I really enjoyed this one! I was coming off of a couple of heavier reads and The Rom-Commers was exactly the medicine I needed. I listened to an ARC of the audiobook and honestly plan to read it again in print once it’s released. Katherine Center is, as always, reliably enjoyable and heartwarming. Hers are the books I reach for when I want to laugh and cry and smile but ultimately leave happier than I was before, and this one is no exception!

Here I am to be the meanie again. I ended up liking this book ok—it was aiight—unfortunately, it isn't going to get a glowing review. I hope the final cut is better than the arc.

The Rom-Commers had the potential to be a delightful rom-com, but it fell short. The lack of character development in the beginning of the story, paired with a bummer of a backstory, made me consider DNFing around 10% in. But I stuck with it and it picked up eventually.

Emma's infatuation with Charlie's work leads to a job opportunity alongside him, but the narrative takes a disappointing turn with Charlie's consistent mistreatment of Emma. Despite occasional humor and glimmers of romance, the story lacks the charm typical of rom-coms. It eventually turns in to a rom-com, but not a very sweet one.

Though I didn't love this book, I would still recommend it to some people. If you enjoyed some of Center's other work, like The Bodyguard, you may like this one, too. I'm hopeful the final published will have worked out some of its issues.

Unfortunately I have come to realize that Katherine Center's writing style is not for me. You may enjoy this if you like lighter romance books with some heavier hitting topics that aren't taken too seriously. I say that specifically because Center makes a lot of things feel lighter, that's not a bad thing I just at times felt like it came across as emotionally immature. That's not to say the author didn't do that on purpose, there certainly is a place in literature for that, people don't always want to read about responsible adults, they want to escape. This is a good book for that.

Katherine Center is never a miss. Nice balance of the light and the heavy.

“If you wait for other people to light you up, then I guess you are at the mercy of darkness.”

I was able to get an advanced copy of this book and so glad I did. This was the perfect laugh out loud story.

An unlikely pair is forced to live and work together for six weeks while doing research and learning that they have more in common than they first thought.

If you are looking for an easy and enjoyable read, this one is for you!

Everything Katherine Center writes is pure gold. This is no exception. I loved it so much. The narration was AMAZING, Patti Murin knocked it out of the park! I laughed, I cried, and it was just what my heart needed. I honestly don't know what else to say, I will go back to this again.
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and read this advanced copy.

This is my 3rd book by this author and every time I close the book I sigh with a book well-written! The story was delightful and full of some fun twists and amazing banter! The characters that are created are REAL to me - I want to meet them and interact with there crazy! I truly loved this storyline and thoroughly enjoyed the kissing scenes and need a whole Pinterest board of them! Ha! I really loved the narrator and especially the notes at the end!

For those who need to know - there is a lot of strong language in this book - this is my only problem with it!

Thank you to Net Galley for this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

The Rom-Comers by Katherine Center is full of wit and charm. I absolutely loved this modern clean adult romance.
Immediately, I loved the main character Emma Wheeler. She has paused most of her screen writer dreams to take care of her sick father for the last ten years. When she gets a chance to work with her absolutely favorite screen writer ever Charlie Yates she, with some pushing, jumps at the chance. Charlie however didn't know she was coming.
Charlie is cranky and doesn't believe in love or rom-coms. Emma decides to convince him that rom-coms are worth a shot.
This book is so funny and at times really moving. The relationship that developed from a coworker friends place to a romance was really sweet. I would really love to see this as an actual rom-com movie. This story definitely pulls from grumpy/sunshine tropes in the best way.
I loved it so much I started talking about it to my friends and they asked me if the characters were real people or if this was a book. I got a little attached.
The audiobook is great! Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for this audiobook. This review was given voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🎧

📚 Emma Wheeler's younger self had one goal: to become a successful screenwriter specializing in romantic comedies. After ten years of putting her life on hold, she gets a chance to work with her idol, Charlie Yates, on a big Hollywood script, it feels like a dream come true. But there's a catch: Charlie thinks romantic comedies are a joke, and he's only interested in getting his own project green-lit. It's up to Emma to show him that love is more than just a plot device.

🏙️ The story unfolds in Charlie's LA mansion, where Emma's enthusiasm and Charlie's cynicism collide. Emma's dedication to the craft and her quick wit keep the narrative lively and engaging. The back-and-forth was excellent.

🎭 The plot has its ups and downs. Emma's passion for romantic comedies is infectious, but the pacing sometimes felt slow. We spend a lot of time in Emma's head, which is hilarious but leaves less room for Charlie's development. His backstory is a bit thin, especially when his sometimes oblivious behavior felt inconsistent with his success.

💕 The chemistry between Emma and Charlie is undeniable. Their banter is sharp, and their interactions are filled with sparks. However, I wanted more steam. The romance is cute and slow, but there's still plenty of sweet and touching moments to enjoy.

🤝 The side characters are delightful, especially Logan Charlie's pet guinea pig.

