4.5 stars

Charlie Yates, famous screen writer, wrote a romcom and it's terrible. It needs help, though he doesn't want it. Logan, Charlie's agent, asks his longtime friend Emma Wheeler to help. She's been an aspiring writer for years but put her life on hold to care for her father. Now, helping Charlie could be just what she needs to jumpstart her career.

Though, Charlie doesn't want help. He knows it is terrible and he doesn't care. He only wrote it to get another project approved. Plus, he doesn't believe in love. Emma makes it her mission to show Charlie what love is and to prove that this movie is worth rewriting.

I enjoyed both main characters in this book and their banter. Charlie was grumpy, but still likable.

I listened to this and read this. Patti Murin was an excellent narrator.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In my ever so humble opinion, Katherine Center can do no wrong when it comes to writing a romantic comedy. She is by far one of my favorite romance writers, and I will always preorder her book the second I’m able to. Her books are cozy and heartwarming, swoony and butterfly-inducing. To me, they are the warm hug of romance novels. Her last book, Hello Stranger, was one of the only books my then-pregnant brain was able to focus on for the entire nine months I was pregnant. All that to say: I love Katherine Center’s books. Probably a ridiculous amount.

The Rom-Commers absolutely did not disappoint! Our leading lady, Emma, is desperately hoping to make her big break in the screenwriting world. Unfortunately, that has been easier said than done since she’s been taking care of her dad after a traumatic brain injury. In comes her manager (and friend and ex-boyfriend) with the opportunity of a lifetime! Emma has the chance to work with one of the best screenwriters in the business, Charlie Yates. Unfortunately for Emma, the project she’s tasked with helping on is a Rom-Com, and Charlie doesn’t know he’s about to be stuck with her. Did I mention that he also, seemingly, doesn’t believe in love?

Charlie is incredibly frustrating sometimes, but as we get to know him and the ins and outs of his history…we can kind of understand why. I loved seeing him warm up to Emma and the idea of love, and I loved how Center portrayed grief and heartache and anxiety. I loved Emma’s deep and passionate love of love, and I loved the moments of sweetness that Charlie slowly started to express. The only reason it’s not a perfect 5 stars is because Charlie really was so rude at the beginning (and sometimes in the middle) and I’m not sure he fully redeemed himself in my eyes.

Like all Center books, this will make you feel all ooey-gooey inside. It is a charming journey of banter, laughter, and maybe (probably) even some tears. If you love romantic comedies, this is absolutely a must-read!

(How many times did I say love??)


Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this arc in exchange for my honest review!

As my first Katherine Center book, I have to say that I am thrilled by her voice. I find it rare to hear authors who are attempting to caretake their readers, or in this case the narrator herself. It made this book easy to continue because each time we were set up for a huge fall, Emma pulled out a net for us so we could land a bit easier.

Let's get into it.

[ Emma and her backstory were highlights for me in this book. Rife and rich and beautiful. The connection with her father, relationship with her sister, all of this came through in her narration and the way she treated the reader as she told us her story.

Major props to the audiobook narrator too, Patti Murin. Her narration was extremely activating to the story and kept me engaged even though I wanted to DNF at 30%.

Which brings me to the reason for the DNF-ing...

The MMC, Charlie, wasn't nearly as clear for me. I think The Rom-Commers could have really benefitted from dual narration so there was some understanding of his hard exterior. His meanness made it quite difficult for me to continue rooting for them. I wanted Emma to give him what for from the very beginning and instead, she took his verbal abuses and caginess all because she's his biggest fan...which I also found a little tedious as we were reminded of this fact again and again. His actions didn't make it feel like a love story, even if it was born from deep-seated trauma.

It's rare that I'm not thrilled by a book but want to continue reading an author, but that's what Katherine Center managed with The Rom-Commers. Hopefully, the next story I read of hers makes me swoon. (hide spoiler)]

Thank You to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audio ARC provided through NetGalley.

Can I just say how much I ADORE this story?! Charlie is a famous and successful screenplay writer who wrote a rom com that is absolute garbage, and needs help. Emma happens to be his agent’s friend from high school, and an aspiring writer whose life got in the way of her career. Naturally Charlie is reluctant to work with a nobody, and Emma is reluctant to sacrifice her dignity, and so an uneasy partnership is formed with a heavy dose of distrust and a lot of crossed wires.

This story is hilarious from the start, with lots of twists and a slow burn to drive you wild. But also has an exceeding amount of heart. It will deliver ALL the feels.

Narrator Patti Murin delivers a stellar performance. Her pace, timing, and voices were all en pointe and kept me listening.

