Thank you @stmartinspress for the free copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center which releases May 20th.

Katie Vaughn takes a job profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Hutch Hutcheson, even though she can’t swim. As she spends time with Hutch and his family, she faces her fears, gets caught in a few lies, and starts to fall for him.

The Love Haters had such an intriguing plot. I ended up really enjoying it! The real standout in this book was the amount of research and thought Katherine Center put into the Coast Guard details. I enjoyed the slow burn, the banter, and the quirky side characters as well. Rue, George Bailey, and The Gals were a hoot! Beanie was an interesting best friend and cousin to Katie. Though I didn’t agree with all of her advice and some of it felt harsh, I appreciated that Katie had someone in her corner. The character dynamics in the book were interesting. I loved how Katherine built the connection between Katie and Hutch while also focusing on Katie’s journey of self-healing and self-love. For Hutch, the story centered on healing his relationships. Katie was an interesting main character and I can see how readers might either connect with her or find her frustrating. She tends to overthink and get stuck in her head, but considering her journey, her struggles made sense. Hutch occasionally felt a little too perfect or seemed to act hot and cold, but by the end, I understood why he was the way he was. I really wish we had gotten Hutch’s perspective because it would have been fascinating to see some of the resolutions from his point of view. The last half of the book took some unexpected twists which made things even more compelling. Overall, this was a solid four-star read.

Another enjoyable book by Katherine Center. I loved the setting in Key West and learning about the US coast guard swimmer rescue. The slow burn relationship of Katie and Hutch kept the story moving and of course a wrapped up ending is always a plus for me.

While I didn’t love Cole or the bar scene where he was making Katie a “prize”, overall the book was worth the read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

KATHERINE CENTER TAKE ALL MY MONIES.

I freaking loved this book so much. The enemies to lovers (read it and you will know the real MCs here) and all the mental health nuggets had my therapist heart beaming.

As always, blessed to have gotten an ARC. I highly recommend The Love Haters.

I am usually a big Katherine Center fan! This one did miss the mark for me - the ending was a bit unrealistic for me, although I do love a happily ever after!

"It wasn't a hate kiss. It was a love kiss. In case you couldn't tell." 🌺🌴🍹🚁👙
the lover haters ARC 4/5⭐️
My first and definitely not my last book by Katherine Center! I loved this book so much. This book literally had me laughing out loud throughout the whole book! I really enjoyed this book and could not stop reading it!! This book is about Katie and Hutch aka the love hater. Katie goes to the Florida keys for her job. She has to film Hutch doing his job as a coast guard rescue swimmer. I loved the plot twist with Hutch’s brother Cole. I cannot wait to read more by Katherine Center! Definitely read this if you like rom coms, clean romance, and a summer read!

I really enjoyed this book. It was one that was hard to put down to keep up on my daily life. I felt like Katie's insecurities with her body really resonated with me and I could feel what she was feeling.

There were parts that I wanted to scream at -- like in most books -- but I realize it was necessary for how the author wanted to continue the story.

I liked the relationship between Katie and Hutch and George Bailey.

This isn't my favorite book by Katherine Center but it was a sweet, easy read.

Such a sweet book. FMC has unbelievable personal growth. Seems to me that was more the plot than falling in love. Didn’t really feel the chemistry in the two main characters but loved seeing how the story unfolded. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this arc!

Warning: Chromophobes need not pick this book up. This novel is light, sweet and as colorful as the cover - the perfect afternoon read, preferably by the pool in the Florida Keys. Videographer Katie, worried about being fired from her day job, agrees to take an assignment filming a promotional video for the Coast Guard, despite one teeny, tiny problem. After all, how big of a deal is it really if she can't swim? Will the hunky Coast Guard reluctant hero Hutch open up to her enough to make the video that will save her job? As per the genre, the novel has it all - tension you can cut with a knife, a few misunderstandings and a few grand gestures too.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

I'm so sad to write this review because I had great expectations from this book, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

I do think it has some valid points, but the main characters had the personality of a pillow, the couple had zero chemistry, the plot seemed rushed, and the climax was "meh".

The only thing that kept me going was my curiosity to see how it was going to end, but I confess that I considered DNFing many, many, many times.

Well, it was worth the try. Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

A “I didn’t realize I’m actually attractive” somewhat likeable main character falls for a drop dead gorgeous, brooding, Coast Guard rescue swimmer in about 3 days? Mostly as unbelievable as it sounds. A cute, fast read, with some brief heavier topics but nothing too deep. If you can get past the weird, body-hating main character who only likes her pinky and ankles (?), it’s a palate cleanser book if you’re coming off something heavy. It’s a fast read which is good but speaks to the minimal character development. Overall, I’d recommend if you’d like something mostly light and easy.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

The book description vs what the book was, in my opinion, didn’t match. I thought I was going to read an amazing Rom Com like others that Katherine Center has excelled at, but this one fell short for me. I was really excited to receive this ARC, and it did not do it for me unfortunately.

There was way too much self deprecation in this book to the point that the body insecurity felt like the whole plot, it wasn't about saving her job or the video anymore, it was just about her trying to conquer her body insecurity.

