Another winner from Katherine Center. I enjoyed "The Bodyguard" and enjoyed the "The Rom-Commers" even more. The pace was perfect for this book. Center captures readers from the beginning and this book was no different. Narrator Patti Murin was an exceptional choice.

For fans of "The Bodyguard" there's a great cameo in this novel!

Thank you to StMartins and MacMillan audio for review copies of The Rom-Commers from Katherine Center. I really loved the fun story, rich with some great background characters who I loved a lot, and filled with a homage to why we love romcoms and why they matter... why our stories matter. Indeed it was the bigger theme of why the stories we tell others and ourselves matter, why hope and openness matter, and how our story is perhaps never fully written.
With the audiobook I loved Patti Murrin's narration, she is becoming a top narrator for me as she has a way of imbuing warmth and smiles in her voice somehow and makes characters sound like the kind of people I want to have as my friends. :)

Standouts
1. I liked that Emma had a lot of growth but was never weak. She had priorities but she also took some chances, stood up for herself at times. I like that she had a little more depth in interesting points in the story. and that she was also at the heart of change and growth for other characters.
2. I would love to see the movie these two wrote, I am all in, and I want to see all of Charlie's movies and the kiss scene montage that Emma made. I loved her love for romcoms as I too love those movies.
3. I adored Emma's father. Her family story is sad but not too weighty, the big themes aren't surprising but are real and handled nicely. Her dad sounds amazing and her other family and secondary characters were great. My only note is Logan, I wanted to know him better and he felt al little less developed, more a device than a character.

4. Please send me biscuit donuts. That is all. :)

For fans of this author, fans of romcoms, and for fans of romance reads, including fans of Lynn Painter, Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella, and others. A great summer read

Oh my. This story has my heart. Emma and Charlie are so quirky and hilarious that it’s hard not to fall in love with them both. The story touched on some difficult topics about illness and caregiving, but man, it yanked my heartstrings (really tried to strangle me with them I got so choked up). If you’re looking for an uplifting story about love, like actual, realistic love, this is it. I’ll carry this one with me for a while. Also, I am totally an advocate of more guinea pigs in literature!

Oh Katherine, how I love you and all your books! And multiple cameos from Jack Stapleton? Oh my heart! This book of love and loss and all the things that make me laugh and cry! Please let them make this beautiful book into a movie!

I listened to the audiobook and it was perfection!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Everyone is going to want to preorder this one! 💜🩷💙

In true Katherine Center fashion…this book has lovable characters and a smooth flowing storyline.

I just adored all of the MCs so much.

The characters were well developed and I loved seeing their interactions play out.

I liked how the romance blossomed between Emma and Charlie and how everyone saw it growing day by day, yet the MCs couldn’t get it together. I mean eventually 🤫🤫🤫…you know Katherine Center wouldn’t do us dirty.

I always find pieces of myself in KC’s characters, honestly I think that’s what makes reading her books so enjoyable because you can absolutely relate to her characters and the challenges they face. Arguments amongst sisters, misunderstandings in romance, work troubles, loss of loved ones, medical challenges, just life in general…it’s all in KC’s books but despite the issues her characters face you’ll always finish the book feeling a sense of satisfaction.

This was an excellent audiobook and I’m so glad I was able to get an early copy so I can tell my friends and family that they have got to check it out.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
The Rom-Commers was a funny and sweet story about Emma, a would-be screenwriter, who gets talked into going to LA to help Charlie, a multi-Oscar winning screenwriter, rewrite a rom com that he’s butchered. Katherine Center always writes characters you really want to root for and this book was no exception. Emma was funny and hopeful and I loved watching her try to explain love stories and rom coms to Charlie, a typical man who just didn’t get it! The secondary characters were just as loveable and didn’t feel like a second thought. This book had a great slow burn, good banter, and was predictable in the best way. I really liked this one!
4⭐️

I was fortunate enough to receive an ALC of this on top of the eARC I had. I had a bad bout of stomach issues and wasn’t able to get into the book and Patti Murin brought Katherine Center’s book and characters to life so wonderfully that I listened to this one eagerly.

A true feel-good rom-com of a book, the main characters are both likeable and the secondary characters add a lot (I really adored Emma’s dad).

The Rom-Commers delivered - I adored this one to the last page.

This was my second time reading the author and I can’t wait to read more.

Recommended!



Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC and thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

The Rom-Commers is the perfect feel good summer read! Emma is a struggling writer who loves rom-coms, but has given up her dreams to take care of her ailing father. When the opportunity to rewrite Charlie Yates’s romantic comedy falls in her lap, she takes off for California for the chance of a lifetime to work with the famous writer. Both characters are so well developed and multi dimensional. I laughed and deeply felt their individual heartaches. This book is so authentic. I absolutely loved it, and know many readers will as well.

