The Love Haters, by Katherine Center is a romantic comedy that centers around Katie Vaughn, a woman who has had a bad breakup. Katie is about to be laid off from her job when she is given an opportunity from her co-worker, Cole, to help be a video producer on a helicopter focusing on promotional efforts for the Coast Guard. The only problem is Katie does not know how to swim but has lied to Cole in order to get the job! The story has moments of laughter and moments of comfort, just as Katherine Center's books always do! Although I enjoyed this book, it was not my favorite from this author. She has a great backlist though and continues to be an auto-read author for me.

The thing that saved this book was Hutch the coast guard and the way his relationship with Katie formed. It was fun and beautiful.

My 3 stars is for that - the romance part of the book. The rest….yuck. I don’t want to read a romance book with endless pages of the female character hating herself and her body etc. It was SO much of this book. So much that I almost stopped.

I usually really like her books, this one just fell really flat. Too much of a topic that brought the book more to the self help category. Just…..bummed.

4.5 stars

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my copy of this book!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Katherine Center fan, so I was really excited to dive in (get it? 😏) to this one! Her books are always lighthearted while still, at times, tackling deeper issues, and their content always makes them easy to recommend to literally anyone!

I absolutely love Katherine Center’s writing style—the wit, the relatable inner dialogue, etc. and this book was no different! I also really enjoyed the Florida setting ☀️

Katie, the FMC, has quite the journey of growth and self love. Overall, I liked how this was handled but really felt there needed to be trigger warnings for some of the content mentioned.

The movie The Guardian is one of my all time favorites, so when I saw that this book had a MMC in the Coast Guard, I was ALL in! Absolutely loved that aspect of the story and could really tell how much research Center put into it!

Hutch himself personifies the grumpy yet lovable love interest so well, and it was endearing how sweetly he treated his aunt and her friends. Also, his dog, George Bailey, was absolutely the unmatched STAR of this book! He was perfect 🥹

Many of the other side characters were fun and lovable, and even the one who wasn’t played an integral part in the plot.

Overall, I really loved this light-hearted romcom and I think it will be the perfect summer read!

3.5!
i enjoyed the writing and storyline! I related to Katie and her insecurities and enjoyed listening to her ramble and inner monologue! I do wish there were more scenes that showcased the building connection between the two main characters but nonetheless i still really enjoyed! I loved the budding connection, but I wish we got to see more before the drama happened, so then the reactions and attachment would have felt more cohesive with the story. But I did love the characters and setting so much! it really stood out to me besides the romance! Rue was my fave hehe! It was a fun read and highly recommend it for summer because it is light hearted while also having hard topics discussed! i was swooning despite the lack of relationship building which says a lot! The author always has a way to hit home emotionally while also having a romance plot so i recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Sadly this book was really not very good and this is my fourth KC rom-com.

I was nervous going in, but hopeful, sadly I could tell right away that this one was going to end up as a dud.

None of the characters are well developed and the situations they find themselves in feel more like slapstick movie than relatable with a side of fun humor.

The FMC job was unique and I liked that and I also liked the setting in Key West, but nothing else was really appealing about this story. The fmc body issues felt forced and not real and the ending was so over the top that I couldn't believe it made it past the editor.

I'm really hoping that Katherine Center finds her way back to how she used to write sweet and endearing rom-coms.

I received a digital review copy from NetGalley. I've always enjoyed Katherine Center's books, as they are generally quick, heartfelt romances that are easy to get lost in, and *The Love Haters* was no exception.

This story follows Katie, a video producer sent to Key West to film a reluctant Coast Guard member named Hutch. Although Katie cannot swim, she risks everything to keep her job as cuts are being made throughout the company. However, her co-worker, who is also Hutch's brother, conceals vital details from her, drawing Katie into his web of lies as she tries to navigate her feelings for Hutch.

When a hurricane forces Katie to choose between evacuating to save herself or staying to rescue Hutch's beloved dog, she makes the terrifying decision to remain in Key West.

Throughout the reading, I genuinely wished I were staying with Aunt Rue at Starlite Cottages. I love a good forced proximity romance, and Katherine Center did not disappoint with Katie and Hutch.

Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.00
Pub Date: May 20, 2025

I received complimentary eARC and ALCs from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Erratic • Sappy • Beachy

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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 fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. 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 also 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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After reading Katherine Center's 2024 release, The Rom-Commers, I officially broke up with her books. While I enjoyed her earliest work, her writing style has evolved (starting with The Bodyguard to be more comedic than romantic and it no longer includes the emotional depth I crave in a romance novel. And yet, here I am having finished The Love Haters and feeling exactly how I felt last year when I swore off reading her new releases.

