I love everything that Katherine writes. She just keeps doing amazing work. This was such a cute story. Loved the grumpy main guy.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copies!

4.5 Stars!!

I liked this story so much more than I was anticipated liking it!

Katie has been burned by love and had challenging family relationships. When her job is threatened she accepts an assignment to interview and film a coast guard rescuer. The premise is to use the video as a Coast Guard recruiting video. Still, the rescue swimmer being interviewed was also in a viral video rescuing Jennifer Anniston's dog a while back.

Military, seal team, and Coast Guard books are my top love, so the behind-the-scenes of Coast Guard rescues spoke to my heart! It also doesn't hurt that Hutch is top-tier book boy!

The small community in the Florida Keys where Katie goes for her assignment opens their hearts up to Katie, building the best found family!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job! Her performance enhanced the story!

Romance content: Just kissing!
TW: She had some body image trauma she had to work through.

2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Love Haters on May 20, 2025.

As a Katherine Center fan, I expected to fall in love with this book and these characters like I have her other books. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. While I loved the premise (work trip to Key West and shenanigans as she attempts to film sexy Coast Guard and "Love Hater" Hutch), the execution fell really flat for me.

From the get-go, we get a feeling for Katie's predicament at work and her reasoning for needing to go to Key West. But we're also hit unexpectedly with avid descriptions of Katie's struggles with an eating disorder and continued body dysmorphia. These issues are in NO WAY clued in or indicated in any of the marketing for this book. There's no content warning at the beginning for readers who may be sensitive to Katie's situation. And not only does it play a role in Katie's backstory, but it continues to DRIVE the plot and her character development for the majority of the book.

I'm not saying the inclusion of important issues like ED and BD is bad or wrong. I can't speak to whether this was a good or bad representation of the situation. But the rest of the book was VERY over-the-top, campy, and quirky, and the tone just didn't fit with the serious matters being discussed at times (including brief mentions of suicidal thoughts).

Like interspersing body dysmorphic thoughts while he's pulling splinters out of her butt was a no for me.

Aside from that, I was initially drawn into the story and romance between Hutch and Katie. I appreciated the direction Center was trying to go with Katie learning to love herself and be more open to adventure. But the third act break-up?? Conflict?? With Hutch's brother came out of NOWHERE and completely took me out of the story.

And don't even get me started on the rescue at the end.

In all honesty, I found Center's author's note at the end to be the best-written part of the whole book. She talked about her continued love for writing romance novels and how reading these novels is akin to falling in love with pieces of yourself, and I found glimpses of the author I loved who wrote The Rom-Commers. But The Love Haters was all over the place, disjointed, not humorous or fun in tone, and definitely not marketed correctly.

The Love Haters was unfortunately a miss for me. I disliked the main characters and felt completely disconnected from the romance. I did enjoy Patti Murin's narration and found the book easy to read/listen to.

I received and ARC and ALC from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Katie, video producer, is pushed by her coworker Cole to interview Hutch, an USCG, to tell about his life as a "hero. In Key West.

Plot twist: part of the assignment is to wear a bathing suit & be in a helicopter upside down in the water. One problem with that : Katie can't swim & she has self love issues with her body.

Along comes Rue, Cole's & Hutch's aunt to save the day w
By befriending Katie & giving her a little fashion advice.

Rue invite Katie to her swimming lessons and the instructor is none other than Hutch.

In this book, Katie is taught she is perfect just the way she is.

The ending was so explosive firework rom-com moment I just swooned.

George Bailey, Hutch's dog, was pretty cute too.

I loved this book and definitely will be buying for my shelf. Thank you to NG for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

As my first Katherine Center book I will say I’ve become a fan with this story. Katie and Hutch were so much fun to read and Hutch has the perfect book boyfriend material.

A romance layered with deep emotional impacts as well such as grief and healing and lots of body insecurity which as a young woman I can relate to. I think this topic of ED is not talked about enough and I love that Center was able to handle it in such a moving and delicate manner.

Such a cute contemporary romance where every person in this story had such a purpose to this story and to these characters. I love the writing and how well paced it was. It started a bit slow for me but by 20% I was hooked and fully captivated by them.

