Thanks so much for this arc!

Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers truly delivered. I was so wrapped up in this story. I couldn’t wait to figure out the cover & title and watch it all unfold.

Emma hasn’t had the best of luck. She’s always wanted to be a screenwriter but it seems to be the type of thing that’s so challenging to get noticed for. She’s also caring for her ailing father- which is a full time job. This forces her to put herself on the back burner in all aspects of her life.

But when her friend asks her to help ghost write for a very famous author, Charles Yates, she can not refuse. She rearranges her life and gives up some control of her father to make this happen. This is a huge deal for her- not only personally but professionally as well.

Things start of quite rocky but Emma chooses to stay and help Charlie. They both have secrets from each other as they start to build a fun little friendship. I enjoyed the banter between the two. Emma loves love and Charlie isn’t quite sold. She not only needs to teach him for his book but for herself as well.

I will say some bits were predictable but that’s what we love about a romance. This book had all the aspects of an adorable rom-com that rom-com readers love. Well done!

Uhm, hello? I laughed and cried………. a lot.

Katherine Center is becoming an auto-buy, auto-read author for me. Her characters are relatable, silly and the banter is off the charts. Everything about this book feels like a warm hug and I loved everything about Charlie and Emma.

The Rom-Commers features grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance and opposites attract. Not a whole lot of steam but it’s true to its name – it’s a classic contemporary rom-com. It’s just one of those books you have a smile while reading the entire time and that makes it impossible to put down.

Go pick this up this summer because it is the absolute perfect beach read!

First, thanks to Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advanced copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I'M NOT OK. Katherine Center almost always hits me with the perfect story at the perfect time to get me out of the slumpiest reading slumps, and this book is no exception. I mainly listened to the audio, and I just need to make a note that the audio was really well done and Patti Murin did a beautiful job of bringing this story to life. She's the perfect Emma.

I'm a huge fan of when the main character of a story has spent their whole life putting the people they love first and their own hopes and dreams on the backburner with the idea that "their time doesn't need to come because their loved ones are where their time belongs," only to be slapped in the face with their moment. Emma is the epitome of this to a T and it was so much fun to watch her and Charlie figure out love together.

A "failed" screenwriter and full-time caretaker matched with a (fairly clueless about real life but) super successful Hollywood screenwriter. What could go wrong? A lot. But the journey in this book to make it to the happily ever after is worth every stumble and bumble along the way.

Katherine Center never fails to make me laugh. I loved this book; I could not put it down. And the extra bonus chapter from Charlie's POV from that night!!! I'm screaming. "The fear was big, but how I felt about Emma was bigger."

All to say, another win in my book and I'm so stupidly, unbelievably excited to be having FUN reading again.

I hope I don’t sound too cliche when I say this is the best romance novel I’ve read in years; and I’ve read what some people might call an unhealthy amount of them.

This is the book for hopeless romantics. The ones who giggle and blush at cheesy k-dramas, who dream of a person who kisses like Colin Firth in Bridget Jones’ Diary. The ones who can quote the entire Pride and Prejudice rain scene (accents included!) and those of us who swoon over Billy Crystal in a chunky knit sweater.

Katherine Center has created the most perfect blend of cliches, misunderstandings, and bickering; of tenderness, heart, and endearment. These characters are messy, wounded, and sometimes maybe just plain annoying. But they’re also sensitive and vulnerable and lovely, actually. There were times while I was reading where I just wanted to shake them and there were times where I really just wanted to comfort them. (Or as Bill Pullman once said, ‘you don't know whether to hug them or, or just really arm wrestle them’).

Reading this book was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. There is banter, tension, swooning. There is heartbreak, anger, and grief. I giggled and blushed. I rolled my eyes. I sighed. I laughed and cried in equal measure, sometimes managing to achieve both on the same page. Like all the best rom coms, the ending supplied me with happiness and a sense of hope.

While a lot of romances for me are one and done, I’m happy to say that this is one I will be rereading for the rest of my life.

If you’re a lover of romance and romance movies and there’s only one book you pick up in 2024, please let it be this one.


Mild spoilers:

*
*
*
*
*

PS. If there is a man out there who sings Queen to a mourning guinea pig on hunger strike, burns 100 biscuits just to make one perfect birthday donut, or studies k-dramas to reenact the perfect kiss, please send him my way.

I have to say I see the hype with Katherine Center’s books. This was my second one by her and it didn’t disappoint. The story was very unique and quite clever. It wasn’t your typical rom com, as it held so much depth and meaning. The book spoke a powerful message about enjoying the journey of your life, rather than obsessing about the destination. I found myself highlighting my kindle with various quotes which I seldom do. I appreciated how she incorporated other characters from her other book “The Bodyguard” which was an unexpected fun twist. There is a lot of angst and waiting that drove me nuts, but I finally understood the reason why after reading the last couple of chapters. Highly recommend this book for something both light and powerful!

