Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC early before the release!

The Love Haters follows Katie, a professional video producer who is about to get laid off from her job from work. When a coworker, Cole, offers her a job to make a career-making gig profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Hutch, she can't say no. The only problem is, she doesn't know how to swim and Hutch is Cole's brother- and they don't get along.

Overall, I enjoyed this! This book heavily covers topics of self image, self love, body dysmorphia, eating disorders, etc. While I believe it was discussed very well, it was a little hard to read at times and could definitely be triggering to those who also struggle with their own bodies- so be warned. With that being said, watching Katie learn to love herself was so rewarding and heartwarming. She is such a strong main character who is able to overcome so much in a short amount of time.

Hutch also grew on me throughout this story. He noticed all the small things about Katie, and was so thoughtful in everything he said. As a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, he started off a little uptight, but he quickly began to melt his hard exterior to let Katie in. I loved his great dane, and the relationship he had with him. I also really appreciated how emotional his family backstory was because it allowed me to feel closer to him and closer to the story.

One thing that I wasn't a huge fan of was the small moments where the author broke the fourth wall. There were times in the story when Katie would almost address the reader in a way. For example at one point she says, "Had you forgotten I'd have to do that..". While this is very small, it pulled me out of the story for a second and it made me feel like Katie knew I was just an onlooker reading the story? I'm not really sure how to describe it, but it wasn't my favorite aspect.

The ending made me so proud of Katie as she overcame so much to accomplish what she did. I also enjoyed learning more about the video production field and everything that goes into that! This was an overall fun read, but also one that covered many heavy topics. Thank you again NetGalley!

Katherine Center does it again! This time, with a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, a video production manager at a mid-level company, and a group of the most charming older ladies you will ever meet. The bulk of the book takes place in Key West, and if this doesn't make you immediately google "vacation in Key West," you must already live there or hate sun or something.

Unique to Center's books is the exploration of a deeper issue, which is why her books differ from the basic rom-com formula. In this case, it's body image. Our MC, Katie, has always had a fight with her brain and her body about what she should look like and what she does look like, and Center provides the perfect backdrop to explore that in her book. I felt seen by this, and I am confident that so many other readers will too.

This may be my only book I have rather lower than 5 stars from this author. Maybe I had high hopes. But I felt this love story was under developed. The chemistry didn’t feel built up enough between the couple.
Don’t get me wrong there were lots of cute funny moments that I laughed out loud and a lot of parts I absolutely adored about their relationship.
I just needed to see more of a built up between their relationship.

Many thanks to st martins press and netgalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Love Haters was so much fun. I loved the characters and the book kept surprising me with the direction it took. I read it all in one sitting until I finished it after 2 am. Like most of her books, this one features psychology research woven into the plot which served as an opportunity for me to make sure I knew content for my upcoming psych test (created a culture of appreciation, etc.). Definitely a good romance book to pick up if you want to take a break from the world imploding.

📚 The Love Haters
✍ Katherine Center
📖 Women's Fiction/Romance
⭐3.5/5
🌶️
➡ A life-changing assignment is exactly what Katie needs to save her documentary filmmaker career and she gets just that in the form of a recruitment video for the US Coast Guard and Katie is ready to heed the call of duty...even if it means she'll have to get brave and admit she can't swim, put on a bathing suit and train to survive a water crash. She's warned that the feature of her film, Tom Hutchenson may be brisk, grumpy and cold but she finds that he is anything but and they quickly build a connection. But when something severs their quickly building friendship (and maybe something more?), Katie will have to figure out who she really is in order to assert herself and claim the one she loves.

🙏 A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of The Love Haters. All opinions are my own.
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🎯 What I loved: There are always so many things to love about Katherine Center books and this one was no different. I ADORED the side characters in The Love Haters- especially Rue who is a funky, build-you-up, no-nonsense grandma type and George Bailey, Hutch's dog, who absolutely shined as the star of many scenes. While it took a bit longer than it usually does for me to get into this one, I really enjoyed the last 40% where there was a ton of exciting action.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: For me, Katie's body issues overshadowed her chemistry with Hutch. I appreciated her growth as a character and love that this was a balanced novel (half romance) but felt like something was missing as far as the romance in this one- the relationship continuation was even missing as its own feature in the epilogue. I think I also craved some sort of closure with Katie's ex- or at least a scene where she communicated with him because their relationship was talked about so much.
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Read if you love:
*half women's fiction, half romance books
*rescue missions
*self-discovery & reclaiming confidence
*miscommunication tropes
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See also: Next to You, Built to Last, The Bodyguard

A WHOLE 10 STARS!

