4.5 stars rounded up!

Video producer Katie Vaughn fakes her way into a high-stakes assignment profiling Hutch, a heroic Coast Guard swimmer in Key West—despite not being able to swim. Caught between two feuding brothers, a growing attraction, and a string of chaotic adventures, Katie must navigate her lies, face her fears, and take a leap of faith—for love and for herself.

Katherine Center delivers yet another heartfelt, feel-good gem! I always count down to her new releases, and The Love Haters was pure fun from start to finish. The vibrant Key West setting was so vividly written, I could practically feel the ocean breeze and hear the conga drums in the distance.

Katie and Hutch’s romance felt refreshingly real—tender, messy, and full of charm—but it was the supporting cast that truly stole the show. George Bailey, Hutch’s lovable rescue Great Dane, was an absolute scene-stealer (his thunderstorm anxiety leading to some cozy, romantic moments was just perfection). And Rue and her fabulous crew of friends? I want to be them when I grow up—sassy, wise, and endlessly fun.

I appreciated Katie’s vulnerability around body image and self-worth; it added depth and made her journey all the more relatable. While the arrival of Hutch’s brother, Cole, and the fake dating subplot didn’t quite land for me, it didn’t dim my overall enjoyment. This is the kind of book you’ll want to toss in your beach bag—joyful, swoony, and full of heart. Highly recommend for your next summer escape.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The highlight of every spring for me is a new Katherine Center book. They are always absolutely what I am looking for. The Love Haters was no exception.

Katie is offered a job opportunity that is quite literally make or break, so she agrees to profile her work nemesis' brother, Hutch, a cynic who doesn't believe in love. Katie finds a colorful cast of characters (a Katherine Center hallmark) in Key West and they all contribute to this hilarious romp of a story. Now all that's left for me to do is wait another year for her next release. I'm sure I'll love it as much as I do this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio I received the audiobook and Ebook early. This was a solid 2 stars the entire book. I didn’t love the characters and never loved the love story. The only reason this is getting 3 stars is because of the authors note at the end. Those few pages saved the entire book. Here’s just a few of my favorite lines:
“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.”
“The best love stories are never just about romantic love. They're always about so much more than that: kindness, and joy, and belonging, and safety-not to mention growing, and changing, and healing from the past. They are always master classes on how we find the best in each other-and, by extension, ourselves.”
Now why couldn’t the rest of the book make me feel the way those beautiful lines did? Ugh, oh well.

The Love Haters is a breezy rom-com with moments of adventure and self-discovery, but it didn’t quite live up to the high bar set by Katherine Center’s previous books that I really enjoyed. The supporting cast was hit or miss—while Rue, Hutch’s quirky aunt, added energy and color, others like Beanie and Cole lacked depth and left me wanting more. The story touches on important themes like body image and grief, but these heavier elements often felt sidelined by the book’s overly light tone and occasionally forced humor. Still, the tropical setting, fun escapades, and Katie’s journey toward self-worth brought some enjoyment. As Katherine Center herself describes it, it’s a kind of “enemies-to-lovers” arc between Katie and her body—an exploration of how learning to love yourself is a circular, ongoing process. Though this one wasn’t a perfect fit for me, it remains an easy, entertaining read, and I’m still looking forward to whatever she writes next.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy via NetGalley.

The title The Love Haters comes from a remark Katie's coworker, Cole, makes about his brother. However, it also applies a bit to Katie herself, as she was very publicly dumped by her famous singer fiancé. Though this does pop up occasionally as an issue for her, the primary thing that's holding Katie back appears to be body image issues. And therein lies the first way I struggled to sink into this book with some of Center's previous ones.

Katie's body image issues come up early and often, especially in the first part of the book. And something about the way they're handled felt a bit off for me, particularly the throwaway mention of what sounds like a pretty serious eating disorder. While I do think it's very real and fair for navigating food and body issues to be a central part of stories like these, I wish it had been handled with a bit more care at times. The way Katie's friend tries to convince her to get over her self-confidence issues feels a bit like it becomes a joke, and that didn't always land well for me. I, too, have plenty of body image issues to work out even as an adult woman who still fits straight sizes. So, there was a version of this element of the book that could have worked for me. Alas, it wasn't this version.

That said, my biggest fear with this element of the plot was that her romance with Hutch would be the thing to "fix" her insecurities. I was pleasantly surprised to see that wasn't where The Love Haters took things, which redeemed this plot element for me slightly. Even so, if you're someone who is navigating recovery for an eating disorder or body dysmorphia issues, this may be want to stay away from.

It's a shame the way body image was handled turned out to be a bit off-putting, as there were some elements of the book I quite liked. Learning about the Coast Guard and documentary making was interesting, and Rue was a delightful side character. I also loved the Great Dane, of course, because a good dog side character is always a good thing. The romance is a slow burn that doesn't involve a ton of on-page spice, which I personally prefer as it lets the emotional connection build and the plot exist without random sex breaks all the time.

