Overall this was an incredibly sweet story & I related to a lot of different aspects of the characters!! I really wanted to absolutely love this book, 5 stars, no notes but something about the writing confused me?? This is my first Katharine Center book and also an ARC so maybe (hopefully) it is a me issue but for such a great plot/amazing, relatable characters, the writing took away from it overall!!

Still enjoyed and would for sure recommend!!!

This book feels like the warmest, tightest hug. Katherine Center will have you laughing, squealing, and smiling while kicking your feet. Oh, and you may shed a tear or two. 

I want to yell off the rooftops about this book. I love it that much! EVERYONE PLEASE READ IT. Not only is this the perfect summer read, but it’s also one of my favorite books of 2024.

Picture this, the opportunity of a lifetime falls into Emma’s lap. Her scriptwriting hero needs a ghostwriter to help re-write his rom-com script. Not only does she get to work with her hero, BUT she gets to write a rom-com–her favorite movie genre. Her dream is soon shattered when she discovers Charlie doesn’t believe in love. How can they write a rom-com if he doesn’t believe in love? Emma takes it upon herself to change Charlie’s mind. Did I mention they are also living together while working on the script? You can expect many shenanigans and hilarious banter between these two. The chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. I need this to be made into a movie as soon as possible.

Center knocked it out of the park with this book. This is my favorite of all her books. Emma is a lovable, kind, empathetic main character with a wonderful sense of humor. You will instantly love her. Emma is the romance genre personified. And Charlie, my sweet Charlie. I fell for him along with Emma. It was such a sweet experience watching Emma break through his walls. These two are made for each other. 

If you’re looking for a rom-com that you won’t want to put down, The Rom-Commers is the book for you.

A romcom about writing a romcom?!? I'm obsessed. Katherine Center is 100% an auto buy author for me but I simply couldn't wait for this one so I had to request some kind of advanced copy and I was lucky enough to receive both a digital ARC & ALC so I could listen and highlight a copy at the same time which is fast becoming my favorite way to read! (I of course also bought myself a physical copy for my bookshelves because I loved it, it's gorgeous and like I said she's an auto buy author so I'd already had it in my cart as soon as it was available for preorder😋)

ANYWHOOO, back to reviewing: it's an amazing, funny, heartfelt, touching, beautiful, emotional, perfect book! I laughed and cried, smiled and frowned and was frustrated at certain points: it really made me feel all the feels and I love that. I could vividly imagine each scene and character, the descriptions are topnotch and the characters are fully realized. I would just keep reading and listening to Emma & Charlie's story forever of I could. Patti Murin is a lively and engaging narrator, making the audio so easy to listen to and just a lovely experience. The story really flows so well and there's never an awkward/unintentional pause or break; the pacing is perfect and I definitely recommend this one to any audiobook lovers. Same goes for the physical book -- the writing is phenomenal and you'll feel pulled into the pages right away.

I love how the relationship between Emma and Charlie builds throughout the novel. They start off as a woman who's been taking care of her father for 10 years and put her dreams on hold because of that and her idol who is a famous screenwriter -- basically THE famous screenwriter that everyone would know -- and slowly move from reluctant partners, to friends, to more. Their banter is so fun and the way they complement each other and balance each other gives me butterflies. Everything about Emma is so big -- her personality, her dreams, even her hair and you she really pulls Charlie back into the world of the living and gets under his skin in the best way. She's funny and so real compared to his more subdued, disinterested vibes. And I like that while they're portrayed this way, Emma is really the one who's been living in a smaller world, not daring to leave her father alone even to go after her own dreams/desires, while Charlie is this larger than life, successful, rich, famous screenwriter who acts more like a cynical hermit that doesn't believe in love. This is a love story to moving on after grief and trauma -- for both of them. There's so much more I could say but I don't want to give anything away. I think any romance lover will adore this book and I highly recommend it to every single person who sees this review and is considering it -- you won't be disappointed.

