Thank you @stmartinspress @macmillanaudio #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

I swear, Katherine Center’s books are like a little burst of sunshine every time I pick one up, and The Love Haters was no different! I always look forward to her stories because you just know you’re in for some laughs, heartwarming moments, and characters you wish were your real-life friends.

I loved the premise of this one. Katie, our main character, takes on a work project to save her job, and in the process, slowly learns to love herself — which is my favorite kind of character arc. The hilarious part? The entire project revolves around swimming… and Katie can’t swim. But does she admit that? Nope. She pretends she can, and what unfolds from that one little white lie is just comedy gold.

Enter Hutch — the so-called “Love Hater” and the guy Katie needs to cozy up to for her project. Of course, Hutch is basically perfect in everyone’s eyes except for his brother, and watching Katie try to navigate that whole dynamic was super entertaining. I loved their banter, the swoony moments, and the way the story slowly peeled back their layers.

Also, huge shoutout to the side characters in this one — Katie’s best friend and Hutch’s dog totally stole my heart. And can we talk about the setting? A rom-com set in Key West is basically a recipe for good vibes, and Katherine Center nailed it.

Overall, this book was funny, sweet, a little silly in the best way, and left me with a giant grin on my face. I’ll absolutely keep picking up her books — they never miss!

This was a great book. I rated it 4.25 stars. This is about Katie. She is a film maker working for a company that’s having major layoffs. Her coworker suggests that she profile his brother who works for the coast guard in the Florida keys. The sticking point? Katie can’t swim! However, she takes the job and gets swimming lessons from the coast guard hero himself, Hutch. Hutch is a closed book and doesn’t socialize much, but over time Katie is able to slowly pick away at that rough exterior to find that he has quite a bit of trauma he’s dealing with. The secondary characters are awesome! Aunt Rue is a bundle of sunshine and George Bailey the Great Dane is a personality in and of himself. This has slapstick comedy moments, particularly from Katie who is a hot mess express. This book overall is about pushing your own personal boundaries. Doing this you’re uncomfortable with because you can indeed to hard things. Fantastic book! Pick it up on May 20!

Love Haters is a feel-good romance that delivers plenty of heart, humor, and emotional depth. Katherine Center does a great job creating characters you care about, and the story touches on vulnerability, second chances, and learning to trust again. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling by the end.

While a few plot points were a little unrealistic and the story dragged in spots, I was still invested throughout. Overall, it’s a solid 4-star read for fans of contemporary romance.

Trigger warning: this book includes references to eating disorders, which may be sensitive for some readers.

Katherine Center never lets me down! This was a really fun read. I really enjoyed the main characters, Katie and Hutch. I fell in love with Hutch the moment she met him! I also really loved Rue, and all of her gal pals. I loved the little community she built and how supportive she was to Katie. Cole wasn’t my the greatest character, he was too petty to Hutch for something that wasn’t his fault. The ending was the perfect wrap up for the story. I’m so glad Katie moved to Key West for Rue (and Hutch)!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center has one of the best writing styles I have read in a long time! Reading this book felt like a friend was telling me how her work trip went. I was sucked into this book from the very beginning when normally it takes a couple of chapters to get to that point. The plot twist after plot twist had me wanting to read more and more! This is a slow burn book in the best way.

The FMC talks about her struggles with her body image and I love the way that it’s so relatable. It truly makes you feel like she is a real person with real people struggles. The way that she talks about herself and the realization she has about how she feels about herself in the end has me tearing up because it is something I feel we all need to realize.


The MMC is a dream! He is misunderstood but when he opens up and we see who he really is, you can’t help but to love him!

There is so much more I can say about this book… I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers and even those who don’t read much romance. You will not regret it!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange of an honest review!

Thanks to SMP for the gifted copy!

As a longtime lover of Katherine Center’s books, I was really excited to read her new release. However, this one just felt a little different to me. I appreciate that Katherine attempted a main character who is trying to get over body dysmorphia, but the execution just didn’t work for me. There was *too* much of a focus on it, with the way she dealt with it, just not as practical. Add in a horrible coworker and lying, and this one just did not work out for me. I will be back for more from Katherine, though!