The Rom-Commers is Katherine Center at her absolute best!

Katherine Center is a great writer. I have read all of her books and was highly anticipating this one - that said, I did not swoon over this love story. Emma was a failed screenwriter who never left her home to pursue her career because she was her father's caregiver. I thought that storyline was very relatable and it made me really like Emma as a character. I loved her relationship with her father and I sympathized with the guilt she felt as his caretaker. She was given an opportunity to co-write a screenplay with her favorite screenwriter which seemed farfetched but I still went with the concept. However, the screenwriter, Charlie was the absolute worst. She overheard him saying disparaging things about her THREE separate times and he never seemed to even apologize for it. I honestly do not see how she fell in love with him. I certainly didn't. He was always so grumpy and mean. She ended up begging him to love her several times which was not very empowering or romantic. However, I will say that I was very entertained the entire book. I loved the secondary storyline. The writing was engaging and it was definitely a page-turner. I just did not care for the love story.

5/5 Stars!!! Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center narrated by Patti Murin (and Katherine Center).

Katherine has done it again!!! I fell in love with her after reading "Learning to walk away". I was so excited and dropped everything when I got the approval to listen to her upcoming release. The audiobook was FANTASTIC. Patti Murin was just the perfect narrator for this book. I'm typically spoiled with multiple narrators but she definitely delivered!

The characters were great in the story and Katherine just knows how to tug my heart and find ways of connecting with her audience. I love the banter that Emma and Charlie have with each other and the ending was just...so heartwarming. I always feel so much love after reading Katherine's book. What I really love the most is how she intertwines her other characters in the story because who can forget Jack Stapleton from The Bodyguard?! haha.

Anyways, Katherine is just fantastic and she got my dang heart again. Love love love this book! (Her covers are definitely different from what I've seen before and I really like it.) LOVE! 5 stars all around.

Gosh do I love Katherine Center, I was excited to be sucked right into the newest book. Emma takes care of her father who’s long suffered complications from a TBI and I once again admire KC’s ability to delve into her subject matter with research and knowledge that comes through in her pages. Emma gets a break, to help a famous screenwriter (Charlie) get his romantic comedy on its feet since it’s abysmal.

The characters were easy enough to like, the story was intriguing enough to follow but I couldn’t help but feel like we didn’t get to see enough of Charlie’s background so I felt I had unanswered questions. However, in true KC form, I laughed out loud and I cried (twice) when she puts her touches on their family at the end.

I loved the audiobook, the narrator did a fantastic job once again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date set for June 11 2024

I had just recently listened to "The Bodyguard" by Katherine Center, so this was a fun follow up to listen to. I loved the Jack/Meryl Steep references throughout! These are really fun to listen to on audio, narrator is great.

Center really connects you to her characters with vivid detail. I was cringing for Emma at some of her situations throughout the book. Charlie annoyed me a bit in the book, but the bonus epilogue helped make him more relatable.

Not a spicy book, so it's great for those who want to avoid that.

Not off to go find other Katerine Center books..... :)

Big thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center is one of my auto-buy authors for a reason. Every single one of her books leaves me with the BIGGEST smile on my face, and The Rom-Commers does not disappoint. I'm not sure I could choose a favorite, but this one is definitely near the top of the list.

Emma has always longed to be a screenwriter, but when the accident that killed her mother leaves her father partially paralyzed, she becomes his full-time caregiver. She idolizes Charlie Yates, one of the best and most prolific screenwriters of the day, and when her agent arranges for her to help ghost-write a romantic comedy screenplay with the legend, she can't believe it. Her younger sister practically forces her to go, promising to take care of their father while she's gone. The only problem is that when Emma shows up on his doorstep, Charlie had no idea she was coming, and he hadn't agreed to the collaboration. However--after listening to her extensive critique of his current dumpster fire of a draft, he agrees to let her help him out. Their cohabitation and collaboration leads to the development of feelings, and you can't help but root for them. Of course it can't be a smooth ride because that wouldn't be nearly so interesting--but you'll have to pick the book up to find out what happens to keep them apart and also what ultimately brings them back together. I promise you, it's worth it.

I listened to the last hour or so of the audiobook as I was walking my dog, and I'm glad I didn't encounter anyone else on the trail because I was both laughing out loud and crying big fat tears. Center's writing is heartfelt and earnest, swoony yet honest and real. This is the perfect summer read--whether you're relaxing on a sunny beach or walking your dog on a trail in the rain (like I did)

The audiobook is fantastic--the narrator, Patti Murin, delivers a wonderful, engaging performance. Her skills at voicing both male and female characters is incredible, and it's easy to get lost in the story when she's the one bringing it to life.

