2.5/5

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I tandem read and listened to this one.

Katherine Center is usually a mixed bag for me—and sadly, this one just didn’t land.

Right from the start, the plot felt a little chaotic in a way that wasn’t fun. You know those books where things keep happening but you’re not really sure why? That was the vibe. It was like plot twists for plot twist’s sake, and I found myself trying (and failing) to grab hold of the story. I sort of felt like I was spinning out of control trying to catch the plot more often than not.

I’m typically a sucker for the fake dating trope, but here, it came out of nowhere and felt forced—like it was tossed in just to stir up drama rather than deepen anything meaningful.

Katie, our main character, was tough to connect with. Her constant self-deprecation didn’t read as charming or relatable—it just made it hard to root for her. And while I did enjoy Hutch, his communication skills were...not great. So many problems could have been solved with just one singular conversation. Just one. 😮‍💨 That said, Aunt Rue was a bright spot and I wished for way more chapters on her story.

As always, I I love Katherine Center’s authors note at the end. She always has good takes on romance as a genre and its cultural relevance. I just wish the actual story lived up to those reflections.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish! Katie Vaughn is hilarious, relatable, and just chaotic enough to make her impossible not to root for. Between faking her swimming skills, trying to avoid career doom, and falling for the grumpy, gorgeous Coast Guard rescue swimmer she’s supposed to be profiling, Katie’s story is full of laugh-out-loud moments, swoony tension, and genuine heart.

The setting in Key West is pure escapist perfection—sun, surf, and just enough stormy drama (literal hurricanes and emotional ones). Hutch is the classic love-averse hero with a heart of gold, and the chemistry between him and Katie is off the charts. Add in a rescue Great Dane, Aunt Rue, sibling rivalry, and some sneaky personal growth, and you've got a rom-com that delivers on every front.

This is a story about taking chances, facing fears (especially deep water ones), and being brave in love and life. It’s warm, witty, and wonderfully written. I couldn’t stop smiling—and I’ll be recommending this to every rom-com lover I know!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

I will read anything and everything by Katherine Center. Her characters always have so much depth and the love stories and hard, but always so satisfying.

I adored so many of the side characters in the group, Aunt Rue and all her retiree ladies, the Great Dane that was always causing trouble, they were all wonderful. I enjoyed Katie pushing herself outside of her comfort zone (having to learn how to swim and pass an intense swim test) in order to work on something great. I loved getting to see Hutch open up more and be more than the hot Coast Guard guy that rescued a famous person's dog.

There were a lot of big emotions and unresolved trauma in this book that each character had to work through. I would love to see some of these characters again in a follow up book to see how far they've come.

Katherine Center knows how to make someone laugh, and feel chills with her stories! I always enjoy her audio books because it help me get through the mundane moments tasks! Add to your TBR!

I loved this book! This author is a must read for me. I loved the cast of characters she created. Especially the dog, George Bailey. The writing had me chuckling at times and also getting teary eyed.

The two main characters, Katie Vaughn and Tom Hutcheson “Hutch”, both have family/personal issues to work through. Katie’s issues deal with food and body image. Katie shows much growth as the story progresses. She learns to love herself before she can give her love to another person.

Hutch is a dream. Who can resist a man wearing aviator glasses?

I loved how very minor details earlier in the book became meaningful during the dramatic and suspenseful ending.

“Do you have any idea how short life is? Even long lives are too short.”

“… maybe the most important eyes doing the looking are our own.”

Another great Katherine Center book. I love these characters, and I enjoyed being in their world. What a beautiful and thoughtful romantic story.

The Love Haters, Katherine Center’s new novel, finds ambitious Katie Vaughn reluctantly accepting an assignment from her work colleague to save her job as a video producer and hopefully promote her independent video productions. But to profile Hutch (Tom Hutchison), a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West, she must swim (required; she doesn’t), fly in an helicopter (challenging), and convince Hutch to agree to the project (impossible). Complicating everything is Hutch’s Aunt Rue and her “gals” who decide to get involved in Katie’s life as she stays at their residence and Cole Hutchison, Katie’s co-worker and Hutch’s brother. Soon, what first appeared to be an easy project catapults into multiple deceptions. Although the novel seems like a Rom-com, it deals with serious issues like body image, grief, and family estrangement. The romance aspect felt a little too fast and not believable, but also spoke to the insecurities and backgrounds of the characters. Learning about rescue operations was quite interesting and the humor made the book an enjoyable, fast read, but with less depth than other Katherine Center novels.

Katie Vaughn is still licking her wounds after a painfully public breakup with her now-superstar ex. Clinging to her job in video production, she reluctantly agrees to profile Tom “Hutch” Hutchinson—a brooding, camera-shy Coast Guard rescue swimmer who accidentally went viral after saving Jennifer Aniston’s dog. Yes, really. It’s a gig she needs, even if the guy barely cracks a smile and clearly wants nothing to do with the spotlight.

