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gondorgirl's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
nailartklaudia's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood and Alcohol
paperbacksandsketchbooks's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
INFINITE STARS! Katherine Center does it again đđťđđťđđť
This one had so much humor, sadness, hope, banter... it was the perfect mix of happy and sad.
Books rarely make me laugh out loud, but I found myself laughing at the characters' dialogue and thoughts more than once. Emma is hilarious. She was so relatable too. Even Emma's family was amazing (can they be my family??).
Every single character was fantastic. Even the annoying character TJ (Jablowmie) was just the right amount of annoying to make me not hate him entirely. And Logan proved he's not actually a liar and just messed up once, so he redeemed himself. Emma is so sweet and funny and caring, and Charlie is the perfect example of someone who cares so much but just feel like he has to hide it under nonchalance and coolness. Every single character was so unique and added so much to the story.
I especially loved Charlie's character growth. If anyone knows how to writer character development, it's Katherine Center.
Everything in this book seemed so realistic too! Even the pilot waiting for Emma was based on a real news story the author read years ago.
Everything about this book made me want to have more faith in humanity. You never know what people are going through - as this book proved with Emma's dad's disease and Charlie's cancer scare.
10/10 recommend. So funny with sad moments that made the funny parts funnier. The summer's perfect rom-com!
This one had so much humor, sadness, hope, banter... it was the perfect mix of happy and sad.
Books rarely make me laugh out loud, but I found myself laughing at the characters' dialogue and thoughts more than once. Emma is hilarious. She was so relatable too. Even Emma's family was amazing (can they be my family??).
Every single character was fantastic. Even the annoying character TJ (Jablowmie) was just the right amount of annoying to make me not hate him entirely. And Logan proved he's not actually a liar and just messed up once, so he redeemed himself. Emma is so sweet and funny and caring, and Charlie is the perfect example of someone who cares so much but just feel like he has to hide it under nonchalance and coolness. Every single character was so unique and added so much to the story.
I especially loved Charlie's character growth. If anyone knows how to writer character development, it's Katherine Center.
Everything in this book seemed so realistic too! Even the pilot waiting for Emma was based on a real news story the author read years ago.
Everything about this book made me want to have more faith in humanity. You never know what people are going through - as this book proved with Emma's dad's disease and Charlie's cancer scare.
10/10 recommend. So funny with sad moments that made the funny parts funnier. The summer's perfect rom-com!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer
hellokaley's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
It absolutely breaks my heart to give Katherine Center a low review because I love her as an author and her books got me back into reading as adult. I think she writes wonderful romances with great characters and witty banter but The Rom-Commers fell flat for me.
There were elements that I liked- her relationship with her sister and her past with her parents, but I did not care for her romantic relationship with Charlie at all. I didnât find him to be an engaging main character or love interest and their chemistry didnât really do it for me.
Other gripes-
I personally didnât care for the overhearing trope that happened multiple times.
I found Emma and âCharlie Yatesâ whole relationship to be quite dramatic and dare I say, a little childish?
Iâm typically a big fan of Katherine Centerâs Easter eggs, but I also found the Jack Stapleton references to be really overdone and I prefer them a little more subtle. For reference, I also rated The Bodyguard lower than some of her other books which are beloved to me.
All things said, Iâm a Katherine Center stan and will sing her praises to all, but wouldnât recommend this one as a starter to her universe of romance.
There were elements that I liked- her relationship with her sister and her past with her parents, but I did not care for her romantic relationship with Charlie at all. I didnât find him to be an engaging main character or love interest and their chemistry didnât really do it for me.
Other gripes-
I personally didnât care for the overhearing trope that happened multiple times.
I found Emma and âCharlie Yatesâ whole relationship to be quite dramatic and dare I say, a little childish?
Iâm typically a big fan of Katherine Centerâs Easter eggs, but I also found the Jack Stapleton references to be really overdone and I prefer them a little more subtle. For reference, I also rated The Bodyguard lower than some of her other books which are beloved to me.
All things said, Iâm a Katherine Center stan and will sing her praises to all, but wouldnât recommend this one as a starter to her universe of romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
jennergyy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 âď¸ rated down
It took me a while to get into this book, but I found it entertaining once I found my groove. I didnât find Charlie to be a likeable character and I feel like that ruined their love story for me. Definitely not my favorite from Katherine Center.
