Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. I wanted to love The Love Haters, really I did, I've loved Katherine Center's recent books but this one was too much. The ongoing discussions of weight, body type and size were too much. They were a huge turn off to the overall story and I had to put it down for my own peace.

My feelings about this were very up and down. At some points I loved the story, the characters, and just everything. However, there were many questionable parts that made me always stop reading. It felt like multiple books smushed together. The characters seemed to fall into insta-love since a lot of the bonding happened off page (a lot of telling us and not showing the first half). However, the plot itself was enjoyable and different. The setting was great as well. Plus I want The Gals to be my friends. I think if you like other Katherine Center books you should give this one a chance.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I struggled through the first half of this book. I had a hard time relating to or rooting for Katie because she was constantly in her head and bogged down by her struggles. I understand that we get this was as humans sometimes, but it was hard for me to personally read through. I just couldn't relate to her and she didn't have any redeeming qualities in my mind.

Once we got over the 50% hump and things were actually happening, I couldn't read fast enough. I had to know how everything would turn out.

Some people aren't going to push though like I did, but if the first half isn't getting you, I think its worth a push for the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have rest most of Katherine Center’s books and enjoyed them. This was not one of my favorites of hers, but I still really liked it. The main female character is Katie, a video producer, that deals with body image issues and concerns for her job. She is sent to Florida to cover Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. There was also a fun group of women and a sweet huge rescue dog that made this enjoyable. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

4⭐️

Quick Breakdown

Coast Guard Hero
Grumpy x Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Key West Setting
Single POV
Kissing Only

In order to impress her boss & try to save her job, video producer Katie agrees to take an assignment she’s not exactly qualified for featuring coast guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson. Once at Key West, Katie finds herself forced to face her fears of swimming & bathing suits, color & the idea of falling in love again.

I enjoyed this! While not my favorite Katherine Center, I was able to binge this in a single day & had a great time while reading. While I had access to the audiobook, I ended up reading with my eyes only since I read faster that way & my NEED to consume this book ASAP won over all my love for Patti Murin’s narration skills.

I adored Hutch & he’s lovable pup George Bailey. He was the perfect grump to her sunshine & paired with his heroic profession, he read downright dreamy. Hutch’s brother & Katie’s boss, Cole, was a little much at times, but I was able to look above it & chalked it up to KC’s theatrical plots.

There is a heavy emphasis on Katie’s body dysmorphia, so take guard of your gentle hearts of that’s a stressor for you. Given her traumatic past, I understood her difficulties getting over her previous views of herself. Even though I’m now in my mid to *gasp* late thirties & primarily comfortable with the body I have, I once was that girl obsessed with every flaw & found her struggles relatable, if not a smidge over the top.

Overall, I saw this playing out as a movie as I read & struggled to put this down. A win in my book. Thank you @youhadmeathea for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The Love Haters is available now!

Thank you to NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Love Haters in a single day, and honestly? It was such an easy book to sink into. Light, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful in parts—especially when it comes to the whole messy business of self-image and learning to feel worthy.

Katie was a great lead—goofy in the best way, with a self-aware kind of humor that made her super likable. And Hutch? Loved him. He had major “quiet, steady guy” energy, which was the perfect balance to Katie’s chaotic charm. The poor man definitely went through it, but he handled it like a champ.
Katherine Center has this way of writing that feels effortless but lands deep. The story flows, the emotions sneak up on you, and before you know it, you’re completely invested.

What really stood out to me was how layered the relationships were. It’s not just about romance it’s about showing up for your friends, holding space for your family, doing work that matters to you, loving your scruffy pet, and most importantly, learning how to be okay with yourself. It’s all written in so naturally that it never feels heavy, just honest.

There’s a strong undercurrent of courage running through the whole book—being real with people, taking emotional risks, letting yourself be seen. It’s tender, it’s hopeful, and it reminds you how brave it is to love anything at all.

If you’re into stories that are warm, thoughtful, and full of heart, this one’s for you.
Would definitely recommend it to romance readers looking for something quick and heartwarming.
4.25 Stars!

#NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, #TheLoveHaters, #KatherineCenterThank

This is my first book from Katherine Center. I've heard so many good things about her as a author and her books and let me say, this book and her writing exceeded all expectations that I had! I can't wait to pick up her other books and start reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for an e-ARC of The Love Haters!

Katie Vaughn, facing a layoff, takes a risky assignment profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Hutch Hutcheson (what a name) in Key West—despite not knowing how to swim. Caught in a lie and between feuding brothers (one of whom she works with), Katie navigates chaos, chemistry, and courage. Amid hurricanes, swim lessons, and stolen kisses, she must face her fears and learn to be brave in love and life.

This was my second Katherine Center book and I devoured it. I saw a lot of myself in Katie and the way that she struggled with her body image. It was inspiring to watch her sparkle come back. We watch her fall in love with herself and Hutch.

I feel like I’ve been saying a lot of books are “so much more than a love story,” but it’s how I feel a lot of the time! Romance novels explore the full spectrum of human emotion. You can always find something to relate to.

The Love Haters is a truly wonderful story that you need to add to your beach read list.

3.5 stars rounded up. I hate to say this, because I normally ADORE Katherine Center’s writing, but this one wasn’t a hit for me.

The main characters, Tom and Katie, were described as being heroic and charismatic, but that didn’t come through in their dialogue. The descriptions of the characters and actual text seemed incongruous and left me feeling unsure how I felt about them. The only character who felt somewhat three dimensional was Tom’s great aunt, but even she was a bit of a caricature of a “Mrs. Roper-type” that we’ve met many times before. The dog was probably my favorite character, but I often prefer dogs to people, so that may be a personal problem.

The book touched on the topics of disordered eating and body dysmorphia, which I can appreciate, and was done in a respectful and gentle way. That was the one aspect of Katie’s personality that I felt was very well developed and carried throughout the story.

While this wasn’t my favorite of hers, I’m still a huge Katherine Center fan and will continue to read anything she writes. I hope this works better for others than it did for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center does it again with The Love Haters—a smart, witty, and heart-filled love story that had me hooked from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s signature charm and clever dialogue, which brought levity and warmth to even the toughest moments.

Center has a gift for creating deeply human characters who are easy to root for, and in The Love Haters, she balances emotional depth with irresistible fun. It’s a story about taking risks, facing fears, and choosing love—even when it’s messy or complicated.

If you enjoy romance with heart, humor, and a strong sense of personal growth, this book is absolutely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

THIS BOOK IS MY CURRENT FAVORITE OF 2025!!! Oh my gosh. I laughed out loud, I cried because these characters are so real! This is definitely one I intend to read again!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the ARC & ALC. ‧₊˚⊹

♡ Let me tell you the best parts of the book:
* I loved that Hutch lives on a houseboat! ⛵️
* The research into coast guard search and rescue and glimpse into what their training programs look like was cool 🪂
* George Bailey, the most loveably exuberant pup 🐶 🐾

Cole as a character was despicable and annoying and the fact Katie goes along with his lies just made no sense. This was missing the rom and the com! 😩

However I did love the audio narration of this and credit that for propelling me through to the HEA!

TW: Katie had a lot of body insecurity, eating issues, and while I can relate, it took up so much of the book space. The solution was to talk with her bestie about fave body parts…love herself. The authors note helped a bit to understand her thought process!

I love everything Katherine Center writes so this one was another win for me. An insecure female videographer, a hunky rescue swimmer, a cast of fun old gals who turn into family, an extremely boisterous great dane, and one completely unexpected climax… this one ticked all the boxes.

Character development and pacing were on point. There were a couple of spots where things waxed on a bit longer than I would have liked (think, telling your younger self something and really trying to drive the point home) but not enough to make me not enjoy the book.

All in all, I loved it. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for honest review. This one gets 5 stars from me, recommend!

Rating: 3 stars for the book | 4 stars for the audiobook
Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the eARC via NetGalley 💌

So I tandem-read The Love Haters—earc in one hand, audiobook in the other—and let’s just say: this book and I had a complicated situationship.

