Emma Wheeler dreams of being a screenwriter, specifically of romantic comedies, but being her dad’s caretaker is a full time job. Her friend, Logan, presents her with a once in a lifetime opportunity: rewrite a script for her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. Emma is reluctant to leave her dad, but her sister steps in to take over caretaking duties so Emma can live out her dreams. Except when Emma arrives at Charlie’s door, he wants nothing to do with her or her writing. He doesn’t even care about the script or romantic comedies. But Emma is determined to show Charlie the power of love and rom-coms.

I really like that both characters had a lot going on in their lives outside of just falling in love. Emma has her dad and his health issues while Charlie is in remission and getting over his ex-wife. These circumstances largely impact their character development and how they view love and relationships. However, I don’t enjoy romances where men are dicks but women fall for them as soon as they show any semblance of kindness, and that’s exactly how Charlie acts in this book. It’s also too much of a slow burn for me. I like the premise of the story as a whole, and I don’t think it’s a bad book by any means, but it’s just not what I prefer in a romance. Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Katherine Center for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

For ten years, Emma Wheeler has sacrificed everything to care for her dad in the aftermath of a serious accident. When her high school best friend, Logan, reaches out to ask her to take a job helping renowned screenwriter Charlie Yates fix a rom-com script, she hesitantly rearranges her life to accept, only to find that Charlie doesn't actually seem to want her help, or to care about the movie at all. That is, until he discovers her writing skills are actually exactly what he needs... and maybe that's not all he needs from Emma.

Like every Katherine Center book I've ever read, this was a delight. I loved both Emma and Charlie right away, and I was so invested in their enemies-to-lovers journey. I loved the way the author invented her own celebrities but also name-dropped Meryl Streep, and it was fascinating to get a peek into the world of screenwriting. This book made me laugh and cry actual tears, and I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook narrated by Patti Murin. The audiobook also includes a bonus scene and an author's note read by the author that I really enjoyed.

While this isn't a clean romance by the strictest standards because of language and some innuendo, there is no spice on the page. There was one joke I didn't love about a character's name, but if you went to public middle school, it's nothing you haven't heard before. This is still very tame compared to a lot of what is out there now.

Thank you @netgalley, @macmillan.audio, and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and listen to this fantastic summer read. Romance readers will not want to miss this one!

Good Vibes

Katherine Center surprised me with her captivating storytelling. Despite my initial doubts, this book left me in a delightful book hangover—I’ve tried other reads, but nothing quite sticks. I can’t believe it took me this long to discover her! Her name has been all over BookTok, but I didn't think her books were my style. How wrong I was! I finished listening to her book this morning, and nothing else compares. The narrator masterfully holds your attention, and the story is an absolute joy.
Years ago, a tragic accident on the Wheeler family vacation forever changed their lives—the mother lost her life, the father lost the use of his hand, and the daughters were never the same. Emma, the eldest, channeled her grief into becoming a stellar screenwriter, even winning a prestigious internship she had to forfeit to care for her father. Now, thanks to an old friend and agent, Emma gets a fleeting chance to pursue her dreams. She’s been hired to assist Charlie Yates, the award-winning screenwriter she’s admired for years. However, upon meeting Charlie, Emma realizes that some heroes are best admired from afar—a very long distance afar.
This novel will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, making you laugh one moment and cry the next. Like all truly heartfelt stories, it evokes a wide range of emotions from the start, keeping you fully invested until the end. It’s almost like an emotional cleanse—you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come out feeling rejuvenated.
The book is sweet, fun, funny, heartwarming, agonizing, surprising, and highly entertaining. Katherine Center proves herself a spectacular Rom-Com writer, with at least 50% of the novel being dialogue—something she masters brilliantly. I laughed out loud many times and adored her impactful one-word paragraphs. Center has a talent for crafting wonderful characters that readers can’t help but love and root for. Plus, there’s a fantastic twist that caught me by surprise—bonus points for that. How many Rom-Com authors can write truly surprising twists?

