So sad to say that I DNFed this one at 40%.

I usually try and give books at least half before I give up but over two weeks I tried to read this one and I was getting nowhere. I had to keep pushing my self to read it and I just... there is too many books out there to read for me to push through one that just isn't working for me.

I've read a few other Katherine Center books and I felt like I enjoyed them. The Bodyguard and hello stranger. I gave them both three stars but I definitely enjoyed The Bodyguard more. (probably around 3.5 stars). However, I feel like the Katherine that wrote those two and the Katherine that wrote this one; those are two different people. This was just wasn't for me.

To start, I was a fan of our main character in the beginning. I felt like she had potential. However the further we got in to the story, I just wasn't a fan so much anymore. Maybe it was the way she talked about her body image that did it for me. I'm not sure.
Second, Cole was very cringe and complete trash.
Third, what was this whole weird thing with Hutch? Literal Face palm. It felt like two middle schoolers trying to admit/ not admit that they had feelings for one another. I don't know. It just wasn't for me. Hutch didn't have much to him either. There was no depth to his character. He was just blah. The romance between him and the Mc felt rushed and was disappointing in my book. Barely into reading and I was just hoping for it to be over.

Overall I feel like I see a lot of four and five star reviews and I'm happy some people enjoyed it. This has me thinking this might just be a me problem. ( However when the inner dialogue from our MC was a little over the top sometimes and ranted on for far too long.) (Eight to ten pages of inner dialogue??) Not sure if I will give this one a try later down the road or not. I'm starting to think that Katherine Center may just not be an author for me.

I read this book in one sitting, predictable loveable story with no spice but so much heart. You gotta just suspend your realities in a bucket for this one but it was still a cute ride.

I’ve been a fan of Katherine Center’s work for a few years now, and while this book wasn’t as bingeable as her past couple releases, I do think it’s her most impactful I’ve read. As someone who also struggles with body image issues (and started reading this book while on vacation wearing my first-ever bikini at 30 years old), I was moved by our FMC’s journey. This book felt like my own personal Rue as I let myself go. How glorious.

While The Love Haters may not hit the same for someone looking for a punchy, sweet rom com like Center’s past couple releases, it’ll mean a lot to those it does resonate with. I’d recommend it to anyone who has ever hated their body or to anyone looking for a heartfelt story of self discovery that’s more impactful than the illustrated cover may imply.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Katie, a videographer on the verge of being let go, goes on a last hiatus to Key West to film a commercial for the Coast Guard in hopes of proving herself invaluable to the company. What Katie didn’t expect was to step in the middle of a decade's worth of sibling rivalry built on a troubled past. While in the Keys, Katie can’t deny her attraction to Hutch. But as soon as the distance starts to close between them, a new problem arrives in the form of Hutch’s brother Cole- and he has her heart and her job by the throat.

Pros
-The FMC, Katie, and the MMC, Hutch, are likable. I love Katie’s internal journey of growth.
-Cole is not likable, even after his past and harbored feelings are revealed. IDC he is immature and holds everyone around him responsible for his problems instead of himself. The good news is that it looks like growth is on the horizon.
-Rue and “the girls” are to die for! They help create a warm, loving, and accepting community that gives Katie the support she needs to stop holding herself back.
- Has a romantic comedy feel due to the situations Katie gets herself into… They are hilarious and embarrassing and--lucky and unlucky for Katie--Hutch is always around to help fix it.

Cons (just a little bit of repetition)
-Too many references to the song “Heart and Soul”
-WARNING the overuse of the phrase “pie slice” will give you a tick. Red will creep into your vision until you want to bludgeon someone with a pie slice.

I enjoyed this story! It is sweet and crafted to uplift the reader after heavy themes and leave them hopeful. I recommend it and rack it in the reread category!

Beautiful story of self love, brothers, good guys, and wise female friends. It's a tough call but may be my favorite Katherine Center book yet! I'm on team love stories can save the world.

Story: 5 Characters: 5 Engagement: 5
Recco: 100% yes!!!!!

"Even if we do eternally need and long and want to be seen... maybe the most important eyes doing the looking are our own."
AKA
"Holy cow-this is personal growth for the hall of fame!"

Highlights:
- Deeper than a romance: in pure Katherine Center style, you get the fun romantic connection but also deeper messages about life bordering on philosophy
- Positive outlook: focusing on what's right instead of what's wrong
- Body positivity; challenges the all the too common distain for our own physical appearance and cruel internet criticism
- Self love: finding ways to lift up yourself is a beautiful message
- Wise girlfriends: from a cousin to older ladies, these are the people that help us through
- Book boyfriend: he's a top notch one. So kind and pure and solid--and handsome.
- Dog: I'm not an animal person but this was a key endearing character
- Character development: even of the more minor seemingly one dimensional characters
- Comedic scenes: colorful shopping and intense escape test in a swimsuit stood out as LOL moments
- Authors note: love her take on love stories and how they can help us in life

Lowlights:
- It went by so fast!

