My first Katherine Center & it will not be my last! I’m hooked! Her writing is so beautiful and the story had me hooked immediately. I loved how this was a romance about two people falling in love but also so much more. It told a story of a woman learning to love herself and I think as a woman we all need to hear that story.

I really enjoyed this one. 4.5 stars!
I rate a book on how it makes me feel so this was a complete winner!

Katie isn’t the first woman to have body image issues but hers are complicated by growing up with a negative and critical stepmother, and then enduring vicious online attacks on her looks when a picture of her and her rock-star ex surfaced.

Don’t we all engage in negative self-talk? Aren’t we our own worst critic? I think many of us can identify with Katie on some level.

Currently, Katie’s job is on the line, so when she is offered a job to produce a documentary on Hutch, a coast Guard rescue swimmer, she takes it. Never mind that she can’t swim, she will learn when she arrives. Desperate times require desperate measures. What ensues is often laugh out loud funny.

When Katie arrives in Key West, she meets the delightful Aunt Rue, her gal friends, as well as Hutch and his rescue Great Dane, George Bailey. Rue makes it her mission to make Katie feel at home and sets her up in one of her colorful cottages, while arranging swim lessons.

No surprise that her swim instructor, much to Katie’s surprise, is none other than Hutch.

What follows is a mixture of hilarity and seriousness. I loved Rue and her friends, and George Bailey, the Great Dane, completely won my heart. I loved the sense of community this group built in Key West. Rue in particular is colorful, warm, and inviting.

In this genre, the focus is on the journey and I enjoyed Katie’s journey as she faced her fears and learned self-acceptance and self-love. The focus on friendships & community was an added bonus.

If I have any complaints I don’t think Cole’s character added much to the story and I’m not a fan of the web of lies as a plot device.

But despite those flaws, I found this a delightful read that addresses some important issues, all while making me wish I was the one living in the Key West cottage and sitting around the pool in colorful clothing having cocktails with Rue & her friends.

An added bonus is learning more about the Coast Guard and the rescuers. The author did her research and it shows.

Enjoy life, silence your inner critic, face your fears, and enjoy to the fullest this one spectacular life we’ve been given.

Don’t miss the author’s note at the end! I love, love, love her thoughts and perspective.

there’s a high probability that this is my favorite katherine center book yet! i really love her writing style for rom-coms compared to other romance authors. romance is NOT even my favorite genre, but best believe i am going to read every single one of her romance novels!

i really loved katie and hutch, the gals, and of course george bailey. i immersed myself within this world she created and was sad to come out of it. katie’s coworkers and boss were annoying to be blunt, i feel that however was needed for the development of those characters near the end of the book. i felt like the story was paced pretty well and easy to follow along as well. i would recommend this :)

AHHHHHHHH so good. Nothing like a friendly broody hero MMC. I’d love to meet a Hutch of my own. This is filled with twist and turns and omg! Cole and Sully?!

Katie Vaughn is just trying not to get fired. She takes a job assignment for her coworker Cole about a Coast Guard rescue swimmer name Tom “Hutch” Hutcherson. How bad can it be, Katie doesn’t know how to swim, hates swim suits and has no idea the tangled mess she is walking in to.

I loved this book so much. At first I was worried with how hard Katie was on herself, but she really did learn a lot about herself and I think most of that is thanks to Rue. I loved the concept of the community she built in the condos. She and the ladies had me laughing out loud. Poor Katie couldn’t catch a break sometimes, but Hutch really was just such a great guy. George Bailey was also just the goodest boy!!

This book was everything I wanted from a romantic comedy while also making me take a step back and look inward. I will be thinking about this book for a long time and recommending to everyone!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

The Love Haters may be my favorite novel by Katherine Center yet (or at least right up there with The Bodyguard!). I loved this story and the characters so much!! Let me tell you...be prepared to swoon!!! Patti Murin is back with another fabulous job as the books narrator, and I hope she continues to narrate many more books by Katherine Center to come. Did I mention how fabulous she is?? Overall, I could write an essay about how much I loved this book and I think everyone should add it to their must read list for the summer of 2025! I can't wait for Katherine's next book!

Thank you everyone for this early gifted copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center!

I really love Katherine’s stuff—it’s clean, it’s kind, it can be swoon worthy and overall they are always good reads.

I did like this book, but there were a few points that missed the mark for me. The HUGE amount of talk about body image, while created a great topic of conversation, was a lot at times. I think it will hit home with the right people, and won’t with others. I also wanted more of the romance, I felt like so much of it was off the page.

Overall, I’ll recommend this book to people and my followers.

“Life isn’t a straight line. It’s always ups and downs. That’s just how it goes.”

In The Love Haters, Katherine Center explores the importance of self worth and the realization that loving yourself is a genuine gift that we so often struggle with.

Katie Vaughn is a videographer being sent to Key West to film a US Coast Guard training video. The video will be focusing on Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson a rescue swimmer and brother of Katie’s coworker Cole Hutcheson. Katie is immediately hit with two major obstacles: she can’t swim and she hates bathing suits.

