I love so many Katherine Center books. Most that I've read are 5 stars and only 2 or 3 4 stars. This one was a huge miss for me.
I didn't feel the connection between the 2 MC beyond her being infatuated with his physical appearance. So many choices were completely unrealistic. How could a recruitment video highlight just one person. The Coast Guard is a team, a huge team. That really bugged me, too.
The dog though, I really enjoyed the dog.
I'm eager to see what Katherine Center has next.

As a chronic love hater myself, I thought this book could be everything I was looking for in a rom-com. I've read some of Katherine Center's other books before and enjoyed them, but this was not one of them.
The Love Haters follows Katie, a videographer sent to the Florida Keys to film a Coast Guard promotion in order to save her job. There she meets Hutch, a rescue swimmer and brother to none other than her coworker. Oh, and did I mention she can't swim? If only there was a muscular man nearby to teach her. Wait...
Unfortunately, the story just didn't quite work for me. The largest problem was Katie and Hutch's lack of chemistry. Halfway through the book they were already together, despite having few memorable interactions. The rest of the plot becomes a series of increasingly absurd circumstances keeping them apart that could have been solved with even a minimal amount of communication. The other characters don't pick up slack in this department either. Cole, Hutch's brother, and Beanie, Katie's best friend, only support the narrative when it's convenient, and fall really short in meaningful characterization.
Another large plot point is Katie overcoming her own insecurity and learning to feel comfortable in her body. I think this is one of the stronger points of the books, and watching her journey really adds another layer to her character. However, it often didn't match the pace of the main plot, and sometimes felt shoehorned in.
Did I still read this book in one sitting, and cackle out loud during several scenes? Yes, and yes. The Love Haters is a perfect easy beach read, or in my case, a distraction from the ever-increasing amount of homework piling up on my desk.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

THE LOVE HATERS

Getting to read the ARC of Katherine Center’s 2025 release, The Love Haters, was a perfect antidote to a new year filled with uncertainty and unimaginable destruction because of the Los Angeles wildfires (I received my copy the day the fires broke out). I’ve read all of Ms. Center’s books, and was counting the days until this one came out, so I’m thrilled to have hit the early jackpot!

The story is told through the eyes of Katie Vaughn, a filmmaker who works at a corporate video company in Dallas, Texas. When we first meet Katie, it looks like she may lose her job because of cutbacks. Her co-worker, Cole, offers her the chance to take on one of his assignments, and hopes that it may help her keep her job. Katie needs the job and the boost, since she’s also been struggling with self-doubt and body image issues. Her ex is a Tik Tok rock star, and when photos of the two of them surfaced, his fans bared their fangs. She agrees to take the assignment, and heads to Key West to produce a story on Cole’s brother, “Hutch,” a Coast Card rescue swimmer who had his 15 minutes of fame when he rescued Jennifer Aniston’s dog, thus earning him the nickname “Pup Daddy.” She’ll be filming Hutch in action, and assured Cole that she knew how to swim (a requirement of the job). Problem is, she doesn’t swim, and has no interest in learning. The scenes where Hutch teaches her, and we see her real inner strength start to shine through, are a delight.

Once in Key West, she is literally and figuratively embraced by the brothers’ Aunt Rue and her friends, “The Gals.” While I loved Katie and Hutch, and truly adored their story, as a 70-year-old I really related to these wonderful seniors, especially Rue. Whether dancing in a conga line, enjoying cocktails by the pool, or just savoring wonderful friendships, we could all take a lesson on how to make the most of our years.
As with her other books, The Love Haters is exceptionally well-written, the dialogue sparkles and jumps off the page, and the two main characters are surrounded by equally well-developed secondary characters including Katie’s cousin Beanie and a Great Dane named George Bailey. Some characters, certainly the two main ones, face struggles and challenges, and this book tackles the issues of grief, body image and self-love, family, community, and relationships with compassion, humor, and yes, more than a few tears.

With each Katherine Center story, I learn something new and incorporate it into my life (i.e., listing Three Good Things each day from Happiness for Beginners). In this book, both Katie and Rue have made a lasting impact. I will also be re-reading the Epilogue and the Author’s Note at least a few more times. Whatever you do, make sure you read the Author’s Note, because as in her other books, they are treasures! Maybe have some tissues nearby, because yes, they are that good!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’m happy to provide this honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have loved every Katherine Center book that I have read. This is a lovely romance book, but does not have as much life as her other stories.

I did love the setting, Rue, George Bailey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC for my honest review.

3.5 stars Although I'm a huge fan of Katherine Center's rom com novels, this one didn't hit the mark as her last few had done. Hard to imagine them together as I didn't feel the tension that the forced proximity usually gives in this type of book. Still read start to finish and enjoyed, just not my fave of hers.

