I’m always excited whenever another Katherine Center book comes out! This one is the perfect summer read. Not only does it take place in Key West, but there’s a houseboat, daring rescues, the character of Hutch, a hot Coast Guard rescue swimmer, swim lessons with the humorous secondary characters of Hutch's Aunt Rue and her senior Gals group, and a lovable Great Dane named George Bailey (my favourite character!), who is afraid of thunderstorms. As always, Centre's latest book is not just a predictable rom-com; it also explores important issues. This story focuses on body image, grief, and the importance of learning to love yourself before you can love someone else. (SPOILER ALERT) The lie scenario at the end is a bit overkill, but the book’s resolution made me wonder if the ending is true to the 'loving oneself' message …does a woman need to be rescued by a man, or can she use her own resources to rescue herself? Perhaps not as fun or realistic as the scenario that plays out, but something to ponder, which may be what Centre intended. Highly recommend any book by this author. Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review. A great read!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a fun, action-packed story set in sunny Key West. The writing is humorous and full of great visual moments. I’ve long been a fan of Katherine Center, and while this one had charm and plenty of entertaining moments, it didn’t grab me quite as much as some of her previous books. Still a solid read for fans of her style or beachy rom-coms! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I did not end up finishing this one because of the blatant body image issues rampant throughout. I have very much enjoyed Center’s other works and was disappointed to see that this one made it through without a sensitivity reader pointing out the diet and food issues the FMC has and how it is discussed. Body dysmorphia is not cured when someone gives you compliments. Plus the romance was insta-lovey and overall the editing inconsistent. The only thing cute about this book was the dog.

This book had a fun premise and a great setting, but it didn’t live up to the charm I usually expect from Katherine Center. Katie, the main character, started off relatable but quickly became frustrating with her overly obvious narration and immature tone. The romance with Hutch lacked spark and felt more focused on physical attraction than genuine connection.

While there were some entertaining moments and a sweet dog, the story struggled with pacing and depth. The themes of body image and self-worth felt shallow, and the resolution seemed to hinge too much on external validation. I appreciated the attempt, but overall, it fell flat for me.
2.5/5

I'm a huge Katherine Center fan so I was really excited to read this one. It has that trademark banter that always brings a smile to myself and the climax was awesome!

This was….not for me. I normally thoroughly enjoy Katherine Center’s books but this one missed the mark. The main character was SO focused on her body image that it almost took over every other aspect of the story. And while I generally love when lighter hearted books throw in a thread of deeper themes, it has to be balanced well against everything else and this was not. I really enjoyed learning about the coast guard stuff and the dog and that was about it. The romance didn’t really capture me. And overall I was just glad when it was over if I’m being honest.

Katie has sworn off romance—and now her career might be going down in flames too. Faced with a looming layoff from her video producer job, she jumps at a wild-card opportunity: a last-ditch, possibly career-saving assignment profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a heroic Coast Guard rescue swimmer stationed in sunny Key West. One problem: Katie can’t swim. And another? Hutch is the estranged brother of her coworker Cole—the one who pushed her into this assignment in the first place. Soon Katie finds herself in the middle of tropical chaos: battling her fear of water, navigating tension between two feuding brothers, and falling headfirst for Hutch—a man who’s equal parts devastatingly handsome and emotionally unavailable.

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Trope(s): Forced proximity, workplace, friends to lovers

My personal rating system:
⭐ Not for me.
⭐⭐ I somewhat liked (some of) it.
⭐⭐⭐ I mostly liked and connected with it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved it and it left me with that indescribable “wow” feeling. Would read again.

My rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved it and it left me with that indescribable “wow” feeling. Would read again.

Review:
I've said it time and time again, but Katherine Center DOES NOT MISS. This is by far my favorite of her novels, and I don't say that lightly. She keeps knocking it out of the park. I devoured this book in one afternoon. Hutch is just... a good guy. Plain and simple. And I loved how he was such a softy with Katie. But the romance wasn't even my favorite part of this story. It was Katie's journey. She changed so much from point A to B, and her anxieties and fears were so powerful and relatable. I felt this one so deeply in my soul.

The Cover: I wasn't a huge fan of it UNTIL I read the book. And now I'm like, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Well done.

My Favorite Things:
• Hutch collecting the "Mom" pennies.
• Katie saving the pennies.
• All of the Key West women and their adorable and (harmless) meddlesome ways.
• When Hutch came to find her after the internet post, and the women called to see if he had found her. His quote, "I found her" hit so deep. Because it felt like THE moment he realized he found HER. His person. GAAAAAAAAH. I melted.

