Author: Katherine Center

Synopsis:

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past―now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim―but pretends that she can.

Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. And they don’t get along. Next stop: paradise! But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good-looking man she has ever seen . . . but maybe a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue―along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Review:

The Love Haters was a sweet, forced proximity that touched on deeper topics.  With a beautiful found family, I was completely enamored with Katie, Hutch, Rue, the gals, and George Bailey!  This felt like a book I would want to bring to the beach.

“You’ll be with rescue swimmers,” she said. “You couldn’t drown if you tried.”
“Challenge accepted.”
Beanie leaned into the phone to give me a look.

Katie was her own worst enemy at times.  She could be so negative and hateful to herself.  And while her internal monologues went on longer than I would have liked, I loved watching her grow.  Her journey to finding peace, positivity, and love with herself and her body was a fabulous one!  And Hutch was someone I loved right away.  He could be so quiet and serious, but he was also kind, caring, and so sweet.  I wanted to know all of his thoughts!  Plus, his dog was the cutest!  I would love to steal George Bailey from the pages!

Cole had warned me that nothing about Hutch was in any way fun.
Yet here he was: teasing me a little.
Maybe he sensed my panic. Or maybe he had some of his own.

Watching Katie and Hutch work together, while the tension simmered, was a lot of fun.  But their path wasn’t easy.  Thankfully they had Rue and the gals cheering them on.  They were such a hoot!  But at 63% something happened with Cole, and I was not okay with it. It made me loathe Cole, I kept getting the ick factor, and I could not be on board with any of those lies.  This story went from a 4 star, down to a 1 star for me.  And while the ending was wonderful and had some perilous moments, I just couldn’t get past what happened. 

Maybe it was the island breezes. Or the sangria. Or the warmth of the sun. Or the lovely feeling of being surrounded by the easy chatter of friends. But there was something special going on that I couldn’t ignore. 

So closing this story, I was torn.  I loved Katie’s journey with herself.  I loved Hutch and his dog George Bailey.  And Rue and the gals.  But I struggled with Cole and how he twisted the story.  It left a bad taste in my mouth.  I’m not okay with lying and manipulation, and Cole just came across as a snake.  So take with that as you may.  I will be getting lost in a fantasy world after this!

“Your brain stopped working?”
Hutch nodded. “It did.”
“Why?”
“Because every time I’m around you— and today was the worst of all— I want . . .” He shook his head. “I just want . . . everything.”

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Synopsis:

She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

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:

The Rom-Commers was an adult romance that was so heartwarming.  Love, family, friendship, sacrifice and perseverance laced through the pages making this story so easy to devour.  If you like Center’s previous books, you should enjoy this one too!

Maybe writing was our love language.

Emma was someone who was so easy to adore.  I got her struggle of branching out and taking a chance.  Her whole life, for the last ten years, was to take care of her dad.  And when the opportunity of a lifetime landed in her lap, her first instinct was to take care of her family.  So, I adored that her family was rooting for her every step of the way.  That they wanted her dreams to come true just as much as Emma did.  I was so hopeful for what was to become of Emma!

“I googled how long it takes to fall in love.
“And?” I asked. “How long does it take?”
“Eighty-eight days,” Charlie answered, definitely. “And we’ve only known each other for thirty-one. So. Problem solved.”

I love the dynamics of Emma and her sister, Sylvie.  And her relationship with her father.  Their love for one another was so palpable!  They would do anything for each other, and I loved their traditions and how they looked out for each other.  They were brutally honest, that last fight cut my heart, but love conquered all, and they were able to mend all wounds.  If you like close-knit families, Emma’s is one you can’t help but fall for!

“My opinion of you is plummeting,” Charlie said. “This is your type?”
“I have lots of types, thank you. Sexy cowboys. Sexy lumberjacks. Sexy werewolves with tragic pasts. Sexy ghosts.”
“Sexy ghosts?”
“That’s the only kind of ghost I like.”

Emma and Charlie’s meet cute was one for the books.  Embarrassment and hurt wove around those moments.  And I truly didn’t know where they could go from there!  The chemistry between Emma and Charlie was always there between them.  I loved that as the story unfolded that they each started to grow and see more of life than where they both were.  That they helped each other expand their horizons and grow.

Just a writer. A failed writer.
If he was acting, he’d missed his calling.
One thing was for sure.  I wasn’t going to wait around here to find out.

But my hiccup for the book was Charlie.  As someone who likes men in books that could be considered a jerk or far, far worse lol, I struggled with Charlie.  He made countless mistakes, and while he apologized, he would then seem to make the same mistake.  Again.  So, while Charlie had lots of redeeming moments, the biscuits were one of my favorites!   He kept making mistakes and I struggled to continue to forgive him.

Life felt suddenly impossibly bright – the kind of bright that feels like it’s going to stay that way forever.

The Rom-Commers was a forced proximity romance that was filled with all the hope!  Embarrassment, hurt, baggage, healing, forgiveness, friendship, accomplishment, and love could be found in this book.  And I think many people will absolutely devour this story! 

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*