I struggle endlessly when it comes to reviewing books by Katherine Center, and here’s why. She writes insanely lovable, flawed, relatable characters you cannot help but want to know; her plot lines will capture your attention from page one; her love stories the best of the best. How can I properly do her beautiful, heartwarming, joyful, inspirational stories justice? I simply cannot.

I will leave you with this - read this book. If you are someone who is like me, and struggle with anxiety and overwhelming sadness at times, pick up this book. If you are also like me and suffer from chronic pain from a degenerative illness and have moments of hopelessness, pick up this book. If times are hard and you need a warm hug, PICK UP THIS BOOK. No matter what, you will never regret it.

And if you have already read and loved this one, like I know you will, pick up any of her numerous others.

🎧 I did a reread via audio thanks to my friends at Macmillan Audio. Patti Murin does a masterful job voicing these characters and this story. I think the best way to enjoy this one would be to do an immersive read, listening along while you read.

Read if you like:
•Hollywood romance
•books about writers
•grumpy x sunshine
•forced proximity
•workplace romance
•quirky characters
•joyful books
•swoony romance

Thank you Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copies.

This is my first Katherine Center book. I can see why she has got the rating she has

I think this is a lovely lovely book. You kind of know where it will end from the beginning. Even though the journey always good. I laughed, I held my heart.

I totally recommend this book and will totally be reading more from this author

Katherine Center’s ode to the perfect romcom recipe captures the heart, where Emma Wheeler gets a dream opportunity to co-write a romcom script with her idol writer, Charlie Yates. However, Charlie turns out to be quite different from Emma’s expectations: he despises the genre. Tasked with fixing Charlie’s lacklustre script, Emma finds herself teaching him the essential elements of a romantic comedy.

Charlie is far from the ideal hero with his grumpy and cynical demeanour; there are times when his back and forth feelings for Emma that got to me, but he definitely grew on me and I embraced his character development. Emma’s background adds a layer of emotional depth to the story too. As a former caregiver, her experiences resonated with me deeply, evoking a mix of empathy and reflection.

Katherine Center masterfully weaves together humor, romance, and heartfelt moments, creating a story that is both touching and entertaining.

And that HEA. Wow!

Patti Murrin’s narration truly captures the humor, romance, and heartfelt moments that Katherine Center has beautifully painted. I’ve always found Patti’s voice to be lively and she continues to touch and entertain the listener in this audiobook.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I absolutely loved this book! It really is worthy of the title ‘The Rom-Commers’ a perfect combination of Romance and Comedy!

Emma is a ‘failed’ writer who takes care of her father and has a once in a lifetime chance to rewrite a screenplay with a famous albeit prickly writer Charlie. It is filled with ups and downs, a sort of forced proximity trope and a lovely cast of characters! If you need a break from the lay it on thick/over the top romances I think you will enjoy this! I certainly did!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur books and Macmillan Audio for the digital advanced readers and listeners copy!! The narrator of this audiobook - Patti Murin was amazing to listen to! This novel will be published June 11, 2024! Add it to your TBR!!

Katherine Center’s “The Rom-Commers” is a delightful blend of wit, romance, and the struggles of balancing personal dreams with familial responsibilities. The novel introduces us to Emma Wheeler, a determined screenwriter who has devoted years to caring for her father. When the opportunity arises to work with the legendary Charlie Yates, Emma leaps at the chance to finally pursue her aspirations.

Emma’s move to L.A. to collaborate with Charlie on a romantic comedy script is both exhilarating and daunting. Charlie, disillusioned with love and rom-coms, initially sees Emma as an unwanted intruder. However, Emma’s tenacity and passion for romantic comedies slowly chip away at his cynical exterior. The banter and debates between Emma and Charlie are the heart of the story, showcasing their evolving dynamic and mutual respect.

The novel shines in its exploration of what makes love stories compelling. Emma’s quest to prove the worth of rom-coms to Charlie—and perhaps to herself—resonates deeply. She challenges him to reconsider his views on love, leading to moments of genuine connection and blurred lines between their professional and personal lives.

The Narration:

Listening to the audiobook, narrated by Patti Murin, adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Murin’s performance brings Emma and Charlie to life, enhancing the humor and emotion embedded in their exchanges. For audiobook enthusiasts, this format is a wonderful way to experience the story.

Final Thoughts:

“The Rom-Commers” is a charming read for anyone who loves stories about writers and the romantic comedy genre. Emma’s journey is inspiring, and her chemistry with Charlie is both endearing and entertaining. Katherine Center has crafted a narrative that celebrates the power of love stories, both on and off the screen.

