As a fan of The Bodyguard and The Rom-Comers, I’m sorry to say this book did not do it for me. The overall theme of the book regarding body acceptance and self-love was intriguing and appreciated but can hardly be resolved in weeks. The pace of the book was not cohesive and had me wondering at times how time had passed in the storyline. The main characters were fine but the brother as a supporting character was horrific. None of the characters really developed any depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars – Fun and Charming, but Frustratingly Avoidable Conflict

I’m a huge Katherine Center fan, and Love Haters is another enjoyable, easy read full of her signature warmth and humor. While I liked it, this one didn’t quite measure up to some of her best works.

The premise is cute, the dialogue is snappy, and the chemistry between the leads is undeniable. Center has a gift for crafting relatable characters and engaging storytelling, which kept me turning the pages. It’s a light, fun read with plenty of charm.

But the main source of conflict? Absolutely ridiculous. It’s one of those situations where everything could have been resolved in five minutes if the characters had just sat down and talked like normal adults. Instead, we get unnecessary avoidance, misunderstandings, and decisions that feel frustratingly contrived. I found myself rolling my eyes more than once.

Despite that, there’s still plenty to enjoy. The romance is sweet, the side characters add depth, and the emotional payoff at the end is satisfying. If you love Katherine Center’s books, this one is still worth a read—but it’s not my favorite. If forced, I’d categorize it as fun but mildly exasperating.

The Love Haters
By Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Series: None
Rated: 3-4
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig 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.
Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. And they don’t get along. Next stop: paradise! But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good-looking man she has ever seen . . . but maybe a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two. Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.”

Impressions: This was different from what I typically read. It was clean in that there was no sex but there sexualization of the characters. I felt Katie was all over the place. She was young and determined in her career but oblivious and rash. Literally the ending of the book is an example of this. Hutch is introduced and Katie becomes this mess of a person. She allows Rue, who is a mysteriously rich and generous person, to pay and pave a way for Katie and Hutch to form a relationship. Hutch is overly sexualized while Katie is probably struggling with an eating disorder. She swings from not eating to eating whatever without any consistent concern for what is healthy for her body. She is self conscious so much that she is paralyzed with fear but wore a bikini anyway. Her friend is her “therapist” but her needs truly seem to be more than a little positive “self-talk” her friend can encourage to heal. This is all confusing and a bit overwhelming even though the story is entertaining. I thought it was also strange that the only thing that Hutch’s character reiterates to Katie over and over again is about how attractive she is to him. I know it is to be reassuring to her but it is also strange to not have anything else to balance that foundation of romance.

Quotes: “I wasn’t afraid of bathing suits. I was afraid of being seen.” – I found Katie’s body concerns to be relatable. It is not the bathing suit that is scary but the potential judgment or rejection of others that is frightening.

“Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time.”

“The funny thing about the internet is that it’s basically a collective hallucination. If you don’t join in, it doesn’t exist. I mean, it does… but in another very real way, it doesn’t.”

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press allowing me the opportunity to read this entertaining story!

Katherine Center delivers exactly what you want from one of her books—light, fun, but still smart and heartfelt. The Love Haters has her signature great banter, a quirky and lovable FMC, and a reserved, slightly grumpy MMC that she has to figure out like a puzzle. It’s the perfect balance of breezy and meaningful, making for an engaging read.

The setting in the Florida Keys is lush—I could picture every color, taste the food, and feel the sunshine on my skin. It’s a vibrant, immersive backdrop that makes this book ideal for a poolside or vacation read. But, like most of Center’s books, it’s more than just a lighthearted rom-com. This one delves into body image, disordered eating, and self-love, offering a powerful and uplifting message about rejecting diet culture and embracing yourself. That said, for readers who have personal experiences with these topics, it’s worth knowing that they are a significant part of the story.

I especially loved the bond between Hutch and his Great Dane rescue—an absolute gentle giant and a scene-stealer. The side characters were also a delight, particularly the elderly ladies in the Keys, who give Katie a newfound sense of community. Watching her push herself out of her comfort zone again and again was incredibly rewarding.

A few notes for those who like to know upfront:
• Spice level: Zero. Not even fade-to-black scenes, just a handful of passionate kisses. This is Hallmark movie-level romance.
• Miscommunication trope? A little bit, but it’s not between the FMC and MMC—more external forces. It wasn’t dragged out, but it was slightly frustrating.

