3.5 stars rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this Galley.

I love Katherine Center. The Rom Commers was one of my favorites last year. I think she's got a real talent for banter, wit, and memorable scenes. The Love Haters had all these things. The dynamic between Hutch and Katie was funny and charming. Hutch was a great love interest—strong, intelligent, and heroic!! He had Katie and me swooning. Katie was a great FMC—she was quick-witted, motivated, and ambitious to a fault.

However, it pains me to say that this book fell flat for me despite these things. I think it's very important to be aware there are major ED triggers in this book. I appreciate when an author writes about a real problem like body dysmorphia, but this was too much; it took over the plot at points. The author did say in the end notes that she wanted a sort of ‘enemies to lovers’ outlook on Katie and her body, which I see and respect the hell out of, but I think this could've been achieved better. The side plots were too ridiculous and not believable. The situation with the boss was absurd. Cole, Hutch’s brother and Katie's other boss, had no redeeming qualities; his storyline was too cringy and unbelievable, making parts of this super hard to read.

That being said, I adored parts of this, too!! George Bailey, Hutch’s dog, was such a great comedic character. Rue, the quirky aunt, was Fab and fun and so fleshed out and interesting. The setting was perfectly done, and I think the ending was amazing.

If you like stories about finding peace with your body, sexy coastguards, and many flirty scenes, this book is for you! I can't wait to see what Katherine Center writes next!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This was such a cute Rom-Com. I love the main character and how she develops . This book is just as much about her learning to love herself, as it is about her falling in love with the cute Coast Gaurd. If you enjoy sweet closed door romances, than this book is for you.

I rated The Love Haters 4.5 stars and rounded up to 5 stars.

The Love Haters was an utterly delightful read. Katie has to go to Key West for her job to do a promo for the coast guard on her boss's brother. Just as things start to develop, her ex boyfriend and boss throw a wrench in her life.

This book was short and sweet. I shed a tear or two. I loved both of the main characters, Aunt Rue, and George Bailey. I will definitely look into Center's other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katie's company is planning a massive layoff and, as a newer employee, she is on the chopping block. When her coworker Cole asks her to take a potentially career saving job making a recruitment video for the Coast Guard, she agrees. The problem is that she can't swim. Which is kind of a requirement to pass the escape from an upside down underwater helicopter test that she needs to take for this job. The subject of the video is Hutch, Cole's "perfect" brother that he is not speaking to who happened to become famous after he saved Jennifer Aniston's dog. Whose hobby, according to Cole, is frowning. Katie's time in Key West takes her out of her comfort zone in more ways than one.

I am a big fan of Katherine Center's books but I think this one may be my favorite! It started out where I could just read a bit at a time before bed, but when I was about 45% through, I just couldn't put it down and stayed up all night to finish. Aunt Rue is an absolute delight and one of my favorite quotes from her is "And all the fun is in color. My wish for you, is a vibrant, bright, glorious life." As usual, Center's main characters are very authentic and come with flaws and insecurities that are realistic. It was easy to empathize with the characters (most of them anyway - like in life, some people just make it difficult to feel for them). I liked that the relationships progressed at realistic paces and didn't have outlandish problems. It's told from Katie's POV so you learn her insecurities and issues early on but learn the histories and hang ups of the other characters as they are revealed to her. Definitely read the author's note when you finish - it was worth my extra lost sleep!

2.5 stars

This story is about a woman who works for a video production company and is assigned a job filming a promotional video for a coast guard search and recuse company with a rescue guy who is basically superman. They have a whole dynamic

Katherine Center is one of my absolute favorite authors and I was so excited to be approved for this ARC. I usually rate her books 4 or 5 stars and eagerly await the release of every new one. She is an expert on writing relatable female characters, funny circumstances and just enough adrenaline to have you spellbound and she absolutely nails that with this book, like all the others of hers I've read. There was an early moment where the romantic lead has to remove splinters from her butt that had me literally laughing out loud.

