Thank you Net Galley and Macmillian Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook. Such a sweet and true Rom-Com type book about ghost writer working with a famous fiction writer to re-write his rom-com attempt. Lots of typical tension and struggles that are in all rom-coms but that is the purpose of the book. I have really enjoyed Katherine Center's books in the past and this one upholds her standards as well as the narrator does a wonderful job getting the feeling and desire to know the characters better. Look for this one coming out June 11, 2024!

Another clear winner from Katherine Center! Great narration and the story was beautifully written and pulled me in. An auto buy author for sure!

The Rom-Commers is a laugh-out-loud romance that also deals with heavy subject matter - death of a loved one, disability, sickness, and the emotions brought on by managing life throughout its toughest moments, I love a book that can make me feel a range of emotions, and this one has it all. The main character Emma is so unapologetically herself, and I related with many parts of her personality. My only hesitation on giving this 5 stars is that I wanted more depth to Charlie. I found myself craving chapters from his POV or just more explanation on his feelings and thoughts. Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for Katherine Center's future books.

I listened to an ALC from Macmillan Audio on NetGalley and really enjoyed the narration.

Two screenwriters get together to write a rom com and fall in love - Emma Yates gets the chance of a lifetime to help rewrite her idol's, Charlie Yates, romantic comedy script. Emma is the full-time caregiver for her father, who requires full time care after an accident. Her sister takes over her duties to allow her the 6 weeks to pursue this opportunity and in that 6 weeks we get to follow Emma along as she tries to break through Charlie's disbelief in true love to create the screen play she envisions!

The narration and quirkiness of this book was great! I loved Emma's optimism in love, especially when she'd faced so much hardship, such a fun listen.

Oh, my word. This is slow-burn, angsty, forced proximity perfection. Easily is my top ten rom-com novels of all time. I stayed up until 4 am to finish this, a distinction only a few books have earned. This was my first Katherine Center book, something I’ll need to rectify ASAP.

Emma and Charlie are such good foils to one another. Emma is optimistic, even in the toughest of circumstances, a hopeless romantic, and yet relatively inexperienced when it comes to relationships. Charlie is completely jaded, burned so badly by his last relationship that he isn’t even sure that he understands what love is anymore.

Gah, Charlie. Sweet, love-dumb Charlie. (Knowing the number of days - swoon.) And Emma, finally given a chance to let loose and do something for herself after ten years of self-sacrifice. I love these characters so, so much.

Even though this is a slow-burn romance, the pacing is superb. At no point did the story drag, and the book actually contained multiple twists that I did not see coming, giving just the right amount of angst and pain amongst all of the rom-com goodness.

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook, which was very well performed. Zero complaints. I can’t wait until the book comes out so that I can get my hands on a physical copy to read. And highlight the heck out of it.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the advanced audiobook copy of this book.

This one was funny, heartwarming, and the perfect grumpy/sunshine rom com!

Emma catches a break and gets to write with superstar Charlie Yates. The man she ADORES! She quickly learns that he does not feel as lucky as she does and she soon realizes that maybe she shouldn't have flown across the country to work with this rude guy! But Emma Wheeler is NOT a quitter so she works with Charlie to improve his disastrous rom com script.

Charlie does not believe in love or doesn't think it really exists and we get to see how writing together just might change his thoughts on this!

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. This was a cute and feel good story. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy this genre.

2.5 stars
No one can say I haven’t tried with Katherine Center’s books but I need to give it up. On the surface, I should have loved this book. There were moments where I actually did. Emma was such a great character. Some of her scenes were so emotionally compelling. All the feels! But our main male character, Charlie needed as much of a rewrite as his first draft script. He was a jerk at the beginning of the book and even when we were supposed to be melting for him over the course of the book, his secrets and lies in the last half just made it worse. How can you root for a couple to have a HEA when it’s non-stop toxic behavior?
Patti Murin’s narration was the best part of the book!!

I have read (and loved) all of Katherine Center’s books, and this one is no exception. One of the things that I like is that her female main characters are not typical, and what I have grown to expect from a lot of romance books. They tend to be made from a tougher mold, even if they are still discovering it themselves, and Emma is both of those things. An aspiring screenwriter, who has been a full time caregiver for her father since an accident when she was 18 - she puts all of her effort into making sure he is healthy, and not so much effort into herself or her career. She is presented with a temporary job in California that is too good to be true…literally.

