Full five stars. This book is as moving as it is funny.

There were scenes that were so funny (one in particular with a country line dancing instructor) that I really had to wonder whether this had happened to the author in real life. Because, you just can’t make up some of the hilarious situations in the book.

I cried at one point and told my husband he needed to understand that I was going through a really emotional part of the book and wouldn’t be back to myself for a while.

I really love these characters. They took up residence in my heart and haven’t left yet.

My only gripe is that book is not spicy. Closed door. But that’s my preference and not a shortcoming of the book. I would have really loved to see Charlie and Emma get it on, but maybe some reader will produce some fan fic to fill that gap :) [no pun intended]

I give this book my highest recommendation for readers who want a contemporary rom com with depth and heart. It stands out as a perfectly executed romance.

If you've read Katherine Centers book The Bodyguard (which is one of my faves!) I think you are going to like this one too! Think of all the cheesy rom-com cliches and they are in this book... which is why I loved it in all its cheesy glory! I will say, there was ONE thing near the end that I just couldn't get passed and so thats why im giving 4 stars instead of 5.

Emma Wheeler is a struggling screenwriter living with her dad in Texas as his full-time caregiver. Charlie Yates is a famous Hollywood screenwriter who is writing his first rom-com. But Charlie's rom-com sucks -- and Emma tells him as much. Recruited to help Charlie re-write the rom-com, Emma moves into Charlie's house for six weeks to go through the script line by line so Emma can provide her expertise as a rom-com fanatic and they can finish the script. Charlie's main issue with rom-coms is that he doesn't care, he doesn't care about rom-coms and he certainly does not believe in love. But Emma is dead set on convincing Charlie that rom-coms do matter and that love stories matter.

As a dedicated Katherine Center fan, I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. Written in her signature voice, her characters are so well-developed and I always love the little hidden meanings behind her stories. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a miss for me. It was fine, but it was just fine. I found so many of the scenes repetitive and the same conversations were happening over and over again. Emma's character was a bit grating and Charlie's character was so hot and cold. Much of the romance just felt like Emma badgered Charlie enough that he gave in.

I am shocked by the number of 4 and 5-star ratings for this book. The adorable rom-com moments are offset by a ton of tragedy and medical trauma that made the book difficult for me to finish. It NEEDS to come with a trigger warning list, the biggest of which is the TRAUMATIC DEATH OF A PARENT. Smaller triggers include car accidents, cancer diagnoses, and panic attacks. I understand that well-rounded characters need challenges to overcome, but this book had way too many for my liking.

The male lead, Charlie, was also really rude during the first half of the novel. He sees himself as the best of the best, and treats the female lead, Emma, like she is nothing because she has not had any commercial success with her writing. This attitude is incredibly ironic, considering he had writer's block for HALF A DECADE before meeting our female MC. His apology for his initial treatment of her is lukewarm at best, and the majority of Emma's attraction towards Charlie hinges on her self-identifying as his #1 fan.

Overall, I would not recommend this book unless you can get over a massive amount of personal tragedy and/or are a fan of insta-love.

A rom-com about writing a rom- com sounded almost too good to be true, but this book was as good as I hoped it would be! The banter was cute, funny, and heart warming. The main character had me laughing out loud multiple times throughout the book. This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy!

I don't think I've ever downloaded and read a widget faster than when I received a copy of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. In true Caroline fashion, though, I then waited over two months to write a review.

Katherine Center's books are always such a treat. This one was a love letter to romance novels, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

I loved how realistically awkward these characters were. I could see myself in both of them, and their relatability made their story a lot of fun to read. Their dialogue and banter couldn't be beat, and they're a couple you can't help but root for.

There's depth to this story, too, as there always is in Katherine's books. Emma acts as a caretaker to her ailing father, and these more somber scenes add balance to the comedic side of Emma and Charlie's relationship.

All that really needs to be said here is that KC has done it again, and her fans will flock to read her next beautiful novel.

This book gets all of the beautiful stars because it is just that good. Katherine Center has such a way with words and stories, characters and emotions, and I just love it so much.