It took me a while to get into this book, but I found it entertaining once I found my groove. I didnât find Charlie to be a likeable character and I feel like that ruined their love story for me. Definitely not my favorite from Katherine Center.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer
yannaj's review
dark
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I'm was thankful for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook ARC of The RomCommers but it just didn't fly for me, personally.
Emma, our struggling screenwriter is given the opportunity of a lifetime to write with her hero, Charlie Yates on his new Roscommon. The twist? It's terrible and so is he! Amidst the hecticness of her own life, Emma take a career leep and swoops in the save the day (and possibly find love along the way).
So, I have to say that the premise is good but dissapointingly it doesn't come together.
** Spoilers ahead**
For starters, as someone who has been both a caregiver and now a disabled person in need of care, Emma's description of her caring for her father plays upon disabled people's worst fears- being an unnecessary burden on the people you love. Not to diminish the work of caregivers at all (seriously, yall are the realest, most loving people on the planet) but making it seem like his accident ruined her life doesn't endear Emma to readers.
That aside, I don't find Charlie's general attitude, disdain for romance, for Emma (women in general) unappealing and unredeemable. I didn't come away feeling like they should've been s couple.
Last but not least- I agree that romance is maligned too much in everyday society. People use it to take cheap shots at hope and romance and anything that women love but the author's rant at the end just leaves me feeling prickly rather than inspired or hopeful.
Sad that this one didn't work out.
Emma, our struggling screenwriter is given the opportunity of a lifetime to write with her hero, Charlie Yates on his new Roscommon. The twist? It's terrible and so is he! Amidst the hecticness of her own life, Emma take a career leep and swoops in the save the day (and possibly find love along the way).
So, I have to say that the premise is good but dissapointingly it doesn't come together.
** Spoilers ahead**
For starters, as someone who has been both a caregiver and now a disabled person in need of care, Emma's description of her caring for her father plays upon disabled people's worst fears- being an unnecessary burden on the people you love. Not to diminish the work of caregivers at all (seriously, yall are the realest, most loving people on the planet) but making it seem like his accident ruined her life doesn't endear Emma to readers.
That aside, I don't find Charlie's general attitude, disdain for romance, for Emma (women in general) unappealing and unredeemable. I didn't come away feeling like they should've been s couple.
Last but not least- I agree that romance is maligned too much in everyday society. People use it to take cheap shots at hope and romance and anything that women love but the author's rant at the end just leaves me feeling prickly rather than inspired or hopeful.
Sad that this one didn't work out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: The Rom-Commers
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E ⢠W O R D S
Brisk ⢠Entertaining ⢠ClichÊ
đ S Y N O P S I S
Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. Sheâs spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comediesâgood ones! That win contests! But sheâs also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie YatesâThe Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!âitâs a break too big to pass up.
Emmaâs younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Donât meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesnât want to write with anyoneâmuch less âa failed, nobody screenwriter.â Worse, the romantic comedy heâs written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesnât even care about the scriptâitâs just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.
But Emmaâs not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself.
đ T H O U G H T S
After not absolutely adoring The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger over the past two summers, I was determined to give Katherine Center one more shot. I was hoping for a return to her earlier writing style, unfortunately that didn't happen.
There is no denying Katherine Center knows how to write banter. However, the banter overtakes the narrative entirely. Neither main character is overly likeable, in fact, Charlie is down right mean at times. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, hence wasn't rooting for them to end up together.
I would have preferred more of a focus on Emma with her family - the caretaking, the grief, their relationship dynamics, the history. It was the scenes that included her father that really hooked my attention. Otherwise, I was overly invested in the story.
My main issue is how the whole cancer aspect was handled. It definitely knocked it down another rung. The book would have been fine without this plotline and I am not even sure what compelled the author to include it here. This whole part left an ick feeling, and was just a solid no from me.
The audiobook narrated by Patti Murin was fine. Nothing really stood out and I would have expected a different tone for Charlie's voice, but it read mostly in the same voice. I didn't necessairly notice as I was also reading with my eyeballs, but I can see how it would be an issue for someone solely listening. The bonus content and the author's note are a nice addition at the end.