I *love* a Katherine Center story and this did not disappoint!!! It was such a unique premise with Katie being sent to do a video profile on Hutch who is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. I loved Katie and Hutch and especially George Bailey, Rue, and the Gals and the little found family they forged together. Katie’s own journey into becoming more comfortable with herself and braver was lovely and felt so real and genuine. I loved this book and can’t wait to read it again in May when it hits shelves!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martins for the ARC!

The beginning of The Love Haters was a slow build, but it quickly became apparent that this was a big part of what would make this story magical. The slow build allowed us to see our two main characters through sunset-colored light as they got to know each other and ultimately became to fall for one another. The big moment of conflict that our characters have to overcome seemed a bit ridiculous, but ended up being very necessary to move certain plot points along which I did end up enjoying!

Loved this book I ended up buying the physical copy!! I recommend this to a lot
Of people and had them order it also!

Okay, so this book had all the ingredients for a swoony, fun rom-com—forced proximity, fake dating, a grumpy but secretly soft hero, and a tropical setting that practically begs you to book a vacation. And for the most part, it was entertaining! But did I love it? Mmm… not quite.

Katie’s whole deal—lying about being able to swim to land a job—was a choice. Bold? Absolutely. Smart? Less so. Watching her fumble through swim lessons (with the ridiculously attractive, broody Hutch as her instructor, obviously) was fun at first, but after the tenth reminder that he was the most chiseled man alive, I got a little fatigued. Katie’s inner monologue was a lot, especially when it came to her body image struggles, which were a central theme of the book. While I appreciate stories that tackle self-acceptance, it started to feel repetitive, and I wish the romance had been given a little more room to breathe.

Speaking of romance—Hutch. The strong, silent type with a savior complex and a tragic past. I liked him in theory, but his insta-love-y feelings for Katie felt a little undercooked. I wanted more tension, more slow-burn, and less of him calling her a “hot fudge sundae” (???). Chemistry-wise, they were cute together, but I wasn’t exactly swooning.

On the bright side, Aunt Rue and her quirky Key West crew were a delight, and the tropical setting was pure escapism. There were moments of charm, humor, and heart, but overall, the pacing and focus of the story didn’t quite hit the sweet spot for me.

A solid, easy read, but not a new favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book centers around Katie and her body image insecurities and Hutch aka Pup Daddy who's just too perfect (if that's a thing). Personally, I thought the first half of the book focused a little too much on Katie's body image to the point that it got repetitive. I really enjoyed the focus on the scenery and visualizing the setting. Rue and the girls were a hoot (think Golden Girls without the sarcasm) and Beanie was the kind of best friend everybody needs. The Coast Guard training scenes were informative and interesting. Cole and Sullivan are a whole other level of hot mess express that you'll just have to find out about for yourself. The last quarter of the book was riveting and kept me glued to the pages. While this wasn't my favorite Katherine Center book, it's still a good read and I recommend picking it up.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I’ve read and enjoyed three other books by Katherine Center, so when I got an eARC of The Love Haters, I was hyped. But that excitement crashed and burned once I actually started reading.

Let’s talk about the romance—probably the best part of the book. I didn’t love Katie, our main character, but Hutch? He was solid. Their chemistry was there, even if it wasn’t the most swoon-worthy I’ve ever read. But everything else? A mess.

The plot started off okay, but things took a nosedive around the 50% mark when Cole (Hutch’s brother and Katie’s coworker) showed up and started lying about everything, dragging Katie into his nonsense. Then came the third-act hurricane (yes, literally), putting Katie’s life at risk for no reason—it all felt unnecessary and frustrating.

And the characters? Rue and Hutch were the only decent ones. Beanie (Katie’s cousin and best friend) was supposed to be this badass put together woman giving Katie great advice, but her approach to Katie’s body image struggles felt damaging and honestly harmful. Then there’s Cole—an absolute trainwreck of a person, driven by a one-sided rivalry with his brother that was all insecurity-fueled. His only real contribution? Ruining lives.

And then there’s Katie. I wanted to root for her. I really did. But she was just… so unlikable. Normally, I don’t mind an unlikable protagonist—flawed characters can be great. But the issue here is that I think the author wanted Katie to be relatable and endearing and just missed the mark completely. Her struggles with body image, eating disorders, and online harassment could have been powerful, but the way they were handled? Yikes. It read like Katherine Center thought she was making a profound statement, but instead, it felt shallow and even harmful.

