Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. While I have loved other novels by this Author this one kind of fell flat for me, it was cute but the story felt like it could have been more developed.

I love Katherine Center books. Love! This was not my favorite. By a long shot. I felt the FMC kept repeating everyhh to ing everyone else said. Like she was a puppet. It was so terribly annoying. DNF

✨ Publication date: May 20, 2025✨

The Love Haters is the latest romantic comedy from Katherine Centre. I have read soooo many from this author and this one is definitely up there in the favourites!

Katie has been burned by her famous singing ex-fiancé and now she’s facing being laid off from her company. In a Hail Mary attempt to keep her job she agrees to take on an assignment for a work colleague Cole and now she has to shadow the coast guard and film them in action.

The problem is…..Katie doesn’t know how to swim.

Katie arrives in the Florida keys and meets the subject of her video, Hutch who happens to be her colleagues brother. They haven’t spoken to each other in years and Katie starts to understand she was sent here under false pre-tenses.

As Katie learns how to swim and shadows the coast guard, she gets close to Hutch and starts to believe there may be a possibility of love for her until Cole shows up and tells everyone they are engaged.

As Katie tries to navigate the family dynamics between Hutch and Cole and try to convince Cole to tell the truth, a hurricane hits the Keys and Katie is forced to evacuate before anything is resolved. The problem is, she doesn’t quite make it out and is forced to evaluate everything while she waits for rescue.

This is a very cute and funny closed door rom-com. Very typical Katherine Centre, making you think through relationship dynamics and waiting for the happy ending! This is another 4 star read for me!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #katherinecenter #thelovehaters

The Love Haters is about Katie who takes a job profiling Tom aka “Hutch,” a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. Unfortunately, she’s not exactly qualified for all aspects of the job. As the story progresses, Katie gets entangled with Hutch, along with a cast of colorful side characters, and gets trapped in her lies. Tropical adventures ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, face old fears, and open up to each other.

This one was just okay for me. I loved the summer vibes and tropical atmosphere as well as the adventure aspects. I wish I would have known that there was a heavy focus on disordered eating and body image issues with the FMC. I would probably not have picked it up. That was a heavy load to carry for a rom com and I don’t think the book was always successful at balancing the heavy topic and the romance. The pacing was a bit slow for me as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. The Love Haters released on May 20, 2025.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is the rom-com queen at her best!! It's a witty, big-hearted romance set in vibrant Key West. When ocean-fearing Katie is paired with charming Coast Guard swimmer Hutch, sparks fly through swim lessons, hurricane chaos, and laugh-out-loud banter, plus one scene-stealing Great Dane. A joyful story of love, courage, and embracing who you are.

🎧Patti Murin is the perfect narrator for The Love Haters, bringing lighthearted charm and emotional depth to every scene. She captures Katie’s wit and vulnerability with an easy, natural delivery that makes the character feel real, while her spot-on pacing and effortless comedic timing keep the humor lively and engaging.

Murin moves seamlessly between playful banter, moments of tension, and heartfelt sincerity, infusing the story with warmth and authenticity. Her inviting, feel-good energy beautifully matches Katherine Center’s signature blend of romance and heart,

Katherine Center’s books are like a warm hug. I just love her brand of humor and the joy that fills her books. Sure, some of the comedy is slapstick and, sure, sometimes the plot is unbelievable but who cares??? Her books are funny and heartfelt and they make you smile.

I have read reviews from some readers who didn’t like the main character’s fixation on her body. I will admit it got a tad bit repetitive but I think it will resonate with readers who have struggled with body image.

This is a perfect beach read. Pick it up if you want a page-turning beach read featuring a hot coast guard rescue diving male lead!

