Rounded up from 4.5 stars. Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me, so I was thrilled to get an ARC of The Love Haters from NetGalley. While not my favorite book by Center, this story is very charming and has some of the funniest scenes I’ve ever read. The Com in RomCom is strong with this one. I also loved the body image storyline. The dog is a crucial piece of the plot, so animal lovers will love George Bailey. Watch for The Love Haters in May.

Katie heads to Key West to desperately try to save her job. She has no idea the family drama she’s about to be a part of but is quickly swept away by the people she finds there.

Hutch doesn’t want to be called a hero. He’s a member of the Coast Guard, he’s just doing his job. When Katie arrives to film a commercial about the Coast Guard featuring Hutch, he’s reluctant as they come.

Katie’s on a path of self discovery and Hutch is on a path of letting down his guard. Will their paths ever truthfully cross?


This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was my first Katherine Center Book. I was not impressed. This book was boring! Even for a romance novel, this was exceptionally boring. Truth is I couldn't finish it. Life is too short for boring books. 😴

“We’re here to be alive. To feel the sun on our skin. To breathe deep in the wind. We’re here to feel it all. To love and cry and love some more. We’re here to rescue ourselves—and everybody else—in every way that we can.”
—
Rating: 4.5✨
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Katie Vaughn takes a gig in Key West to save her job - there she meets people who remind her what it’s like to take up her space and to love and be loved, in all the ways that she deserves.

When I started The Love Haters, I was expecting a feel-good book about this larger-than-life man serving in the Coast Guard and a video producer with her guard up, learning how to live her best life. What I wasn’t expecting, was a book that would have me second guessing all my self-hate.

Katherine Center perfectly described Katie’s relationship with herself: an enemies-to lovers trope. To see this character going from wanting to be invisible to being unapologetically herself and exuding big main character energy was a healing journey in itself. I think so many people can relate to being at war with themselves and feeling like it’s just so hard to internalize all those positive affirmations and self-love mantras. But to see a character actually doing it and to come out on the other side of it had me sitting in my reading chair thinking, if she can do it, why can’t I?! And so I let yet another fictional character teach me something about life and about love.

On another note, Katie and Hutch’s story really was a feel-good one. We had a definite smitten like a kitten MMC but because of the web of lies being spun around the characters, this sweet man was all over the place. Oh what I would give to have had Hutch’s POVs throughout this book!! While I would have loved more development of Katie and Hutch’s romance, this book really developed Katie’s self-love journey, and isn’t that just as important?

Katherine Center also included fantastic side characters in the form of Katie’s soul-sister/cousin, Beanie, a great dane and a lady named Rue who absolutely tugged on every single one of my heart strings.
As for the setting, Key West was truly magical and felt not at all cliché, which was honestly so refreshing as the “move to a small town and finding yourself” vibe can sometimes feel tired and overdone, but that wasn’t the case at all here!

Towards the end I found myself literally yelling at the book and thinking to myself WHY IS THIS HAPPENING, JUST GIVE THEM HAPPINESS! But when I thought about it, the plot was pretty realistic and overall so well written.

I also just want to take a moment to acknowledge the sheer beauty of Katherine’s author note.
I re read it multiple times (oops) and I still can’t get over how authentic and true to the human experience it felt.
I think so many of us read fiction and romance, specifically, because of what she wrote about in this author note. So PLEASE please don’t skip it!!

Overall, if you love:
⛴️ Journey to self-love
⛴️ Loveable side characters
⛴️ The sweetest rescue dog
⛴️ Hilarious banter and character internal dialogues

Then this one is for you♥️

Sending a huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Katherine Center for this e-arc✨

Another Katherine Center book I truly enjoyed and will recommend to others. I love getting lost in the stories and characters she writes.

I’ve read two books by Katherine Center so far—and if I’m being honest, both have felt pretty underwhelming for me. That’s not to say this one was a bad read, but I also wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it as a great one either. Maybe I should’ve adjusted my expectations from the beginning, especially since the first book I picked up by her didn’t impress me all that much.

The Love Haters follows Katie, a video producer who pretends her way into keeping her job just to avoid getting laid off. Because of that decision, she ends up tangled in some family drama—mainly due to the strained relationship between Cole and his brother, Hutch. Along the way, a few lies are told that only make everything more complicated than it already is.

Katie. Her character was relatable—though only to a certain extent. There were moments when reading from her point of view felt a bit overwhelming. She was too much in her own head, and at times, it made the story drag for me. That said, I did appreciate her journey of self-realization. I liked how she eventually had her epiphany and chose to make things right—not just for others, but for herself.

Hutch. Yes, I get it. He’s dreamy and charming in that classic way. But honestly, some of his scenes came off a little cringey, even if they were meant to be cute. It’s not that I didn’t like his character, I just wish things weren’t as predictable as they turned out to be. There’s more I could say about him, but it would spoil the story—so I’ll just leave it at that. He was overall okay.

