Thank you netgalley for the arc of the love haters in exchange for my honest review. Katherine Center is easily one of my favorite romance authors. She really has a way of keeping you engaged and interested in the story as it unfolds. The authors note at the end about the main character Katies enemies to lovers troupe was absolutely inspiring. Katie is in marketing and her co worker Cole asks her to go to florida to film something for work. Her job is in jeopardy so she feels like she has to say yes even though this job requires her to be able to swim and she cannot. She heads down to the Florida Keys and meets her coworkers aunt Rue and his brother Hutch who is the person she is supposed to be making the video of. Hutch teaches her how to swim among many other things, i loved this book. Five stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Kathrine Center love stories will never get old, this one is such a wonderful story about love and how you have to love yourself just as much as the love you give others. Katie is a struggling video journalist working at an advertising agency and is given an assignment filming an ad for water rescue swimmers and the coast guard to save her job, she leaps at the opportunity and decided to figure out the part about how she can’t swim later. 🤣

Hutch and Rue and Katie are such a vibrant cast of characters and although the story started slow, I was so into it at the end that I couldn’t put it down. Absolutely adored this and can’t wait to pick up my shelf trophy when it’s released!

My romance readers, you’ll love this! My non romance readers, give this a chance!

PS - there’s an adorable Great Dane who likes to hold toads in his mouth.

Spice .5 🌶️

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin'sPress, and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read this book early! The RomCommers was one of my recent favorites and I was looking forward to the opportunity to read this before it's release in May.

I didn't love this quite as much as the RomCommers but I did feel the same connection with the characters, family dynamics and the family home setting.

I would include a trigger warning regarding the body image and disordered eating that is discussed throughout. I think that this topic was handled very well and with a lot of thought, however, it may be triggering to others.

I really enjoyed this book! The main character was relatable and funny and the love interest was swoon worthy. The comedy aspect of the book acutally made me laugh out loud. Overall it was a fun, relatable, heart warming story. I also really like KCs writing style, its easy to read and understand and is unique to her.

3.5 ⭐️

I really loved The Bodyguard, but The Love Haters just felt a little flat to me. I needed more spark/tension.

I don’t want to give too much away, but Katie is a film maker who is recovering from an eating disorder. Her ex fiancé just blew up on TikTok and now she needs to go to Florida to film a project with the Coast Guard to hopefully save her job.

There wasn’t much character development throughout the story which was a bummer. I loved the idea of the plot, but I don’t think it was executed very well.

Pub Date: May 20th, 2025

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin Press, and Katherine Center for this #gifted DRC!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC! I’ve really enjoyed all of Katherine Center’s novels and while I found this book enjoyable, it was not one of my favorite books that she’s written. I really loved parts of the book but other parts of the storyline felt unnecessary, rushed and out of place. I loved the setting in Key West and would have loved more of Rue and Hutch’s relationship within the story. Cole’s entrance into the second half of the book felt super forced and didn’t fit well.
Glad I read it but not one of her strongest stories.

4.75 ⭐️Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early! It gets published in April and I was so excited to see it pop up on available books. I’ve loved Katherine Center’s other books, especially The RomCommers.

I don’t think this book quite measured up to the romcommers but that would be a very difficult feat haha! I will say I LOVED the setting of this book and the cast of characters Katherine created. They were all so vivid and unique.

The romance was super sweet and charming. Hutch is a dream. I loved him and I want him! He was so supportive and kind to Katie. His relationship with his brother was also very important and interesting.

The hardest part of this book was how close to home it hit. Body issues are very real and difficult. I was curious how the author would handle it. At first I was not loving it but overtime I could see the tenderness and love she treated Katie and her journey to loving herself and her body. So it redeemed itself. It is a little triggering though.

Anyway! When it comes out you should definitely read it ♥️🥰

Thank you for this e-arc! Kathrine Center is always a writer I know will be a good time, and this was no different. Katie and Hutch's relationship was a slow burn with great rom-com moments. I did love George Bailey! I appreciated the author's focus on body image, as it is an important topic. This was not my favorite KC book, but it was an easy and fun read for my snow day!

Finding Love & Self Love

I ate this book up! Katherine Center never disappoints!

Talk about having my heart pounding while the hurricane was happening!! Oh my gosh so good!
Hurricane’s are scary especially living in the south and we deal with them yearly. It felt so real!