I liked her spunkiness, the dialogue between the main characters, and a little touch of the unexpected. I really enjoy the way she describes things (the line dancing instructor stick out in my mind), There are so many unexpected comments/phrases/occurrences throughout the book.

The narrator did a good job of narrating, I enjoyed listening to her, didn’t notice anything distracting, or mispronounced words. She definitely added to the story, and didn’t take anything away, which is my definition of a solid narrator.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

What a complete delight! I thoroughly enjoyed The Rom-Commers on audio. The narrators were fantastic and the story was Katherine Center’s best yet in my opinion. I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone looking for a great book this summer and beyond!

I really enjoyed this rom com! Two screen writers come together to rewrite a horribly written romantic comedy & they find themselves along the way. A sweet ending and life lessons. Only reason it isn’t a 5 star, is I wish we had gotten to see the two MCs *together* for longer.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc!

Pros: Katherine Center has become a dependable author of rom coms for me, and I thought this book was a fun meta-commentary on and celebration of the rom com genre. One of my favorite things about the author’s books is there is often a Houston setting. I also love when, like in this book and The Bodyguard, she uses the famous person-normal person trope. I especially enjoyed the Jack Stapleton cameo in this book as The Bodyguard is my favorite of the author’s books.

I read this book in both ebook and audiobook formats . . . and accidentally read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I really like when authors use the same narrator for multiple books, and Patti Murin reads Center’s books so well.

Cons: This is not a con but is one thing that puts the book at a disadvantage--I compare all the author’s books to The Bodyguard, and it remains my favorite of hers.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center and MacMillan Audio for an audio ARC of The Rom-Commers in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge Katerine Center fan & was thrilled to have an early listen on The Rom-Commers. And that cover is STUNNING!

I loved this story, although, I was a bit disappointed in one portion of Katherine’s writing that I will get to in a minute.

Emma is a fabulous, but not known, screenwriter who gets the opportunity to help her idol screenwriter, Charlie, rewrite his first ever romance script, which just happens to be the worst script in the history of ever. Emma is stoked, but Charlie, not so much. What makes matters worse is that Charlie is only using this script to get to write a different script that he desperately wants, so he doesn’t even care about.

This was a classic & fabulous enemies to lovers, slow burn rom-com. I will definitely be recommending it as it was a 4/5 Stars for me.

My one & only beef with this book was the tone deaf, stereotyping of people who wear cowboy hat, line dance or just generally give off a Southern feel. I’m from the South. I don’t wear a cowboy hat or line dance, but to stereotype someone who does as a hillbilly was extremely offensive. I don’t offend easily – like hardly ever, but this one really pissed me off. And then to say “that guy rode here on his lawnmower crunching corn nuggets” – Katherine, I love you & I love your books, but this was not funny.

Another absolute delight by Katherine Center. She is one of those authors that you know you're going to get a book that you enjoy from start to finish, and this did not disappoint.

I loved the premise of Emma wanting to live her life in a romance novel and knowing every idiosyncrasy to a romance plot and being thrown into a work relationship with Charlie who does not believe in the recipe for a romance. Both characters were quirky in their own way, but I loved how each of them was trying to learn something about themselves throughout the book.

I wanted to channel Emma's bravery when telling Charlie how she felt. I was cringing with Charlie's reaction at the same time my heart was breaking. This book almost had me in tears a couple of times, which just proves all of the level of emotion Katherine Center can bring with her writing. Laughing out loud one minute and fighting back tears the next.

Patti Murin did a phenomenal job narrating this book. I often find it difficult to listen to romance novels on audiobook because if the narrator really isn't into it, it's just cheesy and awkward. This was NOT like that. Patti put forth all of the emotions when reading for the characters, and I was engaged in every chapter. She definitely elevated this experience!

I cannot wait for other readers to be able to experience this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy and for allowing my honest review.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
Narrated by Katherine Center; Patti Murin

Patti Murin does a great job of narrating this romcom about writing romcoms. Emma Wheeler is getting her big break and her frantic energy is evident in the narration. Emma is so many good things, a dedicated to the extreme daughter, a talented but under noticed romcom writer, a devoted older sister, but also a young woman carrying a load of unvoiced guilt.

