“I’ve always harbored a suspicion that I might be a secret dancing savant. Not line dancing, per se, but just—from all the moves I’d busted in the kitchen while cooking over the years...”

Center has the perfect formula for writing books that you read in practically one sitting. Funny, relatable, sweet, endearing, and so heartfelt.

You can’t help but love Emma.

“I desperately want to know,” I said. “But will just privately obsess over it, like a normal person.”

Same Emma, same. Emma is all of us. And you can’t make this up. Well... Center can. Love her books and can’t recommend this enough.

I expected The Rom-Commers to be exactly that: a standard romantic comedy. I was pleasantly surprised by how heartwarming it is.

Emma Wheeler is a fledgling screenwriter who gets an unexpected offer to work with her writing idol, award-winning screenwriter Charlie Yates. Charlie has written numerous action and sci-fi blockbusters, but he’s just written his first romance, an updated version of the classic rom-com film It Happened One Night. It is—in a word—abysmal. Emma’s forte is writing romantic fiction, and she is tasked with helping Charlie polish his turd into a diamond. The one hiccup is that Charlie doesn’t want Emma’s help.

Both characters are endearing. I loved Charlie immensely. Even in the beginning when he’s gruff, there’s something appealing about him. As the story progresses, we get to see his boyish charm and vulnerability. I clicked with Emma instantly. She’s smart, funny, and talented, and I admired her willingness to put her dreams on hold in order to care for her sick father. It’s touching. Charlie and Emma’s road to love is a bumpy one, paved with humor, setbacks, frustration, and tenderness.

The actual writing process is only a small portion of the story, but Emma’s insight into what makes a good romance is spot on. Hollywood power dynamics are an interesting addition and make for some entertaining moments.

I also loved how well-developed the supporting characters are. Emma’s dad is a gem, and her sister is her biggest cheerleader. I was struck by how invested I became in the outcomes of all the characters—not just Emma and Charlie. The epilogue is particularly satisfying..

Once again, Katherine Center has given us a wonderfully funny and sexy romance that will stay on our minds for a long while. It hit me a little different since I've recently lost a love one, so if that is a trigger, just a warning. But it turns out to be a beautiful love story, so all was well when I was finished reading.

Emma is given the chance of a lifetime to rewrite a screenplay by her idol, Charlie, she is ecstatic and definitely fangirling! Happy endings are few and far between in real life, so that is where Charlie falters when trying his hand at a romantic script. Emma is tasked with helping him find his happily-ever-after. Thus begins the rollercoaster of emotions that really hit you in the feels.

This is fantastically written! You may even find yourself crying in parts, but believe me, it is well worth it to find out how Emma and Charlie's story turns out. Bravo, Katherine Center. You've got a great love story here.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Rom-Commers-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one is getting all the stars and more! I do believe this may be my new favorite @katherinecenter novel!💗
So a big thank you to Katherine, @netgalley, and @stmartinspress for allowing me an advanced copy to get to read this gem before pub date.

A huge part of why I loved this book is because it carries so much emotion, but is also lighthearted and fun, which is what we have all come to know and love from Katherine. The characters are so down to earth and very relatable as their problems are very real problems people face daily. Charlie and Emma are adorable and you can’t help but fall in love with them especially with their constant back and forth banter. I have also never been one that just wants to go to LA for any reason, but this book made it slightly more appealing, with the fun name drops of real stars in the book.

If you want to read this cutie pie of a book(trust me you do) then grab your copy today because it’s officially PUB Day for The Rom-Commers!

@katherinecenter I hope you have an amazing first day on tour and I will see you next Friday in Dallas and I could not be more excited!💗🌸

What is your favorite Katherine Center Novel?

#bookstagrammer #bookaddict #booklover #readaholic #bibliophile #instabooks #bookaholic #readinglife #goodreads #abusymomreads #readbetweenthelines #booksofinstagram #bookblogger #booklove #booknerd #bookofthemonthclub #bookish #bookstagram #booklove #abusymomsbookclub

I loved The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger so I was really looking forward to this but unfortunately it fell a bit flat. The lead characters were pretty insufferable. He was straight up mean the entire book. Like actually insulting the FMC repeatedly and while I love a grumpy MMC, I do not want a mean guy. She was convinced she was basically a MPDG and sooo unique and not like other girls when she was probably just like other girls and also kind of a jerk, especially to her sister. I’m so sad this did not work for me!