I received an ARC of the audiobook from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

Loved this book! Great beach read / listen! Loved the characters of Emma and Charlie! Highly recommend!

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
Narrated by Patti Murin

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio, St. Martins Press, + NetGalley for the free audiobook #MacAudio2024

Blurb:
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.

✨ My thoughts:
Katherine Center will always be one of my favorite authors! And definitely an auto buy author for me. As always, I completely inhaled this book. I made sure to wait until my BOTM came in the mail before I started because I wanted to be able to switch between both the audiobook and physical book (hybrid reading is my favorite way to read). Finished in a day, it’s a must read of the summer. Patti Murin narrated this story and did an amazing job! It didn’t skip a beat when I would switch between the two versions. An enjoyable read that’ll leave you feeling on top of the world, you’ll want to read this one! I need to get my hands on a sprayed edge edition stat! I wonder if Target will have it because I do need to run errands tomorrow… 🙃 get ready because The Rom-Commers hits shelves tomorrow 6/11/24!!

Happy reading 📖

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center does it again. She creates a story of two imperfect people finding their ways through life and to one another.

What I loved about the book was the story within the story. You have two writers writing their way through their own story. I laughed at the scenarios she made him question - such as can falling on someone be romantic…can line dancing?. I enjoyed the addition of Cuthbert and seeing Charlie’s softer side. I also really felt Emma’s struggle to leave a sick parent and trying to navigate guilt.

What I didn’t like…Charlie does throw Emma under the bus quite a few times, and says some pretty harsh stuff…not only to their manager but to his ex. I understand he’s trying to push her away and keep himself distance, but it felt like a bit much, especially as she continues to overhear all of it. There isn’t a real apology to me.

Otherwise, I found myself sucked into Emma and Charlie’s story, hoping for the best, especially as they both had hurdles to overcome.

I really enjoyed Emma and Charlie’s story! Emma is an aspiring romance screenwriter and Charlie is a well established screenwriter who had a failed attempt at writing a rom-com which is out of his wheelhouse. When Emma is given the opportunity to work with her idol Charlie Yates, she’s excited. Upon meeting Charlie, he’s not what she expected as he’s somewhat of a grump. Well, Emma and Charlie both have internal issues going on that neither know about one another. As they work together on the rom-com, it also helps them to work on themselves. While this one is a romantic comedy, it is also mixed with tragedy, loses, grief, and internal struggles. With Emma and Charlie working closely together, they are able to help one another with other things aside from screenwriting!

I really enjoyed the audiobook. I think the audiobook helps with those funny moments to hear them out loud. I found myself laughing out loud so many times with the interactions between Emma and Charlie. Just like the bright colorful cover of this one, the content is just as bright and is sure to leave a smile on your face. I do remember towards the end I had

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center kept me intrigued from start to finish. I was fully invested in the story of Emma, an inexperienced screenwriter that is offered an amazing opportunity to go to Los Angeles for six weeks to re-write a script for another screenwriter who is pretty much her idol. Emma is also the caregiver for her disabled father, but is able to work it out with her younger sister to take over, which is a major deal in itself. Once in Los Angeles, things start off about as bad as can be when she finds out that the screenwriter, Charlie, had no idea she was coming and it was expected that she would be staying at his mansion. The other kicker is that he hates rom-coms, her specialty and the genre of the screenplay they are to work on together. Emma has some major spunk and decides to stick with the situation and make the best of it. This book has a lot of feels to it, mostly the cute rom-com sort, but there are also some touching moments, as well as a lot of funny banter between the two of them. Thanks to Macmillon Audio and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.

A big thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for the ARC & @macmillianaudio for the ALC of this book!

Katherine Center has been called “the queen of comfort reads” and after reading only two of her books thus far, I can still see the truth in that designation! Her books are so cozy, silly, fun, and laugh out loud funny all at the same time, while also including some very though provoking and important sentiments.

This way in which this enemies to lovers trope played out was very well done, a good balance of the unique dynamic between Charlie and Emma. The background about her admiration for him as a screenwriter, followed by his inability to work with anyone provided the unique storyline played out in these pages!

The themes around caregiving, physical illnesses/limitations, family dynamics and relationships really hit home for me. While I don’t want to give too much away, my personal ties (due to my husband’s chronic form of leukemia etc) to these themes was definitely in the forefront of my mind while reading and enjoying this book - and I appreciate the way in which this was handled in such a responsible way.

When thinking of the audiobook specifically, Patti Murin did a beautiful job narrating this book, and conveying the various emotions involved in the story! I also appreciated the audio bonus chapter - which was a fun perspective shift in the book too!

