3.5 - I love Katherine Center books so much, especially her contemporary romance, women's fiction books. Recently, I feel like shes been leaning more heavily on the romance genre and while I've still really enjoyed her recent releases, they haven't been my absolute favorite of her books. The Love Haters was a fun summer romance that I think is perfect to enjoy at the beach or on a summer vacation!!

The Love Haters follows Katie and Hutch. Katie is struggling with her career, about to get laid off, when she is given the opportunity to make a career defining move producing a film following Hutch, a Coach Guard rescue swimmer. Katie has sworn off love but when she meets Hutch, they have instant attraction. Katie is someone who really struggles with her self worth and internal dialogue and body image. Katie and Hutch get caught up in a messy relationship for the summer full of a lot of lies and sneaking around.

While I appreciate the themes and focus on body image, body dysmorphia and self worth, I think it could have been handled better. Personally I don't love it when a character struggles with their self worth and body dysmorphia and then suddenly the love interest comes around and cures them in a few weeks. I understand a book is only so many pages and fast paced but I think if anything there could have been more dialogue and healing done throughout the book before Hutch really starts changing how Katie views herself.

However, I did really like the relationship dynamics and how flirty and fun Katie and Hutch were together!! I do think the first half of the book felt a bit slow in terms of pacing but the second half of the book went quick and a lot progressed with their relationship.

Overall, unfortunately not my favorite Katherine Center book, although I appreciate what she was trying to do with this sensitive topic. thanks to St Martin's Press for the free book!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Every book I read by Katherine Center is better than the last. And this one definitely fit that bill. She takes some that may appear ordinary and makes it extraordinary.
Kate Vaughn needs to save her job. So when the opportunity to follow famous coast guard Tom "Hutch" Hutchinson presents itself through her coworker Cole, she takes the leap. Never mind she can't swim and the assignment requires her to learn what coast guard rescue swimmers must endure to become part of, she'll do anything to make sure she keeps her job. Even present just a few lies Hutch and his family/friends. She'll need to face her fears to do well but can she also open her heart to be happy?
I loved Kate's character. She grows so much during this book. She starts out trapping herself in lies to get where she needs to go. But as she progresses she learns the things she needs to learn in order to survive her assignment. She also learns to open up and let her heart feel things she never thought would come up on an assignment with the Coast Guard. She creates relationships with those around her and finds a found family she was never looking for. Her biggest change is the confidence she gains about her body. Eating disorders are no joke. They literally become your entire personality and without therapy can overtake your life and become all you are. Center does really good job of showing how this disorder forms who Kate is. I could feel her anguish over this throughout the book. Often times these things come across as not realistic for me but I could feel just how hard it was for Kate's character to grow and change in this area. Center promotes body positivity in a realistic and relatable way.
Hutch, oof. Definitely a new book boyfriend for me. He's so much more than what he seems on the surface. His sibling rivalry with Cole is just what I would picture happening with two brothers who always seemed to be competing with each other. Though I think the competition was more on Cole's end than Hutch's. I appreciated Hutch's wanting to be out of the spotlight and just do his job. After all, his job is to save lives and that is what made him famous. But why should he be any different than the others who do the same every day?
I always worry about single POV romances. So many times I am wishing I could see what is going on in the other character's mind. But Center does a good job showing all the characters through Kate's POV. And of course Kate's insecurities are so much easier to understand when you're in her mind. The experience of the story through Kate's POV is perfect. I loved the banter Kate showed us with all the characters. Plus we got a great perspective on Hutch's found family and how they care for him.
The romance was a little bit of insta-love for me, thus the drop in my rating from 5 to 4 stars. There was some good organic growth but I feel like it happened too quickly.
As for the side characters, there is nothing like being in the middle of a bunch of older ladies talking about men, love, and so many other things. And Rue, gah, she cares so much for Cole and Hutch despite the circumstances under which they came into her care (won't give spoilers here but it will make you tear up). I low key hated Cole. I still can't forgive him for how he acted and I'm not sure how Kate and Hutch do!
The show stopper was George Bailey, Hutch's Great Dane. This dog is full of personality and fun. I just could not get enough of him and I loved how he formed a relationship with Kate.
As with all of Center's books, I was sad to be done with this one and almost immediately wanted to pick it back up and start again. That is the sign of a good book that burrows itself into your heart and makes a home there. If you are looking for a feel good book that promotes self love, digging into who you are, and learning to accept your perfect imperfections, Center gives it all!