*forced proximity
*screenwriter romance
*idol to enemy to lover
*slow burn
*JACK STAPLETON CAMEOS

CW: death of a parent, divorce, chronic illness.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the ARC which I voluntarily read and reviewed via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Rom-Commers will be available June 11th so keep an eye out at your favorite bookstores or pre-order or request from your library, whatever's your preferred way to get books! You won't want to miss this one. (:

3 Stars I went into The Rom-Commers really excited as it was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Sadly, the majority of this book aggravated me, but it was partially saved by a good HEA and a sweet message.

Emma Wheeler has long dreamt of becoming a screenwriter and has spent her life studying and obsessing over romantic comedies. So when a chance to rewrite her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yate's attempt at his first rom-com, she jumps on a plane to LA, leaving her sister to care for their kind-hearted dad. Except when she arrives in LA, Emma's surprised to learn that Charlie had no idea she was coming or that she'd be rewriting his truly horrible screenplay. And Charlie Yates absolutely refuses to work with her. But Emma isn't going down without a fight for this opportunity--to both rewrite the script and to convince bitter Charlie that love stories matter.

I loved the idea of this plot and it should've made for a truly great romantic comedy, but it wasn't very romantic or funny. And that's due to the two MCs, Emma and Charlie. Emma leans too much into being a martyr for being her father's caretaker for the last ten years and blaming herself for her mother's death and her father's accident. Though she passes caretaking duties off to her sister, Emma is pretty mean to her sister at a few points. Charlie, too, is mean and for most of the book is an asshole to Emma. I get why he thought he had to push her away, but even before he "fell" for Emma, he said some truly awful things about her behind her back, which Emma overheard. As I said before, this book is partially saved by the HEA. I almost gave up on this one, but I'm glad I stuck around for the ending, which was really sweet. And finally, I appreciated the message of the story that tragedy happens but your life is the story you tell about it and that happiness is always better with a touch of sadness to make you appreciate it.

Thank you SMP and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fluffy and fun beach read. I loved the meta aspect of a romcom about romcom writers. Emma and Charlie were a perfect sunshine/grump combo. I loved the little details, like the guinea pigs. The story was quick, charming, and fun. There was parental death/injury and cancer in this one, all of which tend to be triggering for me, but everything was dealt with in a respectful way and nothing was too traumatic. The book was sunny and positive overall. I loved the inclusion of characters from The Bodyguard, which I read and enjoyed two summers ago.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm definitely in the minority but this story of Emma being obsessed with famous Charlie Yates and getting a job with him on a screenplay just didn't work for me. This didn't feel like an actual romcom, which might be my own faulty assumptions at play, but the title kind of points you in a direction that I don't think it goes. Charlie is honestly awful, and finding out why didn't matter to me, and partly because of that, I wasn't feeling any chemistry between Charlie and Emma. It gave more of a feeling of another thing she can be a martyr about along with taking care of her dad. The premise sounded good, but the execution fell flat for me.

As a big Katherine Center fan, this one did not disappoint. I loved the characters, their banter, their relationship, the tension. I listened and read this and both were amazing and I was always disappointed to have to stop... and even more disappointed when I finished it in 3 days. I was so invested in these characters and their lives. I felt actual emotions as if they were people that I really knew. I love that despite the ups and downs throughout the book, they always feel positive. Center has a way with words that makes you see the good in life and people - even when things don't seem so great. And this book was not exception to that. A must read for anyone who loves rom-coms!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Katherine Center's books always hit the right spot! Another win for her! I really enjoyed this romance. She writes the best banter and has the best storylines.

This is the story of Emma, a screenwriter hoping to make her big break but has been living the last 10 years choosing herself last. She lives in Texas, taking care of her father, who was injured in a rock climbing accident. She has also been filling in as mom for her younger sister after her mom passed away in the same rock climbing accident. When the offer comes to help her FAVORITE screenwriter ever to fix his rom-com, Emma has to make the hard decision to put herself first for once. However, once she gets there, Charlie Yates, the famous screenwriter, doesn't know she was hired to work on his script.

I thought Emma was so relatable and endearing. Charlie definitely have the grump angle going and they worked so well together. I had one minor issue with how Emma kept overhearing conversations but other than that, I really enjoyed this one. I did predict the third-act breakup reason but that's one perk to romances is that they are usually predictable. I also enjoyed all the fun scenes included, like the line-dancing and this made me miss the high-dive board that was at my pool growing up!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. 4.5 rounded up! THis is a perfect summer read!