It is no surprise to me that this is Katherine Center’s next book after Hello Stranger, and if you read or listened to the author’s note at the end of Hello Stranger, you won’t be surprised either. This book represents all of the wonderful things that we all love about the romance genre. And when I say wonderful, I don’t necessarily mean happy sometimes wonderful is gut-wrenching. Sometimes it’s hilarious and sometimes it’s hilariously gone wrong. All of these things cultivate that ending, that surge of emotion when we know in those characters know what they have to do. I love this story for Emma and Charlie’s journey, but I also love this story because of its messaging around the romance genre.

This was great!! Not only does the FMC have the same name as me, one quote really hit me and made me laugh out loud at how accurate it was - “I don’t have anxiety, I just worry all the time!”

For fans of witty banter, enemies to lovers, slow burn, and fun writing and Hollywood references, this is a must read.

Easy 5 stars for this Romcom book that I got early from NetGalley (comes out June 11,2024). I listened and the narrator was fabulous. I laughed out loud so many times! These two authors wheret one is grumpy and super successful and the other is trying to help him fix the romcom he attempted. The characters had depth and I loved the way it ended!!!!

This warm, funny novel is an ode to the romantic comedy, and fans of this genre will adore it. The plot: aspiring screenwriter Emma gets the chance to work with her idol, rewriting an absolutely terrible rom-com that he wrote. She upends her life to do it, then discovers that he wrote this just to get a film he really cares about greenlit—because he hates rom-coms, and he also seems to not believe in love. While Emma’s goals may be obvious, and there will be obstacles along the way (of course!), the journey there is both sweet and sad, very relatable, and at times, very funny. Katherine Center has really scored with this one—it may be her best yet. Every minute of this audiobook was a joy! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I have never been so happy to receive ARC permission for a book than for this one. I have been a Katherine Center fan since her very first book. She is a one-click author for me and this newest book, THE ROM-COMMERS, proves why.
Emma Wheeler is a failed screenwriter who is hired to help a famous screenwriter get over his case of writer's block and do a rewrite of the famous movie, It Happened One Night.

Emma is stuck in her life. After a tragic accident took her mother 10 years ago and made her father someone who needs round-the-clock care - by Emma, she never gets to fulfill her desire to be a screenwriter. When she is given the chance to help Charlie Yates- her favorite screenwriter - revamp a script, and a ROmCom at that, she jumps at the chance.
This book is so filled with my favorite tropes - opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity. And Katherine Center executes them all perfectly.
What follows once the two get working is a story so filled with angst, trust issues, becoming the person you were meant to be, medical drama, and family issues.
I'd like to comment on the narrator, too. Patti Murin does a fantastic job as the voice of EMMA - the POV the story is told from. Her voice, inflections, and inner thoughts were perfect for the character of Emms.
iI can't recommend this book enough and I thnk NetGalley for allowing me to listen to it prior to publication.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I have loved Katherine Center since I listened to hello stranger. This book wasn't quite as good but it was still a 5 star story. Emma and Charlie are great together but like most of Katherine's books the heroine is the star. Emma is quirky, fun and a lot stressed out since her mom died and her dad was injured. But now her little sister is old enough to help out and Emma can go to Hollywood where she can write with her idol Charlie in a once in a lifetime chance to fix a rom com. Only problem is Charlie doesn't know she's coming. Of course they fall in love but not everything runs smoothly for these two. In fact almost nothing does.

This book gave me all the feels and happy times I wanted even when I couldn't figure out what was wrong with Charlie. Definitely read the bonus chapter from Charlie's point of view and the author's note at the end.

What a fun, funny, and sweetly romantic ride this book took me on. An ode to romcoms, the book takes a look at stories about love and why we need them. The audio narration was lovely to listen to. Katherine Center has hit 3 in a row for me now, and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I don’t read many rom coms. My initial reaction is that this was corny but in a good way. It was very light hearted and a feel good story. And after I gave my initial reaction I kind of laughed because isn’t that kind of what a rom com is?

The comedic portion was my kind of humor, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, but personally I found it funny. I very much enjoyed both of the main characters. I really like Katherine Center’s writing style and will definitely check out some of her other books.

The narrator was excellent at giving each character their own personality. I enjoyed listening and found myself listening while at home as well as when driving. I loved the bonus chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced reader copy of this audiobook.

The Rom-Commers
By: Katherine Center

I absolutely loved this! I listened to the audiobook through Macmillan Audio. This was such a cute rom-com. I love the banter between the FMC and the MMC.

The FMC is Emma Wheeler who has an obsession with a screen writer, Charlie. Her friend Landon gets her to take a job with Charlie, but Charlie had never agreed to it beforehand and when Emma decides to leave her sick father in the care of her sister, and flies from Texas to LA for a dream opportunity, then learns Charlie wasn’t in on this, she gets upset with Landon and realizes Charlie isn’t what she thought. She has always dreamed of being a screen writer and since she had to take care of her sick father, her dreams got put on the back burner.