After ten years of devoting her life to caretaking her beloved, creative, and kind hearted father, the stars align and Emma has the chance to rewrite a romcom for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates. The Charlie Yates who writes block busting action movie scripts, the one with all the top awards, the one who has never written a romcom before now. The Charlie Yates who has written the worst romcom Emma has ever laid her eyes upon. Thank goodness Emma's newly college graduated sister can now take over caretaking duties which allows Emma to fly to CA for six weeks of rewriting the lousy script.

But Charlie wants nothing to do with Emma or her skills. He doesn't even believe in love or romance and or that his romcom needs a major overhaul and he's not even going to try to make his story good or the characters' actions romantic. He has an ulterior motive with his romcom and he doesn't need Emma's meddling thank you very much!

Despite the prickliness of both Emma and Charlie, with good reason on both counts, the two come together with an agreement to get the work done. Really, these two get along great, both can be fun, funny, and creative in their own ways. Both can learn from each other. When they are clicking along in a happy manner, they seem perfect together and others can see that they make a great team. Can Emma even entertain the thought that Charlie might like her as much as she likes him? But when the two are fighting, and fight they do, it's as if they are speaking different languages and leaving out half the words of each language. Especially with Charlie, he's keeping a lot from Emma and he will not break his silence on his inner thoughts.

Emma has broken her own heart by taking this job, she's laid herself bare and humiliated herself for this man. Can love break through barriers, can a man who is holding back so hard let go to love? This story is funny and sad at the same time and I'm very happy to have experienced it through the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley to listen to and review. Here's what I thought:

The writing on this one had me going back and forth. On one hand it went along with the FMC's personality, but it wasn't for me in the way that she was speaking directly to the audience. It's hard to describe but a character would say something then the FMC would describe how they said it by saying 'like duh' or 'like really'. I did appreciate first person POV, though.

The mention of the power washing video game was hilarious only because my husband has a weird fascination with that game and I know the EXACT job that Charlie was playing with the backyard and the dog house. lolol.

The story progressed naturally and you can see the friendship form between the main characters through forced proximity. The drunken diving board scene was perfection, as was the third act non-breakup breakup. I'm not a big movie buff, though, so I think some mentions of actors and directors went over my head at times, causing a slight disconnect between myself and the main character.

Thank you to @smpromance for my #gifted ALC. This book will be published June 11! Pattti Murrin is a longtime narrator for KC, and she nails this book as well, but I also love that Katherine narrated the epilogue and her author's note!!

Emma is a teacher and aspiring screenwriter, but an accident left her to be her father's caretaker. She is an expert in rom-coms and can quote many line by line. She is called to help ghostwrite for her favorite screenwriter.

I have read all of Katherine's books and she writes just such happy feeling books that put a huge smile on my face! Emma is such an endearing character and I loved seeing her development throughout. I was so excited to see her go after her dreams and be able to lean on others for support. I also loved Charlie's journey to face his fears. Katherine's writing is well paced, witty, full of smile inducing banter, and just so sweet!! This is a heartwarming and delightful story that will put a smile on your face! I also loved the tie-ins to The Bodyguard!

I have fallen in love with Katherine Centers books this past year so I was excited to see a new book in NetGalley. It did not disappoint just as I suspected.

You will fall in love with Emma’s character and wish she could be your friend. Her partnership with screen writer Charlie might frustrate you at times but in the end you’ll love them both. I love a romance that can give you all the feels with absolutely no bedroom scenes.

Also, I’ll forever love the ties to Texas! ♥️

I absolutely adored this lovely story, it’s a solid 4.75 stars for me. How refreshing is it to simply love and be loved in a completely fantastical and unapologetic manner. I had love Hello Stranger so when I saw this KC title was up for review, I jumped and crossed every finger and toe. I’m so glad that it lived up to the first one and then some for me.

Another hit from Katherine Center! It's fast paced, witty, sweet as heck with a splash of emotions. You could tell while reading it how much Katherine poured herself into this book, you couldn't help but love the characters and the story telling. 10/10 would recommend especially if you love romcoms!!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!