This one hurts! I love Katherine Center's writing but for some reason, this novel didn't quite land for me. Parts of the reason why it didn't quite work are related to the plot, so I don't want to spoil anything here.

What I did like is that Center's writing is just so darn readable. Anytime I sat down to read, I was sucked into the story. I also really appreciated her author's note where she talks about getting lost in stories. I think that comes through here for sure.

** I received an e-ARC form NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Katherine Center novel and sadly it may be my last. I didn’t enjoy the story, it was lacking romance, and the body dysmorphia wasn’t handled well. The entire story was just one ridiculous thing after another, and I also don’t find the title fits the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
If Katherine Center has a million fans I’m one of them, if she has one fan I’m that fan, if she has zero fans I’m dead😂
Loved this book! Really could relate to a lot of the self esteem issues that Katie, and enjoyed being able to see her work through them.
Loved Katie and Hutch, but do wish we could have seen Hutches POV because I would have loved to know what was going on in his head especially in the last major scene ( no spoilers here!) also I really want my own Rue because she’s hilarious and I want her to dress me lol.

This was a great read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy!!

While I loved the characters, their growth, and the general plot, the pacing felt off. The beginning was really slow and then suddenly got really fast and then the ending felt abrupt. The epilogue didn’t feel like it wrapped it up enough for me. I enjoyed reading it though, it was a quick read.

In this phase of life l'm having the most success reading cute romance and The Love Haters fits the bill perfectly!

My favorite parts:
- Katie's self-love journey
- George Bailey the Great Dane
- Rue and The Gals

Read if you like:
- Florida Keys setting
- Lovable side characters
- Witty banter

Pub date May 20, 2025.

Thank you Erica from SMP for dropping this
ARC in my inbox!

Katie Vaughn is a video producer traveling to Key West to film a profile on iconic Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. He's her coworker's brother and she gets wrapped up in their family drama. Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue. This was a fun read with lighthearted romance, miscommunications galore, drama, and a giant dog. It was enjoyable and easy to read. Some of the miscommunications and family dramas were frustrating, but that's the genre and life sometimes. Katie had a lot of body issues and her self image was a major plot point in the book. Still worth reading and recommending to fans of Katherine Center.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

As a huge fan of Katherine Center, I knew I had to dive into this book the moment I got my hands on it—and it did not disappoint! I’m giving it a solid 4.75 stars for its heartfelt storytelling, compelling character growth, and deeply relatable themes.

The story follows Katie, whose journey of self-acceptance and personal growth resonated with me on so many levels. It brought back memories of my own struggles with body image as a teenager and young adult, serving as a powerful reminder of how much our perspective of ourselves shapes our experiences. Katie’s inner monologue about her body felt incredibly authentic—who hasn’t been through those thoughts at some point? Watching her evolve and learn to be kinder to herself was both inspiring and emotional.

Beyond the self-discovery aspect, the storytelling was fantastic! The romance was sweet (though I found myself wishing for just a bit more), and the plot was filled with unexpected twists and turns that kept me hooked. Overall, this was a wonderful, thought-provoking read that beautifully balances heart, humor, and growth. Loved it!

3.7 stars

We’re here to be alive. To feel the sun on our skin. To breathe deep in the wind. We’re here to feel it all. To love and cry and love some more.

The scars of one’s beauty, is it going to be hurting, or will it ever be better?

I suffer from the body image thing ever since I was a kid. I was either too thin or too fat, always the shortest, with pimples popping up my face like a hot air balloon. I was called ugly, in face, by boys I thought I was good acquaintance with. To them, I was never easy to look at. It wasn’t until nowadays I started healing, to be honest, I felt . I knew what Katie felt when she felt insecure. That people often deceive you differently, however, you should just let it go.

I enjoyed the book overall. The message the author was trying to convey is clear: to find your true self and don’t live in others’ criticism.

The plot of the whole story is still a highlight to me. The meet cute and plot twists. I feel like it could be more elaborated. It felt rushed on some ends.

Note to self : I feel like this book doesn’t really have the typical Katherine vibe I was hoping for when I read this book, ( you know the ugly tears and big fluffy feelings, but the messages she tried to send throughout her book is still present so, I normally rated Katherine’s book five stars but this time I can only give a 3 and I’m hurting inside because of it) but the message it tries to address is worth a thousand stars.

This was my first book by Katherine Center, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Thank you to the publisher and Met Galley for the ARC.

