I am a bit conflicted on this one, because I jumped right in and read about 60% of this in one sitting, on a flight home. Then, I just put it down. For like a week, I didn’t feel pulled to see what happened to Katie, her handsome rescue swimmer or her job. I was curious about them, but for me this wasn’t unputdownable.

There are certainly elements about this that I really enjoyed. The setting? Gorgeous. Take me away to Key West anytime. The side characters? Loveable. I want to join The Gals and have George Bailey knock me down. The main character's lifelong internal struggle to love herself? All too relatable.

Did it absolutely rip my heart out like some of my favorite Katherine Center books? No. But to be completely fair, she sets a very high standard; I’m a huge fan. I did cry at one point, but it wasn't even romance-related! Maybe in this one, the romance took a little bit of a back seat to some of the other storytelling throughout, but it was still really enjoyable overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm definitely already a Katherine Center fan, and The Love Haters did not disappoint. Fun, funny, silly, sweet beach read - not too predictable, though a happy ending!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for my #gifted advance electronic copy via NetGalley. My thoughts are my own.

Katie Vaughn is faced by the unfortunate choice of getting laid off or taking a video-producing gig of her boss' brother, who's a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The catch? Hutch doesn't want to be interviewed, and even if he did, Katie can't swim. Plus, she hates her body and wouldn't be caught dead in a swimsuit. So she lies to get the job and figures it out on the way. Also on the way, not only does she find her attraction to Hutch mounting, but also the lies are multiplying and pretty soon she has to decide whether she is brave enough to face the truth--and herself.

This is another winner from Katherine Center! It's about the good story (with all the 1990's rom-com feels) but also about appreciating your body and not letting the bizarre, warped standards on women's' bodies apply in your own head. Your value is not in how well you match those standards. I got sucked in, and was sooooo frustrated with the lies and the lack of communication. But I really appreciated about how this isn't just about romantic love (which was pretty awesome, let me tell you!), but also about other loves--friends, family, found family, and loving yourself. This was a big hit in my book!

Katie Vaughn works as a video producer for a small company in Texas. As the company is cleaning house Katie fears her job is at risk and will do anything it takes to save it. When her manager asks if she could swim, the answer is yes. (She cannot.) Does she want to go to Key West and video a Coast Guard Rescue swimmer who is a hero - absolutely! Without thinking twice she packs her gear and heads on over to paradise. There she meets a cast of beyond quirky characters and most importantly the grumpy hero himself who turns out to be her managers brother. Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson is the real deal so Katie’s plan to fake it til you make it doesn’t go over so well. Caught up in their family feud while trying to protect her career is no easy task. Throw in a dog and a hurricane and what you’ve got is a messy romcom that I could don’t wait to end. I hope its a case of timing on my part but this did not have anything real to grasp onto. It just got too slapstick for me and was nothing like her earlier books. :(

I love this author but unfortunately I could not enjoy this book with the constant body image issues the mc had! It felt like the entire focus.

Katherine Center's books never fail to make me smile! They are uplifting, featuring lovable, quirky characters and cozy humor.

Katie Vaughn is sent on a work assignment by her producer to create a video profile of Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. It’s a bit complicated, though.

1. Her producer, Cole, is Hutch’s brother, and they aren’t getting along at all.
2. Katie can’t swim.
3. Hutch is really hot, but Katie has recently been dumped and wants nothing to do with love - turns out neither does Hutch.

For me, this was classic Katherine Center. Katie was a character you could easily relate to, struggling with body confidence, yet she was kind and genuinely caring. And then there’s Hutch—a rescuer, and a big-hearted man, but he's grieving himself and hasn’t let love in.

As much as Katie and Hutch’s friends-to-lovers romance was adorable, some secondary characters stole my heart. I loved the group of “older ladies” called The Gals, whom Hutch gave swimming lessons to. And my favorite was George Bailey, Hutch’s rescued Great Dane, who had been through trauma himself. George Bailey knew what he was doing right from the start when it came to Katie and Hutch.

Although this deals with the pain of loss and grief, it also explores the beauty of self-love and finding those with whom you can trust and who make you feel loved for who you are. While it delves a little deeper, there are plenty of laughs and smiles along the way.

Thank you @stmartinspress, for this gifted e-book via #NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"A Thoughtful and Uplifting Story"
The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartfelt and engaging novel that combines humor, romance, and important life lessons in a way that feels both entertaining and meaningful. I found the book to be extremely well-written, with relatable characters and a storyline that kept my attention from beginning to end.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Katie and Hutch was handled with care, making their relationship growth feel natural and believable. Aunt Rue and her friends (“The Gals”) were a hoot! And George Bailey (Hutch’s great dane) was a riot! Center’s use of witty dialogue and emotional depth made it easy to connect with the characters and understand their motivations.
What really stood out to me was how the novel explored deeper themes like forgiveness, vulnerability, and the importance of being true to yourself. Even though the story had a lot of light, funny moments, it also encouraged readers to think about how we deal with conflict and what it means to truly care for someone.
Overall, The Love Haters is a feel-good novel that leaves a lasting impression. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance or is looking for a book that offers both laughter and thoughtful insights. Katherine Center has a real talent for capturing human emotions in a way that is honest and uplifting.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for providing me an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest opinion about The Love Haters.

