Katherine Center cannot write a bad book!

The Love Haters follows Katie, a filmmaker, recently heartbroken person, and could maybe be described as a "love hater". In an attempt to save her job, Katie takes on a. project in the Florida Keys following a newly internet-famous Coast Guard Officer, Hutch. Along the way, Katie falls in love with herself, the people she meets along the way, a giant dog named George Bailey, and (spoiler alert) Hutch!

You may think you know how this book is going to unfold. They meet, fall in love, the end. Nope! There are personal twists, turns, and hurricanes! The writing style is gripping and very engaging. You totally feel immersed in the lives of these characters and are experiencing everything with them.

There was some great comic relief in this story. Even in the tense moments, Center finds a way to find the humor.

I will read anything by Katherine Center. This book is the perfect Rom-Com!

I don't want to write this review. In fact, I intended to tell NetGalley that I wouldn't be reviewing this book. I love Katherine Center as an author, I think she's a wonderful human, and I love her other books...but this one...I've got issues with it. '

TW: eating disorders

First up: the story is fine. I didn't find any of the characters to be super likeable or interesting (with the except of Cole who's the human equivalent of a dirty sock) but I didn't hate them either. The plot is cute, although a little contrived and unlikely. The relationships between the characters- in general- just didn't click for me. That said, it doesn't suck and if I were reviewing based on the writing alone, I'd give it three stars.

But.

The female MC has an eating disorder (anorexia and binge eating, specifically) and "Love Haters" unintentionally perpetuates the idea that eating disorders are a choice; with enough self-love, an overbearing cousin, and daily affirmations, it'll just...go away. None of that is true or even close to true. I know because I've lived it. I watched my daughter nearly die from it. I know the work, therapy (from an actual therapist), time, effort, and struggle it is to go through it and live with it post-recovery. I couldn't get how wrong it was being handled throughout the entire book. It was upsetting enough that I couldn't suspend my disbelief for 320 pages and give Katherine Center a pass.

I'm disappointed and I'm worried for the people who read "Love Haters" who are actively struggling with the disease. I can't and won't recommend this book to readers.

So good! This is a top read for 2025. I loved the banter between all our characters. I found myself giggling and kicking my feet while reading. Hutch is now a new book boyfriend~!

I loved the bodyguard and was excited for this but it just fell flat. There was no tension between the characters. I needed the banter! I needed character development.

I know I'm in for a good book message with any Katherine Center book. This one had a lovely message about body acceptance and loving yourself. I enjoyed the journey of growth for Katie. The storyline was intriguing and the chemistry between Hutch and Katie was great.

I only wish there were more interactions between Katie and Hutch. I wanted more of them at the end.

The story picks up more with some crazy stuff happening after the halfway point. From then on, I couldn't put the book down.

Definitely recommend this book for any Katherine Center fans and fans of sweet romance books! I always feel happy when I finish a book by this author. The writing is good and the story is even better. It's just a refreshing read with romance of all types!

I love Katherine Center's writing. This book incorporated a cast of "Golden Girls-esque" group and it was so much fun to read. The perfect beach or anytime read.

I have loved this author and her writing, but I must admit this book was not my favorite of hers. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it and think if you are looking for a summer rom com that has me chuckling in some places, this book is for you.

Katie is embarking on a path to save her career in Key West. Her ex-boyfriend is a rockstar whose fans are commenting on her body and has led to a bit of body self consciousness. The book touches on friendship, family dynamics and love for a pet. I enjoyed the sense of community amongst the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When videographer Katie's job hangs in the balance, a producer colleague throws her a lifeline by sending her to Key West to document the Coast Guard for a recruiting video. However, there are two significant challenges: first, Katie can't swim, and second, the star of the documentary is the producer's estranged brother. What could possibly go wrong?

Where to begin? The Love Haters evokes a whirlwind of emotions. Katherine tackles some heavy and dark subjects in this story! She masterfully narrates the tale, giving these topics the attention they deserve while weaving in humor. I laughed, I cried, and I shouted! The Love Haters truly has it all, including an incredibly lovable dog that I wish I could cuddle in real life!

A big thank you to The Love Haters for knocking me out of my reading slump! This is a well-paced, humorous, heartwarming book that I truly enjoyed.

The Love Haters follows Katie, whose videographer job is in jeopardy due to cutbacks at her company. As Katie also tries to rebuild her confidence after a past breakup made national headlines, she gets an opportunity to enjoy some sunshine and possibly save her job at the same time by profiling a Coast Guard rescuer in the Florida Keys- a perfect location for both finding love and learning to love herself.

I’m so glad I got to read an advanced copy of this book, and very grateful! I enjoyed each of the characters (especially Rue) and loved the very sweet romance. The only bump in the story for me was about midway through, when the author threw in an I Love Lucy type conflict that didn’t seem necessary, but this part is proof and gets swallowed up by a very very exciting action-based ending. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

The Love Haters is about a girl named Katie who was publicly dumped by her now famous exfiance. She is on the brink of losing her job when she gets an assignment to follow and video Hutch, a dreamy Coast Guard rescue swimmer, to save her career. Set in Key West, I think this would be a great romcom beach read. I loved the insight to the US Coast Guard training and the setting of Rue's Starlight Colony.
And of course, as a dog lover, I loved the gentle giant George Bailey, Hutch's rescue dog.
Katherine Center is the queen of comfort romcom reads! Thank you St. Martin's press, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for this ARC!

