towards the end, there are multiple conversations about death which were very tough to get through. all in all, this was a romance dedicated to love, lovers & love stories 💕 4 stars!

“so my dad was right in the end, we all really did manage to be okay.”

Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge Katherine Center fan. Her books are always so heartwarming and I always come away from my reading experience feeling like I have been wrapped in the warmest of hugs. The Rom-Commers is Center’s latest book and it’s my new favorite from her.

The story follows Emma Wheeler, a talented rom-com screenwriter whose career has been put on hold because she is also her dad’s caretaker. A tragic accident killed Emma’s mom and left her dad in need of round-the-clock care. Not only has Emma cared for her father for years now, but she has practically raised her younger sister. Her friend Logan presents her with the opportunity of a lifetime - to rewrite a script for famous screenwriter, and Emma’s idol, Charlie Yates. At the insistence of her Dad and sister, Emma heads off to L.A. to meet Charlie.

At first, Charlie Yates is the absolute worst. He’s rude and downright insulting both toward romance in general and especially toward Emma, and I honestly wanted Emma to just punch him in the face and go home. Instead of punching him, however, Emma makes it her mission to teach Charlie not only how to write a better rom-com script since what he wrote is pure garbage, but also to convince him that love stories matter.

I adored Emma because of her determination and her big heart, & Charlie started to grow on me once he agreed to be mentored by Emma & started to truly appreciate her advice. Charlie has some things he is dealing with as well. While they don’t excuse his early behavior, they did help me to better understand him. He’s definitely a work-in-progress for much of the story as far as book boyfriends go, but he gets there in the end.

I don’t want to give anything away, but if you’re looking for a story filled with flawed, relatable characters, as well as a beautifully crafted romance that has warmth, humor, and emotional depth, you can’t go wrong with The Rom-Commers.

Patti Murin narrates the audiobook and is *chef’s kiss* as always.

This was my first time diving into Katherine Center's writing and it's an absolute delight! Highly recommend reading through audiobook! The narrator did a fantastic job, bringing every moment to life with just the right amount of emotion and humor, making it come alive! Also love the characters witty banter, hilarious situations, and just the right amount of heart-melting moments. Perfect for those lazy afternoons or when you need a pick-me-up, it was the perfect escape with a mix of humor, little drama, and romance. I can't wait to explore more from Katherine Center!

This. Was. So. Good. 🩷

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍ-ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇʀꜱ
By Katherine Center

I listened to this one, thanks @macmillan.audio for the arc audio, and highly recommend it.
@katherinecenter and @pattimurin narrate this so perfectly, I couldn’t wait to get in my car to listen to more.

It’s funny, it’s sad, it takes your breath away but then gets you laughing again and…
It’s a rom-com about writing…
a rom-com💕

Put this in your beach bag!🩷🧡💙

#theromcommers #macaudio2024
#beachread #audiobook #newrelease #pubweek #romancebooks #romcom #romcombooks #booklover #bookstagram #summerreading #summerreads #readmorebooks #fivestarread #bookreview #bookrecommendations

The Rom-Commers was ridiculously cute. Center does such a great job of mixing real life worries and emotions with super cute movie-style romance. In this one, a screenwriter finds her lucky break: she must move in with a Hollywood it boy writer/ producer to help fix his screenplay. Of course tension and true love ensues. Great banter and comedy in this book. A delight.