A HUGE thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the audio arc of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center narrated by Patti Murin. I loved this book with my WHOLE heart, and it was absolutely delightful as an audiobook. I kept looking around my kitchen, looking for things I needed to clean so I could keep listening. This publishes Tuesday (6/11) and just go ahead and order it–your summer reading TBR will thank you!

Emma Wheeler has been the caretaker for her loving dad for years and she’s good at it. She has color coded sticker charts to manage all aspects of his health and care (I knew I loved her when I read that). She has put her dreams of screenwriting off so she could support both her dad and younger sister. And now she gets the chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates–her absolute favorite writer ever. Her family comes together to support her and gives her the push she needs to head out of LA to tackle this opportunity. When she arrives let’s just say it’s not exactly as she thought…

What follows is such a wonderful story – an amazing combination of humor and romance, without being afraid to tackle themes of grief and healing, family bonds and expectations. I smiled and sighed and held my hand to my chest as I listened, loving the characters through their hurts and joys. The feelings were all so real and I loved it. I felt like I was reading a movie.

And the audiobook features a bonus scene and an author's note that were chef’s kiss. Five glowing hearts.

The Rom-Commers:⁣
⁣
Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2024 for my gifted copy.⁣
⁣
“Whatever story you tell yourself about your life, that’s the one that’ll be true.”⁣
⁣
In true Katherine Center style, this was adorable. From the line dancing to the random guinea pig, I loved how quirky this book was. The miscommunication part was irritating, but once that was cleared we were smooth sailing.⁣
⁣
There was a lot going on in this book, and the type of grief Emma faced is hard. We always get the tough with the fluff, but this was tough. The guilt she felt was very sad and I wanted to give ole girl a little hug. ⁣
⁣
Charlie was easy to like at first. He just gave grumpy of the sunshine band. The cafe scene? The swoon of that man. But that miscommunication really got me. To be a wordsmith, you’re horrible at saying words out loud. ⁣
⁣
I liked them together and was happy to see how it all played out. Also, Emma girl. Great job on setting boundaries. Proud of you! ⁣
⁣
The audio had bonus scenes and an author’s note, so I definitely recommend the audio. Hello bonus! Patti Murin, the amazing reader she is, did exactly what she always does. I love her narration and couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather listen to.⁣
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Overall, a good one for all the love bugs around! Out June 11th!⁣
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QOTD: Any plans this weekend?

The Rom-Commers-a standalone

Author: Katherine Center- I've read The Bodyguard(4*) and Hello Stranger(5*)

Publication 6-11-24, Read 6-9-24

Rating: 4⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC 🧡! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

🤔What to Expect

-Rom-Com/Adult Fic
-book lovers/writers
-caretaker/disabled parent
-deceased parent
-family drama
-workplace romance
-slow burn romance
-wealthy H/celebrity H

Summary: Emma Wheeler has sacrificed her life for her younger sister Sylvie and her father. She's given up her dream of becoming a successful screenwriter to be her dad's caregiver for the past 10 years. When her ex-high school boyfriend Logan gives her an offer she can't refuse, her sister steps up to care for their dad. Emma goes to LA and will be a writing partner with her favorite author Charlie Yates but he has to be convinced.

The narrators Katherine Center and Patti Murin match their voices perfectly with the characters. The reading style brought the story to life and the pacing flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly. The narrators paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio.

Overall this was another solid romance from Center. Emma and Charlie kept me entertained with their banter and jokes. I'm glad the caregivers were given representation because it is a thankless and difficult job. Emma's dad finding love again was a nice touch and made me believe you can always start over.

I'd recommend listening to the audiobook because it's a fast read that you can adjust the speed, skip parts easily (if desired), and picture the characters more vividly.

"The Rom-Commers" by Katherine Center
Audiobook narrated by Patti Murin
Publish date June 11 2024

This is my third Katherine Center book after "the Bodyguard" and "Hello Stranger," and it is my favorite!
I love her sense of humor, expertly delivered by the narrator Patti Murin. I laughed aloud a few times. I also love human dramas she includes in her books. Her stories tend to be over-the-top so one needs to suspend disbelief - the way we do when we watch "It Happened One Night." This is no different. Yes, the situations like this where the main character gets to live with her screenwriter crush would be highly unlikely... among other situations that happens in this book. The book is not for realists. Rather, it is for romantic, silly and hopeful souls who believe in happy endings. I don't read too many romance books, so I am not an expert... I finished 11 hour audiobook within 24 hours. I also read three books by Emily Henry in recent years, and I would personally take Center over Henry any day. This one hasn't published yet, and I already look forward to reading more of her work.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for ARC of this audiobook. Opinions expressed herein are my own.