This was my first book by Katherine Center, and no hate at all, but… it didn’t hit like I hoped. Somewhere between the coastal vibes, rescue swimmer energy, and fake-it-til-you-make-it plot, I got caught in a current of mid-feelings.

Okay, here’s the setup:
Katie’s about to get laid off unless she takes a risky assignment—interview a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The catch? She can’t swim. The other catch? The swimmer, Hutch, is her boss's estranged brother. And somehow she’s in Key West, tangled in family drama, pretending she can float, surrounded by strangers and secrets.

Sounds like chaos, right? It was.

Let me just say it:
The plot was fine. The setting was cute. The vibes were summer. But Katie's constant insecurity wore me out. I get body image struggles—I really do—but this felt like it was being replayed on a loop. I wanted to root for her, but after the 5th self-hating monologue and the 9th “omg I'm awkward” moment, I just needed her to grow already.

Hutch? Yeah, he was hot. Rescuer type, emotionally stunted, very “I don’t do love” until suddenly he does. But their chemistry? More lukewarm than sizzling. I was waiting for that magnetic pull, the tension, something that made me feel like yes, THIS is why they’re meant to fall in love. Never really happened. The banter felt manufactured sometimes, like dialogue trying too hard.

Also—I swear the rom in this rom-com was hiding. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch? Mid. I needed banter, longing, some fire, but instead, it was giving slow-burn that never fully lit up. I felt more emotional connection to Hutch’s dog, George Bailey (aka the MVP).

Aunt Rue and the “Gals” were the scene stealers. They were vibrant and warm, and honestly, I would’ve read a whole book about Rue running her inn and match-making on the side.

Now Cole... don’t even get me started. He gave manipulative snake. And Beanie, Katie’s best friend? Useless. No real backbone or support.

Also, can we talk about how over-the-top some moments got? The conga line? The hurricanes? The treasure hunt? It went from rom-com to cartoon real quick. Like, I signed up for cute chaos, not full-blown sitcom absurdity. The plot also dipped into full-on chaos toward the end. It was like the book remembered it had to wrap up 15 storylines in 50 pages.

BUT.

Katie learning to accept her body was probably the most powerful part of the book. Even if the journey was messy, even if it was too dragged out, it’s still something important. I just wish it had more balance.

So yeah—not a total miss, but not the hit I hoped for either.
Would I still try another Katherine Center book? Yep.
Would I recommend this one? Only in audio.

Final thoughts:
– Best format: audiobook, 100%
– Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, enemies-ish to lovers, forced proximity, fake it till you make it, self-love journey
– Standout: the dang dog and Aunt Rue
– What dragged: repetitive body image dialogue, weak side characters, low romantic spark

Not my fav, but not a flop. Just... in between.

I love Katherine Center's book cover art! Her books are always so bright and fun!!

The Love Haters features a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Hutch and a video producer, Katie, who is barely hanging onto her job. She takes the assignment in Key West to produce a recruitment film for the Coast Guard, but there is only one major problem, she needs to be in the action, but she can't swim! She is paired up for swim lessons with Hutch, who is also known as a Love Hater, and now the face of Katie's film. Together they spend the next few weeks getting to know one another surrounded by a little bit of chaos and self-reflection.

I had a lot of fun with this one, with Katherine Center's perfect craft of emotion and humor. Both Katie and Hutch had some trauma and issues to work out, including Katie's body dysmorphic disorder. Rue and her lady friends were delightful side characters in addition to Hutch's Great Dane rescue pup. I loved the Coast Guard aspect of the story and I appreciate all the thought and research that goes behind having that in the story.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Love Haters
By: Katherine Center
Pub. Day: May 20, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Summer Romance, Audiobook

Trigger Warnings:
Body Image, Eating Disorders, Bereavement, Infidelity, Alcohol

Disclaimer:
I love all novels written by Katherine Center! She's one of my favorite authors!