It's never a good thing when I prefer the side characters to the mains in any romance novel. Aunt Rue was an absolute delight, and I honestly would have preferred an entire book dedicated to her and her story. Then there is George Bailey, Hutch's rescue dog, need I say more. While I cannot fault Hutch's character either, I simply wish the story would have unfolded from his POV because I really didn't like Katie's character.

Patti Murin, as a narrator, really brings the characters to life and adds personality to each one. The pacing and tone were well executed and I do think it was is an entertaining audio listen. I cannot fault her because she is simply narrating the story she was given.

And that is where the good ends.

I didn't like the story all that much. There are so many outlandish situations that nothing felt real. The romance itself felt superficial (could she have mentioned his physical appearance more?) and it lacked any real chemistry.

Center has tried to check too many boxes in one book and as a result, the story suffers greatly. The lack of focus and endless list of tropes makes everything feel forced. Honestly, pick a lane and stick to it, there will be other books. She's also trying too hard to be witty and to come up with the most over-the-top moments that aren't particularly funny or entertaining, but rather quite ridiculous.

I appreciated the inclusion of body image and self-confidence issues, however, it also felt somehow shollow and forced rather than giving the story the emotional depth I suspect it was intended to. This isn't the first time I have said this about a Center book, but it simply feels like she includes these serious topics to tick the rep box rather than really researching whatever topic it is she's including. What Katie is dealing with is a serious mental illness and no where in the story is there talk of treatment or ways in which is dealing with it. In fact, there's no real resolution and it seems to disappear with all of Hutch's compliments, etc., which just isn't realistic.

I have no doubt The Love Haters will be a hit with many readers over the summer months, it just really didn't work for me. I certainly appreciate the themes of self-love and acceptance within the narrative, yet it's painfully obvious Center's humour (or lack there of) and current writing style don't jive with my tastes. I swore off picking up Center's books after reading 2024's release, and here I am again doing the same. I think it's safe to say, I've learned my lesson.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• deception
• furry friends
• forced proximity

⚠️ CW: body shaming, eating disorder, fatphobia, body dysmorphia, mental illness, bullying, death, death of parent, grief, toxic relationship, car accident, infidelity, alcohol, alcoholism, vomit, terminal illness

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Isn't that how it always is? The thing you're afraid of is never the thing you should be."

This was a book that took a little bit for me to get into and actually connect with the characters. Overall, I would say the main character's body image issues overtook most of the story.

Loved this story! I love everything Katherine Center writes. Thank you for the ARC!! Can’t wait til pub day to get my signed copy.

The Love Haters was a touching, funny story about finding love and yourself when and where you least expect it. Katie agrees to complete an in- depth profile on a Coast Guard rescue swimmer despite not knowing how to swim because she doesn't want to lose her job. Center does an excellent job of making you connect with Katie's character. Everyone feels lost and inadequate at some point, but Katie slowly finds joy again. Aunt Rue and her gal pals were hysterical. It was such a treat to get to read an advanced copy of The Love Haters. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this opportunity!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

An easy contemporary romance read from one of my favorite authors, but it doesn't quite hit the mark that I was expecting it to.

While this is an easy read, I feel like the book spends too much time focusing on Katie's body image problems and not enough time fleshing out the romance between Katie and Hutch. The body image issues just overshadows everything else in the book. And while this is a closed door romance and I'm perfectly fine with that, we only get snippets of true rom-com moments in the first 65% of the book. The rest of it is other plot points that help the book out, and I will not spoil anything here.

The secondary characters are adorable. They are fleshed out enough and aid in this book being a rom-com. But I feel like the author didn't flesh out Hutch's character enough in regards to love hating. Maybe I'm wrong, and the reasons are there, but I just think there could've been more.

The Coast Guard information that is discussed and used in this book are very well done. While I know nothing about the Coast Guard, I feel like I learned a little bit about water rescues because of this book. You can tell the author did thorough research on this one.

Overall, not my favorite book by this author. Still a decent read, but in my opinion, the body image problems overshadows the romance and relationship development between Hutch and Katie.

This was my second Katherine Center book and I was afraid I wasn’t going to love it as much as I did the first book I read, but I ended up enjoying this one just as much! I liked Katie and Hutch together. Cole was somehow equal parts annoying and endearing to me. Aunt Rue and her friends were so much fun. George Bailey (the dog) was the best part of course. My biggest complaint was the way body image was discussed in this book. It played a big role in Katie’s life but I think there was a lot of room for a bigger/more helpful discussion around it. Overall highly recommend!

This is my 4th Katherine Centre book. I enjoyed the last one (The Rom-Comers) the most. The other 2 were enjoyable but this one fell off the edge of the cliff for me.

This author centres on a serious subject and writes about that subject in a light-hearted but respectful way. The serious subject in this book is the negative body image. Coincidentally, I just finished another title about this subject. It was extremely well written. And, unfortunately, I think that may have affected my thoughts about this book.

