Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. Below are my honest opinions and thoughts.

Another five star read from Katherine Center. She has yet to write a book that I have not absolutely loved with all my heart. She has this wonderful way of writing books that are so relatable and help readers see themselves in her stories.

I loved the relationship between Katie and Hutch and how the two characters helped heal one another, accept and love themselves, flaws and all. Some of the situations that they found themselves in were so hilarious but also led to those profound moments where they had to face their fears and be brave. Katie learned that she didn't have to hide herself behind black clothes and could enjoy bright and beautiful colors again.

The female main character Katie has body image issues that stem from negative media attention she received while being seen out with her ex fiance. She takes the online comments about her appearance to heart, starts wearing black and trying to hide her body while forcing herself to diet and eat under 1000 calories to fit societal norms. Katherine Center does a wonderful job addressing these issues in such a gentle, tender way.

I loved how supportive Katie’s best friend Beanie was of her self love journey. She has the brilliant idea that Katie use the Gottman method of appreciating herself and all that her body can do for her. She encourages Katie to make a beauty list of ten body parts that Katie loves about herself. Cole and Hutch’s aunt Rue was a wonderful addition to the cast of characters along with the group “The Gals” who helped Katie grow into her own and accept herself. I really enjoyed watching Katie grow and evolve throughout the story and start healing from body shaming and toxic relationships. I also loved how Hutch encouraged her and helped her realize her beauty.

The message of the book was so positive and healing and is something that will stick with me forever.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Katherine Center for an advance copy of The Love Haters in exchange for an honest review. Center does it again with another fun summer romance! I loved watching Katie & Hutch getting to know each other as Katie profiled him for her job. The addition of the secondary characters (I’m looking at you, Aunt Rue) added another fun level to this one and had me turning the pages. This one is out now and it definitely deserves to be on your summer reading list!

This romance was more frustrating than fulfilling. There were occasional sparks of chemistry and a few genuinely sweet moments. The self-image struggles were grating because of how it was handled, not because they were unrealistic. Rather than being empowering or complex, it felt clumsy and irritating. The plot relies on miscommunication and lies, which felt unnecessary and contrived. If the characters had one honest conversation, like reasonable adults might, there would be no tension at all in this book. The fixation on how hot Hutch was, complete with slow-motion-style reactions, felt silly. The dog was more cockblock than a wingman. There’s nothing especially offensive here, but there’s also very little that stands out. It’s another romance built on tired tropes, unconvincing tension, and not enough emotional or physical payoff to justify the read. It's not the worst out there, but far from a must-read. Consider me a hater.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this one.

This is my third book from Katherine Center and her books have always been a delight to read. I read The Love Haters after a slew of books that were dark (and some even depressing) and I knew this one would pull me out of that funk. Center's rom-coms are light, laugh out loud, and tug on your heartstrings in just the right way. Her books are an escape from reality!
The Love Haters had a lovable cast- I especially loved Aunt Rue and the other residents of Key West, and the dog really stole the show! There was surprisingly a lot of action in this story too that kept the story moving fast. My sole complaint was that <spoiler> the FMC's self-image issues were a very strong focal point of the story and and it felt forced and repetitive. </spoiler>
Overall Center remains at the top of my recommendation list for modest rom-coms (little to no explicit spice in these ones- I love recommending them without worrying about offending anyone). Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Love Haters!

Another incredible book by Katherine Center. In The Love Haters, we read about Katie who has not had it easy in life. She get assigned by Cole (her coworker) to go to Florida to make a video about Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and Cole's brother. While in Florida, Kate does not receive the warmest welcome from Hutch as he was expecting Cole to be the one making the video. To make matters worse, Katie can't swim.

As the story progresses, we learn more about why Cole did not want to come to Florida to work on the project about his brother Hutch and the relationship between Hutch, Cole and Aunt Rue.

Overall the story was very good; I was invested in all the characters and the character development that Katherine Center creates in all her stories.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Love Haters is a fun, easy read—perfect for tossing in your beach bag and breezing through on a sunny afternoon. Katherine Center delivers her signature charm and lighthearted romance, making this a feel-good story that’s easy to enjoy.

That said, with a husband in production, I found it hard to overlook some of the unrealistic elements tied to the storyline’s setting and career dynamics. Those stretched believability a bit too far for me, which ultimately brought my rating down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Fun and flirty, but a little too far-fetched.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center was a good book that centered on Katie and Tom aka Hutch. Katie decides to take a dive off the deep end and goes to Key West, but of course, this isn't without its own complications. While having the time of her life in paradise, Katie also has a dilemma to make a decision about. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Katie is a video producer who is about to be laid off before she lands a chance at a sure-to-be-viral interview with rescue swimmer, Hutch. What Katie doesn’t know is Hutch is adamant about avoiding the spotlight and although he will participate in the video production, he does not want to be interviewed.
The Love Haters has its moments, but it had several more moments that had me super confused by the storyline. I enjoy Katherine Center’s writing but this was not her best.