I've enjoyed every Katherine Center book I've read, so was psyched to get an early copy of The Love Haters! This was a quick, easy, beachy read with a few heavier themes (death of loved one, body image struggles, health issues). I loved the Gals, the setting in the Keys, and Hutch <3 Katie was a little bit grating but with the author's signature banter, I flew through the book. Nothing groundbreaking and definitely went a bit off the rails towards the end, but overall an enjoyable story! I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars but will round up due to sheer readability. Can't wait to see what the author does next! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Katherin Center books are always a hit with me and The Love Haters did not disappoint. I finished it in 2 and a half days and kept thinking about it. Katie takes off for Key West Florida - an area very dear to my heart. The storyline was heartwarming. There were maybe too many other characters to keep track of but it did make for a nice storyline. I am kind of a cynic and felt there were some unrealistic moments, but overall it was adorable. I can't wait for her next one!

DNF at 17%. I cannot get over how much body image issues there are. This has not gripped me yet and I just can’t keep at it. I love Katherine Center books usually and I wish this one was gripping me. Maybe it’s a wrong timing book for me and I’ll come back to it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this fun feel good novel. Everyone loves a roller coaster that ends with you smiling. This book had just the right amound of twists and turns to keep you engaged and wanting to keep reading and left you with a happy heart. Highly recommend.

I have yet to meet a Katherine Center book I didn't love and her newest one (out May 20) was great!! The basic premise of The Love Haters follows a video producer named Katie tasked by a supervisor, Cole, with filming a documentary about the US Coast Guard with her job under threat if it doesn't go well. She ends up working closely with Coast Guard employee Hutch, who is Cole's brother, and the brothers are currently not speaking.

As she spends more time in the sunny vacation-like setting (Key West) prepping for the documentary and getting to know a great cast of older women including Cole and Hutch's aunt. There was a lot of humour, some great banter, tons to learn about the coast guard, an absolutely fabulous dog, and some beautiful tender moments. The ending had me glued to my kindle.

This book also features a lot of themes of body positivity as our female main character continues on a journey of loving herself and I loved that aspect. It was well done and made me emotional.

A few tiny things I loved:
- all the time swimming and in the water!
- the flowers 💐
- George Bailey
- the teasing
- the side characters
- the setting

Katherine Center has done it again with this one! I found this one in some ways in the same vein as Things You Save in a Fire and The Bodyguard maybe because they're working closely together. I think it'll make a great summer read for so many of us.

I absolutely loved this book so much! I was so excited to get an ARC and it definitely did not disappoint! I smiled and laughed out loud several times while reading. I love Katherine Center’s storytelling, characters, details and humor. Truly such an extremely talented author and storyteller. Definitely a top 2025 favorite book for me.

BOOK REVIEW: Love Haters by Katherine Center 💋🐾

Oh my HEART—Love Haters is the book equivalent of a sun-drenched margarita on a beach hammock with your toes in the sand and your crush three inches away. It’s fizzy, funny, and FULL of feels!

Katherine Center, you rom-com wizard, you’ve done it again. This book is a total delight from page one, and it might just be her most hilarious (and swoony) novel yet. Imagine The Proposal meets Survivor: Key West Edition—with a generous splash of emotional truth and a ridiculously hot rescue swimmer.

Let’s talk about Katie Vaughn. She’s our messy, brave, swimming-impaired heroine who somehow ends up profiling a literal superhero of the sea, all while pretending she can do the dog paddle. (Spoiler: she cannot.) She’s been burned by love, yes—but watching her try to outswim (and out-snark) her own baggage is heart-melting gold. 💔💦

And Hutch? Sweet, brooding, heroic, "science-perfect" Hutch? Let’s just say if grumpy golden retrievers were people, he’d be it. His banter with Katie? A+ chemistry. His devotion to his Great Dane? 😭. His shirtless swimming scenes? Send. Help.

Add a chaotic sibling rivalry, an eccentric aunt with surprise wisdom, hurricanes, helicopter drama, and a wildly endearing emotional arc—and Love Haters becomes more than a rom-com. It’s a story about facing fears, finding your truth, and discovering that sometimes, love doesn’t hate you—it just needed you to take off the life vest and jump in.

