I really enjoyed this one! It took me a little bit to get into but the second half of the book really sold me. I loved that this book had so much more depth than a stereotypical romance. It focused on self discovery and other relationships outside of romantic ones. I love the aspect of found family in this story as well as the MMC being a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer!

thank you netgalley for the arc !!

the love haters was a nice quick summery read !! taking place in key west w a small island coastal setting so fun !!

i honestly read this book so fast bc i felt like it was fun and interesting and kept me on my toes

but i didn’t love it as much as i wanted to especially this being my first katherine center book

i think hutch and katie both have very interesting stories indivually where hutch works w the coast guard and has this rocky relationship w his brother cole

and katie is struggling w self image issues and an old breakup w someone who is now very famous

overall i think up until the 70-80% ish mark it was a 4 star but then the whole last few chapters the plot there stressed me out like i know we were pivoting for that happy ending but this felt a little extreme

anyway would recommend but i just feel like 3 bc it didn’t stand out to me.

Katherine Center’s books have become like comfort food for me. I’ve read almost her entire backlist and have always enjoyed them, so I was excited for this new one. Her books tend to be heartwarming while also being laugh out loud funny, with a good balance of rom and com. But I have to admit I didn’t love this one at first. In the beginning I had a hard time liking the main character Katie, and her body image storyline felt a little forced and awkward to me. The story and the characters grew on me though, and about halfway through I felt fully invested. It was a dramatic, messy, and overall satisfying love story. I appreciated that it was not just about romantic love but also self love and the love between family and friends. 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

If Katherine Center writes it- I'm going to read it! Just like all of her other rom-coms, this story was heartfeltand swoon-worthy. It is a cozy, beach read with relatable characters and a gorgeous setting. The Love Haters is a perfect mix of humor, romance and even adventure!
Read if you like:
Found Family
Forced Proximity
Beach Vibes
Enemies to Lovers
Grumpy + Sunshine

Thank you for the arc! I love Katherine Center and this book is no exception - 4.5⭐️ I felt I could relate to Katie and her body image issues, I connected a lot to her realization of how her body is enough because it’s hers. I also liked learning about the unique careers both mcs had!

4.5 ⭐️ Were parts of this absolutely far fetched? Yes! Was it giving classic rom com vibes? Yes! Did I love every second of it? Yes!

I’ve loved Katherine Center’s books for some time now so I was so excited to get this ARC and I was not disappointed. I loved all the characters (human and animal), there was funny banter and it was a very unique storyline for a romcom type book. If you are looking for a great summer read then look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!!!!

3.5 stars

I was a big fan of Katherine Center's most recent releases, but I could tell as soon as I started this one that I wasn't going to connect with it. A main part of the story is Katie's body image issues, and believe me, I get that, but it's harder to sympathize with when it becomes a constant. I also didn't have a big interest in the Coast Guard rescue swimmer theme, so it was a very slow start to me that picked up only slightly towards the middle, but not enough to be a love it book.

Katie is a promotional videographer who is sent to Key West to record a video for the Coast Guard in place of her boss, Cole, whose brother Hutch is a rescue swimmer in the division. Cole makes Hutch out to be a love hater machine devoid of human emotion, perfect on the outside but with no soul inside, so Katie is shocked upon her arrival to find Hutch to be just the opposite. After spending day in and day out with each other, the two start to develop feelings for each other, but soon Cole's workplace lies threaten their fledgling relationship and Katie finds herself embroiled in their deep seeded sibling trauma. Hutch and Cole's honorary Aunt Rue and The Gals of the Starlite cottages provided colorful Key West comic relief, and George Bailey the Great Dane has probably the best name for a dog to ever exist. But these bright spots weren't enough to save the book for me, and I didn't find myself overly invested in Katie and Hutch's relationship, feeling we were never shown any depth and development over the short period of time they knew each other and were just expected to believe they fell in love. Maybe I'm the real Lover Hater here 😅

This one took some time for me to get into, but I flew through the second half.

The author’s note in this one is chef’s kiss.

Good love stories are so much more than just romance between partners. This one explores every type of relationship, and how healing those can be.

Love yourself. Love others. Just love.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this one.

This book has received quite a few mixed reviews, which honestly surprised me because I absolutely loved it! That said, if you have ever struggled with an eating disorder, I would recommend checking out the trigger warnings ahead of time.

This story follows Katie, our FMC, who's sent to Key West by her coworker Cole, to film a promo video for the U.S. Coast Guard. The catch? Katie can't swim, and the start of this promo is Cole's estranged brother. You're probably thinking of course it couldn't have been that easy. Yep - family drama and personal fears all wrapped up into one fun assignment.