2.5⭐ This was a hard book for me to get through in the beginning. I couldn't get over the female main character, Katie, and her body insecurities. I like the idea of including them somewhat, because it makes a character feel real and relatable. This was felt like overkill though, so much body loathing. I did enjoy the Key West setting and wish it was included even more. The supporting characters, The Gals, were fun and a nice addition. I always love when there's a dog in the story too and George Bailey, the Great Dane who hates thunderstorms, was a big loveable pup. All in all, it had some cute moments, some action, some craziness, and some romance!

This book really focused on self love and trying to overcome the fear of loving your whole body to the fullest. I can relate to that as I struggled with self love my whole life. I connected to this book and every word the author wrote. It was a phenomenal read and I highly recommend it to anyone who struggles with the same issues and wants to see how she overcomes her fear of her body.

No surprise, Katherine Center's new book swept me away.

Katie Vaughn's life is at a crossroads - stuck in a job that's on the verge of disappearing. She takes an opportunity to profile Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The problem? She can't swim - but, she is determined to fake it until she makes it. Adding to the tension, Hutch just so happens to be the estranged brother of her coworker, Cole.

What follows is a whirlwind of swim lessons, helicopter rides, conga lines, and even a hurricane - all while Katie finds herself drawn to Hutch. But, this isn't just a love story between Katie and Hutch - it's a love story between Katie and herself. Watching her confront her fears, learn to trust herself, and finally take control over her life was just as rewarding as the romance.

The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was undeniable, and the supporting cast - especially Aunt Rue and Hutch's rescue Great Dane - made the story that much better.

It was the perfect mix of heart, humor, and heat. Please add this one to your TBR!!

ok so a lot of this book did feel like the whole plot was her body image insecurity and i found that really annoying. Aside from that, the writing and pacing was fine.

Nothing about this book is unenjoyable, and there were moments when I considered giving it a higher rating, but ultimately, my expectations were too high, and the storyline, along with the love story, just didn’t work for me. :/

This one was so cute. I loved Katie and Hutch, and they very clear theme of loving yourself. The only pain point of this story was Cole. How annoying does a character have to be to DNF? Cole almost got me there, but I was invested in Katie and Hutch's HEA that I kept on trucking. Overall, a really cute book with a great overall theme and message. I know this isn't YA, but I think all high schoolers should read this one.

This was a good summer read! Not my favourite Katherine Center book, but it had the feel-good vibes I love from her.

Katie was a bit too annoying and immature to completely enjoy her as a main character, but I loved seeing her work through her self-love issues and her hate of colours, even if her inner monologue and conversations with Beanie sometimes gave me second-hand embarrassment. The conflit was utterly ridiculous, and the insta-love came out of nowhere, but it was still an enjoyable and easy read. Definitely a story to read by the pool!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a contemporary romance with both a deeply relatable and modern personal arc. When videographer Katie is offered the chance to do a video on the viral and hot Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutchenson, she has to accept. With her job on the line, a video with the internet sensation may be just what she needs. There's only one problem. To do follow Hutch on his work day, Katie must pass an underwater simulation. Oh, and she doesn't know how to swim. Add that to her phobia of wearing swimsuits and Katie is in for a ride. As she films Hutch and gets to know him, she finds there is more to him that what she's been told while he brings out the long lost joy in her.

This book was really cute. I'm sure it's super unrealistic in certain ways, but I didn't really care. It was a quick read with a lovable love interest. Hutch is a good guy. He isn't toxic in any way. He's just always trying to do the right thing. He cares about people. So it's understandable how Katie falls for him. I also loved Katie's arc. She has struggled with her body since a very public breakup, which results in her feeling deeply uncomfortable in bathing suits and any clothing that might draw attention to her. Any girl (any person) can relate to feeling uncomfortable in your body. She grows by being forced to grow by her cousin. and new friends, and she forces herself to do what makes her uncomfortable (learn how to swim). By the end of the book, Katie does things and wears things she never would've before.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited to read this one! Unfortunately, it ended up falling short for me. I couldn’t connect with these characters and the romance felt like such a side plot. I did find some of it entertaining, but I just didn’t end up loving it as much as I wanted to. It was not horrible, but definitely not my favorite from Katherine.

After being burned in the past by love, Katie and Hutch have valid reasons to be love haters, but they can’t deny their chemistry.

When Katie accepts a job opportunity to save her job, she never expects to get entangled with the hot Coast Guard rescue swimmer that she is supposed to be profiling. She especially does not expect things to be even more complicated by Hutch’s brother and natural disasters.

Katherine Center is one of the greatest writers in modern-day ROM COMS. She creates fun storylines with honest and raw characters that leave the reader satisfied. One of my favorite aspects of The Love Haters was Katie’s development throughout the story, as she gains confidence in herself and begins to enjoy life again.

I highly recommend this to fans of Great Danes, slow burn romance, and character growth!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC for review consideration!

This book gave me all the feels! Everyone needs a best friend like Beanie to lift you up and make sure you are not letting the world dictate who you are or how you feel about yourself. The romance was on point! I loved all the interaction with Hutch and Katie and couldn't wait for another scene. And can we talk about the splinter scene! I was laughing out loud at that one. I loved that the romance was there but I didn't have to read though steamy scenes that are not necessary. I will definitely be reading more from this author for sure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.