The Love Haters by Katherine Center--this upcoming romance releases on May 20. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. Katie is a video producer who is sent to Key West to film Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and estranged brother of her co-worker Cole. The problem? She can't swim and has body image issues that make swimsuits complicated. But off she goes anyway and finds herself drawn to Hutch and his aunt Rue and The Gals. I appreciated how Katie was able to work on her body image issues with the encouragement of her new friends. The romance was cute and had enough drama to make for a good story.

Love Haters I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am a sucker for Katherine Center books and this was another good one. Solid, fun beachy read.

I sadly DNF’d this book at 32%. I’m a big Katherine Center fan and I kept trying to power through to see if it got better, but I had to stop. I could not relate to the main character, Kate. I was annoyed by her self esteem issues and the fact that she had to FaceTime her friend for hours to get through the day. There was no chemistry between Kate and Hutch and what sunk the book for me was when he was giving her a swimming lesson and he described his “extra biscuits” (abdomen) and asked her to feel it. Wow. Lost me right there.


A complementary copy was provided by publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Katherine Center has done it again. This was delightful. The characters were charming and the plot was well-paced. I highly recommend this fun rom-com! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.

I'm not sure why someone like me who doesn't like or read romance novels or rom-coms likes Katherine Center's books so much but I do! Her humor, a realistic story line, some twists in the story - she can just tell a great story with such heart!

Katie is a video producer and it looks like she has two really bad choices - get laid off or take a job profiling a Coast Guard rescuer. Obviously the latter sounds better, except that Katie can't swim and this is her co-worker's brother. She very reluctantly takes the job and heads to Key West, Florida.

Pick up a copy to read by the beach, or listen to this great audiobook as you dream of being on a beach with the warm wind on you - you won't be disappointed!

My thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

Another winner by Katherine Center. This book was fun! I enjoyed the Coast Guard element weaved in. A fab summer read!

While this book has all the markings of a sweet rom-com, it felt like the relationship at the center of this story was between Katie and herself. Katie is our POV character. She's had a dry spell in the dating world after her fiancé publicly cheated on her. She's at a job that is under threat as the company downsizes. She's recovering from what is clearly an eating disorder and still has a terrible relationship with her physical body.

Her life is turned upside down when she takes an assignment to create a promotional video for the coast guard featuring Hutch, her supervisor's brother. Their meet cute and subsequent relationship has all the hallmarks of a Katherine Center story. And yet, the emotional growth we watch in Katie is instigated by her cousin, Beanie. Katie is in a dark place with her body still. She hides behind her clothes and has nothing kind to say about any part of herself. Beanie challenges Katie to come up with 10 things she loves about her body. This process highlights the abysmal relationship Katie has with it.

Hutch and Katie have a fluffy, classic romance. She's awkward. He's her subject. They have to spend a lot of time together for this project. Katie was led to believe that Hutch is taciturn, scowling, and broody. We never meet that Hutch. He flirts with her the first time they meet. Their second meeting has the banter flowing. While we are told by others that "he's different with her," we never meet the previous version of Hutch.

There's nothing wrong with their love story. But I felt like it took a back seat to Katie's journey. I do wish that we saw Katie's history called out for what it was: an eating disorder. She never gets medical or mental help. For me, a greater impact would've been to watch her in treatments. Or with a therapist. This book makes it look like you can get better on your own. It rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall, this book was fine. It was not my favorite Katherine Center. It does have a great side character, Hutch's Great Dane. Love a dog.

Katie is a video producer who is in danger of losing her job. When her co-worker, Cole, sends her to Key West to make a profile on his Coast Guard hero brother, Hutch, she jumps at the chance. There she is forced to confront some of her biggest fears, including swimming. While she is fighting to save her job, she and Hutch grow closer in this quick and enjoyable rom-com. The star of this one is absolutely a Great Dane rescue named George Bailey, he steals every scene he's in. This was not only a slow burn romance but a journey of self-love and facing your insecurities. The third act conflict was a bit over the top for me and I would have liked more scenes building the connection between the two main characters. But overall, I enjoyed this new book from Katherine Center.

