It was ok. I just haven’t been loving Center’s newer books like I did her olde ones (How To Walk Away & Happiness For Beginners). Some cute moments and the couple in this one was cute too, but it just won’t be a very memorable one for me.

I loved this book! Katherine Center always manages to strike the right balance between funny and heart wrenching, and this book is no exception. The Love Haters includes some serious themes and scary moments but does so with enough levity that it doesn't feel contrived. The side characters were fun, though maybe less fleshed out than I've noticed in Katherine Center's other books. I especially enjoyed the bond the FMC had with the MMC's giant Great Dane.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.

3.75 ⭐️rounded up

I was excited to read this book because I am a big fan of “Things you save in a Fire”, and I always love a good rom-com.

I don’t think I’d call this book a rom-com though, because it had a lot fewer funny moments than I’d expect. It did have romance, for sure! But the deeper elements of the story played a much louder role than any comedic relief.

It was a blend of grumpy x sunshine (misunderstood is more accurate than grumpy), a little bit of forced proximity, and a whole lot of “he fell first”. Example-Hutch noticing the pie shaped sliver of color in Katie’s eye that even her ex boyfriend and best friend never noticed?!

From the beginning the self-deprecating way the female main character talked about herself, (and the negative body image she held) gave me a bit of the ick.
I acknowledge that this is a very personal reaction to something that may not bother the next person in the slightest. After reading the authors notes at the end of the book, She wanted the love story to not just be between Katie and Hutch, but between Katie and herself. Which does make a lot of sense.

I liked Hutch’s character a lot, and the complicated history/story that contributed to the person he grew up to be.

Rue was one of my favorite characters in the book, and I could easily read a book from her POV!

This book has swoony moments, that make you smile and your heart go pitter patter. Because we love, love! I do agree with the Author, every time we read a love story it changes us a little and helps us love a little better—or want to in the very least.

This is the first book I’ve read of Katherine’s, also the first closed door and first person POV I’ve read in a long while and I was happily surprised! 🥹 There was such a great group of characters, especially the steamy Coast Guard MMC. And I’m wishing Rue would adopt me and let me live with her in the keys at the Starlite. ☀️🕶️
Katie’s transformation in self love was one of my favorite parts, it felt so empowering to watch her grow. I definitely think this book could easily be turned into a cute rom com that I’d watch all day.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

2.25⭐

LIKED:
- The body dysmorphia and self-love aspects of this book are the most successful in my opinion. I wish that it had a bit more grounding as the story progresses, but it made the character relatable to me as someone who has similar issues. I liked Beanie having Katie name small parts of herself that she loves and the silliness but also realness of it all. ..but then the cover of this book has Katie look teeny tiny and perfect and I’m frustrated. I know this is in ‘Liked’, so I won’t be too negative about it, but it was flawed, despite being the strongest part.
- I’m not from the Keys, but this book did make me want to go to the Florida Keys. Except the last 10%, I’m good not being there for that. But that section of the book was by far the most entertaining.
- I generally liked George Bailey, but omg the name. The amount of times I read the full name ‘George Bailey’ was exhausting. But I did like how George Bailey fit into the overall story and the ultimate climax.
- Rue was great and I wish she was in the book more, honestly. She was in it a bit, but the amount of love that Katie has for her in the end feels like it needed another chapter or two.
- I like the title of this book, it’s fun. I think the cover is also pretty fun, and definitely stronger than her last cover (as it tells more of a story)

LAMENTED:
- There is FAR too many things happening in this book. She’s doing the “Day in the Life”, Swim lessons, Learning to love herself, The Coast Guard stuff, The middle of the book fake dating thing (ugh), The tragic family backstories, The famous ex-boyfriend, and more. It was exhausting and never gave time to the characters that they deserved, really. I loved 'The Romcommers' and felt that Center really nailed the balance between Romance and Women’s Fiction, but that was not nearly as successful here.
- Her having a famous ex-boyfriend is unnecessary. It added nothing. And that’s disappointing.
- The side characters were unpleasant. Beanie was kind of a terrible friend in many ways. And Cole?? I hate that man. I know we’re not really supposed to like him, but what a petulant ass. Ugh.
- …I may get hate for this but I found Hutch really boring. I don’t really understand why they like each other besides lusting after each other, well, Katie lusting after him and then him just falling for her for no real reason? I don’t know. I felt very underwhelmed by the romance, which was very disappointing.
- Oh boy. The scene in the bar with the darts is just atrocious. It is deeply uncomfortable and I do not understand why it is necessary. I mean the whole Cole/faking date bit is just hugely frustrating and a weird thing to drop at over 50% of the way into the book. That should have been earlier and the kiss bet removed entirely.

