I still cannot believe that this was my very first Katherine Center book-- and am I absolutely obsessed? The answer is YES, and now I have to read her entire backlist!

We follow Emma Wheeler- a round the clock caretaker of her father that suffered an accident in the past. She loves him, and is also pursuing a screenwriting career from home. She gets a once-in-a-lifetime phone call from her former boyfriend who she's still friends with, saying that one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood needs a ghostwriter to help him revamp a Rom-Com script (that isn't great...). Emma flies out to LA to meet her hero- Charlie Yates- and he is not happy to see her. His grumpy attitude finally gives in and allows her to stay and help him write. There is forced proximity (since they have to write this things together per their contract) for six weeks. Emma is around her hero- who's also very handsome, and Charlie is forced to figure out what love is again. Does he even believe it? His script doesn't sound like he does!

I love that she is so character driven and created two main characters that I wish I knew IRL. Emma had such a relatable "take care of family and put everything else you want at the bottom of the list" personality that hit so close to home. Charlie had such a grumpy and hard exterior, but the more I got to know him... is it crazy to say that he is definitely my top book boyfriend?!

I always love stories about writers, but the fact that these two are screenwriters coming from difference backgrounds made me addicted to the book. Putting it down was so NOT an option for me. The way that these two fell in love was like watching a friend fall in love. And the irony that the whole thing was a true Rom-Com was the BEST. There were elements of a true rom-com movie sprinkled in with real life.

Center does a spectacular job by not just making this about two people falling in love, but she deals with hard topics head on without treating her audience like they wouldn't understand. I really appreciated that about this book. She touches on family, friendship, grief, moving on, and finding happiness in yourself. Identity is also a huge theme with both of these characters, and especially for young adults this book confronted some really REAL issues in life.

In conclusion... I LOVED this book. Completely ate it up. The banter got me laughing out loud, the deep reliving of trauma made me CRY (it takes a lot for a book to make me cry), and the END. LIKE COME ONNNNN.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a a digital copy of this book and allowing me to review it! Very very excited for this to be on the shelves!

Katherine Center's "The Rom-Commers" is not just a rom-com; it's full of laughter, wit, and heartwarming moments that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Our MC Emma Wheeler, an aspiring screenwriter whose life takes a rom-com-worthy turn when she gets the chance to rewrite a script for her idol, the grumpy but brilliant Charlie Yates.

The banter between Emma and Charlie is pure magic. Their initial clashes soon melt into hilarious exchanges laced with vulnerability and self-discovery. You'll find yourself cheering for them to overcome their personal hurdles and embrace the unexpected path love takes them on.

But "The Rom-Commers" isn't just about the swoon-worthy romance. It's a celebration of family, friendship, and the power of believing in yourself. Center tackles complex themes like grief, loss, and self-doubt with sensitivity and humor, reminding us that even life's imperfections can lead to beautiful beginnings.

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions. You'll laugh until your sides ache, shed a few happy tears, and be left feeling hopeful and inspired. Center's writing is sharp and engaging, and her characters are so well-developed you'll feel like you're right there with them as they navigate their journeys.

Whether you're a die-hard rom-com fan or simply looking for a heartwarming read, "The Rom-Commers" is a must-add to your bookshelf. It's a reminder that love can blossom in the most unexpected places, and that even the most cynical hearts can be touched by the magic of happily ever afters.

I very much enjoyed Katherine Center's The Rom-Commers. It was a quick, relatively light-hearted read with enough emotional content to make you laugh, smile, and shed a tear or two. Katherine does a masterful job of creating characters you fall in love with and a storyline that sucks you in. This book also had a lot of great quotes that make you think about how you view the world. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

Wow. This definitely is my favorite Katherine Center book! The writing in this is absolutely beautiful. It’s also filled with funny, witty banter. Emma and Charlie are up there with some of my favorite rom-com couples now! I would recommend this to any rom-com lover, this is one you don’t want to miss!

There were some really nice themes explored in this book, particularly around living life to the fullest. I really liked the beginning of the story. I think that if there had been more of a focus on Charlie and Emma and their relationship, I would have really enjoyed that. I got the impression that the book was trying to show love in a more realistic light, emphasizing that life is not a romantic comedy, but I wish there had been more romance build up, because I really didn’t feel the chemistry.

I’m just not sure that this one was for me. The plot felt a little bit disjointed and I didn’t like the main characters and the way they treated other people, so it was a little bit hard for me to be invested.

