Katherine center has a way of writing that feels like you are on a FaceTime call with her characters.

And while per usual, I love the voice in her books, this one was a bit conflicting for me.

I really enjoyed the concept and plot of the book, I thought it was very unique, as most of her ideas are. Katie’s struggle with body dysmorphia was something I had never read about in a book. I did enjoy her as a character for the most part, but she wasn’t very memorable or too different from any of her other female main characters. I found her inner monologue hilarious, but similar to her previous characters, however still entirely enjoyable. For that part, Hutch was even less memorable. And for a rescue diver who is called a hero countless times in a story, that’s not a good sign. He did grow on me more and more as the book progressed, but still not a favorite by far.

I liked how Hutch’s and Katie’s relationship developed, but Cole showing up and the whole debacle with that was so out of left field and really bothered me. It seemed way too unbelievable and was genuinely unbearable. It did not feel necessary at all, given how shortly that conflict lasted. But Cole as a whole was entirely too frustrating and a character that wasn’t fully developed enough to have so many bad qualities and not be considered a bad person. He had a little redemption after making up with Hutch and explaining his reasoning, though.

I was thinking this was definitely going to end up being a 3 star read until the last hundred pages or so. The whole hurricane and adrift at sea honestly saved the book for me, as crazy as it was. I found it hilarious, it had some of my favorite scenes and dialogues, and I was smiling the entire time. Katie feeling rejected when they saved the dog first had me almost in tears!

So as a whole, while the beginning was a bit lackluster for me, the end definitely pulled through and I’d give this book a solid 4/5 stars! Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review!

I love most Katherine Center's books, but this one took me a little longer to get through. it focused on ton on the body image issues the main character had. I do identify with this some as many women are not happy with their bodies, but it was focused on too much. Once you get past that the story itself was funny and cute. I liked the characters overall and enjoyed the story. I do think this book could have been better, but it was still a fun read at the end of the day. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley, St Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for an ARC of The Love Haters in exchange for my honest review.
This is the first book I have read by Katherine Center and I loved it. This story was funny, moving, and relatable. Katie and Hutch are the cutest. But I think my favorite character is Rue who lives life to the fullest and is just so happy it’s contagious to everyone around her. If Starlite was a real place that would be my go to place for my next vacation!
I would recommend this book to everyone!

3.75⭐
Katie works as a video producer, but to keep her job, she has to film a video about Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West and the brother of her superior. According to Cole, Hutch is grumpy and doesn’t believe in love, but in reality, he turns out to be completely different. He also has an adorable Great Dane that is afraid of thunder.

This was my first book by Katherine Center, so I didn’t know what to expect. But my introduction to the author was a success! There were plenty of genuinely funny moments. Throughout the book, the heroine learns to love her body, so I’d say this story is less about romance and more about healing and self-love.

The hero is wonderful—he’s kind and always ready to help others. The chapters about the brothers' past were particularly touching.
I also really liked the heroine’s friend, Beanie—her support and the way she encouraged Katie to love herself were heartwarming.

By the end, I grew tired of Cole’s lies, and I felt that Katie and Hutch’s relationship lacked closure. Overall, this is a book that will not only make you laugh but also make you think, as it touches on important topics. A great summer read! I will continue exploring the author's work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St.. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read the advanced reader copy! I have not picked up a Katherine Center book before. This one did not disappoint! This cute summer beach romcom read is 3.5 stars! I would have given this book four stars if there had been more conversations between Katie and Hutch to see their love grow. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was there but it was just missing that extra dialog! I was hooked once you mentioned USCG MMC. Then throw in a gentle giant who is named after it’s a wonderful life, George Bailey! I loved the characters so much! I was glad to see the growth in Katie’s journey throughout the book! I can’t wait to read more from Katherine Center this summer!

To the shock of absolutely no one, including myself, I simply adored this book. Katherine Center somehow has the ability to draw you into her characters, their worlds, their emotions, their lives. Her words are simply perfect every single time. It's the sort of read that makes you gasp, and laugh, and cry, and think that you have somehow jumped into the book itself.

