I have come to adore Katherine Center, and her newest novel did not disappoint. This one takes place around the Coast Guard, with producer Kate stuck between a rock and a hard place. I love how much research Katherine does for her novels, and truly felt like I was right there with Kate experiencing life in the coast guard first hand.

Center’s latest has everything I love in a vacation read: characters with depth, a pet to enjoy, laughter, plot twists and a satisfying HEA. The question of how we perceive ourselves, compare ourselves to others, and whose opinion really matters is universal and infinitely relatable. The main characters careers - a rescue swimmer and a videographer - are interesting. The Great Dane had me laughing out loud and who wouldn’t enjoy time with Aunt Rue and The Gals. Come for the rom-com, stay for the heart. Expect high demand. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.75 Stars!

First and foremost, a huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of The Love Haters. Not only was this my first ever ARC (such a dream moment!), but it ended up being a highlight of my reading month.

Katherine Center’s writing is just so easy to fall into—descriptive yet light, humorous yet heartfelt. I honestly had no idea what this book was about going in, and I loved being surprised by the entire journey.

As someone from Key West, I immediately felt connected to this story. The way the author described the drive down, the quirky roosters, the iconic Duval Street—it all made me feel like I was right back home. Those details alone earned this book some serious brownie points for me.

The story follows Katie, who takes a job in Key West working in Coast Guard recruitment, while also running a viral YouTube series called Day in the Life of Heroes. I really loved how real and relatable her character felt, especially with her body image struggles and her complicated relationship with food—though I do want to mention that these themes appear early in the story and could be sensitive for some readers.

Being with someone in the military myself, I loved the dynamic between Katie and Hutch—especially Katie navigating the world of military rules and culture as a civilian. It felt very authentic and personal.

I appreciated the slow build of their relationship and all the chemistry they shared, though by the halfway point I felt like a lot had already happened emotionally (it gave a little insta-attraction). Around the 50-60% mark, the plot shifts into heavier territory, revealing the rift between Hutch and his brother, Cole. While the family conflict added drama, I found myself slightly frustrated by the miscommunication trope, especially since it revolved around a health scare that felt like it could have been cleared up with one honest conversation between the characters. This did take a little bit away from my enjoyment.

That said, I enjoyed the ending. Yes, it was a bit predictable, but it felt right for these characters. As a dog parent, I have to shout out George Bailey, who added so much charm and personality to the story. The epilogue was a little long for my personal taste, but it wrapped things up nicely—and honestly, I could read another 100 pages of Katie, Hutch, and George Bailey living their happily ever after.

Overall, this gave me 5-star feelings almost the entire time, with just a few small things in the later chapters that dropped it to a 4.75 for me. Still, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a heartfelt, funny, and relatable romance with just the right touch of drama.

Thank you again NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press - you made a book lover feel SO special!!

This was a nice change of pace for me as I typically read mostly thrillers. This was a light hearted, funny, and relatable read. I thought it was a nice easy ready that was well written. This was my first book by Katherine Center and will be reading more. Thank you to Netgalley and Katherine Center for the ARC!

I enjoyed the story of Katie and her adventures. I can see where she might be difficult to relate to for some people, but her issues with self-esteem are pretty spot on. I liked Hutch as the counter for her. Rue and the Gals were fantastic side characters. Cole was a bit much but everyone needs a foil. This is a good summer read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Katherine Center's characters are always so perfectly imperfect that you immediately fall in love with them - and Katie is no exception. This was the perfect book to get immersed in when I needed a reprieve from life feeling heavy, and I found this to be an easier read/less heavy than some of her other more recent books. I adored Rue - and think she needs her own book! Overall this was a quick, easy read with KC's usual signature charm.

I’m going to start by saying I usually love Katherine Center books. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t jive with me. At 30%, I gave up.

Katie was quite honestly annoying. I couldn’t see how she would end up with Hutch, which is how I assume this would go. He seemed like he was way more interesting than her.

I’ve tried for days to get into it but couldn’t. So here we are. However, I’ll definitely give Katherine Center’s next book a try.

They were the biggest love haters before meeting and in the end they became love haters together! I don't even know how to describe this book, it's just perfect. It had a little bit of everything: self love, found family, romance, sibling drama, everything. I love that it wasn't focus solely on romance. Katie was able to fall in love with herself and have that with her throughout everything she went through. Tears were shed. Laughing was done and giggles were giggled. This book is truly perfect and I will protect it for the rest of my life. Hutch is literally perfect. George Bailey is perfect.