I think I fell a bit more in love with Katherine Center after this one. This story is the perfect summer read. It had emotions, great character interactions, funny moments, great flow and the best part? It was a rom-com about writing and learning what a rom-com actually is and I can tell you I’m 100% here for it. Katherine Center has a way with words that hooks you right from the beginning and makes the story flow so well you can’t stop reading. This story was more on the light-hearted side for me and the pace was just right. You didn’t have time to get bored but had enough time to have a good character development. This one was one of those books where you forget you’re reading until it’s done.

Talk about an enemies to lovers plot…I don’t think this guy could have been more rude if he tried. Overall I really enjoyed reading The Rom-Commers but I it was hard to fall for Charlie Yates because his rudeness is A+. Great job Katherine Center!!

Charlie Yates is an award winning screenwriter trying to write his first rom-com and it’s a bust. His agent brings in one of his other clients, Emma Wheeler, who longs to be a screenwriter, but has been taking care of her father instead. When they meet they instantly dislike one another. Charlie doesn’t believe in love nor does he understand what it takes to write a real Rom-Com and of course he refuses to accept help from a failed screenwriter. Emma has a tough road ahead of her but she is determined to teach Charlie a thing or two about love both on paper and in real life.

It deals with some real life struggles and even though the constant battling between the two can get repetitive it doesn’t come across cheesy. I love stories about love…especially when it’s complicated like this!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy

“The job of a rom-com, is to give you a simulated feeling of falling in love.”

Mission waaay accomplished. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Emma Wheeler is a struggling wannabe screenwriter with a lot of promise, who has given up many an opportunity to stay home and be her father’s caretaker. Charlie Yates is a young successful Spielberg/Nolan hybrid of a screenwriter who is struggling to write his next mandated screenplay in a genre he despises - the dreaded Rom-Com.

Let’s just say our main man, Charlie Yates, is a golden retriever masquerading as a black cat, who so ardently does not believe in relationships, that he might just have to Google if he is in love with you…haha MORE please.

The Rom-Commers is also filled with degenerative and chronic illness representation. The story has such heart, with many deeper moments mixed with amazing witty dialogue and longing glances.

It’s a swoony, hopeful, lovely time and ode to one of my absolute favourite genres. 🥰

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Katherine Center and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Star Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 1/5 🌶️
Audiobook: 4/5 🎧

What to Expect:
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Forced Proximity
- Workplace Romance
- Hollywood Romance
- Temporary Roommates
- Quirky Characters
- Family Drama
- Past Trauma

Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter who is given the opportunity to help Charlie Yates rewrite a script for his upcoming romantic comedy. She is a huge fan of Charlie, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Unfortunately, this opportunity requires Emma to leave her father in her younger sister's hands while she is in LA for this job. After some miscommunication and bad first impressions, Emma helps Charlie turn his terrible script around. When Emma finds out Charlie doesn't believe in love, she works to make him see love and rom-coms are worth it.

I really enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Emma and Charlie. Emma is optimistic, hopeful and believes in true love. Charlie is successful in his field and has a tough exterior. His time in Hollywood and past disappointments have caused him to be jaded and not believe true love exists. The characters are interesting, well-developed, and have many layers; however I didn't always like them. The story did drag a bit, and sometimes I didn't feel much was happening, but the laugh-out-loud moments kept me reading. I liked the banter between Emma and Charlie and the development of their relationship. I also liked that this was not a typical rom-com and had some heavier topics. The Rom-Commers is my first read by Katherine Center. The author's note at the end of the book is a treat for readers. Overall, this was an enjoyable story, and I would recommend it to those who want a lighthearted story that will leave a smile on your face.

NARRATION:
Patti Murin did a wonderful job with this story. Her voice is very versatile and she did a great job portraying the characters. Murin perfectly conveyed the personalities of Emma and Charlie. Murin is expressive, and her inflection is perfect. I also enjoyed Katherine Center herself narrating a bonus scene. I highly recommend pairing the book with the audio for this story.

Thanks to Katherine Center, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted eARC and audiobook. Opinions expressed are my own.