Overall, I liked the story. However, I found it hard to focus with the point of view. Normally I like first person, but I just didn't vibe with the character. There were some parts that I felt could have been reworded, such as the description of the flight to Key West. I didn't really care for a bunch of sentences starting with "And." It just went against everything I was ever taught in school.

Katie Vaughn’s career is teetering on the edge — she’s either about to be laid off or take a daring assignment profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson in Key West. Sounds simple, except Katie can’t swim — a minor detail she conveniently forgets to mention.

Oh, and Hutch? He’s the estranged brother of her coworker Cole, and things between them are... tense. Paradise quickly turns chaotic as Katie juggles lies, awkward swim lessons, and unexpected feelings for the frustratingly handsome Hutch. Along the way, colorful characters like Rue, a lovable Great Dane, and a lively group of locals keep the laughs coming.

Through hurricanes, hijinks, and stolen kisses, Katie’s biggest challenge may be learning to believe in herself.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

While the romance is fun and full of witty banter, the heart of this novel is Katie's relationship with herself. Watching her grow from someone unsure and self-critical to someone who finds strength and self-acceptance was incredibly rewarding. Katherine Center has this knack for writing characters who feel real — flawed, messy, and relatable. Katie's journey reminded me that sometimes, the hardest relationship to nurture is the one you have with yourself.

“I mean, an abusive relationship with yourself is still a relationship, right?”

I loved how the book explores this idea — that we can sometimes be our own worst critics, but learning to treat ourselves with kindness is a huge step toward true happiness.

Katherine Center also has a gift for writing female friendships that feel authentic. The women in Katie's life don’t just cheer her on; they challenge her, hold her accountable, and celebrate her victories. I love that her books always have this strong undercurrent of support between women.

And while I was hoping for a big romantic declaration from Hutch (because who doesn't love a swoony moment?), I actually appreciated that the true "magic" in the story was when Katie realized she didn’t need outside validation. Her self-worth didn’t depend on anyone else’s opinion — not Hutch's, not the internet's, not anyone's. That felt powerful and so satisfying.

Plus, the supporting cast was pure gold! Rue, "The Gals," and George Bailey had me laughing out loud more than once. Their playful energy and witty banter balanced out some of the more emotional moments beautifully.

Finally, if you’re not reading Katherine Center's Author's Notes, you are seriously missing out. She has this lovely way of distilling her themes into something deeply personal and uplifting.

"Love stories make us better at love. In all directions. And getting better at love, of course, means getting better at life."

If you love books that combine humor, heart, and self-discovery, this one should absolutely be on your TBR!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars

When Katie is offered the opportunity to save her job by going to Key West and making a promo video for the US Coast Guard--and to focus on Hutch, a Coast Guard hero--she does it, even though she can't swim. Once she gets there and finds out that Hutch is angry because Cole (Katie's supervisor who sent her to Key West)--Hutch's brother!--was supposed to do the video, the two have to figure out a way to work together. Making lots of fun cameos along the way are Rue (Cole and Hutch's aunt) and her gang of senior gal pals.

Was this my favorite Katherine Center book? No (The Rom-commers forever!), but when an author has to pump out a book a year, they all can't be bangers. THE LOVE HATERS still has the typical Katherine Center humor and fun characters. Learning more about the Coast Guard was also a good time.

The Love Haters is out May 20, 2025.

Charming and spunky, this is the perfect summer read.

Katie’s struggle with insecurity and self-image was almost refreshing. It has been a long time since I have read a book where the main character struggled with self-image. Although I admire a confident female main character, Katie’s struggle was realistic. It was dealt with in an honest yet inspiring manner. Her internal struggle set against the backdrop of paradise brought a much-needed escape. The friends, family, and love found along the way make this book the perfect summer escape. This book is a graceful reminder of the value of love- both of self and others.

I appreciate how well Katherine Center balances the charm of a Rom-com with real-life drama. She blends a classic Rom-com's predictability perfectly with everyday life's struggles.

Closed door modifications: This book is closed-door, no modification needed.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an ARC for a Katherine Center book is an absolute dream!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center.

Such a great love story. Hutch and Katie meet while she is trying to save her job and make a promo video of his work. His brother is an ass and tries to ruin it but his aunt and her friends are amazing characters.

I enjoyed this book and I liked the chemistry that Katie had with Hutch. I did find the body issues a bit much, but can understand how some may be able to relate to those issues. I loved the ending and how we got to see the journey that Katie and Hutch went through.