The core of the story is great, unfortunately this one missed the mark for me for a few reasons that I found too distracting to get over:

1. Huge focus on weight/body image from the female main character. It came up so many times and felt like a real focus of the book and I don't find that to be an enjoyable topic to read about, especially when it was clear that this woman was super attractive and in good shape. I understand that the whole thing is that that's what dysmorphia is, but it was just not what I signed up for and is not referenced at all in any of the blurbs.

2. Secondary female character who is a successful woman in her 40s is an offensive stereotype of an overly sexualized boss woman/"cougar" with no other salient characteristics. At first I thought this was going to be something where a lesson was learned about not judging or stereotyping people. Nope! That was just this character's arc. At least she isn't punished for this, but it felt like a huge miss and was also very distracting for me.

Ultimately I still love Katherine Center and have read 8 of her other books very enthusiastically, I'll keep reading everything she writes, but this one was not it for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reading copy for an unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm ngl I'm kinda disappointed in this book. This is the First Katherine Center book that I <b>HAVEN'T</b> given five stars to.

The Love Haters isn't a bad book it does tackle some great topics and <i>a lot</i> of trauma, but I feel like having everything in this book wasn't the way to go.

For example I think that Katie as a character is great, but I don't think she truly belonged in this book bc although she was the main character it didn't feel like she was the main focus when it came to her life outside of the Hutchinson's.

Idk how to put this bc although her life as a whole made sense, with like, how much trauma she has from her ex and her step-mom creating her body dysmorphia and dislike for colors, wanting to blend in to the background and not be perceived. Because the only 3 things I can think of that fully relied on that part of her were Rue pushing her into bright colors and bathing suits (partly due to needing to swim for the mission), the fear she had leading up to getting onto the scale, and having a breakdown. And although I love Beanie (bc i have a similar personality to her) she really isn't that necessary to the story i think having Hutch or Rue be that person for Katie would've made everything much more impactful and cohesive.

I do truly love and relate to the dynamics displayed with <s>Cole</s> Ace and Hutch's relationship. At one point it cut a little too deep with how they fought. But I tell you what, I <b>love</b> how stupid and petty Cole is. He felt like a comic relief character and I think my favorite parts of this book are with him coming in and fucking shit up. I fully truly dearly loved that arc. Trying and succeeding in making Hutch jealous? Perfection.

Do I really think it was necessary to throw in Rue having an incurable disease? no. Did I like the epilogue? no. I still think this is a good book just not up to par with her usual.

I hate to say this because I really enjoy Katherine Center's novels, but this new one was a disappointment. It felt like a badly tuned guitar that a musician tries to make work, but then about 2/3 through, it breaks a string and is really just a disaster. So much about this book struck a bad note for me.

In Katherine Center's author bio, it says she writes "deep rom-coms" and I'd say that's completely accurate and why I like her books so much. The Love Haters was full of (mostly) charming, relatable characters, romance, friendship, family, grief and healing. I laughed out loud; I cried. The only thing I didn't love was the "fake relationship" trope about 65% of the way through the book. I get why she added it, but it bothered me and I don't think it was necessary to move the plot forward. Anyway...overall, I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Are you a fan of romance that leads to self-love, growth and acceptance? This was not only a love story between the FMC and MMC but it was really about loving yourself, accepting you are enough and finding your happiness with what you have.

The plot follows Katie who is a video producer with a knack at human profiling. Her co-worker convinces her to take a gig of a lifetime in Key West to shoot a promotion for the Coast Guard. Cue amazing beach vibes for the setting. Katie's journey leads her to navigate an upsetting past that seems to keep holding her back. However, with the help of a crew of found family, she learns to let go and really figure out what is important to her in life.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGally for the e-ARC. I LOVED loved loved the author's note at the end of the book. Her message about self love was loud and clear in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as well.