Hutch was perfect, I enjoyed him a lot.

I appreciate the opportunity to receive this arc and look forward to Katherine’s future publications as I am usually a fan of her writing.

I absolutely love Katherine Centers books and she once again wrote another witty, lovable story. I enjoyed the plot of the story with the development of the love story and sub-plot of body image. As someone who deals with body image issues I love how it shows us her development of also loving herself- flaws and all.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for ARC. All opinions are my own.

First and foremost, thank you, NetGalley, for approving my request for The Love Haters by Katherine Center. You have no idea how much it meant to me to receive my very first ARC!

Now, about the book—I absolutely loved it. The romance is incredibly sweet, and the story is compelling. The chemistry between the two main characters develops so beautifully that I couldn't help but root for them.

I also adored all the side characters—Rue, Beanie, the Gals, George Bailey, and even Cole and Sullivan. Each one contributed to creating a rich and vibrant backdrop for Katie and Hutch’s love story.

But what I loved most about this book is that it’s not just about Katie and Hutch’s romance; it’s also about Katie’s love story with herself. I saw so much of my younger self in her—struggling with self-hatred and body image issues. Watching Katie grow through life’s experiences, learning self-acceptance, self-discovery, and ultimately, self-love, was deeply moving.

Another powerful takeaway from this book is how family trauma can lead to long-term misunderstandings and miscommunication, as seen with Hutch and Cole. Their journey teaches us the importance of making peace with the past and understanding that family should grow stronger and deeper together, not apart.

And finally, Rue—the fabulous Rue—reminds us all to be grateful for life itself. She encourages us not just to live but to truly savor every moment.

Overall, The Love Haters is a heartfelt, beautifully written novel filled with romance, self-growth, and meaningful life lessons. I highly recommend it!

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into The Love Haters, but once I did, I really enjoyed the story. Katherine Center has a way of writing heartfelt, feel-good romances that pull you in, and this one was no exception. The banter, the slow-burn romance, and the character growth all made for an engaging read.

That said, I didn’t love the heavy focus on the female main character’s body image struggles. While I understand why it was included, it’s a topic I personally try to escape from when reading romance. As someone who deals with similar issues, I found it distracting rather than uplifting. I would have preferred more emphasis on the romance without so much focus on self-consciousness about appearance.

Overall, The Love Haters was an enjoyable read with a great romance and strong emotional moments, but the body image themes took away some of the escapism I was hoping for.

Katherine Center can do no wrong, I have read all of her blacklist so when I saw this book pop up I knew it was going to be an auto read! She did not disappoint! Her characters are so well thought out, and the stories are always something different. Loved it!

This book was not what I was expecting. It had a lot of good messages and I think that’s why I gave it 3 stars. However; the story itself was just lacking or going totally over the top. There was no in between. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the characters for most of the book and the situations were kind of outlandish. This just wasn’t my favorite by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cute but very unrealistic and over dramatized. I needed more background on the characters and just more from the story overall

4.5⭐️
Katherine Center has done it again! The Love Haters is everything I adore about her books — lighthearted, laugh-out-loud moments wrapped up in a touching story about facing fears, embracing vulnerability, and finding love when you least expect it.

I was absolutely kicking my feet and giggling through the witty banter and slow-burn romance. Katie and Hutch’s chemistry had me hooked from the start, and the setting in Key West made the perfect backdrop for a story about second chances. I loved watching Katie’s journey of growth, especially as she tackled her own insecurities and learned to trust herself again.

Katherine Center is an autobuy author for me, and this book only solidified why. Her writing always blends humor, heart, and just the right amount of swoon — and The Love Haters is no exception.

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with depth and charm, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR!

Big thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for this advanced readers copy! ❤️ This review is my own opinion.

Katherine Center has once again crafted a beautiful love story that gripped me much harder than I expected.

This time, the story follows Katie, who, in an attempt to keep from being fired, accepts a project that takes her to Key West, Florida, to film and document the Keys Coast Guard and Pup Daddy Hutch—who also happens to be her boss’s brother. Their story is full of longing, sweet encouragement, and undeniable chemistry that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Surprisingly, I would argue that the main love story in this book isn’t between Katie and Hutch. Instead, it’s found within Katie herself and her journey to fully love and accept her body. This theme is woven throughout the plot in a delicate and heartfelt way that I believe will resonate deeply with many readers.

And can we talk about the incredible depth of the secondary characters? In my opinion, Rue, Cole, The Gals, George Bailey, and even Sullivan make this story so well-rounded and fun!

I truly think this is one of Katherine Center’s best books to date - I seriously couldn’t put it down!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the Advanced Reader Copy (my first one ever!).

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

I was a bit hesitant to read this book at first since Katherine Center’s books have been hit or miss for me but this book was so much fun I could hardly put it down. I loved the characters and the sense of community that this book had, I’m longing to go to Key West now!

However, I felt like some of the heavier themes in the books were shallowly dealt with and some of the relationships between the characters could’ve been written out better.

Overall, this was a solid enjoyable beach read!