4.5⭐️
First off, I cannot believe this was my first Katherine Center read. What have I been doing??? I absolutely loved this so so much. It’s not only a love story between the FMC and MMC but it’s a journey of self love for Katie. Katie has been through a lot from being cheated on to being torn to shreds on the internet. And now, her job is at stake. Katie goes on a work trip to work on a project to try to save her job but the trip turns out to be so much more. Just when things seem be be going well for Katie, Hutch’s brother throws a wrench in her plans. And as if that isn’t bad enough, here’s comes a hurricane. It’s super slow burn and takes a while for the romance but I honestly loved the build up.
Some of the side characters (with the exception of Rue) lacked depth and weren’t very memorable which was disappointing for me cause I’m a big fan of lovable side characters, I feel they often make or break a story. There are a few heavier themes such as body image and grief and they are touched on a lot so that may be a trigger for many. I almost feel that it could be considered a book on body image rather than a rom-com.
I am so excited to dive into more of Katherine Center’s books

Hutch and Katie’s story is a perfect summer romcom! As the title eludes to, Katie and Hutch are love haters. They are not interested in happily ever afters. But when Katie comes down to the coast to film Hutch doing heroic deeds AND he is her swim instructor, they just can’t help falling in love.

I will now be accepting all your coast guard rescue swimmer romance recommendations.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My love for Katherine Center just keeps growing. I love her playful writing style that instantly connects you to her main characters, and The Love Haters is no exception. This time, she brings us a premise I never knew I needed: a videographer (with a secret fear of swimming) sent to the Florida Keys to film a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. It’s fresh, fun, and totally different from your average rom-com backdrop.

I am all in on the Florida Keys setting - bright, colorful, and full of that breezy, quirky charm Katherine Center does so well. The cast is just as vibrant: a clingy Great Dane named George Bailey (low key my favorite character), a crew of sharp-tongued battle axes I want to be friends with, and a love interest who’s more than just muscles and heroics.

But what surprised me most, and what made this book stick is that it’s really a story about learning to love yourself. The romance is sweet and satisfying, but it takes a backseat to the main character’s personal growth. This is a woman who’s been playing small ball, and she finally starts asking: What if I didn’t?

There’s no spice in this one, but the emotional journey packs a punch. My only complaint is that I wanted more of it. A few parts felt a little rushed, and I would’ve happily read another 200 pages of Katie’s story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! The Love Haters is summery, big-hearted, and quietly empowering - the perfect read if you want a love story that starts with loving yourself first.

#TheLoveHaters #KatherineCenter #NetGalleyARC #BookReview #RomComReads #BeachReadVibes #BookstagramRecs #SelfLoveStory #DogLoversReadToo #SummerReading #CozyUpWithABook #BookishEscape #FloridaKeysFiction #ReadersOfInstagram

This was a fun read! This book is charming and funny and actually very relatable (well ok fine, not everyone gets a “Pup Daddy” but you’ll see what I mean!) This would be a perfect #summerread or #beachread

I will say, this book felt less like a traditional rom com and more like a friend/found family com (is that a thing?) Yes we have our two love interests Katie and Hutch but there are some other great relationships that develop in this book (including Katie and her body image) and the one and only

Katie finds herself assigned to do a video promo for coast guard rescue swimmer Hutch. Ok yes, she can’t swim but with her company being down sized she has to say yes…plus how bad could it be right?

“His hobby is frowning…”

Oh Hutch, he was such a brooding grump and was not excited to see Katie at all. I wasn’t sure to think of him…but he definitely grew on me!

Kate’s internal dialogue was so funny and relatable and I found myself laughing out loud several times. I also definitely connected with her body image issues - if anyone has ever made unsolicited comments about your body I think you will definitely understand what Katie was going through.

I also really loved the found family/friendships in this book. There is some workplace drama and other shenanigans too!

✨What To Expect:
🏝️Key West Setting
🌦️Grumpy/Sunshine
💜Close Proximity
🛟Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer MMC
🎥Video Journalist FMC
😂All The Banter
💙Found Family
🔥Slow Burn
💖Self Love/Body Image
🏊‍♀️Swimming Lessons
🚁“Pup Daddy”
🚫Closed Door/No Spice

Katie Vaughn is likely to get downsized at work unless she agrees to produce a video featuring Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer – only she doesn’t know how to swim! She will fake it to keep her job, though. Hutch expected his brother – Katie’s coworker Cole – to be the one working the project and is not happy to see Katie there in Cole’s place. As Katie gets caught up in Cole’s life, including with his Aunt Rue and his great dane George Bailey, the two will have to determine whether they can find a happily ever after together or if the building lies will tear them apart.