I loved that book so much that as soon as I finished it, I ran to preorder it.

Thank you so much @smpromance for gifting me a digital ARC for an honest review through Netgalley.

💞 This book is a love letter to people who love Romance 💞.

What I loved the most in this story is the dialogue between the two main characters. It was brilliant. I was so engrossed in the story that I binge read it in a day ! And before I knew it, it was over and I wanted to reread it again from page one.

The banter, the passion, the flaw of the characters, their story, the development, the anticipation : everything was great from beginning to end.

Before you ask, there is no spice in this book, but you won't need it. It's perfect the way it is. And I can't wait to reread this and annotate it. Because Charlie and Emma will stay in my head and heart forever.

Read if you love :

✨ Romcom ;
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine ;
✨ Forced Proximity;
✨ He falls first ;
✨ Anxiety Rep ;
✨ Romance without spice.

Katherine Center has managed to take every beloved romance trope and combine it with the hopefulness of every 90’s-00’s romcom into the most wonderful book that’s perfect for the summer.

Emma Wheeler has had a life that wasn’t hers. She’s devoted the last ten years to caring for her father and her little sister while putting off her dreams of becoming a screenwriter. Her agent, who happens to be her old high school friend, sets her up with the opportunity of a lifetime with THE Charlie Yates but Emma doesn’t know if her responsibility will be to herself or to others. And why is Charlie Yates so damn attractive and infuriating?

I usually use “page turner” as a description for an action filled thriller/mystery but this book was a page turning romance for me. I read it in one day. The banter from the beginning hooked me. Charlie is the grumpiest grump who redeems himself in the sweetest ways at the end of this book. Emma’s family storyline got me misty eyed several times. This book did the delicate balance between grief and hilarious hijinks so well. Katherine Center is one of those writers who rarely gets it wrong. Her books are comfort reads for me and this one is no different. Romantic comedy done so well!

Read if you like:
▫️grumpy-sunshine
▫️opposites attract
▫️rom-coms (🎬📖)
▫️forced proximity

For fans of a good romantic comedy, it just doesn’t get much better than a rom-com about two people falling in love while writing a rom-com. And Katherine Center once again introduces charming characters and puts them together in a situation that will have readers imagining the big-screen version as the story plays out.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery

This was my first Katherine Center novel and I LOVED it. Rom-Commers is very meta, and tbh if you're a person who doesn't like romance or has a lower opinion of it - this book is for you. Get ready to be read for filth. And then to fall in love anyway.
I will absolutely be checking out her backlist works, and if you want to check this one out, you can because it's out now!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Rom-Commers captures the essence of a perfect rom-com, light-hearted, great banter, yet with characters that are facing real struggles and whom you easily fall in love with as they fall in love with each other. I've read several of Katherine Center's books now and they just keep getting better.

This is a Hollywood romance featuring two screenwriters at the top of their craft. Charlie is famous, with a drawer of awards to prove it, but lost his writing mojo after a bad health diagnosis and subsequent abandonment by his ex. Emma could have been famous, but she gave all that up to be the full-time caretaker of her parent who had a bad accident 10 years ago and needs 24-hour surveillance.

When Charlie, who doesn't believe in love, is forced to pen a remake of the classic rom-com, It Happened One Night, and comes up with an epically horrible script, his agent comes up with the brilliant idea of having Emma, a friend from HS, who adores romcoms, and ghost writes in her spare time, come to his rescue. The only problem is that he doesn't clear the idea in advance with famously grumpy, quirky Charlie.

Once Charlie reluctantly agrees to hire Emma, the story takes off. Emma moves into Charlie’s Hollywood Hills mansion and commits to 6 weeks of co-writing to fix the script. The book is alternately funny, tender, and affectionate, but also bittersweet and not afraid to take on heavy issues as Emma and Charlie move past their surface first impressions and fall in love in classic romcom fashion. There are in-depth scenes of the two working together and discussing their craft, there’s line dancing, there’s sunrise swimming, and there’s even an adorable depressed guinea pig named Cuthbert. In short, I loved the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a sweet romance with hidden depth. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I was really excited when katherine center announced that she was releasing a new book this year . Katherine center is one of my favorite authors .Last year, I discovered her books and became completely enamored with her writing. Her writing is simply riveting; it's simple to grasp, and she creates the most compelling characters.