Unfortunately, it will probably be another year or two before Katherine Center finishes her next masterpiece. Luckily, I have plenty of her other books to dive into while I eagerly await her next release.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio through @Netgalley for the ALC of Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers. And when I say thank you, I mean THANK YOU! All opinions are my own.

We need a new word for wonderful for this book. 5/5. The end.

Okay, you want more details? Katherine Center loves to write and you feel it on every page. She loved writing it and I loved reading it. It flowed so nicely and could easily be a one-day read. There were special connections throughout the book that felt so easy, yet they must have been difficult to come up with and write.

Emma Wheeler has had to give up a lot in her life and gets an offer she either can (or can’t) refuse, which is to help screenwriter Charlie Yates with his step into rom-com writing.

You will learn insider writer information such as immersion research and pen identity issues like ink color, fine-point or bold-tip. You will see how to lose a conversation, question how many days it takes to fall in love, and want to take note of Emma’s list of kissing categories. In many KC books you will learn about an illness or physical problem, and this one is no different. Like life, there is happy and sad in her books but there is also resilience. There were so many scenes and quotes and learning moments that I highlighted but they would surpass the character count if I added them here. One short one that I relate to: “I don’t have anxiety. I just worry all the time.”

Narrator Patti Murin is a great voice for this book. She gets the humor, the touching parts and the romance. Her voice simply agrees with me and I always know that when she is involved, she will take an already excellent book up additional notch.

The audiobook includes a bonus scene (Charlie’s POV) read by the author.
Both the ebook and audiobook have acknowledgements, but the author reads them in the audio and adds a bit more.

This book publishes today, June 11, 2024. Grab it with both hands and don’t let go!!!

5/5 stars
11 hours 21 minutes at 1x on audio
Locations: Texas and Los Angeles, CA

Another great novel from Katherine Center! Emma is a writer hoping to land a sweet deal for her screenplay draft. Charlie is a successful screenwriter who Emma idolizes. Emma’s future is in flux as she cares for her father who is disabled. When her friend, Logan, gives her a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with her idol, Emma can’t pass it up. How will Charlie respond to a collaboration with an unknown? Can they find success together? How will this project change their lives? Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Katherine Center, please take a bow! You truly outdid yourself with this gem!

I've read most everything by this author and I have many favorite books. That said, this one is definitely at the top of my list now. It was just such a complete romance in every meaning of the word. It was a beautiful story with scarred characters who needed to find someone who could help heal their wounds. At the same time, even though there was complete heartbreak, there was also incredible hope.

I also loved the plot of a complete rom-com queen helping a re-knowned screenwriter to "fix" a script. Their slowly evolving relationship was quite simply the thing of stories....no pun intended.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration for this audio was wonderful. I toggled back and forth between the audiobook and the ebook and it was wonderful. I was completely engrossed in this story from start to finish and couldn't wait to see how these two worked "things" out. 5 stars

A huge thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to read and/or listen to them both and review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thank you to both St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for early review copies via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I mostly listened to the audio because I really enjoy the narration of Patti Murin 😍
Emma, a romcom screenwriter, has been working as her father’s caretaker and putting her own life on hold. When a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity comes up, Emma is able to take advantage of it as her recently graduated sister takes over in caring for their father. Along the way, Emma grows both professionally and personally. Working with a famous screenwriter, Emma helps him break out of his writer's block and teaches him a few things. Emma learns to forgive herself and is able to finally break out of the shell of herself within which she's been existing. I enjoyed witnessing her growth. And I laughed aloud at the cameo made by a previous Katherine Center main character 🤣
This one is now available for everyone to experience, and I highly recommend it! I got teary while listening to the end of this one, so perhaps prepare yourself with some tissues.

This was my first Katherine Center book but it will not be my last. I loved the romance and disability rep in this book. THe characters were believable and their feelings felt appropriate to the situation. A lot of times in romance books, the characters feelings seem blown out of proportion and unbelievable. I really enjoyed this.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I understand why people love her writing. This was a fun read overall. I felt for the FMC so much. While some of the storyline and actions were questionable, it was a good. I think the ending was perfect. Overall 3.75 stars rounded to 4.