Quotes I highlighted:
"Something quiet and forgotten and neglected in my soul got an undeniable dose of healing."

"1 definitely have a relationship with myself. It's judgmental and toxic, but it's there."

"The story of your life is always full of mystery. You can unfold it on a table like a map, and study it, and understand it in new ways."

"It's a normal female reaction to having an ordinary, imperfect body in a world overrun by Photoshop and Al."

""You're a TV jingle you never exceed to learn, but can't erase."

"You're like a human hot-fudge sundae or something."

"I'd worried that telling him might change how he saw me. But it never occurred to me that it might change how I saw myself,"

""He has no inner life. He's all exterior, no interior."
"I was never cut out to be fame-adjacent."

Thankful as always for ARCs and being able to leave an honest review.

I really love KC with all my heart. I really do. But this wasn’t it for me.

I loved the banter and the romance. I loved Rue and her friends. But it ends there. I found the FMC and her friend very annoying. The self help angle was a lot and didn’t resonate with me. It felt like the message was if you try hard enough yourself, and love yourself, it’ll al workout. Sometimes that’s just not true. Sometimes you need extra help and extra love.

I also really disliked Cole and the lying. Hutch was likable but also I felt like there was not enough communication happening on page. Their backstory with Rue was a little uncomfy, though I did like grief dah that was nice.

2 or 3, probably rounding up.

What an amazing setting for a novel. Paradise. An island in the Keys where basically the perfect man with the coolest job lives. This is definitely a romance but I felt like Center put in some weightier topics that made it a little less light and airy. In the midst of reading about basically a love at first sight romance you also hear about body image issues, brotherly feuds, grief, illness, natural disasters. Not a dog person but loved Hutch’s huge great dane. Honestly, I want to grow up and live at the Starlite with Katie, Rue and The Gals.

🛟 The Love Haters 🛟

“It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks if you’re having fun. And all the fun is in color.”

Ohhhhh my heart, Katherine Center can do no wrong. I absolutely ADORED this latest addition to her collection of rom-com magic. As she says in the book, “joy is a kind of magic, for sure.” And WOW does this one bring joy.

Katie is assigned to film a documentary and promo of US Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. She relocates to the Florida Keys where she learns Hutch is less than thrilled her appearance when he was expecting someone else… Especially when he finds out she doesn’t know how to swim. Even still, Katie and Hutch work together and around their undeniable chemistry.

It has banter and shenanigans. Swim lessons with a coast guard rescue swimmer 😏. A meddling Auntie with her gaggle of The Gals that tease and love.

Check this one out for:
🛟 Romcom magic
🛟 Incredible banter
🛟 Heartwarming found family
🛟 Finding yourself and appreciating your body
🛟 Learning to say no to the haters and yes to yourself

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! The Love Haters in on shelves May 20, 2025! My opinions are my own.

Can we get a book about Rue?! Overall I enjoyed this book. I thought the eating/weight/body image talk was a bit much at times but I also understand that’s a reality for some people. But for real, when is Rue and the Girls’ book coming out?

Overall I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t my favorite of the other books of Center’s that I have read - but I still enjoyed the story overall! The storyline of disordered eating was difficult to read, and could see it potentially being a trigger to future readers. I did enjoy the relationship between the two MCs, and the caring they had for each other.

3.5 stars
I had a tough time getting into this story, but by around page 60 l was pretty engaged. I loved seeing Katie and Hutch's relationship unfold, despite the challenges posed by her job and Cole, Katie's manager and Hutch's brother.
Rue was definitely my favorite character and I loved anytime her and the Gals were mentioned. I will say that Katie trying to get drunk Hutch to kiss her didn't really sit right with me.
This was my first book of Katherine Center's and I would definitely give her other books a try. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC!

I am a huge Katherine Center fan and love her writing. It is so engaging from the very beginning. This book was no different. I loved the MMC and my biggest complaint of the book is that we didn’t get to see more of his relationship with the MFC. I felt like it kind of ended abruptly after they confessed feelings. I was looking for a little more after that build up which is the reason for giving a 4 star rating.

I am in love with Katherine Center’s writing. It’s sweet, compelling, and oh so addicting. I could not put this book down!

Anything Katherine Center writes, I will read! I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of her upcoming novel:

‘The Love Haters’ is all about a video producer named Katie who has been assigned to make a promotional video for the U.S. Coast Guard. As her company begins downsizing, she knows that accepting this gig is the only way she can avoid being cut. There are just a few problems: She can’t swim, she will be working around the water, and she is terrified of being in a swimsuit all thanks to a cheating ex and a tabloid’s comments on her body. Yet, when Katie first lays eyes on the handsome rescuer that she’s been assigned to film, he not only leaves her with loads of incredible footage, but with a whole new take on life.

I have always loved the depth that Katherine Center puts into her love stories, and I really enjoyed how this book was essentially a love story to our bodies. I can’t say that I’ve read anything that explored this concept in such an intense way, as U.S. Coast Guards challenge their bodies and risk their lives every day for the greater good.

