I fell in love with Katherine Center's writing a few years ago and this one did not disappoint! Good characters, great story line, I couldn't put it down!

A Katherine center book is not only a heartwarming, amazing story, but it’s also the best life lesson you didn’t even know you needed.

When I finish one of her books I sit in awe of the beautiful, wonderful writing. I can’t stop thinking about the amazing lesson this author is trying to tell us. In this one, she taught me that life is too short not to love yourself. Loving yourself is the most important thing because we are all worth loving!

The character growth was perfect. I loved the tension between the characters. The conflict kept me reading from start to finish! There was humor and heart exploding from this book. There wasn’t anything I didn’t love about this book. If you want to laugh, cry and feel all the feels then I highly recommend this story!!!
I received this audiobook from St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. Katie has a choice to lose her producing job or profile a heroic Coast Guard officer, and tag along. The problem is, she can't swim when she agrees to this assignment. Along the way, she falls in love, fosters a friendship with said hero's aunt, and risks her life in a hurricane to save a Great Dane. This is a light read, and thoroughly engaging.

Heart, Humor, and a Dog You’ll Never Forget!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely loved this one by Katherine Center. The characters pulled me in right away, and I really enjoyed how their lives all became so connected. But the true MVP? George Bailey the Great Dane—completely stole my heart.

The author’s note at the end was beautiful. It perfectly explained why stories matter and reminded me exactly why I love reading.

A warm, heartfelt read with just the right mix of emotion and fun. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors so I was excited to get approved for this one.

Katie is a documentary filmmaker who is hired to make a promo video for the US Coast Guard. She's trying really hard not to get laid off but she doesn't know how to swim and doesn't even own a swimsuit. She travels to Key West and start swim lessons with a very attractive US coast guard swimmer and the subject of her documentary.

I knew nothing about the US Coast Guard going into this book so I felt like I learned a little something, which is the common thread with all of her books. I felt like it dragged a little bit in the middle but the ending was pretty thrilling. The dog was one of my favorite characters and I loved his name, George Bailey 🫶 I don't think this was my absolute favorite of hers but it was still solid.

I love Katherine Center’s books and the first half felt true to her but once I got into the second half I had to dnf. The main struggle the FMC was dealing with was not done well, things felt wild and I just didn’t care to finish. Will keep reading her books in the future though, this just wasn’t for me!

It's not often I DNF an ARC, but I simply have to with this book. I have reached the 19% mark, and thought that I could make it through. But the continuous references to the main character's weight and body image issues has simply become too much, and is starting to make me feel very comfortable. I trust that many readers will love this book, unfortunately I am not one of them this time.

This was a fun summer romance book! I really enjoyed Katie & Hutch's relationship and it was my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed the setting a ton and I think this is a great book to read at the beach or by the pool!

Thank you to St. Martins Press, netgalley, for providing me a copy of Katherines Centers latest book. Katherine Center is one of my must read authors, her books give me the escape from reality. Katherine's Center newest book comes out in May it is a romance book with not that much spice. Katie job has layoffs in the future in order to save her job she has to travel to key west to do a photo shoot of a rescue swimmer. This book had characters that will keep you engaged with their story lines with the twist and turns. I enjoyed this book and the characters and I can not wait to read my next Katherine center book.

The Love Haters was an absolute roller coaster ride! Picture this: I’m up past midnight, laughing out loud one moment, then crying and gasping the next, with my feet kicking in the air. Katherine Center has done it again, crafting an incredible romance filled with beautiful, complex characters that you’ll feel utterly connected to.
Katie, our main character, was such a breath of fresh air. The way the book was written made it feel like she was right there talking to me, pulling me deep into the story. I could relate to her fears and worries on so many levels, which made my reading experience even more personal. And can we talk about body positivity? I loved how that was woven into the story. So many of us girls, including me, have struggled with body image at some point, and it was refreshing to see that represented.
Hutch? Wow. He’s the definition of perfectly imperfect. I can’t forget about George Bailey either—such a lovely character! And Rue and Beanie? I definitely need a Beanie in my life; she’s just that awesome.
I also loved diving into the world of rescue swimmers and the Coast Guard. You can really tell Katherine did her homework, and it shows how much she genuinely cares about this story.
Honestly, it’s tough to put into words just how much I adored this book, but let me say this: it’s beautiful. It strikes the perfect balance of romance, drama, and fun, making it utterly compelling and special. If you’re already a fan of Katherine Center's work, you absolutely can’t miss this one. And if you haven’t read any of her books yet, do yourself a huge favor and grab this one ASAP—you won’t regret it!

