I just love Katherine Center! Her books are always more than just a romance, there is a deeper takeaway and her characters have such depth!

Thank you to the the and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early for a honest review.

Kate and Hutch are unlucky in love. Kate is given an assignment at work: make a video profiling Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer or risk being let go. There are a few problems, Kate doesn't know how to swim; the interview subject is Hutch who is the estranged brother of Cole-the coworker who has given her this assignment. Kate meets Cole and Hutch's Aunt Rue and her friends and hits it off immediately with the ladies. She also gets to spend a lot of time with her interview subject, Hutch, and his dog (who adds some excitement to her days!).

Body image and self esteem are plot lines that are handled with care.

Things I loved: Aunt Rue and her gals, the way Aunt Rue and the gals welcome Kate to their circle--love the mutli-generational friendships, and the Kate-Hutch relationship.

What I didn't care for; Cole's character in general.

A quote from Katherine Center's Author's Note that I loved: "Love stories are the best kind of therapy. They aren't shallow, they're deep. Start looking and you'll see it too."

I finished this in a day and I have quite a lot to say about it. Katherine Center never fails to create a good story.

I first started reading her work about two years ago and each new release I’ve read since has been better & better. She has a knack for capturing really relatable aspects of humanity some might describe as unpleasant, but these revelations are the very things that ground her romance novels in a more lucid world.

Love Haters is my favorite of the bunch. From my POV, as a woman, I feel that Katherine Center effortlessly captures so many heartbreaking realities that we really shouldn’t have to confront. She does all of this with an unfailing sense of humor that makes facing these harsh truths really enjoyable.

I’m able to reflect back at my own life and see the parallels between my own and the main character’s. Considering harder times where I too stumbled into a starvation diet, though less methodical; primarily birthed from an unfortunate mix of familial grief, toxic work culture related stress & a delirious aspiration to realize the scientific truth of calories for myself, after watching multiple seasons of ALONE. Suffice to say, the main character’s brand of humor? I totally get it.

But that’s not the only reason why this book is so lovable. I mean, the MMC is a total dreamboat. I love any plot featuring a lovable group of old ladies. And the romance story is such a roller coaster that I think I have whiplash. This story contains the perfect blend of fiction and romantic realism (if such a thing exists).

Never have I wanted a massive Great Dane and a Hutch of my own more…

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. Thank you Katherine Center for your incredible work!

3 ⭐️

I am genuinely so bummed to give this a lower rating. The beginning started off so strong, was absolutely a 5 star read for me. I was hootin’ and hollerin’, having the time of my life. I love Katie and watching her growth with herself and her confidence. Her relationship with Hutch felt like it was taking off so naturally and I enjoyed that..until I got about 60% in. Then everything just fell apart.

Cole’s shenanigans and lies had me absolutely FUMING. The lies mixed with the drama just felt so unnecessary and out of pocket on all fronts. The only thing holding the rest of this book together was Rue, I absolutely adore her and her entourage of Gal Pals. And the way it just kept going with one crazy event after another..idk, it just did not work for me and I was just really frustrated.

I hope this is just an ARC oopsie but the beginning of this is really missing some trigger warnings. There are some very sensitive topics mentioned that I think readers need a warning before jumping in to.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

thank you netgalley for providing me with an eARC <3

this is so much more than a love story. this is also a love story to yourself. this book is real & painful in so many ways. katie’s struggles are some we, women, face daily. the world can be so, so cruel to us & find any and every reason to make us believe we are not good enough, strong enough, or beautiful enough. what a beautiful, heartwarming story about a woman learning to love herself exactly as she is. not one person is perfect. we will grow, we will change shapes, we will get bruises and bumps but we will all still be beautiful. i loved reading about katie’s journey to love herself. thanks katherine for making me cry

katherine has a way to just make her characters seem so REAL. the way the feelings are described, the way characters handle things, the conversations, the inner monologue, describing how things go down. hutch & katie together make my soul so so happy, i do think we need to be shown more of their romance & getting to know each other rather than being told about it, but i still loved it! the side characters (rue and the girls) made me so happy & i loved their contribution to the story. overall a 4.5, i really enjoyed it!

This book is for every woman who has ever felt that her body wasn’t enough. For every woman who looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t love what she saw. For every woman who had someone tell her that she needed to “suck it in” growing up. The way that Katherine Center handles body negativity in this book is so thoughtful and precise. Bravo, KC.

And along with the beautiful body positive message, we get this lovely and sweet romance between two people who are just genuinely NICE people. Center just has this wonderful way of giving us a journey of falling in love. Even if there is an initial attraction between them, you can almost pinpoint the moments when the characters fall. It’s breathtaking in its own way and KC has mastered this art with The Love Haters. I could see myself reaching for this book again and again when I need a pick-me-up.

