This book was really good!!! I had dnfed a book by this author before, but this one really hit!!! If you like a book about finding love in the most unexpected places and facing fears, I think you should read this!!! Katie and Hutch were super fun to read about, so I think everyone should give it a try!!! Enjoy!!! Also thank you everyone who let me read this ARC!!!!

Katie’s about to get laid off from her digital video company, when her supervisor volunteers her for a job filming a promotional video for the Coast Guard in Key West. The main subject is Hutch, her supervisor’s brother who is also famous for rescuing Jennifer Aniston’s dog. Hutch is a “love hater” but he and Katie quickly connect and a tentative romance develops.

I enjoy Katherine Center books but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. One of the main themes is negative self image. Katie suffers from this and it is very repetitive and prevalent throughout the book. Also, I didn’t necessarily feel the connection between her and Hutch. I wish that had been developed a little more. I did like the Coast Guard information in the Key West setting. Aunt Rue was a fun character.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I couldn't put it down. I read it in two sittings. I accidentally stayed up until midnight reading which is not normal for me. This book has a lot of body positivity talk in it making it a great book for anyone struggling with that but also just a nice reminder for us all. The writing as always was well done. There were so many moments that touched me and I shed a few tears. The romance aspect could have been more. I wanted more anyways. This was kinda a slow burn but no spice style. I wasn't a fan of the things that happened with Cole. I kinda lost interest a little at that point but I'm thankful it only lasted a few chapters. I loved the side characters Rue, The Gals and Beanie. They were so colorful. This wasn't my favorite Katherine Center book, How To Walk Away stays at number 1, but this is definitely in the top 3!

Thank you so much to the author and MacMillan pub for this ARC copy.

silly and fun, katherine center knows how to write characters who fall for each other in such an entertaining way!

Such a cute romcom! I love Katherine Center’s books and this one does not disappoint! Nothing like a broody hot rescue swimmer to start off the summer reading!

This novel delivers a wonderfully absurd yet thoroughly enjoyable experience with a plot that moves at a brisk pace, taking unexpected turns while keeping the central romance surprisingly grounded.

The book follows Katie, a videographer on the verge of losing her job, as she heads to Florida to film a documentary about Hutch, a strikingly handsome Coast Guard member known for his aversion to romance. Katie, still dealing with the fallout from a previous relationship and negative online attention, also struggles with body image issues.

Initially, the story focuses on the documentary shoot, but it truly takes off as the motivations and past hurts of Katie and Hutch are revealed, drawing the reader into their emotional journeys. Supporting characters, including Hutch's brother Cole, their resilient honorary aunt Rue, and a particularly empathetic Great Dane named George Bailey, add significant depth to the narrative. While the beginning might feel a little slow, the book ultimately offers a rewarding experience with humor, heartfelt moments, and a compelling exploration of self-acceptance.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Love Haters is the perfect romantic comedy for your summer getaway or staycation. There’s an adorable dog, a dreamy guy who ought to be too good to be true, and a relatably flawed heroine. There’s found family, a tropical setting, and learning to love and accept oneself. If you love Emily Henry or Elin Hilderbrand, do yourself a favor and read this book!

I went into this book with no expectations having not read a Katherine Center book before and it went deeper than I expected it to go.

The book isn’t just about romance but about facing your fears, loving yourself, family, and friendship. What sets this book apart for me are topics not often tackled so candidly in romantic fiction. The story thoughtfully weaves in body image issues and online bullying adding weight to the story without losing the charm and spark of a good romance.

Katie for the most part was a relatable main character, but I think there was more focus on the body image issues than the romance and that got to be a tad repetitive to me. Hutch, while a great male lead, just didn’t scream sexy main character for me. I just felt something was missing there a little bit.

The supporting characters in this book that brought so much life to the story. From Hutch’s massive dog George Baily, to colorful delightful Rue and all the characters in between. The story developed their arcs with enough detail to make you love them but not so much that they outshone the story itself.

For fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, I suggest you give this book a read. It’s a perfect read for summer, and I would definitely recommend it. 4.5/5 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just love Katherine Center's books, and this one was one of my favorites from her more recent releases. Katherine is a naturally happy-go-lucky human, and this approach to life is clearly reflected in her books.

In effort to save her job, Katie Vaughn agrees to take an assignment as a video producer for a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. Katie does not know how to swim, and as she relocates to the Keys, she meets quirky and funny people that warm up to her quickly. When she meets the person she is video profiling - "Hutch", it is not the best introduction, nor is he the nicest and most open person. As their relationship develops, each character's vulnerabilities surface and they grow together as friends and eventual love interests. Hutch has a charming dog that only loves Katie and their attraction towards each other roots itself and grows as they share fun and exciting experiences together.