This book had a lot of potential, and I truly wanted to love it, but one of my biggest issues was the lack of chemistry between the main characters. They had their sweet moments—don’t get me wrong—but those were the only times I actually felt like they belonged together. Another thing that didn’t work for me was the miscommunication trope. It’s one I absolutely hate, and I just wish they had addressed the situation like actual adults instead of overthinking everything and letting it pile up.

Despite my critiques, I will say that this book had some bright spots. I appreciated how it handled themes like self-love, grief, and friendship. It may have been underwhelming overall, but I still made it to the end. Just like the first book I read from Katherine Center, the story picked up its pace near the end—finally giving me something to hold onto, even if it came a little too late.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

THE LOVE HATERS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

NO NOTES.

I have run the gamut of emotions with this book. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I cheered. It’s one of those books where you finish it and immediately want to start over and read it again. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and I can’t recommend her books enough.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

So this is my third Katherine Center book and we are now 2/3 for books I've really hated. The Romcommers pleasantly surprised me when I read it last year and then Hello Stranger was one of the most infuriatingly unrealistic books I've read in a while. Unfortunately, this one was a huge dumpster fire because of the main character's view/stance on body image and weight. I didn't appreciate how it was handled and it heavily influenced my rating of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25⭐️ Where to start on this book. I had all the emotions. It was heartwarming and sweet, it just didn’t feel as romantic as I wanted. I got into really quickly. Katie is funny and charming, over the top at times but in a way that brought a smile to my face. I found her body image issues relatable even if I found myself wanting to move past them quicker than the book did.

Hutch is quite dreamy. He is almost too good and don’t get me started on how much I loved George Bailey. 🐶🥰But the connection between them felt like wasn’t as developed as much I needed it to be.

Rue & the Gals were one of my favourite part of this book, I am ready to retire to Key West with them anytime. 🌴🍹

Thank you to NetGalley, Saint Martin’s Press & the author Katherine Center for the advanced reading copy. All my opinions are my own.

I love how Katherine Center loves rom coms and how much she loves her readers. I do truly get the sense that she writes for them, which is such a lovely and humble sentiment for an author to have.

I just didn’t love this one. The body positivity theme is super heavy (no pun intended) and just kinda wears on you after a while. Some of the fun or lighthearted aspects of this one felt silly to me, and the improbable ending was far too improbable for me to appreciate.

If you love romance and throw this into your beach bag with low expectations, you may be pleasantly surprised. But with books like The Bodyguard and Things you Save in a Fire this is a bit of a letdown.

Rounding up to 3 because of my love for KC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press.

I laughed out loud reading this! Katherine Center writes such wonderful characters and stories, I feel like they’re my friends by the time I finish the book, real friends that I’m truly happy for. I finished this book with so many good feelings in my heart!

Katie, at risk of losing her job, agrees to travel to Florida at the request of her coworker in a last ditch effort to prove her professional worth. Her assignment is to create a video featuring her coworker’s brother, Hutch, and once met sparks quickly fly between the two.

Overall this was a quick, easy read. I enjoyed the setting and plot of the story. The romance in this story felt a little flat for me, maybe because we didn’t get to know Hutch as deeply as I would have preferred. Katie struggles with her body image through the book and while I appreciated the representation, her journey to improved acceptance felt a little rushed and unrealistic. This book makes for a great beach read but wasn’t anything that will stick with me in the long term.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All views provided are my own.

This book was so fun, and a great summer time read! I would have loved to get more into her project and how that impacted their relationship. I loved the addition of Aunt Rue and her gal pals, they were so fun. The drama was there at the end! WOW, I was on the edge of my seat with some of those scenes! I felt like it was a little rushed afterward, though.

I find the title a little confusing becaue she's not a love hater? That was only said about him.

My review will be on Instagram May 1st.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this ARC via net galley!!

The beginning of this book was a little slow for me but after about 30% I was OBSESSED. The miscommunication in this book did make me want to rip my hair out but I feel like it really portrays what it’s like to unlearn unhealthy behaviors regarding your body and to decide that self love is really, really worth all the work!

Hutch the man you are🥵 I am in love and he just might be my new favorite book boyfriend!

Overall this was a really fun, inspiring read!!

I have nothing but love for The Love Haters!

The Gist: Attempting to save her flailing career as a video producer, Katie jumps at the chance to go to the Florida Keys and film US Coast Guard rescuer Hutch, who doesn't like being in the spotlight. He begrudgingly agrees to be filmed in the hopes of promoting the US Coast Guard but finds having Katie following him around is more than he bargained for.

My Take: This story has humour, heart, a delightful slow burn (non-spicy) romance and a fantastic cast that includes a toad loving Great Dane, a couple you'll root for, a gaggle of sassy 'ol broads and their wonderful community in the beautiful Florida Keys.

The strength of this book is in its characters and its messaging. Hutch is a damn fiiiiine leading male character and I enjoyed seeing Katie's growth as Center explores issues of self-love, body positivity, and going after what makes you happy.

