This was my first Katherine Center novel and now I have added her backlist to my TBR. This was fun, quick, lighthearted, and also, who doesn't love a rescue dog?! I also loved the community the characters built and the emphasis Center had on not just romantic love, but love for many aspects of your life. You will find yourself feeling for Katie and cheering her on. I found myself chuckling at the banter between them even when I was not reading the book.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Now, off to my new backlist of Katherine Center novels!

It's not very often that I want to immediately re-read a book, but the second I finished The Love Haters I had this urge to start from the beginning again! This novel had me kicking my legs, laughing out loud, and tearing up more than I wish to admit. Seriously, Katherine Center could publish her grocery shopping list and I'd be riveted.

Katie is a woman working in film/video production, with aspirations to be a reporter, thanks to her YouTube channel. When her longtime (and newly famous) boyfriend publicly betrays her, Katie is left to pick up the pieces of her life and move forward with her next job. She needs to make a promotional video for the rescue swimmers of the American coast guard in sunny Key West Florida - how bad could that be?


I related a lot to Katie - being a woman in today's society, simply existing, is so hard. There are unrealistic beauty standards and the utter cruelty of social media. The transformation she goes through in this novel was exactly what I needed to read at the exact right time. This story is more than a romance - it's a story about self acceptance and self respect first and foremost.

The Love Haters is funny, beautiful, meaningful, and so romantic! I adored all the accompanying cast of characters and setting. I feel the need to visit a sunny beach the very first second I can.

I'm so grateful to St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of The Love Haters!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is such a treat! The characters totally steal the show. I loved how messy and real they felt—especially the main character, who’s got that perfect mix of sass, heart, and vulnerability. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the banter between them is hilarious and sweet. It’s the kind of relationship that feels like it could go in all kinds of directions, and you’re just here for the ride!

Katherine Center’s writing is so much fun! It’s super relatable and filled with those little moments that make you smile. She has a way of capturing emotions that feel so genuine, but also light and entertaining. The whole vibe of the book just pulls you in, and before you know it, you’re laughing, cringing, and rooting for these characters like they’re your best friends. Seriously, if you’re looking for a book that’s funny, heartfelt, and full of charm, this one is it!

First off, I love Katherine Center's writing. She develops likeable, funny characters in her books, and this one is no exception. Katie, the main character in The Love Haters, travels to Key West to fill in for a coworker on a video producing job. The exchange is meant to save the coworker from interviewing his perfectly annoying, and annoyingly perfect brother, while also hopefully saving Katie from a round a layoffs at their company. What ensues is a hilarious and endearing experience: the subject of the video profile, Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, and Katie can't even swim; Katie's accommodations turn out to be a cabin in a motel type resort owned by Hutch's aunt and inhabited primarily by the aunt's retiree pals. I want to move there!

The book kept me entertained and invested, always rooting for Katie - who also ends up in a waterborne situation I did not see coming - no spoilers!

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a lighthearted, entertaining read.

First, thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this book. I've enjoyed three of Katherine Center's books in the past, some more than others. This one was a swing and a miss for me, unfortunately.
This has all the markings of a traditional Katherine Center romance novel, and a lot of those portions were exactly what I expected. They were easy reads where I knew where the path was going to lead us. Unfortunately there were a lot of other parts to this book that just didn't work for me. Mainly, the main character's Katie constant fixation on her body. It is probably I am just not the right audience for this particular book, but I doubt I am alone. Katie frequently thinks about and comments on how much she dislikes her body, her past in starving herself, her refusal to even own a scale or know her own body weight. Male lead Hutch occasionally tries to dissuade her of this, but after every problem we circle back to how much Katie doesn't love herself. The romance between Hutch and Katie is underdeveloped for the sake of the romance between Katie and her body coming to fruition, but even that didn't feel totally successful. Instead, many moments had the feel of a 90s after-school special.

Similarly, the character of Lucas seemed unnecessary and unfinished, and the multitide of another character spins throughout the book never really have true ramifications.
The overall win for me was the inclusion of Hutch's dog, George Bailey. Those interactions were adorable and I loved how George Bailey tried so hard to get his people together.

Katherine Center has done it again! It seems like I’m always up past 2am with tears in my eyes when I try to read one of her books. But the thing is, they’re always happy tears because her words and her stories always bring me so much joy and I simply cannot sleep until I get to the ending.

Katie and Hutch are love haters. There’s no other way of putting it. Katie is sent to Key West to do a documentary on Hutch, who is in the Coast Guard and is somewhat of a famous hero. Their love story didn’t happen overnight but built quickly, which I really enjoyed. The pace was set just right for me - not exactly instalove, but fast enough to keep me swiping page after page. I really saw a lot of myself in Katie, which the author recognizes at the end that we usually do see ourselves in characters of books we love. And boy, do I love The Love Haters!

