I have very strong feelings about this book lol. It's a classic rom-com and Katherine Center is a joy to read. There were many parts of this book that I loved, but also quite a few that drove me crazy. The initial set up of the book is that our main character Katie is convinced to take a video production job in Florida because her co-worker doesn't want to do it. However she doesn't swim (so she lied about it) and the whole thing feels kinda sketchy. I had a hard time understanding her motivations for this and things later in the book. The meet cute between Katie and Hutch was cute and I did really like them together. My biggest complaint of the book is that we didn't see them together enough! Especially at the end!! I was honestly shocked when it ended and it felt like there was not concrete resolution between them, it was only hinted at. I ended the book feeling really unsatisfied with the romance :(( There were multiple frustrating miscommunication tropes as well. BUT besides all of that and the very end, I really did enjoy the reading experience and flew threw the book. Thanks Katherine Center for a good time!

I. LOVE. Katherine. Center. LOVE.
Read it in one sitting! Then I was bummed because it was over and I have to wait for another one to come out! But, thanks NetGalley for giving me the digital ARC so I could spend a perfect day with this lovely, super interesting (the things I've learned from her last two books about the Coast Guard? Amazing!), yuuuummmmmmy, perfect book. And the notes about body positivity??? Ssssooooo good. I am tempted to buy it for myself so I can refer to it often for pep talks, as well as for my coworker who was raised by someone like Katie's stepmom (but like, 1000 times worse). ♥♥♥♥♥

The Love Haters follows Katie, a chronic self loather, on assignment in Key West to film U.S. Coast Guard swimmer, Hutch, reeker of coolness. The catch? Katie doesn’t know how to swim, and let’s just say that’s a very big part of the job, as is wearing a swimsuit and participating in weight checks much to Katie’s horror. The Love Haters appears somewhat superficial at first, but in classic Center storytelling, ends up jam packed with onion layered characters, and twists and turns that are like a Chef's kiss. The Love Haters is a love story to relationships, and not just the romantic kind. It’s a fantastic read that had me face planting on my dining room table more than once (thanks for that George Bailey).

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an early book review copy of this book!

The Love Haters is being released May, 20th 2025-mark your calendar!

If there's one thing Katherine Center's gonna do, it's write a perfect romance book. I can't wait to reread this book by the pool once summer hits! This book was beautifully written, funny, sweet, and still had that emotional pull that Katherine Center is known for. I fell in love with every character in this book! It felt like watching a romcom.

I am an all-time fan of Katherine Center - I've read almost her entire backlist and have given basically every one 5 stars. But this book fell flat for me for a particular reason: I was super caught off guard by the FMC’s body image and history of disordered eating and was surprised and disappointed this was not listed as a content warning, as I likely would have decided to skip out on this book. I wasn't able to get past the beginning of the book due to this, but maybe I'll be able to pick it back up again at some point in the future.

This story is a good summer rom-com. Katie's work as a video producer is in jeopardy due to mass layoffs, but she gets a chance at a project filming a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Katie has to face a few fears including her lack of swimming skills, body image struggles, and juggling some light lies that her boss has spun up for her situation. Katie gets to find her true self and experience some adventure along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review.
This book was the first hate-read of 2025.
Center has written some great, light books about firefighters ("Things You Save In a Fire"), prosopagnosia ("Hello Stranger), and a survivalist hiking weekend ("Happiness for Beginners"). But this book is just a Mad Libs of brainless, unoriginal rom-com tropes: A white girl in her 20s, who reads like she's a teenager, works in media, and is a "mess." She meets a perfect white man who gives her self-confidence!
Given that this book is interchangeable with any of the Colleen Hoover/BookTok crap everywhere, I almost DNF'ed. And after reading the cringe, "Afterschool Special"-style Epilogue, I WISH I HAD DNF'ED.
My life is too short, and there are too many good books, to waste reading this.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, so thank you!! I flew through this book very quickly and loved all the parts of it! It's a story about how Katie Vaughn, who is a video producer, is thrown into a situation by a colleague she doesn't really like, and her job is on the line. Cue having to go to Key West and one 🔥 Coast Guard hottie who happens to also be a hero, with his own story. There are a gaggle of other characters, but I especially liked seeing how Rue fit into the brothers' dynamic and how she supported Katie through her challenges. Katie's vulnerability and strength as she faced her fears were so well-written. Such a fun, feel-good rom-com with the perfect amount of heart and heat. Highly recommend if you need a light and happy read! 🥰📖

I am a huge Katherine Center fan, and although I did enjoy this book, it didn’t quite hit like her books normally do for me. I feel like she usually adds an element of dealing with heavy situations or emotions, and while there were some things I think she tried to use for that in Love Haters, it overall felt more superficial than her norm. I did like the story and it was an easy read that kept me interested so I would recommend it, just not what I expected.

This book was so charming. I want to join Rue and The Gals for cocktails by the pool. I loved the characters and the many forms of love and healing in this book. Loving yourself. Loving others. Loving while dealing with grief. ♥️

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down. This is a fun and enjoyable rom-com. There were just pieces of the story that I didn’t feel were fully fleshed out and the last-minute catastrophe at the end didn’t work for me. Still think this is worth picking up this summer for anyone who enjoys a closed-door romance. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Key West, an adorable Great Dane who's terrified of thunder and Coast Guard rescue swimmers brighten Katie Vaughn's story. After a publicized break-up with a rising music star, she retreats into a haze of body-hating misery. Even a year later, she's barely started coming out of it. Then she gets sent to Key West to film a promotional video on a rescue swimmer, but there are powerful drawbacks to the assignment such as hating to wear a bathing suit, and oh, the pesky fact that she can't swim. While the story is definitely enjoyable, it can't help but be compared to other Katherine Center books that knock it out of the park. If you manage your expectations, you will still be charmed.