The secondary characters are also well-developed, and I especially loved Rue (and her elderly crew). Rue is the person who is pulling all the strings behind the scenes (with a colourful flair!) as she patiently helps others find their way. Beanie, Katie's BFF, on the other hand takes a more direct (albeit long-distance) approach as she tries to counteract Katie's negative self-talk with a regime of nagging (with love). May we all have a Rue and a Beanie to watch our backs and lift us up!

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

This is my favourite Katherine Center book to date (with The Bodyguard a close second). It's an easy read that's a wonderful blend of wholesome, happy and hilarious that addresses important social issues, long-buried emotional conflicts, Mother Nature's wrath, a rescue and splinters in the most embarrassing of places. It's a story that will leave readers with smiles on their faces.

Disclaimer: Thanks to St Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy of this book which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

** This review was posted on my blog, socials, GoodReads, Indigo.ca and StoryGraph on April 17, 2025.

This story was fun. Katie & Hutch & Rue are such great characters. I wish Beanie had been in the story more since she was great. I liked the addition of George Bailey & the exposure to the topic of puppy mills. The build up of the friendship between Katie & Hutch was fun to read and then when it deepened into something else Cole wrecked it. Hutch’s jealous brother was pretty annoying but he brought Sullivan and I liked her. There were a few things that I didn’t enjoy. When Katie was talking to the 911 operator when the boat came unmoored she was annoyed that the operator wasn’t nicer. That person was sooooo busy in that moment & Katie was just chattering inanely. But…..did I love this book & was I grinning like a fool from the rescue until the end of the book? Yes, 100% yes. Katherine Center knows how to write a great romance book with some serious issues thrown in.

Thanks to NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Videographer Katie Vaughn has been burned by love and decides she is done with love. When she is put on assignment down in the Florida Keys to create a documentary on the Coast Guard, she is thrilled to find out that one of the main Coast Guard men she is profiling, Hutch, has sworn off love also. They dub themselves the Love Haters.

As Katie trains for the helicopter missions, she is constantly concerned about her weight in the heliopter, announcing it publically, dressing in swim gear and taking swim lessons. Having been ridiculed for her body her entire life, she is incredibly self conscious. Her best friend Beanie calls her daily to ask Katie what she loves about herself. Not really believing what Beanie says, it's not until a post from her ex goes viral and sends Katie spiraling, that she is forced to confront her insecurities. Hutch tells Katie all the wonderful things about her and all the things he appreciates about her body.

When a hurricane threatens the Keys, Katie sees first hand what her body is capable of!

I really appreciated the body positivity in this book. It was well represented!

This had all the makings of a classic Katherine Center novel, but it just did not live up to the high expectations I have from loving many of her prior novels. I would place this at a 3.5/5 stars and an enjoyable read if you need something lighthearted and easy to read.

Katie’s sent to the Key West area to produce a video on the Coast Guard and rescue swimmers. Only problem - she can’t swim. But that doesn’t stop her from volunteering for the assignment since her job is on the line. There she meets Hutch, one of the rescue swimmers, who also happens to be related to her boss. She’s living with their Aunt Rue, who serves as a quirky side character. Soon Hutch becomes her swim instructor to help her prepare for the video shoot, and her crush. But he doesn’t match the person that her boss warned her about, so that leaves Katie very confused.

While this book is classified as a romance, I think the romance elements were lighter than many of her previous books. The story was more about Katie and her challenges in accepting herself and her poor body image. There wasn’t enough build up to their relationship before the author quickly switched the story to include the miscommunication trope. It was at this point that I continued to read more for the escape the story gave me rather than for the story itself. If you are looking for a summer beach read that will allow you to escape reality, then you should be satisfied with this read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review.

Katie Vaughn is a video producer about to lose her job. So she decides to take a job profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Hutch. The only problem is that Katie cannot swim- nothing she can’t fake, right? Next thing she knows, she is dealing with helicopter flights, conga lines, a rescue Great Dane, and Hutch’s Aunt Rue. She’s also facing her body issues head-on and helping Hutch reconnect with her boss, and his brother, Cole.

Trigger Warnings
Body Disorder

Why Kirsten loves it
I love the crazy antics of this book, the setting of the Florida Keys, and the quest for Katie to come into her own. Hutch is pretty dreamy, too. But my favorite part was Katie learning to accept and LOVE her body after the shameful way she had been body shamed in the past. #Gifted by Macmillan

Vibes: grumpy / sunshine | found family | witty banter | self-love | grief

Katherine Center weaves fantastical story lines and magic details into her books. I always love stories with deep feelings and that contain layers of relationships and this one delivers on all fronts. Loved the side characters of Hutch’s aunt and Katie’s best friend. Loved the humor sprinkled throughout. I really connected with the complex relationship Katie had with her body and how she started working though it. The others note really got me in the feels and validated why I love reading these stories so very much ♥️

Thanks NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this eARC!