Amazing! Loved it! Another fun story by Katherine Center! She never misses and is an auto buy author for both me and my mom!

Thank you to st. Martins press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about Katie, who is still getting over a horrible breakup, and Hutch. She is doing a video for her job, which relies on this video as her company is downsizing. This video is a promo video for the coast guard which includes none other than Hutch.

I loved this book and all that it had to offer. It was not my favorite book of hers but I loved it all the same. I liked that this book was about more than just the romance. This book was about friendship, and family, and finding yourself, and so much more. This book meant a lot to me. That being said, I feel like this book ended way too quickly and I didn’t quite get the closure I wanted.

This is the second novel I have read by Katherine Center and she is starting to become an author that I might automatically reach for when I need a fairly light, bubblegum-sweet romance with a guaranteed HEA.

The Love Haters follows Katie, a video producer who is about to get laid off until she is convinced by a manipulative coworker to take on a job that will inevitably entangle Katie with the coworker's family. Naturally, Katie starts to fall for her new project's protagonist - Hutch - the handsome brother of her coworker who also happens to be a real-life hero. He's also drop dead gorgeous and hates all things love. Or so we are told. I am still not convinced that this was the right title for this book as I wasn't convinced that either character hated love at all. But I digress.

Though I enjoyed the story of the couple, I found that there were moments that were so over-the-top that I had to suspend my disbelief in order to continue reading. I appreciated the author's inclusion of deeper topics like grief and self-image and I loved the side character of Rue, the MMC's aunt, who stole the show (in my opinion). Overall, this book had low stakes and was generally entertaining. It would be a great choice to take to the beach and leave at the beach for the next person to enjoy.

3 Stars.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital advanced review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to St Martin's Press, Netgalley and Katherine Center for this arc
If you're looking for a journey of self love this is it.

Katie's career is on the brink, until she gets an assignment profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson in Key West. Except she can’t swim (so she pretends she can) Hutch is her coworker’s estranged brother in charge of showing her the ropes.

I really enjoyed this one. Learning more about the Coast Guard was genuinely interesting, and the story was genuinely funny and heart warming. The addition of “the gals” (see: retired old biddies) and a canine George Bailey made this a perfect rom com.

That said, the book also explores some heavier themes on eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and body image. I do think it would have benefited from a content warning. Still, the way Katie navigates these struggles felt honest and relatable. I even teared up when she talked to her body with love and appreciation. It was a good reminder for me to do the same.

Ultimately this is a story about learning to love yourself.

3.5 ⭐

I'll leave you with an excerpt from the authors note about the power of story telling.

"The characters I write often struggle with the same things I struggle with. Because as I go through those stories with them— and as them— they get better at grappling with forgiveness, or vulnerability, or resilience . . . and I get to get better, too. It’s healing to read stories about healing. It’s nourishing to read stories about people finding nourishment. It’s life-changing to read stories about people changing their lives."

Rating: 4.25⭐️
Pub day: May 20

I honestly love every book I’ve read by Center. She creates thoughtful character arcs, always has an adorable pet to love, and provides both witty and humorous moments alongside very contemplative ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed this!

Big thanks to the publisher for the alc via Netgalley.

I’ve read every Katherine Center book. This was a Center book through and through. A strong FMC/MMC, amazing secondary characters, and a fun plot.

When stacking it up against her others, this doesn’t live up quite to the others. I felt like the ending just ruined it for me. The implausibility of it wasn’t for me. I still will rank this a 4 star read though.

3.5⭐️ I am thankful to the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC.

I was immediately drawn into this story about Katie and Hutch, our love haters. I was giggling and highlighting cute quotes right off the bat. I even gobbled it up in two days - in a time when reading ebooks has been more difficult for me compared to audiobooks, this is a testament to the writing and overall enjoyable story!

I loved the concept and the beginning of the book so much and then I just kept hoping it would redeem itself in the end. I am a Katherine Center fan for always, but this story just didn’t resonate with me as deeply in the end. I hope it finds those that will love it with all they’ve got!

Katherine Center is really great about weaving serious elements of life into her swoony love stories. For The Love-Haters it was regarding body image and body dysmorphia. My biggest hesitancy is that in this story, these issues didn’t seem to be addressed in a way that supported healthy processing - the FMC uses self-help books and her best friend/cousin to help her process her body dismorphia, along with sudden spurts of “exposure therapy” which mostly came in the form of just forcing herself to wear a swimsuit despite intense trauma that stems back to her childhood. This made me cringe more than anything and it pulled me out of the story frequently. I also struggled with the intense manipulation Hutch’s brother Cole performed - both with Hutch and Katie.