LONGED FOR:
-More swim lessons? I thought there would be way more swim lessons and I was left disappointed
- REMOVE the weird kiss bet. None of that.
- Less of the military industrial complex but that’s me.

Will I read the next one? : Quite possibly. As mentioned, I really liked 'The Romcommers', and with Katherine Center’s intensive backlog, I suspect this one is just not for me where others may be.

This is my first Katherine Center book, and honestly I loved it. I thought it was a really cute story and the main characters were a delight!

I will say that the fmc, Katie, deeply struggles with body image issues, like deeply. And a large chunk of the book is her working through this and trying to see herself in a more positive light. As someone who has personally struggled with this, I found it really insightful and honest. It’s not a “ah ha” moment and everything is better. It’s a continuous work of choosing to see yourself in a loving way. I thought the author did a great job here.

As for the relationship, it was adorable. I absolutely loved Hutch. He’s the mmc, our coast guard rescue hero. He’s a little private, but so blunt and funny, and even better, he is oh so sweet on our girl Katie 😍 Watching the two of them build a friendship and fall in love was so sweet to witness.

And man what a wild but absolutely perfect ending!

Oh also, the best side characters ever, Rue (their honorary aunt), and George Bailey (a Great Dane), just brought the perfect humor and sweetness to the story.

Now go enjoy a delicious hot fudge sundae 🍨

I have mixed feelings about this book. I’m a huge Katherine Center fan and she’s been an auto-buy author for me for the past year or so. But this one fell flat for me.

It felt really slow at first and took some time before it picked up, but I do feel like the story began moving about halfway through. The FMC really irked me. I was excited about the mental health/anxiety portrayal but her talking and thinking about her body image became excessive very quickly. While I understand that this is supposed to be an underlying theme of the story, there were multiple times that I thought to myself, ‘girl, shut. up.’ The FMC’s best friend bothered me with the ways she continually fed into and often reinforced the (obsessively) negative thoughts. While there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the story, I just genuinely lost interest in the characters and the plot after a bit.

Overall, a good, quick read, but I won’t be chomping at the bit to recommend this book to everyone I know.

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

Overall, I quite enjoyed the book. I had several laugh out loud moments. The dynamic and banter between the main characters was easy to read and left you wanting more. The part of the book I struggled with, was the redundancy in the negative self image comments. I understand the importance that the author was trying to give this important topic; however, after a few well placed comments, the message had been received. That being said, I really appreciated the ending, and the shift in the self image portrayal.

This book was everything one could ask for from Katherine Center. Sweet and quirky and so, so wonderful. I literally couldn’t put it down. I need more from Katie and Hutch!

While some parts were far fetched or overplayed somehow it all worked in a heartwarming way. I enjoyed the different dynamics of family, friends and how love connects them. I’d give it 4.5 stars for some of the plot but rounded up because it’s just one of those books you want to give a big hug.

Katherine Center cannot write a bad book!

The Love Haters follows Katie, a filmmaker, recently heartbroken person, and could maybe be described as a "love hater". In an attempt to save her job, Katie takes on a. project in the Florida Keys following a newly internet-famous Coast Guard Officer, Hutch. Along the way, Katie falls in love with herself, the people she meets along the way, a giant dog named George Bailey, and (spoiler alert) Hutch!

You may think you know how this book is going to unfold. They meet, fall in love, the end. Nope! There are personal twists, turns, and hurricanes! The writing style is gripping and very engaging. You totally feel immersed in the lives of these characters and are experiencing everything with them.

There was some great comic relief in this story. Even in the tense moments, Center finds a way to find the humor.

I will read anything by Katherine Center. This book is the perfect Rom-Com!

I don't want to write this review. In fact, I intended to tell NetGalley that I wouldn't be reviewing this book. I love Katherine Center as an author, I think she's a wonderful human, and I love her other books...but this one...I've got issues with it. '

TW: eating disorders

First up: the story is fine. I didn't find any of the characters to be super likeable or interesting (with the except of Cole who's the human equivalent of a dirty sock) but I didn't hate them either. The plot is cute, although a little contrived and unlikely. The relationships between the characters- in general- just didn't click for me. That said, it doesn't suck and if I were reviewing based on the writing alone, I'd give it three stars.

But.