Thank you for the opportunity to review - this was really fun and I enjoyed the characters even though I figured I knew where it was going - but the tact with which the ending was handled really won me over!

The Rom-Commers is an ode to love and love stories. Center’s adoration and passion for this genre is abundantly clear. I laughed. I teared up. I fell in love…with romance. 🫶🏻

I felt it all in this emotional, hope-filled story. I binged this in a day and went to sleep with all the warm fuzzy feelings of a great book.

I have been dabbling in the romance genre over the last year. Thanks to The Rom-Commers, I’m now all-in! Give me all the swoony romance recs for this summer. 💞

This was such an adorable book! I loved watching (well reading) Emma & Charlie fall in love. And I couldn’t keep myself from crying when Emma & her sister had their big fight.

This is the perfect book, especially if you’re a fan of her other book The Bodyguard (iykyk).

Emma Wheeler, an aspiring screenwriter, gets a chance to rewrite a script for her idol, Charlie Yates, while her sister takes over caring for their dad. Despite Charlie's disdain for her and romantic comedies, Emma is determined to prove their value, leading to an unexpected romance that changes everything.

Katherine Center is an auto-read author for me! However, I had mixed feelings about *The Rom-Commers*. The plot was sweet and had so much potential, but I wasn’t a big fan of Charlie. I empathized with Emma regarding her past and finally being able to pursue her dreams. It didn’t surprise me that she had more of a doormat personality since she had to start taking care of her dad and raising her younger sister at a young age. I liked seeing Emma’s growth throughout the story. Charlie, on the other hand, has to be one of the worst male main characters. He’s a textbook red flag. I hate that whatever he tells Emma is the opposite of what he means. There’s also a major twist at the end that I thought was incredibly messed up. Charlie continues to treat Emma poorly while secretly having a crush on her, but his words are what hurt the most. I couldn’t imagine them being together long after the epilogue due to the initial relationship they have. One part of the book I did enjoy was the cameo appearances of Jack Stapleton from The Bodyguard. Overall, The Rom-Commers had its moments, but it didn’t fully deliver for me.

I am so torn on this one! I'm a big fan of some other works by Center and was looking forward to reading this! I found the overall premise of two writers falling in love amidst their work enticing. But the execution didn't quite hit the mark for me. The lack of chemistry between the two main characters, Emma and Charlie, coupled with some cringe-worthy behaviors had me rolling my eyes. HOWEVER. For fellow fans of the 'regular degular girl gets the attention of hot and famous guy' trope then this is for you.

4.5 ⭐️

The Rom-Commers was an absolute delight to read. The female single voice narration kept me coming back for more. It was the kind of story you get completely swallowed by and lose all time and place until suddenly you’re reading the epilogue.

Emma Wheeler is a wanna be screenwriter with a love of all things rom-com but life has handed her so many obstacles that her dreams haven’t quite come true. She has sacrificed her life, her career, her joy to take care of her disabled father who needs 24 hour monitoring. She’s sacrificed it all so her younger sister could live her dreams. She’s just going through the motions every day. Some might say Emma is even punishing herself. The accident that caused her father’s injuries also took her mother’s life and Emma carries around the blame.

Emma is given the opportunity to ghost write with famed screenwriter Charlie Yates. THE Charlie Yates whom she’s idolized and studied over the years. What do they say about meeting your idols? Charlie wants absolutely nothing to do with Emma or her assistance. But Emma is persistent and she knows rom-coms and Charlie eventually agrees to work with her. Charlie has had struggles of his own, a recent divorce, an illness and is also going through the motions of life but not really enjoying it.

As the two work together and get to know one another a true friendship develops. And suddenly Emma is feeling more but is Charlie? What is Charlie thinking or feeling? That’s where the single person narration hooks you in. You need to know Charlie’s feelings and motives and suddenly you’ve finished the book.

