It is some kind of sorcery the way Katherine Center manages to alchemize the joy, humor and weight of women's issues time after time and she does it again here.

This story could have felt very heavy given Katie's past and current struggles (no spoliers). Instead, this book manages to address Katie's struggles with grace and still be a joyful little escape to the Keys with some romance and a cute dog thrown in to boot!

I think this will be a book that will be lugged out to pools and parks alike this Summer so go put it on hold as soon as you can!

ARC through NetGalley

I’m not surprised….Katherine Center has written yet another wonderful book!

Katie was looking to boost her career, not her love life. She’s a love-hater after all. Katie arrives in Florida to complete a documentary about USCG rescue swimmer Hutch. She learned about more than just rescue swimming. She learned about herself as well.

Everyone should read a body positive book like this at least once in their life. "I should have loved all my everything. Because it was mine." Yes indeed.

This book plays out like a beautiful romantic comedy. You will not be disappointed.

Katherine Center returns with a heartwarming story combining themes of love, resilience, and bravery.

Katie Vaughn is a video producer and she has a choice to make - hope she doesn't get laid off or take a job doing a video profile of Tom "Hutch" Hutchison, a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer in Key West, Florida. The only thing is, she can't swim....Surely that won't be important and she can learn quickly? Good thing Hutch is an expert swimmer. Surrounded by a cast of quirky and complex characters, this story explores themes of romantic rejection, body image, self love, confidence, and tons and tons of bravery!

This is quintessential Katherine Centre! As always, her romance always has an underlying message. This one was heavy on self love and body image. I didn't find the connection between Katie and Hutch to be as strong as some of her other books, but it was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC so I could review this book.

I’m a big Katherine Center, and this matches the theme of most of her books- a down-on-her-luck FMC, do-gooder MMC who can do no wrong, and a happy ending. Warning that this book discusses the topic of disordered eating. My one complaint is that the FMC has a regretful popstar ex who is pining for her off page- while this book DOES feature a fist fight, WHY ISN’T IT BETWEEN THIS EX AND THE MMC?! -
Apart from that, this was an enjoyable read!

Katherine Center's contemporary romances are just *chef's kiss* for me. Her main characters are always funny and smart and tend to have relatable issues and super interesting careers. In this book, Katie is a video producer for a small company, and, in a panicked attempt to save herself from being laid off, she agrees to film a recruitment video for the US Coast Guard featuring their ASTs (Aviation Survival Technicians, aka rescue swimmers) despite being vastly underqualified for the job. She can do the filming with no problem, but the problem is that she can't swim. She's being sent to the Florida Keys by Cole, a higher up at work who is motivated both by a desire to help her with her career but also by his own desire to avoid the main swimmer being featured in the video - his heroic older brother, Hutch. Hutch is predictably annoyed that his brother didn't show, as he wants to repair a long-term sibling rift, but he also can't help but be super into the woman who is going to be filming him for weeks/months on end. Katie likes him too, but the whole thing goes off course when Cole shows up and kind of ruins the whole thing. One thing I would want people to be aware of is that Katie, who is striving to be more body positive but still has a pretty fraught relationship with her body/body image, has a history of disordered eating and a lingering fear of basically having her body perceived. It was tough to read sometimes - not because it wasn't relatable but because it really was. Another thing to be aware of is that there's an amazing dog who plays a critical role in the plot. I loved it.

I’ve been a long-time Katherine Center fan, and this book holds true to her wonderful storytelling!

Katie is painfully relatable. Critical comments and unrealistic beauty standards have left her body image in shambles. A cheating ex certainly didn’t help things. In an effort to save her job, she jumps at the opportunity to film a promo video for the US Coast Guard starring a reluctant rescue swimmer… even though she can’t swim. An added twist? The coworker who gave her the assignment is actually supposed to take the job, since the subject is his estranged brother and asked for him specifically. The assignment plops Katie right into Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson’s world, and it’s nothing like what she expected. From swim lessons, to comforting a thunder-phobic Great Dane, Katie and Hutch form an easy connection in new situations that force her to confront her negative thoughts in ways she never expects.

Lovable, thought-out side characters add so much charm and humor to the story - from fabulous Rue and The Gals, to frustratingly flawed Cole, The Love Haters is a cozy read that’s hard to put down.

This is my third Katherine Center book and it was another hit! I love how she creates characters and develops story lines.

