The Love Haters was a sweet, swoony, and FUNNY book! I absolutely loved our MMC Hutch. I felt like the author gave us so much about him! Katie, our FMC, was quirky and kept hitting us with hilarious one liners and silly situations.
There was quite a bit of commentary about weight and body insecurities at the beginning, but also a reference to her being pretty small (almost a size zero) so that wasn't my favorite plot point. It did end up being part of her character growth though.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review a copy of The Love Haters! Generally, I adore Katherine Center's work. It tends to be very reflective and have characters with traumas and experiences that can be relatable for many in the general public (or at least generalized to be moreso). I did not particularly connect with or enjoy Hutch, Cole, and Katie. I was more interested in George Bailey (the dog) and Rue (a side character, aunt of Hutch/Cole). I would recommend this as a summer read for fans of Jennifer Weiner and body positivity/neutrality, but it was neither as light-hearted nor serious as I initially thought. On the plus side, the chapters are brief and at least one thing/learning/plot point occurs in each chapter so there isn't wasted space. Patrons will definitely find this one on reader's advisory lists!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Saint Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC copy of Katherine Center’s latest!

FMC Katie has been down bad after a shitty break up from her now very famous ex. To top things off, Katie is pretty sure her days are numbered at the video production company. Her higher-up Cole takes pity on her situation, and in an effort to save her job, connects her with an opportunity to create a promo video for the coast guard starring his always serious, love hating, estranged brother stationed in Key West. Katie desperately agrees to this idea, despite the fact that she CANNOT ACTUALLY SWIM.

Getting to Key West was a nightmare, and the colorful, laid back atmosphere forces Katie to confront her own rigidness and question what purpose her rules are serving. *Disclaimer* a lot of the work Katie confronts in order to gain confidence centers around body image so therefore some might find her story triggering.

Cue the romance! Katie meets Cole’s brother Hutch ( how do we feel about the name Hutch?) and that didn’t go very well either… Hutch was clearly expecting Cole and his welcome to Katie was anything but warm. Luckily for what he lacks, Cole’s Aunt Rue makes up for. Rue loves color, lives life to the fullest and takes Katie under her wing. Rue has the sweetest sunset dinner friend group, who call themselves “The Gals”.

We would say the first half of the storyline was really enjoyable and unique. It’s currently 17 degrees in Wisconsin so it was the perfect escape. What we wouldn’t give for sunset dinners with The Gals right now. Katherine Center brings funny internal dialogue to her characters and created the adorable rescue dog George Bailey (a much better name than Hutch IMO). We didn’t love the fake dating twist 3/4 of the way in and would have preferred a good old fashioned love triangle instead. The amount of lies felt unrealistic, the same way Rue leaving unannounced during a hurricane felt unrealistic.

All in all Katie let herself go…and how glorious!



This is a romance but it is also a friendship story and a story of rescuing one’s self. Through her new connections and change of scenery, she can let go of what others think and power she thinks they hold over her and her body.

A takeaway from the read was a reference to a study on bullying research. Center writes that onlookers often didn’t stand up for fear of being bullied themselves. However, the results showed that it almost never went that way and even just one other kid standing up for the victim could change the outcome. Through Katie’s journey towards self-confidence, she encourages us to choose to be that one other kid.

This book is perfect poolside read. The book is set in Key West - it was a sunshiny uplifting read. Katie is a lovable protagonist who is jaded on love. Through her job assignment she meets Hutch, who works for the Coast Guard. I really enjoyed Katie's character arc of self-love. Hutch and Katie start off with a grumpy sunshine trope that has a good back story. I mostly enjoyed the book for its unique setting and characters (loved Beanie and Rue too!). There were a few scenes that felt forced, but it was overall a cute read.

Wow, Katherine Center did it again.
I loved every word of this book. I loved the character development. I loved the relationship growth. I loved the body positivity messages.
I loved the ending.

Reading this book in the midst of a snowstorm certainly made me feel like I was on vacation in the Florida Keys. The exact escape I was looking for. The storyline and plot pulled me in in unexpected ways. It is not your typical enemies to lovers trope, but was inspiring and provocative in ways that all women can relate to. The underlying current of the struggle with body positivity in today’s society and the affects of social media is very poignant. Coupled with a good dose of sibling rivalry and the love story simply became icing on the cake!
The character development was great for such a loaded storyline, however, I was left wanting to know more about all of them - Beanie included, she was my favorite!

Katherine Center does it again with this cute rom com that follows Katie as she embarks on a journey of self reflection and learning to love herself again. Along the way she forms various relationships that help her believe in love again. I could see this becoming a movie in the future. Overall a cute story and easy read.

Katherine Center books are very hit or miss for me. I was really looking forward to reading this book & I thought it was going to be one of my favorites of the year-yet I was sorely disappointed. I’m not sure if it’s because I disliked every single one of the characters or because the pacing of the book just in general was difficult to read. The fact that a bulk of the story is in the final chapter, which was also 18% of the book was problematic for me and then the book didn’t even wrap up until the epilogue. You had to read the epilogue to find out the ending. I know she was trying to make some good points about self love, finding yourself & body positivity, but the plot had way too many holes to ignore. This book was just a miss for me.

I enjoyed all of the stories within this one. I'd watch this if it were a movie. There were so many different relationships that all helped katie to learn to love herself and her body for all it has been through and done for her. It kind of makes you do a little self reflection.

**Book Summary & My Thoughts:**

Katherine Center’s books always bring a smile, and *The Love Haters* is no exception. The story follows Katie Vaughn, a video producer stuck in a career rut—she can either wait to be laid off or take on a big project profiling Hutch, a rugged Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The only catch? Katie can’t swim. But she pretends she can, leading to a series of awkward, funny, and heartwarming moments. As Katie gets wrapped up in swim lessons, helicopter rides, conga lines, and stolen kisses, she has to face some personal fears and learn what it really means to be brave.

