A huge thanks to St Martins Press for my complimentary copy . All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Firstly Bailey is just a favourite (he is the most adorable Great Dane ever) . The story is follows Katie who is on the brink of getting laid off from her job until her coworker Cole sends her off on a ‘mission’ . The mission is to profile Hutch a Coast Guard Rescue swimmer in Key West. There is one catch tho lol Katie cannot swim but thankfully Hutch is not just a hunk .

The book touched on self love ,sibling relationships and love.

First I would like to thank Netgalley, St. Martin’’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and early audiobook.

I really wanted to love this book. I loved The Rom-Coms so much but this one didn’t work as well for me. There were so parts of this book I really loved. I loved all the early interactions between Katie and Hutch. I thought there banter worked really well and I was rooting for them from the beginning.

What didn’t work for me was all the focus on body image. I’m all for overcoming body image issues but it just felt like a running commentary in Katie’s head and I just felt like it got a little repetitive.

I also really enjoyed the story until Cole showed up and I really, really didn’t like the turn the story went. I didn’t understand Katie’s decisions. That just didn’t feel like a response that Katie or any rational person would make.

I mixed both the book and audio and I thought the narrator was fantastic.

3/5 stars

I want to thank Netgalley for the ARC as well as the author!
I started this book, and the writing was absolutely great, I have read 2 other of her books, and her writing is my favorite for sure! I really had very high expectations for the romance between the FMC & MMC!! Like they had chemistry but at 50% I think it started going down, because for me there was no way they could be together, not because of lack of chemistry but there were other things going that they kind of were put to the side. I think them ending together was so rushed, like we could have had more of them as a couple. The scenery was AMAZING! Again, her writing just made me be inside the book, which was 100% so nice.
I really loved RUE, I want to be in one of her cottages for sure, the DOG! Omg he was the best too, and now every time I see a penny I think of this book!

The Love Haters is about Katie, fearing losing her job, traveling to Key West to shadow and interview Hutch for a Coast Guard promo video. But Hutch, expecting his brother, is not initially excited that Katie showed up instead…and to top it off isn’t qualified as she can’t swim. Hutch agrees to help Katie prepare for the job in exchange for her help getting him to reconnect with his brother. As the two spend time together, love grows….but the most important love to found is Katie’s love for herself. When she finds herself in a dangerous situation, it’s time to face the truth about how she truly sees herself and how she’ll treat her body going forward.

I wanted so badly to like this book. I’d heard some concerning things prior to reading it but still came in with an open mind. Unfortunately, the things I’d heard were true.

Let’s start with what I did like. I liked Rue, the owner of the place Katie stays in the Key West - and Cole and Hutch’s beloved aunt. I liked the gals, the group of old woman Rue also housed. I loved George Bailey, Hutch’s thunder-phobic, toad grabbing dog. And as for the story line…the dangerous ending wasn’t too shabby.

Unfortunately, those things can’t save the book for me. One thing that I’m not sure I would have seen had it not been pointed out is how it handles talking about an eating disorder. For starters - they never call it what it is. Also, it feels as though she justifies it by saying it was a way for her to be in control - without ever addressing how harmful that line of thinking can be. I definitely think this is a topic that can be in romance - but I definitely think it wasn’t handled correctly here. This was most notable for me when Katie discovers she’s scared of bathing suits and her friend basically makes fun of her for it (“you know it’s crazy to be scared of a swim suit.”).

What I definitely would have noticed on my own is how centered around physicality the whole book is. I don’t feel as though there was enough seeing Katie and Hutch emotionally connect. But how perfect he is, and fit, and attractive? That’s not stop. It’s constantly how embarrassed Katie is of her own body, and how perfect Hutch’s is. The second time Katie experiences the internet weighing in, all I could think was “90s diet culture called and wants its romcom back.”

What really sealed the deal for me on the low rating though is the scene at the bar between Cole and Hutch emotionally connect- where Hutch is coerced into drinking based on a lie…and Katie LETS IT HAPPEN. This disgusts me. This kind of peer pressure for such a serious thing isn’t funny and shouldn’t be used the way it was. It’s one thing to have coerced him into playing pinball, but you don’t coerce someone who doesn’t drink into drinking. It’s just not okay, and Katie basically let it happen because that’s what she needed to feel worthy? Ew.

At that point I stopped wondering how I’d rate the book. Without that scene, I might have been at a 2 (with the extra star for Rue and the Gals) but as it stands I have to consider this book entirely too problematic for anything other than a 1 star rating.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐️

This was a cute and easy read. I really enjoyed the FMC and her love interest, as well as the other fun characters (not you, Cole). A lot happens in the last part of the book/epilogue, and I wish that had been spread out a little more. Still a fun, warm, and witty book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for new Katherine Center to read ahead of pub! I've become a fan of this author's stories over the last few books. This one is no different, I loved Katie and Hutch's story! Anticipated pub: May 20th!

