Reading this felt like drinking hot chocolate: delicious, sweet, and a bonafide guilty pleasure.

Emma has put her life on hold for the past ten years to take care of her father but when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes to work with her favorite screenwriter, she finally does something for herself. Except that said screenwriter doesn't want her there. Nor does he want her help. Commence witty dialogue, many rom-com references, and whiplash from wanting to strange Charlie to hugging him.

My only complaint is that The Rom-Commers does what I feel every contemporary romance has been doing lately: it preaches to the choir. Yes, readers of this book, clearly know the merits of a romance or romcom. That's why we're reading it. We don't need to be sold on its value, yet every romance book lately must have the heroine justify her love of romance and preach its merits. Maybe this is meant to create a sense of solidarity but after book #8 of this being a central part of the dialogue, I'm over it.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible. It had a little bit of everything and kept me wanting to come back for more. It was the perfect rom com without being cheesy. Highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
I can’t find the right words to adequately describe my love for this book. I LOVED the characters, I LOVED the banter, I LOVED the message. It was just a perfect book about how life is imperfect, but how it can be made better and easier and more lovely with the right people by your side. It’s my new favorite romcom.

Literally just finished this one - and I can confidently say this is my favorite Katherine Center book to date. How relatable to me was Emma? I too have a taking care of other people instinct. Not only that, I am self deprecating and I also am not stingy with my crushes. I too have made a fool out of myself telling someone I liked them only for them to reject me heartily. I could go on, but you get the point.

*Please say my Charlie is out there for me someday.*

Things I loved:
Emma. Did you not just read what I wrote?? I relate to her so much and I loved her spirit. I admired her guts. I loved her everything.
Charlie. What a lovable mess. He is everything to me.
Emma’s family. Her dad and sister were just *cries.*
The shenanigans. Oh how I loved every single situation.
“For research.”
That third act was fantastic.
The epic grand gesture of all grand gestures. I literally cried my whole way through the last pages and epilogue of this book.
I loved it I loved it I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Rom-Commers was a fun, lighthearted read! It was so easy to read and I enjoyed some unexpected events throughout the book. I typically enjoy Katherine Center books because they aren’t always all positive the entire read. She captivates the reader by making some events real life things we can all relate to.
Although it was a typical rom-com book, I enjoyed reading this!

A Rom-Com about Rom-Coms?? Count me in! I loved this book. It was like a warm, fluffy blanket on a cold day - just made me feel so happy! I think Charlie was one of my favorite male characters in a Rom-Com. Emma and her family were so lovable too. There were also some really great life lessons and reminders woven through the story - here's one that really rang true for me "...love is something you can learn. Love is something you can practice. It's something you can choose to get good at. And here's how you do it. ...Appreciate your person." Love it. Another 5 star book from Katherine Center!!

I stopped at chapter 3 but so far, it’s perfection. Great characters, strong motivation, and I’m definitely rooting for our lead to find her happily ever after. Easy three to four stars and five for the right reader.

It does carry Katherine Center’s signature readability and style.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

If you don't read the whole review, here's why you should read this book: slice of sweet sunshine and goodness and all things happiness, like kicking my feet and giggling at what a fictional character is doing type giddiness. please, do yourself a huge favor and pick this one up

Here's some tropes:
-forced proximity
-opposites attract & grumpy/sunshine - although I wouldn't identify Charlie as a total 'grumpy guy' stereotype, he's more of a pessimistic in the face of love whereas Emma is the total opposite (kind of reminded me of Nick/Jess from New Girl)

Here's what I enjoyed:
- the banter between the characters: you know when the banter is just *too good* and it has you reading until 2am? yah, that's this book.
- the 'research' scenes
- Emma (our m/c) being a "romcom expert" trying to persuade Charlie that love exists even though his heart is a "suicidal bird" (also Katherine Center just has a really funny sense of humor)
- the message that we can't have the good without the bad, and at the end of the day its how we choose to tell/remember/etc. those times emphasizing the good.

