Really enjoyed this for the most part. Touching and sweet. No real spice, which is ok by me. Focused more on self love and caring relationships. Overall an easy and enjoyable read.

Thank you so much for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest review. I would give this a million stars if I could. I love Katherine Center and she can do no wrong! Her banter and humor mixed in with the most heart warming love stories always get me. This book is just perfection and I have already put an order in for my physical copy to keep on my shelves for a future reread! I highly recommend this to anyone who loves love! Thank you again for allowing me to read and review this delicious book!

Honestly, what’s not to love about a rom com set in sunny Florida, with a lovable dog and a sexy Coast Guard rescuer. I found myself laughing out loud at times and at others, my heart went out to the MC because of how poorly she saw herself. A trigger warning to those who may have body dysmorphia. That being said, the ending was *chefs kiss* that kept me on the edge of my seat and so happy that the MC could finally see her beauty for what it is. This is a great summer pool or beach read. A solid 4 star read for me and one that I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center continues to amaze me with her books and epitomizes “reading for joy.” The Love Haters—like her other books—must be savored while reading!

I really enjoyed the story, so much so I finished the book in 1 sitting, staying up far too late!
I loved watching the characters build up to romance and the way they both ached for each other but were unwilling to admit it.
There were also so many moments of unexpected action and slight twists that I was hooked.
I do feel like it leaned into the love your body aspects a little too much. I found myself skipping paragraphs where I just couldn't get into the way it was done. Love the message, didn't really enjoy the messenger.
All in all, I really enjoyed the story.

Kathrine Center is one of my favorite romance writers. I have loved all of her books. This book was not my personal favorite of hers but it was enjoyable.

Katie has broken up with her longtime boyfriend and he has gone on to become a global superstar. The media is a monster. Paparazzi have taken photos of Katie and called her fat, ugly and not worthy of love. Katie hasn’t taken it well. She developed an eating disorder and basically hid in black clothes for a year. Fast forward to a year later Katie’s job sends her to Key West to interview a coast guard rescue swimmer. It’s time for her to learn to swim and learn how to love herself again.

The book is endearing. While the plot is fun and takes place at a tropical island. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. It was a slow start and Katie’s character was both whiny and lacked self confidence and charisma. While this book wasn’t my personal favorite I am sure most people will really enjoy it.

This book took me a month and a half to read. Unfortunately, this just didn’t do it for me, which is disappointing because I typically love Katherine Center books! Honestly, there was too much focus on the FMC’s body image issues. I enjoyed the MMC, but the plot eventually got too unrealistic with the hurricane and the rescue mission. It had the potential to be a great summer read, but only if you’re able to bend your expectations of reality.

Katie Vaughn might not know how to swim (minor detail), but she dives headfirst into chaos, career detours, and Coast Guard-level crushes in this sunshine-soaked, laugh-out-loud story that has no business being this heartwarming and hilarious.

Picture it: a big-hearted, flailing liar (Katie), a grumpy golden retriever in human form (Hutch), a Great Dane with rescue instincts and main character energy, and enough Key West mayhem to make you consider abandoning your own job and chasing a conga line. Katherine Center delivers all the feels with her trademark warmth, razor-sharp banter, and a cast that feels like your slightly dysfunctional dream family.

Yes, there are stolen kisses in high-stakes humidity. And through it all, you're rooting for Katie to stop faking it—and finally leap into the deep end of love. Highly recommend if you enjoy enemies-ish to lovers, tropical chaos, and falling for the guy who’s technically a walking safety PSA but also has zero chill about feelings. In a good way.

Grab this one if you’re craving charm, swoon, and a reminder that courage sometimes looks like cannonballing into the unknown. Just… maybe pack floaties.

I have loved all of Katherine Center's past books so I was highly anticipating The Love Haters and it was so good! It featured this authors great writing that is so easy to read and super funny at the same time. I loved the setting of the Keys and the amazing side characters. I loved seeing Katie and Hutch open up to each other and work through some awkward situations. I was very surprised by the plot twist situation at the end but I would rather see that than a third act breakup. However it was almost too unrealistic as was how many times the dog knocked her over. Those are the only things that I did not like but overall I had a great time with this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review!

This book was such a cute rom-com style that really hit when it came to topics of going out of your comfort zone and moving past what people had said about you in the past. I loved their relationship and how they helped each other. It is a bit slower paced, but I think it really helped develop the plot and the relationship between our two main characters.