Overall, this is a sweet, funny, feel-good read with a lot of heart. A great recommendation for readers who love their romance on the closed-door side but still full of chemistry and depth. Perfect for gifting to your mom… unless she’s the one who gave you the eating disorder?Maybe especially then?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

Katherine Center once again delivers a heartwarming, witty, and emotionally satisfying romance with The Love Haters. Packed with her signature charm, humor, and depth, this book is an absolute delight for fans of love stories that are as thought-provoking as they are swoon-worthy.

Center excels at writing characters who feel real—flawed, funny, and deeply human. The emotional stakes are high, but they never overshadow the book’s lighthearted, feel-good nature. The dialogue is sharp and engaging, and the romantic tension is pitch-perfect, making the love story both deeply satisfying and completely unputdownable.

Beyond romance, The Love Haters explores themes of self-discovery, healing, and the courage it takes to open one’s heart again. It’s a book that makes you laugh, tugs at your heartstrings, and ultimately leaves you with that warm, hopeful feeling that only the best rom-coms can provide.

If you’re a fan of Katherine Center’s work—or just love a beautifully written, emotionally rich romance—The Love Haters is a must-read.

I love almost all Katherine Center books and this was one of my top favorites. It has all the makings of a heart-swooning book - love, comedy, friction, death-defying moments, and of course a happy ending. By far my favorite character is George Bailey. I enjoyed this book so much I read it in 24 hours. Another win for Katherine Center!

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh man was this a fun one! As a big Katherine Center fan, I was so excited to read The Love Haters. I loved the banter and development between Katie and Hutch. I also loved Rue and the Gals…. And George Bailey! I laughed out loud, had some jaw dropping moments and tore through this in just a couple days. The perfect romantic comedy!

This book was a delight! Katherine Center’s ability to write an engaging romance where the romance itself takes a back seat to the main characters development is really something special.

Katie is a videographer and Hutch is subject she will be recording over the next few weeks. This job will hopefully save hers since her boss is doing major downsizing. I love a Katherine Center book, it is always filled with sweet side characters, a lot of heart, and heroic main characters. This book was no exception. Adventure, work place romance, humor situational comedy, and well rounded characters, it was a delight and fast read. TW for parental deaths (off page) and body dysmorphia issues. I love the MC personal journey and the surrounding characters role within her journey.

I am a Katherine Center devotee, and her newest book does not disappoint. As usual, she presents a story that is more layered and heartfelt than a normal romance. While it is hilarious and plenty romantic, with a slew of interesting secondary characters, her heroine is her own hero. I definitely laughed a lot and also teared up a few times. And always with her books, I was left feeling hopeful and cared for.

I could not put this book down. If I wasn’t laughing out loud like an idiot, I was grinning from ear to ear like a love struck teenager. The storyline was action packed while being fun and flirty. The insecurities were so relatable, I was crying so many times throughout the book. It is hard being a woman and just existing in our own bodies and loving ourselves. It shouldn’t be, but it is. The journey of self love was just as important in this novel as was the journey of romantic love. The journey of grief was also another plot point that was so well written and relatable. I work in the death care industry and love seeing stories that hit upon loss but the beauty that can come from the other side of it. This was the purest found family trope I’ve ever read.

This was such a sweet book. The stories that have characters not believing in love always end up with the best love story. The witty banter absolutely made the book. I loved the connection between Katie and Hutch!

There’s something about Center’s writing, that I just consume her books so easily and this one was no different. I read this in one sitting; cried and giggled. It was fun, had some drama, some heartache, some grief and a lot of reckoning with oneself. This is a romance but it’s also hugely about being a woman in this society and choosing to love and appreciate your body unconditionally. The supporting characters were so fun, I love Rue, George Bailey and the gals. The pacing was great, I never wanted to put the book down. I can’t wait to pick up my physical copy in May!

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this E-ARC.

