Katherine Center

If you love, love read this now! Also, read author’s note! Perfection!

Protagonist Emma Wheeler's journey from aspiring screenwriter to rewriting both her own and her hero's love story is both heartwarming and humorous. The narrative's strength lies in its well-drawn characters, particularly Emma and famous screenwriter Charlie Yates. Their dynamic is electric, as Emma's passion for rom-coms clashes with Charlie's cynical worldview. Watching their relationship evolve from reluctant collaborators to something more adds depth and emotional resonance to the story. What sets "The Rom-Commers" apart is its exploration of the power of storytelling and the impact of love on our lives. Through Emma's determination to prove that love stories matter, the novel celebrates the genre while also challenging its conventions. The witty dialogue and clever references to classic rom-coms will delight fans of the genre, while the authentic emotional moments will resonate with readers of all backgrounds. Overall, "The Rom-Commers" is a charming and uplifting read that reminds us of the magic of love and the importance of chasing our dreams. With its blend of humor, heart, and romance, this novel is sure to leave readers smiling long after they've turned the final page. Highly recommended for anyone in need of a feel-good escape into the world of love and laughter.… (mais)

Emma Wheeler had to give up a lot to take care of her father after a tragic accident. She doesn't regret it for a moment. When her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates, desperately needs help doctoring his latest script - an out of his genre Rom Com - she cannot pass up not only the opportunity to work with him but to save everything that is sacred about the Romcom genre. The only catch, Charlie has not been informed that Emma has been hired to help him.

After he begrudgingly accepts the need for help, it turns out that Emma and Charlie make a great writing team. As they craft their script, they unknowingly find themselves within their very own romcom, but will they get their happily ever after?

The narrator was one that I recognized from other Katherine Center books and has a great sense of conveying the emotions of the characters whether it's finding the joy in a moment or a more somber reflection. I will admit, there were times that I felt it was difficult to determine what was being said as dialogue and what was a general narration. Oftentimes, I find narrators will alter the voice they use when reading a passage of the book as opposed to speaking as a character's dialogue. However, I still found myself getting lost in the story which was only helped along by listening to the audiobook.

I love everything that Katherine Center puts out into the world. I love the way she's able to bring these stories full of such heart to the page but also that grief and tragedy are just as much a part of life as happiness. It's how we choose to live through these moments that end up defining us.

It's clear at the beginning that Emma has devoted so much time to taking care of her father that she's lost a little bit of herself in the process. The prospective job in LA is both exciting and a little fish-out-of-water. But I like how she still exudes that confidence in her writing that it, seemingly, doesn't phase her.

This allows Emma and Charlie to go toe to toe quite often throughout the book which are some of the highlights. I appreciate the fact that, if nothing else, Emma has confidence in her writing and her knowledge/love of romcoms, to the point where Charlie - the admittedly more commercially experienced writer - is forced to take a step back and acknowledge that how talented she really is. We don't always know a person's situation. Just because Emma doesn't necessarily have the same writing resume as Charlie doesn't mean she doesn't equally know what she's talking about when it comes to crafting or reading a good script.

I loved how the book slowly moved through all these well-known romance book / movie tropes. It felt very meta. Our characters were like living in their very own romcom while writing a screenplay for a romcom in which they're trying to kind of dismantle yet also uphold the stereotypes of romcoms everywhere.

It sounds a little confusing, but it's so much fun, but also doesn't lean too far into to being over-the-top about it. Katherine Center knows how to balance and The Rom-Commers is a perfect balance of the fun with the serious.

The Rom-Commers continues Katherine Center's tradition of giving us heartfelt stories brimming with fun and romance that also tell an important message.… (mais)

I made it about 30% through the book. The poor main character suffers an endless stream of misfortune. She's:

- in dire financial straits
- estranged from her family
- had a medical emergency, brain surgery, and complications that threaten her career
- terrified as her dog becomes very sick

Despite it all, she's crushing on a cute vet, a tiny bright spot in her day-to-day. He asks her out and instead of, you know, saying yes, she spins an internal monologue talking herself out of it. I just couldn't follow her down that hole.

Have I done this myself? Yes. Do I want to read about her continuing to be miserable? No, no, no.

It's not for me.

originally posted at https://groddle.com/blog/2023/oct/16/… (mais)