I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. I was given an audiobook copy.

This was a witty, quirky, romantic, and hilarious story. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and I was laughing and crying in parts.

Two screen writers, one with romance on the brain and the other stubborn towards the idea of romance but Emma won’t let Charlie get away with his thoughts so easily.

You will laugh, get mad and cheer on the underdog throughout this book. Well written and enjoyable.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC! I enjoyed the audiobook narration. This was cute and made for a nice pallet cleanser. It was my first Katherine Center book so I went in not really knowing what to expect.. I LOVE a good forced-proximity rom-com, but this felt a little lack-luster given the potential for more dialogue and romance build. I found Emma's inner dialogue a bit annoying/repetitive and Charlie will not go down as one of my favorite MMC's.

I needed a lighter book after reading something heavy, so what better book to pick up than The Rom-Commers by one of my favorite authors? This book has KC's signature quirk and fun side while also tackling heavier topics... but it's more akin to The Bodyguard than How To Walk Away/Things You Save In A Fire (iykyk).

This book follows two screenwriters - one is well-established in his career, has the awards in a drawer to prove it, while the other is a ghostwriters and has no accolades at all. He hires her to help him fix a screenplay for a romcom he's writing - something out of his depth, especially given that he doesn't believe in love.

I really enjoyed this one for the most part, but both of the characters REALLY got on my nerves at points. Her self-esteem issues made me want to shake her at points, and there is nothing I hate more than when a man says REALLY mean things about a woman and they just get brushed under the rug (which happens a lot in this book).

I thought the audiobook was well-produced, but the narrator wasn't a favorite of mine. Still enjoyed listening to it, though!

Despite the bumps in the road, I was rooting for these two, and the ending had me absolutely sobbing by the end. I overall would recommend giving it a read!! 3.5 star rating, rounded up since she's a favorite author of mine.

This is so painful for me to do but I have to give this book 2 stars. I honestly wanted to give it 1, but I've read and liked many other Katherine Center books so I couldn't in good faith go all the way to 1.

I am SO CONFUSED by this book. Neither of the main characters were interesting. Their banter felt forced and over the top. They had NO chemistry and in fact he was mean to her over and over again and she didn't even really seem to like him all that much either.

The story felt ironic because it centered around a screenwriter who wrote a terrible Rom-Com which is exactly what this book is.

There were so many cringey, eye roll moments and the ending was terrible. I'm honestly so confused about what is going on here. Usually with most books I don't enjoy, I can find something salvageable in the writing or I can understand how the story might resonate with others - I'm struggling with this one.

My favorite of hers is The Bodyguard which was the most recent one of hers and compared to this one is why I'm just so confused.

Emma is a writer who has passed up opportunities to further her career because she is her father’s primary caretaker. But when a friend calls her and describes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-write a romantic comedy script with one of the most famous screenwriters of today, Charlie Yates, Emma can’t say no. And after her dad and sister hear about the opportunity, they make it impossible for her to not go. Unfortunately, Emma finds out too late what Charlie Yates thinks about romance and love, and the journey she sets out on to prove to him that love is not “an emotional Ponzi scheme” turns out to be something she never bargained for.

I simply ADORE this book and storyline! Katherine Center never fails to deliver a truly heart-warming and slightly heart-breaking story about love, the realities of life, and truly comedic moments. I fell in love with Emma and Charlie, their stories, and all the other characters that made this story so incredibly special. Not a single character was presented as one-sided, but rather each character was presented with their flaws as well as their strengths, making the story complete and realistic. I felt like I could relate to the characters.

THANK YOU Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook version of this book through NetGalley. All opinions listed here are only mine. The audiobook made it that much more special. The narrator was excellent and brought life to the story that took it up a notch. For each character, she created a distinct voice which greatly helped in the reader experience. Personally, I typically opt to read the physical copy of books, but this was a wonderful audiobook production. My recommendation is the audiobook, as it gave the story a fullness that I do not think I would’ve gotten from an ebook or physical copy. The overall experience with the audiobook was all-around enjoyable.

This is the perfect spring/summer read for lovers of Katherine Center’s other books, lovers of happily-ever-afters, and even for those who do not really “believe” in love. Let this book surprise you. Open up your world to a genre you may not generally lean toward.

This was yet another great Katherine Center read for me! While she heavily incorporates injury, illness and/or tragedy in her stories, it is written so well into the plot. Knowing this may want some to consider their trigger warnings. If you're looking for an enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, romcom about romcoms and heartwarming romance as your next read/listen.. I highly recommend this one!
The narrator does an amazing job of changing up her voice to distinguish between characters - definitely recommend as an audiobook!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was very interesting and I was rooting for the main characters the whole time. The romance was very well written as well.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my free audioARC of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center — available Jun 11!