4.5 Stars
I always have a good time with Katherine Center’s novels and The Rom-Commers was no exception.

There was so much I loved about this book. Emma was a great FMC, and she was an easy character to root for. Despite all the difficulties she has faced in her life, she still manages to be a complete ray of sunshine. Charlie is the complete opposite and SUCH a jaded grump. I thought the premise was fun and while I’ve read a bunch of Hollywood romances at this point, I don’t think I’ve ever come across one involving two screenwriters. I loved the banter between the pair - so many funny one liners! And the totally unromantic “research” moments? Swoon!

The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star was that Charlie was just so mean at times and even though we learn why that is, I just didn’t like it. I didn’t like how he talked down to her (and about her), and how Emma just took it and didn’t expect an apology. Everything just happened so quickly at the end it was hard for me to reconcile his actions.

I read this via audiobook and it was a great experience. The narrator did a wonderful job, especially with capturing the snarky banter between Emma and Charlie. I would highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the review copy.

I devoured this book! It made me feel all of the emotions and my husband even caught me crying a couple of times. I loved the banter and the chemistry and everything about Emma and Charlie. They had my smiling like crazy one second and then tearing up the next.

I love a good grumpy sunshine pairing and this one was PERFECT! All I really have to say is GO READ THIS BOOK! It is my new favorite Katherine Center read and if you like rom coms with depth then I think you’ll love it too!

The audiobook was done so well! I loved the narration by Patti Murin and definitely recommend listening if you like to read books that way!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"All genres have a promise...the same is true for a romantic comedy. The two leads will wind up together. That's what the audience shows up for; the joy of it all...The fun is how we get there..."

...and WOW do we get there in the laugh out loud yet tender comfort read/listen of The Rom-Commers by the always sentimentally funny author Katherine Center.

Emma loves to write romcoms. She's even won writing contests but as the caregiver for her sweet Dad who needs constant care from an accident for which Emma feels guilty, she has no time to pursue her writing career. Then a chance to help an award winning screenwriter salvage his awfully bad RomCom script comes her way and her Dad and sister force her to take the opportunity.

Charlie is a cranky grump. He doesn't believe in love and can't remember the last time he laughed, so of course his try at romantic comedy is a dud. He can write violence and action but in order to get approval for his next movie the studio wants this script.

He doesn't want Emma's help but soon she's living in his mansion, writing with him everyday, and helping him hide from his ex-wife. Their hilarious mishaps, ridiculous arguments and obvious chemistry makes its way into their RomCom story but then Charlie gets a phone call and it changes everything.

When I found out that voice actress Patti Murin was performing the words of Katherine Center this easily became my most anticipated summer book and neither let me down. As always the funny capers were awesome but it was those tender heartfelt moments that made the tears fall.

Hey Prime Video and Netflix you have a ready made RomCom hit with The Rom-Commers! It fulfills all the promises of the genre for us fans.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to @katherinecenter @netgalley @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress and @pattimurin for my audio copy of The Rom-Commers!


"A great rom-com is just like sex. If you're suprised by the ending, somebody wasn't doing their job. We all know where it's headed. The fun is how we get there."

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

“That's just life.
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 has to be how you get there.
That's what I've decided.
It's all about the details you notice. And the joys you savor. And the hope you refuse to give up on.
It's all about writing the very best story of your life.
Not just about how you live it—but how you choose to tell it.”
- Katherine Center, The Rom-Commers

Happy pub day to @katherinecenter and her newest rom-com, so aptly named The Rom-Commers!

This story focuses on Emma Wheeler, a talented writer who has put many of her own dreams on hold to care for her father, who suffered a TBI while rock climbing ten years earlier and has since been diagnosed with hemiplegia and Meniere's disease, in addition to helping raise her younger sister.

Our MMC is Charlie Yates, an award-winning screenwriter who has also been through some trauma and has lost his writing mojo.

The two are brought together by a mutual friend in hopes they can re-write Charlie's dumpster fire of a rom-com screenplay. This grumpy/sunshine duo made me laugh, cry, and occasionally say, "Oh come on!" as they stumbled through the ups and downs of writing, life, and love. They both brought out good things in each other, even though the way they went about it weren't always the best.