Let's start with my progress updates because they tell a lot about how I felt while reading this:
May 5, 2025 – 21.0% "OMG as a Great Dane Mom x2 I'm crying listening to Hutch tell George Bailey's story 😢"
May 5, 2025 – 26.0% "mini story time: My "Oddly Specific Bookish Ick" (as the wife of a helicopter pilot) is when authors refer to helicopters as 'choppers' -- this character just did but the Coast Guard guy schooled her that they don't call them that and it made my grumpy little bookish heart SO HAPPY. THANK YOU FOR THAT KATHERINE CENTER."
(After reading the Author's Note it seems the thanks also goes to the Coasties that worked with the author during her research for this book. My husband is AF, not CG but they still call them birds :) They actually use a lot of the same terminology and acronyms so that part was fun to read already knowing a lot of those things.)
May 5, 2025 – 81.0% "OMG KATHERINE YOU HAVE ME SOBBING thinking about George Bailey being all alone and scared on the houseboat in a storm 😭😭😭"

So, let's just start with how much of a heartbreaker this was for me (don't worry, no harm comes to any animals, including the toads, lol). I found myself crying reading this more than any book I can remember in recent history. SO GOOD and the narration brought out all those emotions even more as the narrator did a great job of conveying those too.

This story was also really fun. I laughed out loud so much during parts with Rue and The Gals, when Katie first meets Hutch (the mannequin thought was toooooo funny), the bathing suit 'incident' -- HILARIOUS. Katherine Center is always good for making a story heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure.

My absolute favorite aspect of this story, though, was the relationship between Katie and her body. The GROWTH at the end of this was honestly amazing and wonderful and inspiring and made me want to be more like Beanie <3

I want to like Katherine Center books so badly but they always fall flat for me. I loved the premise of this book but ultimately didn’t connect with the characters or the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this charming and inspiring story.
The book centers on Katie, a video producer who agrees to film a promotional video of the Coast Guard in the Florida Keys, despite the fact that she secretly can't swim. The video will focus on the star rescue swimmer Hutch, who happens to be the brother of Katie's boss Cole.
As Katie and Hutch spend more time together, they fall more for each other. However, when Cole shows up, things become more complicated than ever.
The book felt both light and still had depth. The topic of self-love was impactful and moving. Katie learns to love herself and all the colors of life. Hutch was charming and brooding. Cole was frustrating and endearing. Rue Hutch and Cole's "aunt" is admirable and hilarious. I loved the complexity of Rue, Hutch, and Cole's relationship. The Great Dane George Bailey was wonderful, as all dogs are.
I had a fun time reading this. It was relaxing and cozy. The romance is sweet and heartwarming. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read more by Katherine Center!

Katherine Center has done it again!! I absolutely loved The Love Haters. I finished it in one day because it's just impossible not to. The writing is fast-paced and fun, which really makes it hard to put the book down. The romance is just chef's kiss. The chemistry, the tension, the yearning, all of it culminated into a delicious romance. The side characters deserve books of their own because they're amazing as well. I cannot wait for her next release.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read, I had the best time reading The Love Haters. It was filled with so many cute/funny moments between Katie and Hutch and I was rooting for them from the beginning. I also adore an endearing and charismatic side character so Aunt Rue was everything. Set in Key West, FL this book made me feel like I was on vacation watching a romantic comedy. Katherine Center has done it again, The Love Haters was so wonderful and delightful!.
Special thanks to NetGalley for the advance readers copy! Available to the public on May 20th.

I read an ARC for this book thanks to NetGalley. I have read 2 other books by Katherine - one I’m still obsessed with and another I didn’t like as much. In this one, the plot, characters, romance, and relationship twists were all top notch! There was a huge focus on the FMC and her relationship with herself - her body, fears, and self-esteem. It was a unique approach to addressing those issues and how she worked through them. I enjoyed this book so much. I am still processing how I feel about this one.The research for this was amazing and added to the story. But what about George Bailey?! 😍

I love Katherine Center's books and this is is no different. A laugh out loud, romantic comedy with colorful side characters.

DNF at 50%

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

No chemistry, boring MCs, and an extremely drawn out convoluted body positivity arc that is stronger than my will to finish this story.

This is the first KC that hasn't hit for me so I'm sad but gosh there wasn't a thing that could keep me going, not even Rue.