I didn’t know how she could top Tne Bodyguard - but Katherine Center may have just done it with The Rom-Commers. This is a five star romance - truly delightful.

This book had me laughing and crying. The characters were so well written and developed that you felt like they were your friends. As usual, Center gives us a romance with all the swoony moments, and all the depth to back it up.

This was my first Katherine Center book and definitely won’t be my last. Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for gifting me the opportunity to read this book.

If you’re looking for a feel-good book where two rom-com writers end up in their own rom-com- then this one is for you!

While the characters dealt with some serious issues , Emma and Charlie’s personalities had me rooting for them throughout their journey. This was a quick, fun read that will be released in June. Keep your eyes out for this one!

While I thought that Katherine Center cleverly defended romcom books and movies here, I wasn't completely enthralled with the story. I found it to be very dialogue heavy, and I was craving more in the way of plot.
Also, I didn't buy that the two main characters were really in love. Charlie, especially, seemed not very appealing as a male MC.
Overall, this one was just okay for me.

Emma is a hopeful screenwriter but put her life on hold after her dad suffered an accident and needs full time care. When her friend offers her a job helping her longtime screenwriter idol, Charlie Yates, rewrite a script, she has her sister step in her place. Charlie is surprised to find Emma has come to help him. He does not want to rewrite it and only wrote it so he can get his next action movie made. Charlie reluctantly agrees to have Emma stay and help with the rewrite. She challenges Charlie to getting his feet wet, line dancing, and an amazing kiss. Justin must overcome some past traumas before the screenplay is finished and hopefully get over his writing draught.

I found this book to be a fun read, but the book moved slowly until the second half which is why I gave it 4 stars. The characters were funny and likeable. If you want a clean romance book to recommend your mom, this one is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of The Rom-Commers in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! I have never read a book from Kathrine Center but I will be sure to pick up more! The writing was great! I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t like anything I have read before and that isn’t easy to come by these days so I thoroughly enjoyed the read! The character building was just enough for me to be invested and I enjoyed seeing names that are well known that was a nice touch!

4.5 stars for the feel good beach read vibes. The rom-commers has so much of what I love: books about writers writing things, in this case screen plays, when grumpy met sunshine vibes, and romantic comedies. I was rooting for Charlie and Emma from page one and loved the journey their story took them on. The epilogue was also an incredibly satisfying wrap up which was the icing on the cake for me. This is the perfect beach read of the summer!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

All of Katherine Center's books are spectacular and this one did not disappoint. I love that she writes the perfect Rom Com with a balance of depth. All of her characters are real & relatable. Her books are always filled with laugh-out-loud moments and will leave your heart fluttering every single time. She's one of the most talented authors of pulling at your heartstrings.

Emma has put all her dreams aside after her family was devastated by a tragic accident. Emma has spent most of her adulthood as the sole caregiver to her father who has several health issues related to the accident. Before the accident, Emma dreamed of becoming a screenplay writer, and ever since then, she has been studying, and perfecting her romantic comedies. She's a romcom guru and has even won competitions for her writing. Her ex (and agent) calls to let her know she's finally gotten the big break she's been hoping for, and that's to help Charlie Yates with his new screenplay... a romcom! Charlie, a science-fiction masterpiece creator, doesn't typically write rom-coms, and the one he has written is a total disaster.

Emma is determined not to blow her chance at this opportunity, but there's just one challenge - she must go to LA for SIX weeks; the question is, can she trust anyone else to care for her dad while she is away? Emma's younger sister graciously offers to step in and take over the duties while Emma is out.

When Emma arrives at Charlie's LA mansion, she realizes he has no idea that she's been hired to help him. He refuses to admit that he needs help on it, especially from a "failed screenwriter". Not only that, but he doesn't even believe in love - he thinks it's an emotional Ponzi scheme. Charlie is bitter & jaded due to the circumstances in his own life. Emma being the rom-com junkie that she is, takes a stand and does everything in her power to convince him that rom-coms do matter and that "love wasn't just a concept created by Hallmark to sell greeting cards." After a lot of convincing, tough love, and critiquing his work, Charlie agrees to work with her.

I loved Charlie & Emma's relationship. It started off as enemies-to-lovers, and then turns into my favorite friends-to-lovers. Their romance is filled with witty banter, fun plot-twists, and hilarious scenes. One of my favorites was with the biscuit tube - omg I was LAUGHING & CRYING for a good 15 minutes. The birthday biscuits - mean come on! The way these two came together, conquered their fears, with a lot of laughs and tears in-between - this one will leave you giddy for sure.