Katherine Center has established herself as one of my favorite authors and an auto-read for me! This one was the most hilarious, but also heartfelt one yet! Chapter 11 had me LOLing

How’s this for a meet cute: girl who’s afraid of water, herself, bathing suits, herself in bathing suit and easily embarrassed, gets plowed over by a huge dog and pulled along the concrete pool deck…….then, said dog’s owner, the guy she’s supposed to be documenting, has to pull all the splinters out of her backside! oh man, talk about exposure therapy. We could stop here and call this rom-com “Haunches with Hutch” ;)

I have never been to the Florida Keys but after hearing about Aunt Rue’s
half resort / half retirement home set of cottages, I want to go! Sounds simply charming! Center’s writing made me want to up and go visit!

I instantly took a liking to Aunt Rue’s character. Her group of elderly gal friends was adorable, and Rue herself was so likable and charming. However with Katie, the body-image issues seem to kinda drag on at the beginning and through the book. Her fears, her insecurities, all of it. Seemed a bit much to me. She just went on and on about her body negatively, I would’ve preferred a character who was thankful for the wonderful body God made and the many things it can do—even in a bathing suit. Even so, Katie grew and was able to work through these things.

It was interesting to learn so much about the coast guard through reading this novel. What a unique plot idea! Something that tied into making this one so funny was George Bailey! Hilarious! And that’s a lot coming from me, because I am NOT a dog person.

The character growth in Cole was just amazing. And the way Katherine used his brother to mold and shape the character—was just everything! I was full on sobbing by the end of Chapter 22. Leave it to KC to bring such joy, unity and redeeming light out of a dark and broken relationship.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I adore Katherine Center so much it breaks my heart to have to do this—not that 4 stars is a bad rating, but she’s usually an automatic 5 that feels like a 7 for me. I was ridiculously happy that she chose the theme of self-love for her next book, but at times the message was so “insistent” —or maybe it was the way it was delivered, I don’t know—that the story felt more like a self-help book than a romcom, making me wonder if it had truly been penned by Center. That said, everything she always excels at was still there—well-drawn, hugely likable characters (including the dog!), witty banter, and a love story that sparkles. And yes, I still devoured it in half a day—thanks you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the advance copy!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This was a WOW book for me. I love the characters, and I am going to be sad in May when it's new to others...I may have to read it again.

There is a lot going on in this book, but that is what makes it great. The love, humor, self loathe and pity, hate, lying, shocking past, urgent present, and friendship all mix into one beautiful story that has me laughing and crying.

Synopsis: Katie has a lot to offer the world: she is witty, smart, kind, and beautiful. The problem? She doesn't realize any of this! Katie's self-confidence has been completely shattered when she was dumped by her newly TikTok famous tool bag--I mean fiancé. On top of her personal life woes, Katie is also facing an impending lay-off at her job. So, when she is offered a job to create a documentary video about a US Coast Guard hero Tom Hutcheson, she capitalizes on the chance to head to Florida to learn about his water rescues, even if she herself can't swim.

Review: This is a true love story with an important twist: Katie has to learn how to love herself first. In a world where social media seems to prey on women and corrupt their beliefs of beauty, Katie is forced to cannon-ball into waters of learning self-worth. The focus on a relationship with herself is paramount content for my fellow millennials who grew up with teen magazines telling us that a size 8 is plus-size and 1200 calories is sufficient. The same is true for young women who are currently growing up in a filter-heavy landscape. I truly appreciated this examination of self-love.

Finally, can a main character have witty banter with herself? Or, rather, with the reader? The hilarious rhetorical questions Katie asks herself indicate that, yes, they can. She was beyond funny, and it made me truly relate with her even more!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Katherine Center for the eARC!

The Love Haters, by Katherine Center is a heartfelt exploration of love in all its forms - romantic, familial, and self-love. At the heart of the novel are Hutch and Katie, two characters who, despite their claims of hating love, reveal through their actions and relationships how much they truly care for those around them.

Hutch, with his frowning exterior, and Katie, who’s learned to protect herself from emotional vulnerability, initially seem like unlikely candidates for love. However, as the story unfolds, they both show immense love and support for their families, friends, animals, and ultimately themselves. The beautiful contradiction in their characters highlights the complexity of love—it’s not just about romance, but also about the ways we show up for others and for ourselves.

Center’s writing is witty, poignant, and layered with emotional depth, capturing how love can be messy, unexpected, and transformative. The Love Haters, is a reminder that love isn't always easy, but it’s often in the quiet, selfless acts that it truly shines.

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

I’ve read a lot of Katherine Center’s work and it can be a bit hit or miss for me sometimes. Overall I do like this book. It follows the rom com format and having the MMC be a Coast Guard rescue swimmer is interesting and I like that it kind of kept the TV/Film industry theme from The Romcommers. What I didn’t love was I felt like the way the FMC was handling her body dysmorphia in the beginning felt downplayed. It felt like we were tip toeing around calling it an eating disorder which is what it was. By not naming that it made it feel like what the FMC was doing to cope with her body dysmorphia less serious and not in fact very dangerous to her health. While she does recover from this and we do see resolution on this I think it’s important to name these things. In a world where calling something an eating disorder brings a lot of shame for the person going through it doesn’t sit right with me to not name it for what it is especially when statically your audience is more likely to have experienced these issues. I do hope there will be trigger warnings at the beginning for these topics as well.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s my first Katherine Center novel, but it definitely won’t be my last. The writing felt like I was FaceTiming my best friend or reading a diary. I loved all the characters and their dynamic, the romance was charming, and the emotions and problems the main character was dealing with felt relatable. I couldn’t put it down! Thank you netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc.

