THIS WAS SUCH A CUTE BOOK!

This is the second Katherine Center book I've read (the first being 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮-𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴) so this was an equally cute book. This book follows main character Katie. She is a filmmaker, currently employed but facing the chopping block. Her boss, Cole, assigns Katie a job that may not only save her job but help her with her side project as well (she does "A Day in the Life.." videos on Youtube of different heroes). The job in question is filming Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a rescue diver for the US Coast Guard. Only thing is, Katie cannot swim so she's super underqualified for the job, but her boss insists she goes.
Cole insists Katie go because he clearly does not want the job; not because he can't swim but because Hutch is his older brother and they do NOT get along at all.
Katie takes the job and meets Hutch, plus "The Gals" (a group of older woman living their best lives in the Florida Keys). What ensues is an adventure of swimming, facing your fears and possibly finding love (with yourself).

So I gave this book a 4/5. It was a super cute read and I found myself actually smiling and laughing at some parts. If you have read any books that were dark and you need to find some joy and light at the end of the tunnel, this is the one for you! It is a bit predictable (as is any rom-com) but there were some parts that kind of shocked me.
The ending I saw coming after a while but it was super cute and heart warming.

I recommend you pick this one up. It'll make a great poolside/beach read.

Katherine Center has a knack for crafting stories that are equal parts heartwarming escape and emotional resonance—and *The Love Haters* is no exception. In this charming tale, Center pairs a stoic and handsome Coast Guard officer, seemingly immune to love, with a woman struggling to see her own beauty and worth. Their unlikely connection becomes a journey of healing, revealing how love—especially for those who matter most—can grow out of brokenness.

The romance is sweet and layered, but the emotional depth is what gives the story staying power. It’s a testament to Center’s talent that readers are not only swept up in the fun, witty dialogue and seaside setting, but also leave with a deeper sense of self-worth and hope.

And let’s not forget George Bailey, the Great Dane, who just might be the true heartthrob of the story. With his loyal, gentle presence (larger than life),he steals scenes and hearts alike.

Whether you're looking for a cozy beach read or a heartfelt narrative with a message, *The Love Haters* delivers both with Center’s signature warmth and wisdom.

This was my first Katherine Center book and it definitely won't be my last! I have heard only good things about her books & I'm so happy I finally read one! I related to Katie a lot in this story and was rooting for her the whole time. I also loved Hutch and swooned over him so many times throughout the book. Reading and Katie and her body was super refreshing and relatable. I'm a mom of two and have lost a significant amount of weight in the past year. I was able to heal with the character as I read. I would definitely reread this book and will recommend to all my friends!

I have been excited for this one since I saw @katherinecenter post about her research trip to a Coast Guard base. I mean, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer as the main character? Come on. Unbelievably sexy, right? And Hutch does not disappoint. He’s the perfect cinnamon roll hero, gruff on the outside, but soft and gooey once you get to know him. The chemistry between him and Katie was sizzling. And even though it was closed door, as are all of Center’s books, it still managed to crackle with awareness.

But even more than the romance, the book is about Katie’s journey to love her body and be comfortable in her own skin. She has a background of people criticizing her appearance, and she has absorbed that negative outlook. She has to learn to love herself before she can love Hutch. Her inner monologue was so relatable. Fighting negative self image is always an ongoing struggle.

I adored the setting in Key West, with equal parts tropical vacation and military training. And the found family of side characters were delightful. The plot was unpredictable in a good way. At several points I was like, “I did not see THAT coming!” The first person narrative with breaks in the fourth wall to address the reader was unique. It gave “Reader, I married him” vibes. IYKYK!

Katherine Center has delivered yet another great romcom. It’s definitely worth the read.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to review this ARC.

Finally! Third time's the charm! The Love Haters is the first book by Katherine Center that really worked for me! We've got great main characters, some amazing supporting ones, an incredible atmosphere, and a thrilling storyline to go with it!

Katie and Hutch fell into their attraction for each other so organically, making it fun to watch their slow and steady decent! Hutch's dog, George Bailey, was a great meddling addition, and so was Aunt Extraordinaire Rue! Hutch's brother Cole rubbed me the wrong way at times, but I did enjoy the overall character arc he was given! What a great use of an epilogue to wrap everything up! Also, this book had so many laugh-out-loud moments!

I was initially worried that Katie's whole personality was going to revolve around her body image, but after her initial character development, that wasn't the case; yes it still played a part in who she integrally was, but it was never overdone. She had a fantastic (and realistic) character arc, and I can see myself taking away many of the lessons she learned and applying them to my own life! (Hats off to Katie's best friend Beanie for being the kind and loving soul that she is!)