Like I said earlier, Katherine Center writes such tragic backstories with amazing hopeful messages. Her books usually have an overall theme of showing the bright side of things, no matter how dark it is around you. This book explores tragedies, loss, grief, guilt, but through all of that, it teaches you to always be grateful and to try to focus on what people are doing right in your life, not so much on what they're doing wrong. It reminds you that every life has heartbreak and sadness, and it's more about what you do to face those circumstances. You cannot predict what life will throw your way.

If you liked The Bodyguard, you will also like The Rom-Commers (and not just because there are Jack Stapleton cameos👀)! The Rom-Commers has a celebrity MMC (Charlie is a famous screenwriter), there is forced proximity, and the SLOWEST of slow burns!
Because this is slow burn, there is a TON of chemistry and tension between Charlie (MMC) and Emma (FMC) and you are just on the edge of your seat the ENTIRE time to see when they will finally get together!
There is also a very interesting element to this book, it has some very literary/meaningful topics that are discussed and Katherine Center really displays her beautiful, flowery, and powerful sentiments like talking about life, death, loss, and grief all while STILL focusing (most of the time) on the light/happiness.
I don't know what it is but Katherine Center's cartoon cover books just hit DIFFERENT and I am so glad that I was able to get an early copy of this book! Thank you so much St. martin's Press for an e-ARC of this amazing book!💖

I read everyone of Kathrine Center's books, but I didn't love all of hers works. This story is somewhere in the middle, I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. At times I found it a bit childish and slow.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The best, funniest, saddest, most touching book. I loved every second of this one- I just wish it was longer! So good!

I’m obsessed. Quite literally. Let me set the scene. I started reading “The Rom-Commers” during a long car ride while my husband drove. Three chapters in and I tell him “I’m going to like this book”. Chapter after chapter I’m squealing, grabbing his arm, telling him what’s sending me to the moon. I don’t care that he’s trying to drive or listen to his audiobook in peace, I need him to know how this book is making me feel. He’s on this journey with me whether he likes it or not.

Emma Wheeler is an expert in romantic comedies, even if nothing romantic is happening to her. She’s the sole caretaker for her dad (who is a literal ray of sunshine) who needs full-time care. When an opportunity to present itself to work with world renowned screenwriter Charlie Yates, she’s over the moon. Emma’s family steps up to help make her dreams come true, and with her sister stepping in to care for her father, Emma journeys to L.A. Upon arrival though, she discovers that not only is the romantic comedy Charlie wrote TERRIBLE, but it’s just a favor to get his passion project made. Oh, and he doesn’t believe in love! Can Emma work with Charlie to write something they can both be proud of and believe in?

This book. It’s everything. This is the first book I’ve read by Kathrine Center, and I will absolutely be a fan for life. Honestly 5++ stars. At first the title seemed odd, but after reading, I love it so much. I want to be best friends with Emma! Her relationships with her family feel so authentic and relatable. Her sense of humor is to die for, and I love that she stands up for herself. Charlie, I just love him. He's perfectly imperfect. I don’t want to spoil anything so just read it. The synopsis online and the one I just wrote don’t do it justice. Just read it!

The Rom-Commers is out June 11, 2024.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The dialogue, the banter, the wittiness!! I could scream to the rooftops how amazing this book was from start to finish. I was laughing and smiling like an idiot while reading it. The rhythm was great, it kept me engaged the whole time and I couldn't stop reading. The characters had amazing chemistry and were phenomenal together. There's a lot of build up to their relationship and the tension is strung throughout the story but, there's plenty of hilarious moments and charming characters to get us through. This may be my favorite book of 2024.

Aspiring writer Emma gets the chance of a lifetime to write a rom-com screenplay with THE Charlie Yates. Charlie claims he knows next to nothing about love, but Emma might be able to teach him a thing or two.

I really enjoyed this book. This was only my second book by this author but I'm convinced that I want to read everything she's written. The characters in this book were well-written and likeable with good development. The plot was cute with funny scenes and good side stories. While the outcome was predictable, I didn't enjoy reading it any less and loved how Emma and Charlie's relationship developed. This is a great story about forgiveness and living in the moment, and I would recommend it!

I really enjoyed the ARC I read of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, so I immediately requested this new title. I couldn't connect with the story or the characters, unfortunately. There was no chemistry, and the spice was closed door. All in all, not my cup of tea, sadly.

Katherine Center does it again! I’m just a crazy big fan of everything she writes and this is no exception. Delicious in every way a rom-com should be!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.