This wasn't my favorite Katherine Center book but I still enjoyed it very much. The relationship between the two brothers was a little condescending and annoying to me. The premise of what happened in the past coming back and causing issues was a weird twist. I did love the romance and the witty humor between them. Definitely worth the read and I'm looking forward to another. #netgalley

I am truly so sad for this rating. I’ve read a couple of KC’s books and enjoyed them, but this missed the mark big for me. The concept of the book had potential, but the execution didn’t deliver. Overall felt juvenile, underdeveloped and there was some problematic handling of certain themes I couldn’t get past (sexual harassment). Longer reviews available on Instagram and GoodReads.

Katherine Center always brings a certain charm to her stories, and this one is no exception. Her signature blend of humor, heart, and romance is all over these pages, making it a quick and enjoyable read. There’s a sincerity in the way she writes about love—as something messy, powerful, and worth believing in—that really comes through here.

Katie is a standout protagonist. Her voice is sharp, funny, and full of warmth. There’s a lovely balance between her quirky, lighthearted narration and the more vulnerable moments that give her character depth. Hutch, too, was a pleasant surprise—steady, kind, and quietly compelling. Together, they had great chemistry, even if their “love-hater” labels felt more like mild skepticism than anything truly cynical.

The supporting cast added so much flavor, especially "The Gals," who brought humor and heart to the story. Even the animals had personality—Center has a knack for weaving them in so naturally that they almost feel like part of the emotional landscape.

This book did have a slightly different tone compared to Center’s recent releases like The Bodyguard or The Rom-Commers. The tension ramps up in the final act, with stakes that feel more urgent and emotionally intense than typical rom-com fare. It was a shift that worked—it pulled me in and made the ending feel earned.

One of the more impactful aspects of the story was Katie’s experience with body image. It was handled with thoughtfulness and honesty, offering meaningful commentary without becoming overly didactic. Still, there were moments where that theme overshadowed the central romance a bit, and I occasionally found myself wishing for a deeper connection to the love story itself.

Even so, this book had a lot to offer—charming characters, emotional resonance, and that ever-present sense of hope that Center writes so well. The tropical setting was the perfect backdrop, and it left me feeling refreshed and optimistic. While it may not be my absolute favorite of hers, it’s still a strong and heartfelt addition to her collection. Fans of Katherine Center will absolutely find plenty to love here.

Katie, a video producer with no experience swimming, has been sent to profile Hutch, certified hero. Once Katie arrives in Florida, she falls in love with not just Hutch, but his eccentric aunt and her crew of older women. As Katie stays with them, she gains confidence in who she is and how she looks.

I am a big Katherine Center fan, but I didn't love this book. I enjoyed Katie and Hutch (especially Hutch), but I struggled to connect with Katie. The book was as much about self-discovery as it was about romance, which limited Katie and Hutch's interactions. This book did have the typical "miscommunication that could have been solved in one conversation" gimmick that is always frustrating to me. It was a fun rom-com, but I didn't feel very invested.

The Love Haters was not my favorite book by this author, by far. I loved the relationship between Katie and Hutch (and George Bailey), but the whole storyline with Cole and Sullivan seemed so....silly? I understand Cole needed to be part of the story to shine light on the reasons for Hutch's personality and the whole relationship with Rue, but his ever-growing tower of lies seemed like too much.

This is one of my favorite books! I loved so much of this story. I felt like I was somewhere warm and hanging with The Gals and Hutch. I also enjoyed the relationship Katie had with herself and her bestie. Thanks so much for the advance copy!

First I want to say thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin Press for the ARC of this book.

I sadly have to DNF at 11%. I had always heard of how good Katherine Center’s books are but this one did not hook me in the beginning. This book has lots of mention of -trigger warning!- body positivity, ED/disordered eating really early on. This wasn’t a triggering topic for me but for someone who doesn’t have the greatest relationship with their body it was kind of too much for me. As someone who likes to read for escapism and for fun, this book was not fun for me to read even in the first 11%. It’s great to have mention to these types of topics in books but to have page after page of it for me is kind of excessive to me. I just couldn’t get past tit as it was the entirely of the fmc’s inner dialogue.

