Katherine Center is a treasure. There’s not one book she’s written where I haven’t been charmed by the witty banter or impressed by her writing talent. She’s so good at hitting that sweet spot in the emotional tone of her stories, never letting the romance become too cloying or the more serious aspects of the story too depressing. She writes characters that are believable and not always at their best, but you’d still want to know them.

Having said and meant EVERY word of that, I will say that just a tiny bit of the shine was missing for me with this latest book, and I can’t tell if it’s the book, a touch of genre burnout with rom-coms/romance lately or both. The writing was still as stellar, ALL the characters still as complicated and charming, the plot was unique and the humor was pitch-perfect. Honestly, it’s a rom-com lover’s dream! I did enjoy it - especially the humor. Even if I didn't LOVE it as much as her other books I've read, it's still a very good story!

If I had to pick the one thing that kept me from falling completely head over heels for this book, it would boil down to chemistry. Emma and Charlie were both great characters with a healthy mix of good and less desirable traits, and I laughed frequently at their sarcastic and funny banter, but for reasons that utterly elude me, I just didn’t feel that magical spark between them quite as much as with Center’s other literary couples. They made me smile and feel good in that “Aww, that was nice way”, rather than the “I’ll love this couple until the end of time!!” way. Emma’s story with her family was so touching and sweet, and I loved her dad and sister, Sylvie. If that was the story, this would be an easy 5 stars.

I recommend this to those who love a clean romance, fun, snappy banter, complicated characters, and a great family story!

Oh my gosh, this book had me smiling like an absolut weirdo the entire time I was reading it. I don’t think there’s a book by Katherine Center that I haven’t absolutely loved. She is just an exceptional writer who always hits you in the feels.

Emma was the most perfectly imperfect FMC, quirky and kind and waiting in the wings for her big break as a screenplay writer. MMC Charlie was an absolute curmudgeon, negative and cranky but still somehow managed to be endearing. Their banter was seriously, to die for- I mean I was straight up cackling for a good portion of this book. From their first interaction, to the very last page I was all in on them. I could just feel Charlie’s love for Emma coming off the pages. I also don’t usually love when the narrator talks off page to the reader but for some reason it really worked here and just added to the overall humor.

There are of course so very difficult topics covered, like loss of a parent and being a caregiver to a sick parent, cancer, and divorce. But these are all written with such grace that it makes you just appreciate what the character is going through. The ending had me majorly tearing up.
This is a truly enjoyable romcom and will definitely be recommended it for summer beach reads!

Emma has spent the last 10 years as primary caregiver for her father. Now she has a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to California and work with a famous screen writer. ARC from NetGalley.

So I don’t usually find myself tearing up at the end of a ‘rom-com’ but guess what everybody, this book made me do it. Maybe it’s my fragile emotional state today but it could also be that this Katherine Center book has me feeling all the feels and re-evaluating life choices and TBR picks like not every book or author can do.

Emma is an absolutely perfect (yet of course imperfect) main character, except that she’s living the life of a supporting actor, maybe she’s even hiding in the wings - until she’s thrust into a role she could have never imagined, the unwilling co-lead in with an equally unwilling co-lead who just happens to be her absolute favourite yet in real life unattainable person. And he also happens to be absolutely perfect for her - but they need to be grumpy and stand-offish for the first half of the book or so to get the point across - can’t make it too easy, right?

This book ticks EVERY box for this avid romance reader and it may or may not be my new favourite Katherine Center book and my recc of the summer if someone asks me what to read next.

💞ARC Review💞

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Oh my God, Katherine Center, you’ve done it again! I have enjoyed every single one of your books that I’ve read and I’ve been incredibly lucky to receive the last two as digital ARCs from Netgalley. I looooved this!

First of all, a story about two writers writing a rom com and falling in love while doing so? Brilliant. Without giving any spoilers, there was so much in this book that I adored. The fact that I just knew Charlie was in awe of Emma and was going to love her the moment she launched into her evening of ripping his script to shreds, the fact that she was his adoring fan and got a reality check when she met him in person but then went back to adoring him in another way, the fact that he took care of her from afar even when she didn’t want it but really did need it, the fact that he threw these random compliments out there to her every so often that made me swoon, the fact that he braved the water to jump in after her even though he was deathly afraid, the fact that she got him over his writer’s block and made it her mission to change his opinions of rom coms…. I could keep going.

I adored this book, adored the ending, and would love to see this changed into an actual rom com in the screen because oh lord would this be a perfect movie.

Read this! You won’t regret it.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center releases on June 11, 2024.

