working through writers block with Charlie & Emma 📝🎧🌸

The Rom-Commers by @katherinecenter

When I say this has been one of my favorite reads to date, I am not exaggerating.

Charlie is a celebrated screen writer, “living it up” in LA, while Emma is close to home with family and responsibilities. When she’s offered the job opportunity of a lifetime to help her all time favorite writer and role model ghost write a rom-com she hesitates to take it but is finally convinced it’s her time to shine.

I never knew I needed to experience a friendship like theirs. The wit, humor, banter and overall literal friendship they develop as they’re working together was absolutely amazing.

She challenges him, he challenges her. He doesn’t believe in love which is a huge reason why his rom-com is so terrible. She only believes in love and has a 257 part best kiss during rom-coms spreadsheet to refer back to at any given moment. All she does is believe in love.

Line dancing lessons, the toll of living with someone who’s health isn’t what it once was, a touch of celebrity status perspective and overall regular life and normalcy in grocery shopping and cooking together give this so many different emotions and keep you hooked from page one.

I have yet to pick up a story by K. Center I haven’t liked, but this is an all time favorite of all favorites for me.

The Rom-Com of all Rom-Coms 💖✨🧡

5⭐️, I wish I could give it 10⭐️.

I had such a fun time listening to this! I loved the entire story from start to finish and will definitely be looking for more from this author. I laughed countless times, loved all the banter and thought the overall story was really great!

Thank you to NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for early access to this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me, and her new book The Rom-Commers did not disappoint! I was hooked from beginning to end of this audio book, and I couldn't stop smiling and yelling with delight throughout the whole narrative. You're left on the edge of your seat, counting down the pages to see how Emma and Charlie, the main characters, would react to each turn of the story.
Emma Wheeler's dream to become a renowned screenwriter is put on hold when an accident in her past leads to her being her father's full-time caregiver. She bolts at the chance to rewrite a screenplay for her hero, Charlie Yates, coming to L.A. to take the job. Charlie, though, is unwilling to work with anyone. Emma is determined to prove herself and uphold the value of romantic comedies despite their differences. Together, she and Charlie explore surprising emotions and possibilities that change Emma's fixed ideas about love.

2.75 stars

i'm honestly so unimpressed by this and im sad abt it cuz it had everything to be a good book but omg the mmc was so unlikeable. like towards the end he didn't get on my nerves anymore but i still did not like him and idrk what the fmc likes about him but oh well.

speaking of Emma, i liked her but not that much 😭 her story made me super emotional and shes a good person but i just couldn't connect with her at all.

also Logan? it's on sight when i catch him, he's a TERRIBLE friend

I was more interested in literally all my side characters rather than the main ones

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. I was given an audiobook copy.

This was a witty, quirky, romantic, and hilarious story. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and I was laughing and crying in parts.

Two screen writers, one with romance on the brain and the other stubborn towards the idea of romance but Emma won’t let Charlie get away with his thoughts so easily.

You will laugh, get mad and cheer on the underdog throughout this book. Well written and enjoyable.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC! I enjoyed the audiobook narration. This was cute and made for a nice pallet cleanser. It was my first Katherine Center book so I went in not really knowing what to expect.. I LOVE a good forced-proximity rom-com, but this felt a little lack-luster given the potential for more dialogue and romance build. I found Emma's inner dialogue a bit annoying/repetitive and Charlie will not go down as one of my favorite MMC's.

I needed a lighter book after reading something heavy, so what better book to pick up than The Rom-Commers by one of my favorite authors? This book has KC's signature quirk and fun side while also tackling heavier topics... but it's more akin to The Bodyguard than How To Walk Away/Things You Save In A Fire (iykyk).

This book follows two screenwriters - one is well-established in his career, has the awards in a drawer to prove it, while the other is a ghostwriters and has no accolades at all. He hires her to help him fix a screenplay for a romcom he's writing - something out of his depth, especially given that he doesn't believe in love.

I really enjoyed this one for the most part, but both of the characters REALLY got on my nerves at points. Her self-esteem issues made me want to shake her at points, and there is nothing I hate more than when a man says REALLY mean things about a woman and they just get brushed under the rug (which happens a lot in this book).

I thought the audiobook was well-produced, but the narrator wasn't a favorite of mine. Still enjoyed listening to it, though!