This one was plain silly and unrealistic. Usually, I don't mind unrealistic because I read for entertainment. If I am enjoying a story, I turn pages quickly because I want to find out what happens. This time I turned pages quickly because I wanted it to be over.
While I did feel empathy for the female character, I couldn't relate to her male counterpart at all. He seemed like a cardboard cutout. I did enjoy George Bailey, a rambunctious Great Dane. And, the senior ladies were fun.

Back to my favourite saying: Not every book is for everyone. This one was not for me. On to the next one…..

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Thank you @stmartinspress @macmillanaudio #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

I swear, Katherine Center’s books are like a little burst of sunshine every time I pick one up, and The Love Haters was no different! I always look forward to her stories because you just know you’re in for some laughs, heartwarming moments, and characters you wish were your real-life friends.

I loved the premise of this one. Katie, our main character, takes on a work project to save her job, and in the process, slowly learns to love herself — which is my favorite kind of character arc. The hilarious part? The entire project revolves around swimming… and Katie can’t swim. But does she admit that? Nope. She pretends she can, and what unfolds from that one little white lie is just comedy gold.

Enter Hutch — the so-called “Love Hater” and the guy Katie needs to cozy up to for her project. Of course, Hutch is basically perfect in everyone’s eyes except for his brother, and watching Katie try to navigate that whole dynamic was super entertaining. I loved their banter, the swoony moments, and the way the story slowly peeled back their layers.

Also, huge shoutout to the side characters in this one — Katie’s best friend and Hutch’s dog totally stole my heart. And can we talk about the setting? A rom-com set in Key West is basically a recipe for good vibes, and Katherine Center nailed it.

Overall, this book was funny, sweet, a little silly in the best way, and left me with a giant grin on my face. I’ll absolutely keep picking up her books — they never miss!

This was a great book. I rated it 4.25 stars. This is about Katie. She is a film maker working for a company that’s having major layoffs. Her coworker suggests that she profile his brother who works for the coast guard in the Florida keys. The sticking point? Katie can’t swim! However, she takes the job and gets swimming lessons from the coast guard hero himself, Hutch. Hutch is a closed book and doesn’t socialize much, but over time Katie is able to slowly pick away at that rough exterior to find that he has quite a bit of trauma he’s dealing with. The secondary characters are awesome! Aunt Rue is a bundle of sunshine and George Bailey the Great Dane is a personality in and of himself. This has slapstick comedy moments, particularly from Katie who is a hot mess express. This book overall is about pushing your own personal boundaries. Doing this you’re uncomfortable with because you can indeed to hard things. Fantastic book! Pick it up on May 20!

Love Haters is a feel-good romance that delivers plenty of heart, humor, and emotional depth. Katherine Center does a great job creating characters you care about, and the story touches on vulnerability, second chances, and learning to trust again. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling by the end.

While a few plot points were a little unrealistic and the story dragged in spots, I was still invested throughout. Overall, it’s a solid 4-star read for fans of contemporary romance.

Trigger warning: this book includes references to eating disorders, which may be sensitive for some readers.

Katherine Center never lets me down! This was a really fun read. I really enjoyed the main characters, Katie and Hutch. I fell in love with Hutch the moment she met him! I also really loved Rue, and all of her gal pals. I loved the little community she built and how supportive she was to Katie. Cole wasn’t my the greatest character, he was too petty to Hutch for something that wasn’t his fault. The ending was the perfect wrap up for the story. I’m so glad Katie moved to Key West for Rue (and Hutch)!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center has one of the best writing styles I have read in a long time! Reading this book felt like a friend was telling me how her work trip went. I was sucked into this book from the very beginning when normally it takes a couple of chapters to get to that point. The plot twist after plot twist had me wanting to read more and more! This is a slow burn book in the best way.

The FMC talks about her struggles with her body image and I love the way that it’s so relatable. It truly makes you feel like she is a real person with real people struggles. The way that she talks about herself and the realization she has about how she feels about herself in the end has me tearing up because it is something I feel we all need to realize.


The MMC is a dream! He is misunderstood but when he opens up and we see who he really is, you can’t help but to love him!

There is so much more I can say about this book… I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers and even those who don’t read much romance. You will not regret it!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange of an honest review!

Thanks to SMP for the gifted copy!

As a longtime lover of Katherine Center’s books, I was really excited to read her new release. However, this one just felt a little different to me. I appreciate that Katherine attempted a main character who is trying to get over body dysmorphia, but the execution just didn’t work for me. There was *too* much of a focus on it, with the way she dealt with it, just not as practical. Add in a horrible coworker and lying, and this one just did not work out for me. I will be back for more from Katherine, though!

Reading a Katherine Center book is like getting the biggest, warmest hug! Enjoyable from start to finish. Somehow, I can never stop the huge grin that takes over my entire face whenever I read one of her books.