Truly obsessed with this story. I love books where writing or story telling are major plot points. Katherine Center’s writing made this bingeable and emotional. And an IMMEDIATE five stars.

Crying at 2 am over this one. A sucker for rom-coms, this one hit all the marks.

I loved the banter between Emma and Charlie and, to be honest, Logan was such a fun sidekick in the story. While Logan played a huge part in connecting the two, his role in the book wasn’t overwhelming and I loved that. Back to Emma and Charlie, I think I loved Charlie more than anything. Especially towards the end. I couldn’t quite figure him out, I loved that he kept me guessing, but you just knew what was coming given the book theme. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll roll your eyes, you’ll CRY.

Katherine Center delivered again! She knows all the right themes in a book to cover and this was no exception. Her dialogue was relatable and witty and you’ll be sucked into the story from start to finish.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

“There it is. The whole trick to life. Be aggressively, loudly, unapologetically grateful.”

The Rom-Commers
Pub date:
💕💕💕💕💕/5

Can I just say that all of Katherine Center’s books are just so phenomenal? I mean every single book! I adored this one. It was so cute and funny. I found myself laughing out loud at the characters antics. Cuthbert was a cute little addition to the story. Plus Jack Stapleton even makes a special appearance (iykyk) A winner all around in my book!! Pick this one up, you’ll absolutely LOVE it. Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for the chance to read this amazing book.

Katherine Center hits it out of the park again!! Honestly, I’ll read anything she writes, the dialogue is always clever and funny - I power through these books and find myself laughing out loud!

The main character was very relatable and the story was sweet. Highly recommend.

Can I tell you my problem with Katherine Center? It's a BIG problem. HUGE! Ready for it?
HER BOOKS ARE TOO GOOD! Every year she comes out with a book. And I save it for a rainy day. Or a rainy week. And I look forward to reading it so much. And then that day comes and I read the book in that day and THEN I AM SAD BECAUSE I HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR FOR ANOTHER ONE!

CURSES!

I guess this is a love note to Katherine. Thank you for writing another book that got me out of a book slump. Do I like rom-coms? Not much anymore really. Did I love this book? yes. Was it over before I even registered I had been reading it ? Yes.

Emma and Charlie are working together on a screen play that Charlie wrote. Charlie is a famous screen writer, like mega famous, and Emma is a screenwriter that hasn't been able to leave her fathers side in 10 years. The two are connected by their agent who was Emmas high school boyfriend now best friend. I think thats enough of the synopsis but really you dont need a synopsis to get interested in a K.C. book, you know it is fantastic already!

GO READ THIS!

Center's writing style is engaging and lighthearted, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments sprinkled throughout the book. She has a knack for crafting witty dialogue and creating scenes that are both funny and touching. Readers will find themselves rooting for Clara and her friends as they navigate the ups and downs of love and life.

Beyond its humor and romance, "RomCommers" also touches on deeper themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the power of following your passions. It's a story about taking chances, embracing new opportunities, and finding happiness in unexpected places.

Overall, "RomCommers" is a charming and uplifting read that is sure to delight fans of romantic comedies. With its engaging characters, witty writing, and heartfelt moments, it's the perfect book to curl up with and escape into a world of love, laughter, and happily-ever-afters.

As someone who tends to put everyone else before myself, The Rom-Commers really hit home. There was laugh out loud moments, adorable moments, swoon worthy chemistry while having heavier issues. Then tension between the 2 main characters was perfect. The ending was absolutely perfect. I don't know it could have been better. I don't think Katherine Center will ever not write a 5 star book.

Katherine Center's books have been hit or miss for me since How to Walk Away, but I really loved The Rom-Commers. The story had so much more depth than I was expecting from the synopsis and I adored the caregiving representation, and the representation of Charlie's life as a cancer survivor.

This book is written in single POV from Emma's perspective, which made it read a lot more like women's fiction than romance. And I do think the central storyline is really about Emma's identity formation as a daughter, caregiver, writer, and generally person separate from the circumstances of her family. That development - and the backstory of Emma's parents - was really well done by Center in this book. You absolutely understand where Emma's singular focus on her father is coming from, the guilt she carries, how it impacts every relationship and opportunity in her life. Charlie was also really a dreamboat once we got to see more of him. The quiet way he falls in love with Emma was lovely to see. Charlie is approaching his five year cancer-versary which is a big deal for those of us on that journey. He talks about his anxiety with appointments and how he feels about the milestone in a way that really resonated with me as a cancer survivor. I didn't love the "scare" at the end with his appointment, but that was really my only complaint about the book. Finally, I absolutely adored the relationship with Emma and her father in this book.