If you've never read or watched a rom-com, this book will transform you from a newbie status to advanced rom-commer!

Katherine has blown me away again! Not much more to say apart from 5 amazing stars!

I was in a mood for a light book and knew from past experience that Katherine Center’s would fit the bill. As it happens, the title The Rom-Commers, was sitting on my review stack AND I was approved for the ALC from Macmillan Audio. That’s an embarrassment of riches!

Go ahead and read the publisher’s synopsis. I just want to give my brief take. I really enjoyed it. The MCs were likable. They grabbed my heart early on and had me invested in their HEA. The true joy for me was how Center got them there. I appreciated the depth given them and I loved the supporting characters.

If you prefer audio to print you can’t go wrong with Patti Murin’s narration. An unexpected bonus is an extra chapter read by Center. Plus she read her Acknowledgments which includes credit to her publishing crew as well as sources for various plot themes.

WOW! Katherine Center is proving to be one of my favorite authors! I loved everything about this book! It combined all the great elements of a perfect rom-com! Thank you so much for the ARC of this book! Can’t wait for her next book!

OMG!! This is my first Katherine Center novel and it will not be the last!!!
5 Star read for sure!!

To start: I mean the story was so much fun. The characters were so 3 dimensional and I was rooting and hating them at the same time. I don't know if it's because I haven't read a good romance book in a while but this one just really hit.

I love the writing style of this book as well. One thing I hate is when info is dumped in the beginning. You know when they go ‘My name is Rachel and my brother Micheal and I are asking for bread because we're orphans’ as like the first sentence and you're like woah. But with this I learned about the characters as I was listening and everything I learned just painted a clearer picture of them. Every new piece of information felt earned. So did the relationship and the plot.

The narration!! Oh man! I loved this narrator. She made it feel so natural. I felt like I was hearing a real person's inner dialogue. This never felt like I was listening to someone read a book. She was so emphatic and she had such a great tone of voice for each part. I just can't believe how good this all came together.

Lastly, Katherine Center I love you! There was a little message at the end by Katherine where she talks about romance and romance books and her love/ rallying cry of how this genre is so much more than what it's painted to be. And that deserves its own 5 stars by itself. I hate how shamed people are for reading and liking romance. (It's a men centered world and anything woman likes is considered stupid and less than) This reminded me that just because something might be seen as girlish its value is not diminished.

Just a complete love for this book and for how it made me feel.
*Also i did cry

This audiobook of "The Rom-Commers" is everything you want in a romantic comedy. The narration is well done and the character development is great throughout the book. The 2 main characters Emma and Charlie have laugh out loud moments as well as very cringy moments. I liked how both are screen writers and working on a project together. This one has forced proximity, misunderstandings and a meddling friend that bring them all together.

Emma's family moments are also sweet as well. I really enjoyed this book and the bonus scene at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen to this audiobook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

“Happiness is always better with a little bit of sadness.”

Adorable and perfect…just like I would expect Katherine Center’s latest book to be.

I loved Charlie and Emma. I loved how you get what you wish for in this book but along the way you still face trials and tribulations like real life has a way of throwing at you. I loved how I started questioning what I thought I wanted for them and how it all ended up perfect for them in a way I didn’t know I should hope for.

The author’s note makes me love Katherine Center even more…and you’re a curly girl too?! Can we be friends?!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

4.5 ⭐️
Wow. Okay. This book blew me away and I was not expecting to be so swept off my feet! A rom-com that really makes you feel all your feelings, has a deep and profound plot, believable characters that you are rooting for every step of the way, plot twists, a realistic but overall happy ending… this had it all for me.

I love a good rom com as much as the next guy but this was something else, something bigger. I wasn’t expecting to cry (multiple times), gasp audibly, and have so many “aww” moments but this book grabbed me and didn’t let go.

Immediately recommending this to pretty much everyone I know, both fans of romantic comedies and cynics and everyone in between.

Plot: Emma is an aspiring screenwriter with a passion for rom coms, who thinks her time to shine might have passed, as she’s been a medical caretaker for her father for the last 10 years. Meet Charlie - an insanely famous screenwriter who writes everything from sci-fi to westerns to mafia movies - a real “guys guy” in the Hollywood scene. His next challenge- to write a rom com - but he doesn’t believe in love…it’s only in exchange for getting his next big screenplay greenlit. Emma is hired to ghost re-write his apocalyptically terrible rom com - but can she get the plot to a better place - and maybe even help Charlie believe in love in the process?