While there are some deeper topics in this one, like any other Katherine Center book, this story had so much humor sprinkled in! Her writing style is like talking to your BFF, and there were so many memorable characters. I especially loved reading the author’s note at the end. I felt like this really captured what we all love about her books and why love stories are such important ones to be told.

Bonus: If you’re familiar with Florida living, I think this will be an even more exciting read as the story takes place in the Florida Keys.

CONTENT WARNING: Body dysmorphia and an unhealthy relationship with food are recurring themes throughout the book. There are also references to grieving the loss of a loved one.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite contemporary authors! I eagerly anticipate every new release, and The Love Haters did not disappoint. I devoured it in a single evening and immediately wanted to reread it. The story follows Katie, a video producer on the brink of unemployment, who takes an assignment to film Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, in Key West. One problem: she can’t swim, a fact she conveniently fails to mention. Throw in an estranged brother, a rambunctious Great Dane named George Bailey, a gaggle of geriatric friends, and an impending hurricane, and you have a perfect mix of romance, humor, and self-discovery.

I absolutely loved following Katie’s journey. She felt so real—her insecurities, her messy decisions, and her unexpected bravery all made me root for her. And Hutch? Let’s just say he’s the kind of grumpy-but-softhearted hero I can’t resist. Their chemistry was off the charts, but also off-the-page, which means you could let your auntie read this one. Speaking of aunties, Rue was kind of my favorite character of all. I wish we'd gotten a little bit more of The Gals, but that's a minor quibble.

I can't wait for the next book by this author!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I love love love Katherine Center. She’s a writer who makes me feel things. And The Love Haters was no different.

I almost wish the book was longer. I could have read more about our FMC and our MMC. The Love Haters was warm, cozy, and hilariously funny.

This is my honest opinion in exchange for an advanced digital copy.

If Katherine Center writes it, I will read it. And I will experience all the emotions while km reading. She did not disappointment with this novel, this novel reminds me of the grit and raw emotion Katherine Center incorporated into "Things to Save in a Fire" and the romance of her newer novels ❤️💔

In an attempt to save her job, video producer Katie agrees to profile hero coast guard swimmer Hutch in Key West. Their first "meet cute" with Hutch's rescue dog George Bailey had me crying with laughter 🤣 The Great Dane was my favorite main character and I will not apologize for saying that. I did love Katie and Hutch, their chemistry and their personal development. The honest conversations and Katie's internal thoughts had me feeling an emotional connection to Katie as well, she could be one of my best friends in real life.

The only reason this novel is 4⭐️ and not 5 is that I despised how much Katie let her "coworker" used her and talked to her and about her 😡 Just NO and I wanted Katie to find her backbone sooner. But alas I am not the author so I was just along for the ride.

I just loved the cast of characters, the plot and the ending of this novel. I can't wait for more people to read Katherine Center's newest novel!

Thank you St. Martins Press for the ARC.

I was very excited to read an advanced copy of this book, since I have been a huge fan of this author's work in the past, but I was sadly not impressed by this one.

What I did I enjoy were the moments of our MC learning how to swim (since I personally am an adult that also does not know how to), any scene that involved George Bailey (the wonderful and massive pup), and the characters of Rue and The Gals.

What I was not a fan of, was how irresponsibly the subject of body weight/shaming were told throughout this story. I understand the author's intent, but it felt odd and uncomfortable for her to comment on her weight and our MMC's constantly in the way that she did. I also was not a fan of the pacing, and felt that their romance developed seemingly out of nowhere in the span of a chapter or two, and the story would also breeze past moments that should have stretched on longer for proper character development. I also thought that everything that had to do with our MC and her coworker and boss was hard to follow, based on thin logic and reasoning, and honestly just didn't make sense. Why on earth did the boss come down to Florida? Make it make sense.

Overall, this book felt a bit chaotic and messy. It truly didn't feel like Katherine Center wrote it, and I think the plot has merit, but needs to be better flushed out and could stand to have some further edits. This won't stop me from reading her next book though!

new favorite Katherine Center book unlocked!! I absolutely adore the way she writes her stories, they always feel so happy and comforting. I also loved the setting of this book, I feel like I really learned new things about the Coast Guard and what they do. Also, Hutch is literally perfect.

Katie is about to lose her job and takes an assignment out in Key West to film a Coast Guard recruitment video of her co-worker's brother, Hutch, who he doesn't get along with. Immediately upon arriving, she mets his wonderful aunt, Rue, who is so warm and welcoming towards Katie. She instantly liked Hutch, despite Cole's warnings about him, and his dog, George Bailey, was the icing on the cake.

I loved this book. I read the Rom-Commer's last year and loved it and was happy I was able to read an Arc of this book, and now I feel like I need to read the rest of Katherine Center's books. I, like probably many other women, could really relate to Katie's self-esteem issues and that really touched me. This book was funny, romantic and I loved Hutch. These characters jump off the page, and now I think I may need a physical copy of this book when it comes out!

Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Love Haters