Hutch is absolutely perfect! Rue & George Bailey stole the show! I need to fly to the Keys so I can go live there 😅

I didn’t like Cole 😒 not one bit.. like how does he lie on the spot?!

Katie deals with Self love, self doubt , acceptance and I loved every minute of it. She has an inner dialogue that kept me entertained.

This is a perfect beach 🏝️ / pool side book! Add this one to your summer tbr!

🏝️ Body Positivity
🎥 Coast Guard
🏝️ Rescue Dog
🎥 Forced Proximity
🏝️ Pool / Beach Vibes


I would love if the Authors note was in the beginning. Gives the book so much meaning and appreciation!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is an absolute delight—a charming, entertaining, and heartwarming story that transports readers to the sun-soaked shores of Key West. Brimming with rich relationships, personal growth, and the healing power of connection, this novel is a testament to Katherine Center's talent for crafting relatable characters and memorable journeys.

Katie Vaughn, the protagonist, is a character many will resonate with. Battling body image issues after being scrutinized online by her ex-boyfriend’s fans and facing uncertainty at work, Katie’s life takes an unexpected turn when her boss sends her to Key West to cover a story on his brother, Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Katie’s challenge is twofold: not only does she need to save her career, but she also must confront a lifelong fear—learning to swim in a place surrounded by water.

The vibrant setting Key West matches the characters living there. From sangrias by sunset each night to congo dancing, the warmth of the setting matched the characters. Rue and the Gals were an important part of showing how important friendships and family are to the characters.

Katherine Center masterfully weaves themes of courage, vulnerability, and self-discovery throughout the narrative. The relationships in this book shine—whether it’s the budding romance between Katie and Hutch, the unwavering support of family and friends, or Katie’s journey toward self-love and confidence. Each interaction feels authentic and adds depth to the story.

The novel’s exploration of bravery is particularly moving. From Katie’s determination to face her fears to Hutch’s quiet resilience, The Love Haters reminds readers that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to unexpected joys.

The Love Haters is an absolute must-read. Katherine Center has delivered a novel that’s as uplifting as it is unforgettable.

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book, and while it had its moments, it ultimately left me feeling a bit meh. The romance between Hutch and Katie was so predictable it was almost like checking items off a list – will they or won't they? Spoiler: they will, and it’s exactly how you’d expect. That being said, their connection did have some charm, even if it didn’t quite set my heart racing.

The plot was another area where I couldn’t quite get on board. The whole "feeling fat is a medical diagnosis" angle didn’t sit right with me. It felt a bit off, like the author was trying to make a larger point but missed the mark.

That being said, the writing was solid, and I did enjoy parts of it. The pacing was decent, and it’s clear the author has a knack for creating relatable characters. In the end, I’d say I liked the book – it wasn’t a complete miss, but it didn’t sweep me off my feet either.

If you’re into light, easy romance with a few deeper themes, this could be a good fit. But don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

This book is the epitome of why I love Katherine Center’s writing SO MUCH. It is heartwarming and wonderful and MAYBE my new favorite of hers. (High praise bc she’s one of my very favorite authors and I’m years of reading her books, no other has yet unseated Happiness for Beginners as my favorite.) Yes, it is a romance (and such a swoony one!) but it’s also a story of Katie learning to love herself, filled with warm friendships (Beanie!) and the best side characters (RUE!), and a found family so lovable you wish you were poolside with The Gals for dinner. ALSO a scaredy cat Great Dane named GEORGE BAILEY, come onnnn. And in Katherine’s signature style, the internal monologues are at times downright hilarious and laugh out loud funny, and yet so relatable they brought tears to my eyes. I absolutely blazed through this book in just under 48 hours, did not want to put it down, and am so sad I can’t read it again for the first time.

It is no secret that I love Katherine Center's books, and this one was no different. I loved this book! I connected a lot with the main character, Katie. She was struggling with body issues, and I'm actually experiencing something similar to that right now. All the realizations that Katie has really helped me, and it just added to the book for me.
The other characters in the story, like The Gals and George Bailey, made me want to pack my bags and move to the Florida Keys so I could live near them. Hutch was great, too. Even though he was kind of perfect, he was also relatable and likable.