Katie’s insecurities stem from two previous relationships and the cruel comments she was subjected to on social media. The wounds cut deep but the generosity of one Aunt Rue will bring color and warmth into Katie’s life. Rue and “The Gals” are such a wonderful addition to this story. They are fun loving widows who only want to live their lives to the fullest…I adored them.

As Katie and Hutch work together, sparks fly and Katie finds herself learning to open up and have fun. She even falls for Hutch’s enormous Great Dane George Bailey, even though his enthusiastic greetings keep knocking her off her feet. But when Cole shows up in Key West, with their boss Sullivan, everything falls to pieces in a hurry. Lies, misunderstandings, family riffs and a hurricane will further complicate things.

My biggest criticism of this book is the “breaking of the fourth wall” constantly by Katie. I’m just not a fan of this device in books. It takes me out of the story a bit. I think it’s done to add humor and perspective but I’m just not in love with it. It really highlighted the quirkiness of Katie’s character but it was a bit over the top.

However, this is still a book I found myself lost in, chuckling at, and swooning over. Katherine Center will always be a master of creating love stories that evoke joy and magic. The Love Haters may not be my favorite book by her…but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I started reading Katherine Center last year and became a big fan, reading several of her books throughout the year as well as attending one of her author talks. That said, this one is not a big win for me unfortunately. Center delivers the fun moments and witty banter that I expect but I personally find content featuring extensive body image and disordered eating to be triggering and upsetting to me. I think the typical Center fan will enjoy this as a quick summer read but not one that you are likely to revisit.

Ratings
Story Concept 3/5
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 2/5
Character Development 3/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

Katherine Center is the queen of getting me out of slumps. This book was magic on paper and I loved everything about it. My new favorite of hers!

In Katherine Center's "The Love Haters" we follow Katie Vaughn as she accepts a career saving offer to film promotional film for the coast guard. Easy right? Just go film rescue divers doing their thing from safely in the helicopter. WRONG! In order to qualify for the job there is a swim test Katie must pass, but of course, she can't swim. Enter, Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson. The very good-looking rescue swimmer she is to film. He'll teach her! Having been hurt by love once before, as sparks fly Katie must decide to choose her job or this incredible rescue swimmer.

I can honestly say that I loved every second and aspect of this book. The banter was so well written. The found family vibes that Katie has with Hutches aunt and her friends. Just so GOOD!!! I even loved the dog; he is a real match maker. And her best friend was so funny and amazing.
I think that what I loved most was the relationship that Katie developed with herself. It was so inspiring and really made me step back and think about how I treat myself and my body.

This is perfect for someone who wants a cute witty romance that also has some suspenseful stakes toward the end. Someone who wants to read about a woman's journey to fully loving and embracing herself again after doing her best to become small.

Unfortunately (and I am most saddened by this), The Love Haters was a big miss for me. I love Katherine Center and her books always land between 4-5 stars typically for me. This one felt silly in comparison.

Some things that didn't work for me:
-I felt as if I hardly knew either main character
-Katie, the FMC, made her entire personality around her body image issues and the fact that she couldn't swim
-Hutch, the MMC, was entirely forgettable
-the 3rd act "conflict" between the brothers was one big eye roll -- you're telling me that Cole shows up and says Katie is his gf and Hutch believes it even though Hutch is the one who told Katie about Cole and his ex-wife and wedding incident??? DUMB.
-so many things in this book would just never happen...for example 1) Katie's ex-fiance becoming a famous singer and making it big YET he regrets breaking up and wants her back almost immediately after cheating on her??? just no, he's famous and a star and i promise he's not naming a song after Katie. 2) Beanie, Katie's friend, always preaching about how great Katie is and boosting her up yet every time they talk Beanie brings up the ex-fiance even though she wants Katie to move on -- also dont get me started on sending pics of her ankles and talking about how she loves her ankles and ear lobes. WHAT WAS THIS?! 3) when the brothers finally come together towards the end, that whole situation was unbelievable and would never actually happen 4) the natural disaster and Katie on the thing w/ the dog. no, just no.

Besides all of that, my main issue is that these characters had ZERO CHEMISTRY. none. zilch. when they kissed towards the end, it genuinely caught me off guard because they hadn't showed an ounce of romance/banter/chemistry prior. it was so bland and these characters could not have been more bland.

way too much body image talk and not enough romance. this was not KC's best work and a lot of this stuff should've been edited out in my opinion.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

As much as I love Katherine Center, The Love Haters is probably her book that I have enjoyed the most. It definitely had me wanting to stay up all night reading and kept thinking about during the day. Hutch may also have ruined me for other book boyfriends.

When Katie is sent to the Florida Keys to make a promo film for the Coast Guard, she is in no way prepared for the transformation her life is about to make. In the videographer uniform of black pants, black t-shirt, she runs smack into the bright colors, friendly souls and outdoor lifestyle of Key West. Her job initially gets easier when she meets the subject of the film, Hutch. But then it gets much, much harder as she finds herself stuck in a complicated relationship dynamic between Hutch and his brother, who just happens to be her superior at work who sent her to make the video.