P.S. I love George Bailey.

P.P.S. And I love Rue, even though I think leaving an island with your girlfriends and not telling your guest she should evacuate a hurricane was kinda crappy. But she’s so lovable otherwise. She’s forgiven. 🧡

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
5
For now I have officially read all of Katherine Center's books.
Everything she writes is gold and The Love Haters was no different! Love this plot. The relationship between Hutch and Katie! George Bailey and Bennie. All of the character except maybe Cole g we're just golden!!! All the love for this book!

If Katherine Center writes it, you better believe I am going to read it!
The first half of this book made me think this might be my fav KC book. I giggled. Out loud. Multiple times! SWET day amiright?!
Then the second half came and queue the groans.
The whole Cole ordeal. Her needing to be rescued (meh).
Hutch's response to finding her?? Was that not odd? Idk.
Something felt off.
But alas, it was cute and fun. I want to spend a day by the pool with The Gals for sure.
Thanks to netgalley & st.martin's press for the arc!

With its unique blend of wit and humor, this charming book tackles tough subjects head-on, yet maintains an uplifting tone that makes for a truly delightful read; the characters of George Bailey and Rue are particularly endearing, adding to the book's charm and making it a must-read for anyone looking for a story that will leave them feeling uplifted and inspired.

Started off as a light breezy read with heart pounding drama towards the end. Rom com with family drama along with learning to love yourself along the way.

I never miss a Katherine Center book, and The Love Haters was another fantastic read! While thrillers are usually my go-to genre, this book made me reconsider whether rom-coms might secretly be my favorite. Sometimes, you just need a break from dark and intense stories, and Katherine Center’s books are the perfect escape.

The Love Haters is a super fast read that’s both lighthearted and entertaining. The characters are charming, the humor is spot on, and the story keeps you smiling the whole way through. If you’re looking for a feel-good read that offers a delightful break, this book is exactly what you need!

The Rom-Commers was one of my favorite books from last year, so I was so excited to snag an advanced copy of this one. I am so bummed that I just didn’t enjoy this one. There were so many things about the story and writing that just felt rushed and like a content editor hadn’t even touched it. None of the characters, aside from the main character, were really well fleshed out—the hero in particular was basically a cardboard cutout. There was a lot of potential there though, especially with the old lady brigade (The Gals); they were such a good opportunity for some unique, hilarious characters, except as they were, they came across as just a lump of the same personality. I don’t even remember any of their names. Cole, the brother, was a complete caricature. His actions made no sense.

The plot was so choppy as well. The “alliance” Katie and Hutch decide on at the beginning of the story is literally never brought up again. She does nothing to fulfill her end of the bargain. A big deal is made of Katie not knowing how to swim and lying about it for her job, and yet Hutch—who is supposed to be this super moral military guy—doesn’t even seem to care she lied about this major thing vital to her filming this documentary? And then Cole comes with all of his insane, ridiculous lies, and Katie just…goes along with it??? Even though it makes her look terrible? Rue doesn’t want to tell Hutch her news…because it might be hard for him (but everyone else gets to know), so close to anniversary of his parents’ deaths, but has no problem with Cole and Katie going along with this ridiculous lie to keep her news from Hutch…and then Rue eventually tells him and all’s fine? There were just a lot of things that seemed like they should have been worked and reworked through the editing process so that the plot and the characters’ decisions made sense.

Two stars because it still had some good comedic moments like Center’s books usually do, and because of George Bailey.

So far, I have not been skunked by a Katherine Center and she is quickly becoming one of my top authors in this genre. I will say that her books walk the line between contemporary romance and fiction, and sometimes I find they are more fiction than romance or vice versa. The Love Haters is definitely more of a romance, but with enough character development and plot to make it a strong story overall. Katie is definitely annoying and there were many moments when I just wanted to smack her because she made stupid choices - who goes hands free on their phone in a situation where, duh, the phone could easily get lost?! (And that's why I had to give it 4 and not 5 stars here.)

But Hutch and Rue more than covered up those flaws by being such fun characters. Even Cole, who was supposed to be a bit of a villain I think or is cast as such, really isn't that bad of a person.

Rue is who I would love to be. She is fun, confident, and eccentric, but in such a loving and caring way. Oh my gosh, and the dog, what a great canine companion with a fun name.

The characters were well done. Even the secondary characters got enough page time to emerge as individuals. And the plot moves well. Sure, some things were a bit far fetched, but at the same time, I could imagine them as real events.

If you like Center then this will continue the trend. If you have never read her books, but you like a good romance with plot and characters who resonate, then I'd give it a try.