Patti Murin was such a great choice to voice Katie! She was fun and upbeat, bubbly even, but never obnoxiously so. Her voice was reactionary and portrayed emotions perfectly as the scenes played out! I absolutely love the Author's Notes that Center adds to her books - her love of the romance genre is revolutionary! Again, I appreciated that the acknowledgements were added within this audiobook; they are hardly ever shared in the audiobook format and as I always seek out to read them, it was delightful to have them read to me. The Author's Note and Acknowledgments are narrated by Center, which is always an added bonus!

I can finally see the hype in Center's work - and I can't wait to read her next romance!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

I’ve really enjoyed Katherine Center’s books in the past, so I was excited to pick this one up. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite land for me. The romance felt a little underdeveloped, and the chemistry just wasn’t there like I’d hoped. That said, I really liked Katie, Hutch, and Rue—they were strong, likable characters. Cole, on the other hand, drove me nuts. His immaturity made things worse for everyone and pulled me out of the story at times.

A lot of the book focused on Katie’s journey with self-esteem and learning to love her body. While that’s an important theme, it felt like it became the main focus and took away from the romantic side of the story.

Patti Murin’s narration was, as always, a highlight—she really brings the characters to life. And the dog? Absolutely adorable.

Even though this wasn’t a favorite, I still found things to enjoy. It just didn’t click with me the way her other books have. Still, I’m looking forward to what she writes next. Not every book will be the perfect fit, and that’s okay.

There is just always something so special about a Katherine Center book and she did it again with The Love Haters! This book had my giggling from the get go and the chemistry between the MC's Katie and Hutch was just so perfect. And I need George Bailey in my life!!!

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

This book has great commentary on self-love and self-growth. It was also cuter than I was expecting! I really connected to Katie and loved her relationships with her friends and love interest. However, I couldn’t stand one character and I really wish the author hadn’t used them as a plot device and found another way to create tension and drama as my hatred for them really took me out of the story. Overall, it’s a fun read and a great romance read for summer!

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I usually really love Katherine Center's books but this one just felt different. There was too much focus on the body image issues and honestly everything surrounding that felt too preachy and cheesy that it took me out of the story completely. I didn't really connect with the characters the way that I usually do with her books and overall it just left me wanting more.

DNF 15%

The main character's energy is maybe a bit too high-strung and manic for my liking. I suspect that I am not the right listener for this book. Readers who enjoy a breathless Meg Ryan in the 90s kind of FMC will likely adore this book, but it isn't for me.

I thought this book was a fabulous read! It had it all - witty banter, heartstring pulls and a lovable (yet clumsy) dog. It was nice because this book felt like a vacation down to the Florida Keys without having to pay for a flight. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the whole “keep this lie going” trend, it definitely worked itself out in the end. I think this is a perfect summer read and a lighthearted romance for those love haters out there.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin’s press for this opportunity and advanced copy!!!

The book gods had been extra nice to me lately. I can’t believe I received 2 copies of one of my most anticipated books this year!! I loved this book so much and I wanted to share the love so I’ll be giving away my extra copy!!!

Okay. This book is going to be one of your newest favorite summer reads!

The plot? Female lead needs to make a recruitment video for the national coastguard

The setting? Florida Keys! And also the national coastguard camp! (It was pretty interesting to learn some things about them!)

The side characters? GEORGE BAILEY!! 😍 And “The Gals” which reminded me so much of The Golden Girls ensemble. I loved them so much! 😂

The female lead? I actually really liked her. I can totally relate to all the body image insecurities and I loved following her journey towards self love!

The male lead? OMG YOU GUYS 😂 It’s been awhile since I swooned over a male lead and the male lead here is definitely your next top book boyfriend!!

Other things I liked was also how bingeable it is. I loved learning some stuff about the national coastguard. The SWET training was hilarious!
And omgggg. THE HIBISCUS CLIP! 🥹😍 (if you know, you know! 😂)

The audiobook was so easy to follow and Katherine Center herself narrates her own author’s note. And it’s one of my fave author’s note now 🥹

This was not my favorite of Katherine Center’s books. I really liked the Rom-Commers and a few of her other ones so this one just felt different and off.

What I really liked was the MMC. He was very likable and an overall good guy. I was confused why he liked the FMC especially after what happens at the end 🤣. Both characters had been through some pretty intense things - especially the MMC- and I feel like the surface was barely scratched with his trauma.

