The Love Haters is an entertaining, funny, heartfelt novel about facing your fears and loving yourself. Katie has struggled with her weight and her body image since she was a teenager So she is panicked to learn to save her job she has to film a recruitment video featuring Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. Additional problems; she can't swim, and Hutch only agreed to the video when he thought it would be filmed by his brother (Katie's co-worker).
As Katie gets trapped in the increasingly tangled web of lies, she finds herself drawn to the handsome Hutch, his sweet Great Dane (named George Bailey) who is afraid of thunder, and his eccentric Aunt Rue. This is a wonderful slow burn rom-com filled with forced proximity, found family, adventures, and healing of old wounds. It was heartfelt, and very sweet.


Thank you St Martin’s Press, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the e-arc

I really enjoyed The Rom-Commers and The Bodyguard, so I was hoping this was similar. I feel like this book leaned more towards women's lit than romance. While the romance aspect was there, the real story is Katie's personal growth. Katie's body image issues were pervasive and she had a lot of work to do with loving herself. Hutch was lovely, but he was almost too perfect and humble. Rue was probably my favorite character while Cole was awful.

4.25 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this eArc. My opinions are my own.

Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me and I adore her books. This one is really good! I went through all of the emotions in this one. There was even a part that I was terrified for the main character Katie. The MMC, Hutch is kind and amazing in the best possible way and the FMC Katie has a lot of body image issues she has to work through and the author handled it well. I highly recommend this book.

I've been huge fan of Center but this was a disappointment to me. Katie, who makes promotional films, is coopted to make one for the Coast Guard featuring Hutch, a rescue swimmer who happens to be the brother of her boss Cole. Of course Katie can't swim and of course, she's coming off a bad broken relationship (the time line doesn't work). She's also got a real body image problem. Hutch for his part has a romantic disaster in his recent past (although it didn't make sense) but he's got a great dog named George Bailey. And there's a hurricane. This has a lot going on and some of it is a muddled mess (Cole). The pros are the side characters, especially Rue (her backstory deserves a bit more attention), Beanie, and George Bailey. There was too much gratuitous admiring of Hutch's body (I got it the first time-he's hot). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Enough from me- I'm going to put this one down to a surprising miss from a favorite author and look forward to the next one.

I loved it. It felt completely relatable with the season of life im in (weight gain with perimenopause 🙄) and I just loved the message of loving your own body- because it’s yours.

This one felt like a mix between her older style of writing and her new. Very in line with her books Hello Stranger and The Bodyguard.

Each character felt mature but also struggling with something of their own and I just thought the whole message of the book was good.

The reason I love Katherine Center so much is because her books are fun and meaningful with life lessons and you usually learn about something completely new to you.

This time we’re diving into body image and I just really truly appreciated the perspective of loving your body because it’s YOUR body.

Katherine Center's books are always such a treat to read. In The Love Haters, we witness the budding relationship between Katie, a video producer and Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue. With Katie filming the way Hutch works, it's inevitable the two will get closer however obstacles get in the way of their love and the two find themself being pushed apart. 

This was such an engaging read. I had an ebook copy as well as an audiobook copy and loved the way the narration brought the characters to life. George Bailey stole the show for me though! What a cute pup! Peppered with humour and banter throughout, I am so glad this book lived up to my high expectations.

My favorite Center book in a while! I loved the journey of reframing her relationship with herself that Katie went on! Seeing her become more confident and brave was such a joy! And obviously loved the journey between Huck and Katie! They were absolutely perfect. Plus George Bailey was such a bright spot!

When trying to save her job and film a profile on her coworker's brother the last thing she expects is to fall for the guy who is said to hate love. Katie Vaughn's life was turned upside down when her fiancee, a famous musician, dumped her and the internet destroyed her image and now she's hidden herself and is working on her insecurities day by day. Katie is a video producer but when her company is beginning to make cuts her coworker offers her a chance to make a career making gig profiling Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in the Key West. While Katie might not be qualified (she can't swim) she'll do anything to keep her job... the only ting is that her coworker never mentioned that the profile would be on his brother... or the fact that he and his brother. do not get along at all. Katie heads off to do the profile while also befriending a group of great old ladies, work on her swim suit phobia, and meet the guy that is said to hate love... only he's perfect, he's sweet, fun, and amazing... too bad when her coworker comes back pretending to be her boyfriend do things go bad and oh did I forget to mention that there is a hurricane coming along with the mess that the family drama and lies will create. This book definitely make a fun movie, and I do think that the heavy focus on Katie's extreme insecurities and her work on her body image was really well done because it's true, we can all relate to how she feels and how she struggles, but it's great to see her grow to love herself and feel more secure about herself. I kind of wish there was more to the romance because it had so much more potential but it just kind of ends where I wish there was another epilogue or something more about the ending for Katie and Hutch. Its a fun read overall and I had a fun time getting to see Katie's misadventures. I can't wait to read Katherine's next book and would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a feel good book!