While not my favorite of Katherine's books, this was still a fun trope. Add in a dog to a rom com and I'm sold. Bonus points if you read this while near water.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Body image issues, coworkers kind of

I laughed, I bawled. Such a heart-warming read. It's the perfect Summer romcom. I highly recommend it!

I have been such a fan of Katherine Center's prior work so when I saw I was approved for an ARC I was so excited! 

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I found the plot to be predictable and filled with romance clichés. The pacing was uneven and there were definite plot holes.
I  could not feel the connection between the characters at all - they often felt underdeveloped or flat. 

Additionally, I felt this book could've used a trigger warning - the main character struggles with an eating disorder and I didn't think it was handled with the most care - the character really only starts appreciating her body more once she develops her connection with the male love interest and he calls her pretty which makes her feel better about herself.

The ending of the story also felt like a major stretch - I really had to suspend my disbelief in order to even try and make sense of it. 

**Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC and the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own**

Double book review day! If I had to pick between Read Between the Lines and The Love Haters, I would hands down pick this. I’ve read a few of Katherine Center’s books and this might be my favorite. It’s funny, has excellent side characters, and heart.

Quick recap: Trying to save her job, Katie accepts a gig to create a recruitment video for the Coast Guard following Mr. Perfect Himself - Tom “Hutch” Hutchison. Only she can’t swim..

What I loved:
The setting - again - excellent Florida Keys
Katie has to learn to love herself and I loved the methods she used to work it out
Hutch is a dreamboat, hands down
Funny Funny Funny

What I didn’t love:
Well, the last quarter of the book was pretty panic inducing (but in a good way?)

I read this in one day and honestly didn’t want to put it down. I’ll probably read it again (which is high praise!).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Always love a great rom com that brings smiles and joy to a reader! Another hit and feel good book that made for an easy read!

This book was the humorous, light, rom-com I needed for my summer reading! Despite being very hesitate to pick this one up (because The Rom-Commers was not the book for me), I still did--and I am oh so glad I did!

Kate's character was endearing and so relatable with her body image struggles. My goodness, what woman doesn't struggle with this at one point or another in her life? I greatly appreciated Katherine Center diving into this topic.

I was also a fun of Rue and just how easily she loved people. She reminded me of a Christ follower who is very obviously Spirit-led because of her kindness and love toward other people.

I was a big fan of Hutch's humility and desire to stay out of the spotlight throughout the book. His unassuming attraction to Katie was a breath of fresh air when so many guys have arrogant confidence that is an absolute turn-off.

Two things I didn't like:
*the ending was so incredibly predictable that I kinda rolled my eyes a bit
*the language; why or why do we need so much language in these books? That is my one beef with Katherine Center books

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

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.

I am normally not a romance reader, but I have heard so much about Katherine Center's writing and I am so glad that I gave her a chance. This was a wonderful book. The romance was just enough for my liking and there was some great female friendships that were highlighted as well.

There was also a strong emphasis on self love interwoven through this story. I really want to go out and by some bright clothing now :)

I cannot wait to read more from Katherine.

Well, I don’t know what to say. I won’t say that I hate it. I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I am also saying that it’s terrible to read. It just wasn’t for me. If you enjoy reading about fake dating and forced proximity in romance books, then you will enjoy reading it. I will say that there are heavy topics discussed, such as body image. Do check out the trigger warning beforehand.

I have really loved some of Katherine Center's other books, but this one was a little mid for me. There were some humorous moments and very colorful side characters (Rue and the Ladies were my favorite! Along with the hero's dog). But the romance did not feel like the A plot to me -- which is fine, but not what I was expecting. The other problem (for me!) was the main character's insecurity about her body. It was basically the main thing in the entire book. And some of the things she thinks or says about her body were incredibly hurtful and potentially triggering. It's a hard tight rope to walk, because maybe that's realistic for some people. But something about it felt off & hard to read for me --- and you know I love a plus size heroine.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the author Katherine Center and was really looking forward to her latest book. I have never rated any of her other books less then 4 stars and some 5 star must reads. For me I just didnt connect to these characters. I really hate when if only 2 characters have had one conversation everything would be different. I also hate when people pretend to be in relationships with one another. I understood the main characters reason for having body image issues but I kept thinking that the ex was going to show up in Key West somehow?
I always find the authors plots of her books to be refreshing and somewhat different but this one was lacking. I did like it, enough to finish it, and there were some great parts. I loved the relationship all the characters had to Rue and I would love to live in her cottages. The images painted of that cute little gaggle of women seems heavenly. So it wasnt all bad, and I will absolutely continue to read everything the author writes, the characters just weren't my favorite.