For people who have issues with these types of topics I wouldn’t recommend reading this in case you get triggered.

Against thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the arc of this book.

📖 The Love Haters 📖

Book 16 of 2025
My rating: 4 ⭐️

In classic Katherine Center fashion this is full of laughs, lovable characters, and a romance. I really enjoyed the setting and learning about the USCG. Rue absolutely stole my heart.

Why wasn’t it five stars? The story was a little heavy on the miscommunication and body shame/self-talk which wasn’t my favorite.

Do you want to know my FAVORITE part of the book? It’s not a spoiler, I promise.

It’s the authors note at the end. Katherine Center gushes about why stories - specifically love stories - are so important. I found myself nodding my head and saying “you’re so right, Katherine”. I feel like it gives us a glimpse into who she is as a person and I truly adore her.

So, 4 stars for the books & ♾️ stars for Katherine Center as an author, love story lover, & the kind of human we need more of.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for my e-arc to read, enjoy, & review.

Thank you to the publisher for an early release copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center. I have read all Katherine Center's books as they serve as an entryway into Spring for me. I enjoyed this one and appreciated the delve into the world of the Coast Guard and the helicopter rescue. I could definitely tell that Center did her homework on this as the descriptions were vivid and quite strong. The romance part wasn't my favorite of hers but still enjoyable. This is a fun read to get you going from Spring to Summer.

This was a unique concept for a romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. I was engaged with what was happening and how the characters worked in this universe. The characters were everything that I wanted and I thought they worked well in the overall concept of the world. I was invested in Katie and the rest of the characters in this. It was everything that I was looking for and was glad I read this.

I've read and loved several Katherine Center books, but this is by far my favorite. I haven't been this engrossed in a book in a long time. I could not put it down. Katie is going through it but is such a loveable FMC. Hutch is actually perfect. But Rue, Beanie, and George Bailey? I would die for them. Seriously do not pass this one up.

Thank you Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Katherine Center does it again with another heart warming, sweet rom-com. I LOVED the setting in Key West and the bright colorful backdrop alongside the super cool coast guard job descriptions. It made for a fun setting for the book and made it even more enjoyable to read. Rue was such a fun character addition and I appreciated having her and the girls as side characters to the romance between Hutch and Katie. I do wish there had been a bit more closure in the end/development of Hutch and Katie as a couple, but the book was sweet and enjoyable so it still gets 4 stars for me!

Katie's job is on the line and when she has the opportunity to work with the US Coast Guard, she takes it. The fact that she can't swim is irrelevant.

In true Katherine Center fashion, this book is full of charming banter, wit, humorous situations, heartfelt moments, all topped off with a sweet romance. I loved the character arc for Katie. As someone who was a teenager in the 90s, I found her to be very relatable in regards to her insecurities. Hutch was a great MMC as well. I love the way that he was his own person while also supporting Katie as the main character. I always love a good octogenarian, and Aunt Rue was fabulous!

While the parts I loved, I REALLY loved, there were a few scenes that didn't sit right or make sense, and they really threw me. While I appreciated the strife between brothers, I really struggled with the bar scene and how everyone just seemed to be ok with Cole's antics. I also felt like maybe I was missing something about the helicopter scene.

Overall though, this is still a solid 4 star, read. I had a lot of fun listening to it and really felt for our main characters. While I did get a digital galley through NetGalley, I also ended up with an ALC and that was how I read this book. As always, Patti Murin is amazing and brought our characters to life.

I usually love Katherine Center's books but this one just didn't hit the same. There wasn't as much banter and comedy as her other books. It was a quick read but I didn't find myself laughing as much as I normally do. Even though this book wasn't my favorite, I will continue to pick up more of her books.

