I have yet to be disappointed by Katherine Center’s ability to make me care for fictional characters and their stories.

Katie’s enemies to lovers plot with how she viewed herself touched so close to home for me. Loving myself for exactly who I am and how I was made has been a struggle during so much of my life. But life IS too short for that.

Insert the setting in Florida with a Great Dane and I’m just sold all the way around.

I adored Rue and Hutch. Cole was something else, but he’s an acquired taste I suppose.

KC has a way with hard topics and not making them feel desolate. She puts in a full support system of characters that uplift and inspire.

I absolutely recommend Love Haters and every other book KC has blessed us with.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Katherine Center for an opportunity to review Love Haters.

This book started out slow, but once it picked up I really enjoyed it. I loved George Bailey, he stole the show. The fun facts through it the book were interesting and I loved reading them. Learning m]new things is always good. I loved the tradition that Hutch’s family had. That is the point in the story that really got me excited. I loved their relationship. The pennies and the frog were sooo good. I loved that part. Overall I really loved this story. I]big thanks to the published and NetGalley for the ARC!

While The Love Haters didn’t totally sweep me off my feet like some of Katherine Center’s other books, it still delivered a charming and heartfelt story. Katie is a relatable and lovable main character, and I really enjoyed following her journey of self-love and healing in the sunny Florida Keys. Hutch, the love interest, is sweet and steady, and their connection—while not as electric as I hoped—still had its tender moments. Plus, the Great Dane and rescue scenes added a fun and adventurous twist!

That said, this one didn’t quite live up to my (admittedly high) expectations. Some of the supporting characters felt a bit flat, and the emotional beats around grief and body image didn’t land as powerfully as I hoped. Still, it’s a solid, easy read with touches of humor and heart. While this isn’t my favorite from Center, I’ll absolutely be picking up whatever she writes next.

Thank you SMP for the gifted digital copy.

The Love Haters
Katherine Center
Publishing Date: May 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narrator: Patti Murin 🎧

I was nervous to start this one because some of the reviews have been rough, but I’m happy to say that overall I enjoyed it!

I think this books biggest downfall (for me personally) is Katie. Her insecurities, while relatable in many ways, were focused on to the point of being annoying. This was especially the case early on in the book, which I suspect may be why some people are having a hard time getting into this one. For me though, the push through proved worth it because this book just got better as it went.

Hutch and George Bailey 🐶 were the stars of the show here. The research the author did to portray the Coast Guard really showed. Hutch was a swoon worthy book boyfriend. And the giant George Bailey was the perfect lovable, goofy, animal side character.

Was the development of the romance perfect? No. There was a weird moment in the middle where things ended before they even began? But overall I enjoyed the disjointed nature of their journey together. Katie’s insecurities often got in the way, but Hutch was the perfect balance to this.

🎧 I thought Patti Murin was great here! Would definitely recommend reading this one with your ears.

I thought The Love Haters was such a cute and feel-good read! The FMC was super relatable—her insecurities were so real, and I think a lot of women will see themselves in her. I loved watching her grow and learn to love herself by the end. There were definitely moments that had me laughing out loud, and the happy ending made my heart so full. It’s one of those books that leaves you smiling after the last page. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something sweet, funny, and uplifting!

I really enjoyed this one, I enjoyed the conversation around loving yourself and not allowing others opinions be everything. there was one plot point towards the end that I didn't love. it was all around a great time otherwise.

CW: ED

I'm just a Katherin Center fan period. I went into this book without even reading the synopisis and absolutley loved it. I super related to Kaite and how she felt about her body. She just needed to find the right man to love and appreciate it and Hutch was that man. There were some heavier topics discussed like body image which I thought was done really well and with care. I liked each of the main characters and felt invested in their romance. The ending really worked for me and I enjoyed the added suspense. It definitely made me like it a bit more! Overall, this is a good clean romance perfect for the summertime.

I'm just a Katherin Center fan period. I went into this book without even reading the synopisis and absolutley loved it. I super related to Kaite and how she felt about her body. She just needed to find the right man to love and appreciate it and Hutch was that man. I wish I had a Hutch!!! I also love the Coast Guard aspect of the book, it has always intrigued me.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review this, even it it was a few months late!

Katie is at risk of losing her job as a video producer when a coworker requests she make a profile of a famous Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. In order to do this, she will have to stay with him and follow him during a rescue. The only catch is that she doesn't know how to swim. She heads to Key West to complete the project without telling anyone she can't swim.