I didn’t totally connect with the main character, and while we see Katie’s attraction to Hutch early on, I didn’t really feel much chemistry between them. I think it needed a bit more tension in the beginning to really hook me. The last 40% definitely picked up and had some better moments, but I still didn’t feel fully invested—I mostly just wanted to finish so I could start my next read.

The book also brings up some heavier themes like eating disorders and body image, but they felt more surface-level than deeply explored. Since they were mentioned a lot, I wish they’d had more weight and depth.

I’m sad I didn’t love this one, especially since Katherine Center’s last release was one of my favorites from last year. Still, not a bad book—just not the one for me. I’ll definitely keep reading her!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

To start off if you have any type of body issues this book might be triggering. A large portion of the book is about her gaining confidence in her body and trying to actually like it. This is a slowish burn and I really enjoyed it. Hutch was so interesting and I love that he immediately noticed everything about her. The fact that he caught her actual eye color and no one else ever had, he had me swooning.

I received an arc through netgalley.

4/5 Stars
0.5/5 spice

Quick Summary: Katie is sent to Florida Keys to shoot a promotional video for Cost Guards and the ones who dive in the save those who are at sea!

Once again, Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my autobuys and comfort reads. This book is going to be very different from her past few books. In my opinion, I feel like the romance takes a back seat, and the main message is really about loving yourself. I enjoyed Katie, I feel like I could relate to Katie and her struggles with her body image. (Trigger- lots of disordered eating, body image language). As someone who is a professional in the field, I feel like the issue was brought up very well, and the therapy behind it made me chuckle because of how I tend to use some of it in my work :). Anyways, enough of me geeking out about it. Hutch and Katie was soo much fun to read about. While I feel like the love was more insta, it was fun to watch them banter and get to know each other. While Hutch's brother, Cole is a moron, it was also fun to read to read about their relationships and the one-sided competition that is between the two of them.

Overall, the MC and the side characters (George Bailey, too!) were all great, and it was such an easy read. I definitely recommend this if you are looking for a good rom-com this spring/summer. Once again, read your triggers because there is some disordered eating/body image language.

Thank you to Netgalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for sending an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! Definitely a 3.5/5 ⭐️ read for me! The pacing was a little slow for me, but I think that, more than just the relationship between the main characters, there were so many different subelements and relationships between secondary characters that made this book one I stuck it out for. I personally loved the relationship between Hutch and Cole (Ace). It was exactly what you’d imagine of a sibling rivalry, where one never quite feels like he’s on the same level as the other, but the real trauma behind where that came from hit me in the heart. My absolute favorite part of the book however was how Katie learned to love herself. It was so relatable as a woman to go through the struggle of loving yourself and how you look, and her best friend helped Katie (and me!) learn to do that. It’s so simple but so groundbreaking: “I just love all of my everything because it’s mine.” That line is going to stick with me for a while!!

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review. A Katherine Center novel is a perfect way to start your summer. The characters and setting are always heartfelt and delightful and this did not disappoint.

Katie takes on a writing assignment in gorgeous Key West while trying to get over a rather public break-up. Her subject is a very handsome but modest Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch, who wants little to do with publicity. As Katie gets involved with his life and family including a giant rescue Great Dane, a romance buds. Katie is literally swept off her feet as she negotiates her assignment as well as the comical side characters that encourage a romance.
It wouldn't be summer without a Katherine Center romance and this laugh out loud story does not disappoint! Summer starts here!