Reading a Katherine Center book is like getting the biggest, warmest hug! Enjoyable from start to finish. Somehow, I can never stop the huge grin that takes over my entire face whenever I read one of her books.

This book was really good!!! I had dnfed a book by this author before, but this one really hit!!! If you like a book about finding love in the most unexpected places and facing fears, I think you should read this!!! Katie and Hutch were super fun to read about, so I think everyone should give it a try!!! Enjoy!!! Also thank you everyone who let me read this ARC!!!!

Katie’s about to get laid off from her digital video company, when her supervisor volunteers her for a job filming a promotional video for the Coast Guard in Key West. The main subject is Hutch, her supervisor’s brother who is also famous for rescuing Jennifer Aniston’s dog. Hutch is a “love hater” but he and Katie quickly connect and a tentative romance develops.

I enjoy Katherine Center books but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. One of the main themes is negative self image. Katie suffers from this and it is very repetitive and prevalent throughout the book. Also, I didn’t necessarily feel the connection between her and Hutch. I wish that had been developed a little more. I did like the Coast Guard information in the Key West setting. Aunt Rue was a fun character.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I couldn't put it down. I read it in two sittings. I accidentally stayed up until midnight reading which is not normal for me. This book has a lot of body positivity talk in it making it a great book for anyone struggling with that but also just a nice reminder for us all. The writing as always was well done. There were so many moments that touched me and I shed a few tears. The romance aspect could have been more. I wanted more anyways. This was kinda a slow burn but no spice style. I wasn't a fan of the things that happened with Cole. I kinda lost interest a little at that point but I'm thankful it only lasted a few chapters. I loved the side characters Rue, The Gals and Beanie. They were so colorful. This wasn't my favorite Katherine Center book, How To Walk Away stays at number 1, but this is definitely in the top 3!

Thank you so much to the author and MacMillan pub for this ARC copy.

silly and fun, katherine center knows how to write characters who fall for each other in such an entertaining way!

Such a cute romcom! I love Katherine Center’s books and this one does not disappoint! Nothing like a broody hot rescue swimmer to start off the summer reading!

This novel delivers a wonderfully absurd yet thoroughly enjoyable experience with a plot that moves at a brisk pace, taking unexpected turns while keeping the central romance surprisingly grounded.

The book follows Katie, a videographer on the verge of losing her job, as she heads to Florida to film a documentary about Hutch, a strikingly handsome Coast Guard member known for his aversion to romance. Katie, still dealing with the fallout from a previous relationship and negative online attention, also struggles with body image issues.

Initially, the story focuses on the documentary shoot, but it truly takes off as the motivations and past hurts of Katie and Hutch are revealed, drawing the reader into their emotional journeys. Supporting characters, including Hutch's brother Cole, their resilient honorary aunt Rue, and a particularly empathetic Great Dane named George Bailey, add significant depth to the narrative. While the beginning might feel a little slow, the book ultimately offers a rewarding experience with humor, heartfelt moments, and a compelling exploration of self-acceptance.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Love Haters is the perfect romantic comedy for your summer getaway or staycation. There’s an adorable dog, a dreamy guy who ought to be too good to be true, and a relatably flawed heroine. There’s found family, a tropical setting, and learning to love and accept oneself. If you love Emily Henry or Elin Hilderbrand, do yourself a favor and read this book!

I went into this book with no expectations having not read a Katherine Center book before and it went deeper than I expected it to go.

The book isn’t just about romance but about facing your fears, loving yourself, family, and friendship. What sets this book apart for me are topics not often tackled so candidly in romantic fiction. The story thoughtfully weaves in body image issues and online bullying adding weight to the story without losing the charm and spark of a good romance.

Katie for the most part was a relatable main character, but I think there was more focus on the body image issues than the romance and that got to be a tad repetitive to me. Hutch, while a great male lead, just didn’t scream sexy main character for me. I just felt something was missing there a little bit.

The supporting characters in this book that brought so much life to the story. From Hutch’s massive dog George Baily, to colorful delightful Rue and all the characters in between. The story developed their arcs with enough detail to make you love them but not so much that they outshone the story itself.

For fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, I suggest you give this book a read. It’s a perfect read for summer, and I would definitely recommend it. 4.5/5 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just love Katherine Center's books, and this one was one of my favorites from her more recent releases. Katherine is a naturally happy-go-lucky human, and this approach to life is clearly reflected in her books.

In effort to save her job, Katie Vaughn agrees to take an assignment as a video producer for a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. Katie does not know how to swim, and as she relocates to the Keys, she meets quirky and funny people that warm up to her quickly. When she meets the person she is video profiling - "Hutch", it is not the best introduction, nor is he the nicest and most open person. As their relationship develops, each character's vulnerabilities surface and they grow together as friends and eventual love interests. Hutch has a charming dog that only loves Katie and their attraction towards each other roots itself and grows as they share fun and exciting experiences together.

In natural KC fashion, this is a naturally charming book, set in a naturally charming setting, and is a quick and fun read. I enjoyed watching Katherine doing her research for this book in Coast Guard helicopters over Galveston on her Instagram posts. I was looking forward to this book for a long time and want to thank Net Galley for the early release copy.

This book is perfect for a fun summer read for romance lovers and ones that enjoy adventure and growth of characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Book Sparks for the free book and to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I love the way Katherine Center writes. Her prose and characters sweep me away. Add in that she advocates so well for the romance genre, and I will always read every book of hers.

For this book, I think there were parts when it was hard to be in Katie's head because she deals with a lot of self-hatred. And that's a huge theme throughout the book. But at the same time, she was expressing feelings I have had. And there's something really amazing about seeing those in fiction. And Katherine has such an ability to make me care for characters. She brought me along on the journey and made me consider what it would be to love myself more completely.

Hutch is a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard and such a nuanced character. As his brother derides, he is absolutely perfect. But I wanted a bit more depth and growth in Katie and Hutch's relationship with each other.

And then we get the scene stealers. George Bailey is Hutch's Great Dane rescue dog. And Rue is his aunt who owns an amazing tropical clothing boutique and gathers a great group of retirees who meddle in everything. They added such joy and humor to the story.

CW: Fatphobia, crash and death of loved ones

Yum. This is one of my favorite Katherine Center books, I've decided. She always write uplifting rom-com stories with just a little bit of angst that keeps you on your toes. But you know that in the end, she will bring you to a satisfying and happy conclusion because that's what she does so well. All during the process of reading the book, you are thoroughly entertained leaving you pondering even when you're not reading the story. I buzz through her books within a couple of days at the most because I want to see what happens next and who's involved in making it happen. And almost always, I fully agree with how it all ends up. Her stories aren't always predictable despite what I'm saying here. There are enough curves and paths taken that are not so straightforward that will definitely keep you guessing. But she's so skilled at taking you from one end of the story to the other that each page feels new even though you're pretty sure you can count on where you're going. Read this book. It's one of her best.

I absolutely adore Katherine Center’s writing and was excited to have a chance to read an e-ARC of The Love Haters. I did like the book overall, though I will say that based on the synopsis given, I did expect more of a romance than what was written, but I do understand that there was also the romance with her own self and her body. But that part of it isn’t alluded to anywhere in the synopsis so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, given the body image issues!

The writing that I love and have come to expect from this author was still there, though. Those little life lessons throughout the book, and characters just genuinely caring and loving one another. I love that we always get to see the main character’s relationships with other people, and in this case I absolutely adored Katie’s relationship with her cousin/best friend, Beanie. I do wish we got to know Hutch more – in some places it was mentioned Katie and Hutch talked the entire day about so and so, but we didn’t get anything beyond a mention of the conversation topic. I would’ve liked to see some of these conversations on the page so we got to know Hutch’s character more, too. Overall though, you do get some sense of the type of character he is, and I love that for Katie.

This was a quick, easy read for me, and I appreciated the overall message and theme of the book once I was done. Also loved the author’s note at the end of the book so be sure to read that, too!

Looking forward to whatever Katherine Center writes next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet book about a romance between a videographer and a Coast guard rescue swimmer. Katie also has a lot of body image issues that she continues to work on throughout the book. This is honestly an amazing read for younger readers as there’s no spice and it talks a lot about being confident in yourself and what your body does