Summary:
After a highly public breakup, Katie is struggling with harsh online scrutiny over her body image and weight gain. Desperate for a fresh start, a last-minute assignment in the Florida Keys offers her both an escape and a chance to salvage her career. Her assignment is to create a standout interview with Hutch, a heroic Coast Guard rescue swimmer—who’s only agreed to speak out of obligation to his brother, Katie’s co-worker. However, as Katie spends time with the man who’s built his life around saving others, unexpected feelings begin to surface. Now, Katie must choose between guarding her heart or embracing a love she never saw coming—despite the risks of falling for another man under the public eye.

Review:
Katherine Center delivers every time! The Love Haters conscientiously explores cultural issues, particularly the influence of social media and its harmful impact on body image. The characters are developed in an authentic, and emotionally personable way which invites readers to form deep, personal connections with the main character's journey. Another unexpected layer of this narrative is introduced through the depiction of Coast Guard rescue missions, offering insights into a world the reader’s are unfamiliar with, adding an element of curiosity.

The Love Haters is a clean, romantic exploration of the enduring power of family, love, hope, and forgiveness. With its influential narrative, rich emotional depth, and surprising twists, this novel draws readers in and leaves a lasting impression. Although it isn’t my favorite novel written by Katherine Center, it is very much worth the fast paced romantic read! Escape to the Florida Keys this summer and take Hutch and Katie with you! Highly Recommended!

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#KatherineCenter
#St.MartinsPress
#TheLoveHaters
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

This was a sweet, fun and touching summer romance novel that has some depth to it also! It was a fun, unique plot and setting.. I LOVED the Florida Keys setting! Slow Burn, no third act break up (really draws that slow burn out), and a lot of personal growth and healing done interally for the main character. Told in first person, single POV with almost a "let me tell you a story", Katie breaks that "fourth wall" and addresses the reader from time to time - I loved that! It works for this story.

Trigger warning at the beginning for body image issues / mentions of eating disorder and really disliking your body. That was a little brash, and hard to read. I did find myself cringing during the "having to announce my weight" to get on a helicopter worry that was brought up a lot, and at the end when Katie still lies about her weight. That "self hate" didn't carry throughout the whole book, but this book goes on the journey of self love and you will be dragged along that journey. That subplot isnt my favorite, and its a big theme here. However there were other parts of this story I really enjoyed.

As for characters, the real standout characters were side characters - I adored Rue and her gang of "the girls". I am a sucker for an eldery sidekick who is just unapologetically badass. She made the story for me! Also loved the great dane, George Bailey and his toad-loving ways. Cole was an excellent villian, and I appreciated that the conflict between the two main characters was no caused by either one of them, but by an external character. Tom was (almost sickingly) a perfect gentleman, and there was a lot of talk of him "being perfect" but he did still feel human in a way. This book focused a lot more on Katie and her journey than focusing heavily on the romance. That being said, it's still a fun summer read, and loved the unique adventures that happen in this book! Beautiful, fun colorful cover also!

Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 ⭐️


I really enjoyed the first half of this book. However, the second half lost me.

In the first half, the book had a great summer vibe and the romance was cute.

In the second half, those summer vibes kind of went away, and the plot started to get random. The romance was almost nonexistent. When the two love interests did interact, the mmc seemed like he was uninterested in the fmc.

Overall, I liked The Love Haters, but for a romance book there wasn’t a lot of romance. The book would’ve been better if the mmc pov had been included.


Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the arc!

Katherine Center is an author I keep meaning to read more of, so I was excited to get this ARC copy! I devoured this in a few days because I couldn't put it down. I almost wanted to read the author's note at the beginning instead of the end, but it's a good one, so don't skip it! It wasn't a perfect read for me, because there were some topics that I wish were a bit more developed, but I still really enjoyed it and would highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

Thank you to Netgalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Without a doubt; my favorite character was George Bailey and my least favorite was Cole. The journey of self that Katie was on throughout this story was relatable and real. The roles everyone played to bring Katie out to see her true self, the way she deserved was a lot of fun. The different relationships and all their layers were an interesting part of the big picture. Hutch was definitely a complicated guy, especially his relationship with Cole. And then there's Rue. Oh Rue, an inspiration to live life!

One thing's for sure, I'm a love hater too. ;)

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.