Finally back to the Katherine Center we know and love! I really enjoyed this one. I loved the characters especially the group of older ladies who took it upon themselves to take care of everyone and have family dinners and all the things! I enjoyed our peek into the world of rescue diving also. I loved Katie and Hutch’s love story and how they cared for each other. Cole made me want to pull my hair out. Aunt Rue is an incredible character, and I loved how she took Katie under her wing sensing that she needed someone to love her. There’s even a crazy but lovable dog thrown into the mix. What’s not to love?! The author’s note is brilliantly written, and I couldn’t stop highlighting. Here’s one of my favorites:

“Researchers have done all kinds of studies about what happens to our brains when we get lost in stories. Our mirror neurons flash. Our brains light up like what we’re reading is really happening. We know it’s fiction. We know it’s not real. But we believe it, anyway. And so stories have this power to resonate for us like nothing else in human life can. They teach us things we need to learn, and show us new ways of understanding, and answer questions we didn’t even know we needed to ask. Stories go deep. They don’t mess around. They don’t care about our attitudes, or our prejudices, or what we think we ought to think. They bypass the head—and go straight to the heart.”

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite beach read authors—and in The Love Haters, she blends charming characters with just a little bit of chaos and drama and romance and sets it all at a quirky resort by the beach to give readers everything that’s needed for a light and enjoyable summer rom-com.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

Katie was about to lose her job so when her coworker Cole offered an opportunity for her that could potentially save her position within the company, she couldn’t believe her luck. Albeit, she was wildly under qualified but how hard could documenting a coast guard be….in an ocean that she couldn’t swim in. Spoiler alert: Katie had no idea how to swim.

Katie’s forte was documenting female heroes in her “day-in-the-life” Youtube videos. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. When Cole saw her videos, he immediately knew she’d be perfect for the job of documenting his brother Hutch, the coast guard.

Hutch (whose favorite thing to do was frown) turned out to be so easy to talk to and he and Katie had amazing chemistry from the beginning. Now if only she could turn Hutch’s ‘hell no’ into a ‘hell yes’ on the idea of a DITL video so her career could be saved. Just when Katie thought she had Hutch figured out, Cole arrived declaring that he was DATING her. You might think this was as bad as things could get but you’d be wrong because a category 4 hurricane was heading straight for the Keys. With love and life on the line, Katie’s personal insecurities and job security suddenly seemed so minuscule.

It should be no surprise that this was an easy 5-star read for me. I always fall in love with Katherine Center’s writing and feel like I’m right there next to the characters. I truly can’t tell you which character was my favorite because I loved them all - Katie, Hutch, Cole, Beanie, Rue…even George Bailey. I finished this and immediately purchased a physical copy and will be recommending this book to EVERYONE for the next several months.

This was a cute, mostly light romcom with some deeper elements. Katie was dealing with tough life stuff (a tough breakup and body image issues stemming from parental criticism) and her romance as it developed in the book was heavily influenced. There was one annoying misunderstanding situation, and something stressful and harrowing towards the end, but otherwise this is a fun beach read. Spice level is almost nonexistent - basically kissing only.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well. I might be done with KC books. Sorry.
I did not have a good time with this book. I found the fmc to be insufferable. The way her ED was handled was not with care for the reader. And the mmc was like a cardboard cut out of a man. Like bland af.

The only redeeming factor was the old lady group and the dog which still didn’t save it for me.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

What an amazing book. Love the love (and the slow burn) in this book. The lies. The fun. The great dane... The wild and bold older ladies. What a great summer read. It is a fun ride with several adventurous turns throughout. Katherine Center is an author I will always read - and this book did not disappoint. I appreciated that it also tackles serious subjects like body dysmorphia, long-distance best friends (in the best way), and loss. Katherine Center is an author who doesn't miss a beat.

I love Katherine Center’s writing and stories. I adored this love story. Please check trigger warnings because body image is highly talked about! This was such a sweet romance (I mean the first thing he noticed about her was her eyes, I mean come on now !!!) I read this book in two sittings. It was addicting and always had me wanting to read more!! It was so easy to connect to which made me love it even more.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Romance, Contemporary Romance
Content: References to body image, death, mourning, illness, cheating

THE LOVE HATERS catches Florida vibes and the potential weather hazards.

I enjoyed this book—it's fun and light.

I know some readers could be triggered because the FMC is very concerned with her body image (but that doesn't really affect me). I do hope readers know that going in. Honestly, I was more worried about the dog—that was nerve wracking!

The characters are fun with the color "mother-figure" and mature friends, the I-don't-know-I'm-sexy guy, and the woman lying to keep her job. There are more than that, but you get the idea.

This is perfect for romance readers.

Happy reading!

I love Katherine Center novels in general and this one didn’t disappoint! I appreciated the growth shown throughout the story. There is more slapstick comedy in this one compared to her other novels. And one of the main topics related to body image issues, which I struggled with a bit. But overall a great summer read!

Adult romance with grumpy/sunshine, opposites attracts, forced proximity, and a touch of fake dating. I liked this book and thought it was interesting with a glimpse into the life of a coast guard rescue swimmer. I loved Hutch and his grumpy yet heartwarming attitude. Then, the main character, Katie, was funny, awkward, and quirky. I enjoyed seeing her conquer her fears and grow, but her personality was cringey and off-putting in some scenes.
Overall, this is a good summer romance.