While this isn't your typical spicy or romance heavy read, it shines in a different way. This book is deeply rooted in self-growth and facing the fear that holds us back. Katie's journey is almost like an enemies to lovers trope but with herself. I really enjoyed watching her learn to love herself in her own body and truly embrace who she is.

I don't want to spoil anything so you will have to read it yourself, but I stayed up all night to finish this book. Honestly, I might need a Coast Guard man of my own now :)

And a special shoutout to George Bailey and his toads - IYKYK ;)

Katherine Center writes such good, captivating stories that I can always find a piece of myself in. I love not only seeing her love stories play out and the connections between characters and their relationship and banter, but also the life lessons that are always present in her books and remind me of the beauty of life and how to live fully with joy. Not my favorite of hers but I enjoyed and would definitely recommend for fans of her other work or for anyone looking for a delightful rom com with a side of found family and the US Coast Guard

If she writes it. I’m reading it. If you need a fast paced easy summer read that captivates you from the very first sentence. This is your book. I can’t put into words my love for this book, I loved it so much I immediately went to purchase it when it hit the shelves at Barnes & Nobles. I honestly don’t think I could do a review without gabbing about the entire book and giving everything away.

MUST READ.

Katherine Center always delivers, and this is no exception! Katie and Hutch are loveable and relatable, with flaws and insecurities, which makes it easy to root for them. Rue and the Gals add humor and light, and George Bailey was more than just a dog sidekick like I've seen in so many books. Overall, I utterly loved this book from start to finish - with one small little "hmmm" moment that I'll mention below since it includes a spoiler.

*******Spoiler below*******

Katie and her BFF/cousin Beanie were incredibly close through the first half of the book, talking constantly about every little thing that happened. Beanie was Katie's touchpoint on all things, and therefore I found it very unbelievable that when the dreaded miscommunication trope caused problems between Katie and Hutch in the third act, she hadn't run any of it by Beanie. They spent hours on facetime throughout the book, and then when Cole shows up and claims to be engaged to her, she doesn't even send Beanie a text? I really dislike miscommunication as a breakup act in general, but when it's so out of character for the person, it really makes it even harder to get through. Even when she's in a dire situation at the end of the book, she has the time to talk to Beanie. But not when her life is being blown up? That's what took this to 4 stars, because otherwise, it was perfection.

This was a hit and a miss from me. I absolutely loved the writing, and plan on picking up something else by Center, however this story didnt do it for me. Katie was atrocious as a main character. I couldn’t stand her perspective and her thoughts and I cringed reading as her.

I wish I enjoyed the characters and plot as much as I enjoyed the writing.

It pains me deeply to say this is my least favorite Katherine Center book I’ve read so far, and I’ve read a good many of hers. It started off great. It has the classic Katherine Center banter, whit, and funny moments. And up until about 50% in I was 100% on board and loving it.

But then things just started to get weird. Situations would happen and make you question why certain characters would do certain things. Literally, she would do something unhinged and admit that it was unhinged and then keep doing it, but it was like her admitting that it was a crazy thing to do somehow made it acceptable. I don’t know. But honestly, the last 50% of the book made me question if she got a new editor halfway through or something because it was literally different than what she normally writes.

Basically, I didn’t feel the connection between the two main characters AT ALL. The conflict/resolution was absurd. And there was unnecessary drama coupled with no chemistry between the couple which all felt forced. They definitely weren’t “love haters” by any means. And there was this weird sub plot with the main character hating her body which felt forced but also didn’t completely bother me but might definitely bother others.

But the shining light was the Great Dane named George Bailey (named after Jimmy Stewart from Its a Wonderful Life). He’s a gem. I’d read a whole book about him!

I don’t know what to tell yall as far as if you should read this book or not. If you’ve read a lot of Katherine Center then you might also feel disappointed in this one. But the banter and funny parts, descriptions of Key West, overall descriptions of the Coast Guard, and George Bailey of course was enough to boost this an extra 1/2⭐️ and not completely write it off.

DNF’d at 64%. Just couldn’t push through anymore and I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't push through anymore.

I love Katherine Center's writing. I always find myself in her female characters, & with the FMC Katie, I found myself again. This is a fun, quirky & entertaining ride about Katie Vaughn, a video producer who takes on an assignment from her coworker Cole that revolves around his brother, Hutch. She's not exactly qualified to follow a Coast Guard rescue swimmer (she can't swim), but that doesn't stop her. Through her time with Hutch, she unravels the sibling rivalry that exists & it all comes to a head with her stuck in the middle.

Katie's insecurities & journey towards body positivity are ones that I fully relate to. I really loved her inner dialogue & her vulnerability when sharing her struggles. Her relationship with Hutch is a slow burn that progresses naturally & has some hiccups along the way (especially when Cole comes to visit). This story is a fun ride that captivated me from beginning to end. The adventures Katie goes on with Hutch, alongside some wonderful supporting characters (Aunt Rue is a favorite), just brighten some more emotionally deep moments.