I have enjoyed most of Katherine Center's books and while this wasn't a favorite I still enjoyed it. It was a bit too predictable to bump it up into the 4's for me, but still a solid read.

Katherine Center always writes a funny, crazy, wild romance! Katie is sent to Florida to film a promotional video for the coast guard by her coworker, Cole, in hopes to save her job. Hutch works for the coast guard and has agreed to this in hopes to repair his relationship with his brother Cole. As Katie works with Hutch to get shots for video they get to know each other. Lots of fun characters and crazy shenanigans occur along the ride. A fun enjoyable read!

I would give this book more of a 3.5 but I'm rounding up to a 4 :)

I quite enjoyed this book. I thought many parts of it were cute and funny. I can't exactly pinpoint what I didn't like about it but there was something that wasn't quite my cup of tea. However, I didn't hate the book and thought it was a cute little rom-com.

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center, but this book didn’t hit for me.

There were too many plot elements and some of them did not mesh with the arc of the story. Confronting body image issues because you have to work with the Coast guard..that works. The famous ex..a bridge too far. A tragic backstory keeping emotionally stunted brothers apart..makes sense. A fake dating scheme for job security/revenge/secret keeping..too much!

I needed more romance. What was here was fine, but it got drowned (pun intended) out by all the other competing elements. Also, I don’t think either of the MCs, at any part of the story, actually hate love.

Katherine Center's upcoming novel is the rom-commiest rom-com to ever rom-com in the best possible way. I finished it in less than 24 hours, stayed up way too late reading it, and changed my morning plans so I could finish reading it. And now I'm a little bit mad at myself for that, because it's over. I'm not ready for it to be over. I loved being in this world.

Shortly after becoming engaged, video producer Katie is jilted by her fiancé after his singer-songwriter career takes off. A year later, her company has announced layoffs are imminent when her supervisor, Cole, offers her an assignment that could save her job: go to Key West and film a recruitment video for the Coast Guard. The subject is an unbearably perfect, unattainably handsome rescuer fondly known by the internet as Pup Daddy since he saved Jennifer Aniston's dog from a cliff face. He also happens to be Cole's brother, who Cole is avoiding.

Katie is suspicious of Cole's motives, but packs her bags and heads to Key West in an effort to save her job. There's just one teeny, tiny problem: Katie doesn't know how to swim, and to go up in the helicopter to film, she has to pass a simulation that involves swimming from a helicopter that has been flipped upside down in the water. Thankfully, the internet's favorite Pup Daddy (AKA Cole's brother, Hutch) is there to give her swimming lessons.

What was it about this novel that so enraptured me? Was it Katie's relatable, if troubled, relationship with her body? Hutch's gentle giant Great Dane, George Bailey? Beanie, Katie's cousin, whose self-help obsession manifests to coach Katie through her phobias? The healing journey, the cinematic quality of the scenes, the dialogue, the hijinks so hilarious I snort-laughed in public because it simply could not be helped? Of course the answer is all of the above.

But--on top of all of that-- this story has so much heart and depth. I cared about these characters. Every side character, animal, moment is so well developed. This gives each character, regardless of how much page time they get, a sense of realness-- they could easily be someone you pass on the street, or even fall in love with.

If you're looking for a delightful, enchanting story full of heart, humor, and of course a perfect dog, look no further. This one is imminently re-readable, and has definitely made my favorite rom-coms of all time list.

Special thanks to the author, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC such that I could share my honest opinion.

The Love Haters will be available May 20, 2025.

First, I would like to thank Katherine Centers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I have a friend who loves Katherine Centers and is always trying to get me to read her books. This was my first, and I really enjoyed it. I love a book that keeps you laughing out loud but also touches on deep topics as well.

Katie, our FMC, was very relatable. She has BEEN THROUGH IT, the last few years. In turn, she had some things to work through on her own. She had to be vulnerable and brave. We have all been there, right? Learning to stand up to that little voiced in our head that tells all the negative things? Being inside Katie's head in this book was a wild ride, she is HILARIOUS. Also, I also have a little "pie piece" in my right eye that a different color, so that was a neat thing to relate to!

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

Hutch, our MMC, is the literal definition of GREEN FLAG. He is the opposite of what I expected going into this story. He was kind, caring, understanding, gentle and a hot US coast guard rescue swimmer. Is that legal to be all of that at once? I adored him.