I found this book so enjoyable—it was lighthearted, quick to read, and still full of emotion and growth. Katherine Center has a way of making everything feel fun while diving into real, relatable themes. It’s another winner for me, and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a charming escape!

I love Katherine Center, and this novel was so exception! I adore Katie and Rue. Katie is me, and Rue is who I hope to be one day. I felt like Hutch didn’t have enough of a fault, but the story overall was engaging and sweet and fun!

Things I love about this book: George Bailey, Rue, aviator glasses, heroes, Ace/ Boots and Saddles, Beanie, 200 shirtless pushups, Hutch, and Katie’s realization that she’s been her own worst bully!


Katherine Center has written another fabulous tale that had me laughing, crying, and wishing I could book a trip to visit these characters. Rue got me in the feels, everyone needs an aunt in their life just like her! As you get through and find out her full story, you realize she’s the hero Katie should do a “Day in the Life” about. Katie, is up and down as a character, at times I’m so mad at her, but that’s the point because she doesn’t treat herself very well and you kind of want to shake her. But she needs to shake herself to really hear how amazing and wonderful she is!
I devoured this book, it had so many twists and turns, and I just had to know what was going to happen! I highly recommend!

3.5 stars. Typically a hit or miss author for me, this book landed right in the middle. Some parts of the book I really enjoyed - the budding romance between Hutch and Katie, Rue and The Gals, the backstory between Hutch, Cole, and Rue, Hutch’s career as a rescue swimmer. I just wish the author had expanded more on these parts of the story. Instead we were left with some side stories that just seemed too over the top or unnecessary. Overall a good read, but still a far cry from some of my faves by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Rescue swimmer/ coast guard?! Say less. Katherine Centers humor in books is my absolute favorite! I loved every single character in this book so much. Hutch + Katie + George Michael forever 👩‍❤️‍👨🫶🏼🐶

Thanks NetGalley for this e-arc!

Tied into a love story only Katherine Center can write were plenty of laugh out loud moments. and while you were falling in love with Katie and Hutch you were also making sure you loved yourself! A feel good love story that was good for the soul.

Katherine Center is well-known for crafting original, heartwarming romance novels, so I was very excited to receive this ARC! "The Love Haters" is centered around Katie, a video producer who is down on her luck. Having been cheated on and dumped by her fiance and then having her job at the risk of downsizing, Katie jumps at the chance to interview and produce a video of an American hero, Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. The two have sweet chemistry and become fast friends, all while trying to ignore the sparks between them. I loved the camaraderie and sweet loyalty Katie and Hutch displayed towards each other, which is why I was confused when Katie went along with Hutch's brother's lies towards the middle of the book. Thankfully that was cleared up quickly, but even the ending was quick. I would have appreciated some dialogue between Katie and Hutch towards the end (after the rescue) of the book, rather than short vignettes.

I really enjoyed all the side characters, and I appreciated the focus on bravery and positive body image. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have always been a fan of Katherine Center and this was another 5 star read! I loved Katie and Hutch and all their back and forth banter. I laughed out loud multiple times but I also found myself tearing up at times. George Bailey was fun and I want to be Aunt Rue when I grow up. This book was just what I needed! I give this book 5⭐️. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange of my honest review.

This is my first book by this author, and I was thrilled to receive this ARC. I was quickly pulled into the story as it covers many topics that typically interest me when I pick up a book—friendship, love, family, conquering fears, gaining confidence, and learning self-love.

This book made me laugh, feel sad, and experience joy. It also made me shake my head in disbelief at some of the situations involving Katie and what Hutch was going through. I loved every single character in this book. Cousin Beanie and Aunt Rue were two of my favorites.

Katie’s personal growth was heartwarming, and I found myself cheering for her throughout the story. The moments of self-love and the support surrounding her were beautiful. While Katie did make me shake my head a few times with some of the things she said, the story ultimately gave me exactly what I was hoping for.

Also, this book features a rescued Great Dane named George Bailey—and I absolutely love big dogs!

This won’t be my last read from this author. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review

3.75/5 ⭐️

In the tough job market, Katie is a corporate filmmaker on the brink of being laid off when her producer, Cole, gives her a lifeline opportunity to prove she's indispensable to their boss, Sullivan, the owner of the company. The project is to create a recruitment video for the US Coast Guard and documenting "Hutch," who's gone viral previously saving a celebrity's dog. And Katie knows a little something about going viral after her ex-fiancee had a song go viral on TikTok, changing their lives forever (for better or worse).

The tough part of the job? Hutch is Cole's older brother, and Cole is the one who was supposed to be doing the video. And to make matters worse, Katie doesn't know how to swim and definitely doesn't wear bathing suits. Through the project, Katie learns more than she probably ever thought she would about Coast Guard divers, but also about friendship, love, lies, and herself.

I've been lucky to receive a few of Katherine Center's ARCs in the past and have always enjoyed them. The Love Haters was no different. The story was cute and easy to get lost in. If you're looking for a lot of spice, this one isn't for you, but if you're looking for a story of survival and self-acceptance on multiple fronts, I'd definitely pick this one up.

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press for a free advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Katherine Center hits it out of the ballpark again! Katie is an awesome documentary filmmaker, Hutch is a Coast Guard dreamboat, his dog is the hugest sweet boy, and Aunt Rue is the type of person everyone needs in their life. This book absorbed me from beginning to end and had some unique twists for sure! This is the perfect read to kick-off your summer; preorder it so you’ve got it as soon as it comes out. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a hardback to read all again!