This book was fast-paced and I found myself flying through it and bummed when I finished that I didn’t have more to read. The supporting cast and setting made me feel even more immersed and invested in the book. I loved Katie and Hutch and seeing them interact and my only wish is that I wanted more of them together.

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

Katherine Center books are such a feel good vibe for me, and this one holds true to that. I couldn’t put it down. Utterly in love with the dog, George Bailey.

A fast-paced, endearing and fun rom-com! I loved everything about it and read it in 4 hours! Highly recommend to all!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy!

I've loved a lot of Katherine Center's books, and this one did not disappoint! I loved the relationships in the story, both the romance and friendships. Katie's inner struggle with her self-esteem was also well done and very relatable. It was overall a fun and lighthearted read but also touched on a lot of important and thoughtful topics. If you're looking for an fun and entertaining read with great relationships and some deep concepts, this is a great read.

How do I start? I relate to Katie so much. The anxiety she has, and all. This book made me feel seen. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy while reading a book. This put my heart back together. I can’t wait for this to actually release so I can have it on my shelf! The way Katie faces her fears is so aspiring. I love the way you tell this story!! She knew how to make me laugh.
A lot of topics in this book are very real. Hutch is a total sweetheart.
I was laughing pretty much this whole story. I will never think of splitters the same again.
I can’t wait to explore more of her books! Thank you NetGalley & publishers!!

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

This book is a 10 star read for me! I always love KC books but this one just sucked me in and fed my soul. I loved everything from the location, to the found family, all the dog shenanigans, the FMC working through her body image issues, the brother’s relationship dynamics and of course all the drama and adventure. I think the only thing I didn’t like about this book is that it ended. I didn’t want to give up these characters that became apart of me. It was such an amazing read.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Katie is facing a layoff and she has two choices lie and keep her job or tell the truth and loose it. That is how her coworker convinced her to take this videography assignment with the Coast Guard in Key West. So she’s now driving the 7mile highway over water when she can’t even swim!

Hutch was expecting his brother but instead Katie showed up replacing him on this assignment. He quickly gets dragged into the chaos when his Great Dane tackles her and he finds out she can’t swim. He also realizes she’s a beautiful woman that he wants to help.

Hutch and Katie will be forced together basically every moment of the day for the next month while they work together. They will get to know each other very well. But Katie gets trapped in Cole ( Hutch’s brother) lies and disaster strikes.

Check out Katie & Hutch’s story when it Releases
May 20th, 2025.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I’m saying that when I’m not with you, I’m thinking about you. And waiting to see you again. And we’ve spent all day, every day together for weeks now—and it already feels like it’ll never be enough.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Video Producer FMC
* Hero Coastguard Swimmer MMC
* This Job is to Save Her From Layoffs
* She’s Doing a Promo Video For the Coast Guard But She Cant Swim
* Her Co-Worker is the Brother of “Puppy Love” and They Are in a Beef
* She Struggles with Body Image - Working on Body Positivity
* Found Family & Overly Friendly Great Dane
* Key West, Florida

🚁🌊🌴🐾🐸 🚁🌊🌴🐾🐸

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ebook, THE LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center. With a fun setting of Key West, Florida, and the interesting tidbits of life in the Coast Guard and professional photography, I found this book enjoyable. The main character struggles with her confidence as so many of us do. It was interesting to watch her battle herself in that regard, and find self love. This book will keep you turning the pages and of course give you a laugh here and there. It is a ROM-COM after all. I recommend this book to any romance reader who is not looking for the "spice".

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC by one of my favorite authors . I always appreciate the opportunity to read a title in advance of its publication. This book didn’t quite live up to what I expect from Ms Center. I found a lot of it a little silly with a vapid storyline . Enjoyable enough but not one of her best.

Thank you to NetGalley for my first ARC!!
This is my 4th Katherine Center book that I’ve ready and I feel quite mid about it. The first 40% of the book was basically Katie going on and on about her body image insecurities and was really really annoying to me. As the story went on, I got a bit more interested in her and her relationship with Rue was so cute. Hutch on the other hand was quite boring to me for someone with a super cool job working for the Coast Guard. They barely had any chemistry with a “insta love” sort of feel, which I never vibe with. I think the issue is it was written “they saw each other every day carpooling to work and got to know each other so well” but you never actually got to read those conversations so it felt less believable. I do love that KC writes books like the FMC is just yapping to you like a girlfriend would over a glass of wine. 3 stars

🔉Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this arc of The Love Haters, out May 20, 2025!