Round up to 3.5 stars

I am a Katherine Center Stan. If she writes it, I will read it! Most of her books are 4-5 stars for me! This one fell a little short. Still a cute summer romance book but just never reached the level I needed. I wasn’t a huge fan of the side characters (minus Aunt Rue). I didn’t connect with it as much as her previous books, but still an enjoyable read.

I really loved this book. I flew through it in one day while on a beach vacation. It’s perfect for a beach read and such a cute story. I enjoyed getting to watch Katie’s personal growth and change as her relationship with Hutch grew and changed, too.

What a great, easy to read book! Katherine Center is such a fantastic author. I’d read anything she writes. The Love Haters is an excellent novel about self-acceptance, learning how to love yourself, and finding family to love along the way. This would be a perfect beach read!

[SPOILERS BELOW]
With the above being true, I did struggle with the major conflict towards the end of the book. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake Katie’s shoulders to get her to snap out of it and not go along with Cole’s lies. I think the plot could’ve carried a lot of the other elements through even if she did shut down his lies right away.

Nevertheless, this book is great and I absolutely recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Overall, this book was enjoyable. The tropical setting was SO fun and kind of participated as a character in the story. I adored all of the characters in this story (minus Cole). Katie Vaughn, the videographer on the brink of losing her job. Hutch, the closed-off US Coast Guard rescue swimmer and so-called “love hater.” Rue, the sweet aunt-figure to Hutch and Cole, and new friend to Katie. The Gals were HILARIOUS and I loved every minute of them, the ultimate matchmakers.

The writing was great, but hitting straight away with in-depth descriptions of Katie’s eating disorder in chapter 1 was very jarring. I personally am not triggered by this, but it felt like it was too much. I liked the journey Katie had with body acceptance, but coming out with the calorie tracking journal at the beginning was a bit much.

The second issue I had…this book should have been 50 to 100 pages longer. The good chunk of the WEEKS Katie and Hutch spend together while she gathers footage for her video were encompassed by less than 10 pages. I feel like I needed more details of those weeks and how their relationship developed. The same thing happened with two of the three days where Katie and Cole had to….keep up their act. They were skipped right over and we went to the end of day #2 leading into day #3. I wanted these moments fleshed out more, they were important to the story for me and felt like something was missing.

The last 1/4 of the book really redeemed it for me. Katie’s journey coming to a head on the houseboat was fleshed out in great detail and I loved every minute of it. It felt true to her character and it was beautifully written.

This was my first Katherine Center book and while it didn’t completely hit the mark for me, I did still enjoy it and had fun reading it. I’m excited to read her other works!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I absolutely LOVED this book. It was a super sweet rom-com with the daily body image insecurities that so many struggle with. The writing and pace of the book kept me completely wanting more, and the character development and connections were ones we all either crave or have. A definite recommendation for a cute book.

3.5 stars! I read this in one sitting because as usual Katherine Center wrote an engaging fun easy rom com perfect for a summer beach read. One thing I can say with confidence, Katherine Center never fails to research before she writes and her books are always filled with such unique topics. I can definitely say I've never read a book quite like this one before. I will never skip a Katherine Center release!

Katie is a videographer/producer who accepts a job filming a recruitment video for the Coast Guard.... the only problem is the poor girl can't swim. But guess who's gonna teach her!? A hot rescue swimmer!! (who happens to be the brother of her "superior" at work).

This would've been a 4 star read but it felt rushed so -0.5 for that. I felt the conflict when Cole showed up was resolved so quickly and then all the sudden we're on the house boat situation. I think it should've been one or the other or a longer book only because both situations felt really rushed.

Katie: I've been seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the FMCs body image issues and to that I say, there are so many people who live with those exact thoughts and fears everyday and I think Katherine Center portrayed that so well. I disagree that the story revolved around it and even if it did, Katie is the narrator, so of course we are going to hear her thoughts and fears. Just because you don't have the same fears doesn't make hers any less valid. Loved Kate. I thought this was a beautiful story of self acceptance.
Hutch: Hehe I love him. He is everything. He's like a teddy bear but a teddy bear who respects women and will defend them to his dying day. My second favorite Katherine Center man <3. The only disappointing part is I was hoping for a better wrap up in the epilogue, like a scene of Katie and Hutch together. Quite literally just walking the dog, watching tv, anything at all rather than just her summary.
Rue and the Gals: I want to be besties with all of these women