I love Katherine Center so much. This is her best book yet and I love the way she writes romance. Definitely recommend this one.

In The Love Haters, Katherine Center delivers another heartwarming, emotionally layered romance that blends wit, vulnerability, and resilience. The novel follows a protagonist caught between the comfort of cynicism and the terrifying hope of love. With Center’s signature charm and empathy, the story unfolds with authenticity, exploring how grief, fear, and past heartbreaks shape the way we guard our hearts.

What makes this book shine is the complexity of the characters. The heroine is strong yet wounded, relatable yet full of surprises. Her journey—filled with sharp banter, unexpected connection, and emotional growth—is deeply satisfying. The male lead is equally nuanced, offering both romantic tension and emotional depth.

Center masterfully balances humor with heartfelt insight, creating moments that are both laugh-out-loud funny and achingly real. The Love Haters doesn’t just explore falling in love—it celebrates choosing love, even when it's hard. It’s an uplifting, engaging read that will resonate with anyone who’s ever been afraid to risk their heart again.

A poignant, feel-good novel with bite and soul—The Love Haters proves once more that Katherine Center is a master of meaningful romance.

3.5 this story hits all the check marks for the romance formula. Instant attraction, a big misunderstanding, heroic gesture and even a lovable dog. Katie, a videographer, is assigned to shoot a documentary about a coast guard rescuer. Hutch is the rescuer who has his demons from his own tragic past. Throw in a jealous lover and an eccentric auntie and you have a tried but true romance. her enjoyable, this author is solid.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

✨ The Vibes ✨
A romance that veers more quirky than realistic

📖 Read if…
✨ You’re looking for a book with summery vibes
✨ You don’t mind when romances feel a bit one-dimensional
✨ Hallmark movies are your jam

I think The Love Haters will unfortunately be my last Katherine Center book.

The Love Haters is the third book I’ve read by her after Hello Stranger and The Rom Commers, and while I didn’t ~loathe~ The Rom Commers, I really struggled with both Hello Stranger and The Love Haters. This is 100% a matter of personal preference as I know a lot of people LOVE Center’s books. I don’t fault anyone for this opinion, as I know she’s a great fit for anyone who wants a light and silly romance with some heavy emotional moments added for depth. Unfortunately, her style just doesn’t mesh with what I’m looking for in a romance (I need just a smidge more grounded realism to get invested).

I won’t list off all the reasons I didn’t mesh with this book, as I know it’s just a case of “right book, wrong reader,” but I did want to flag a quick content warning for anyone picking this one up. Disordered eating and body image are a large part of Katie’s journey in the story, and while this is likely something many readers can relate to, I felt like it was handled in a really flippant way that could be triggering for some. There’s already been a lot of discourse around this, so I won’t add to the noise, other than to encourage people to take care of themselves while reading.

The Love Haters is out now. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center’s "The Love Haters" is a charming and witty romantic comedy, ideal for readers seeking a blend of humor, self-discovery, and heartfelt connection. This novel artfully combines the lightness of a summer read with deeper themes of personal growth, friendship, and the transformative power of love.

The story follows Katie, a protagonist whose career hangs in the balance as she embarks on a high-stakes assignment in Key West. Charged with profiling Hutch, a reserved yet celebrated Coast Guard hero, Katie faces a unique set of challenges with her own insecurities about swimming and body image, alongside an unexpected attraction to her subject. Both Katie and Hutch carry emotional scars from past relationships and experiences, and their gradual openness to each other lays the groundwork for an engaging and authentic romance. The plot takes an amusing twist when Katie’s supervisor—who also happens to be Hutch’s brother—enters the scene with a fabricated dating scheme, adding layers of complexity and humor.

What stands out most in "The Love Haters" is the genuine personal development experienced by both protagonists. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, increased confidence, and overcoming fear is particularly resonant and inspiring. The novel’s exploration of self-worth, healing, and emotional vulnerability elevates it beyond a typical romance, making it relatable to a broad audience.

Katherine Center’s storytelling ensures that "The Love Haters" leaves readers with both a smile and a sense of hope. This is a delightful read that balances heartfelt moments with comedic charm.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

An average romantic comedy. I didn't love it, didn't hate it. I had trouble connecting with the characters and found the ending unsatisfying. Still, not a bad experience overall. 3 Stars.