But life in the Florida Keys has a way of sneaking up on you. As Katie follows Hutch around for the shoot, she’s forced to face more than just her career insecurities—she’s also confronting some pretty deep fears about vulnerability, identity, and moving on.

Now, let’s talk about the real star of this book: George Bailey. This gentle Great Dane with a heart of gold had me grinning every time he padded into a scene. He’s the kind of dog you instantly fall for, and if you’ve recently watched It’s a Wonderful Life, the name will tug at your heart even more. Not far behind him in scene-stealing status? The Gals—a hilarious crew of cocktail-sipping, advice-giving retirees who swim together and meddle in the best possible way. Honestly, can we all just have a group like that?

While this wasn’t my top favorite from Katherine Center, it still absolutely delivered on heart, humor, and charm. Katie is such a relatable heroine—I recognized so many of my own inner monologues in her, and Hutch is just the right amount of gruff and good-hearted. And there’s one laugh-out-loud scene involving Katie, George, and some wildly unfortunate splinters that had me howling.

In classic Center fashion, this is a story about finding strength after heartbreak, embracing the mess, and learning to treat yourself with the same grace you offer everyone else. If you need a boost, this one will wrap you up in sunshine and second chances.

**** BOOK REVIEW ****
Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romantic Comedy
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars

I can safely say that Katherine Center is one of my auto-read authors, whether I buy her books, or I take them out through my local public library.

That's why I absolutely said yes to reading her latest book, The Love Haters. It was filled with the 3 H's: Humor, Heart and Hope. I loved the relationship with Katie and Hutch grow from a grumpy/sunshine to a beautiful love. I also loved seeing Katie grow into being comfortable in her own skin and accepting her body as it was.

The secondary characters supported Katie and Hutch fantastically. Rue and the Gals were such a hoot!! And George Bailey was the perfect sidekick for Hutch!!

I loved learning about the swim rescue process and what they have to endure in training for the program in the US Coast Guard.

This book is ideal for readers who enjoy witty, heartfelt rom-coms exploring self-discovery and chaotic adventures in sun-soaked settings, blending humor with emotional growth.

I received a complimentary digital copy of ths book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

As a longtime fan of Katherine Center, I always look forward to her newest releases. Her writing is consistently engaging, and her storylines tend to be fresh and compelling. The Love Haters follows Katie, a video producer assigned to create a potentially career-defining (and job-saving) profile of Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson.

What sets Center apart in the romance genre is her ability to build stories around specific, often unique, scenarios. In this case, the Coast Guard backdrop and Katie’s “day in the life” YouTube-style videos were particularly intriguing and added an original angle to the narrative.

That said, this novel felt a bit scattered at times. Certain elements, such as repeated commentary around body image and the subplot involving Katie’s ex-boyfriend, didn’t feel essential to the core story. I would have preferred a tighter focus on the training video project and the stakes surrounding Katie’s job, especially considering Hutch’s own layered backstory. At times, it felt like the book was juggling a few too many themes, and some scenes, including one involving bar drinking, made me a bit uncomfortable.

While this wasn’t my favorite of Center’s novels, I remain a fan of her work and will absolutely continue reading her future books.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Love Haters is an absolute delight! Katherine Center crafts stories that feel “light” but still has depth. Her characters are flawed but kind, the themes challenging/difficult emotionally for her characters and therefore, sometimes her readers, and she thoughtfully encourages her characters to grow throughout the novel. I love the romance, it makes me giddy and I never fail to laugh out loud through the shenanigans.

In The Love Haters, Katie is a budding videographer grieving an engagement breakup. She is down on her luck and going through it when her boss sends her on an assignment to cover footage for a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, or lose her job. Enter the swoon-worthy hero of the story, Hutch. From there, she meets a quirky group of eighty year olds, has to learn to swim, and encounters a rambunctious dog named George Bailey. Unexpected adventures lead to love, healing, and unexpected friendships. I loved this story so much and learned a lot about the USCG rescue swimmers, the ocean, and Key West! A great summer read!

I've recently become a huge Katherine Center fan, so when I saw an ARC of The Love Haters on netgalley I was definitely excited to read it!

The Love Haters tells the story of Katie, a promotional and documentary film maker who is asked to travel to the Florida Keys to film a promo video and a documentary about Hutch, a US Coast Guard who also happens to be famous for saving Jennifer Aniston's dog. Her company is downsizing and doing a really good job making these videos could be what saves her from being laid off, but there are two problems: the man she's going to film is apparently a 'Love Hater' with a difficult personality, and she needs to face her fears of a)swimming, b) wearing a bathing suit and c) (though she doesn't know this before she leaves) standing out by wearing a lot of colour. Once Katie arrives though, she is surprised to find that Hutch isn't quite as he's been described and spending time by the pool with some great friends and a hot guy while wearing a bright coloured bathing suit might not be the nightmare she thought it would be.