Unfortunately this one just missed the mark for me. I was looking forward to the Key West setting but I needed more from it. The characters never fully wowed me and I kept hoping for more... Some may love this one, but sadly it just wasn't for me.

I love Katherine Center and this novel was delightful. At the start I was more than a little concerned about the body positivity and general body... ness.. of the plot. But it was handled beautifully and I thought this romance with a woman and a man, and his aunt, and his brother, and herself, was just delightful. Ridiculous and technicolor and silly? Sure. But heartfelt and full of Key West deliciousness? You betcha. Four and a half stars rounded up for the celebrity ex being completely not that big a deal, as a celebrity ex clearly should be.

This was a quick, easy to read romance. There were some heavier topics discussed like body image which I thought was done really well and with care. I liked each of the main characters and felt invested in their romance. However, each seemed to have a one-track mind. The FMC could only think about/discuss her body image issues while the MMC seemed to only think about the FMC. I would have liked to see some more development to make them more fleshed out characters. I felt there was some room to give the main characters more personality and a well rounded arc. The ending really worked for me and I enjoyed the added suspense. It definitely made me like it a bit more! Overall, this is a good clean romance perfect for the summertime.

Thank you Netgalley, author & St. Martins Publications for the ARC.

“It’s a thin line between love and love‑hating.” Katie Vaughn’s career is on the line when she’s tasked with profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer in sunny Key West. There’s just one problem—Katie can’t swim. But she’s determined to fake it, even if it means working alongside Hutch’s brooding brother—and falling headfirst into a sea of complications. From swim lessons and helicopter rides to hurricanes, Great Danes, conga lines, and stolen kisses, The Love Haters is a bright and breezy rom‑com about fear, truth, and discovering the courage to love—especially yourself.

I always reach for a Katherine Center book when I want something light, heartfelt, and easy to binge — and The Love Haters delivered just that!

Katie’s journey to rediscover her confidence after a damaging relationship was the emotional core of this story, and I appreciated how realistically her body image struggles were woven into the narrative. It didn’t feel preachy or overdone — just genuine, messy, and relatable.

The romance? I liked the chemistry between Katie and Hutch — the banter, the tension, the stolen glances — but I wished we had more of them together, especially in that epilogue! Dare I say… I felt more love between Katie and George Bailey (yes, the dog) than I did between her and Hutch by the end? 😅

Still, Aunt Rue and her sassy girl gang stirred up just the right amount of chaos to keep things fun, complete with that classic third-act misunderstanding and satisfying reunion.

It's a 4/5 ⭐ read for me .

Charming, heartfelt, and the perfect palate cleanser after a string of dark thrillers that I was reading.

Katherine Center is an all time favorite of mine, but The Love Haters was unfortunately not a winner for me. I found myself having a hard time connecting with both the plot and the characters - since nearly every other book of Center's has been a 5 star for me, I am hoping this is a one off and her next will be more of a win for me!

This made the Rom-Commers feel like a fluke, tbh, because this did not hit the same for me. First off, this needed a pretty upfront content warning about body dysmorphia and self-hate because that was not what I wanted to read and it set a sour tone in the beginning. The romance was fine, the story interesting, but that kind of hung over the whole thing for me and made it hard to love.

I really enjoy Katherine Center's romances. They are funny and I smile as I read them.
Katie is facing a possible firing as a video producer. To save her career, she accepts a job interviewing a Coast Guard rescue swimmer hero, Hutch, who is the brother of her co-worker, Cole. Katie lies and says she can swim, and takes the job. She meets Rue, the "aunt" of Hutch and Cole, and is enchanted by her spunk and charm. She hears the story of the brothers and how they came to live with Rue. Hutch and Kate are great together.
An enjoyable romance. I really enjoy Katherine Center's romances. They are funny and I smile as I read them.
Katie is facing a possible firing as a video producer. To save her career, she accepts a job interviewing a Coast Guard rescue swimmer hero, Hutch, who is the brother of her co-worker, Cole. Katie lies and says she can swim, and takes the job. She meets Rue, the "aunt" of Hutch and Cole, and is enchanted by her spunk and charm. She hears the story of the brothers and how they came to live with Rue. Hutch and Kate are great together.
An enjoyable romance.

“I should have loved all of my everything. Because it was mine.”