The Love Haters finds producer Katie on a video shoot with Coast Guard rescue swimmer Hutch, who’s known for saving a celebrity’s dog. Katie is sent to Key West to film a promotional video for the Coast Guard, interview Hutch, and put together one of her “Day in the Life” videos. Hutch is Cole’s brother, and Cole is one of Katie’s co-workers. Of course there’s a backstory between Cole and Hutch, and it is revealed in time.

The main characters worked through a rom-com story arc, and they kept me engaged the whole time. An additional layer of the story is Katie’s struggles with body image, and her journey to accept who she is. Some reviewers have commented on this part of The Love Haters with mixed feelings, but I thought it made Katie’s character more relatable.

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

This was cute! Not my favorite of hers and took me a bit to get through. I didn’t connect with the characters at all, but still enjoyed it.

I received an ARC of the Love Haters in exchange for my honest review. If you’re a fan of Katherine Center, then you will most definitely enjoy this book as it keeps with the general story telling themes she provides in all of her books. I very much enjoyed the relationship her two leads Katie and Hutch had over the course of the books and it kept me very engaged. I loved the military theme in this book as I not only grew up around military aviation but married into it as well so feel like the book spoke to me that way in addition to the fun storyline. I do think the ending was a little drawn out and a little far fetched in some points, hence the four star and not a five star rating. I did very much enjoy this read!

4.5 Stars

"𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭."

This was such a charming and entertaining read. Any time I read a Katherine Center book, I know it's going to be a good time and bring humor to my life. The Love Haters delivered on both fronts. This story follows Katie Vaughn, a promo video producer and Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer.

Katie's struggle with her body dysmorphia was very relatable, and I enjoyed seeing her forced out of her comfort zone, which ultimately helped her embrace and love herself. It was a treat learning about rescue swimmers as Katie followed Hutch around. And Hutch! This broody man turned out to be so much more, and my heart went out to him for his tragic past. Hutch was a total sweetheart and loyal to boot. The banter between him and Katie had me in giggles.

The Love Haters is such a feel-good read with a great setting, great characters, and a touch of serious topics that were blended well with the humor.

I absolutely adore Katherine Center and was super excited for The Love Haters. While, this book had glimpses of the same feels as the rest of her books hold, this one was harder to fall in love with. Some of the character traits of the main character and the building romance were beyond realistic and it made the story line too far fetched to be able to connect completely.

I still hold Katherine Center on the top of my favorite authors and anxiously await future releases! The narrator, Patti Murin, does an exceptional job, as always!

Thank you to Katherine Center, Patti Murin, the publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic and audio copies of The Love Haters!

Katie was immersed in a life dedicated to her Chromophobia. She dressed all in black and hid herself behind a camera. It felt like the reason she filmed "A Day in the Life" because she felt unworthy of having her own. She let others ridicule her on dress she felt beautiful in and started to dislike even her own body. That is why when Beanie asked what she liked about herself that she really couldn't answer. It is only when she went to Key West that she became alive. She embraced color and Rue and the Gals helped her laugh and enjoy every moment. They embraced the time horizon. Then Katie met Hutch and George Bailey and her life was transformed. She learned to embrace fear and open oneself up to being vulnerable. She realized what it is like to be alive. I thought the epilogue was beautiful and truly inspiring. She found her home at the Starlite and those people around you and truly support you are your home as well. As Rue brilliantly said after Katie let herself go, how glorious it is. I will certainly recommend and read this book again.

Katherine Center's books are on my auto-read list - I love her way of telling stories. The Love Haters was a good reminder for anyone who needs to hear it that we need to love ourselves for who we are and that will allow us to shine love on the rest of the world. No spoilers on other details. I loved the dog George Bailey, Rue, and Hutch as well as the supporting characters. The setting made me want to travel there and spend a nice, long vacation. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC. All opinions are my own.

**thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this
ARC***
I'm conflicted on how to rate this. It was "fun" in a cheesy, overly-predictable way but I also just started to skim the later 25% because I simply didn't care about Katie. The main character is annoying. Check TW if you have an eating disorder or BDD because this book may trigger some.
Everything about this book was unrealistic to the point that I could barely read it. She couldn't swim her entire life and then can swim practically overnight and escape from an upside down helicopter in training. Yeah, ok. Sure. On this author's planet. The plot about the boss and keeping her job? Annoying. What I did enjoy was 1) every single part about George Bailey and I loved Rue and the 2) the pilot/ aviation/flight suit parts. My husband was a fighter pilot and some of this was entertaining. I have never read any of this author's books but I have them all downloaded and ready. If they are this cheesy, I won't be able to get through them but hopefully not. I do enjoy her writing and I did laugh multiple times. It was actually good timing as I just finished a very heavy book so this was a nice reset. It's worth a read and "fun".