The miscommunication / lying was so weird and dumb. And then at the end the FMC gets caught in a boat in a hurricane to save a dog and she’s basically not even concerned and it was such a strange thing to read. The dynamic between the FMC and the best friend I thought was weird - we essentially knew nothing about the best friend and the FMC kept calling her and sharing all of her problems and was just a bad friend IMO.

To summarize: Far-fetched, predictable, and unrealistic. Still love KC though.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the review e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve waxed poetic before about my love for Katherine Center’s books, and I truly believe she’s one of the best romance authors of all time. Her latest novel, The Love Haters, is yet another standout in her stellar catalog. As always, her characters are deeply realistic and instantly lovable; you can’t help but root for them to find their happily ever after. This story tugs at the heartstrings (I bawled during some of the final scenes, but they were happy tears!) and is the perfect book to lose yourself in when you need a heartfelt pick-me-up.

The Love Haters is bestselling author Katherine Center’s latest romantic comedy. Her stories are character development fiction with slow-burn, closed-door romance.

Katie Vaughn is a young video producer who’s struggling. Her ex-fiancé hurt her deeply, and her company is reducing its workforce. Her supervisor, Cole, is impressed with her work and offers her an opportunity to keep her job by making a promotional video for the Coast Guard. Katie also does independent work online, and Cole says that she can use this gig to get material for it. The assignment involves profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and Cole’s estranged younger brother. Katie can’t’ swim but is too embarrassed to admit it. So she plans to fake it until she makes it.

Soon Katie is headed to beautiful Key West, Florida, to the Coast Guard station. Hutch is the most scientifically good-looking man she has ever seen, and a love hater. She discovers that he is estranged from Cole, but has a wonderful rescue Great Dane, named George Bailey. She becomes friends with his colorful Aunt Rue and learns from her wisdom. Meanwhile she has many adventures while taking swimming lessons, flying on helicopters, riding out hurricanes, and stealing kisses.

Katherine Center is a master story-teller and several of her books have been made into movies for Netflix. Her writing is crisp, the story moves along at the perfect pace, and the banter between Katie and Hutch is sparking off of the pages! The reader can’t help but root for Katie and Hutch as they overcome their individual challenges to find happiness with each other. While this story is a romantic comedy, there are a few heavy topics that are addressed. I would award The Love Haters more than 5 stars if I could. It is absolutely a must-read for Fiction readers.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Katie is this close to getting laid off from her producer job as a video producer when her weird boss offers a great gig making a video about the Coast Guard in Florida. Katie can’t swim, and that’s a requirement, but she decides nobody will really care once she’s there. The boss’s estranged brother, Hutch, is the focus of the project. If you can gloss over some of the weird things the boss pulls that set the story in motion, it’s a good enjoyable read. This is why you read Katherine Center’s books. They’re fun! Caution for bad self-talk by Katie. She has a hard time accepting her body and spends a fair amount of time in a bathing suit. Thank you to the publisher and netgally for the ARC!

Hooked from page one!
Big thanks to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. Katherine always delivers heart, humor, and all the feels — no smut, just a classic rom-com vibe I love. A total must-read!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Quote: “Proving once again that sometimes it’s worth it to take a risk on love.”

Hutch was such a quiet likable character. He was a Coast guard Rescue Swimmer in Key West Florida. Katie was a hot mess sent on assignment as a video producer in place of her coworker Cole also Hutch’s brother. She was sent to do a story on Hutch in hopes to save her job as her boss Sullivan has everyone on the chopping block. Katie can’t swim, she knows nothing about what the coast guard does but she takes the job and figures she will learn as she goes. Needless to say she learns a lot about herself, falls for Hutch and nearly dies trying to save Hutch’s Great Dane George Bailey. There were some funny moments with George Bailey, Aunt Rue and the gals, which were entertaining side characters.

#thelovehaters #katherinecenter #romcombook

📖 Review of The Love Haters by Katherine Center
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The banter sparkles, the chemistry sizzles, and the ending is deeply satisfying.

The Love Haters is classic Katherine Center: uplifting, empowering, and full of heart. A must-read for anyone who believes in second chances and love that’s worth the dive. #iykyk Big thanks to Netgalley & @stmartinspress for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Quote - "Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time."
Katie is a videographer on the chopping block of a downsizing company. She gets sent on a project to shoot a promo video for the Coast Guard. Hutch is the rescue swimmer and the subject of Katie's project (he is also the brother of the colleague that sent Katie to Florida!). You can imagine how that unravels...
This book is full of fun and laugh out loud moments...most of which involve a Great Dane named George Bailey! There are moments of miscommunication and a little deceit and the side characters AKA "the gals" are hilarious!
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!