The Love Haters is probably Katherine Center’s most realistic/relatable books. Her writing effortlessly captures your attention and then her characters capture your heart.

This book has underlying messages about self love, self acceptance, and conquering fears. The story is sure to evoke an emotional response at at least one point, because everyone has most likely dealt with those things at some point in their lives.

Katie and Hutch are relatable and lovable main characters. It’s easy to fall in love with them and root for them. George Bailey (Hutch’s dog) is a perfect addition to the story and his personality jumps off the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I got this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley. Let me tell you I LOVE a Katherine Center book. The first book of hers that I read was The Bodyguard and I haven’t looked back! So when I saw the ARC I couldn’t wait to devour it and I did. I finished this book in 24 hours and I keep thinking about it and what happens next. This book was unexpected and twists and turns. I will recommend this book to anyone who loves a rom com, I laughed out loud at many points. Katie, Hutch, Cole and Rue were so multidimensional characters and I really enjoyed each and every aspect of them. I was super excited that it was set in Key West cuz it’s one of my favorite places and I am going back this spring! I can’t wait for this one to come out in May!!!!! Thank you to Katherine Center, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC

Thank you for the advanced trader copy of this book. The love haters was very cute, I’ll be at somewhere boring at times. The story has good detail, but it is hard to empathize with the protagonist at first because of her very complex and specific issues. Either way, finished reading it fast and would read more from Center.

My first ARC from Netgalley!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will forever be a Katherine Center fan. Her quirky characters with their hilarious inner monologues never disappoint. Characters make or break books for me and Center is so good at making her characters feel ~human~ (humans who just happen to be super hot.)

Four stars instead of five because there was a plot device that was annoyingly unrealistic. [I’m not referring to the ending, loved that.] I don’t love the “you” remarks made at the reader because they pull me out of the story — like a Jim from the Office looking at the camera moment. I also wanted less about side characters & more main characters in the epilogue.

Overall, though, I was hooked from beginning to end. The plot twists didn’t stress me out and I appreciate a happy read. Love many of the side characters. Loved to hate some of the side characters. Smiled and laughed throughout. Highly recommend✨

“If you don’t reject the harsh things people say to you, then I guess, at some point, that means you accept them.“

I have a love hate relationship with The Lover Haters.
On the one hand, I couldn’t put it down. It was written in an addicting, fast paced way. I LOVE Hutch, George Bailey the dog, Rue and the gals. I love the key west vibe and the coast guard aspect. The climax was interesting. HUTCH the hot coast guard swimmer!
But on the other hand I hate Katie the fmc and her best friend. Katie is insufferable and downright stupid.
Example: Katie calls 911 in an emergency situation and explains “a rescue swimmer for the USCG. Except he goes by Hutch. Isn’t that the sexiest name you’ve ever heard in your life?”
GIRL?! What?! Sort out your priorities. That was one of the cringiest things I’ve ever read/heard.
Example 2: “I’m sorry but I’m having a hallucination that you are a different rescue swimmer who I have a tortured crush on.” Dear god why in the fuck would that come out of your mouth?
Katie was always saying the dumbest shit.
I understand the authors desire to have an enemies to lovers romance with Katie and herself. And I think that’s an awesome thing to have in a book, but it wasn’t done well. The book was 80% self hate talk. It was a too much emphasis on body image issues and the way it was treated wasn’t always great. There was a lot of great work she did on herself that resulted from an old lady, emergency situations, etc but there was a lot of emphasis placed on the scenes of her being hated by others and loved by others which can be very easily misinterpreted into validation curing her.
Can we swap out some of the self hate talk and put in more of Hutch and Rue and George the dog? I wanted to see Hutch’s panic at the end. I wanted to see more interactions between Hutch and Rue. More of Hutch’s day in the life video. More of the coast guard routine and rescues. Less of Katie on the phone with her annoying friend and talking about how ugly her thumb is. I’d even be okay with Katie’s internal monologues figuring out her love for herself.

Wow! Possibly my favorite KC book!!! This book wasn’t just about romance with another human, but the importance of loving yourself as well… all parts of yourself :)

Katherine Center is almost always a 5 star read for me but I just can’t give it that last star this time. The book was fun and her classic writing style but I felt she could have dug deeper on the very serious issue of body image struggles. She touched on it but it felt superficial and like it was added as an afterthought to give Katie a flaw. I would have loved her to go a bit deeper on this issue (particularly as someone who struggles with this herself).

The romance was cute and quirky as always with obstacles along the way. I absolutely loved the accessory characters Rue and the Gals. I could picture them poolside with their drinks every time they were mentioned. Overall the entire cast of characters and premise made for a very fun read.

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