I read this in less than 24 hours and it was soo good like all the others. I loved the plot. I laughed. I cried. I had every emotion and it was such a fun romance/comedy. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

Content warnings: grief, loss of a parent, cancer, being a caregiver for a sibling and parent

Emma Wheeler has been living with her dad for the past decade because he needs someone to watch over him. She gave up her dreams to care for him and make sure her little sister had a good life since their mother passed. When little sister Sylvie graduates college, it's her turn. Emma has a screenwriting job with her idol Charlie Yates, and she's jumping on a plane to LA before she's able to come to grips with leaving her dad for the first time in 10 years.

Charlie Yates has written his first romantic comedy, and Emma is hired to help him fix the abysmal script because she's an expert in all things rom com. When she gets to LA, it's to find that her job isn't a given -- Charlie has no idea and is blindsided when Emma shows up on his doorstep. Reluctantly, he lets Emma stay at his house and they start to talk about what's wrong with his script.

Emma and Charlie are both flawed characters who need room to grow. They both must overcome fears and health scares, and maybe they'll also admit that they're perfect for each other. Recommended for contemporary romance readers who like the forced proximity trope and those hungry for Hollywood stories.

Representation: Asian-American side characters, gay African-American side character

I love this author and I'm not sure she has ever written anything I don't just love! The Rom-Commers was exactly what I hoped it would be. I loved Emma and Charlie. I love how well their characters were developed, their romance slowly formed, and the banter between them. I actually really liked the way this was written as Emma's POV, but also almost like a really long diary entry. The way she told the story through her eyes, but also talked to herself mentally made for a really easy and fun read. It will also make this book standout to me as I think back on my 2024 reads. I love when characters don't let miscommunication stand in their way. The way Charlie was protecting her all along is the ultimate act of love for me. The ending matched the perfection of the book. This is a highly anticipated read for 2024 and it deserves the hype it has been getting!

Another wonderful book by Katherine.

I adored the FMC Emma. She was feisty, strong willed, and just all the things I love. Charlie the MMC had me in all kinds of emotions. One minute I’m thinking he is just the sweetest then the next minute I am thinking what a jerk! Katherine was playing with my emotions a lot in this story. I couldn’t get enough.

There is crazy good banter. The sexual tension is very high. I laughed. I had teary eyes. I was all in my emotions.

I love how the family was so well connected. Incredibly loving and supportive.

I also loved the cameo’s of Jack Stapleton and Hannah from Katherine’s book before this “The Bodyguard.”

Loved it!

Thank you Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for the e arc. Be on the lookout for this book Pub date June 11th, 2024

Not gonna lie I was totally hooked from the first few pages.
Katherine Center really knows how to work her magic with words, and I was into it right from the beginning. And oh my god, Charlie was a total jerk at the start, but did he redeem himself as the chapters went by? YES! Absolutely!

I loved Charlie and Emma's dynamics working together, all the bantering while rewriting the screenplay, and the way they were always learning from each other.

Everything was perfect here: the character growth, the romance development, the angst, the cute moments.
I guess I have a new favorite book! 💜

And don't be fooled, it's called The Rom-Commers, but it has its emotional moments!

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

5/5. Katherine Center has hit it out of the park again. Loved it all….the messiness of life, the imperfect characters, the witty dialogue. I could have kept reading about their life in LA, but I do appreciate that every good romantic story has to have an ending. Bravo, and thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. It gave me all the feels. One minute I was laughing out loud and the next I was crying. This was my first book by Katherine Center, but not my last!

Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was my very first Katherine Center book, and I 100% understand the hype now. I'm being completely genuine when I say The Rom-Commers was the best contemporary romance book I have ever read. I will definitely be reading more from Center in the future.

This book had it all. There was humor, lovable characters, a cutsie romance, and also some more serious stuff that really gave the story depth. I was invested from page one, right up until the very end where I cried like a baby. Charlie and Emma have my heart, and I'm so glad they both got their happily ever after.

This book is perfect for lovers of contemporary romance and rom-coms! Please do yourself a favor and READ THIS. You won't regret it.

From the very first page, this book had me hooked, and I found myself laughing out loud and screaming with joy throughout the entire story. The tension between the main characters, Emma and Charlie, is so palpable that it keeps you on the edge of your seat, eagerly anticipating every turn of the page.

The angst in this story is off the charts - it's the kind that makes your heart race and leaves you breathless. But what's truly incredible is how the characters evolve and transform their initial lack of teamwork and become the dream team. It's absolute magic, and I couldn't get enough.