Despite the bumps in the road, I was rooting for these two, and the ending had me absolutely sobbing by the end. I overall would recommend giving it a read!! 3.5 star rating, rounded up since she's a favorite author of mine.

This is so painful for me to do but I have to give this book 2 stars. I honestly wanted to give it 1, but I've read and liked many other Katherine Center books so I couldn't in good faith go all the way to 1.

I am SO CONFUSED by this book. Neither of the main characters were interesting. Their banter felt forced and over the top. They had NO chemistry and in fact he was mean to her over and over again and she didn't even really seem to like him all that much either.

The story felt ironic because it centered around a screenwriter who wrote a terrible Rom-Com which is exactly what this book is.

There were so many cringey, eye roll moments and the ending was terrible. I'm honestly so confused about what is going on here. Usually with most books I don't enjoy, I can find something salvageable in the writing or I can understand how the story might resonate with others - I'm struggling with this one.

My favorite of hers is The Bodyguard which was the most recent one of hers and compared to this one is why I'm just so confused.

Emma is a writer who has passed up opportunities to further her career because she is her father’s primary caretaker. But when a friend calls her and describes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-write a romantic comedy script with one of the most famous screenwriters of today, Charlie Yates, Emma can’t say no. And after her dad and sister hear about the opportunity, they make it impossible for her to not go. Unfortunately, Emma finds out too late what Charlie Yates thinks about romance and love, and the journey she sets out on to prove to him that love is not “an emotional Ponzi scheme” turns out to be something she never bargained for.

I simply ADORE this book and storyline! Katherine Center never fails to deliver a truly heart-warming and slightly heart-breaking story about love, the realities of life, and truly comedic moments. I fell in love with Emma and Charlie, their stories, and all the other characters that made this story so incredibly special. Not a single character was presented as one-sided, but rather each character was presented with their flaws as well as their strengths, making the story complete and realistic. I felt like I could relate to the characters.

THANK YOU Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook version of this book through NetGalley. All opinions listed here are only mine. The audiobook made it that much more special. The narrator was excellent and brought life to the story that took it up a notch. For each character, she created a distinct voice which greatly helped in the reader experience. Personally, I typically opt to read the physical copy of books, but this was a wonderful audiobook production. My recommendation is the audiobook, as it gave the story a fullness that I do not think I would’ve gotten from an ebook or physical copy. The overall experience with the audiobook was all-around enjoyable.

This is the perfect spring/summer read for lovers of Katherine Center’s other books, lovers of happily-ever-afters, and even for those who do not really “believe” in love. Let this book surprise you. Open up your world to a genre you may not generally lean toward.

This was yet another great Katherine Center read for me! While she heavily incorporates injury, illness and/or tragedy in her stories, it is written so well into the plot. Knowing this may want some to consider their trigger warnings. If you're looking for an enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, romcom about romcoms and heartwarming romance as your next read/listen.. I highly recommend this one!
The narrator does an amazing job of changing up her voice to distinguish between characters - definitely recommend as an audiobook!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was very interesting and I was rooting for the main characters the whole time. The romance was very well written as well.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my free audioARC of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center — available Jun 11!

Read this if you:
🩷 need a laugh — it's a solid romcom about romcoms
🔆 ever made sacrifices for your loved ones
🤠 have gone line dancing and been terrible at it (meee)

Emma is obsessive about her dream to become a screenwriter, but she's always worked from home, as she's the caretaker for her father. When the chance comes up to rewrite a romcom script with her idol, Charlie Yates, she heads to LA for six weeks to get it done. Only two giant problems — the script is abysmal and Charlie doesn't want her help. Can Emma change his mind, not only about her helping, but also about whether or not love is even real?

Katherine Center has thus far been hit (The Bodyguard) or miss (Hello Stranger) for me, and fortunately this one was a hit! I found the back-and-forth between Emma and Charlie pretty hilarious, and enjoyed watching them fall for each other over the course of the story. I do find that Katherine Center leans so heavily on illness, injury, and tragedy in her books, so that can be sort of off-putting in a romance, but I think those elements come together decently well in this particular case. I'd watch the screenplay these two wrote, for sure!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romance isn’t my genre, so I was hesitant to read a rom-com about a rom-com, but this book really won me over.

Katherine Center managed to create the perfect balance of sweetness, sadness, resilience and joy. Humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm round the story out.