📚 The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ~ 5 stars

I have enjoyed Katherine's books for the past several years, but this one was a fail for me. I couldn't bring myself to care anything about the characters or the absurdity of the situations they found themselves in. I may listen on audio later to see if that makes a difference for me.

This is an enjoyable read but I did find parts of it to be a bit slow. I didn't feel much chemistry between the main characters for awhile because of how slow the story progressed. The LA setting was fun and I liked the premise of the book! 3.5 stars

4 stars. Let me start by saying that Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to her summer releases every year. So I was super excited to get an ARC of The Rom-Commers, which sounded incredible from the blurb. And it was incredible… for like 66%. And then one scene happened that really didn’t jive with me. And that one scene set the stage for other scenes that really didn’t jive with me. And caused me to almost dislike both of the characters. So for me, the first 2/3 of the book are 5 stars. The last 1/3 is 3 stars. Which gives us 4 stars overall.

So… what did I like? The writing. Katherine’s books are written so damn well and are just so damn easy to read. Even when I’m not jiving with the plot or character development, her books are still unputdownable. I also marvel that Center can bring humor to even the saddest and serious of scenes. I can be on the brink of tears, and then her characters will say something and I’m laughing. I truly can’t praise her writing enough. I also love books that are about books (or in this case… screen plays), so the fact that both characters were writers was something that I really found to be a lot of fun. And for at least 2/3 of the book, I liked the relationships (romantic and familial). All in all, this isn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, and in general, it’s also not a bad book. I can see people really enjoying this one, which to be fair, was also mostly the case for me. And I can absolutely say that I will 100% continue to read her books, and I’m excited for whatever comes next from her.

Thank you to Center, Netgalley, and SMP for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (5 Stars)
Steam: just kissing

No spoiler review 👇🏻👇🏻

I was so pumped when I got an ARC of this book. I have read two other books by this author and have absolutely loved them, and this book is not different. This was such a great read! This book follows Emma and gets hired to co write a rom com with her favourite Hollywood writer..the only problem is he doesn’t want to write this movie. It’s fun, close proximity, banter filled and swoony! It is also full of emotion and a story that sucks you in. Katherine Center is one of my favourite authors, and I’m excited to read more from her in the future. This is the perfect read for the summer.

CW: death of family member (past), caregiving of family member, family accident, cancer, medical issues

This was a cute and fun read. I love Katherine Center and her books. This book gives you all the feels and is worth the read. Thanks to netgalley and the publishing company for an opportunity to.read this book.

This was one of my favorite reads this year! I loved the banter between the characters. I was grinning to myself like a fool, while reading. The pacing was great, and I was constantly picking this book up to read more. I loved Charlie (MMC) so much. He’s a kind of a grumpy old man, but I was rooting for him and Emma (FMC) the whole time!
This was well written, imo- with more dialogue than monologue or “telling” which I appreciate.
If you like books about films or Hollywood writers/screenwriters, grumpy x sunshine, and love between colleagues - you would probably really enjoy this one!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book!!!! The best rom-com feel good book of the summer! Emma is a fantastic character - funny, charming & loving! The chemistry between her & Charlie jumps off the page. Couldn’t put the book down!

I had a hard time knowing how to review this book, since I love Katherine Center's books overall. However, this book was just okay for me. I loved the premise of two writers falling in love while writing a rom-com. Some of the highlights of the book for me include the humor (I definitely laughed out loud a few times), the deeper topics (cancer, grief/loss of loved one, caregiving for a parent, etc.), the very realistic conflicts, and the main characters, Emma's personality. Why I didn't rate it higher: I didn't like the way the other main character, Charlie, treated Emma at times (despite later knowing why) and some truly cringey moments (yes, I know it's a rom-com). I did love the classic Hollywood rom-com ending of the book. I would still recommend this, even though it's not my favorite by this author. Some of the best books I've read by Katherine Center include The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, and Happiness for Beginners. I will definitely read her future books!

Oh, how a Katherine center book always hits the spot and makes life a little better. Whenever I need to take a break from life and just enjoy the moment, her books are a perfect opportunity to do just that. I so enjoyed her new book. I laughed, I cried, and savored every moment of this reading journey. Thank you, Netgalley and McMillan Publishers for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Two very flawed people fall in love. That’s basically this book summed up, without any spoilers.

Emma is a woman who has a martyr complex and uses guilt as a weapon to manipulate people into doing what she wants. Charlie is a selfish human, who thinks very highly of himself and very lowly of others (incl the female mc at the start).