I love how complex and loveable Center's characters are, especially her FMCs. Their backstories, fears and desires are very well developed and easy to connect with as a reader. She also has RomCom figured out. The Love Haters is a slow burn romance, with no spice, while there are sort of tropes (grump sunshine, forced proximity, fake relationship) they aren't presented in a super cliché way and are merely moments in the plot rather than the driving force of the story. I loved this one and will definitely be reading more of Center's books going forward! If you're looking for a fun RomCom with captivating characters and an interesting storyline, I'd definitely give this one a read!

My only downside was that I didn't love the sidestory or subplot around Cole, Hutch's brother. I felt like most of it was unnecessary to the plot and detracted from, or overcomplicated, the main storyline. In the end that was such a minor flaw that I still felt this book deserved 5 stars, it was just a little thing that bugged me.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for giving me the chance to read this awesome book!

As a fellow Houstonian, Katherine Center very quickly became an auto-buy author for me. "The Love Haters" is yet another example of why that was such an easy decision.

I loved the dynamics between Katie and Hutch. I also found Cole to be insufferable at times and I think that really helped make readers root for Katie and Hutch's story even more.

I liked that their was confusion and chaos littered throughout the storyline culminating in a movie-worthy scene.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for selecting me for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start with what I liked, which was the breezy writing style. Right away, I felt like I could get into Katie's mindset and was ready to follow along.

Unfortunately, I had to dnf, and I"ll get into the reason why:

The story shifted to her reflection of her eating disorder, and it was incredibly difficult to read. I'd read other reviews that mentioned the handling of this topic, so I thought I was prepared for it to come up, but even then, I could not believe how poorly it was handled.

To give you an example, the main character literally lays out her eating plan (which was not only irresponsible but also boring from the standpoint of a reader) and mentions specific calorie counts over and over again.

As someone who has had an eating disorder in the past and still struggles with disordered eating from time to time, I can generally handle it being mentioned in books, and I'll grant that the main character attempted to reflect back on this time of her life with the understanding that it hadn't been healthy, but the scrupulous way she went about recounting every single thing she ate and every single calorie felt more like it was reinforcing rather than subverting.

I'm disappointed this one didn't work for me, as I was looking forward to fun summer romance.

I really wanted to like this book, but there was way too much going on. It feels like the author had plot lines for five books and she decided to use them all in this one book. The characters were flat and immature, and the lying they all did stressed me out. Not every character needs a tragic backstory. Add the body image issues that were pepperexd across every page and it quickly became clear that this book just wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Review posted on Goodreads

Thank you @Netgalley for my digital copy of The Love Haters.

The Love Haters was a fun, heartfelt read with some wild moments that had me side-eyeing the main character hard. Katie agreeing to film a Coast Guard promo—knowing she can’t swim and would have to do SWET training—was not bold, it was straight-up reckless. Girl, why?! That said, I did really relate to Katie when it came to her struggles with body image. Her journey to self-love and healing gave the story emotional weight and made me root for her.

Hutch was giving major grumpy, standoffish vibes, and the way he ran hot and cold with Katie honestly started to wear thin. It was hard to get a solid read on where he stood most of the time. And don’t even get me started on Cole—he can get effed. I was so over him and his lying face. His storyline wrapped up way too neatly for my taste. But on a lighter note, George Bailey the Great Dane totally stole the show. He was a sweet, slobbery ray of sunshine in all the chaos. This book had its flaws, but it still had that signature Katherine Center charm that kept me turning pages.

I've adored all of Katherine Center's books that I've read before but unfortunately this one was a little underwhelming for me. 3 stars.

Katherine Center never disappoints! I loved the development of the relationship between the main characters and enjoyed the minor family storyline as well. The ending felt a bit far fetched but it was still a 4 star read!

Katherine Center can truly do no wrong. I love her books so much and this one is just as amazing as all of her previous books!

I highly recommend The Love Haters to rom-com lovers and fans of auto-read author Katherine Center.

Key West setting, found family (consisting of huggable retired women), and a swoon-worthy US Coast Guard rescue swimmer–all a part of a great summer read. The background of the careers of the main characters is interesting. Known as an author of “deep rom coms”, Center also includes backstories of grief and the protagonist’s struggle with body dysmorphia.

I found this story pretty addictive and entertaining as the perfect rom com to kick off my easy, breezy summer reading. I especially love Rue’s welcoming character and the warmth in which she envelops the protagonist, Katie.

Be sure to read Katherine Center’s author’s note about love between family, friends, and self, as well as the beautiful power of stories.