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Member Reviews

Although I loved this, it fell a little flat compared to Center's other books for me. I loved the plot and character development as a whole, but there were just some things I struggled to understand and connect with the characters on. Part of the misgivings I originally had were answered later in the novel, but some aspects of what brought them all to this point in their stories were a bit hard for me to believe.

3.75 stars - rounding up

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First off I need an Aunt Rue in my life! Rue and her friends really made this story so enjoyable. I loved our main characters romance story as well, but give me older ladies everyday! This was a swoon worthy romance with the perfect beginning, middle and end. This book reminded me of Katherine Center's older books that I fell in love with. All the stars for this one!

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I am constantly amazed at how this author can make a story so moving and touching and I didn't see it coming. I started this book and it really was a charming storyline with a fun storyline. What surprised me was how the storyline just flowed along and then all of a sudden you are so invested you can't help but keep reading as you tear up while reading this moving story. I didn't expect to be so invested, but the way this author writes just sweeps you into this world and you care about these characters way more than you thought and loving it. I couldn't put this book down, and loved so much about all of it. I was surprised by how many times I was touched and moved by the relationships, the story, the writing, it was beautiful and gorgeous. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down and yet didn't want it to end. This book was outstanding, would highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

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Cute at times but not believable. Too much will she, won't she, will he, won't he. I expect better from Katherine Center.

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Katie wouldn’t consider herself a “love hater” would she? Previously scorned by her now famous ex, she’s now facing a layoff of her position as a video producer. But her coworker Cole has a plan, all she has to do is profile Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a cost guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The only problem is Katie can’t swim, but she tells them that she can. The other catch is the Hutch is Cole’s brother and is a love hater. But she decides to fake it till you make it and jumps in feet first, what she doesn’t expect is to find love along the way.

One thing is for sure, anything that Katherine Center writes, I’m going to read! I love every book more than the next. I loved this book with its cast of characters. But what I loved most was the message of this book about loving yourself. We are the hardest on ourselves, our bodies and I loved that although of course there was a love story and a HEA the real love story was Katie learned to love herself and her body and there’s power in that message.

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Okay guys please don’t come at me. 🫣
I’m the hater here. It’s me.
But this just felt so…. Fluffy? None of it felt real. I think the goal was for it to feel funny but it just didn’t hit for me.
I also didn’t care for The Rom-Commers.
So truly I think it’s just me! If you like this author’s other books then you might like this one!!

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This was the first book I have read by Katherine Center and I loved it. There were so many funny parts and a lot of unexpected things happening: Katie gets suckered into helping film her manager’s brother in order to try to save her job, except the brother isn’t aware it is her who is coming to do it. She has many insecurities in the book and one is being in a bathing suit and on top of that she can’t swim. She also was in a relationship where her fiancé cheated on her, which didn’t help. Katie gets herself into a pickle once she goes to Florida to do the task to try to save her job.

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4.5⭐️

the love haters is a book that is more about the importance of self-love. you have to love your body and don’t look in the media at the models for what the perfect body should be. everyBODY is perfect in its own way.

Katie learned, Hutch helped.

While there was little to no romance in this book I did rather enjoy the plot and characters of The Love Haters. This story opened my eyes to what I might be also going through with my body.

this was an arc I received on NetGalley, I thank them for giving me the opportunity to read this early and express my feelings and thoughts about this book.

while this is my first Katherine Center book, I enjoyed her writing style and her characters. If you needed anything from this story it would be the story of selflove written through Katie’s journey.

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I’ve read and liked a few of Center’s books so I was so excited to receive this ARC from Netgalley. This one was just ok though and fell short of my expectations unfortunately.

While it’s a quick “beach read,” I found the plot a bit boring and it lacked character development. I wanted to love these characters but their chemistry was lacking so their romance felt off.

There are so many great reviews out there for this one though so maybe it’ll work for you…

The Love Haters hits bookstores on May 20th.

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

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The Love Haters follows Katie, a struggling videographer as she is tasked with filming a video of a member of the coast guard, Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson who had recently risen to fame on social media after rescuing Jennifer Aniston's dog. The problem is that Katie and Hutch are both self proclaimed "love haters" and are now tasked with spending all day every day together in order to film this video.

Overall, I thought the book was a nice, pleasant diversion. It would make a good light summer read. The cast of characters surrounding Katie and Hutch were colorful and eccentric and were a good offset to the main "love haters" in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early copy to review.

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💖✨ The Love Haters by Katherine Center is like a warm hug with a splash of sunshine and just the right dose of feels. ✨💖

When Katie Vaughn gets sent to Key West to film a promotional video for the US Coast Guard, she’s got one tiny problem… she can’t swim. 🏊‍♀️😬 With her career hanging in the balance, she crosses paths with Hutch—her boss’s brother and an actual real-life hero (yep, he’s a rescue swimmer 🛟). He’s all gruff edges and quiet strength, which makes him perfect for her side hustle: filming short docs about everyday heroes. 🎥💪

What starts as a week-long work trip quickly turns into something deeper. There’s chemistry. There’s banter. There are feels. 💘 But there’s also miscommunication, vulnerability, and some much-needed emotional growth on both sides. Watching Katie and Hutch slowly open up to each other is so satisfying—it’s that perfect slow-burn tension with just the right emotional payoff. 🔥✨

This book leans low-spice but high-heart, with Katherine Center’s signature blend of humor, tenderness, and hope. 💫 And while it touches on sensitive topics like body image and eating disorders, it does so with care, compassion, and a whole lot of grace. (Just a heads-up if those themes are tough for you!)

