A cute, fun romp. Set in key west, so definitely perfect for a beach or summer read. It was predictable, but that’s exactly what I was looking for. Definitely recommend anyone who wants a light hearted read!

Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC! This is such a fun cute book. I have other Katherine Center books on my list that I haven’t gotten to yet, but now I will put them at the top of my list. I recommend everyone reads this

this book is ridiculous in a zany, 1930's screwball comedy type way. If you can avoid laughing during the high stakes third act climax, you are a better person than I.

I love Katherine Center!
The Love Haters is a heartfelt romance with her signature blend of humor, charm, and emotional depth.

Katie Vaughn, a video producer with no swimming skills, takes on the challenge of profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson. The result? A memorable and unique story packed with tropical adventures, family drama, and a lot of chemistry. But it isn't too cheesy or steamy.

I loved how the novel balanced lighthearted fun (swim lessons, conga lines, and a lovable rescue Great Dane!) with deeper themes of resilience, and fear. Hutch is the perfect broody but charming hero, and the tension between him and Katie kept me interested. The family dynamics, especially between Hutch and his brother Cole, added layers to the story that made it very engaging and believable.

That said, I found the frequent discussions about body image a bit excessive. While I appreciate books tackling self-esteem, the focus here felt overwhelming at times and could use a content warning.

Overall, The Love Haters is a great, feel-good romance with adventure, heart, and an unforgettable setting. Fans of Katherine Center’s previous books will love this one!

Katherine Center never disappoints her readers. We know to expect interesting characters, a plot that isn’t simple, humor and kindness. The Love Haters is no exception.
Katie is a creative journalist specializing in videography, whose job is threatened by a downsizing organization and AI. Hutch is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s made headlines for a daring rescue of a celebrity dog. He also happens to be just the right amount of gorgeous, and private.
Katie has one chance to save her career, by getting Hutch to agree to an extensive video interview. The story of how the two negotiate the assignment, which includes a duplicitous brother, a charming Aunt and her crew, and the true star of the story, George Bailey, a rescued Great Dane.
Another delightful, hopeful story by Katherine Center. Not to be missed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the advance copy. The Love Haters will be released May 20, 2025.

burned from love and arguably from life, katie is not in any position to say no to a project that may save her job. a videographer/director/producer/editor, katie has to wear a lot of hats, but her new assignment involved following a coast guard rescue swimmer in key west and capturing everything that makes his job so cool. the catch? katie doesn’t know how to swim.

the other catch? she’s inserting herself into a family drama of her coworkers creation. caught between two brothers and an overly generous aunt, katie’s being stretched thin by other peoples lies and the weight of her own.

a unique plot and a refreshing take on miscommunication, you can really root for these characters. however, I think we could have gotten just a little more out of them and the story line. still a delight to read and the cover matches katherine’s other work really well.

if you don’t want to make a netgalley account, you can look forward to reading this when it drops on May 20th this year.

3.75/5 stars

Once again, I loved a Katherine Center book. Though not a fan of her earlier books, starting with The Bodyguard, every book she has written has been a favorite of mine. This was no exception, I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished in less than a day! I wish there was a little more of the romance in the epilogue, but other than that, I was delighted with the read!

This was my first book by Katherine Center and boy am I late to the party! This was everything I would want in a romance novel. All the smiles and giggles and sentences that warm my heart but also make me happy. This was such a good escape from reality I devoured it within 24 hours! I will be recommending this to my romance readers- this one is not to be missed!

I always love a Katherine Center novel! This is a short, sweet story with themes of self acceptance, family, and healing. I would’ve liked a little more time with the love story and a little more of the characters’ back stories. I loved the author’s note at the end! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

“Love is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"

The Love Haters is a heartfelt, yearning romance. Katie has a bad history with men (toxic cheating ex 🙁) now struggles with self confidence. With the risk of losing her job she goes to the keys to film a promo video. Enter Hutch, a caring and respectful coast guard. The banter is PERFECT so many quote worthy moments.

I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire way through, Katie and Hutch had real struggles of confidence and grief. A fast paced read that would be perfect by a pool or on the beach.

I cannot wait to read more of Katherine Center's works.