📜Quick Summary: Katie Vaughn is a video producer who’s hanging on the chopping block. The owner of the company was scorned by her husband and now is on a rampage to lay off over 50% of their staff. Katie is approached to cover a story regarding the Coast Guard and a hero named Hutch. Katie thinks she can laugh and tell white lies to make her way through this project…I mean, she cannot lose her job! But when she meets the overly perfect and handsome Hutch, things start to chirp inside. After a rough break up with her now famous ex, how will Katie adjust to this quiet yet ruggedly handsome hero?

❣️Initial Feels: I just love KC’s style of writing. Her stories always drag me in and I am instantly giggling or smiling while I read her work. I am excited to see where Katie and Hutch’s story goes. Katie already seems to have a sarcastic, yet funny attitude!

👀Trigger Warnings: death of parents, body image/eating disorder

🌶️Spice Level: 🌶️

📖Read if you want: romance, banter, body positivity, Key West backdrop, Coast Guard, forced proximity

🙋🏼‍♀️Moving Character: Hutch was a complex character who needed some more screen time. The quiet, won’t talk about himself hero ended up opening up a bunch with Katie and I loved their open and honest scenes the most. I wish we could have dove farther into him, only because I ended up being enamored by him.

🗨️Thoughtful Words: “But I hadn’t thought I hated love. I’d thought I was just recovering from it.”

“Maybe the most important eyes doing the looking are our own.”

“Sometimes words aren’t quite enough.”

💡Final Sentiments: KC is an auto read for me, and I have devoured her writing since I came across her! Katie is a quirky character, to say the least, and at times I just wanted to shake her! She’s bubbly, open, honest, quick witted, but also deeply reflects on her past and what her relationships have done to not only her, but to her body image. I am sure many people can relate to her after a break up, by not eating, worrying about what you look like, etc. Although at times she felt immature, I think people can relate to the way she’s going through life…just trying to stay afloat. At one point in the middle of the book, I wish I had more of the encounters with Katie and Hutch, rather than her constantly talking about her weaknesses or her body. (I completely understand this was a huge part of this book, I just felt it took away from the chance to develop their connection at times.) I think if you are a Katherine Center fan, you will enjoy her latest novel!

🌟Overall Rating: 4 stars

This novel was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Delightful story about a woman video journalist with self esteem issues, sent on assignment to make a documentary for the Coast Guard, featuring one of their most popular rescuers on Key West.. There are a gaggle of elderly women who live in cottages not so quietly encouraging the two main characters to come together, as well as his overly energetic Great Dane.

Loved the story, the backstories and the banter.

When you get a Katherine Center book... you know it's going to be a good one. Not only does this story provide character depth and story, but also a strong message in a graceful and humorous way. It was so easy to fall for the characters, making it hard to put the book down. A feat after hitting a bit of a reading slump before. This was the perfect story to get me back into the rhythm. This has now been recommended as a have-to-read in the group chat!

I wanted to love this so much but I just couldn't get into it. I love the concept and Katherine Center is such an incredible author. For me, this one just didn't do anything new. The movement of a book normally doesn't make an impact, but this was so slow it was hard to keep engaged.
I know so many people love it and I love that! I just wish I was one of them!

The real enemies-to-lovers story that takes place is between Janie and herself! The Love Haters shows great character growth as Janie learns to love and change the narrative she has about her own body and self-worth. This growing confidence shines and makes each interaction with Hutch (the mmc) even more wonderful and sweet. Set in West Key, Florida, Janie is sent to film Hutch, a US Coast Guard, and make a promotional video for coast guard school. As they spend more time together with swim lessons, filming, carpooling and evenings spent with Hutch's aunt, their attraction blooms and even though neither has had a good experience with love, they must choose whether to be brave or miss out on the love of their life.

(Note: there is little spice, and has closed door scenes)

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!