Read this if you:
🩷 need a laugh — it's a solid romcom about romcoms
🔆 ever made sacrifices for your loved ones
🤠 have gone line dancing and been terrible at it (meee)

Emma is obsessive about her dream to become a screenwriter, but she's always worked from home, as she's the caretaker for her father. When the chance comes up to rewrite a romcom script with her idol, Charlie Yates, she heads to LA for six weeks to get it done. Only two giant problems — the script is abysmal and Charlie doesn't want her help. Can Emma change his mind, not only about her helping, but also about whether or not love is even real?

Katherine Center has thus far been hit (The Bodyguard) or miss (Hello Stranger) for me, and fortunately this one was a hit! I found the back-and-forth between Emma and Charlie pretty hilarious, and enjoyed watching them fall for each other over the course of the story. I do find that Katherine Center leans so heavily on illness, injury, and tragedy in her books, so that can be sort of off-putting in a romance, but I think those elements come together decently well in this particular case. I'd watch the screenplay these two wrote, for sure!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romance isn’t my genre, so I was hesitant to read a rom-com about a rom-com, but this book really won me over.

Katherine Center managed to create the perfect balance of sweetness, sadness, resilience and joy. Humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm round the story out.

Loved the plot and the characters. I found Emma, the main character, funny and relatable (though I wanted to shake some sense into her at times!).

This book is a little predictable but I sort of liked that about it. The underlying theme of finding lightness in the dark is a good reminder for us all.

I finished this book with a smile on my face. What more can you ask for in a rom-com?

This was my first Katherine Center book but it won’t be my last. Can’t wait to check out her other titles.

3.9 rounded up to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Emma Wheeler is a modern day Meg Ryan. Her narrative voice is so genuine and distinctive. You’ll immediately fall in love with her like she’s your new best friend.
The Rom-Commers delivers on everything we love about the genre. It’s a cute, funny and sweet romantic comedy. No spice needed with this book which I really enjoyed.
Center finds the right balance of realism and fantasy, transporting the reader into Emma’s love story but in this messy world where we all have to deal with happy and sad at the same time. The audiobook is an easy, enjoyable listen that I finished in one day. Don’t miss this one!

I was lucky to get to try The Rom-Commers from @macmillan.audio and @netgalley I wasn’t in love with The Bodyguard on audiobook, but this one redeemed Katherine Center for me! Narrators can really make a difference, and I loved the quirkiness in this one. Not to mention that I eat up enemies to lovers tropes! Plus, you kinda have that grumpy man and sunshine girl vibe going on in this one too. If you’re looking for a fun, light romance read, highly recommend this one! 5 ⭐️ I’m ready to try out some more Katherine Center, and can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeve!

Emma does what needs to be done…for everyone else. When it comes to herself, she has a dream of what she would like to do, but after putting it on hold to take care of others, she’s contented herself with rom-coms and fan-girling over writer Charlie Yates. What could happen if she takes the chance to put herself first?

This romance title, like the other Katharine Center titles that I have read, is a fun read that also unpacks a serious topic along the way. The characters are easy to like (or dislike, when warranted) and the story is enjoyable. Definitely a title that I will recommend.

This is a story about two screenwriters -- one who is established and honored (Charlie) and one who is trying hard to make it in the business and who has a mad crush on Charlie, without ever meeting him (Emma). Emma has been at home taking care of her disabled father and younger sister, giving up her own life to take care of the others while inhaling rom-coms to keep her sanity. Charlie writes science fiction movies and other horror types, and has a drawer-ful of awards. Suddenly Emma is handed her dream: to help Charlie write a rom-com. Charlie, of course, has no idea she's coming (his agent is an old friend of Emma's), and bad-mouths her up and down. She decides she's not going to give up and in 6 weeks manages to rewrite his horrible rom-com attempt and work her way into his life. She breaks down his barriers and discovers why he doesn't believe in love, and why he's afraid of water even while living in a mansion with a huge pool. Add in extra characters, plus a guinea pig with a problem and name-dropping of LA actors and it's all complete.

The audiobook reader was great, she managed all the different characters perfectly. There's laughter and tears and of course a HEA.

I just reviewed The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

What a wonderful love story! I found myself laughing and crying all at the same time! I am a huge fan of Katherine Center and it did not disappoint! You meet Emma who is a writer who is sacrificed her whole life, taking care of her father who was injured on a family hiking accident. She is given an opportunity to write with her favorite screenwriter Charlie and help pull him out of his writing slump. You learn of their relationship soon turning to love and how Charlie truly doubts that love will be there for him. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any Katherine center fans. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audible book the narrator was wonderful!

Katherine Center is such a gift to the romance world. Her books are romantic, sweet, emotional, and so hope filled. Her latest is a true love letter to the romcom genre and it was so special. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I loved every single second. 🩷

What to expect::
•Forced proximity
•Opposites attract
•Grumpy x Sunshine
•BTS romcom writing
•Heavy illness and grief themes
🔥Kissing only

🤩This one definitely has a spot in my 2024 favorites!

