A “I didn’t realize I’m actually attractive” somewhat likeable main character falls for a drop dead gorgeous, brooding, Coast Guard rescue swimmer in about 3 days? Mostly as unbelievable as it sounds. A cute, fast read, with some brief heavier topics but nothing too deep. If you can get past the weird, body-hating main character who only likes her pinky and ankles (?), it’s a palate cleanser book if you’re coming off something heavy. It’s a fast read which is good but speaks to the minimal character development. Overall, I’d recommend if you’d like something mostly light and easy.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

The book description vs what the book was, in my opinion, didn’t match. I thought I was going to read an amazing Rom Com like others that Katherine Center has excelled at, but this one fell short for me. I was really excited to receive this ARC, and it did not do it for me unfortunately.

There was way too much self deprecation in this book to the point that the body insecurity felt like the whole plot, it wasn't about saving her job or the video anymore, it was just about her trying to conquer her body insecurity.

Hutch was perfect, I enjoyed him a lot.

I appreciate the opportunity to receive this arc and look forward to Katherine’s future publications as I am usually a fan of her writing.

I absolutely love Katherine Centers books and she once again wrote another witty, lovable story. I enjoyed the plot of the story with the development of the love story and sub-plot of body image. As someone who deals with body image issues I love how it shows us her development of also loving herself- flaws and all.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for ARC. All opinions are my own.

First and foremost, thank you, NetGalley, for approving my request for The Love Haters by Katherine Center. You have no idea how much it meant to me to receive my very first ARC!

Now, about the book—I absolutely loved it. The romance is incredibly sweet, and the story is compelling. The chemistry between the two main characters develops so beautifully that I couldn't help but root for them.

I also adored all the side characters—Rue, Beanie, the Gals, George Bailey, and even Cole and Sullivan. Each one contributed to creating a rich and vibrant backdrop for Katie and Hutch’s love story.

But what I loved most about this book is that it’s not just about Katie and Hutch’s romance; it’s also about Katie’s love story with herself. I saw so much of my younger self in her—struggling with self-hatred and body image issues. Watching Katie grow through life’s experiences, learning self-acceptance, self-discovery, and ultimately, self-love, was deeply moving.

Another powerful takeaway from this book is how family trauma can lead to long-term misunderstandings and miscommunication, as seen with Hutch and Cole. Their journey teaches us the importance of making peace with the past and understanding that family should grow stronger and deeper together, not apart.

And finally, Rue—the fabulous Rue—reminds us all to be grateful for life itself. She encourages us not just to live but to truly savor every moment.

Overall, The Love Haters is a heartfelt, beautifully written novel filled with romance, self-growth, and meaningful life lessons. I highly recommend it!

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into The Love Haters, but once I did, I really enjoyed the story. Katherine Center has a way of writing heartfelt, feel-good romances that pull you in, and this one was no exception. The banter, the slow-burn romance, and the character growth all made for an engaging read.

That said, I didn’t love the heavy focus on the female main character’s body image struggles. While I understand why it was included, it’s a topic I personally try to escape from when reading romance. As someone who deals with similar issues, I found it distracting rather than uplifting. I would have preferred more emphasis on the romance without so much focus on self-consciousness about appearance.

Overall, The Love Haters was an enjoyable read with a great romance and strong emotional moments, but the body image themes took away some of the escapism I was hoping for.

Katherine Center can do no wrong, I have read all of her blacklist so when I saw this book pop up I knew it was going to be an auto read! She did not disappoint! Her characters are so well thought out, and the stories are always something different. Loved it!

This book was not what I was expecting. It had a lot of good messages and I think that’s why I gave it 3 stars. However; the story itself was just lacking or going totally over the top. There was no in between. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the characters for most of the book and the situations were kind of outlandish. This just wasn’t my favorite by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cute but very unrealistic and over dramatized. I needed more background on the characters and just more from the story overall

4.5⭐️
Katherine Center has done it again! The Love Haters is everything I adore about her books — lighthearted, laugh-out-loud moments wrapped up in a touching story about facing fears, embracing vulnerability, and finding love when you least expect it.