In natural KC fashion, this is a naturally charming book, set in a naturally charming setting, and is a quick and fun read. I enjoyed watching Katherine doing her research for this book in Coast Guard helicopters over Galveston on her Instagram posts. I was looking forward to this book for a long time and want to thank Net Galley for the early release copy.

This book is perfect for a fun summer read for romance lovers and ones that enjoy adventure and growth of characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Book Sparks for the free book and to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I love the way Katherine Center writes. Her prose and characters sweep me away. Add in that she advocates so well for the romance genre, and I will always read every book of hers.

For this book, I think there were parts when it was hard to be in Katie's head because she deals with a lot of self-hatred. And that's a huge theme throughout the book. But at the same time, she was expressing feelings I have had. And there's something really amazing about seeing those in fiction. And Katherine has such an ability to make me care for characters. She brought me along on the journey and made me consider what it would be to love myself more completely.

Hutch is a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard and such a nuanced character. As his brother derides, he is absolutely perfect. But I wanted a bit more depth and growth in Katie and Hutch's relationship with each other.

And then we get the scene stealers. George Bailey is Hutch's Great Dane rescue dog. And Rue is his aunt who owns an amazing tropical clothing boutique and gathers a great group of retirees who meddle in everything. They added such joy and humor to the story.

CW: Fatphobia, crash and death of loved ones

Yum. This is one of my favorite Katherine Center books, I've decided. She always write uplifting rom-com stories with just a little bit of angst that keeps you on your toes. But you know that in the end, she will bring you to a satisfying and happy conclusion because that's what she does so well. All during the process of reading the book, you are thoroughly entertained leaving you pondering even when you're not reading the story. I buzz through her books within a couple of days at the most because I want to see what happens next and who's involved in making it happen. And almost always, I fully agree with how it all ends up. Her stories aren't always predictable despite what I'm saying here. There are enough curves and paths taken that are not so straightforward that will definitely keep you guessing. But she's so skilled at taking you from one end of the story to the other that each page feels new even though you're pretty sure you can count on where you're going. Read this book. It's one of her best.

I absolutely adore Katherine Center’s writing and was excited to have a chance to read an e-ARC of The Love Haters. I did like the book overall, though I will say that based on the synopsis given, I did expect more of a romance than what was written, but I do understand that there was also the romance with her own self and her body. But that part of it isn’t alluded to anywhere in the synopsis so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, given the body image issues!

The writing that I love and have come to expect from this author was still there, though. Those little life lessons throughout the book, and characters just genuinely caring and loving one another. I love that we always get to see the main character’s relationships with other people, and in this case I absolutely adored Katie’s relationship with her cousin/best friend, Beanie. I do wish we got to know Hutch more – in some places it was mentioned Katie and Hutch talked the entire day about so and so, but we didn’t get anything beyond a mention of the conversation topic. I would’ve liked to see some of these conversations on the page so we got to know Hutch’s character more, too. Overall though, you do get some sense of the type of character he is, and I love that for Katie.

This was a quick, easy read for me, and I appreciated the overall message and theme of the book once I was done. Also loved the author’s note at the end of the book so be sure to read that, too!

Looking forward to whatever Katherine Center writes next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet book about a romance between a videographer and a Coast guard rescue swimmer. Katie also has a lot of body image issues that she continues to work on throughout the book. This is honestly an amazing read for younger readers as there’s no spice and it talks a lot about being confident in yourself and what your body does

This is the ultimate beach read. Get ready to be transported to a world full of color in Key West. I have never been there but I felt like I was immersed in the landscape and the culture. You are in for a treat of a lovely group of elderly gal pals, a lovable giant dog who is a success story of his own and a very attractive male main character.

This is not just a romance. I love that you find out a lot about what our heroes at the Coast Guard do. I love that this addresses the struggle a woman faces in a world filled with airbrushed perfection and she feels like she doesn't measure up. Above all, I love the humor. I can't count how many times I was chuckling at the banter or what happened to the characters. The scenes at the pool and at the test will be forever etched in my memory as one of the funniest scenes I have read in a book. And the thing about the pennies? My heart melted in a million pieces over the love this beautiful man has for his mom and his story about his parents and meeting Rue.