"ｙｏｕ'ｒｅ ｌｉｋｅ ａ ｈｕｍａｎ ｈｏｔ-ｆｕｄｇｅ ｓｕｎｄａｅ ｏｒ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ"

If you’ve read Katherine Center before, then you’re familiar with her quirky heroines, seemingly starchy but surprisingly approachable heroes and her brand of romance that is comedic and low angst. The Love Haters is exactly what readers will remember about Center’s novels. This one hit the middle of the road for me. It was more on the light end of romance than others of Center’s. I laughed, I smiled, but there are also more serious topics at hand here.

Katie is about to embark on an adventure for work with the Coast Guard and for that she must pass swimming tests and be dressed in swimming attire for a good portion of the trip. This book played heavily into Katie’s self-acceptance of her body. Her struggles with loving her body and loving herself were forefront for much of the book. The way she handles her insecurities isn’t healthy (and she realizes that), but readers sensitive to discussion of body acceptance should be wary. It doesn’t help that she’s faced with Hutch, the perfect specimen of masculine virility, someone whose job it is to stay fit. And for as little as Hutch considers his self-worth through his body, it makes Katie more hyperaware of her own. I think these are considerations many women have and struggle with, but I perhaps was not expecting this to be the leading foot for Katie’s personality.

The chemistry between Hutch and Katie is tender and believable, but I’m not sure I was as connected to them as I was to other characters Center has written. I was also thoroughly frustrated with Cole (Hutch’s brother and Katie’s work superior) who expects Katie to pretend they’re dating, and then later basically wants to auction her off to a room full of drunk men. Fortunately Hutch is the man to save this disaster, but I just didn’t feel that the reason Katie went along with Cole’s agenda was worthy. I did, however like the houseboat twist at the end and this brought back some of the swooniness I typically read Center’s book for. She’ll continue to be an auto-read author for me, even if this wasn’t my fave. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5️⃣
Steam: 🪭
Humor: 🤡🤡

Katherine Center has a gift for creating a story that gets you hooked and wanting more from the characters and the romance they get caught up with. The main character struggles with being body positive and this often takes over the story and takes away from the overall plot. There could have been less of this as it got to be too much at times and more of the romance or character building in other ways. I would love to see the story from the perspective of Hutch. Crazy at times, this story did have me laughing out loud or shaking my head. Overall, it is a cute love story that makes you dream of love and sunshine.

Katherine Center has once again delivered a captivating and heartwarming story with The Love Haters. This novel is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and personal growth, set against the picturesque backdrop of Key West.

Katie Vaughn, a talented video producer, finds herself in a precarious situation after a public breakup and the looming threat of job loss. To salvage her career, she agrees to profile Hutch, a heroic Coast Guard rescue swimmer, in the idyllic setting of Key West. However, complications arise when Katie's inability to swim becomes apparent, and she discovers that Hutch's brother, Cole, who assigned her the task, has a strained relationship with Hutch. As Katie navigates the challenges of her assignment, she also confronts her own insecurities and the possibility of new love.

The Love Haters is a testament to Katherine Center's talent for crafting stories that are both heartwarming and meaningful. With its compelling characters, engaging plot, and insightful themes, this novel is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and anyone seeking a story that celebrates love in all its forms.

3.5⭐️ for me rounded up. I’ll caveat this review by saying I’m a tough rater when it comes to romance books, but there’ve been a few KC books I’ve really enjoyed so I was excited to get this one on NetGalley. I probably should’ve read the synopsis as well, because as a veteran myself I often find the rhetoric about service men to be far more romanticized than reality (I get it… it’s a romance book…)

Katie is a video producer given an opportunity of a lifetime to prove her worth to the company amidst layoffs by taking a job to do a day in the life and promotional video of her boss Cole’s brother. His brother, Hutch, happens to be an infamous Coast Guard rescue swimmer who rescued Jennifer Anniston’s dog. The catch? Katie cant swim, her boss and his brother don’t speak, and Hutch doesn’t want to be famous. Katie finds herself head over heels and stuck in the middle of an unexpected love triangle (sorta).

There were many moments that had me chuckling out loud in this book. I enjoyed the witty banter and loved the dog. I found Katie to be a middle of the road FMC - she wasn’t helpless (thankfully!) and she took some big risks but she suffered with an over the top need for affirmation from others due to her internet-caused body image issues. Rue snd Hutch’s dog really steal the show!

I did like the theme about how terrible the internet trolls can be, and the damage that can cause to our self-esteem. Loving yourself is hard enough without the added pressure to look perfect in case the internet decides to judge you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.