Charlie and Emma, what can I even say about them? They’re perfect. I loved that they were both screenwriters but from such different levels of success. I loved the traumas of their pasts and how they each attributed to their similar but also so different stories.

The side characters bring a lot of flavor and interest to this book (to include the guinea pig). There is banter, there is angst, there is tension, there is chemistry, there is love, and there is heartbreaking sadness and heartwarming connection.

There is so much and even though I knew Katherine would break my heart at some point in this book, because she somehow always does… she also knows how to perfectly put it back together. And she did.

I can’t recommend this enough. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s silly, and it’s sweet. You’ll laugh and cry and then laugh and cry some more. Every giggle and tear was worth it!

This was a delightful read by Katherine Center, who never disappoints. This book made me laugh out loud and just had me swooning with the charm. The characters were relatable and the chemistry between the two main characters was hot. This was definitely a feel-good read and serves as a reminder of the magic of love and that we should always chase our dreams.

4.5/5 stars

Can you teach someone how to love?

Charlie Yates, Hollywood Screenwriter Superstar decides to change genres, leaving action/apocalyptic/zombie movies behind for a rom-com! Not a good idea Charlie! In fact it’s so bad it could ruin your career.

Enter Emma, longtime friend of Charlie’s agent, Logan. An aspiring writer for years, Emma had to put her career on hold to tend to her family. Well guess what Emma… now it’s your time to shine!

The question is, can she teach Charlie how to write a rom-com? How to feel love? What an HEA looks and feels like?

This was a charming read about life and love. Chocked full of life lessons one can take away. No tears here…just good insight how to enjoy what’s right in front of us. Maybe even finding light through the darkness we all sometimes experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press

I loved this book!! I have been historically a bit mixed on Katherine Center- I loved the Bodyguard but wasn't as into the others I read (partially a me-thing, Hollywood vibes always work for me). This def hit the spot, feeling more like the Bodyguard and also with a few nods to those characters :) I read it in one sitting on a long flight and it'll make the perfect travel summer romance- hitting all the right notes of emotion, fluff, and heart. Can't wait for others to read this when it comes out!

Thank you to St Martins Press for my copy. This book was pure joy. Just a delight to read. Katherine Center writes books that feel like a hug and this was no exception. There were a few elements of this story that didn't work for me, all of which had to do with the specifics of the entertainment industry. But the cute rom-com/ love story elements make it still very much worth a read.

I loved this book! It had it all! I was rooting for the two main characters the whole time. Katherine Center knocked it out of the park with this one. I liked how she inserted one of her characters from one of her other books. That was a fun surprise.

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

Katherine Center novels are among the most consistently enjoyable around. And The Rom-Commers is no exception! I was really rooting for Emma front the first few pages. I was hoping she could find the perfect balance between her family responsibilities and her own independence and desire to fulfill her big dreams.

I love how many quirky and inventive details she adds to both the plot and the characters themselves. There were so many cute elements in the story, like line dancing lessons and guinea pigs. I could definitely see this book working well on the screen. It’s just thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming, as I’ve come to expect from Katherine Center.

Thank you so much for the early review copy, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh, cry and swoon. Katherine Center writes the best female main characters around. They’re fully fleshed and relatable. I can’t recommend this one enough!

This was cute! It’s a fun story about love. It was funny and had a lot of depth. I loved the character Emma and thought she was funny and a mess and organized. And dedicated. The humor of this book made it a fast read.

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.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and The Rom-Commers is a new favorite book. She does romance so well, creating characters that you come to love and truly wish the best. Charlie and Emma feel so real and relatable. Silly foibles, sweet gestures, and chemistry that builds into genuine love blended with a storyline that always provides an interesting learning experience about something new equals a book that I will read over and over again. Or listen to over and over again. Because Patti Murin narrates the audiobook and she is amazing and I loved it.

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

So so cute! I really loved this one! Perfect for any rom-com lover! Great cast of characters, lots of sweet moments and tidbits of wisdom in this one..