Content flags: Emma is a full time caregiver for her father after he suffered a traumatic accident and brain injury; her mother was killed in the same accident which is described in one chapter in-depth; Charlie is a cancer survivor and has a scare after a routine scan

I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for this eARC!

i LOVED this book. i mean holy shit i now have to read all of katherine center’s romance novels. it was SO good. i loved the characters and the development of their feelings was so good 🤌 i feel like recently i've been a bit disappointed by the development in the romance novels i've read. like i've loved the characters but there’s been at least one piece of the build up that was vaguely disappointing. this was not that at all. i loved this whole thing, the whole way through. i read it so fast. im so sad its over, i want to read it again. and i honestly might since i've still got 8 hours of a flight left. anyways, all this to say, this book honestly is maybe one of my favorite “rom-coms” i've ever read. it was adorable and i love them both and want to read about the rest of their lives. you should absolutely read this when it’s published!!! its so good!!

Genre: Romance
Tropes: workplace romance, celebrity romance, forced proximity

When Katherine Center release a new book, I know that I'll be running to the nearest bookstore to get my hands on it and will immediately read it within 24 hours. I have loved every Katherine Center book I've ever read because of the pure joy that jumps off of the page in addition to the unique twists she puts into what have come to be well known romance tropes. So of course, when The Rom-Commers found it's way to my inbox, I couldn't help but squeal in delight about the guaranteed joy I would be getting from her newest release.

The Rom-Commers, in true Katherine Center fashion, is an ode to the romance genre as a whole which I absolutely loved. The idea that there is a well known, dare I say snooty?, screenwriter who is desperately trying (and failing) to write a romance gave me such a chuckle and felt like the best sassy way to get back at all the romance haters who don't believe romance has any substance. Take that you Negative Nancy's!

But, alas, no writer can hit it out of the park every time. I wanted to love this book so much...I really did. And while I liked it overall, it was a miss for me because of the high standards that I have for Katherine Center. If I'm honest, I just couldn't feel the chemistry between our two main characters and I really didn't like either of them. While I loved the idea of the story, the execution just wasn't there and it fell flat for me.

Don't you worry though, this will not deter me from continuing to jump for joy every time Center release a new book or even teases of her upcoming work. I continue to be a big fan of Katherine Center as well as what she stands for!

Rom-commers is a love story to rom-coms! Can’t help but root for Emma & Charlie to get together through all the complications and struggles in their lives. This grumpy/sunshine couple don’t disappoint, both are extremely attractive yet tragically flawed. This heart warming story has all the feels. Another delight from Katherine Center.

Thank you Net Galley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

A grumpy-meets-sunshine read - and a story that Katherine Center does like no one else. I loved getting to know Emma and see Charlie's journey. Emma is a lovable character, and with her life - caretaking full time after an accident that gravely impacted her family - you root for her as she gets the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and work with Charlie on his upcoming screenplay.

Their dialogue, character differences, and learning how to understand each other keep you engaged. Katherine did it again!

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Loved the book, as I do all of Katherine Center's books. Great suggestion for a summer read, good suggestion for a customer looking for a lighthearted celeb/normie love story with both comedy and serious topics. Loved the interaction between the characters as they navigated their professional relationship (he the famous screenwriter and she the newbie never been sold script screenwriter) into their love relationship. Funny and interested dialogue between them. As with most romance novels there's always an obstacle to why the two main characters don't like each other/can't be together and this book delivers a good setting and a secret reason revealed at the end. Loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio for the ARC/ALC!

Emma Wheeler dreams of being a screenwriter, especially of romantic comedies. She’s spent her whole life learning about them and writing them too. But when an injury caused her father to need permanent round-the-clock care, Emma put her career and her life on hold to take care of him. When she’s given the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for her all-time favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates, she can’t believe it! She also feels incredibly guilty taking the job, but her sister moves back home to care for her dad and everything seems set. When she meets Charlie, she learns why he is in need of a ghostwriter - his romcom is TERRIBLE! And not only is it bad, but he thinks romantic comedy in general is cheesy and ridiculous. How are these two possibly going to be able to work together?

I absolutely loved Katharine Center’s last book, Hello Stranger, and also The Bodyguard, so I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately, this story really missed the mark for me. Compared to the other two books, it felt flat and the chemistry between the two lead characters felt almost nonexistent - until it was forced. I honestly cringed at several parts. To me, the best thing about this book is the love Emma had for her family - especially her relationship with her father. She learned how to deal with grief and how to forgive herself, and that it was okay to be happy again. I found myself wanting to get through the Emma/Charlie stuff just to get back to the parts where she was with her family.

In the audio, I loved the author’s personal note at the end, defending rom-com’s. She is just the sweetest and I would definitely read her next book. “The RomCommers” releases June 11, 2024.

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book!!! This was such an absolutely perfect romance, and I loved how meta it was as a romcom book about writers writing a romcom movie. As always with Katherine Center’s books, we got sweet, goofy, fun romance, as well as deeper, heavier themes, and it was all perfectly balanced and well-paced. This is my favorite of Center’s books yet — 5 stars for sure — and one of my favorites of the year to date!