Tropes: forced proximity, workplace romance, vacation/getaway vibes

This is a laugh-out-loud funny and entertaining story about Katie, a 20-something woman who, concerned about layoffs at her company, takes a job assignment in Key West that is wrong for her. She meets the grumpy sunshine character Hutch and is tasked with convincing him to agree to the impossible to save her job. The slow-burn romance between them is adorable, complicated, and full of miscommunications. And for dog lovers, Hutch’s dog George Bailey is the third character in their relationship. But the real star of this book is Rue, Hutch’s “aunt.” Rue represents everything Katie is not: colorful, confident, and lives life out loud. We all need a “Rue” in our lives. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book!

🏝️ Self-Discovery
🏝️ Found Family
🏝️ Key-West
🏝️ Rescue Animals
🏝️ Strong Friendships
🏝️ Forced Proximity
🏝️ Fake Dating
🏝️ One Bed

I am such a Katherine Center fan. Love her and what she stands for in her writing and the experience she strives to give us as her readers. There’s so much depth and her way of drawing you and getting you to think about being better is beautiful.

This one was another 5⭐️ read for me. I really enjoyed the story of Hutch and Katie, Katie and Beanie, Katie and Rue, Katie and George Bailey, but also Katie with herself… and yes, everyone else! Loved how Katherine wrote the dynamics and gave us insight to the backstories for everyone. Overall, the ensemble of characters were endearing. The pace, per usual, was perfect.

Another hit from Katherine Center! The romance in this book was sweet and well-paced, but I think the real strength of the book was Katie's own changing relationship with her body. A beautiful story of coming to love yourself. I think the lies got a bit convoluted and the final rescue was a bit unrealistic, but neither of those were deal breakers for me!

The self-help journey became a little saccharine after a while. Focusing on the relationship development would have increased the suspense and intensity of the ending. It was a cute, quick read, but it felt rushed. However, a prequel about Rue would be a book I'd buy and recommend!

Ever since I ready my first Katherine Center book I knew she would forever be an auto-buy author for me, so I was thrilled to receive an eARC of The Love Haters.

In order to save her job, Katie must travel to Key West and film a promotional video for the Coast Guard. So what if she doesn’t know how to swim? Unfortunately for Katie her subject isn’t completely on-board with the project and she has to pass a Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET) exercise in order to fly with the crew which means she needs to learn how to swim - fast.

I loved the unique premise of the plot and I thought that Katie and Hutch’s first two encounters were the stuff of my rom-com meet cute dreams (especially the second, iykyk 👙). Not only does this book explore the romantic relationship between Katie and Hutch, but it also dives into the relationship that Katie has with her own body. I think many readers will be able to identify with Katie’s body image issues, yet I wish that I had felt more for Katie.

Additionally, I felt that the pacing of Katie and Hutch’s romance was off in a way that made it seem like it came out of the blue. I wish that there had been more scenes to show us how their relationship was developing.

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

I have such conflicting feelings about this book. First, Katherine Center is an always-read author for me. I love the heart, emotion and goodness that she writes with every. single. time.
That said, this one didn’t fully land for me. The handling of the main character’s body image issues, disordered eating and overall insecurities felt clumsily handled. It felt over-simplified, too easily resolved and almost emotionally separate from the character herself. Though I love that the author is trying to speak to those issues it just didn’t work for me.

I also had a hard time with the connection between the two main characters - it just never felt like a genuine finding of/falling in love.

Overall I felt like I was watching the formulaic telling of a plot/story and not living the life story along with the characters which is what I typically feel with this author’s stories. I still love her way with words and she will remain a must-read author for me but this one just wasn’t my favorite.

🌴 The Love Haters - Katherine Center

3.75 ⭐️ - This is such a cute, lovable, throw in your beach bag book! I am a sucker for a cute Katherine Center romance while I’m sitting on the beach and this was perfect. This one takes place in Key West so I read it while I was in Naples.. close enough!

I like a lot of things about this book! The body positive messaging is so important in today’s society with social media and “expected images.” At times it felt like a lot, but it felt so important to include. I loved our side characters - Rue and The Gals and George Bailey! They were a fun addition to the story that kept me laughing the whole time. I loved Hutch; a genuine good, swoon-worthy guy with an interesting job (that I learned a lot about). Katie has quite the journey through this book and I enjoyed following along. This is one you need to keep on your radar for this summer, especially if you’re a romance or Katherine Center fan!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin Press for the early ARC. This one will make its splash on 5/20!