While the main focus was Emma and Charlie's relationship, I honestly think I was more in love with Emma's relationship with her dad and younger sister, Sylvie. Her dad truly was the best example of gratitude and making the most of your life, and as someone with a younger sister, I also loved how Sylvie was not only Emma's little sister, but also one of her best friends who grew up a lot while Emma was in Los Angeles.

As always, Center's writing in The Rom-Commers is full of heart and beautiful, but there were a few instances that rubbed me the wrong way that I wish had been handled a little differently. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that, but feel free to message me if you want specifics. This book wasn't my very favorite of hers, but I would still recommend it to rom-com fans and fans of her writing, even though it was a heavier read.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and its overarching theme about treasuring every moment, holding those you love close, and not letting fear dictate how you live life.

I can't wait to read more from Katherine in the future!

I really loved The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger so I was really excited to receive this ARC! Katherine Center is always a beautiful writer and I love how she talks about the value of romance and reading about love. That being said, I didn't love the characters or story in this book.

Emma and Charlie had both been through a lot. I do think they both ended up in a better place as a result of meeting each other but throughout the story I really just wanted everyone to get therapy. Charlie was often not very nice to Emma. He often had good reasons for this but I still felt like the ratio of him being sweet to rude wasn't great.

Emma was pushy, dramatic and in a lot of ways never got to grow up as more than a caregiver. I thought her behavior was realistic given her history but at times I found her behavior manipulative and self-destructive and would have liked that addressed more.

I think if you like a book that is a bit of an emotional roller coaster you might enjoy this one. I tend to prefer lower angst. It is also important to me that the relationships I read about are healthy in contemporary romance (throw in werewolves and I'm much more flexible). If you like writing and story more than the likeability of the characters you may love this one. Lots of people seem to but it wasn't for me.

I listened to the audio and thought Patti Murin was a great narrator! Romance readers may recognize her from The Paradise Problem or other Christina Lauren titles as well as earlier Kathrine Center titles.

It has been a long time since I've read a book in one day, but I did exactly that with this one! Emma has obsessed over screenwriter Charlie Yates for years, and finally gets a chance to work with him. Charlie is the opposite of Emma in every way -- he doesn't believe in love, he hates romcoms -- but the way they worked together was done so well. I loved their banter, their working relationship, and the overall story arc in this one. I will say there were times Emma was exasperating, but that was also part of her charm. The secondary characters added a lot to this story, especially Emma's family (I loved them all!). This is a sweet, not at all spicy, romance. I switched between the audio and kindle version and I loved the audio version as well! Katherine Center remains one of my favorite romance authors and this one is definitely one of my favorites from her!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC to review!

Happy release day to one of the best authors out there!

I was very nervous going into this book, I have to admit. This is only because Katherine Center’s last book “Hello Stranger” to this day is still my favorite book of all time. So how are you supposed to follow that up? With this kick ass love story, that’s what!

This book is absolutely adorable and I love it so so much! I will still admit that writing reviews for books I love is still incredibly hard. I can pick things apart all day long, but wax poetic? Why can’t you just trust me and go get it already?

I think I can safely say for most of my fellow book nerds that one of our favorite plots of all time is anything centered around a male lead that is an author. Famous or not. However, I know a lot of people have a kink for famous male leads. Not particularly my thing, but brooding and writerly……Check check check check check.

Anyways, our male lead, Charlie Needs help writing. Cue our adorably quirky and awesome female lead, Emma. She is tasked to help him and shenanigans ensue.

My only complaint is that I still think the epilogues are too long and preachy. I think that they would have a higher impact if they were more punchy. This is the one area where kill your darlings really needs to be taken to heart. However, I still think she is the queen and I stand behind her mission and will read every book she ever publishes.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

The QUEEN of RomCom does it again! I fell in love with Katherine Center with The Bodyguard, and then again with Hello Stranger, and now I’m at the point of obsession with The Rom-Commers! I’m slowly making my way to reading her older works, but it’s apparent that she loves love — I’m here for it and this particular book is PERFECTION 🤌🏽

It’s a romcom about writing a romcom! Emma gets the opportunity of a lifetime to re-write a screenplay with her favorite writer Charlie Yates. He’s uber famous for writing all sorts of screenplays and decides to write a romcom, but it’s terrible. In comes Emma to save the day, but not without some hiccups.