Overall, this is a decent book. Is it my favorite of Katherine Center's? No. Will I recommend it to someone looking for a quick beach read? Yes.

First, the good: I really enjoyed Katie's inner monologue - she was funny, charming, and representative of many women in this world that struggle with a poor body image. I also loved The Gals and George Bailey.

But, the not so good: The whole plot with Cole and Sullivan seemed to come in out of nowhere...Center didn't really need to add in another conflict; she already had Katie's conflict with her body. And I honestly didn't like that Katie went along with the whole lie - it wasn't fair to her or Hutch. My main gripe with Center is that we never get a dual-POV. I wanted to know what Hutch was thinking too. Also not sure this can be called a rom-com...there wasn't much romance at all.

I do enjoy Center's writing style and just wanted a little more development between Katie and Hutch. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

3.5 ⭐ Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this much-anticipated eARC!

Katherine Center is one of my FAVORITE authors, so I was very much looking forward to reading my 7th book by her - and so honored to be chosen to receive an advanced copy. I don't think I've rated a book below 4⭐ from her.

For the most part, I really liked it! The first 60%, I was HOOKED - pretty sure I read the whole book in a total of 5 hours. Then, a character came back into the picture, and it started to go a little downhill. I could not stand this character, and it really took away from the story for me. I understand the struggles this character was going through, and one line he said made me start sobbing, but the actions he was responsible for were inexcusable, and he didn't really have a redeemable ending. I also wished the struggles the main female character went through were handled in a different way. I can't say too much more without giving away spoilers.

Despite all that, I did really enjoy my time with this one, and the romance really worked for me. I related a lot to what both the main characters were going through individually, so many of the lines Katherine Center wrote really resonated with me. If you want something to get you out of a reading slump, this was definitely fast-paced and fun! The author's note at the end was absolutely beautiful. Don't skip it!

"Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time."

"If you don't reject the harsh things people say to you, then I guess, at some point, that means you accept them."

This is now my favorite book, dare I say, of all time. Katherine Center has such a knack for storytelling, and this book didn’t disappoint. George Bailey, our MMC’s dog, became my absolute favorite character, alongside everyone else. Every character was messy and fun and had great arcs by the end of the book. As with every Katherine Center book, someone has a traumatic back story and there is usually some traumatic event that occurs in the present story. Both had me sobbing while reading, and they added such depth to the characters.

Thank you SO MUCH to St. Martin’s Press for the early copy.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Narrator: Patti Murin
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 5/20

Thank you so much to Netgalley and SMP Romance for my advanced copy, and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.
The Love Haters is another charming, feel-good story from Katherine Center that brings sunshine, heart, and plenty of laughs. After a very public breakup, Katie Vaughn is desperate to keep her job, which lands her in Key West profiling a viral Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch, and pretending she knows how to swim while doing it. Naturally, chaos (and romance) follow.

This book has such a great cast of characters. George Bailey, Hutch’s enormous, lovable rescue dog, honestly deserves his own spin-off. And the Gals, a hilarious group of retirees who love to meddle, bring so much fun and warmth to the story.

Katie is easy to root for, and Hutch is the kind of gruff-but-sweet love interest you can’t help but adore. Katie’s struggles with her body image issues were completely relatable, if not a bit overdone. And while I mostly enjoyed her character, Katie was a little too much of a pushover for my taste.

I really enjoyed the audio for this one, and Patti Murin did an incredible job bringing all of the characters to life!

Overall, this was a great read, and if you’re looking for a story that will make you laugh and swoon, this is the book for you!

Read if you like:
*grumpy/sunshine
*forced proximity
*kissing only
*single POV

This was a great summer read and the plot really surprised me! You kind of think you know where it's headed in the beginning, but it really takes a different turn, and I loved it!

I found the main character to be very relatable, especially when she was working through some confidence and body image issues. I really enjoyed seeing her growth throughout the book.

Not only did I enjoy the romance between Hutch and Katie, but I really loved all of the other relationships as well. Like Rue, the vivacious, kaftan-wearing, color-loving, older aunt who Katie stays with in Key West, Florida. She reminded me a lot of Blanche from the Golden Girls, and I loved that aspect.

I also loved the relationship between Katie and her cousin Beanie. Even though we only get to know them together through facetime and phone calls, she still felt like an essential character and I loved the way Beanie helped Katie learn to love herself.

The romance between Hutch and Katie was super sweet and I love the way Katherine Center adds tension and yearning without explicit spice. Also if you're a Glenn Powell girly, you will love this one. Hutch felt very Glenn Powell coded. This also kind of reminded me of the movie Anyone But You.

If you're looking for a fun summer romance, this is the one!