A perfect summer read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eArc of The Love Haters.

Katherine Center did it again! another great read. She does a great job writing FMC who are likable but are also flawed.

The story is about love, not just romantic but love for family and yourself. It's written in a way where one doesn't over shadow the other.

I really enjoyed The Love Haters. There were quite a few times I laughed out loud while reading. I felt like I was on the Keys with Katie when she arrived. The hotel sounds like a place I would like to vacation to.

Katie is sent by a coworker Cole to make a film about the Cost Guard. Little does she know she will be videoing Cole's brother Hutch. Their first meeting was a little prickly but the of them seemed to get off to a good start, that is until Cole and their boss shows up.

A good reminder to learn to love yourself before you can love another.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of The Love Haters by Katherine Center for an honest review.

Katherine Center books are always an automatic add to TBR list for me, so I was excited to get to read this book…but it wasn’t what I expected and it wasn’t my favorite. There were parts that made me laugh. I loved Rue, The Gals, and George Bailey (yes, the dog). But the FMC and MMC weren’t my favorite. I relate to the body image struggles, but some places it seemed to drag on and move slowly. While I recognize calorie counting can be a sign of body image struggles, I really didn’t like the list with numbers- it was an unexpected trigger as (in my ARC copy at least), there wasn’t a warning and from the description of the book I wasn’t expecting it.

Was it the fun summer romance I expected? No. But it was a fun story with some fun side characters, and I’d recommend it to someone who was looking more for a fun summer fiction read (opposed to a romcom) that isn’t easily triggered by body image talk.

I was so grateful to receive a free ARC from NetGalley to review. All views are my own and I was not compensated or influenced to write anything other than my own views.

I've been dying to talk about The Love Haters, but I wanted to wait until closer to the release date so that you don't have to wait too long to get your hands on it! I think last year I said The Rom-Commers was my new favorite Katherine Center book, but I can honestly say I enjoyed this one even more. The Key West setting is perfect for all of my seasonal and mood reading buddies who want to feel the tropical vibes this summer and I loved all of the stuff about the Coast Guard. I've had a fascination with the Coast Guard for a few years so I'm biased, but I was thrilled to find it featured in this book and the author obviously did her research!

It had so many funny parts, some action, and of course romance. 💕 The characters were lovable and not just the main characters, Katie and Hutch, but also Rue and The Gals and George Bailey, the rescued Great Dane. Their tight knit group gave the book some cozy, small town vibes that just added to the charm.

I think my only issue with this book was with Hutch's brother, Cole, and the drama he brings. There were so many other aspects that I was interested in that I would have appreciated him playing a more minor role.

I love that Katherine Center's novels frequently have a self-help aspect and this one's focus is on Katie's body image issues. It is talked about a lot so if you're sensitive to this kind of thing then keep that in mind before starting, but I think the author handles the topic with care and I adored the author's note at the end. Honestly, though, she always has the best notes at the end of her books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advanced digital copy - all thoughts and opinions are my own!

Yes, yes, yes. Funny, sweet, adorable, and witty. A charming closed door romance that is literal serotonin. Thank you for writing this, Miss Center! You are the best.

Glowing 4.5 stars. The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartwarming, quirky adventure packed with humor, self-reflection, and swoon-worthy Coast Guard action. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Key West, it blends unique elements of romance, drama, and unforgettable moments. The story’s sweetness, hilarious antics, and emotional journey make it a lovable, unforgettable read! Pick up the newest book from one of my favorite authors on May 20th!

I have never read a Katherine Center book until this ARC from Netgalley. Although the description checked all the boxes for a delightful piece of fluff and a perfect beach read, I felt it was a let down. I felt that instead of all the feels of a light-hearted romance, I felt there was an emptiness. Quirky heroine who fakes her skill set for a dream job-check; forced proximity/beach locale-check; handsome guy with annoying brother-check; it has everything by description, but I felt unsatisfied. It's perfectly readable, but also utterly forgettable.