Release Date: May 20, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Katherine Center does it again! I loved this book just as much, if not more, as her other books!
Katie and Hutch are two “love-haters” who seem to be hopeless with finding love. Hutch is too busy with his job, and Katie is just over a year past getting publicly dumped by her fiancée.
In a desperate attempt to save her job, Katie packs for a trip to Key West to film a promo video for the US Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue team.
Rue and her ladies were a fun addition. I pictured Rue as Blanche from Golden Girls and that mental image made her character even better in my head.
Throw in a cute Great Dane pup named George Bailey, and that just tied the book up into a sweet, romance package. 💜

The Love Haters is the newest novel from Katherine Center. I really enjoyed this story as it’s not just a love story between two people but also a love story that the FMC had with herself. The journey of body acceptance. It’s also a beautiful story of found family and healing.

Katie Vaughn is a documentary film maker whose job is threatened by budget cuts. Her supervisor, Cole, sends her on an assignment in Key West where she has to follow a famous Coast Guard rescue swimmer, who also happens to be Cole’s brother, Hutch. Katie’s biggest problem is she can’t swim but she’s willing to take a crash course to keep her job.

Cole warns Katie that his brother is love hater. He hasn’t dated in a year and hates fun. Katie feels like a love hater too so she has no issue working with Hutch. Katie and Hutch initially get off to a rocky start but the more time they spend together the more Katie learns that Hutch is nothing like his brother described. Katie and Hutch have several hilarious, unfortunate encounters together, including several with his Great Dane. I always enjoy a fun, comedic element to liven a story.

As Katie is working on the documentary, taking swim lessons and qualifying to fly in the helicopter, she’s also working through a painful history that has led her to essentially hide herself. She has an extensive history of being body shamed starting in childhood and while dating her ex, a famous musician. This history led to an eating disorder and negative self talk. At the start of the story she is obsessed with her body and hiding it.

Along with Hutch, his Aunt Rue is instrumental in helping add color and confidence to Katie’s dark thoughts and life. It was one of the most beautiful aspects of this book. Katie’s journey of self acceptance was as vital as her developing relationship with Hutch. Hutch also finds himself needing to heal his relationship with his brother.

Katie’s journey with Hutch was up and down and fraught with misunderstandings that you have to read to experience. #nospoilers But it was also funny, heartwarming and beautiful. Go ahead and grab a copy of this book if you enjoy enemies to lovers in both a romantic relationship and relationship with self. But also if you enjoy found family, dogs, and healing from past hurts.

Thanks to Katherine Center, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC opportunity.

Katie takes an assignment as a videographer to interview and follow Coast Guard swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutchinson in Key West. He requested his brother Cole, Katie's coworker, to do the interview and is less than happy with the switch. Dropped in the middle of the Hutchinson family drama Katie is determined to make the best of it and find herself falling for him.
While this was a solid romance with great characters, it's not my favorite by this author. I like the self-love coaching but it was a bit overdone. The behind the scenes with the coast guard helicopters was fascinating and made Hutch a great hero to love. The final drama brought my rating up to 4.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katherine Center never disappoints! On top of her romances, she makes you want to love yourself, in addition to falling in love!

As a girl that went to Key West every year in March with my grandparents, I loved that the story took place there, it was nostalgic and made me miss spending time with my late grandparents.

The romance between the two characters didn't feel natural, for once I was more interested in their journey of self acceptance than I was of the romance.

George Bailey, the Great Dane, was everything in this book! Even if you don't like the characters, stay for the dog.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Katherine Center for the opportunity to review this book!

A relatable self-love romcom with all the feels.

I found Katie to feel forced in the first couple of chapters of this book (and for some reason, I kept forgetting her name). However, the more the story went on, the more I realized that I related to her. She's as uncomfortable in colors as she is her own skin. She became so much more likable as the story progressed, and you can't help but root for her. I wanted Katie to have the best of everything, and she deserved all the good things.