I loved that we got an insight into the Coast Guard. I had never read anything like this before!

I laughed, cried, and felt so hopeful. As usual, Center makes you feel all the things! I already know, this book will be in my top 10 for 2025. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early!

This was an easy read that was a great escape during this bitterly cold January we are having.
Things I loved about this book:

1. Katie and her growth in learning to love herself and her body. When we first meet Katie, she is extremely critical of herself after years of living with body shaming by her step-mom. Reading her emotionally deal with and breakthrough the unrealistic body expectations she had for herself and learn to love every part of herself was a beautiful experience. We as women, need these characters in our lives because we all have an inner struggle with loving ourselves as we are.

2. Katie’s relationship with all the women in her life. Katie and Beanie’s phone conversation banter led to some laugh out loud moments. And when Rue was on the page it was pure magic. I loved the mother/daughter vibe that I as a reader felt between Rue and Katie.

3 The relationship between George Bailey and Katie. I’m a sucker for a dog in a story, and George Bailey was quite the character.. The scenes they shared made me smile.

Things I felt that were unfinished:
The entire relationship with Hutch. It was a slow burn that just felt way too rushed at the end. I would’ve liked to see more there.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the story., a solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another perfect cast of characters and love story filled with life lessons and people you want to cheer for and can relate to! Love Haters is refreshing and endearing and I know it will be in my top five of the year even though it's only the second week of January!
Thank you, Katherine Center for being a fan of love and telling an excellent story! And I adore Katie and Hutch and George Bailey!

I always love Katherine Center books and this one was up there with the best! I feel deeply in love with the characters and wanted to move right in alongside the gals. This book was easily visualized and I felt like an innocent bystander through the amazing adventures Katie had. So enjoyable!

Fun, super quick read. As always with Katherine Center's books, a bit of depth, but an easy read. I will always put Center's newest at the top of my pile of books to read. They are just so satisfying. I will say, The Love Haters felt a little too out there and unbelievable. But again, I was entertained and flew right through it.

I really enjoyed this book! It had swooney moments and a top tier book boyfriend. It was relatable and fun but also had emotion and feeling. It wasn't just a one-dimensional romance.

The Key West setting was picturesque and the details were accurate. I could picture all of the locations and felt like I was back on the eclectic, tropical island.

I loved the Coast Guard aspect and really enjoyed learning more about what they do (assuming the descriptions were accurate). It's one of the more rare military branches depicted in books so that was a fun change!

A grumpy MMC and forced proximity will always be the golden trope pairing for me. I ate it up! I loved Hutch (and that nickname! 🤤) he was such a great guy, instant book boyfriend status!

The story does revolve pretty heavily around body dysmorphia and self-esteem issues. I did find it a bit frustrating at the beginning but also relatable and it wrapped up beautifully in the end.

There were some moments in the main conflict that we're very irritating and I wanted to scream at the characters. Thankfully this didn't linger for long.

A lot of things happen off page and are just touched on, including the bulk of the romance between the two main characters. I wash In had gotten to witness more of their relationship progression.

Also, personal preference but the FMC is the narrator and she addresses the reader a few times which isn't something I'm a big fan of.

For those few reasons, this was a four-star for me but it could have easily been five stars with just a few adjustments!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🌺 Grumpy MMC
🌺 Forced Proximity
🌺 Learning to Love Yourself
🌺 Military/Coast Guard
🌺 Hero Dynamics
🌺 Family Drama
🌺 Tragic Pasts
🌺 Famous Ex
🌺 Found Family
🌺 Picturesque Settings
🌺 Quirky Side Characters
🌺 Animal Sidekick
🌺 Closed Door/Kissing Only

TW: body dysmorphia, eating disorder (off page but revisited), death of a family member (off page but described)

Katherine serving up her signature beautiful vulnerability with slow burn romance and epic emotional growth.

I loved the Florida setting (key west), the complicated brother dynamic and some really sweet falling in love moments.

My only tiny beef is with wanting the end to more tender moments between the MCs. It was a true slow burn so I wanted a touch more at the finish.

The Love Haters is a wonderful story in which you can easily shut out the world and just enjoy. I loved the side characters as much as the main ones and the non-human character really stole my heart. Set in a fabulous location that makes you wish you were there! A wonderful read!