I am a HUGE Katherine Center fan and I was very excited to get this arc from netgalley and it didn't disappoint. This was a solid romantic read for me and I found myself really enjoying the story and characters. I want more of Rue and her gal pals! BUT what I didn't expect was that this was going to be a story about the love/hate relationships that we often times have with ourselves. In this story, Katie has had a rough time with love and has found herself in a space where she barely tolerates herself. I like how Center handled Katie's self hate and helped her find her footing in her relationship with herself, along with finding love again in the world. I also really enjoyed the coast guard information. I didn't really understand all the things that are involved and learned a bit! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion. I can't wait to read what Center writes next!

This book is infuriatingly bad. I am *begging* romance authors not to write about serious topics (in this case, eating disorders and extreme body dysmorphia) if they aren’t going to take them seriously.

At 4.5 stars rounded up -The Love Haters is another feel good rom-com by one of the best of the genre. To keep her job, Katie finds herself conned into going to Key West to film a Coast Guard recruiting video with a real life internet hero and rescue swimmer, Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson . But Katie can't swim and the only reason Hutch agreed to anything was to get his brother (and Katie's co-worker who conned her into the project) back to Key West. Katie and Hitch aren't looking for love but their chemistry is off the charts. An eccentric aunt, her elderly friends, and a good boy of a Great Dane round out the background characters for a likable cast that moves the story along. The scenarios are all improbable but who reads romance for the realism? Not this girl. The story just gave me a renewed hope in happily ever after and left me with a smile on my face for a story that kept me up reading way past my bedtime. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I loved this! It was such a uniquely written romance with so many cute little twists and turns. It really has something for everyone and will make you want to book a vacation to Key West asap! There were parts and storylines that I felt were never fully closed and I could do without certain storylines that were introduced.

I really enjoyed this book it is right up my romantic read alley. I found it a light hearted easy read and finished it in a few days. I have read the romcommers by Katherine Center also and enjoyed that one too. Looking forward to reading more of her books. The characters were likable and the story line easy to follow.
I loved Katie and Hutch together and their love banter. The aunt in the story just brings it together and makes for a great family and her love for life and romance.
Definitely a great read if romance books are what you love. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it before it hits the shelves!

Our girl Kate is having a tough go at her job till a senior position coworker gives her an opportunity she cannot refuse to help save her role. Go to Key West, get away from the cold, don't have to pay for lodging or food, and have to be close quarters with a guy who saved Jennifer Anniston's dog who is also attractive? Ew gross who would want that right lol? The catch is when she gets there... lets say our MMC was not expecting her to be the one for this role. yikes.

Some things I wish were discussed more in the book was about healing more of the ED and self negative thoughts, I enjoyed seeing realistic thoughts in the book but it seemed at times to get washed out by a quickly chipper moment and I wished that would of been something more worked out than light quips here and there if its going to be a theme in the book. As someone who dealt with these topics I would have liked to see this more.

Overall this book was such a fun quick read but I felt like I was getting the tea of someone else's drama cause some parts were well quite reality TV show dramatic and I ate it up haha. I can picture reading this on the beach, it would be a perfect pick up while on vacation. The characters were charming and so easily likeable and love that the dog plays an important role.


Rating: 3.5 Stars rounded up

Tropes: No Spice, Forced Proximity, Miscommunication, Protective MMC

Content Warning: There is a lot of discussion of step-parental trauma about weight, negative self talk, and ED themes.


Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I want to start by saying I am so grateful I was given the opportunity by NetGalley to receive an advanced copy!

I love Katherine Centers books, and this one is a perfect reminder as to why. She does great story telling, develops the characters so you feel like you know them, and it doesn’t feel forced or cheesy.

I also think this book will be healing if you are someone who struggled/struggles with body image and perfectionism in your looks. The main character describes different points of their life where others criticized them based on their weight, looks, etc. Seeing her grow through that and fall in love with herself was such a great aspect to this book.

If you’re looking for a light hearted, binge-able, rom-com, that has substance beyond the love story, look no further!

Thank goodness for Katherine Center. This is my first experience with her as an author, I’ve been reluctant to dive into her books and now for the life of me I can’t remember why. Yes this book is a romance, and a hilarious one at that; but it’s so so so much more than that. It’s an ode to a woman’s body & what a rollercoaster living in your own body can be. Our FMC is so brutally honest about her turmoil that comes with years of hating her body & the repercussions that has with romantic encounters & life encounter in general. I think that was even more important than the romance tbh, not that Hutch wasn’t super hot & competent, because he totally was. I loved the journey to self love this book had, and the journey of finding romance that accompanied!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!