After getting dumped by her fiancé when his music career takes off, Katie Vaughan has sworn off relationships, focusing instead on her work as a video producer/aspiring documentarian. So when she hears that her company may be facing layoffs she jumps at the chance to prove herself by doing a piece on internet famous Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson- even if it means lying about her qualifications (she can’t actually swim) and the reason for being there (because Hutch’s brother/Katie’s coworker Cole doesn’t want the job due to complicated family dynamics). The job becomes more complicated when sparks fly between her and Hutch and one lie snowballs into another thanks to Cole, forcing Katie to come to terms with old insecurities in order to find future happiness.

This may be Center’s most bonkers book to date- I don’t want to give it away but in addition to the synopsis above this book includes anxiety ridden dogs, fake dating, eccentric and meddling family, hurricanes, and dramatic rescues. Which sounds like a lot of fun and it is! But, as usual, Center also deftly weaves in more serious themes; here Katie’s deep body insecurities and a theme of learning to love oneself which I thought was really well done. And the Author’s Note on the power or reading and romance is not to be missed. Overall, a really solid contemporary romance that I enjoyed; I can’t wait to see what Center has in store for us next!

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Love Haters was my 3rd Katherine Center rom-com and it was very enjoyable! It hit on multiple heavy topics including self-image (body positivity) and handling grief all while including her typical romance.

The main character, Katie, is a videographer. She is sent to Key West on the premise of recording a recruiting video for the U.S. Coast Guard in hopes of saving her job as well. What's the catch? The man she will be interviewing in Hutch, her co-worker Cole's older, perfect brother, whom he says is a "love-hater". Katie is staying with Rue, Cole and Hutch's quirky aunt who owns a row of bungalows in the Keys. Rue takes Katie under her wing and helps her with her self-esteem. Katie can't swim but for the job, it's a requirement. Hutch offers to give her swim lessons which helps them bond. And you cant forget my favorite character, George Bailey, Hutch's Great Dane.

I do felt that there could have been more moments between Katie and Hutch and that I wish we could have got to know Beanie a little bit more as well. The topic of body-positivity was also a very heavy focus throughout the book. I do think it was important to focus on Katie learning to love her body, however, I felt that it was a bit too overdone at some points.

This isn't my favorite Katherine Center rom-com but the audiobook still earned 5 stars. Patti Murin is a fantastic narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Katie Vaughn's only option for keeping her job as a video producer is to take an assignment that she is not qualified for. She will have to go to Key West to profile a Coast Guard rescue swimmer famous for once rescuing Jennifer Anniston's dog from drowning. The catch, while she is a great producer, Katie can't swim and part of this assignment will include jumping from a helicopter into the water.

It sounded like a great summer rom com. The setting is adorable, she stays in a colorful Key West Inn with the swimmers Aunt Rue and her fun loving senior friends. We all know what will happen from the start, its a love story after all.

Once we meet the swimmer "Hutch", I can see that we are falling into what seems to be this year's favorite trope. Woman thinks she's ugly and hates her body, but once the hot, studly man enters, he takes the whole book to convince her otherwise. (see my review of the Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits here.) I am so over this and do not think it is helping at all. Just like Griffin Sisters, I would never let my teenage niece read this. No one needs encouragement to have body image issues, it does not need to become more mainstream.

There rant over, but the romance didn't have enough chemistry to overcome the other issues. So, I say give this one a pass.

I always look forward to reading whatever Katherine Center writes and The Love Haters was no exception. The writing was her usual style with well developed characters and mostly likeable side characters. I loved the Key West setting and have stayed in a place like the Starlite in this novel so that as fun to revisit that trip. Really nothing to complain about this one its the perfect beach/summer read. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

guysss I LOVED this. i’m not normally a rom-com fan. I fell in love with these characters (especially Hutch 👀). I can’t remember the last time i’ve laughed out loud while reading a book? numerous times!

Katie is assigned to fly to Key West to make a promo video for the Coast Guard. Her job is on the line due to downsizing, so she neglects to mention she can’t swim. When she arrives, we meet Rue, her eccentric landlord for the next couple weeks and Hutch, her main focus for the promo, and quite a hunk.

This book has it all. It’s funny, suspenseful and adventurous. It touches on body positivity and overcoming your fears. It’s just… heartwarming and cute. I loved it and highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!