As always, I love Katherine Center’s writing, and the story is a great escape from the world these days. There were many aspects of the book that I liked, but the use of lies to advance the plot left me cringing, which made me subtract a star. I would say Aunt Rue and George Bailey are the stars of this story. I enjoyed seeing Katie’s journey to self-acceptance throughout the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center.

I loved the Key West setting and the best side characters in Aunt Rue and the Gals along with Hutch.

Buuuut I wasn't a fan of Katie she felt very immature to me, and then her body image issues. Also the ending -- like wtf.

Katherine Center has a special gift. Many of her stories although are romance, there's also a very important theme. For Love Haters, she focuses on acceptance of the self. Both of the main characters and a few others go a self acceptance journey that is absolutely heart warming.

I always look forward to a Katherine Center book and was so appreciative to receive a chance to read this one early. I am struggling with this review a little because this wasn't my favorite and was a little difficult for me to finish. I felt like this one had such a slow start and I didn't really connect with the characters like a usually do. Although I do appreciate her writing about difficult topics in such a delicate way.

4.5/5 ⭐️s
🫑 - kissing only

LOVES:
- That opening set us up for adventure and chaos. The rest of the book sure didn’t disappoint!
- GOD. The eating disorder/body image stuff was really tough. But her journey back to herself is what I was HERE FOR. The Beauty List and all of her epiphanies about her body felt good to read.
- Katie and Beanie’s friendship is magical, I absolutely love it 💞
- George Bailey, the dog 😭💗
- JFC, Hutch is a saint of a man. So pure. It’s awesome, though I also kind of understand his brother’s irritation. But just be better then! Learn from Hutch, be like him!
- The development of Katie and Hutch’s relationship was simultaneously adorable, ridiculous, and confusing. Katherine really jerked us around with these two 😆

CRITIQUE:
- Katie’s journey was really the focal point of the story, which I appreciated in a lot of ways. I also felt like it made it difficult to get to know Hutch as a real person and not this near-perfect human. I could’ve used a bit more of just them.

I laughed so much, got really mad at people on the internet, then at one point, I think I had a heart attack! Lots of stuff going on here, but it was a fun ride. Takeaway: everyone should love everything about themselves 💘

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the eARC 💝

Katie was burned really badly and very publically in her last relationship. Not to mention she is very close to being fired from her current job when her boss decides she wants to downsize the company. Her direct superior Cole, offers her an opportunity to produce a video for the coast guard who are looking to increase recruitment. She is following Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson a rescue swimmer who went viral a while ago for rescuing a celebrity's dog. What she doesn't know is Hutch is Cole's brother and she is about to get herself tangled in a huge web of craziness and forced to confront a lot of fears.

I LOVED the message of learning to love yourself and your body after having such a negative view of yourself. Hutch was honestly a dream man and I loved their chemistry, their connection felt very natural and the communicated well. I found myself laughing so many times, the cast of characters were so fun. The author once again put out a book that balanced fun and flirty with more serious topics and made a book I didn't want to put down.

I always enjoy reading Katherine Center's books. They are funny with wonderful characters and usually, okay mostly always, filled with romance. This was no exception. And there was a dog, George Bailey, in this story that stole my heart. This book wasn't just about romance and falling in love with another person, it dealt with body issues and learning to love yourself as you are. Some readers might not like the body issue in this book but it is a reality that many woman have issues with their bodies and don't like wearing a bathing suit (yes, that one would be me), but the author wrote about it in a tasteful way. There were some moments in the book that I did find a bit annoying and those were mostly the ones with Cole in them, Hutch's brother. I didn't care for him at all and I wish Katie would have stood up to him and not go along with his lies. But other than that one character, everyone else was very likable. Aunt Rue and the Gals were a hoot. I have to admit that this book wasn't my favorite of hers but I still found it enjoyable.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy.

This was such a sweet book. The romance was super sweet and was a delicious slow burn. The underlying premise of body dysmorphia was poignant and seemed handled well. KC always picks such fun “jobs” to include in her stories and I loved the way these jobs were portrayed.