I was absolutely kicking my feet and giggling through the witty banter and slow-burn romance. Katie and Hutch’s chemistry had me hooked from the start, and the setting in Key West made the perfect backdrop for a story about second chances. I loved watching Katie’s journey of growth, especially as she tackled her own insecurities and learned to trust herself again.

Katherine Center is an autobuy author for me, and this book only solidified why. Her writing always blends humor, heart, and just the right amount of swoon — and The Love Haters is no exception.

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with depth and charm, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR!

Big thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for this advanced readers copy! ❤️ This review is my own opinion.

Katherine Center has once again crafted a beautiful love story that gripped me much harder than I expected.

This time, the story follows Katie, who, in an attempt to keep from being fired, accepts a project that takes her to Key West, Florida, to film and document the Keys Coast Guard and Pup Daddy Hutch—who also happens to be her boss’s brother. Their story is full of longing, sweet encouragement, and undeniable chemistry that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Surprisingly, I would argue that the main love story in this book isn’t between Katie and Hutch. Instead, it’s found within Katie herself and her journey to fully love and accept her body. This theme is woven throughout the plot in a delicate and heartfelt way that I believe will resonate deeply with many readers.

And can we talk about the incredible depth of the secondary characters? In my opinion, Rue, Cole, The Gals, George Bailey, and even Sullivan make this story so well-rounded and fun!

I truly think this is one of Katherine Center’s best books to date - I seriously couldn’t put it down!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the Advanced Reader Copy (my first one ever!).

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

I was a bit hesitant to read this book at first since Katherine Center’s books have been hit or miss for me but this book was so much fun I could hardly put it down. I loved the characters and the sense of community that this book had, I’m longing to go to Key West now!

However, I felt like some of the heavier themes in the books were shallowly dealt with and some of the relationships between the characters could’ve been written out better.

Overall, this was a solid enjoyable beach read!

As a fan of this author, I was excited to dive into this book, and while it definitely held my interest, it wasn’t my favorite. I found it difficult to connect with the main character, which made it harder to fully immerse myself in the story. However, the supporting characters were a highlight, bringing depth and intrigue to the narrative. While this one didn’t resonate with me as much as some of the author’s other works, I still appreciated the writing and storytelling. Fans of the author may still enjoy it, but it wasn’t a standout for me.

I read the last Katherine Center book and didn’t love it. So I thought I would give this one a try. Maybe the last one was a fluke? This one was a DNF for me which is rare.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I thought the characters had depth and loved the growth from the MFC. The dog, George Bailey, and the cousin, Beanie, might be my favorite characters!
There were quite a few laugh out loud moments for me and I highly recommend. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I love Katherine’s writing, her versatility of characters and storylines and sending Katie to Key West as a documentary film maker to capture a hero within the coast guard was an unexpected approach to the meet-cute. There were so many little things between Katie and Hutch that I enjoyed but did find the whole plot to avoid getting fired and dishonesty that thread through the book to be unbelievable and, frankly, exhausting. It started out pretty straight forward but just too many things stacked on top of each other and, I feel like when that happens in a book, it does the story a disservice and requires more work on the author to close out all the loose ends (which I didn’t feel were done (well) here). I think it may have been better for the narrative if Cole just told his brother that he was interested in Katie instead of saying she was his girlfriend and it making Katie seem like a cheater when she kissed Hutch (among other things; her exchanges with Hutch for weeks at that point only suggested Cole was her supervisor and no chemistry so the idea just doesn’t add up). Just one thing after another. And I would have also liked it if Katie had overcome her fear of the water and gotten to shore with George Bailey during the Hurricane vs getting stranded out at sea and surviving the storm/getting rescued by Hutch. That took the authenticity of (what was left after all the bogus lies and drama) of the story and drown it IMO. I also want to know why her ex-fiancé kept being brought up with remorse for cheating and releasing popular song titled “Katie” about her but there’s no follow through of any kind - whether it be his outreach (even through an assistant or publicist) or paps looking for her etc - I realize that’s woven into the plot to show Katie’s personal growth and self acceptance but I don’t think it really works when it’s a mega celebrity. All in all, I will always come back for more Katherine Center but this wasn’t one of my favorites from her. 3.25 stars.