4.5

The thing I love so much about single pov romance books is that you truly experience every thought that character has. We follow Katie through this whole ordeal and she has a lot of feelings about it. I find it so real that in every aspect of her day to day life, her body has become front and center despite her dislike of it. When experiencing something, like ED recovery, you have spent a long time focusing on, in this case, you body that it becomes an entity you carry around with you every where. I really enjoyed that consistency. Don't even get me started on Hutch... hot and a good listener? Yes, please. Thank you very much!

I really enjoyed this book! The banter was hilarious and there were interesting twists with the characters and plot that I did not expect. It was a great beach read that I would recommend to anyone who wants an uplifting story. I also enjoyed the “self love” conversations that happened throughout the book!

This book was super cute. I really like the Coast Guard effect of it. I’m a native Floridian and have been to the keys numerous times. I wish there was more specific detailed places for context to tie in the location. But overall, I really enjoyed both characters, their flaws and the overall storyline and ending.

This book was like a cozy chat with a good friend—thoughtful, funny, and filled with heart. Yes, our FMC Katie struggles with body image, and I know that’s been a point of debate. But honestly? Her journey felt relatable. Most of us have wrestled with self-doubt, and Katie’s is made harder by social media trolls. Her path to self-acceptance is messy but meaningful, and I think it was handled with care.

The web of lies she gets tangled in? Not my favorite plotline, but it didn’t take away from the heart of the story—and her connection with Hutch. And George Bailey? Completely stole the show. Rue and The Gals brought so much life to the pages. Rue especially had me smiling with her fairy godmother ways of nudging Katie toward courage and confidence. Beanie and Hutch were equally endearing and supportive in helping Katie overcome her fears.

The acknowledgements at the end were genuinely moving—you can tell this story came from a place of love. It’s a reminder that every part of us is worth loving, no matter what anyone else says.

Perfect for readers who enjoy heartfelt journeys, lovable side characters, and romance.

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

Romance books are inherently about falling in love, but the main character in this story fall in love with the man but also with herself. After the public scrutiny and a very public breakup with an up-and-coming celebrity, Katie doesn’t know how to love herself, much less even like herself. The media and the online comments have destroyed her, and it’s been very detrimental to her self-esteem.

Her work as a video producer sends her to Florida to make an ad involving a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, which puts her directly in someone else’s family drama and with the very kind and attentive rescue swimmer who helps her learn how to swim.

The plot at times felt a bit contrived, but my appreciation for the love interest’s dog assuaged any frustration. Overall, a decent read about learning to love the body that works so hard to keep you alive.

AHHH I LOVE KATHRINE CENTER AND EVERYTHING SHE WRITES! This book was another amazing story that made me laugh, cry, and swoon. Just so perfect!

If you need a good pallet cleanser, I suggest picking up a Katherine Center book! The Love Haters was no different in this case and honestly, I found myself loving every minute of this story!

Our FMC Katie struggles with body image issues and she felt really relatable to me. She worked on herself through the entire book and was able to overcome those issues and I loved that for her! Our MMC, Hutch, works with the coast guard, and let me just say this man is FINE! He’s definitely swoon worthy!

I enjoyed the plot of this book although parts of it did seem a little bit unrealistic, especially the last 25% but hey it’s a book so I’ll let it slide! Overall, I just really enjoyed this story and watching Katie and Hutch navigate their feelings for each other!

Thanks so much to Katherine Center and Netgalley for an ARC for an honest review!

I usually listen to rom coms, but I got a digital ARC of this one, so I physically read it and loved it. There were a few places that had me laughing hysterically.

Th Love Haters is about Katie, a videographer and Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Katie's boss sends her to the Florida Keys to film a recruiting ad for the Coast Guard instead of himself because he has a self-imposed rivalry with his brother (the MMC). Katie and Hutch spend quite a bit of time together in close proximity, feelings develop, and eventually chaos ensues (literally). Another aspect of the story is Katie's healing journey from a previous boyfriend and her body, which also reaches a breaking point at the same time as her relationship with Hutch.