✍️ Catherine Center's writing style is lighthearted, fun and full of passion. The narrator's performance captures Emma's quirky charm, though the portrayal of Charlie felt somewhat lacking. I guess I just prefer dual POV stories. Thank you Catherine for the bonus scene from Charlie's perspective!

📚 If you're into romantic comedies with a touch of Hollywood glamour, "The Rom-Commers" is worth a listen. It's filled with laughs, heartfelt moments and a message of hope and love that is just as magical as the movies.

#romcom #bookstagram #romanticcomedy #audiobooks #bookreviews #CatherineCenter #loveandlaughs #bookish #amreading

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan Audio for this ALC.

Who does Katherine Center thinks she is, making me cry over fictional characters? Spoiler, I bawled like a baby the last couple of chapters of this novel.

We all need to believe in love - no matter what that may look like. Love does not necessarily need to be romantic love, but takes its form in many different ways. The Rom-Commers, is just about that concept - we need love. Our lives would be, for lack of a better word, sad, without any form of love in it. We need people to care for, and to care for us. We are social beings and “socializing” is a basic need that must be met. The Rom-Com, Katherine Center, and The Rom-Commers reminds us of this. It gives us images of what love can look like, it reminds us how we can love better, and frankly maybe what does not work.

Was it cheesy? Would it be a rom-com if it was not? Were the characters perfect? No, they were perfectly imperfect, like we are. The story was so very engaging. I did not want it to end, but wanted it to, because I just had to know if Emma and Charlie would indeed, fall for each other, and have their “happy ending”. Center’s novel is witty, insightful, and yes, cute. It reminds us how we need our emotions, all of them, and how every happy story is riddled with events and memories that are hard to deal with. It reminds you to appreciate your own love story.

I loved it. This was an ALC, so this story would not be what it was without the outstanding performance. Patti Murin made me love Emma, Charlie, and their love story!

When Emma is offered a dream job to helping rewrite a script with her screenwriter hero Charlie Yates she reluctantly hand over dad caretaker duties to her younger sister. Arriving in LA she discovers that heros are not as one expects.
Charlie has no intentions of rewriting his romcom script with a 'nobody screenwriter'. It's perfect the way it is (it's REALLY not) and he only wrote it to get a different script produced.
Emma and Charlie start off on the wrong foot, butting heads as they navigate the rewrite. How will Emma convince Charlie that love stories are important? And will fiction become reality?
It's been a while since I've enjoyed a romcom as much as I did with The Rom-Commers. Narrator Patti Murin brings Katherine Center's book to life. Each character was wonderfully and perfectly voiced. Easy and fluid to listen too. What a fun audiobook!

I wish this was a movie too! This book was so cute I hate that I finished it. The characters all had baggage without it being whiney. Too many times in books do I see the baggage and feel like it is repeatedly mentioned for pity. Katherine Center was able to write in a way that I felt touched and not perturbed at the main characters and issues they have faced. I enjoyed everything about this book. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced preview.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I can easily say she is going to be an author I read everything from. The emotions that this made me feel! This was pretty obvious the way it would go, however, it still hit me in the feels so hard.
The father-daughter relationship, the sister-sister love, so so sweet.

Title: The Rom-Comers
By: Kathrine Center
Genre: Women’s, Contemporary, Chick-lit, Romance

Red Flags:
Closed door with innuendo, some sexual discussions, crude humor, mild profanity, loss of a parent, guilt, paralysis, cancer, hypochondria, panic attacks,

Favorite Quotes:
"He's not a kid, Sylvie. He's a full-grown adult. I can't just Jedi-mind-trick him into doing whatever I want.”
“Everybody's a kid deep down," Sylvie said. "Use your teacher voice. I bet you'll be surprised.”

“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. That's it.”

“There are endless human stories, but they all end the same way.
So it can't be where you're going that matters. It has to be how you get there…It's all about the details you notice. And the joys you savor. And the hope you refuse to give up on.”

Summary:
Emma Wheeler is an aspiring screenwriter, who was forced to put her dreams on hold for the last ten years to care for her injured father. Enters Charlie Yates, an infamous author who has a strong desire to try something new. However, when Charlie submits his script, it’s awful! Logan is both Charlie and Emma’s agent. Emma is a long time friend of Charlie’s and he knows Emma is an expert in the Rom-Com genre. Logan reaches out to Emma and offers her a job based on her knowledge in Rom-Com perfection. Emma is hired to help Charlie rewrite his screenplay. Charlie is extremely reluctant to let Emma work with him, and Emma quickly learns her job may be more difficult than anticipated. Charlie is only going through the motions for this script, and truthfully doesn’t believe in love himself. Can Emma teach Charlie what love is and how to write it? This is a tall order!

Review:
The banter and chemistry between Charlie and Emma was beautifully crafted, with Center weaving in the love/hate relationship between the main characters, drawing the reader into the novel and quickly becoming fully engaged in the writing. These main characters are relatable to readers, as they experience, enemy to lovers, loss, and heartache, guilt and pain. Katherine Center is very talented in approaching deeply emotional, and tender subjects! I love all Katherine Center novels! She will continue to be a go to me, and at the top of my TBR shelf! The Narration was excellent! I listened to it in one day. Loved this novel!

Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#KatherineCenter
#Stmartinspress
#netgalley
#theromcommers
#reluectantreaderreads

This book was just what I needed after reading some heavy books.

This was such a cute plot. One highly successful writer works with a woman who is obsessed with romcoms to write a romcom worthy of the genre.

Charlie doesn’t want to work with her but gives in. They slowly learn more about each other and find out they actually get along and are both talented writers who can learn from one another.

There were a lot of heavy baggage with both characters that you slowly see unloaded that only makes the way they react to each other and the circumstances understandable.

This was my first Katherine Center book and it definitely will not be my last! I love the writing style, the plot, and the characters so much! It was an enjoyable read.

I thought there was a moment where I would hate this book, but it was redeemed and I loved the ending!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and McMillan Audio for allowing me to read and review this book early. I’m always thankful.

SO GOOD. This is my favorite K Center book yet. The story and characters are amazing and i love the story. The narrator did a great job at bringing them to life and making me feel so invested and obsessed with the characters.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•••Spoiler free review below•••

Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me. She writes books that simultaneously make you laugh and make you feel. The Rom-Commers is the perfect example of this and may be her best work yet. Our leading lady Emma Wheeler - romance lover and dutiful daughter - has spent the last nine years putting her screenwriting career on hold to provide around the clock care for her father. When the opportunity to write a romcom with THE Charlie Yates is presented to her and coincides with her sister being available to takeover the caregiving, she flies to LA with the goal to make her dream a reality. What happens next is a chain of events that neither of them expected and poses the question of what a romantic comedy really is, do love stories even matter, and are big romantic gestures the peak of all romcoms?

Read this book if you like:
-grumpy x sunshine
-one liners
-LOL funny
-pet guinea pig
-forced proximity

The Rom-Commers will be released June 11th and if it is not already on your tbr, it should be!

Katherine Center can do no wrong. Her writing is exquisite; the love and the trauma feel real.

Personally, I could have used a soft-tissue sarcoma trigger warning as that was what killed my father after it spread to his lungs. Other than that, there is not a single fault with this storyline.

Girl gets amazing opportunity to work with her hero but they say you shouldn't meet your heroes.

Boy behaves badly, redeems himself, and does it again.

Both characters are haunted by their personal trauma.

Can they end up together in spite of their pasts?

The audiobook narration was spot on and was extremely enjoyable. I did switch back and forth between the e-book and the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the ARC!

KC truly is the queen of writing a feel-good book. This was definitely more emotional than usual and dealt with some heavy themes, but it made my heart feel so full by the end. So many swoony, funny, and tender moments.

I always love KC’s heroines since they’re typically just normal people trying to stay positive in a bad situation. It’s what makes KC books so dang relatable. I think I related to Emma pretty much the least of all of her heroines (I mean this girl was straight out quirky and shameless) but this book made me laugh, smile, cry, and feel a lot better on a shitty day. Emma was the perfect main character with her positive demeanor as she navigated difficult emotions and situations. The love story, despite its Hollowood settin, came together into such an authentic way and I absolutely loved the slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, coworker romance. This is definitely in my top 3 KC books.

I’ve listened to a handful of romcom audiobooks from Patti Murin and she is just outstanding. Perfectly captures the essence of these stories, A+ delivery, and makes me a captivated listener. I was toggling between my kindle and audio at first but Murin completely sold me and I think audio is the way to go for this one.

READ/LISTEN TO THIS ONE! Add it to your TBR immediately, you won’t regret it. Romance fans rejoice.

Emma Wheeler has always wanted to be a screenwriter. She fangirls over award-winning writers whose work she idolizes. After college she was offered a writing opportunity but had to turn it down because she needed to care for her father. That lead to Emma staying with her widowed, disabled dad and becoming his caregiver.

Now Emma is being given a chance to help her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates, fix an abysmal script. Charlie is a renowned writer who has won many awards. However, he is not a romance or rom-com writer and his attempt to create one is a monumental failure. He has been forced to write in a genre he clearly doesn’t understand and his agent (a friend of Emma’s) thinks Emma is the perfect partner to rescue the script.

As expected, Emma is not welcome as a co-writer. She’s a nobody, a college instructor who failed at pursuing her dream. But maybe there is something she can teach him and she is determined to prove that romance writing has value and is worth getting right.

Emma is adorable. Charlie is pompous and condescending. They are both smart and appreciate the value of good writing. To begin their collaboration, Emma must first be brutally honest with the famous writer and he must listen as his work gets trashed. Things start off rather rocky and yet the focus is on fixing the script. Center uses the plot to put forward a defense of romance writing. It’s clever and fun, a delightful read.

The audiobook was read by Patti Murin and Katherine Center. It’s a breezy and fun narration that enhances the book.