Charlie decides to let her help him with and the two get close. She falls first and he rejects her then goes after her when she goes back to Texas to check on her dad after he has a fall. There’s a lot of banter between the two and they end up falling hard for each other by the end. I highly recommend this book. I gave it 5 stars.

I received a complimentary THE ROM-COMMERS by Katherine Center thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley.

THE ROM-COMMERS by Katherine Center follows Emma Wheeler, a young woman who wants to be a screenwriter. Life hasn't exactly gone her way and she's had to sacrifice opportunities to care for her disabled father. When she gets the offer to help famous screenwriter Charlie Yates on a rewrite of his new rom-com script, she can't believe her luck. Until she shows up for the job and realizes that Charlie isn't great and his script is worse.

I really enjoy Katherine Center's books and this one was no exception. Fun fact, she was the first author that someone recommended to me personally after I joined Bookstagram!

I enjoy the fact that her stories are traditional romances with a fairly expected story arc, but they also touch on some very hard hitting topics. Emma's life has had a lot of hardship with her acting as her father's caregiver while also helping to raise her younger sister. Still, she has great ambitions and she definitely can push for her way when needed.

I struggled to warm up to Charlie initially and it took me a while to get there. He could be very abrasive and his lack of knowledge about how love and relationships work makes sense for the script rewrite purposes, but did make it a bit of a challenge for me to love him. He did win me over by the end, though.

I had a good time with this one and have no doubt I'll be reading more from Katherine Center in the future!

Katherine Center is a genius! I must admit that I'm not a fan of rom coms, but I am now. Her latest book has convinced me otherwise.
It's a sweet tale involving a devoted daughter who has pretty much sacrificed her life to care for an invalid father. However, being a budding screenwriter, she is whisked off to CA to work on a project with a Hollywood legend. Love is never supposed to enter the picture but, alas, it does.
Center writes with passion and creativity, and I couldn't help but fall in love with the lead male character myself. I was rooting for them all and enjoyed all those trials and tribulations they experienced.
The narrators were terrific and the story journey so much fun. Loved it!

Author Katherine Center is a pro at writing rom coms. Using her position to craft to quirky writers as one teaches the other what it takes to create a perfect rom-com. What they didn't bargain for was living out their very own rom-com.

Just finished listening to this book, and it was delightful!
A ROM COM- about writing a ROM COM

I really loved the characters, and enjoyed the narrator. This book was full of many great quotes a few being...

"All we have is what we have."

"If you wait for people to light you up- than I guess you are at the mercy of darkness."

"S0, it cant be where you are going that matters, it has to be how you get there."

This book really touched on how to continue life after facing tragedy. Although, this isn't my normal style of book, the humor made me really want to see how it would end.

Love being the main focus, it didn't disappoint and i will be recommending this to others!

Thanks for the copy

Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for the audiobook of The Rom-Commers.

My third audio by this author and I absolutely enjoy every single one of them. First, her covers are always so bright and happy and pretty. Second, the characters are so likable and relatable.

This story was so fun and delightful. Will definitely request this author again.

* Emma is hilarious you feel like your in her head
* I love her love of writing , movies, etc
* I feel like I’m in a rom com seeing two writers slowly fall for each other
* Grumpy x sunshine hits every time
* Charlie is a cinnamon roll im in love
* He searched up how long it should take to fall in love after knowing her for a month 🥹 babe your in love already
* Obesessed with their banter
* His rude moment was not it but forgiven
* Absolutely loved this book wow

Katherine Center strikes again! I just simply adore her books!

Although it took me a while to warm up to the MMC, Charlie, I ended up loving the way his character grew and how the story played out, he really opened up by the end and we got to see his true colours. Charlie and Emma both went through a hefty amount of grief and past struggles. Charlie and Emma having that similarity of past loss and painful experiences, it really made their story shine together.

I loved the witty banter and humour , Katherine Center always knocks it out of the park with the perfect balance between serious/emotional and lighthearded/goofy moments. This book definitely makes the message clear on how we can't just judge someone based off of their cover, we never really know what they've been through or what may lie under that hard exterior shell.

Definitely recommend and can't thank St. Martins Press enough for allowing me to read this in advance.

Out June 11th, 2024!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I listened to and read this delightful novel over a couple of days. I enjoyed the banter between Charlie and Emma. It was a perfect rendition of "Rom-Commers"

Was it problematic? Yes.
Was it lighthearted and fun? Yes
Was it over the top? Again, yes.
Is it the perfect beach read? YES!

If you want something fluffy and fun, pick this one up. It was a delight.