I listened to this on audio and @pattimurin has a voice that makes you fall in love with Emma immediately. She brought so much life to this character and I found myself constantly listening. I think this one set a record for the fastest book I’ve read! I will listen to anything Patti Murin puts a voice to. She’s a magical unicorn in the audiobook world!!!

This book has all the things I adore about romcoms — a feel good story with no spicy scenes, adorable characters with hilarious banter, family and lots of love. I LOVED everything about it! I never really do star ratings, but I’d definitely give it 100 stars ⭐️

It’s out 6/11 so make sure to pick it up or listen to it on audio. You can’t go wrong either way!

Thanks so much to @macmillan.audio for the ALC. Such a phenomenal audiobook 👏🏽

happy release day to the rom-commers by katherine center!!⁣
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this book has so much humor and heart, and it was a delight to read from beginning to end.⁣
⁣
emma wheeler’s screenwriting dreams have been on hold for years, but when an old friend calls her up with an unbelievable opportunity, it seems like the perfect time to make a change. of course, change never comes easily…⁣
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emma not only has to convince charlie yates (an inspiration and hero of hers) that she is good enough to help him, but also that rom-coms are a worthwhile genre.⁣
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this is exactly the kind of story i hope to find when i read a katherine center book. it has plenty of light-hearted and fun moments, but doesn’t shy away from tougher moments, too, to give the characters some well-rounded personal growth. it all blends together so well in this romance.⁣
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i also loved getting a bit of a defense for romance and rom-coms, as emma teaches charlie. these stories aren’t usually accepted as highbrow and noteworthy, but that doesn’t mean the stories are any less important to tell.⁣
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i loved it and definitely think you can’t go wrong picking the rom-commers for a summer read.

The Rom-Commers: the second book I've read by Katherine Center.

Okay, so... this book just didn't work for me.

(Spoilers ahead.)

Things that didn't work:
-the cover
-not finding myself invested in the story, even after reading 73%
-somehow, I didn't even know for certain what Emma's name was and needed to look it up
-many toxic male characters; I'll start with Logan, and end with Jablowmie
-readers are expected to A) trust Emma's judgement on Charlie and B) rationalize that Charlie is a good guy based on his less than stellar friendships!?
-I found the lack of Emma’s internal dialog concerning her dad alarming once she (quickly) settled in at Charlie’s. Being away from her dad didn't seem to bother Emma like it should have; I expected a moral struggle
-Emma, the queen of playing it safe, had a major and dangerous drunk escapade. WTF!? I have ISSUES with this scene
-playing house does not a romance/relationship make
-the phrase "soft pooch"
-timeline issues with Emma's dad's ICU stay
-overall, the relationship between Emma and Charlie seemed toxic, although I can't pinpoint why
-nothing was remotely funny

Things that did work:
-the dedication
-Emma's dad was a good guy
-the Author's Note and the love that Center feels for romance as a genre
-the Author's Note and Acknowledgements being narrated by Center

The audiobook narration was alright, although at times I noticed similar voices used for some characters.

In summery, I just wished I liked my second book from Center more!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Every single one of Katherine Center’s books is a joy to read. The narrator of the audiobook makes it that much better. I loved reading about Emma and her struggles of becoming a screenwriter and taking care of her family. She has had so much heartbreak in her life that she doesn’t know how to move forward without the past trailing alongside her. When Emma gets the opportunity to work on an awful screenplay written by famous writer Charlie Yates, she jumps at the chance. The character development is outstanding as they both grew and changed together. The banter between Emma and Charlie was top notch. Charlie doesn’t believe in love and Emma is determined to show him what love is so they can effectively write the romcom together. I had a smile on my face and could not put this one down. I cannot wait for the next Katherine Center book!