This is a delightful rom-com that grabbed my heart from the start. After a rough breakup, Katie Vaughn, struggling with low self-esteem, gets an unexpected opportunity to profile Hutch, a Coast Guard swimmer. The twist? She can’t swim but pretends she can. As the story unfolds in the beautiful setting of Key West, Katie navigates her growing feelings for Hutch, along with the challenges of lying and facing her insecurities. The relationships in this book, especially with Hutch, his aunt Rue, and her friend Beanie, are heartwarming and relatable. Center’s writing balances humor with emotional depth, and the story leaves you with a beautiful message about self-acceptance and love. This is a must-read for fans of romance and personal growth.

Katie Vaughn isn’t chasing love—she’s just trying to keep her job. But when she agrees to film a documentary on Hutch, a grumpy, ridiculously handsome Coast Guard rescue swimmer (and her coworker’s estranged brother), she ends up in Key West, pretending she can swim and getting way too involved in a situation that’s supposed to be strictly professional. Oops.

What follows is part rom-com, part emotional gut-check. Katie and Hutch both have real baggage—grief, body image struggles, messy family stuff—and the way their connection builds is slow, soft, and so satisfying. Katie’s growth is especially powerful, as she learns to show up for herself with the same heart she shows everyone else. And Hutch? Peak golden retriever energy wrapped in a broody exterior. Kind, steady, and way too good to be real (but we can still wish, right?).

The side characters bring the chaos and the charm: Aunt Rue is a retired wild child, Beanie is the best kind of hype girl, and George Bailey—the oversized, frog-obsessed Great Dane—completely steals the show.

The Love Haters is funny, tender, and packed with heart. Katherine Center delivers a story that makes you laugh, tear up, and cheer for love in all its messy, beautiful forms.

Thank you @BookSparks and @katherinecenter #SRC2025 for the #gifted book! Also thanks to @stmartinpress and @youhadmeathea for the #gifted ebook arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

I struggled with this book in the beginning. I thought is was going t be all about body image. I’m so glad I stayed with it what a fun story loved Hutch, Rue, Katie and his dog. This is exactly what you need for a fun, easy beach read. Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this delightful story.

Sadly this was a miss for me. I just couldn’t connect to it at all and felt no chemistry between the love interests.

I just love Katherine Center and her storytelling. This one took me a little more time up front to get into, but once I was in - I was IN. I loved the way she peeled back the layers on Katie and especially on Hutch. The chapter where the pennies were introduced - I think I legitimately gasp-sighed. So good. Those pennies. And I kept thinking "who would play Beanie in the movie? And Rue?!" There were many times I laughed out loud. Katherine's books come across in much the way she does on her IG - personable and familiar and funny and regular (meant in the best possible way). Well done! Would definitely recommend this one; thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Love Haters is the perfect beach read! This book is about Katie, who is sent to Key West (what better location is there?!?) to do a job-saving assignment. She has to make a promotional video about her colleague's brother. Sounds great, right? Except said brother (Hutch) is miserable, hates love, and is a rescue diver...and Katie doesn't know how to swim.
Hutch is also super hot, majorly friendly, and maybe doesn't hate things as much as Cole said he did.
This is a great will they/won't they story with an amazing setting, super fun characters, and just enough "trouble" thrown in the mix to make it seem like they might not. I have already recommended this book to multiple people!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Katherine writes these deeper romances that make me completely fall for her characters! Her writing is some of my favorite, too. I adored Hutch’s character and peeling back his layers as the story went on. I think he and Katie were such a good match. Just overall a highly recommended read!

This was such a fun summer rom-com! The main characters were both very likable, not to mention hilarious. The author did a good job of keeping this one light and fun while also discussing some important things, such as the main character’s relationship with her body. Overall, this would be a great poolside read!

First I want to thank St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Meet Katie Vaughn, a video producer with a rocky relationship history and an even rockier career path. Faced with the ultimatum to either wait for a layoff or embark on a life-changing project, Katie chooses the latter. Her task? Profile Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a dashing Coast Guard rescue swimmer stationed in picturesque Key West. But there's a twist—Katie can't swim. Yet, she’s determined to fake it till she makes it. In Key West, Katie finds herself swept away by a tide of emotions that she never saw coming. What follows is a series of comical and heartfelt events involving swim lessons, helicopter rides, and even a few stolen kisses.

What I Love:
- George Bailey, Hutch's rescue great dane who is scared of his own shadow but loves Katie from first sight
- Rue, Hutch's aunt and Katie's landlord in Key West she is an amazing character who pushed both Katie and Hutch to loosen up and have more fun
- Hutch, he is the model Coast Guard rescue swimmer but still has a lot to figure out and all he wants is to fix his relationship with his brother
- Key West, I love that Katie who doesn't swim spends most of the book on an island and I would love to visit especially after reading this book
- Rescue, Hutch saves Katie a few different times/ways but I think the final one is my absolute favorite

There are a few aspects of this book that made me want to knock some sense into Katie since she made some choices that she knew would hurt Hutch but overall I was a fan of the story. If you are looking for a slow burn closed door romance with a MFC dealing with body image issues, a MMC who wants to put his family back together and a group of characters who just want these two to get out of their heads and enjoy each other then I would absolutely recommend this book.

Katie hasn’t been let go from her video producer job…yet. When her coworker offers Katie an opportunity to film his brother Hutch for a promo for the Coast Guard, Katie has to take it. Even if she can’t swim. What Katie finds is a lovably kooky small community in the Florida Keys. And an extremely handsome rescue swimmer with a Great Dane who love to knock Katie down with exuberant excitement. As fraught familial relationships and secrets begin to surface, Katie sees just how beautifully complicated life can be. But will Hutch forgive Katie for all the things she’s kept from him about her job and this trip?

With underlying themes of body image issues and facing your fears, Katherine Center once again delivers a humorous but also thought-provoking and emotional romance.