Nothing gets me in my feels quite like a Katherine Center book. She’s able to dig deep into her characters’ souls in a way that vividly brings their emotions—complex, elemental, and so very human—to life. In The Love Haters, a low-level documentarian has one chance to save her job: get the handsome, camera-shy “pup dad”, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who saved a celebrity’s pet, to not only film a military promo video but also do her own “day in the life” series. Center tackles not only the love story, but also loving one’s own body with sensitivity & her trademark focus on kindness. An A+ read!

this was my first katherine center book, and the overall concept of the book was what initially pulled me in. video producer x coast guard rescue swimmer, a forced proximity workplace romance, fake dating and witty banter were key words that shined like treasure, and i was intrigued to see how it would all play out.

the hopes were high, some fav tropes / elements were mentioned and i’ve heard such incredible things about her other books (like the romcommers). though after spending some time with it, i’m sad to say that this fell flat for me.

my struggles with this book fell with the plot and the romance. i just wasn’t sold on it and felt as though the romance was a bit forced and too insta-lovey for my taste. there were bits that were too cheesy and just overall not feet kicks and giggles inducing (which is my fav part about romance!!! and led to me just not really feeling this one!!). the dialogue (inner and between characters) made it hard for me to feel a connection or even appreciation for them. i was annoyed and a bit aversed to some of them (especially cole).

however, in a positive note: i do think that the fmc was written with incredible vulnerability and emotion, and i appreciated that we got an intimate look in to her relationship with her body and her struggles. a lot of this can be quite relatable, though i did have a bit of a hard time with how much this took centre stage within the book. while realistic, at times it could go on for multiple pages and i’d get a bit lost within the inner monologue. i think that if it was handled and presented in a different manner (ex. in pacing and in writing), the element of a journey to self-love could have really shined.

at the end of the day this was a dnf for me. i still have hopes for the romcommers once i get to it, though love haters was unfortunately not one i could go through with.

thank you to NetGalley and and St-Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a quick read that was hard to put down. I enjoyed the characters, description of settings, pace of the story, and the overall whole thing. It was not steamy/spicy at all so don’t go in thinking there’s anything there, it’s pretty clean. It had a lot of good self reflection without becoming too repetitive or self indulgent. The characters flaws weren’t at a level that was annoying to the reader either. Overall recommending this book to everyone!

Katherine Center has been an automatic read for me for several years now, and The Love Haters is another fabulous book!! I absolutely adored Katie and Hutch, and the setting makes it a perfect summer read. It's funny and heartfelt, everything i expect from a KC book!

3.5🌟

I think this book is super cute and a nice short read. Going into it I was expecting more romance than I got, where this seemed more women’s/literary fiction rather than rom-com, which is what I was expecting based on title and cover. I felt that in the beginning there was a lot of time where it seemed the plot was being lost because we would be in the present then have a 3 to 4 page thought tangent to then jump back to the present for the last paragraph of the chapter. I think the plot was really interesting though and while I am not usually the biggest fan of insecurity story lines because I think it sometimes takes over the plot, I think Katherine Center did a good job of having it just be trait of the character and not a plot point/conflict that affected the story. Overall I think this book is well done and is a great read with a compelling story.

I mean I finished this book in one night…that has to tell you something.

Katherine Center’s writing to me is addictive, quick witted and full of detail. While I didn’t love this one as much as The Rom Commers, it was still a great story about the perceptions we have of ourselves and a PG romance to go along with it. The messaging is clear: we can give ourselves the love we think we should receive from others.

Katie is a production assistant for a company who does mid level promo videos. She loves to live under the radar, but she also got wind of the CEO making enormous job cuts due to her messy divorce. Her superior, Cole, tells her it’s in Key West and it’s for none other than his brother, the Coast Guard. Here’s the kicker- he doesn’t know it will be Katie coming, not Cole. Katie sets off going to make a video for someone who does not want her to be there, but damnit is he good looking. Cole has deemed his brother Hutch a love hater, but the way he’s looking at Katie may say otherwise.

This book is not your typical romance, it’s teaching you to love yourself and walks us through Katie’s phobias and her ability to do things like put on a bathing suit. It’s a beautiful ode to how cruel we can be to ourselves and the realization that there’s always time to fix that. Not much spice, only kissing, which is always a let down (lol) but I definitely liked this book without it because it was deserving of all the detail dedicated to Katie’s viewpoints.

The 4⭐️ rating comes from it feeling a little rushed in spots, I would have read about Katie and Hutch all day if you let me!

Perfect Katherine Center - if you like her other books, you’ll like this one. She has such a refreshing, matter-of-fact way of writing, interesting heroines, and great settings. The retirement community and all the delightful side characters there were wonderful, and even though the pivotal scene was a little too bonkers, it was super entertaining to read.