I was really intrigued in this book after reading the synopsis , after all, who doesn't like enemies to lover ? I regret to inform you that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed her earlier works. The MMC was so mean that I could not stand him. Throughout, he referred to the FMC as a "failed writer."He was a jerk , there was nothing “grumpy” about him . It was awful to read about him as a character.

Naomi, the FMc, is incredible. She is witty, kind, and sympathetic. I was truly hoping for more from Emma. Sometimes I wanted her to stand up for herself . I know she tried to see the hood in everyone but girl you were mistreated by these people.

Their chemistry was nonexistent. For the first time ever, after reading this book, I found myself hoping that both characters would part ways . I believe therapy would have been a better fit for them than a relationship.

The side characters were more entertaining to me. While reading this book, I laughed a lot. I thought Emma and her father's bond was wonderful to read about.

The writing was okay , not extraordinary to me .

Thank you netgalley , St. Martin press for this Arc . This Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review .

Sometimes One Shot Really Can Change Everything. This is one of those tales where it should have been over from the very beginning - these two people are just *so* broken by their lives to this point that it *shouldn't* work...

And yet it does, because this is a romantic comedy and that is the very *purpose* of romantic comedies, to give the rest of us hope that something like this *can* work - even in our own completely broken states. And hell, *particularly* when the book is meta enough to actively make *that very same point* within its text. (Helped by the overall plot of... actively writing a romantic comedy movie. ;) )

Yes, some of the things that both characters do are horrible. Yes, perhaps some (or even much) of this tale doesn't or even can't happen in real life. Well, again as pointed out within the text here, neither can zombies or space aliens or some such... and yet people love those movies for somewhat similar reasons as to why they love romantic comedies.

So sit back and enjoy the ride and the feels. If you have to turn your brain off and enjoy the spectacle for sheer spectacle, *do that*. But don't criticize a book that many will truly love and find catharsis in over your own hangups. Particularly don't review bomb something just because "that can't really happen". *Particularly when one of the main issues in the book is exploring how reality doesn't really apply in romantic comedies, including this one.*

Overall a strong tale with complex and complicated characters, with a lot of laughs, some smiles, and even a few dusty room scenes to boot. Come in expecting to laugh and perhaps wet your eyes a bit, and you truly won't be disappointed here.

Very much recommended.

It has always been Emma Wheelers dream to be a screen writer. The rom-com is her area of expertise and where her heart lies. However life has dealt her a hand that has led her to spend most of her time caring for her father. That is until an opportunity of a lifetime drops into her lap. Not only the opportunity to work with her idol, Charlie Yates but to also be working on a rom-com. Problem is that Charlie doesn't work with others on his writing projects, he doesn't want Emma's help, and he is an insufferable ass who doesn't even believe in love. Once Emma reads the hot garbage that is Charlie's attempt at a rom-com she gets her sister on board to care for her father for six weeks so she can go attempt to salvage his manuscript. Emma has her work cut out for her not only is the manuscript a mess but Charlie is a mess as well. They are both coming at this project from opposing sides. Charlie just wants to hand over something passable in order to make the movie he wants. While Emma sees this as her chance and wants to put forth a manuscript that she can be proud of.

With a title like The Rom-Commers I was expecting there to be more levity in this than there was. Although Katherine Center is an excellent writer this was not my favorite by her. Charlie was rude, dismissive, and generally an unlikable character who constantly gave off mixed signals. While Emma was perpetually a bit of a door mat and excused behavior that I felt should have been addressed. I love how Katherine writes flawed characters that feel real but I really didn't connect with them in this instance the way I hoped to. This had a lot of heavy moments and did seem to drag a little. The ending however was powerful and moving with great insights. Even with this not being my favorite by the author I will still read anything Katherine Center writes.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Listen when I say this is my favorite Katherine Center I mean that! This book put me through the emotional wringer but was so healing at the same time!! Charlie and Emma were a true delight and they deserve all the joy!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this read. Katherine Center books never miss for me. I always am ready to read her books. I put this one off a bit to read it later as I had the ARC for a while. I wanted to have a time to enjoy it and I did.