Katherine Center can be hit or miss for me. I didn't love this one but wanted to see what happened at the end (event though I knew they would end up together)

Katherine Center you've done it again.

Katie has to interview Hutch for coast guard recruiting or lose her job. However, she doesn't know how to swim, and Hutch doesn't know that she will conduct the interview instead of his brother. Getting over these lies the two slowly become friends and Katie starts to feel something more.

The Love Haters has all the right amounts of comedy, pining, tears, and romantic mishaps. I will read anything this woman writes.

Katherine Center is a reliable romance author. I enjoy reading her books, and her latest, The Love Haters, was no exception. I could visualize the Key West setting and the characters were quirky and entertaining. While I appreciated the body dysmorphia story line, it did feel a bit unrealistic at some points to force the story line. That said, I'll read the next one she writes anyway!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

In true Katherine Center form, this book radiates joy and fun, and belongs in everyone’s Summer beach bags!!

Read if you like a single POV RomCom with tropes of grumpy sunshine, Coast Guard, forced proximity, found family, and self discovery in the Summery Key West setting, with closed door romance (kissing only 😘). Beyond the goofy funny parts, romantic banter, and action, there are some deeper themes in context about body image and self-love that I adored and resonate with profoundly. Center really hits home with that subject in her author's note at the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review, I really enjoyed this Summer read! 4.5 ⭐️

Great book! Katherine Center is an author I am always excited to read. This book was cute and funny. I liked the characters a lot.

4.25 stars

Thank you so much to @katherinecenter @netgalley and @stmartinspress @youhadmeathea for my #gifted galley! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Just like this bop from @bensonboone , the Love Haters put a smile on my face and pep in my step! I loved the Coast Guard rescue swimmer angle and learning more about what the training entails, and I liked the emphasis on appreciating yourself as you are 💗

I also ADORE an animal main character, and George Bailey stole my heart!! I also appreciated Rue and the Gals, and loved how they helped Katie put her life and priorities into perspective 😍

I loved that there was a bit of romance to accompany the women’s fiction too.

Overall, this was a sweet read that made my heart and soul smile!

I’m having an unfortunate experience that I want to know if anyone can relate to: I was enjoying THE LOVE HATERS, took a short pause because the new Ali Hazelwood came in, LOVED Ali’s book, then went back to THE LOVE HATERS and now I am just not vibing with it and I can’t tell if it’s me or if the story genuinely kind of dropped off?? I was enjoying Katie’s solo story; but her and Hutch just don’t seem to have the chemistry / banter that I’d expect them to have at this point in the book (I’m about halfway?)

Book Review: The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Ok, hear me out. I love Katherine Center. Her writing is adorable, witty, and heartfelt in all the right ways. I always fall for her characters’ inner dialogue—it’s one of her biggest strengths as a writer, and this book was no exception in that regard.

The Love Haters had an interesting premise and started off with promise. But… it just didn’t land for me the way her other books have. The story was very heavily focused on the main character’s body image struggles. And while that’s a valid and important issue—one that absolutely deserves space in fiction—it felt like it took over the narrative at times. I found myself wanting more balance: more plot, more chemistry, more of that signature Katherine Center charm.

I’ll always be a fan, and I’ll absolutely keep reading everything she writes. But if I’m being honest, this one is probably my least favorite of hers.

The Love Haters has all of the classic and lovable Katherine Center elements, but overall missed the mark for me.

There was your expected silly banter, a meet-cute, and one of a kind plot in TLH. I loved the first half, but felt differently about the second-half which felt all over the place. The characters weren’t my favorite and it was difficult to feel any chemistry or reason to root for them.

Still will read her books and look forward to more from her, but THE LOVE HATERS did too much for me.

Absolutely loved this book! The chemistry between the characters was on point. Katie's body issues were extremely relatable and I loved her relationship with all of the islanders. Cole is a piece of shit.

Katherine Center does it again with a light hearted modern love story. Compared to some of her other books, I felt there were some plot lines that could have been expanded upon and others could have been cut down. Overall, a good summer beach read.

DNF. I really wasn’t captured by it, and I am usually a “3 books a week” person, but I am now in a big book slump and it might not even be because of this one, but I just don’t personally like this type of over-descriptive writing. I don’t like how the character talked “to me” sometimes, “the breaking of the fourth wall”. There were so many non-issues that I thought were dramatized and the character had so many “quirks” I didn’t like. Can’t say much and maybe the end is good, whoever wants to try it out, should. :)
Thank you, NETGALLEY, for the ARC!