So should you read this book? Yes. Hands down YES.

Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book, the characters all felt so realistic and fleshed out. The romance didn’t feel rushed, I loved the slow burn of it all. I also loved how the book didn’t rely on miscommunication! I will definitely be recommending to all my friends!

Let me preface this by saying that this is not my typical read - however, I really enjoyed the concept of this book. The plot draws you in and doesn’t feel like a “rinse and repeat” version of a book you’ve already read 20 times. Addressing the body image issues in a very real way, without having the FMC call herself derogatory terms was also very refreshing. I think plenty of women can relate to having similar feelings and seeing the FMC grow through them was great. Where I struggled with this book was the romance aspect. The storyline itself is cute, but there is not an ounce of romantic tension between the FMC and the MMC. Single POV books often have this struggle, but I feel like the mark was really missed here. There are no lingering stares, accidental brushing of hands, no sparks. The FMC mentions that (paraphrasing) the MMC is smoking hot and a good guy, but that’s pretty much it for a good chunk of the book. We get a couple of kisses without much discussion or follow up and it almost seems as though the FMC and MMC aren’t really even an item at the end of the book, yet some variation of “falling for each other” is mentioned by both characters toward the end of the book. I don’t necessarily think a romance book needs heavy spice, but after their first big kiss (which is very quickly glossed over) it seems as though the characters don’t really even know if they’re that into each other. I think adding in a few elements to create romantic tension would make the declaration of love scene quite a bit more believable. Overall, I did enjoy the book. However, I do think it needs some support to make the romance aspect work.

Katherine Center has quickly become one of my favorites since I picked up one of her books 15 months ago. She has an amazing way of writing that just allows me to become fully absorbed in the story (be sure to read the author's note!). This is not only a romance story between Hutch and Katie, but between Katie and herself. I appreciated the non-steamy romance. Oh, and can we all agree that the biggest personality of the story is most definitely George Bailey!!

I always enjoy Katherine Center books and her latest was no exception! It started a bit slow and I wasn’t initially sure I was loving the characters, but as the storyline picked up I really liked how the main charger, Katie, evolved.

There is romance in this story (very closed door), however I felt the main focus was on Katie’s journey to self love and acceptance. She struggles with body image and self worth and Center explains in the author’s note at the end of the book why she chose to focus on these topics.

Overall I thought this story was charming, uplifting, and full of joy. I loved Rue and The Gals! The kindness they displayed plus the Key West setting will have you wanting to book yourself right into Starlite Cottages. Let’s not forget Hutch’s Great Dane, George Bailey, who you couldn’t help but love. The only characters that I didn’t enjoy were Cole and Sullivan. They seemed over the top and obnoxious.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Check this book out May 20, 2025.

The Love Haters - Katherine Center. [Summary: 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 fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. 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 also 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.] I received an eARC from Netgalley for an honest review.This is my first Katherine Center book, and I definitely have mixed feelings. I LOVED the main male character, Hutch. Some of the things he says to Katie were just breathtaking. But I had some issues with Katie - her fixation on her body was really hard for me to deal with. In places it was nice to watch her start to love her body, but it was also hard to keep from drowning in her negative thoughts. I mean, the first 60 pages were essentially just Katie talking badly about her thin/conventionally attractive body. I'm not saying she can't have any negative thoughts, but this was A LOT. Almost enough to make me give up. However, I persevered, and I'm SO glad I did. I adored this book by the end. Katie experiences so much. And I'll probably never forget that hibiscus flower clip! The side characters were delightful - from Rue and The Gals, to Cole and even Sullivan. I definitely want to check out more of Center's book, and I might need to reread this one ASAP!

As a self-proclaimed Katherine Center fanatic- this book was so devastatingly raw, fresh, and full of Florida Keys-fun!
I read the book in one sitting- I literally didn’t get up or move.

It’s truly a love story of multitudes. How wonderful to read about relationships that discuss: found family, the physical body, health, spooky exes, hobbies, and most importantly (but not really) a delicious Coast Guard man!

The overall message from this book feels quite profound— Katie coming out of multiple traumatic situations with newfound appreciation for herself and her ability to grow and forgive. I even find myself inspired (and scared) by the Day In My Life idea, paired with the Ten Things I Love About Myself. (Begrudgingly knowing that ten fingers, ten toes, two earlobes, etc. don’t count by Beanie’s standards)

While I can admit, I am quite romantically frustrated at the ending, I can understand why Katherine chose to end the book talking about.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Katherine Center wrote a beautiful love story, about learning to love ourselves, and finding love along the way.