Emma and Charlie are a match made in rom-com heaven. The way they instantly connect and navigate their relationship with such ease is nothing short of brilliant. Emma's character, a loving and sunshine-filled personality, is so cool and relatable because she's not perfect, but undeniably awesome. And Charlie, with the perfect amount of grumpiness, is the ideal counterpart. Their chemistry is impeccable, and I found myself giddy with excitement throughout the entire read.

Katherine Center has masterfully woven a story that strikes an amazing balance between romance and emotional depth. Emma taking on the job of reworking Charlie's script, and the fact that he's all skeptical about love just made it so darn interesting. I found myself eagerly flipping through the pages to see how it all unfolds! Watching them work together to fix the script and convince Charlie otherwise is an emotional rollercoaster, and I loved every minute of it.

One of Katherine Center's standout strengths is her ability to take the hardships of life and transform them into sources of joy. She doesn't shy away from acknowledging the bad and tragic, but she doesn't dwell on it either. Instead, she focuses on the potential for happiness and the beauty that can emerge from challenging situations. Sheh as this incredible knack for spinning tales that just overflow with happiness.

'The Rom-Commers' is an absolute delight - a perfect blend of laughter, joy, and heartwarming moments. Katherine Center has once again proven her prowess in crafting stories that leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling. If you're a fan of rom-coms with incredible chemistry, banter, and a touch of magic, this book is a must-read!

Katherine Center does it again. She grabs onto your heart and holds on tight. You want these characters to get together and find a way to work it out. It’s like your heart is on a rollercoaster throughout the whole book.

You know that scene where Cinderella is waltzing with Prince Charming on the balcony, all shining in her blue gown, singing to herself, "So this is love, so this is what makes life divine. I'm all aglow, mmmm"? Now imagine that is me and this book is Prince Charming. I could stare lovingly into its pages for hours. I loved this book. Loved it! To play off another song, "Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp," this book puts the rom-com in Rom-Commers.

Emma Wheeler had to put her promising future as a screenwriter on hold to be her dad's sole caretaker for the last decade. Then her agent calls to say she has the opportunity to rewrite a script with America's favorite screenwriter and her own personal icon, Charlie Yates. Charlie usually writes blockbuster hits with explosions, but in order to get his next movie made, he had to agree to write a rom-com, and it's terrible. In order to get him invested in the project, Emma has to prove to him that love stories matter. And might they create their own along the way? (Spoiler: they do!)

This book classic Katherine Center charm. It was witty, full of emotional depth and real-world problems (despite its Hollywood setting), warm, and delightful. 😍 While the downside to reviewing this in February is that it doesn't hit bookshelves until June, that means you have months to put it at the top of your beach read list. This is one I know I will want to reread and will be looking for my own hardcopy this summer.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced copy.

Ten years ago, Emma had to put her life on hold to become a full-time caretaker for her father. An accident that left him hemipelagic and Meniere’s Disease have left him requiring round-the-clock care. She has all but let-go of her dreams of becoming a screenwriter, despite showing exceptional promise. One day, she gets an opportunity she could only dream of; to help with rewrites for a romantic comedy written by her screenwriting idol, Charlie Yates.

Soon she finds out this script is absolutely abysmal and is only being written so that the movie he actually wants made can be greenlit. With some convincing from her ex-boyfriend/current manager, she entrusts her father’s care to her sister and packs up her bags to spend the next 6 weeks in LA. Now she has to find a way to get Charlie to care enough about romantic comedies to turn this script into something that is actually worthy of being made.
I really enjoyed this book, but I would say that it was, overall, pretty light on the actual romance aspect of the story. We mostly saw Emma and Charlie grow as individual people with the aid of the other person. I did feel like we didn’t really get to see the romance develop between them, and honestly, I felt like it would have been equally as satisfying it they just stayed as friends and writing partners.

I would probably compare this to Emily Henry’s Happy Place or any number of books by Mhairi McFarlane, where it looks like the book is going to be a romance, but it turns into people getting through their trauma.
Don’t go into this expecting something light and kooky, it deals with some difficult topics and romance is definitely not the main focus. However, the ending was still pretty cute.