The Rom-Commers
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
June 11, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
336
Purchased/NetGalley
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?
My review:
How fitting that a writer of rom-coms would aptly title her book The Rom-Commers! This was such a sweet (no spicy scenes....not my thing) story about a very headstrong woman willing to take on the task of helping a famous screenwriter fix (or completely overhaul) his latest rom-com. The issues lie in the fact that said writer has no interest in working on a rewrite since he doesn't believe in love, and our woman protagonist has had an infatuation with this man and his work for a vey long time. The way they interact and work through their problems in at the heart of the book. However, there are some side issues that really worked for me as well. Emma's dad has a chronic condition causing him to need round the clock care, and her guilt over having to leave him in the care of her sister while she jets off to LA take their tole in more ways than one. Charlie also has some health issues that are at the crux of the quintessential romance third act conflict. I really loved how strong Emma remained throughout the process. She clearly believes in her ability, and wanted to see it to completion. My only quibble would be that I questioned why she would be such a huge fan of Charlie's work when she is really only interested in rom-coms? Just a bit of a stumbling block that was easy to overlook once the story got rolling.
Great characters with witty banter, and some deeper issues also explored, made this a really enjoyable read. This will be a perfect book for your summer vacation if you like a bit more depth than just a fluffy love story.