* Ahh so real
* I would absolutely pass away
* The nervous commentary is too good 😂
* HE NOTICED HER EYE!
* Okay, he’s actually just a sweetie
* Oh man 😂
* I love this slow and gentle healing that’s happening for her 🫶
* Oh, Hutch 😭
* This just went downhill REAL fast
* Don’t do it!
* No WAY!
* Awww yay!

Every time I read a Katherine Center book, I just come away with so much… hope. And a new outlook on myself or the world. And I love it!

“No one’s born fearless. You have to earn it.”

While I’ve never dealt with body image issues as severe as Katie, I definitely related to a lot of her feelings. And it was so healing to experience her healing right alongside her.

“…the most unusual thing about me was something you could only see if you were really, really looking. And none of us were. Myself included.”

Katie was such a fun character. She was quirky and completely herself, even with her insecurities. I absolutely loved getting to see her learn to love herself and the beautiful life she was living.

And Hutch? Yes, please! Love him. He’s so sweet and also a man in uniform so… what’s not to love, really? He certainly had healing of his own to do, but I loved how just genuinely good he was. How he loved to help people, Katie included.

“…every time I’m around you—and today was the worst of all—I want. . . I just want. . . everything.”

I also really enjoyed learning so much about the Coast Guard and getting a closer look into that!

Basically, if you want to read about learning to love yourself and love other people? This might just be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook. All opinions are my own.
L

Katherine Center's books have some of the most random plots I've ever read. You can't convince me that she doesn't have one those writing prompt dice sets somewhere stashed away at her house. Cause' girl, what in the world Katherine! Haha.

"The Love Haters" is such an odd choice of a title for this book. Of course, we had some moments where the characters break the fourth wall and speak on being a "love hater", but that happened like, twice. Down to the title everything just feels random! And the popstar ex-fiancé situation really did nothing for the story. I'm literally scratching my head at this one. I feel when she writes she's like, "How can I out quirk my last book?".

Did I enjoy this slightly strange story? Yes. I did. Mostly for the writing. Katherine Center knows how to write (plot aside). Her writing just sucks you in and makes you want to binge. I basically ignored my current reads to consume this in two days. The best part of this book is the main character, Katie, learning to love herself. I found those moments to be powerful. They've led me to reflect on how I see my own body.

Honestly, you'll either love or hate "The Love Haters". I find myself somewhere in the middle.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this arc!

Funny, endearing, entertaining - Katherine Center nails it again!

This was tough though as someone with a history of body dysmorphia and struggles with eating. Katie’s self hatred is painful for me because I understand her, I’ve been there.

But the rest of the story was SO MUCH FUN!!!! Hutch is a dreamboat. I’m so impressed with the US Coast Guard. The Florida Keys are heaven on earth. Rue is a queen! George Bailey is everything a dog should be and more.

Katie ends up in Key West to do a cover story for the US Coast Guard recruitment campaign and her subject is rescue swimmer, Tom Hutchinson aka Hutch, who is the 'most scientifically good-looking guy' she has seen. The small catch, she doesn't know how to swim and also her superior at work, Cole - is brother to Hutch, and she might have just landed in the middle of their sibling drama and possibly drowning a couple of his lies. What ensues is swimming lessons, helicopter drills, swimsuit mishaps, and even a hurricane.

Here's what I loved about this one. Consider this a content warning, but a major part of Katie's character arc involves her body positivity journey. It may be a trigger for some but personally I loved how Katherine depicted it. The friendship between Katie and Beanie (her best friend) was so endearing, the way Beanie helps Katie discover things to love about herself (or her body) made me also pause and reflect. I might not realise but I do think like that about myself many times and their exercise gave something to think about. The other thing that I enjoyed is the beautiful found family of Hutch, Rue (his aunt), and George Bailey (Hutch's rescue Great Dane) - these made up for some sweet, funny and emotional moments.

Let's talk about Hutch and Katie, shall we? Katherine's books have a sweet chemistry between the leads and I loved how Katie and Hutch noticed things about each other in such short time, opened up about their anxieties or struggles, and somehow made it through the unfortunate lies. This is ofcourse a closed door romance but there are some sweet and swoony kisses, hilarious moments and banter, some very sweet gestures.

This was all good except for a few things. Cole - umm, I did not like this guy. I wanted to smack him! And the thing that I wish was done differently was maybe the climax - I cannot exactly explain but I needed some more passionate or emotional response from Hutch at the end, during the rescue. Just a teeny tiny bit more.