Classic Katherine Center - a quirky female lead, a series of mishaps, misunderstandings and misdirection. A mostly happy ending.

This was my 5th book by Katherine Center but unfortunately it missed the mark a bit for me. I really liked the main characters, but felt like the romance wasn't as much of the story as I was expecting. It felt slow in the middle and then a bit rushed and unbelievable at the end.

I really wanted to love the story- but I didn’t love the way body insecurity was described in this book. It felt a little too forced and inauthentic. I did however love Katie, Rue and “The Gals”. I bought into Katie and Hutches love story and Florida was a fun setting.

I’m a big fan of Katherine Center. She is an auto-buy author for me. This book hooked me in! Hutch and Kate are the cutest. Hutch is literally the ultimate green flag as he constantly chooses kindness first. Hutch might make are ultimate book boyfriend list. However the better love story was between Kate and her body. Her struggles with her body I think very relatable. Also I think this book was a great reminder about how harmful words can be especially on the internet. The ending…..oh my..I was on the edge of my seat!
I will submitting a review in instagram in May closer to the release date

“No one’s born fearless, you have to earn it.”

Katie Vaughn suddenly finds herself in an unstable work environment when her boss starts placing her colleagues on the chopping block in a post-divorce haze. When she is presented with a job assignment by her co-worker Cole, she eagerly says yes, despite the fact that one of the main requirements is that she has to be able to swim, and unfortunately, that is not actually a skill she possesses. In order to try to save her job, she packs up her video production equipment and travels to Florida to create a promo video for the US Coast Guard. In doing so, the bulk of her work will be with Tom Hutcheson (aka Pup Daddy, aka “Hutch”, aka Cole’s brother) -the Coast Guard rescue swimmer who went viral for Saving Jennifer Aniston’s dog’s life. Cole warns her that he is a miserable person, and his main hobby is frowning. Oh-and that her job depends on this documentary, and her ability to secure a side interview for her series “A Day in the Life”.

Upon arriving in Florida, she is swept up by Rue, Cole’s aunt, who manages the rental she is staying in. In a matter of 12 hours, Rue suddenly has given her a make-over and replaced her black clothes with bright coastal patterns and gets right to work signing her up for swim lessons with “The Gals”, Rue’s crew of retired besties who live in the same community. Katie is hesitant and wary, but her nerves explode when she sees that her instructor is none other than Hutch.

Katie and Hutch find themselves in some rather compromising positions and situations right away that had me cringing and laughing out loud at the same time. Hutch is NOT a natural on camera and her interviews feel like Katie is pulling teeth, but despite this, she starts to learn a bit about him and his life including his massive Great Dane George Bailey (LOVE him), and she starts to see a whole other side of him and realizes he is nothing like Cole described him.

The story definitely had some added excitement when idiotic Cole came to town like a hurricane, basically destroying everything that he touches. That is until a hurricane rolls in and actually causes extreme destruction…The Gals and Rue were awesome characters. I was rooting for Katie and Hutch, but those gals kept me giggling throughout! Rue is like the wise mama of the group and The Gals are the peanut gallery.

Katherine Center focused on body positivity through the eyes of Katie’s journey with herself, and as a human with a body, I really appreciated that. That being said, at times the book slowed down and I felt tempted to skip ahead a bit, because it started to feel like an after school special. The intent was definitely there, but the execution distracted me. The Love Haters is my first Katherine Center book, but I am definitely open to checking out her others!


Themes:
-family
-grief
-body image
-co-workers


Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone
This book is available May 20, 2025.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the ARC copy! This review is my honest opinion.