Katie's delightfully pushy best friend / cousin is the BFF we all need - helping to move Katie into a place of both openness and acceptance that ultimately pays off in her strength and authenticity. It's a fantastic woman's journey that is told in an honest and relatable way. But this is no quiet romance. There is so much adventure and excitement and suspense built into this story, along with moments of sadness and out-loud laughter. It really is a fantastic read.

Such a lovely, joy filled book! I can't help but smile through a Katherine Center novel, and The Love Haters was no different. I've read all but 2 of her books, and this is definitely one of my absolute favorites by her!

This one was just not for me 😭 I had quite a few problems with the story that made me feel “meh” about it but then it just started getting veryyy over the top.

🛟No famous ex-fiance is going to turn around and publicly state he shouldn’t have dumped you, then write a song about you and give the title YOUR FIRST NAME. that just won’t happen I’m sorry and no he’s not pining over her that publicly that is just so unrealistic. Fiction can only account for so much disconnect from reality.
🛟the best friend was all “you’re beautiful your ex never deserved you!!” Then turns around and brings up the ex in EVERY SINGLE CONVERSATION TO KATIE?? I’m confused.
🛟After spending all this time together, Hutch never once thought it was weird Katie never mentioned she was ‘dating his brother’??? After Hutch was the one who told her about Cole’s DIVORCE from the ex that wanted to “switch brothers”? No man with an ounce of dignity would have a). still married that woman and b). proceeded to hate his brother for the situation. HOW did he not find it weird that Katie and Cole apparently never talked about anything??
🛟Giving the dog an extra 10 pounds so she doesn’t have to tell a search and rescue operator her real weight was….a choice. BUT LOL then basically like 20 mins later has decided she loves her body all of a sudden?
🛟The thing that made her love her body was……a hurricane…………..?
🛟Waits for a forgettable amount of time (it could have been mins or days I do not remember) on a sinking boat for search and rescue and the second she hears the helicopter — BAM the pontoon deflates. This defies ALL PHYSICS.
🛟Now I’m no search and rescue expert, but call me crazy I cannot imagine they would save the dog first. Over a human. At LEAST they’d find a way to save both at the same time (since the operator knew it was her and a Great Dane!!!!!!!! Not a handheld chihuahua or something) but my god no one would go save the dog and leave the human treading water in the ACTUAL OCEAN until they get the dog to safety.
🛟There was no romance anywhere to be found. I felt more chemistry between Katie and the frog on the pontoon.

If you loved/liked this book, I am truly happy for you because I wanted to love it so badly. I have not gotten a lot of sleep this week and am probably taking it out on this review and for that I’m sorry. This one was my first real miss with KC and I’m majorly bummed this didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy and to Macmillan for the free audiobook! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book - perfect to pick up for an easy, romance read, while still addressing some real challenges in the world (body image, family comparisons). I wasn't expecting some of the drama that was included, and really did enjoy the unexpected pieces of this read. I felt a bit left hanging at the end (maybe room for a follow up on what has happened????)

In order to keep her job at as a video producer, Katie has to flub a few details (most prevalent that she can’t swim) to interview Coast Guard hero, Tom “Hutch” Hutchinson, in Key West for a recruitment video. The one orchestrating this is Katie’s coworker and Hutch’s brother, Cole, who is feuding with him.

But while Hutch is perfect for the camera (despite his interview skills leaving more to be desired), the job is messier than Katie expected. She finds herself growing close to Hutch and Cole’s Aunt Rue and Hutch’s Great Dane, and…Hutch. Struggling to let go of her own insecurities, Katie attempts to let a chance at love in, only for Cole to show up and wreak havoc with the tentative bond between her and Hutch.

This was a fun book and very informative at parts regarding the Coast Guard and its procedures. I found the miscommunication part to be annoying and wanted to punch Cole in the face. The last conflict of the book seemed absolutely wild to me, I didn’t hate it but it was definitely unexpected. Overall, not my favorite of hers but still a good time and one I read very quickly!

I have loved all the KC books I've read, so I literally jumped up and down when I saw I was approved by Netgalley for a digital ARC (and thank you for that, Netgalley!). I felt so special.

And I raced through this book in a day - it has some wonderful parts (especially Aunt Rue - she's THE BEST). But the constant body image stuff was really hard for me - I'm not saying it doesn't exist or shouldn't be written about/explored/confronted, and it was a purposefully crafted love story about loving one's self - but it was romance light in that regard, and just didn't hit the mark for me.

I really enjoyed this one! It was fun and frothy, with some emotionally vulnerable portions but still so lighthearted. George Bailey wins best supporting character. :-)

I hope this becomes a movie adaptation; it would be really fun.

3.5 stars. I really love Katherine Center's books. This one, however, left me torn. There are parts of this book that I really loved and parts (mainly the middle section of the book) where I found myself being really bored. I didn't connect with either of the main characters and I felt that they lacked any sort of chemistry. 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book!