How do I even start to review a book I’ve looked forward to for so long?
I first heard of The Rom-Commers in the summer of 2023 from Katherine Center herself. I was attending the release party of the film adaptation for Happiness for Beginners that would soon be released on Netflix.
While at the director’s house, Katherine described to me the sweetest cultivation of a love story. “Charlie is a big time screenwriter and he’s been hired to write a rom-com… but it’s terrible! Emma is hired to help him ghostwrite this screenplay and along the way she teaches him what real love is.”
I’m paraphrasing, but it was pretty close to that and my heart SWELLED. I love a grumpy/sunshine trope! *swoon*
I’m a huge fan of Katherine Center’s novels. She writes love stories filled with hope, joy, and humor. Some have a little more need for content warnings than others, but her books don’t feel like trauma punches.
You’ll read her books and feel refreshed and comforted, not emotionally drained.
You can get many of her books through Book of the Month! I love this service. They have the best prices on new hardback books! I’ve been a member for seven years!! Try them for $5 with my referral link!
Reading it with your book club? Get my Book Club Kit for The Rom-Commers!
Let’s get into The Rom-Commers!
Synopsis:
Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies—good ones! That win contests! But she’s 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 Yates—The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!—it’s a break too big to pass up.
Emma’s 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? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone—much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script—it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.
But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter—even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules—and comes true?
Review:
Thank you to Katherine and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copies!
I was smitten!! Charlie and Emma are the sweetest pairing. I loved their banter, the hijinks, the growth and trust. I loved the Los Angeles setting and fun name drops of real and fictional stars.
Each of them has some trauma they are working through. If you’re curious about this, scroll to the bottom for the content warnings.
I particularly loved Emma’s communication. She clearly expressed her emotions toward Charlie on several occasions. I feel like this is often where I get frustrated with the female main character, her inability to be honest about her emotions for fear of “running off” the male main character. Kudos to Emma for being a great example of a strong female lead.
Through a few struggles together and separately, Emma and Charlie learn to open up and trust each other. The message of this book is to seek joy and find things to be grateful for. Tragedy is a given. Difficult times will find you without trying, but you have to seek joy. Intentionally open yourself up to seeing beautiful things and refuse to give up hope. Beautiful days are ahead.
Overall, this is a fantastic rom-com and my new favorite Katherine Center novel. I don’t say that lightly! I loved that it still had the lightheartedness of The Bodyguard, but Center brought back some of her signature emotional story elements that we saw a lot in her earlier books like How to Walk Away.
It’s a beautiful balance that left me full of hope, happiness, and gratitude.
Other Books by Katherine Center
If you’re new to Katherine Center’s books, allow me to be your official guide.
Below is a list of my favorites of her books, in the order that I’d recommend reading them. They can all be read independently, but How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire are connected. The Bodyguard and The Rom-Commers are also connected but can be read independently.
Content Warnings
The Rom-Commers is overall a very light book, but there are a few themes that may be sensitive to some readers. The book contains death of a parent, cancer, traumatic brain injury, and divorce.
Discussion Questions
The Rom-Commers would make a fantastic book club discussion, if your club is looking for a clean romance with a few heavier topics that can be discussed. I’ve included a few discussion questions below.
You can get everything you need to host an immersive themed book club by purchasing my Book Club Kit! It includes even more discussion questions, a themed food and drink list, themed activity list, themed souvenir ideas, and a themed playlist that you can listen to instantly!
Get the book club kit for The Rom-Commers here!
- What were your favorite scenes in the book?
- What were the hardest scenes for you?
- Did you feel the characters had chemistry and how so?
- Who do you picture playing Emma and Charlie in a screen adaptation?
- Share a favorite quote you marked in the book!
- Logan and Emma’s relation ship dynamic is unique. In this case, could you see staying friends with ex?
- Emma’s dad has Ménière’s disease – have you heard of this disease? Do you have connection to anyone with a TBI?
- Let’s discuss rom-coms! “The job of a rom-com is to give you the simulated feeling of falling in love.” What are the best parts of a rom-com to you as a reader?
- Emma has put herself last in the family dynamic- taking care of her dad and supporting her sister’s dreams. Do you think this is fair?
- The guardrail scene was intense. Emma and Charlie had this shared traumatic event. How do you think that affected their relationship?
- Is it a necessary element in a romcom to have a traumatic event that bonds characters?
- Discuss the five-year-iversary meal and the high dive scene. What were your thoughts on Charlie not showing up? What were your thoughts on Emma getting up on the high dive and Charlie saving her?
- What were your emotions when Sylvie called Emma about their dad’s fall? Do you feel the sisters were just in their communication?
- Do you think it was right for Sylvie to leave her dad unattended even though Ms. Otsuka was near?
- Discuss the ending’s reflection on Happy Endings. Was there anything particularly profound that you appreciated? How do you see happy endings playing out in real life?
Get even more discussion questions for The Rom-Commers with my Book Club Kit!
Have you read The Rom-Commers yet? Let me know what you think in a comment below or find me on Instagram!
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