Thank you to SMP Romance and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

I adored Hello Stranger, and my review especially raved about the Author's Note and its full-throated cheerleading for the romance genre. In many ways, this entire book felt to me like it delivered on all the promise of that note. The Rom-Commers is a romance about romance and the entire rom-com genre. And thus, we get such great insight into the writing process and what makes romances so fabulous.

In this book, Emma Wheeler's agent matches her with multiple award-winning screenwriter, Charlie Yates. He's never written a romance and doesn't have much respect for the genre, so she will be his co-writer to help him deliver. And maybe make him believe in love along the way.

I laughed uproariously and had to share the dialogue with my family who also started laughing, no context necessary. We're still talking about some of the scenes. And reading them entirely from Emma's voice with her very conversational style made them even more fun.

But I also cried more than I have while reading in a long time. There's a storyline about Emma serving as the caregiver for her father, and it made me feel so seen. And I felt hope and joy. I'm not someone who often messages authors, but this book inspired me to write to Katherine Center to thank her, twice. And she was so sweet and gracious.

I can't say enough about how amazing this book is. And Patti Murin was an excellent narrator.

I really enjoy Katherine Center's books and this was no exception. This one battles Hello Stranger for my favorite Katherine book! I really enjoyed Emma (FMC) she was dealing with so much but had such a great attitude. I think Katherine does an amazing job in dealing with serious/depressing topics and still leaving you feeling optimistic. I have listened to all her books through audio and I really enjoyed the narrator! She did a great job capturing the story.

Emma is obsessed with Charlie Yates. She's idolized him as the best screenwriter around, which is why she jumps at the chance to help him revise his movie script, even though it means leaving her father, who needs constant care. Soon Emma is a fish out of water, leaving Texas for LA, only to discover that Charlie doesn't want her help. But certain events change their relationship, and soon they realize that they gel not just professionally, but personally. Can they move past their traumas and beliefs about life in order to grasp the love they've never dreamed was even possible?!?

I ADORED this book. The main characters were flawed, but realistically so, and their growth made the ending that much more satisfying. I laughed out loud numerous times, enjoying the narrator's creative dramatization of the story. I have to buy the physical book, however, because the words of wisdom, especially in the third act, are begging to be highlighted and read over and over.

Katherine Center provided an inside look at what writers are like, as well as how it feels to be a part of the industry. It was fascinating! This book leans into how the stories we tell ourselves impact our relationships and ourselves. The physical aspects of love were left largely out of the story in order to better feature the bond of two people who respected each other, and how that grew into affection, and ultimately, love. It was beautiful, and sometimes shocking, to read. I ADORED the selflessness, meditations on love and romance, and the grand gestures. This book made me look differently about my own life, which was perhaps my MOST favorite thing of all!

Trigger warnings: grieving the loss of a mother, caretaking of a paraplegic father, overcoming cancer, potential cancer diagnosis, near drowning/fear of drowning, parents divorcing, feelings of abandonment by parent

I'd like to thank MacMillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the eARC of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The Rom-Commers is such a fun novel! Emma is a struggling screenwriter who has had to sacrifice career opportunities to care for her disabled dad when she gets the opportunity to re-write a rom-com script with her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. However, Charlie Yates, doesn't know anything about writing rom-coms, doesn't believe in love, and definitely doesn't want to work with an inexperienced screen writer. Emma's six-week writing experience with Charlie transforms both characters personally and professionally.

Narrator Patty Nurin delivers again! If you loved Hello Stranger, or The Soulmate Equation, you'll love The Rom-Commers. Nurin's expression, tone, and pacing makes it an ideal audiobook for summer travel or relaxation.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by a favorite, Katherine Center, narrated by the amazing Patti Murin, with the author reading an extra scene and the author's notes. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Emma Wheeler has put her dreams of being a screenwriter on hold to take care of her dad. But when she gets the chance to rewrite a screenplay that her idol, Charlie Yates, wrote, she's beyond thrilled. Charlie Yates is famous for writing big action movies, but his latest is a rom-com, and it's terrible. Emma knows rom-coms and knows she can fix this script, but working with Charlie, who doesn't believe in love, may be too much for both of them.

Katherine Center has done it again - I seem to love each of her books more than her previous one! She writes with such heart and it will make you feel all the feels, without falling into the sappy zone. She tackles difficult subject matters without making the book depressing; in fact, it's just the opposite. She shows you the good that can come from the bad. I fell in love with these characters and this book, and Murin's narration just topped it off. Center's author note at the end is a must read too. Do not miss this one - out just in time to add to your vacation book list!