If you're into stories that explore self-discovery, vulnerability, and love that sneaks up on you in the best way—The Love Haters is one to add to your TBR immediately. 📚💕

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There is much to admire and love about the characters in The Love Haters. Hutch is dedicated to work and family and is honestly puzzled when Katie tells him he could have any woman he wants. He is sooooo handsome. Katie has a body shaming (her own) issue. When her cousin Beanie isn't around to talk her off the ledge, Katie is usually able to talk herself off the ledge. What a gift! And what a capacity for embarrassment she has that she definitely needs when around George Bailey the dog. This story is set in Key West and is funny, uplifting, romantic, hopeful, all those emotions we all need!

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I have been reading way too many serious and heavy books of late, and Katherine Center's The Love Haters was just what I needed to cleanse my reading palate. I loved these characters who had their own personal hang-ups and lived their lived with self-doubt. The humility was refreshing and the journey in self-discovery was delightful to watch unfold.

Randomly, this was the second new release book in 2 days to feature a houseboat after never having read a book that included one. I wonder if it is a 2025 fad, lol? Or maybe I'm being told to book a houseboat vacation AND to make sure everything is well tied down!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

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unfortunately having to DNF this one at 44% 🥲 i usually absolutely adore katherine center's books so this one is so sad for me. i personally found the fmc to be really hard to read from - there is a HUGE TW for body image/disordered eating in this one and i personally found it to be too much. The fmc herself i found to be really grating to read from aside from this anyway, e.g. she constantly described the mmc as the biggest/burliest/manliest man ever, and it got to a point where it drove me a bit mad. really just think this one wasn't for me sadly!

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THANK YOU Katherine Center and NetGalley for this eARC.

Wow, what can I say about this book? I was laughing, crying and feeling every emotion under the sun.
When viodogrpaher, Katie's job is on the line she takes an assignment in Key West filming a promo for the Coast Gaurd focusing on hero, Hutch, who is a rescue swimmer. One major problem with this promo.... she can't swim. In steps Hutch, who also teaches swimming on the side to his aunt's friends, The Gals.

Katie + Hutch = couple goals.

Without spoiling too much, I want to shout out the real MVP of this book- Lucky (if you know, you know). Lucy's cameo was such a wild book win.

I devoured this book! Could not put it down.

5/5 Stars. Favorite read of 2025 so far.

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The Love Haters is the perfect read for the summer! Readers will instantly love the fun and spicy dynamic between Katie and Hutch, and will be rooting for them all the way. Plus, Rue and her friends are a delight! Grab The Love Haters, a cold drink, and a chaise lounge immediately!

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I got this book as an ARC through NetGalley

This was a cute storyline mixed in with real life issues like body image, online bullying, and grief. I think the folks that didn’t finish because it was going down the “guy saves the girl” route with the body image issues, didn’t have enough faith in the author. I actually thought she did a good job of wrapping that up nicely with the girl who doesn’t want to be seen realizing how much she wants to see herself. And I loved the family relationship mentoring from her cousin.

If Goodreads allowed half’s, I’d give it a 4.5, it is a quick easy read with some lovable and relatable flawed characters.

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This was my first book my Katherine and even though it didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped it won't be my last by her.
I enjoyed the plot of the book but there was no chemistry, no romance and not really any comedy. They claim Hutch is a love hater but that's it, there's no why or how. Katie's body image issues being the only plot for most of the book was so frustrating.
3.5

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First let me start by saying the plot is good. Katie is about to lose her job as a video producer so she accepts a job from a coworker making a recruitment video profiling his brother Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. So she heads down to Key West and lots of things ensue.
But that was the end of anything interesting. There is no chemistry, no romance and not really any comedy. Hutch's brother calls him a love hater, but nothing about what she describes about him says he hates love. And, he falls quick, but there is no build up.
Katie's body image insecurity is exhausting. It was the entire first half of the book and then some, and it is her entire focus. She is all about herself and Hutch is an afterthought. Although she ogles his body the entire time, but yet has so many body insecurities herself.
The ending (epilogue) was very strange. Katie recaps every character in the book, but herself and Hutch. It just ended abruptly.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC! I really enjoy Katherine Center's books and I was so excited to get this book. But, unfortunately the book fell way short of my expectations. I just did not connect with it at all.

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A new Katherine Center book to read always makes me smile and once I get started, I really don't want to put it down!! Her books are always a wonderful way to spend the day and will definitely make you smile. The characters were very interesting and this always helps make a book better!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC!! Really appreciate it!

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