🎧I was lucky enough to have the ebook and the audiobook of this one, but once I started the audio, I couldn’t stop! Patty Murin kills it again!!

🎧 I really enjoyed this story and devoured the audiobook. While I do not really understand how Charlie actually ever fell in love with Emma, I really enjoyed their friendship and I always love a happy ending.

I wish there was more romantic chemistry mixed in. Yes, there were moments here and there, but ultimately I didn’t necessarily feel the attraction between them.

Regardless, it was a fun twist on a romance book. Easy summertime listen!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is officially the patron saint of love stories and happily ever afters and defending the romance genre as equal to or surpassing all others. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, The Rom-Commers, from start to finish and it's one I can happily recommend to nearly every reader.

Emma Wheeler is a screenwriter - or at least she wants to be. Since becoming her father's full-time caretaker after he suffered a traumatic brain injury though, her dream has been deferred. Until, a crazy opportunity comes her way: go to LA for six weeks, and fix the romcom script of the preeminent screenwriter, Charlie Yates... who just so happens to be her muse (and a hater of love and romantic comedies).

The writing in this book however, does not need any fixing. The author makes you laugh and cry in equal measure, and brings Emma and Charlie to life. Emma is sunshine, despite being dealt a rough hand, and Charlie comes off as a grumpy butt, but slowly shares more about his past and why he doubts love. The supporting cast is just as much fun, and there's even a scene-stealing guinea pig and meeting Meryl Streep on a random Tuesday.

The whole time you just keep reading and knowing that Charlie is actually a good guy and he's just hiding his feelings, but you don't know why and you trust Katherine Center to give him his redemption arc and get us to our happily ever after that we all want in the end and she does it! (Spoiler alert, sorry). There's also an easter egg (shout out) to one of the author's other books that I did not catch until I was most of the way through the book, and then I squealed out loud with joy over the connection.

I loved Katherine Center's last two books - The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger. Her passion clearly shines through in everything she does and I greatly admire that. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. It was hard to listen to on audio. I did not connect with any of the characters and I feel there were a lot of pieces forced into the narrative that didn't need to be there. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other readers and I encourage other romance lovers to try this one! I look forward to Katherine Center's next book!

🎬 The Rom-Commers 🎬

By: Katherine Center

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️😇

I like to think what keeps humanity going when our lights start dimming and our spark starts to fizzle out is our hopes and dreams. The things that inspire us to not give up. The unfulfilled desires that makes our hearts go wild. That little hope sparks something in us that can be just enough to ignite that light that is just waiting to shine.

Meet Emma Wheeler. Her light shines so bright to all those who are blessed to have her in their life. She is kind, caring, patient, and loved by all. She has a talent for writing and she is one of those people who you just know is going to cause chaos (in a good way) in everything she does. But, when a devastatingly tragic accident leaves her as the sole caretaker of her father, her hopes and dreams become extinguished. But for Emma, that’s okay. Because Emma is the most chivalrous and compassionate person and taking care of her father far exceeds the life she could have possibly had as a writer.

While everyone in Emma’s life relies on her, who does Emma rely on? Rom-Coms of course! She is the queen of Rom-Coms. She has seen everyone movie, knows every actor, and knows all the lines. She has even wrote a few herself. But, of course those were just for her guilty pleasure.

Except her guilty little pleasure is true talent. And her best friend Logan knows just how talented she is. So when screen writer Charlie Yates, who is known for his macho movies, desperately needs help with his terribly atrocious attempt at a Rom-Com, Logan knows just who can help revive this lifeless and pathetic excuse of a screenplay.

But what happens when the queen of Rom-Coms is forced to work with a man who does not believe in love? Find out in this marvelously hilarious Rom-Com that is sure to spark something In you! A must summer read out June 11, 2024!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced audiobook in exchange of an honest review.

What I loved:

the absolute best Rom-Com I’ve ever read. I hope this is made into a movie because it would be epic. If you are looking for the perfect summer read, this is it!

The comedy and banter was just the cutest. The author did a phenomenal job at writing a romance novel that had zero spice in it and never did it feel like it was lacking. So it’s appropriate for all ages which I absolutely love.

Perfect amount of grumpy meets sunshine. Sometimes the sunshine character is way too cheerful for me and I just adored Emma. Same for Charlie. He was not unbearably grumpy which was a breath of fresh air.

I loved that even though this was a rom com it still had some deep emotional moments that can be relatable to everyone.

All the little details. There was so much thought and love poured into this book that it just radiates off the pages.

What I disliked:

Nothing! Which is odd. I can usually find something that I would change about a book. I loved every moment of this book!

* actually that’s a lie. What happens to the poor little Peruvian character at the end…..🐹😂

I absolutely loved this audiobook! I felt the narrator read it well and kept my engaged. I was very much engrossed in the characters and their stories. I kept wanting to come back to listen to more. This was my first Katherine Center book, and I can’t wait to read more of hers. I highly recommend adding to your TBR!