The female MC has an eating disorder (anorexia and binge eating, specifically) and "Love Haters" unintentionally perpetuates the idea that eating disorders are a choice; with enough self-love, an overbearing cousin, and daily affirmations, it'll just...go away. None of that is true or even close to true. I know because I've lived it. I watched my daughter nearly die from it. I know the work, therapy (from an actual therapist), time, effort, and struggle it is to go through it and live with it post-recovery. I couldn't get how wrong it was being handled throughout the entire book. It was upsetting enough that I couldn't suspend my disbelief for 320 pages and give Katherine Center a pass.

I'm disappointed and I'm worried for the people who read "Love Haters" who are actively struggling with the disease. I can't and won't recommend this book to readers.

So good! This is a top read for 2025. I loved the banter between all our characters. I found myself giggling and kicking my feet while reading. Hutch is now a new book boyfriend~!

I loved the bodyguard and was excited for this but it just fell flat. There was no tension between the characters. I needed the banter! I needed character development.

I know I'm in for a good book message with any Katherine Center book. This one had a lovely message about body acceptance and loving yourself. I enjoyed the journey of growth for Katie. The storyline was intriguing and the chemistry between Hutch and Katie was great.

I only wish there were more interactions between Katie and Hutch. I wanted more of them at the end.

The story picks up more with some crazy stuff happening after the halfway point. From then on, I couldn't put the book down.

Definitely recommend this book for any Katherine Center fans and fans of sweet romance books! I always feel happy when I finish a book by this author. The writing is good and the story is even better. It's just a refreshing read with romance of all types!

I love Katherine Center's writing. This book incorporated a cast of "Golden Girls-esque" group and it was so much fun to read. The perfect beach or anytime read.

I have loved this author and her writing, but I must admit this book was not my favorite of hers. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it and think if you are looking for a summer rom com that has me chuckling in some places, this book is for you.

Katie is embarking on a path to save her career in Key West. Her ex-boyfriend is a rockstar whose fans are commenting on her body and has led to a bit of body self consciousness. The book touches on friendship, family dynamics and love for a pet. I enjoyed the sense of community amongst the characters.

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

When videographer Katie's job hangs in the balance, a producer colleague throws her a lifeline by sending her to Key West to document the Coast Guard for a recruiting video. However, there are two significant challenges: first, Katie can't swim, and second, the star of the documentary is the producer's estranged brother. What could possibly go wrong?

Where to begin? The Love Haters evokes a whirlwind of emotions. Katherine tackles some heavy and dark subjects in this story! She masterfully narrates the tale, giving these topics the attention they deserve while weaving in humor. I laughed, I cried, and I shouted! The Love Haters truly has it all, including an incredibly lovable dog that I wish I could cuddle in real life!

A big thank you to The Love Haters for knocking me out of my reading slump! This is a well-paced, humorous, heartwarming book that I truly enjoyed.

The Love Haters follows Katie, whose videographer job is in jeopardy due to cutbacks at her company. As Katie also tries to rebuild her confidence after a past breakup made national headlines, she gets an opportunity to enjoy some sunshine and possibly save her job at the same time by profiling a Coast Guard rescuer in the Florida Keys- a perfect location for both finding love and learning to love herself.

I’m so glad I got to read an advanced copy of this book, and very grateful! I enjoyed each of the characters (especially Rue) and loved the very sweet romance. The only bump in the story for me was about midway through, when the author threw in an I Love Lucy type conflict that didn’t seem necessary, but this part is proof and gets swallowed up by a very very exciting action-based ending. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

The Love Haters is about a girl named Katie who was publicly dumped by her now famous exfiance. She is on the brink of losing her job when she gets an assignment to follow and video Hutch, a dreamy Coast Guard rescue swimmer, to save her career. Set in Key West, I think this would be a great romcom beach read. I loved the insight to the US Coast Guard training and the setting of Rue's Starlight Colony.
And of course, as a dog lover, I loved the gentle giant George Bailey, Hutch's rescue dog.
Katherine Center is the queen of comfort romcom reads! Thank you St. Martin's press, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for this ARC!

2.5⭐ This was a hard book for me to get through in the beginning. I couldn't get over the female main character, Katie, and her body insecurities. I like the idea of including them somewhat, because it makes a character feel real and relatable. This was felt like overkill though, so much body loathing. I did enjoy the Key West setting and wish it was included even more. The supporting characters, The Gals, were fun and a nice addition. I always love when there's a dog in the story too and George Bailey, the Great Dane who hates thunderstorms, was a big loveable pup. All in all, it had some cute moments, some action, some craziness, and some romance!