Overall, this story was hilarious at times, and I really enjoyed it. The dog had me in hysterics. There really wasn't any spice, just endless hot/cold flirting and interest. What i didn't like was that the brother rivalry felt weird. All of Cole's lies felt a little like grasping at straws and forced. Also, every time an author wants to talk about eating disorders and body image, it's always about a size 2, beautiful woman who thinks she's fat and ugly. I acknowledge that women of all sizes have body image issues, but as someone who will never be a size 2, I feel very unseen by the constant focus on already thin women having these issues.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was really not the vibe for me. I have enjoyed this author in the past, so I expected to again- but I really could not get into this one. I wanted to DNF multiple times. I preserved, but it wasn’t worth it.

I’ll start with the positive. The setting in Key West was dreamy and well described. I liked Katie’s hate to love relationship with her body. I really liked Beanie and Rue, they were great side characters who had Katie’s best interest at heart.

The things I didn’t like were really character based. I really did not like Cole. He was so manipulative and seemed mean to Katie even when claiming to help her. All he did was lie and have one sided beef with his brother! And even after it was explained his behavior was still gross and he didn’t apologize well enough for me.

I didn’t really like the love interest, Hutch, either. He seemed to have almost no personality. And I’m sorry- but the rescue at the end should have been way more romantic! He wanted to leave her stranded in a raft and didn’t even say hi or anything to her lol.

As for Katie, despite liking her journey with her body, she was so dumb when it came to Cole and going along with his lies. She let herself seem like a terrible person because Cole thought their boss would fire her? I’m sorry it was not justified in my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I recently read The Love Haters by Katherine Center, and it was an absolute delight from start to finish. The banter between Katie and Hutch was sharp and engaging, adding a lively dynamic to their evolving relationship. Hutch's Great Dane, George Bailey, was a standout character—his gentle nature and bond with Katie added warmth and charm to the story. Aunt Rue, with her vibrant personality, brought a touch of whimsy and wisdom that enriched the narrative.

What particularly stood out was the insight into the Coast Guard rescue operations. Learning about the rigorous training and dedication of rescue swimmers added depth to Hutch's character and provided an intriguing backdrop to the romance.

While the story had its moments of predictability, the engaging characters and heartfelt moments made it an enjoyable read. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my very first Katherine Center novel, and now I completely understand why so many readers rave about her books! After hearing great things about The Rom-Commers and The Bodyguard, I was excited to dive into The Love Haters—and I’m so glad I did.

One of the first things that drew me in was the setting. The story takes place in Key West, which holds a special place in my heart. I’ve visited before, and reading about the beaches, the sunshine, and the laid-back island lifestyle brought back so many happy memories.

In this story, we meet Hutch—a tall, handsome, and muscular U.S. Coast Guard Swimmer. I was fascinated by all the details about the Coast Guard, from their intense training to their day-to-day responsibilities and even their terminology. It’s clear the author did her research. But The Love Haters is more than just a typical rom-com. It touches on deeper themes like self-love, grief, found family, and facing fears. Watching Katie grow throughout the book was inspiring, and Hutch is patient, caring, and heroic in every way.

Overall, this book is heartfelt, fun, and the perfect summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Center for an arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is FANTASTIC!!! Such a fun and cute romcom perfect for the summer with a well rounded cast of characters and a captivating will they, won't they relationship between our 2 main characters.

The story in this book is great, but the characters are truly what made this book so fun and an easy 5 stars for me. Katie is an excellent protagonist and is so full of genuine emotion, it makes it easy to root for her throughout the story. Her previous trauma gives such a depth to her journey and her growth, and made the stakes on everything so much higher, which, in turn, made her that much more endearing.

And Hutch?!? SWOON!! My heart belongs to this sweet, teddy bear of a man. He has so many layers and every chapter revealed something new to love about him.

I don't want to say too much else because I don't want to spoil anything, but if you love an entertaining and hilarious summer romance, this is the book for you. This book has it all - romance, drama, betrayal, comedy, and a depth of emotion. I am so excited for everyone to read this book and get to know Katie and Hutch.

I loved this book. It was more emotional than I thought. It really touched on body issues. Just raw. I was really invested in all the characters. Loved it. Couldn’t put it down.