This is now my favorite Katherine Center book. I related to the main character maybe more than any other, ever. Her main characters can be quirky and I am not sure Katie is an exception but I loved her.
If you loved the anxiety representation in Yours Truly I think this book is for you! It touches this topic along with self image and loving yourself. The character development was beautiful.
This story follows Katie a video producer sent by her colleague Cole to film Hutch a rescue swimmer for the coast guard. His brother. Who has been described as a handsome hero, but also a love hater whose hobby is frowning.
While filming him everyday they learn a lot about each other. Katie falls for the Keys, his aunt, his great dane. But she gets caught up in a few lies that make things complicated throughout the book.
The banter is great. I laughed out loud several times. I cried. I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book.

If you like Katherine Center, you will enjoy this book. If you have never read a Katherine Center book, you need to give her a try. This book was light hearted, fun, and a page-turner. A young documentary filmmaker gets the chance to do a small project in Key West. Her main film subject is a hot Coast Guard rescue swimmer. You can imagine where the story is going. However, the twists and turns were just right to keep this book interesting.

I had high hopes about this book! the synopsis sounded so good and way up my alley! but then I started reading it and the fmc really got on my nerves, it just felt like her whole personality was about her body image and insecurity and while I think that’s an important topic to be discussed it just wasn’t portrayed well in this book and didn’t need to be a huge part of the plot! the best character was the dog. i just didn’t really connect with any of the characters but def a fast paced read!

Katie has been burned by love in the past—now, she might be setting her career ablaze. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s suggestion, take a career-making opportunity profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but pretends that she can.

Katie being stuck in her head became genuinely exasperating for me. Her issues with body image felt excessive. She was obsessively ogling Hutch’s body physique, what seemed like every other page, "He happens to have abs and muscles for days; he is so HOT."

I enjoy Katherine Center's books. Unfortunately, this time, this story didn’t resonate with me; I didn't like any of the characters.
The book mixes humor, sweet romance, charm, and a wonderfully written, entertaining story with a dreamy Key West backdrop. The story promised all the feels, but I found that the execution didn’t fully live up to the premise.

Thank you for this ARC! It was a fun, lighthearted, feel good love story. The characters were the right amount of quirky and the overall plot felt believable and relevant. If you enjoy romance, I fully recommend this book!

Katherine Center has continued to impress. Her skill of giving us the romance without the spice, but still allowing the reader to feel the heat in the air is unmatched. I look forward to every release knowing I'll be in for another relatable love story with characters who are real (even if they have out of the ordinary jobs), and who are completely relatable.

In The Love Haters, Center continues to provide those relatable characters who feel as real as Katie's body issues and fears. Every main character had a backstory that is portrayed in such a way as to allow the reader to understand each individual, and not feel bogged down by a detour from the story in order to get the lay of the land.

With Katie and Hutch, the attraction is quick to occur on the page, but it feels right. Their story flows naturally through the beautifully painted environment and it was a fun one to follow. Katie's and Hutch's actions at the end, were the perfect conclusion to a truly fun love story with all the right plot twists.

Katie has been done dirty by love in the past. She gets an on a business trip to Key West in order to save her jobs she’s there to film a video of Hutch who is a member of the US Coast Guard in the older brother of her coworker, Cole. Hutch who comes off as a grumpy man and is defined as a hero from multiple angles agrees to the video. Katie struggles with body image and accepting her natural beauty as is. While Hutch just needs the right person to love him and his gentle giant, George Bailey! Katie and Hutch have so much personal character growth throughout the story, overcoming their personal struggles. But they also blossom into this beautiful couple. It does get difficult at some points but waves can be over come! Their relationship does come out on top to start a love story for the two of them.

I really enjoyed the whole aspect of this book. The setting, the characters, and everything was so well written.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc!

I was thoroughly disappointed by The Love Haters. Katie Vaughn, the protagonist, is incredibly annoying—her indecisiveness and constant body image issues made it nearly impossible to connect with her. I couldn’t believe there were literally so many paragraphs dedicated to describing her ankles and earlobes as the only parts of her body she liked. It felt self-indulgent and off-putting.

The entire storyline was forced; every twist and turn seemed contrived rather than organically unfolding. From fake swim lessons to overdone romantic clichés, nothing felt genuine or engaging. Despite the promising setup of Key West adventures and dramatic relationships, the narrative never captured the spark it aimed for.

Having read three of Katherine Center’s books, I was really hoping this one would be different. Unfortunately, her writing style in The Love Haters just isn’t for me—it's a heavy-handed, awkward attempt at humor and romance that falls flat. I cannot recommend this book if you’re looking for a well-crafted story that resonates emotionally. One star.

5 Stars! Katherine Center hit another homerun with this story. Center's characters always have you rooting for them. There may be some tears, because she writes so well that it feels like you're feeling what the character is in the moment. I highly recommend picking up this lovely romcom as a happily ever after is guaranteed!