This story had a mix of great characters. Charming characters. Dishonest characters. Private characters. But the very best ones - catty elderly women. Each of these characters held a place in my heart while I read this book.

The story was wholesome and complete. Center left no detail unfinished. I've not read any other books by her, but I am looking forward to adding some to my list for this upcoming summer.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC opportunity. This review has been left voluntarily.

There’s something about Katherine Center’s writing that is just so fun and engaging! From the very beginning, I was sucked into this story and I couldn’t put it down.
Katie has dealt with body dysmorphia and eating disorders, and although I loved seeing her journey to truly love herself, I do also wish that we got to see her get some further help. Hutch was such a wonderful MMC and I loved seeing the depth to his story. Cole, on the other hand, was so toxic and it was unfortunate how he dragged Katie down with him.
Overall, this was another great read from Katherine Center and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Thanks St Martin’s Press and Raincoast Books for the gifted copy . All opinions are my own.

The Love Haters had an intriguing plot that drew me in, especially with the Key West setting. Out of all the Katherine Center books I've read, this one was my least favorite. I was still able to enjoy some funny parts, but the execution was a miss for me.

The chemistry between Katie and Hutch fell short. While body image is an important theme, it was over the top and felt forced. It over shadowed the plot of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another sunshine filled love story from an auto-read author, with plenty of humor and personal growth sprinkled in! I appreciated all of the therapy and body acceptance talk throughout the book. I loved all of the side characters except for one who was just plain awful but necessary to bring conflict to the story. I want to go live in a cluster of cottages in the Florida Keys with my besties now!

Katie’s story is a powerful look at body shaming and how it affects self-worth. It really opened my eyes to the real struggles people face, especially with the pressure of modern technology. Katie starts off with almost no confidence, but throughout the book, we see her grow, heal, and learn to love herself and her life. It definitely gave me something to think about—like, what <i>is</i> my favourite body part?

Now, Hutch... he’s totally swoon-worthy. But I’ll be honest—their relationship had its cheesy moments. A little too corny for me at times, and yes, I did cringe here and there.

The true star of the book? George Bailey—the Great Dane with a frog obsession and a habit of knocking Katie over. He completely stole the show!

Katherine’s writing is so vivid, witty, and funny when it needs to be. I always feel like I’m right there in the moment with the characters.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read and review this ARC!

I keep trying Katherine Center hoping I will enjoy one of her books as much as The Bodyguard. This one was better than her last 2 releases for me but it wasn't great. The FMC was VERY insecure which is realistic but not necessarily fun to read about. There were a couple cute moments plus a generous dose of absurdity.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

⸻

Katie Vaughn is reeling from a messy, very public breakup with her famous ex and facing potential layoffs at her corporate video production job. So when she’s offered a temporary assignment profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Florida, she jumps at the chance—even though she can’t swim and keeps that detail to herself. Enter Hutch, the swimmer in question, who’s also carrying baggage from a recent heartbreak.

I’ve read all of Katherine Center’s books, and while I usually love her stories, The Love Haters didn’t quite land for me. I never fully connected with Katie and Hutch as a couple—the chemistry just felt off. That said, I really liked Aunt Rue, who brings warmth and charm as she encourages Katie to step out of her comfort zone (and into more colorful clothes). Katie’s ongoing struggles with body image are woven throughout the story—her inner monologue about food, swimsuits, and self-worth felt real but a bit repetitive.

George Bailey, the Great Dane, completely stole the show for me. He was such a lovable presence that I bumped my rating from 3 to 4 stars just for him

Katie Vaughn has just been through a very public breakup with her famous now ex boyfriend. Her job in corporate video production is on the line due to possible layoffs. So when Katie is offered the job to profile a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Florida, she takes it. Katie, however, neglects to tell her boss that she does not know how to swim. and can't go on the swim rescues with Hutch, the rescue swimmer. Hutch like Katie has gone through a bad romance breakup.

I have read all of Katherine Center's books and I have to say The Love Haters disappointed me. The relationship between Kate and Hutch just did not click for me. I did enjoy Hutch's Aunt Rue, who worked on Katie to add color to her wardrobe. Katie struggles with body image throughout the book, worried about calories consumed, wearing a bathing suit, etc. The Great Dane George Bailey was my favorite character, and I bumped my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars because he was so adorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an ARC. The review is my own.