TL;DR: Love Haters is a tropical cocktail of hilarity, heart, and heat—with a Great Dane sidekick and a splash of hurricane drama for good measure. Do yourself a favor: pack it in your beach bag, cancel your plans, and get ready to fall in love with falling in love again. 🌊💘

Video producer Katie is about to lose her job. Until her boss, Cole, convinces her to head to the Florida Keys to film and interview Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. Hutch, who happens to be classically handsome and nice, is well known for rescuing Jennifer Aniston's dog. His fame and affability could be the key to saving Katie's job.

And, it turns out, he's Cole's estranged brother. When Katie arrives in the Keys, she realizes she's in a hot mess. She lied about being able to swim and the only teacher available is Hutch. She knows nothing about the Coast Guard. She's in the middle of Cole and Hutch's family battles. Hutch is irresistibly kind and attractive. And he comes with Aunt Rue, his lovable yet forceful aunt, who quickly adopts Katie and tries to force her out of her shell.

Center gives us a cute romance with plenty of serious moments. It drags a bit in the middle and gets a little bogged down with all the miscommunication and lies, but overall, this one is enjoyable. Katie is a likable woman and Hutch, well, he's really quite perfect, even if he's deemed a love hater. Rue is a force of life, as are her friends, "the Gals."

Katie has struggled with body image for years, and the book focuses on body positivity and Katie's attempts to embrace her body image. I think it may wrap things up a little easily here (finding love = problem solved), but it's nice to see a romance explore these issues at all.

Easily the best character in this story, though, is George Bailey, Hutch's Great Dane. That lovable oaf is immune from the insanity and lies and half truths swirling around him and truly shines throughout.

If you enjoy your romances with a bit of drama (and a picture perfect dog-loving hero), this one is for you.

I tore through “The Love Haters” by Katherine Center in two days, I was loving the two main characters. Katie is a videographer living in Dallas, Texas and trying to keep her job. An opportunity to make a recruitment video for the Coast Guard is a way for her to do so, and so off she goes to Key West, Florida. She sorta knows that she'll be in the middle of some family drama, but not exactly how much. This storyline was heartwarming. I found the secondary characters a bit annoying but also sweet. There were some unrealistic moments, but overall it was adorable. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. It was published in May, so out now.

Can I start by saying I love Rue? Because she’s just the sweetest ever. And Katie’s relationship with Beanie was so sweet having Beanie lead her to loving herself.

This was my first novel by Katherine Center and I truly enjoyed it. The drama, the love, the silly parts. This was a fun rom-com that I’m so happy I picked it up. Go ahead and give it a try!

After loving Katherine Center's Rom-Commers, I had high hopes for this one. MC Katie goes to the Key West to profile a popular Coast Guard rescue swimmer. This has all the makings of a great summer romance- beautiful setting, fun characters, a cute homongous dog. But the characters drove me crazy- many questionable decisions were made, and I still feel that the major life-threatening moment at the end was completely avoidable. So if you're looking for a lighthearted summer escape and ready to suspend a bit of reality, then this should be your next read.

Was definitely excited to read this one I am a big lover of Katherine center’s books so I was excited to try out this one as my first novel. The cover is lovey and the description looked fun and like we were definitely in for some good laughs! I was obviously hooked! However, I found myself DNF-ING this one. I think it was just a little too slow. I started skipping pages until eventually I stopped reading all together.. I do like the premise of the plot so I may return to this book as an audiobook later on! Thank you for the arc!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. Read this in one day, it was very readable and cute! I do wish it focused a bit more on the romance, I feel like we barely got anything. But all in all, an entertaining read.

Another good novel by Katherine Center. While not as great as some of the others she has written This book was still an enjoyable read. Colorful characters with some crazy antics, and the usual twists. The book was a quick read and held my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and could see them through the words of the story. Highly recommend.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.