Most of all I hope that any woman out there who believes she is anything less than beautiful reads this book. It will change your mind and it will change the way you think about yourself. I love how this author didn't just write a romance about someone who rescues people for a living. She writes about rescuing yourself. That is a powerful message. Message received. Thank you.

Katherine Center is the queen of sweet romances. I really enjoyed this book! To me, it tackled the topic of worthiness and how to feel like you belong in your own skin. Katie, a non-swimmer and non-bathing suit wearer, takes on a videography job profiling Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. What could possibly go wrong? Throw in Katie’s coworker Cole, who, although very humorous, refuses to spend time with his brother and their former guardian Aunt Rue (who happens to have a gaggle of old ladies for friends that make the entire book). Oh yeah, and Cole is Hutch’s brother! If you consider yourself to be an awkward person, Katie may be someone you relate to. Her internal monologue is more like a dialogue with herself, and as the book progresses, you as the reader get a front row seat on her healing journey. In the author’s note, Katherine Center says this is more than just a sweet rom-com between Katie and Hutch, but also a love story between Katie and her body image. With an ex whose fame put her in the spotlight in a negative way and a stepmother who introduced her to diet culture at a very young age, Katie has a lot to overcome, and with the help of a Key West town, as well as a thunderstorm fearing large dog named George Bailey, she’s able to start healing. This book does have several triggers surrounding body image, so please check those if that’s something you struggle with!

This was sadly a miss for me. I was really bummed out by Katie’s self-loathing, it seemed over the top. As someone who has struggled with body image issues my whole life - it felt like too much. I also didn’t like all the lies the characters were telling, it didn’t feel like it really pushed the plot forward and made them unlikable

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. Another great Katherine Center love story. This one takes us through a hurricane, learning to swim, and the coast guard. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and found myself cheering for them to make it work the whole time.

First I’d like to say that I loved the author’s note at the end! 🥹 She compared Katie and her view of her body to an enemies to lovers trope and I honestly loved that so much. Sadly, I think a lot of us can relate to having body image issues so it was easy to relate to Katie. I really loved her journey into loving her own body in this book. There’s a moment where she has an epiphany about longing to be looked at by someone in a lovingly way and she realizes that SHE can be that person. It’s so simple but I loved it.
Also shoutout to Beanie! She’s such an amazing friend! She was so supportive of Katie. The way she gave her ‘homework’ to help her find ways to love her own body. 🥹 it honestly had me tearing up!
And then there’s Hutch. 🥹 Hutch is a literal hero and I truly appreciated that he had a career that i haven’t seen often in books. He was in the Coast Guard and he was amazing. I liked his story with his brother.
George Bailey and Rue were lovely additions as well.


The audio narration was perfection. The narrator brought this story to life in the best way. She changed her voice slightly for each character so it was easy to know who was speaking. Highly recommend the audio! 5/5 for the narration 😊

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5-ish stars)
The Love Haters by Katherine Center was my first foray into her work. While I totally get why readers love her voice and storytelling style, this particular book didn’t hit all the marks for me.

I was hooked by the premise...romantic, a little chaotic, with a chance for second chances, but the FMC’s inner monologue of self-doubt was exhausting. Like, sis, I am rooting for you! But every step forward felt like two steps back into a pit of “I’m not enough.” She does find her footing eventually, but I’m growing a little weary of storylines where women only realize their worth after a man enters the picture and gives them permission to love themselves. That’s just not the narrative I’m chasing right now. With that being said...I found the read/listen enjoyable, and it is definitely suitable for a summer read TBR.

Don’t get me wrong—Center’s writing is charming, and I can totally see myself enjoying some of her earlier books. This one didn’t leave me swooning the way I hoped.

Themes:
Second chance romance
Grumpy x sunshine (but maybe more insecure x confident?)
Career girl with big dreams
Emotional baggage unpacking in real-time

Would I recommend it?
Sure...if you love Katherine Center or emotional growth arcs with a romantic payoff, give it a go.

If you are an audiobook lover, I can affirm that Patti Murin's narration was top-tier. Honestly, when isn't Murin crushing the game? She always delivers an outstanding performance, and I listen to anything she narrates. --->Trust me. I am an audiobook expert (per me)

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review the ARC and ALC.

Katherine Center just writes books that are good for my heart This one was no different. I loved the body positivity message because I think we all struggle with that issue (hence why I don’t leave the house) I loved Elliot and Hutch! And don’t even get me started on George Bailey (the Great Dane) Are books just better when there’s a dog in it??
A wonderful story that made me feel like the little spoon 😊

Katherine Center can do no wrong and I will die on this hill!!
Thank you for coming..
Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the early copy