The ending (without spoilers!) was great and I’m glad I saw it through! Katherine Center NEVER disappoints here!
The dog doesn’t die, but there is a LOT of drama because our FMC Katie works so hard to make sure the dog is okay! That whole experience is just WILD! And I couldn’t stop laughing about the toad on the boat. That ended up being something that I thought was so clever!

I feel like we need a name for the toad? Hah!

This is a great summer rom com. I finished it a few weeks ago and have had time to think about it. I love how Katherine Centertakes a concept and infuses it into a fictional story. This book included references to the Gottmans . They’re a married couple who have written relationship books. I’m currently listening to their book The Love Prescription (7 days to a better marriage) and loving it. The concepts- one each day- can be applied to almost any important relationship. I liked how they were referenced by Katie and her best friend. Like all Katherine Center books, Katie and Hutch had their own growth arcs which made their romance that much sweeter. Loved all of the side characters.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

Let me preface, I LOVE Katherine Center and her writing! I didn't feel the same pull with this book. Usually I am pulled in by the end of chapter 3, however, I was struggling to make it through chapter 8. I did finish and I am glad I did.

Overall, I enjoyed the story between Hutch and Katie. I felt their joint character development could have been more. Their individual character development was amazing. The setting of the story was perfect, considering I was reading this during the cooler part of Spring. The imagery and description made visualizing the events much easier.

Overall, I think the lack of joint development and the balance of heavy themes and the lighter setting is why I rated this a 3/5. It is still an entertaining read, but not the best book.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for this eARC. All opinions are my own

I almost gave up reading this book several times. Shear stubbornness is how I read it. This book was just not for me, plain and simple. I hated the way bodies and body image was discussed. I hated how the character talked, and how the FMC was “not like other girls”.

This book needs a content warning! The eating disorder and body issues that are talked about in this book should be not be a surprise for a reader, there should be something written at the beginning of this book to alert the reader to this.

I didn't love how the body issues and eating disorder were handled in this book and when you start the book pretty heavy with covering the issue that it seemed to be handle with too much levity.

I ddi like Hutch and I love Katie's friend and of course the dog. I did not care for Cole and his lack of respect of care for Katie. I especially didn't like when he was trying to force people to kiss her without her consent at all. I also didn't care for the lie he came up and that Katie went along with it even if it was short lived. This book had all the makings a great story, but didn't hit as well as I had hoped.

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, heartwarming , and romantic. This is the first book I have read by Katherine Center. I look forward to reading more by her. I really liked the name George Bailey for a dog's name. I love it's a wonderful life. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to receive this ARC- I love Katherine Center, I love a good romance, and I love a creative and artsy cover. I just knew this book was going to be it for me, especially after reading The Rom-Commers. Unfortunately, it was not what I expected. It's categorized as a romance, however, there isn't much romance to it. It's more of a rediscovery and self-acceptance book, centering around Katie's image insecurities and body dysmorphia. There is a hint of romance in it, between Katie and Hutch, which was very cute but also very lacking.
Overall, I do think this is a good book. The plot was great, and I loved Katie's growth and how she learned to accept herself and appreciate what she was born with. I just wish there was more romance. 3.5 stars rounded up!
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Katherine Center for this ARC!

The Love Haters is yet another delightful rom com by Katherine Center!

This book is both hilarious and wholesome. Despite giving me the impression that it would be an enemies-to-lovers or even a grumpy-sunshine trope, the dynamic between Hutch and Katie is much more complex than that. Katie’s job as a videographer is on the line, so she takes the job her coworker, Cole, doesn’t want–to film an advertisement for the National Coast Guard. The catch? The coast guard’s “hero” doesn’t want to be famous, doesn’t want to be filmed, and is annoyed that she’s there and not Cole because the only reason he agreed to any of this is because Cole is his long-lost brother.

The entire story is told from Katie’s POV. Because of this, we only see Hutch through her eyes, though he’s pretty much an open book. As the reader, we get to fall for him just as she does. I absolutely adored watching Katie and Hutch’s slow-burn romance blossom. Please note that this is a very slow burn and spice-free romance! Regardless, it’s not too cutesy and definitely not a religious book. Both Hutch and Katie have some trauma in their past that makes them “hate” love. But together they can unpack their histories and learn to love again ❤

Side note: This book also provides a fun peek into the world of working for the coast guard.