I LOVE a Katherine Center book. LOVE. This one was no exception! I really could not put this book down, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. This book had such likeable characters (well, until the ones that aren't so likeable!), and while some of this book had me frustrated, overall it was a phenomenal book. I felt, I laughed, I cheered... and that's all you can ask for from a book! Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I proudly wear my badge as a Katherine Center super fan! When I snagged an early copy of The Love Haters, I was over the moon—and boy, it did not let me down! I devoured it. The story hits the ground running, introducing us to Katie, a scrappy filmmaker in Dallas stuck under the thumb of a boss who’s a tyrant with chip on her shoulder. Just when things couldn’t get crazier, she’s sent to sunny Key West by Cole, an irritating upper level filmmaker, who “just wants Katie to keep her job,” for a US Coast Guard promo. Katie can’t swim and doesn’t even own a swimsuit! Enter Hutch, her intriguing subject, and things spiral into chaos. True to Katherine Center's style, this tale is bursting with layers and lovable characters that you can’t help but cheer for. This book had me swooning, tearing up, laughing, and my heart brimming with hope. It’s the ultimate feel-good kickoff to summer reading!

I am so happy I got to read this ARC! Katherine Center’s writing has such a lightness to it that it’s such an easy read, yet takes you on a journey of human emotions, specifically in this book, a journey of human emotions and reactions to in the face of tragedy & trauma, from different perspectives & circumstances. I truly enjoyed getting to know Katie & Hutch, Rue and George Bailey! But I may be a little in saying that my absolutely favorite parts of this book were every single mention of the Florida Keys. Being a South Florida resident, reading about the magic of the Florida Keys in such an accurate portrayal made me grin from ear to ear! Made me feel so proud to know that little part of the world belongs to us, and how incredibly lucky we are to be able to experience it. Smitten by The Love Haters

Katie is either going to get laid off or take a gig profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West, faking being able to swim. She takes the gig at the request of her supervisor, Cole. Only to get to Key West to find out that the man she's profiling is Cole's brother and there's bad blood between them. Then, she finds out she's staying in a small resort owned by Cole's grandmother and suddenly, she's enmeshed in family dynamics she both loves and fears. A few more lies and misunderstandings ensue before the flying sparks settle into place. This is one of my favorites by Katherine Center.

There is nothing to hate about the Love Haters. This delightful rom-com brought me so much joy—I actually had to stifle belly laughs reading it while waiting for my kids at the orthodontist’s office (splinters and haunches , oh my 😂).

The romance between Katie and Hutch was so incredibly cute and tender. I loved the theme of heroes and how their relationship developed. It gave me all the feel-good-giddy vibes the Center novels tend to stir up. But you know what? I’m not even sure if the happily ever after romance was even my favorite part of the novel!

What I loved:

❤️Center’s constant theme of positivity
🩷George Bailey—the leaps, the toad, all the scenes with him
❤️Themes of friendship—The Gals and ❤️Beanie❤️
🩷Body Positivity
❤️Family and grief
🩷Have I mentioned the belly laughs?!?

There were some completely outlandish parts of the story that were so far from real life, but that is totally fine with me—give me all the outlandish uplifting stories—I’m here for it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for The Love Haters
Pub Date: May 20, 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this digital ARC

I have to preface by saying: This is my first Katherine Center book. I have heard so much about her books over the past couple of years and so here we are. 

Katie Vaughn is a video producer at risk of losing her job. So when her co-worker Cole presents her with the opportunity to go to Key West and do a profile on the handsome love-hating Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson (who also happens to be Cole's brother) she jumps at the opportunity to impress her boss enough to keep her job. What happens when she gets to Key West is a whole lot of things that she didn't sign up for. And they are all very fun to read. 

I really liked Katie and Hutch's interactions but the MVPs of this book are Aunty Rue and her "Gals" as well as George Bailey.

I liked Katie's character development with her body issues as well. It's nice to see content like this incorporated in this story that I'm sure millions will read when it comes out.

Overall I now fully understand why Katherine Center books are so popular. They're well written and very easy to read. It's like reading a rom-com from 2006 in book form and it's delicious. She infuses the comedy of errors-dialogue like a pro and I couldn't help picturing it as scenes from a film. I was here for the vibes not the intricacy of the plot and I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I will be picking up other Katherine Center books from her back catalogue. 

Highly Recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc. My opinions are my won.

Katie Vaughn has been going through it. Her boyfriend, turned music star, turned fiancé, turned ex-fiancé is touring the world with his new girlfriend, his fans are still commenting on her body and shaming her. Her job is on the line with layoffs on the horizon. Her boss, Cole wants her to go to Key West to do a piece on his brother, Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer. Katie wants to go to show her worth; however, Katie cannot swim, but she will figure that out in Key West.