Thank you to netgalley and Katherine Center for the ARC <3

5 🌟

This book genuinely had me crying and laughing at the same time. Sometimes all you need is a wholesome romance that will also give you a fun time.

— Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will never pass up a Katherine Center book! Her ability to develop her characters just pulls me right in to her stories. This one was not an exception. Simply wonderful!

I loved this book. It did an excellent job of discussing self-love and how we see ourselves in this world. I laughed, I felt sad, I got scared, while smiling throughout. The characters and development were well done and I love the found/family. While I’d consider it a no/very low spice romance, it offered a lot more than just romance. A great, happy book wrapped up with lots of self-reflection. Five stars.

Although the first half of this book was a little slow for me, the second half definitely picked up and made it all worth it. I love the message that is throughout the book. Katherine Center always knows how to write an uplifting, meaningful story. I got so attached to the characters (and the dog) and was so excited to find out how it all came together in the end. Highly recommend picking up this book!

This was a cute and fun read with a great premise! The whole “teaming up against a love-hating club” idea had so much potential, and there were plenty of funny and sweet moments along the way. Katherine Center’s writing is always charming, and the banter between the characters was entertaining.

That said, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story felt a little predictable, and I wanted more depth from the characters and their relationship. The romance was nice, but it didn’t fully pull me in the way some of her other books have.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, lighthearted read, just not my favorite from her. Still, if you’re looking for something fun and easy, it’s worth checking out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I loved this book! Katie Vaughn has had a rough go at it lately with her rockstar turned ex-boyfriend cheating on her and her job being on the rocks. She's sent by her boss to Key West to record and promote the coast guard by recording Cole's heroic coast guard rescue swimmer brother Hutch. The only problem is that Katie can't swim. It was nice reading how Katie comes to terms with her self-image. Also, loved her relationship with Hutch.

I'll start off by saying that I'm a huge Katherine Center fan. I've read, and mostly loved, all of her books. Unfortunately, 'The Love Haters' is my least favorite read from Center.

The Love Haters was awkward and clunky from the start and nothing felt believable. The dynamics of Katie's workplace felt unrealistic and frankly off-putting, especially as someone who has worked in the creative/video production industry. To top that off, Cole and Hutch's drama is childish and petty, and the climax of the story is wildly out there.

This one just didn't hit for me and honestly, I'm sad about it!

Loved the combination of heart and humor. Who knew a dog would make such a comedic sidekick? I loved all of the supporting characters especially Rue and the Gals. I really enjoyed Katie’s journey to learn to love herself and thought it was written honestly and was very relatable. And who could not love a rescue swimmer with a heart of gold! I wish we could have seen Hutch and Katie more as a couple.

3.5 stars and I’m hurting my own feelings eating a Katherine Center novel anything less than 4 stars.
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First of all there are some “villainous” characters in this story that just weren’t at all necessary. It felt like KC had a very different story drafted and at some point in the editing process someone said “I dont know I think we need more drama and conflict” and then there was a rewrite that was never completely fleshed out.
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I also think that if the author’s note had been before the story and I’d have known which love story was supposed to be pulling focus (the relationship between Katie and her own body) then I wouldn’t have been so frustrated about not being fully invested in the relationship between Katie and Hutch. For the first 60% of this book there was so much between the two of them happening off page and I needed more showing and less telling. However, if I’d have known their relationship was secondary to Katie’s love for herself, it would have changed my reading experience. I love Katherine Center and she’s still one of my favorite authors, but this book would not be my first recommendation.
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I'm a big fan of Katherine Center and while this wasn't my favourite book by her, I still really enjoyed The Love Haters.

Katie is a videographer whose job is in peril and she takes a job making recruiting videos for the Coast Guard. The only problem with this is that she'll have to go out in the water and she doesn't know how to swim. She also some body image issues and now has to put on a bathing suit. Katie heads to Florida and signs up from swimming lessons. As it turns out, her swimming instructor is also a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard and brothers with the video project's boss. While Katie is trying to save her job and starts falling in love, a hurricane is coming and she needs to flee.

I really liked this until towards the end. I don't want to spoil anything but how Katie handled the hurricane really bothered me and ruined the reading experience for me. I could see some readers liking the book so I don't want to say it's a skip but there were some frustrating actions that Katie took and she frequently brought up her body image issues, which I could've done without.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.