Honestly, it’s not the best Katherine Center book I’ve read, but it was cute. The third act drama seemed a bit rushed and I didn’t overly feel like Hutch and Katie has built their relationship enough beforehand. But the love hater finds love and that’s all that really matters.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book. I’ve previously read a novel by this author and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to dive into this one.

Katie is a filmmaker based in Dallas who’s given the opportunity to shadow a Coast Guard member named Hutch in the Florida Keys. She’s at risk of losing her job if she turns it down—her coworker Cole warns her that the company is laying off most of the staff, and if she doesn’t take this assignment, she’ll likely be next. Cole also lets her know that Hutch is his brother—and that he’s grouchy.
One small problem: Katie can’t swim. That’s kind of a requirement if you’re going to be flying with the Coast Guard. So, she lies about it and decides she’ll figure it out once she gets to Florida—maybe even take a few lessons.

Katie ends up staying at the Starlight Motel, run by Cole’s aunt. The motel is home to a close-knit community of elderly women, each living in her own cottage. They’re vibrant, fun, and full of personality. Katie is quickly embraced by Rue, who shows her an incredible amount of warmth and generosity. And when Katie finally meets Hutch, she realizes he’s nothing like Cole described.

I enjoyed this book! I liked learning small details about the role of the Coast Guard, and I had more than a few laughs thanks to the “Gals” at the Starlight. Rue, in particular, was so endearing. I also appreciated the portrayal of Katie’s body image struggles—it felt relatable and thoughtfully handled.

One part that didn’t quite work for me was Katie’s rapid progress with swimming. As someone who’s struggled with it myself, I found that aspect a bit unrealistic. It’s not something most people can overcome that quickly, and that shift didn’t feel entirely believable.
That said, I’m really glad I had the chance to read this! It was a sweet, heartwarming story that brightened my chilly Saturday. This would be a perfect book to bring on a weekend getaway or vacation.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ - 3.5

“Maybe it was the island breezes. Or the sangria. Or the warmth of the sun. Or the lovely feeling of being surrounded by the easy chatter of friends. But there was something special going on that I couldn’t ignore. It felt like a different way of living that had something good—and something long overdue—to teach me.”

I really wanted to like this book more, but it lost me at about 65%. The setting was great and the plot had potential, but some of the decisions made by the main characters made me want to smack myself on the forehead. I’m glad I kept with it, because the ending was really well done and made up for the things I found a bit annoying in the middle half of the book.

I really appreciate Katie’s self-growth and development throughout the story. Her struggle with having confidence in her body was definitely relatable, and I loved that we saw all the mental work she did to help find that love and appreciation again for herself. Katherine Center always does a great job on touching on really tough subjects while keeping the overall story lighthearted, and this book was no exception.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I absolutely adore Rue and The Gals! I want to be them when I grow up.

Overall, while this one was not my favorite, I do really enjoy Katherine Center’s books and will definitely pick up her next one!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love everything Katherine Center writes!! The Love Haters was so enjoyable, the main characters were flawed but loveable. The dog and the older aunt swooped in stole the show in the best way possible.

Katie has been assigned a huge career making opportunity, she will record a documentary on Hutch, the Coast Guard hero. Hutch is not having it, but you know he falls for her in the end.

My only dislike was Katie's body image trauma and Hutch being a military macho man health fanatic. I'm sure this resonates with many people but was off putting for me..

Nonetheless a great read. 4 star read!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center does it again with The Love Haters! This book is a perfect blend of humor, heart, and irresistible romance. Katie and Hutch are wonderfully relatable, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and the emotional depth makes it impossible to put down. Center has a way of making you laugh, cry, and swoon all in one story. If you love feel-good, empowering romances with strong character growth, this is a must-read. Would definitely recommend!

I loved this book much like every other Katherine Center book I’ve read, but I was not prepared for the amount of inner child healing I would experience. I could certainly relate to the amount of body insecurity that Katie had. When seeing others stating in their reviews that it was unrealistic, I have to say that I disagree. I was able to relate and I felt quite seen. I loved the story and I absolutely adored the side characters and what they brought to the story. I thought that the story was quite deep and developed as well!! I loved George Bailey, the dog, and he added another fun level to the read! I had a LOT of “laugh out loud” moments!! I definitely suggest this read!