The book was enjoyable, it just missed the mark for me because some of the situations were so unrealistic, that it took me out of the moment.

This was more of a journey to self love with some romance thrown in. I liked how it wasn't what I thought it would be, Katie was very honest and struggled to love herself but got there in the end. I'm glad it happened gradually instead of quickly or taking a man to make her notice, it made it very relatable. Hutch was a sweetie but I wanted to see more of his soft side with Katie, we didn't get nearly enough of their romance and it felt like we were robbed, even in the epilogue. The epilogue focused too much on other people and only gave us a blip of Hutch and Katie. I honestly could have cared less about Cole in anyway, he caused so much drama to where I just wanted him to go away and never return on page. He took away so much of what we could have had with Katie and Hutch that I wanted to throw something because he was such a massive road block. The moments between Hutch and Katie were sweet and I just wish there'd been a bit more because it was leading up to an explosion and it was like we got doused with cold water at the end. Overall I did enjoy this though

First of all I want to thank net galley and the publisher who gave me the opportunity to read and arc of The Love Haters.
Now, I love Katherine Centers books and was so excited to have an arc of this book, but I did fall a little short for me:(. I have taken a few days to think about my rating and review, im settling on a 3.5 or 4 round up. The book wasn’t bad but it just didn’t hit the way other books of hers has or I guess what I was wanting.
Katie is on the verge of losing her job when a coworker, Cole, offers her a job the dream of a lifetime. Taking a job down in the Florida keys following a hot, super sexy, coast guard man, Hutch. Sounds great right? Well not for our Katie here, she has some inner demons she’s been fighting with, and not to mention she can’t swim! However, Katie takes the job nevertheless because Cole has promised her job if she does.
This book had a great plot to follow but it follows more of Katie’s self growth than the romance. You follow Katie and hutch and it had a nice set up but at some point it just falls and then BAM! they’re back? The romance just at one point falls behind the scenes. And this is where my rating went down. Not mention that we’re in Katie’s head like as if she’s telling us the story. Which makes the vibes more of like we’re on FaceTime with her but I just personally don’t like that. However, I still did really enjoy this book just not the way I wanted to. I still have it preordered and can’t wait for it!

Katherine Center always delivers a feel good, warm and enjoyable read! 😍👏🏼

Things I loved:
- the setting - Key West, say less ☀️
- The Gals - I absolutely loved the camaraderie and love that these ladies have for each other
- the Coast Guard highlight - it was an interesting story line that I hadn’t ever read before and I highly enjoyed it!
- Katie & Hutch’s love story - it was fun to see the progression of their relationship! Would love a man like Hutch 😏🤣

Things I didn’t love:
- Cole and his story line - the lies, the immaturity, it was too much
- the body talk - hear me out: I can understand how this could be empowering and so uplifting to many people, I’m sure that so many women really connected to that. And for that, I’m so glad that she touched on that subject! But it really fell flat for me.

I honestly can say that it didn’t impact my star rating though! I know that it probably was so helpful for many! ❤️

Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley for this ARC. It was such a fun read!

Oh this book. It was just the sunshiney escape to the keys that was needed in my life! Loved the journey that Katie goes on, the total perfect boyfriend Hutch was and of course the found family along the way. Rue and "the gals" were an utter delight. It true Katherine Center fashion, it's full of hope, lessons, love, some tears and lots of laughter!

I absolutely adored this book, I couldn't put it down! Hutch & Katie are so cute. Everyone needs that someone that notices the little things. ❤️

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 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.

The Love Haters
by: Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 3/20/25

Katherine Center is an auto buy for me. I think the Bodyguard is one of my favorite rom coms ever. I have never not had a great time. This time was a first. It was extremely confusing. There was a lot going on with a the main character who has several side tropes going on at the same time. At some points it was more interesting than the main focus. I have been and will continue to be a loud and proud Katherine Center fan but this book is not it for me. She is from Houston and she knows what hurricanes are actually like!

needed this book in my life, I haven't been able to truly sit down and read a book in a long time, but here I was, truly unable to put this one down! I laughed out loud multiple times, swooned quiet a bit and had so much fun!

First off, "Pup Daddy"?! I knew within the first 15 pages I was going to be obsessed. Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson is a coast guard rescue diver, after having saved Jennifer Aniston's dog, he was nicknamed "Pup Daddy." He actively avoids any kind of fame related to what he does, but finally agrees to an interview with smaller company.

Queue Katie, who isn't exactly qualified for the position, but does it anyhow, in hopes to save her career and get her job off the chopping block.

Problem number 1: she can't swim, she is expected to follow this man into rescue scenarios and potentially save herself if the helicopter goes down.

Problems 2-10: If something can go wrong, it will.

Katie is someone I can relate to, she is awkward, she is goofy, she is incredibly self confident, and apparently has a black cloud following her around.

I got annoyed many times at a side character, because of all the lies they wound themselves into, but it was fun (sometimes frustrating) to see how everything played out! This book has lots of romance, but no spice!

Tropes:
✔️Forced Proximity
✔️Coast Guard
✔️One bed
✔️Caretaker MMC
✔️Family meddling
✔️Workplace romance
✔️Miscommunication