Once in Key West, Katie meets Aunt Rue, her friends, Hutch, and his dog, George Bailey. She learns to swim, and things seem to being going swimmingly until Cole and her main boss show up.

I love Katherine Center. She is an auto read author for me. Her books suck me in from the moment I start reading until the end. The Love Haters is a book about second chances, found family, self-love, being honest, vulnerable, taking chances, and being brave!

Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Totally obsessed! Seriously, Hutch is a cinnamon roll and must be protected at all costs. I mean, I was hooked on him from the start. It took me a little while to get into the story at first, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I was a little worried it was going to be all about Katie hating her body, but it was actually really relatable to see her grow and change. The side characters were great too, especially Rue! I want to be Rue when I grow up. She's so vibrant and loves life and her friends. I wish we saw more of Hutch and Katie together as a couple. OMG, I would have loved to get Hutch's POV! The things he said to Katie were so sweet, and I just know his inner thoughts would have been amazing. Seriously, read this book! You won't regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

“The Love Haters” by Katherine Center follows Katie Vaughn, a video producer whose job is on the chopping block. When a higher up colleague, Cole, offers Katie a chance to save her job, she takes on the project- a promotional video for the Coast Guard. But the project is sticky. Cole’s brother, who he hates, is the main subject of the video and old issues emerge. Katie becomes stuck in a web of lies she never told, but has to keep.
Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Her books are always colorful, fun, and the perfect splash of romcom that I simply can’t put down. “The Love Haters” fit that theme perfectly.
I love love loved Katie and Hutch, Cole’s brother, together. It was kind of refreshing to step back from the enemies to lovers trope and just enjoy two people who are clearly falling for each other. Is there miscommunication? Sure. But there’s definitely a more lighthearted air to this book than other romances I’ve read recently.
Overall, this book was an easy 5 stars for me. I loved the plot, the characters, honestly I loved it all.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC!

When you are a big fan of a particular author and you read their newest book, they have the misfortune of not just having their book reviewed on its own, but also in comparison to the others that came before it. As someone who loved Katherine Center’s last book, The Love Haters came in with really large shoes to fill, and while I cute romance, it didn’t fill those shoes for me.

I’d like to be clear when I say, this book is an adorable romance, a good read that provides a respite from a stressful world for 380+ pages. In typical Katherine Center fashion, our FMC Katie has a distinct personality and a quirkiness that makes a reader like reading about her. The MMC Hutch is a typical good guy with a tough exterior that we want to see cracked. Their interactions made me go “aww” every time.

One of my main problems with this book is that it’s all over the place. I wish we got more moments of Katie and Hutch instead of summaries of their time together. Instead we get a bunch of background that’s unnecessary for the story…Cole and Sullivan, Lucas to name a few. I love Katherine Center books because within the romance there normally lies a positive message we learn from the characters, and this book is no different, but I think Katie’s struggles (which are used to give us this message) overshadow the romance at times. There are also parts of the plot that are very random and were not my favorite.

While cute, this was not my favorite Katherine Center book. Will I read her next one? For sure. This book still broke me out of a mini slump and lifted my spirits, it’s just not one I’ll be rereading anytime soon. 3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads.

**Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I appreciate the opportunity!!**

3.5⭐️! There is something so comforting about reading any Katherine Center book. The characters feel real and relatable and the banter is incredible! I love the overall premise of the book and found it to be quite unique. I also really enjoyed how there were more serious topics discussed throughout, such as eating disorders, grief, trauma, etc. I only wish that this book were longer and certain parts were more fleshed out. The miscommunication between Katie and Hutch, Katie and Cole, and Cole and Hutch felt a bit glossed over, in the sense that we learned about the miscommunication and were given a simple explanation for why it happened, but I would have liked some more details and further explanations. I feel like this would have added some merit to the conflict instead of just having miscommunications for the sake of having a conflict. But overall, I really enjoyed, as I do with all. Of Katherine Centers books, and I will be recommending and purchasing a copy for myself once it’s released!