Katie's job is in jeopardy, so she takes a gig profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West...even if she hates bathing suits and had to lie about her ability to swim to land the job.

I enjoyed this one and always love Center's writing — it's entertaining and heartwarming with a bit of adventure. I appreciated Katie's growth as she struggles to navigate her negative body image, and watching her continuously run into Hutch and realizing he's not the grump her colleague led her to believe. I loved the Key West setting and side characters (especially Rue and her crew of old ladies).

There's some unnecessary drama and lying which I didn't enjoy, and I wish we got a bit more of a connection between Katie and Hutch. Overall it's a lighthearted book that's a perfect beach read for the summer.

Oh how good it feels to jump into a Katherine Centre story, some of my favourite rom/coms she has penned. The Love Haters releases in less than a month, I highly recommend it.

Told from Katie Vaughn's point of view she takes on a job she is nowhere near qualified for, She is not only trying to help a coworker out but also possibly saving her own job. She gets way more than she bargained for.

As I’ve come to expect with this author, this wasn't just a rom/com, she also deals with relevant subject matter. For Katie, it is dealing with her inner demons in terms of body image, love ability and being too hard on herself. With a wonderful cast of characters I was thoroughly entertained with a story that was heartfelt. It made me laugh, smile and feel for all the characters, even George.

I was lucky enough to get both the e-book and audiobook for review purposes and I listened and read both. Center’s books are a perfect fit for audio since they are usually from the point of view of the main character, it's like she’s telling her story. The reader did an awesome job bringing Katie's story to life with heart and emotion. The e-book worked great for curling up on the couch to read and unwind. I will be adding the print copy to my shelf to go with her other books.

The Love Haters is a story of friendship, loss, self love and stepping out of your comfort zone. There is a Great Dane named George Bailey, who one can’t help but love along with Lucky his new little friend.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

She did it again. This was so fun but also emotional drawing you in and making you cry leaving you wanting more. Katie is trying to save her job by taking a gig covering her boss Cole's brother Hutch who is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. She lies and says she can swim. What can possibly go wrong?
The connection between Katie and Hutch is undeniable from the start, throw in an unforgettable adoptive mom Rue and Hutch's great dane dog who loves to jump into Katie's arms. Highly recommend this one

Katherine Center always seems to write main characters that have both physical and mental hurdles that they must negotiate and this one is no different. I loved learning about the coast guard and all the crazy things they must accomplish. Hutch is a badass with a heart. Katie, a videographer, must overcome personal fears, both physical and mental. She struggles with body issues and I could really relate, especially in light of her ex fiancé and his antics in the public social media realm.

I loved the found family (especially Rue), the community and the setting in the keys. I enjoyed it and adored the Great Dane, George Bailey. But I felt left with a few unanswered questions that I had as I read. I did feel like I wanted more at the end. It felt like it was missing elements that hooked me in so many of her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! This new Katherine Center book is about Katie, sent on a trip for work to film her boss’ brother in a video about the Coast Guard. Katie is a year off of a breakup with a very public singer after being humiliated about her body, and Hutch (the boss’ brother) is expecting his brother, Cole, to be doing the filming.
The plot was far fetched at times and this is fairly heavy on body dysmorphia as a topic, but overall I enjoyed it.

This book was the perfect introduction to Katherine Center’s work for me. A gripping love story thats majorly centred around learning to love yourself and enjoying the little things in life. Chock full of body positivity, while also pulling at your heart strings. I was fighting tears throughout this book which was unexpected but a welcomed surprise.

I’m not good when it comes to books with characters who get caught up in lies, but Center really hit it out of the ballpark. Also, as a contemporary romance, it was a nice change of pace to have no sex scenes, while not losing any intimacy and tension between our main characters. For our supposed “love haters”, they really do crave a genuine connection and have wonderful chemistry and moments together. And I couldn’t possibly forget Rue and the instantly lovable George Bailey. They both get awards for worlds best auntie and worlds goodest boy respectively.

Overall, I truly ate this book up. All I could possibly wish for is that this book was 3x longer because I already miss Katie and Hutch and want to read more of their story!

Massive thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Love Haters was a fantastic story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Getting to know Katie, Hutch, and Rue was a fun journey. It got even better when you added their friends and other family member! While a romance, this book taught very important life lessons and is a great reminder for all of us girls who read it!

I really loved this story. Katie is a “documentary filmmaker,” with body image struggles and is assigned to cover Hutch, who once saved Jennifer Aniston dog. Hutch is a rescue swimmer with the coast guard and is apparently a “love-hater.” Katie is supposed to follow Hutch around for weeks filming his job. During this process, she meets his family members and a Great Dane who knocks her down - repeatedly. Katie and Hutch begin a flirtation after Katie gets a “haunch” full of slivers. Is Hutch really a love hater? Will Katie work on her body issues?

My absolute favorite scene was in the Coasr Guard pool with Katie in the black swimsuit and Hutch’s horror. I giggled. 🤭