Loved the plot and the characters. I found Emma, the main character, funny and relatable (though I wanted to shake some sense into her at times!).

This book is a little predictable but I sort of liked that about it. The underlying theme of finding lightness in the dark is a good reminder for us all.

I finished this book with a smile on my face. What more can you ask for in a rom-com?

This was my first Katherine Center book but it won’t be my last. Can’t wait to check out her other titles.

3.9 rounded up to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Emma Wheeler is a modern day Meg Ryan. Her narrative voice is so genuine and distinctive. You’ll immediately fall in love with her like she’s your new best friend.
The Rom-Commers delivers on everything we love about the genre. It’s a cute, funny and sweet romantic comedy. No spice needed with this book which I really enjoyed.
Center finds the right balance of realism and fantasy, transporting the reader into Emma’s love story but in this messy world where we all have to deal with happy and sad at the same time. The audiobook is an easy, enjoyable listen that I finished in one day. Don’t miss this one!

I was lucky to get to try The Rom-Commers from @macmillan.audio and @netgalley I wasn’t in love with The Bodyguard on audiobook, but this one redeemed Katherine Center for me! Narrators can really make a difference, and I loved the quirkiness in this one. Not to mention that I eat up enemies to lovers tropes! Plus, you kinda have that grumpy man and sunshine girl vibe going on in this one too. If you’re looking for a fun, light romance read, highly recommend this one! 5 ⭐️ I’m ready to try out some more Katherine Center, and can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeve!

Emma does what needs to be done…for everyone else. When it comes to herself, she has a dream of what she would like to do, but after putting it on hold to take care of others, she’s contented herself with rom-coms and fan-girling over writer Charlie Yates. What could happen if she takes the chance to put herself first?

This romance title, like the other Katharine Center titles that I have read, is a fun read that also unpacks a serious topic along the way. The characters are easy to like (or dislike, when warranted) and the story is enjoyable. Definitely a title that I will recommend.

This is a story about two screenwriters -- one who is established and honored (Charlie) and one who is trying hard to make it in the business and who has a mad crush on Charlie, without ever meeting him (Emma). Emma has been at home taking care of her disabled father and younger sister, giving up her own life to take care of the others while inhaling rom-coms to keep her sanity. Charlie writes science fiction movies and other horror types, and has a drawer-ful of awards. Suddenly Emma is handed her dream: to help Charlie write a rom-com. Charlie, of course, has no idea she's coming (his agent is an old friend of Emma's), and bad-mouths her up and down. She decides she's not going to give up and in 6 weeks manages to rewrite his horrible rom-com attempt and work her way into his life. She breaks down his barriers and discovers why he doesn't believe in love, and why he's afraid of water even while living in a mansion with a huge pool. Add in extra characters, plus a guinea pig with a problem and name-dropping of LA actors and it's all complete.

The audiobook reader was great, she managed all the different characters perfectly. There's laughter and tears and of course a HEA.

I just reviewed The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

What a wonderful love story! I found myself laughing and crying all at the same time! I am a huge fan of Katherine Center and it did not disappoint! You meet Emma who is a writer who is sacrificed her whole life, taking care of her father who was injured on a family hiking accident. She is given an opportunity to write with her favorite screenwriter Charlie and help pull him out of his writing slump. You learn of their relationship soon turning to love and how Charlie truly doubts that love will be there for him. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any Katherine center fans. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audible book the narrator was wonderful!

Katherine Center is such a gift to the romance world. Her books are romantic, sweet, emotional, and so hope filled. Her latest is a true love letter to the romcom genre and it was so special. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I loved every single second. 🩷

What to expect::
•Forced proximity
•Opposites attract
•Grumpy x Sunshine
•BTS romcom writing
•Heavy illness and grief themes
🔥Kissing only

🤩This one definitely has a spot in my 2024 favorites!

🎧I was lucky enough to have the ebook and the audiobook of this one, but once I started the audio, I couldn’t stop! Patty Murin kills it again!!

🎧 I really enjoyed this story and devoured the audiobook. While I do not really understand how Charlie actually ever fell in love with Emma, I really enjoyed their friendship and I always love a happy ending.

I wish there was more romantic chemistry mixed in. Yes, there were moments here and there, but ultimately I didn’t necessarily feel the attraction between them.

Regardless, it was a fun twist on a romance book. Easy summertime listen!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.