Overall, this story is another example of Katherine Center's incredible gift of weaving together complex characters in a gripping story that is both emotional, lighthearted, and thought-provoking. I truly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

💖 Enemies to Lovers
🌊 Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer x Video Producer
🏡 Forced Proximity
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🫶 Found Family
🌴 Key West Setting
⚡️ Sibling Rivalry
💕 Self Love Journey
☝🏻 Single FMC POV

I had really high hopes for this book as a big fan of Katherine center and the bodyguard, but this book just wasn't it for me. I felt like it could’ve been so much more and it fell flat when it came to the promo and Rue’s illness. I wanted to know more and have Katie and Hutch go through more together. There was so much opportunity to give this more depth. Great idea, but wasn’t fully executed.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Love Haters was an absolutely wonderful read! A heartwarming read full of heart, depth, humor, and positivity that will leave you with a smile.

Katie, the FMC, is doing everything she can to keep her job and is looking to take any project she can get to better stand out. So, when she is offered a job to produce a documentary about Hutch, a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard, she takes it (despite not knowing how to swim). Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Katie does everything she can to make it all go smoothly. Nonetheless, a bit of chaos and hilarity happens along the way. Katie is determined though and what ensues is an amazing journey into self-discovery, confidence, and letting go of fear (with lots of amazing, humorous moments along the way).

When Katie arrives in Key West, she meets Rue, her friends, along with Hutch and his dog, George Bailey. Rue does everything to make Katie feel comfortable, welcoming her up in one of her cottages and arranging swim lessons. Her swim instructor is none other than Hutch, who she is filming a documentary about. As Katie and Hutch go about all of it, Katie soon discovers that she has feelings for him and, in order to be able to pursue something there, has to let go of fear and fully embrace who she is.

Everything about this book was incredible. From the gorgeous Key West setting, to the sense of community, to the emphasis on embracing a new approach, Katie’s story is one of determination, strength, and resiliency. It was great to see how she began to accept and love herself for who she is, while gaining the courage to step out and follow her heart. The added focus on friendship and community was an added benefit to the overall plot.

The Love Haters is an enjoyable, entertaining, and utterly lovely read. Highly, highly recommend this for all fans of contemporary romance! A beautifully written novel full of self-discovery, self-love, growth, friendship, community, and romance.

Katherine Center has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I have truly enjoyed reading all of her books and this one is absolutely no exception!

I loved Katie’s character! And even if, as women, we want to admit it or not, we can absolutely all relate to Katie’s self perception of herself. But I love how Katherine Center portrayed learning to love yourself and realizing your own beauty with help of Katie’s lovely friend, Beanie! I loved their friendship and their banter. Their friendship was one of my favorite parts of this book!

I also adored Rue. Her presence and confidence radiated throughout this book. The kindness that radiates from her is beautiful!

And of course, we can’t leave out the slow burn romance with Katie and Hutch!! I loved their banter. Hutch is very respectable.

All of this to say, I highly recommend this book!! I can never say enough wonderful this about the way Katherine Center writes! I will always and forever pick up her books and read them!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love the Katherine Center's combination of lighthearted and heartfelt rom-coms. This one was not my favorite of hers, but it was still very enjoyable, colorful, and a great summery read with a cinematic climac. I could just see it on the screen.

The set up is that Katie is a midlevel video producer who's job is on the line as her company downsizes. Her sort-of boss Cole puts her up for a job that he's supposed to be doing — making a Coast Guard promo video in Key West of his too-perfect brother Hutch. Is Cole entirely trustworthy? Well, no. Can Katie swim? Also, no. She also has a step-mother-induced phobia of wearing a swimsuit.

Katie goes anyway. She needs this job as she's recently climbed her way out of an awful breakup with a now-famous musician. Katie is set up at Hutch's aunt's cottage. Hutch ends up being her swim coach. Heart eyes ensue as a group of elderly women in bright outfits watch. It's cute. There's also a giant dog.

What didn't work for me was that Center does a lot of telling when she could be showing. The getting-to-know-you conversations and banter that I feel really set up a good rom-com and establish a believable connection are almost all glossed over in favor of broad overviews. I also felt like a lot of people never show up physically in the story — Katie's ex-fiance is a big plot driver but never appears. Katie's father and body-shaming step-mother are mentioned quite a few times, but she never even talks to them on the phone. I'd also have loved to "see" Katie's delightful cousin Beanie come to Key West for a weekend, but she remains just a voice on the phone.

I did enjoy this, but it didn't quite earn a four stars from me.