I also really liked the surprise twist about 80% into the book, when the plot suddenly starts plotting in a way I didn't fully expect. From this point on, I was absolutely riveted and stayed up late to finish the book. That usually earns a book an automatic five stars for me, so it's worth noting there's definitely some engaging writing going on here.

Before I wrap up, I did want to note one other issue with the book- the characters of Cole and Sullivan. They both felt like caricatures more than people, with Cole being just an over-the-top jerk and Sullivan being a desperate, unpredictable, recently divorced lady. Any time these characters were on the page, I struggled to find anything redeeming in them, and they stood out as oddly one-dimensional compared with some of the more well-rendered characters in The Love Haters.

Final Thoughts

While I did still ultimately enjoy The Love Haters, it didn't quite meet my expectations from other Katherine Center books I've read. I think if you can safely navigate a discussion of body image and want a fun, slow-burn romance that mainly focuses on self-love and self-discovery, this one might still be a bit for you.

Love Haters by Center was exactly what I expected. Reading her books is like getting a hug. I enjoyed this and was happy it wasn't filled with smut lol. Thank you @netgalley for my copy!

I have never met a @katherinecenter book I didn’t adore, and this one is no exception. The FMC is hilarious and I’ve laughed so much-this has been such an amazing beach vacay read!!

Thank you Net Galley, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I love this author and she is an autobuy for me, so I was very excited when I received this advanced copy! She is the Queen of Rom Com, banter and love stories that will make you laugh out loud, and this one was just that.. I definitely enjoyed this one!

Happy Pub Day!!!!! Thank you to St. Martin's Publishing Group for the E-ARC. I read this book in a little over 24 hours and loved it so much. The way I laughed and cried and cheered and can we talk about all the lightbulbs that went off in my head at some of the stuff Katie (FMC) would say .... I dont want to say to much because I dont want to give anything away but this story is so much more than just a romance story. Its about learning to be gentle with ourselves and learning to see ourselves in a better light. I mean dont get me wrong the MMC was totally drool worthy but I hope people see the whole story being told here because it was just as beautiful as the story between Katie and Hutch

Happy publication day! Semper Paratus (Always Ready is the Coast Guard motto)! Get ready because this is a perfect Summer read for 2025! As someone in the Coast Guard, knowing how to swim is important and I love that they show adult swim lessons in this. I love going on the helicopter too it's so much fun! The romance is the most relatable because Katherine Center sucks you in to be love hater to but then you can't but fall in love with these characters. I have read many books by Katherine Center. The plot and writing is easy to read and fast paced for any reader who enjoys romance. The side characters were really funny and I loved the dog.

Read this if you love:
Who hurt you? Let's hate love love together!
Semper Paratus! (ALWAYS READY is USCG MOTTO)
WET like hurricane Romance
Drinking contest and Conga line to keep drinking!
Florida setting

Thank you so much to the amazing Katherine Center, publisher, and Netgalley for sending this to me!

I really enjoyed this book, but there were a few things I felt I missed. For starters, it was a little slow in the beginning. And I wish I would’ve gotten more from Hutch and Katie. I felt some things weren’t built up to and that I was missing something. Maybe if I had listened to it on audiobook the story would’ve come more alive for me. Other than that, this book was a relatively good book. It highlighted important topics such as ED. It had some pretty good characters (George Bailey is the goodest boy) and it had some not so good characters (Cole you are the worst.) I love how Rue took Katie under her wing and got her out of her chromophobia shell. Also, Beanie is the bestest friend/sister/cousin a girl could’ve asked for. I felt like I got more from Beanie and Katie than Hutch and Katie.
All in all, this story was super cute and I really love that Katherine makes all of her characters real. They all have real problems that your bestie down the road could have and to me that makes up for anything I didn’t enjoy or understand!
Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martins Press for a copy of this ARC!

Katherine Center has done it again with The Love Haters—a charming, feel-good read you won’t want to miss! I eagerly anticipate her annual releases, and this one did not disappoint me!

The characters are an absolute delight. The story strikes the perfect balance between fun, heartwarming, romantic, and relatable. George Bailey, the lovable Great Dane, completely stole my heart—he brings so much warmth and personality to the story without ever saying a word. Rue and her circle of friends make fantastic supporting characters, adding vibrancy and depth to the narrative. And Katie and Hutch, our leads, are so well-drawn and authentic that by the final page, they felt like old friends.

If you're a fan of rom-coms featuring forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and breezy summer romances, this one’s for you. But even if those tropes aren't usually your thing, I still wholeheartedly recommend giving The Love Haters a read!