I will read everything she writes.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

3 stars for the middle part. The beginning was meh, and the last 25% was so ridiculous and unbelievable, I couldn't skim through fast enough just to get it over with. Not sure I would call this a romance. Not a lot of chemistry between Katie and Hutch. Why oh why did she go along with Cole and his stupid ideas? There was absolutely no reason to lie to Hutch. The night at the bar with the three of them? I was yelling at my Kindle; Katie and Hutch should have walked out and left Cole. Beanie was my favorite characters and she wasn't even in the same place - her story line took place during phone conversations with Katie. Oh, and George Bailey of course. I always like the dogs best of all.

This book was not what I expected at all, but I also did not really know what to expect from the description. It was deeper than I could have imagined; with messages about love, self help, body positivity, and facing fears. I loved that in a way it was educational with tidbits about the USCG. I think it was perfectly lengthed so that it kept the audience hooked and covered all points. I love how KC ties everything together -- lightning, ex fiances, family ties.

4.25 🌟
A charmingly endearing story that only Katherine Center could pull off.

This is the perfect read for someone looking for a summery floral feel with a side of character growth and self love. Some might see Katie’s journey with her insecurities as a weak plot point, but anyone who has struggled with self worth and body image will surely relate.

There were parts of the plot that were, in my opinion, needlessly frustrating and drawn out. But the setting and the characters (especially one George Bailey with a penchant for toads) more than make up for it

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC

Yet another great story from Katherine Center! The tensions abound in work and love in this hilarious novel! Cole and Hutch are excellent male characters and the conga line with Aunt Rue adds so many laughs. George Bailey is one of my favorite characters and the theme of bravery is evident throughout the story. Like all of her novels, this is a definite recommend for me!

The colorful splash of a Katherine Center book cover is begging you to read it poolside with a fizzy drink in hand. They are easy, breezy love stories with likable characters and Hollywood happy endings.

Though this one didn’t have quite the emotional impact I’ve felt with some of her other books, the easy, breezy part is still there, so I got what I signed up for.

Also, it’s set in the Florida Keys, a place I’ve been researching to visit, so I enjoyed that aspect of the strangers-to-lovers tale. But perhaps more notable than the central romance is the sense of growing self-love that’s woven in for the main character, which the author notes at the end.

There are a few other romance tropes thrown in, which awkwardly fit the narrative, but at its heart, The Love Haters tells the tale of every woman who’s ever struggled with seeing herself as the beautiful being she is — so, you know, pretty much all of us.

DNF. Made it to 47%. They kissed and that’s enough. Didn’t love the body insecurity. There was no witty banter.

I’m a huge fan of KC’s books and look forward to reading anything she writes! This one didn’t make the top of the list for me, but it was still a fun rom-com with summer/vacation vibes due to the Key West setting. I always love the extra depth she adds to the main characters growth, in this case with Katie’s body positivity. And I absolutely loved George Bailey! However, I felt there could have been a bit more depth to Katie and Hutch’s romance/storyline.

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

The Love Haters By Katherine Center 3.5⭐️

This story had so many funny moments! It was filled with cute and hilarious situations that would be prefect for a movie. The love story between Katie and Hutch is quite endearing as they bring out the confidence in one another. Hutch is a hot, a member of the coastguard, and literally saves people for a living! You couldn’t ask for a better mmc. This book did have a slow start though, but the ending made up for it. I will say if body image issues is a trigger for you, or something you avoid in your books this might not be for you. This wasn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, but I would say it’s still worth the read. Thank you Saint Martin’s Press for giving me this arc read through NetGalley!

"Documentary filmmakers were pretty much never on easy street. Unless they happened to be Ken Burns. It was kind of the lowest-ranked filmmaking passion you could pursue. None of the glamour of Hollywood. None of the money or fame. Just quietly trying to tell the stories that you feel should be told - and then trying to convince the world to listen."

Katie, an up and coming documentary filmmaker, has a problem - a layoff from her corporate video job looms after the CEO's messy divorce. But when her supervisor, Cole, offers her a dream shoot (which may involve his dreamy Coast Guard rescue swimmer and heroically famous brother, Hutch, who happens to hate love) she jumps at the chance to save her job. Arriving at the beautiful Key West and meeting Hutch and Cole's radiant Aunt Rue is the easy part. What's not so easy is everything that comes after...