This novel is perfect for lovers of Abby Jimenez and Mariana Zapata!

I always look forward to a new Katherine Center romance every year. Her books are enjoyable closed door romances.

The Love Haters is a romantic comedy set in the Florida Keys. The Key West setting is absolute perfection.

Katie is a chromophobe (she hates colors). Her main job is in video production. But she also She does Day In The Life documentaries. She dated a famous singer and the internet turned on her for how she looked. The book focuses a lot on her body image issues.

Hutch is supposedly a love hater. His job as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer was so interesting. I really liked getting to see him do his job. And found the job fascinating. Hutch’s rescue dog is a big part of the story. This was definitely one of the big highlights of this book.

Hutch and his brother have major issues. His kind aunt Rue was probably my favorite character. Her fun clothes. Her gang of female friends. I loved her and was super intrigued by their family’s story.

Katie can’t swim but she agrees to go film the coast guard’s promotion video. This will require her to train with them and fly in a helicopter. I was obsessed with this part of the story. So unique and the fact that she couldn’t swim made for such funny moments.

I really liked Katie and Hutch. There was a lot of potential, but the romance felt a bit underdeveloped. I really liked these characters. But I did not get to see enough of them together. And wanted more.

The last chapters were very interesting and unexpected. I love that in a romance. The epilogue was quite different. Telling everything that happened vs letting us see it happen. I definitely wanted to experience it. However I did enjoy the end of this book a lot. Overall this fun setting and the unique jobs made for a fun read!

This book was slow to start but captured my attention and then continued to keep it. I don’t normally enjoy so many misunderstandings between characters but this one did it well. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and felt like I was sitting right there with The Gals watching all the drama unfold.

I *adored* The Love Haters - it was so positive and happy and George Bailey has been added to my list of favorite fictional dogs.

Katie was relatable, Hutch was ideal. Rue and the gals were excellent. There’s personal growth, learning to appreciate and love yourself, and some intense slow burn and longing.

There’s heaviness and loss in here as well - including body dysmorphia and disordered eating, as well as a mostly off-page drunk driving car accident resulting in multiple fatalities (please be mindful of those for your own well-being).

I read this in under 24 hours and loved so many of the messages in this story. A definite recommendation from me!



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC of this novel.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I loved it. The FMC was silly, relatable, and lovable. The MMC is a dream. The love story between the two is fantastic, but the real love story is the one that develops between Katie and her own self.

The way this book approached self love and healing really brought to mind Family Systems and Parts Work - and I loved how it was utilized to create a space for growth, acceptance, and self-worth.

I’ll definitely be reading more of her work!

Katherine Center is easily one of my auto buy authors. I absolutely love her books. At times this one hit a little too close to home with the body issues, but I love that Katie was able to work through some of them! I loved Katie's relationship with her bestie. My bestie and I have been friends for over 20 years and it felt like reading about us. As someone who can't swim this book made me laugh.

What can I say about Hutch?/ Katherine really knows how to pull at your heart strings and make you fall in love with the characters. I absolutely adored him and his dog!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartfelt contemporary romance that delves into themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the complexities of love. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Key West, the novel follows Katie Vaughn, a videographer grappling with the aftermath of a public breakup and looming job insecurity. When offered a chance to profile a heroic Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch Hutcheson, Katie sees an opportunity to revitalize her career. However, complications arise as Hutch is her coworker's estranged brother, and Katie harbors a secret—she can't swim.

Center masterfully crafts a narrative that balances humor and emotional depth. Katie's journey is not just about romantic entanglements but also about confronting personal insecurities and embracing self-worth. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch develops organically, enriched by their shared vulnerabilities and the colorful cast of supporting characters, including Hutch's Aunt Rue and my favorite character the affectionate Great Dane, George Bailey.

While the novel offers a satisfying romantic arc, I'm finding myself wanting more than a fake dating scheme. For me, this felt contrived and detracted from the story's authenticity. Additionally, the portrayal of body image issues lacked the nuance required for such a sensitive topic.

Despite that, The Love Haters is a compelling read that combines the charm of a romantic comedy with the introspection of personal growth. It's a testament to Center's ability to create relatable characters and engaging narratives that resonate with readers.