The story follows Katie, a videographer, who’s snagged the job opportunity of a lifetime, while trying to stay out of the line of current layoffs. Cole, her coworker, gives her the opportunity that’s he’s trying to avoid, creating a coast guard video about his older brother. Katie is sent and as her life is in turmoil after a breakup with her newly famous, ex fiancé. Her best friend and cousin keeps her going on her self love journey. She meets Cole’s brother Hutch to start the project and starts to fall for him.

This was a cute love story, it hit all the feels, but what I loved the most was the story of Katie learning to love her body a little more. This is such a hard topic to cover and Katherine wrote it beautifully. I really enjoyed the love and friendship and self love all tied in.

I enjoyed this book so much more than I anticipated. As the characters navigate loss, in various forms, love prevails. I think what’s so important is that “love” in this story is more than romantic… it’s friendship, it’s familial, it’s community… and it’s SELF love. This is amazing story that weaves this all together in a truly inspiring way.

Always a fan of Katherine Center's books and this one is no exception. This book is a great mix of complex characters, cute romance, and even some action and suspense! The book follows Katie, a filmaker, who is tasked with creating a recruiting video for the Coast Guard starring Hutch, a rescue swimmer. There are lots of twists and turns throughout and Katie and Hutch must both deal with their difficult pasts. This was a great read, and I finished it in a day and a half. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fun read with some heart.

As much as I love Katherine Center's writing, this one didn't work for me personally. All of the characters were well written and likable but there was such a focus on the main character's body image that there wasn't enough development of the romance. By the end of the book, I didn't really feel like I saw enough of Katie and Hutch's relationship to really root for them.

Katie Vaughn is sent on a work trip to Key West, Florida to film a promotional video for the U.S. Coast Guard, with a feature on a a rescue swimmer named Hutch. Katie arrives under difficult circumstances: lies of omission, the aftermath of a messy breakup, a possibly layoff, and more). If things weren't already stressful enough, Katie is also battling body images issues.

When Katie arrives in Key West she is met by a lovable crew of Rue and The Gals (think Golden Girls).
Between the color that Rue adds to Katie's life, the undeniable sparks with Hutch, the sweet but knock-you-on your fanny Great Dane (George Bailey), the self-help obssesssed best friend, and the thrill and excitement of U.S. Coast Guard rescue work - this is a book you don't want to put down. It made my heart race in more ways than one. I served in the military so a man in uniform is just "another day at the office" to me, but not here. Hutch is totally swoon-worthy.

This book made me feel all the feels - I'm crying and cursing one minute, and laughing the next. You know that if you're reading one of K.C.'s books whatever you're holding in has no choice but to come out. Every.single.time. And I love every minute of it!

I genuinely appreciate how this book is about many different types of love including the love of self. Make sure that when you read this book (and why wouldn't you) that you read the author's note at the end. It's as good as the book itself. It's so beautiful, and inspiring. I'm such a devoted fan and can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Get this book wherever books are sold on May 20, 2025.

P.S. I remember on Instagram when K.C. was trying to find different ways to write "dare to hope" and asked for input. I immediately spotted it in the book when I started it this morning, and it made me smile. If her writing alone wasn't reason enough to be a fan, she is also one of the kindest and most interactive authors I have seen on social media. Truly lovely.

Ms. Center is over here doing the Lord’s work blessing us with that ~read now~ feature on @netgalley. As with any book she writes, this one was super cute. Her books have zero spice- but always have the best romance story lines. The main character in this story has a very poor body image and Katherine wrote about it with such vulnerability and care. There was a beautiful character transformation and message. I feel like this would be a great read for teenagers in teaching them how to love their bodies ❤️ All that to say EVERYONE should add this to their TBR list when it comes out in May 😘

Katie pulls a Hail Mary to avoid getting fired from her video production job by going to Key West to profile a coast guard rescue swimmer named Hutch. What she doesn’t realize is along with the job she will get sucked into a family feud, tackled by a Great Dane more than once, and have to face her fear of wearing a swimsuit. Oh and did I mention she can’t swim? Thankfully she has a professional rescue swimmer to teach her a few things!

Everything that could have happened in this book happened, at the perfect time.

Katie is a video producer who is on the cusp of being laid off. She is offered a job by one of her bosses, Cole, in the Keys promoting entry to the coast guard through shooting videos of “Hutch”- who was written PERFECTLY. Although this book has the most fall in lovable characters (Rue is the most wonderful human) it does focus a lot on body image in the first half (which is wonderful because it shows growth and self acceptance which is ALWAYS a chefs kiss) and then in the second half I just got so into the characters that I wanted to scream into the book at them. Overall, this book was worth the read. I am rating this book 3 stars because the beginning was a little hard to get into, but once I got around 50% of the way in, I was in it.

I loved this book. I loved the cover of it, very summery and I’d want to re read it in the summer! This wasn’t just a cutesy romance. There was more to if, focused on real issues like with body image.