There is no doubt in my mind The Rom-Commers will be one of the most popular titles this summer. However, it will not be a favourite of mine. It's evident to me Center has taken a more comedic approach to her writing than focusing on depth and development, which is what originally drew me to her books. This is the third straight release that wasn't for me, and so it's officially time for me to break up Katherine Center as a favourite author. Maybe I will still read more in the future, but they won't be on my most anticipated lists nor will they be a priority.
đ R E A D ⢠I F ⢠Y O U ⢠L I K E
⢠The Bodyguard and/or Hello Stranger
⢠banter
⢠closed door romance
â ď¸ CW: death, death of parent, grief, cancer, injury/injury detail, traumatic brain injury, medical content, medical trauma, chronic illness, car accident, cursing, alcohol, panic attacks/disorders
đ F A V O U R I T E ⢠Q U O T E S
"You had to maximize joy when it fluttered into your life. You had to honor it. And savor it. And not stomp it to death by reminding everyone of everything you'd lost."
"I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we are looking for- adventure, excitement, emotion, connection-we turn to stories that help us find it."
"Tragedy really is a given. There are endless human stories, but they all end the same way. So it can't be where you're going that matters. It have to be how you get there."
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E ⢠W O R D S
Brisk ⢠Entertaining ⢠ClichÊ
đ S Y N O P S I S
Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. Sheâs spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comediesâgood ones! That win contests! But sheâs also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie YatesâThe Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!âitâs a break too big to pass up.
Emmaâs younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Donât meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesnât want to write with anyoneâmuch less âa failed, nobody screenwriter.â Worse, the romantic comedy heâs written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesnât even care about the scriptâitâs just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.
But Emmaâs not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself.
đ T H O U G H T S
After not absolutely adoring The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger over the past two summers, I was determined to give Katherine Center one more shot. I was hoping for a return to her earlier writing style, unfortunately that didn't happen.
There is no denying Katherine Center knows how to write banter. However, the banter overtakes the narrative entirely. Neither main character is overly likeable, in fact, Charlie is down right mean at times. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, hence wasn't rooting for them to end up together.
I would have preferred more of a focus on Emma with her family - the caretaking, the grief, their relationship dynamics, the history. It was the scenes that included her father that really hooked my attention. Otherwise, I was overly invested in the story.
My main issue is how the whole cancer aspect was handled. It definitely knocked it down another rung. The book would have been fine without this plotline and I am not even sure what compelled the author to include it here. This whole part left an ick feeling, and was just a solid no from me.
The audiobook narrated by Patti Murin was fine. Nothing really stood out and I would have expected a different tone for Charlie's voice, but it read mostly in the same voice. I didn't necessairly notice as I was also reading with my eyeballs, but I can see how it would be an issue for someone solely listening. The bonus content and the author's note are a nice addition at the end.
There is no doubt in my mind The Rom-Commers will be one of the most popular titles this summer. However, it will not be a favourite of mine. It's evident to me Center has taken a more comedic approach to her writing than focusing on depth and development, which is what originally drew me to her books. This is the third straight release that wasn't for me, and so it's officially time for me to break up Katherine Center as a favourite author. Maybe I will still read more in the future, but they won't be on my most anticipated lists nor will they be a priority.
đ R E A D ⢠I F ⢠Y O U ⢠L I K E
⢠The Bodyguard and/or Hello Stranger
⢠banter
⢠closed door romance
â ď¸ CW: death, death of parent, grief, cancer, injury/injury detail, traumatic brain injury, medical content, medical trauma, chronic illness, car accident, cursing, alcohol, panic attacks/disorders
đ F A V O U R I T E ⢠Q U O T E S
"You had to maximize joy when it fluttered into your life. You had to honor it. And savor it. And not stomp it to death by reminding everyone of everything you'd lost."
"I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we are looking for- adventure, excitement, emotion, connection-we turn to stories that help us find it."
"Tragedy really is a given. There are endless human stories, but they all end the same way. So it can't be where you're going that matters. It have to be how you get there."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Alcohol
divorce, traumatic brain injurygreatestheights's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
readingonfordearlife's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Death of parent