Katherine Center delivers another gem with The Love Haters—a smart, funny, and heartfelt romance that’s impossible to put down. With her signature warmth and wit, Center creates characters you’ll fall in love with and a story that hits all the right emotional notes. Perfect for fans of feel-good reads, this book is a joyful reminder that love is worth the risk. A total delight from start to finish!

Video producer Katie Vaughn risks her job- and her heart- when she's assigned to profile charming Coast Guard swimmer Hutch in Key West. As old wounds resurface, so does the chance for love in this witty, feel-good romance about healing and second chances.

This was my first Katherine Center book, and while it won’t be my last, this one didn’t win me over. The pacing felt off, and the chemistry between Katie and Hutch just didn’t land for me. It felt a bit forced and underdeveloped.

That said, there were definitely bright spots. I loved the Key West setting, the swimming lesson scenes were cute, and George Paul the Great Dane was the star of the book.

Overall, it’s a fast-paced read with a fun, summery setting- but not one I see myself re-reading.

Katherine Center books always seem to have the perfect blend of humor and heart-wrenching moments - and The Love Haters did not disappoint. Katie is a filmmaker assigned to produce a promotional video for the US Coast Guard in Key West and desperate to keep her job as her company is starting layoffs. And the main subject of her video is her boss's brother Hutch - who happens to be a swoon-worthy, kind, considerate, and gorgeous Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Katie is always finding faults in herself, specifically related to her appearance - and this assignment helps to push her way outside of her comfort zone. This book is highly entertaining, genuine, funny, and heart-warming - especially when you add in a rambunctious Great Dane named George Bailey who is terrified of thunder and who has a habit of getting over excited in Katie's presence and of course Cole and Hutch's beloved aunt Rue who helps Katie to push her boundaries and her love of color. Hutch's brother Cole was horrible and someone that needed to be punched - his actions were terrible at times and contributed to plenty of additional drama. Neither Hutch nor Katie are looking for love - and their journey to finding it is not always easy. But Katherine Center truly has a way of crafting beautiful romances while also delving into a lot of painful topics with consideration and grace. Definitely recommend! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if: You want to meet a hunky Coast Guard man!

Trigger Warnings: Body Dysmorphia

Overall, I want to start by saying this is my first Katherine Center book but I have 2 sitting on my shelf TBR. I really liked her writing style and am excited to read more from her.

I liked the relationship between our 2 main characters in that it didn’t feel manufactured. Yes Katie appreciated Hutch’s physical appearance but she also got to know his personality as well. I enjoyed our side characters who gave the book some comedic touches.

What I didn’t enjoy was the plot of Katie’s body dysmorphia. As someone who struggles with their own body image, I did not feel that the resolution of her negative body image was very realistic or authentic. The way it was written was very confusing and repetitive. It made me feel as though the author just wanted another layer to the character but didn’t do enough research into the topic to make it seem real. For me personally it missed the mark.

Thank you NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for gifting me an advanced reading copy of this book!

3.75 Stars for this one. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Katie is a film maker trying to save her job, and travels to the Florida Keys to make a promo video for the US Coast Guard. There she meets Hutch, a no-nonsense guy who is the subject of her promo. She is befriended by Rue, who owns the cottages Katie stays at for her trip, and the Gals who are Rue’s friends.

This story is both romantic love and self love, and I appreciated Center’s take on this. I would highly recommend taking a look at the triggers to see if this book is for you; these include poor body image, eating disorder behaviors and general negative self talk. Katie’s story includes a lot of personal growth and I loved the epilogue.

I really enjoyed this one. While a main theme of the book could be a massive trigger for some and hard to read, I think it's an important topic worth exploring, and the author's note at the end explaining the reasoning behind it makes so much sense. I loved that the book featured Coast Guard aviation and SAR, as my husband is a helicopter pilot in the CG, and I related so much to Katie's experience of learning about what this side of the CG does and being in awe of their work. I appreciate that Katherine Center did her research at a real CG station; you could tell she took care in getting the details correct. Overall, this had some typical romance novel arcs/tropes, but I flew through and always love the banter Center's MC have.