I loved all the literary and film references in this story. If you’re a lover of those things you will too. Charlie and Emma are great together and their banter is so fun to read. Emma epically calls him out several times. I also loved Emma’s dynamic with her dad and sister. This is a beautiful story of love, grief and loss and living for the moment.

Thanks to Katherine Center, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC opportunity.

Katherine Center has done it again. Giving us a sweet, romantic story about a rom-com lover and a man who hates them. I loved this book. Emma was a great narrator, and Charlie was a wonderful male lead. I loved both of them and their journey. I loved the Jack Stapleton cameos, but I wished we would have gotten to see Hannah as well.

If you want a beautiful story about two people who are trying to write about love but the real world keeps getting in their way, then this is the book for you.

Another great book by Katherine Center! I like how she touches on deeper topics while also retaining that light rom-com feel. This one specifically talks about illness, grief, and guilt. It’s about finding happiness in the things we have even when we think we may not deserve it. It’s about love and forgiveness and how we can’t control many things that happen to us but can still live happily after those bad things happen. All with a cute romance. I especially loved the ending & epilogue. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me an early copy in exchange for a review.

This is definitely one of my favorite books of 2024 and my perfect rom com💖 I was obsessed from the very beginning to the end, could not put it down.

The tension, the banter, the funny one-liners, the grumpy hero with a secret soft side, and the (non-irritating) quirky heroine absolutely made this book for me.

It was hilarious, and heartfelt, and sad, and swoon-worthy in all the best ways.

DNF at 40%

I went into reading with such high hopes as I’ve enjoyed some of Katherine Center’s other books. A few aspects of this story were cute/fine, but unfortunately weren’t enough to keep me reading. I had a really difficult time investing in the ‘romance’ between the two MCs and felt like the emotion was severely lacking. I also struggled to connect with them as characters, which is such an important element to me in my reading. Additionally, the breaking of the fourth wall in the storytelling also completely isolated me from the narrative.

While The Rom-Commers just wasn’t for me, I appreciate the opportunity for the ARC and extend my gratitude to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the E-ARC
Number of stars for this book: 10 000
Number of times I cried: 8
Number of times I giggled: 43

This book is pure magic. I giggled, kicked my feet, cried, and maybe will be getting a tattoo of a few of the last words in this book.

I will now be buying and reading all of Katherine Centers books. Her writing is phenomenal. She is hilarious in her writing.

Emma has had a hard life. Her big dream is to be a screenplay writer and she gets the opportunity to ghostwrite with her favorite author Charlie! Charlie is not exactly what she expected. He’s somewhat of a grumpy recluse.
Over the coarse of this book I fell in love with every single character. EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER. even the guinea pig.

I have also now learned that the grumpy sunshine trope is a favorite of mine.

Do yourself and your brain a favor and read this book RIGHT NOW!

“I would write a hundred happy endings for us if I could.”

TLDR: If you’re familiar with Katherine’s article romance genre, Love Stories Can Save the World, then it’s no surprise that this book is all of that rolled up into a beautiful story. If you love her work, you will no doubt love this one. If you haven’t read yet, let it be this one. It has so much humor and heart. It feels a little like a warm hug from the person you cherish the most.

I loved this gem of a book. I totally ignored my bedtime. I ended up a crying fool and then couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about life, tragedy, disappointment, hope, and love. I woke up the next morning with my eyes all swollen and I felt like I got hit by a bus but also, WORTH IT.

I loved both Emma and Charlie. She is a firecracker and her internal dialogue was so funny and relatable. Charlie is a grump who is far too practical for his own good. “The internet…” 🤭 (IYKYK) The entire cast of characters were just as wonderful. I was rooting for all of them. Well, not T.J. Heywood. I think it was Emma’s father who inspired me the most. “How did he stand beside a personal Grand Canyon of suffering and manage to feel . . . grateful?” I know people like that. I want to be that kind of person in my own suffering. Um, yeah, this is why I cried.

Tropes + things
screenwriters
famous MMC
grumpy x sunshine
unexpected roommates
anxiety/depression rep
family dynamics
slow burn
grief + healing

Thank you to Katherine for providing the physical copy for our traveling ARC and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.