I really wanted to love this book! But i just really didnt gel with either the mmc or fmc. He body insecuritys was a little much. I also didnt really feel the chemistry between them. There also wasn’t a lot of romance, I was expecting more.

Per usual, Center gives a book with lots of laughter and heart. I love that her books are always filled with humor but has a serious side as well.

I think this is going to be the beach read of the year.

✨Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ✨

The Love Haters 📚 by Katherine Center

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you @netgalley for the #advancedreaderscopy :)

There were parts of this book I really enjoyed then one central theme that was a bit too much at times. I really liked the characters, Key West vibes, the ending, and of course the romance 🩷 Katherine Center always does all of that so well. One central theme of this book is body image - and I could see with how negative and deep into this topic it gets, it could be a tough read for some. Readers look to fiction books to escape, and to have the main character list out the calories she's eating and her constant negative body shaming of herself can be tough for some. I think the book could have been a more enjoyable had this topic been mentioned a few times vs. being a central theme throughout. But overall, would recommend for a summery romance book!
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I liked this story! (Although The Rom-Commers still holds #1 spot for me when it comes to Katherine Center books!). I thought the beginning started off very cute. I really liked the introduction to the main character, Katie, and getting to know her and her job a little bit before she meets her romantic interest, Tom “Hutch”. I definitely liked Katie a lot more than I liked Hutch. I found her to be more endearing, and relatable (she has some body dysmorhphia and struggles with her weight and eating post-breakup with her ex - this could be a trigger warning for some, but I felt it was relatable for me). I thought Katie and Hutch had good chemistry and a fun flirty dynamic, which made reading the book easy and light.

Overall, it was a cute read and would be great for summer. If you’re a fan of romcom set in tropical locations with cute easy storylines, I think it’s worth picking up!

** spoiler alert ** ***Arc provided to me by publisher in exchange for an honest review***


Spoilers turned on just in case I mention something that’s better to find out along the journey.


This isn’t my first Katherine Center book. I’ve read two others that I can think of on the top of my head. However, I do believe this is the one that I’ve enjoyed the least.

It’s a love story with two different types of love being developed- the FMC’s self-love and the love blossoming between the FMC and MMC. I honestly think this book would have gotten more stars if it was just about the FMC’s struggle to accept herself- body, personality, current position in life, and past trauma. I think adding in a romance with the MMC, Hutch, convoluted the plot line with the self-love.

Here are some examples:

1. She gained appreciation and love for her unique eye color after he noticed it and pointed it out to her.
2. She started to love her lips after he complemented them.

This isn’t to say that words of affirmation from others don’t matter when someone is learning to love themself. I just wish maybe there had been some separation.

As far as the flow of the book goes, the very short paragraphs made it heard to actually get into a flow. I think the length of the chapters were great, and I did find the paragraphs improved the further into the book I read. The choppiness dissipated.

I think the author is a great choice for those that want romance without the spice factor. I also really loved many of the side characters- Rue, The Gals, and George Bailey.

I did hate Cole, which is to be expected. I didn’t like the lie trope. I don’t think the reason for the lie was excusable in my opinion.

Overall, I do think there are some people who would enjoy this book. I think the tropes and plot points were something I just didn’t jive with. I think the other two books I read from this author were stronger, personally.

Yet another enjoyable romance for Katherine Center. I have read the last 4-5 of Center's books and always look forward to her new release this year. I loved the male lead Hutch - he was a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. He sounded so dreamy and he was just an all around nice/good person. I appreciated the romance aspect of the book; the overcoming of fears and the ability of the main characters to move forward together. My second favorite character was obviously George Bailey, the great dane! I love a story with a good dog story within.

My only critique is that though the book was set in Key West, I did not get Key West vibes from the book.

I loved this book so much I even read the Afterword and the Acknowledgements. Katherine Center does it again when a drab woman from Texas finds herself in the Florida Keys hanging onto her job for dear life. She took this job creating a promotional video for the United States Coast Guard, without knowing how to swim. How much swimming could really be involved with interviewing and promoting the Coast Guard, anyway? When she meets Hutch, a man who really truly hates love...fireworks begin to splutter and pop. They fall in love with each other (especially Katie and Hutch's Great Dane, and Hutch's Aunt Rue), and Katie lessens her hate of colors (no more black tshirts for her!), and grows to love color, the Keys, and especially Hutch. This is the best summer read that I've read in a long time. This book is full of heart, will they/wont theys, and you really truly won't know if she survives (and if the dog survives) if you do not read this book. Do yourself a favor, pour something fruity into an ice cold glass, kick off your flip flops, and delve into this swoony rom com.