I am grateful to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy through Netgalley. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

I went into this one really wanting to love it, but unfortunately it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The main focus of the story seemed to center heavily on poor body image. I also struggled to feel any real chemistry between Katie and Hutch their connection just didn’t spark for me. There were moments that had potential, but overall, it felt like something was missing. It wasn’t a bad read, just not the emotional or romantic payoff I was hoping for.

I’m torn on whether I liked this book or not to be honest . I’ve loved the author’s previous books a lot and I was really excited to start this one . But somehow after more than a quarter of reading it, it just didn’t hold my attention the same way the others did. I can’t even put my finger on what exactly happened. While this one wasn’t for me at this time, I will still read her future novels because I love her ways with words that makes you fall in love with flaws characters that grow on you without even realising.

3.5 stars rounded up for NetGalley.

The Love Haters is a great little beach read. The Key West setting is perfect and screams summer. It’s not too spicy, and the romance was very sweet.

I discovered Katherine Center last year after reading The Rom-commers and Hello Stranger and became obsessed. Her books remind me a bit of Emily Henry because I get a sweet romance and some life lessons. My only issue with The Love Haters is that I didn’t care for the life lessons in this one. Just personal preference, but it focused heavily on insecurities, and that’s not really my thing. The story centers around a female character who struggles with body image, and while that’s real and relatable and will absolutely resonate with a lot of people, it wasn’t my cup of tea.

That being said, I adored the romance, the fabulous Rue who fully embraces all the colors and flamingos while living her best life in Key West, and of course George Bailey, the pup with the most perfect name ever. A little bit of a miss for me, but I still enjoyed the story.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an arc of The Love Haters!

The Love Haters was a great read! I loved the plot and would read it again! Katie was a hot mess, but her character really grew throughout the story as she became braver. I loved the advice given to Katie: “Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time.” I have found this to be true in my own life.
My favorite characters were Aunt Rue and Hutch. Aunt Rue was so loving, accepting, and wise. Hutch, on the other hand, was moody and unpredictable, yet sweet and caring towards Katie. He was the perfect person to love Katie!
While reading this book, I learned a lot about the Coast Guard and that humming helps soothe your vagus nerve. I guess I need to hum a little more often!
If you enjoy reading a good romance, this is a great pick!

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

This was a charming story with a fantastic narrator. However, I find it challenging to read insecure female characters. The standout characters were Hutch and George Bailey. 3.5⭐️

Thanks, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Katherine Center for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm writing this review as:
-A 90s kid- we are talking about the boom of SnackWells, Lean Cuisine, diet culture!
-The daughter of an EXTREMELY well meaning woman that didn't want me to "end up like her"
-A 00's teen- when TMZ and popculture tore everyone and everything apart.
-A person with a pretty much all black wardrobe

With that said- Katie- she's soooo relatable. I understand that many have been caught off guard by so much of the body image talk but I fear that there are many of us that will relate to it. This book feels very much like it is for us.

This is a true enemies to lovers story- but the enemies? Not the MCs together, but the MCs against themselves. It's a sweet story of finding love within yourself, for yourself and THEN being able to let love in.

PER USUAL- Katherine's Author's note is SO POIGNANT. I swear, someday I'm going to make a scrapbook of all of them!

I love, love, love this author. Her books take me away and keep me there. And this book is spot on for just that reason!

Katie is trying to save her job. She tells her coworker that she can definitely take the video job of recording Hutch, a famous Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. But, what Katie fails to mention is…SHE CAN’T SWIM!

This whole book had me exactly where the author wanted me to be…Halfway in love with Hutch, laughing at Katie because she is so much like me, and falling for the sweetest Great Dane on the planet! Oh and did I mention I love Key West!

And this narrator, Patti Murin, is the absolute BEST!

Y’all have to read this! It checks all the boxes.

Great characters ✅

Great setting ✅

Great banter ✅

Great narrator ✅

You cannot go wrong with this one!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I love Katherine Center. Her books are fantastic romances but the characters feel more real than a lot of other romances. I have seen other reviews of people who did not like this book but I think it is fantastic!

Katie knows that layoffs are coming at her job, in a desperate attempt to prove her worth, she agrees to do a profile on "Hutch" a coast guard rescue swimmer. However, Katie cannot swim and doesn't understand the animosity between Hutch and his brother who convinced her to take the assignment. Katie is warned that Hutch is a "love-hater," and works to avoid developing feelings. Of course they are super attracted to each other, just like his giant rescue Great Dane is attracted to her and keeps knocking her over. But when Hutch's brother shows up and traps her in several lies, Katie must try and win Hutch back.

I have a weakness for stories with Great Danes as they are my favorite dog breed. However, most books seem to be written by people who have never actually been around the dogs. Katherine Center did her research and George Bailey was an extremely well-developed dog! His anxiety, over-exuberance, and just general personality were an exact match to having a Dane around!

The characters were well-developed and cute together. I found myself rooting for them! I loved this book and recommend it to others who are looking for slightly more realistic romances.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.