. . .

One thing about Katherine Center is she's going to give DIALOGUE. I've always loved that her books flow easily and are filled with actual conversations instead of the constant explanation of what is not necessary. Although this book didn't dazzle me like her other titles KC knows how to keep me invested.
Here are some of my thoughts while reading The Love Haters:

I would like to start with some things I liked.

- The overall message of body positivity was a good one. We love a woman who can overcome strong negative feelings about how she looks. I felt for Katie in a lot of ways because I've felt how she does, sometimes still do. I also really loved her relationship with Beanie. We all need a Beanie.

- We needed more time with Rue and the Gals. I would have loved to see Katie get some advice from all of them together. Seasoned older woman who know a thing or two about life.

Now for some of the things that rubbed me the wrong way.

- Even though there is no age where insecurity really disappears, the way Katie deals with hers can sometimes come across as immature or naive. As an almost 30 year old woman did she really believe that Hutch was covering up her body because she thought she was disgusting?? Let's think a little here, Katie. It's called modesty.

-Unfortunately, Katie gave off "pick me" vibes. For someone who really struggled with her self image she really did not care how anyone else felt, especially Hutch.

-Lastly, I felt like the plot line was a little all over the place. Was this story about body positivity? Was it about the filmmaking? Was it about family drama? It felt like it was doing too much but also nothing at all.

I will always love Katherine Center as an author. Hello Stranger and The Bodyguard are a couple of my favorites. However, The Love Haters didn't quite hit the mark for me.

*This ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher!*

Unfortunately I was bored reading this one. I didn’t feel connected to the characters or want to continue picking it up

"It doesn't matter what anybody thinks if you're having fun. And all the fun is in color."

Chromophobe (yep, that's a real thing, a fear of color) videographer Katie Vaughn tells a few white lies and takes an assignment to save her job that is far outside of her comfort zone - producing a recruitment video for the United States Coast Guard. The problem? Katie can't swim. But she says she can and what ensues as a result can only be described as a hilarious meet cute with the video's star, Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson, who just so happens to be the brother of the guy who gave her this gig.

From the very beginning, Hutch and Katie seem like polar opposites. He is daring, confident, secure, and well-known by everyone. Katie on the other hand, is incredibly insecure and very content to be the wallflower who doesn't draw attention to herself - especially after a failed engagement with a famous singer ended with him cheating on her. But despite their differences, the two of them get closer than either anticipated.

Katherine Center does a wonderful job of mixing the sweet with the funny, the serious with the silly. Her closed-door romances are filled with unbridled sexual tension and a slow burn that no romance lover can ignore. Both Hutch and Katie are charming and relatable, and the growth we see from both of them throughout the story is inspiring. The supporting cast of characters is colorful and exuberant, and add layers that really move the story forward. Oh, and there's a dog. A really big, 160lb thunder-fearing, toad-loving dog. If that doesn't make you fall in love with this story, I don't know what will.

3.5 ⭐ The Love Haters is a quick, fun romcom that did touch on some more sensitive issues such the impact social media can have on self-image and worth. While this wasn't my favorite Katherine Center novel, it was worth the read for the secondary characters, Rue and George Bailey.

I loved this book. Katherine Center did such a great job bringing you right into it. I felt so many things, right along with the characters. There's a storm scene, and the devastation, mixed with dread and hope was phenomenal. I could hear the waves, and I felt the nausea from rocking in the boat.

The main theme was self acceptance. Some of the things the main character had to learn were things I highlighted for myself! Accepting your body, and loving it because it's YOURS is hard to do and we journey along with Katie to get there.

Katie and Hutch and love haters. They hate love! It's burned them in the past so they just stay away. Until her job as a videographer crosses with his coat guard rescue job.

I didn't like Cole. I know that's how it's supposed to be but would Katie have really gone along with his bone head plan? I think not. That was irritating, but the rest of the book made up for it.

I will read this again and recommend it!

Katherine Center does it again! From the cover to the book description I knew I was going to enjoy this book! It’s fun, cute, and witty. Rue was one of my favorite characters in the book, and she’s not even a main main so that tells you that I loved everyone lol. This us the 3rd book I’ve read from KC and I’m hooked.