Interestingly enough, they both have character arcs that make them better individually and together. By the end I was rooting for them, even if I didn’t particularly like them.

I think this was a cute rom com, with some fun banter and maybe some dialogue that was a bit problematic. I think it was well paced, even if some choices the characters made frustrated me to no end. I didn’t necessarily like how this book was narrated by Emma, like she was telling a story to someone- but it felt like a narrated movie, and I think that fit this book considering the plot.

Overall, I’d recommend you read it if you want a quick rom com read that’s clean and cute.

Emma's passion is writing, but she's sacrificed some major writing opportunities in order to care for her father, who was injured years ago in a tragic accident. When she gets the opportunity of a lifetime - to move to LA short-term and work with one of her favorite writers - her first reaction is to pass. Her dad needs round-the-clock care, and she has devoted her life to keeping him alive. But her sister happens to be coming home from college and can handle caring for their dad while Emma is away. After some debate, Emma decides to go for it. Her other passion is rom-coms, and this gig is to co-write one with her idol, Charlie Yates. Initially, Charlie is a disappointment. He doesn't believe in love, doesn't understand the recipe for a solid rom-com, and he's kind of a grump. Emma is hell-bent on getting Charlie on board with all things romance and rom-com feels. As the two spend more and more time together, sparks begin to fly. Can Emma change Charlie's ways and convince him that true love does exist?

Let me start off with this - I will always and forever read anything written by Katherine Center. I love her stories, her laugh out loud moments, and her perfectly imperfect characters. Her endings are like a warm hug. The Rom-Commers checked off all the boxes for me and was a super quick read that I blew through in two days (it would've been one if I had the time). Katherine Center is a delight who has mastered the rom-com recipe.

The Rom-Commers is yet another great summer read by Katherine Center that I loved.
Emma is her dad's primary caregiver but leaves him with her sister when she is hired to help edit her screenwriting hero Charlie's first rom-com. But does he really want help? Will Emma's dad be ok while she's gone? Will she finally make the connections she needs to further her screenwriting career?

Katherine Center's writing makes the reading experience such a pleasure - her main characters, the banter, the supporting characters. I became very invested in Emma and Charlie's story and felt as if I was reading about friends. That's why her books are ideal summer reads! But then I'm sad when the story is done.

If you have loved Katherine Center's previous novels, I highly recommend this one too, because you will surely love it.

Many thanks to #StMartinsPress & #NetGalley for being so kind as to provide me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the Rom-Commers!

Katherine Center is one of my absolute favorite authors, and the queen of crafting witty banter and sharp dialogue. Her books take the reader on a journey through all the feels, and are the perfect, absorbing read.

The Rom-Commers delivers with all of the above! The perfect summer read!!

Characters Emma and Charlie, with all of their emotions, quirks, and flaws, are hard not to root for - separately as well as together. Although I’ll admit that through a good portion of the book in rooting for Emma I felt like she belonged with better than a guy who dissed her so coldly and frequently behind her back (defense mechanism or not), Charlie redeems himself in the end in the magical way you hope a “rom-com” will.

The depth of love described within Emma’s family really hit soft spots for me and was a great side plot - the scene where Emma’s dad instructs Charlie (via email) to make her favorite doughnuts for her birthday, and the lengths Charlie went to to make that happen was so sweet.

Best part about this book? The ending and the underlying message. The Rom-Commers is full of wonderful, inspiring quotes and messages. The ending sums it up best:

“It can’t be where you’re going that matters. It has to be how you get there. 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 how you live it - but how you choose to tell it.”

Words to live by! This book and characters will stay with me long after finishing.

I did not think anything could top The Bodyguard for me, which was one of my favorite reads of 2022, but this has!! By far my favorite Katherine Center book now. This was so so good! It managed to make me feel every single emotion and I loved the storyline.

I have read and enjoyed several of this author's previous books, so I was very excited to receive this #giftedcopy for review. It was a bit of a slow start for me and I was worried this one wouldn't work for me. But then things really took off and I was hooked. This book made me laugh out loud, gasp and tear up a few times. Once you get to know Emma and Charlie you really fall for them and root for them to work things out. There is also a bit of the behind the third wall element that I loved too, when the author is speaking directly to you, the reader. I thought these were very fleshed out characters with some serious issues and dilemmas that they each had to work through. I thought the issues were handled well and in a pretty realistic way. Definitely a romcom with some substance. @katherinecenter is becoming an autobuy author for me and I look forward to what she writes next!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Be sure to throw this one in your beach bag! Out June 11, 2024.