I love Katherine Center and I was so excited to listen to this book! This book is the perfect book to read or listen to over the summer. I enjoyed the characters, the humor and of course the romance. The writing was great and all that was missing was the beach I wish I had been on when I read/listened to this.

Katherine Center is an author I can always count on. Her books are always entertaining and funny. The Love Haters was no different. I loved the narration. I loved the storyline. Thank you, Netgalley for the chance to listen.

I just finished the audio of The Love Haters. It’s was a solid 3.5 star read for me. A super scum easy listen that would make a perfect beach read. The setting was the most charming little retirement community of “The Gals” in Key West Florida. Never had I ever wanted to go poolside with octogenarians so much!
I’m not sure if it was the audio narration or the storyline it’s self, but something about it seemed a bit… too silly at times? Even during the serious parts, the tone made it seem like it was on the edge of a joke. The silly, light hearted tone made it hard to really connect with the deeper issues woven in.

This was a new author for me. I was expecting a little more romance and less body-image/disordered eating issues. The body image stuff was really hard on, and as someone who has always struggled with that myself, I just didn't want to read it in what I thought was going to be a feel-good rom-com. As far as spice goes, there was none. This is strictly a little meet-cute love story. It was definitely funny at times, and I found myself laughing a bit at some of the antics between the main characters. Overall, I didn't hate it, but it was just ok for me.

I’m actually very glad I did the audio to this book! I’ve read a few books by this author and she is normally a hit or miss for me. This book probably would’ve been a miss if not for the narrators. They had the most comforting voices that kept me in the story even tho I wasn’t all that interested. This book deals with body image insecurity which most women deal with so it is very realistic in that sense but the extremes in which the main character went through were too much for me. I enjoyed hearing about Hutch way more than Katie. Although this was not my cup of tea there will be someone out there who loves it.

Thank you #NetGalley for the Audiobook ARC of #TheLoveHaters by Katherine Center!

Katherine Center knows how to deliver a meaningful story, and The Love Haters is no exception. I appreciated the strong themes of body positivity and self-love woven throughout Katie’s journey—it’s rare to see a rom-com spend so much time on a character’s relationship with herself, and that part genuinely resonated with me. Katie is a video producer who ends up in Key West to profile "Hutch", a Coast Guard rescue swimmer (and her co-worker’s estranged brother), in a last-ditch effort to save her job. The catch? She can’t swim—and pretends she can. What follows is a tropical tangle of lies, swim lessons, stolen kisses, and George Bailey the Great Dane who believes he's a lap dog.

While I loved the setting, Hutch, and the zany cast of side characters (Aunt Rue and "the gals"), I struggled to connect with Katie. Her constant self-deprecation became exhausting. I understood it was part of her arc, but it felt repetitive and, at times, emotionally heavy in a way that slowed down the book. And honestly? I was baffled by her best friend, Beanie. She’s Katie’s biggest champion and body image guru, yet she repeatedly drops emotional gut punches about Katie’s ex-fiancé—with little to no awareness of the damage.

Overall, while I appreciate the book's message, the execution didn't fully land for me. The romance took a back seat to self-discovery in a way that felt uneven—and the character dynamics (especially between Katie and Beanie) didn’t always make sense. If you’re a fan of character-driven rom-coms with emotional weight and minimal spice, this could still be a hit. For me, it was a thoughtful story with great moments... just not quite the perfect fit.

I'm not sure why someone like me who doesn't like or read romance novels or rom-coms likes Katherine Center's books so much but I do! Her humor, a realistic story line, some twists in the story - she can just tell a great story with such heart!

Katie is a video producer and it looks like she has two really bad choices - get laid off or take a job profiling a Coast Guard rescuer. Obviously the latter sounds better, except that Katie can't swim and this is her co-worker's brother. She very reluctantly takes the job and heads to Key West, Florida.

Pick up a copy to read by the beach, or listen to this great audiobook as you dream of being on a beach with the warm wind on you - you won't be disappointed!

My thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center audiobook was a fun and light listen. I really enjoyed the story and was captivated by the narration. This was my first Katherine Center book and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you netgalley for the ARC audiobook!!

When Katherine Center has a new book out, I snag it immediately! Firstly, I’ll say that I don’t think this is my new favorite, but I did end up loving it!

Katie is a video journalist, and needs to do “a day in the life” of Hutch, coast guard rescue swimmer who is famous for rescuing Jenn Anniston’s dog 🤣 To save her job, she heads to Key West to try to convince him to let her interview him, and he is resistant. They go back and forth and get to know each other, little by little, until her co-worker (Hutch’s brother!) arrives on the scene and claims Katie is his girlfriend.

This is a wild ride, beginning with Katie’s swimsuit-phobia, followed by Hutch’s Great Dane’s love of Katie, and finishing with his Aunt Rue’s team of old ladies trying to pair them up. The beginning made me wonder if I’d truly enjoy it, but the end had me on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would play out. Katie isn’t my favorite of Center’s heroines, but Hutch is pure, noble, gold.

If you love Center’s books, you’ll love this too!

Once again I start off with I love this author! This was a fun listen from start to finish. Katie is doing all she can to keep her job, even if it means fudging her capabilities. Who hasn’t at some point done that just a bit never actually imagining you’d have to do it. Isn’t that what YouTube University is for? Katie needs her job and gets somewhat bamboozled/guilted into taking an assignment without the whole story (truth). When she gets to her destination and many truths come out. She figures out how to navigate the situation, how to swim, how to deal with the deception, a difficult subject, meets some amazing people, a fabulous horse size dog and after a lot of will they, wont they finds love and a whole new life. Great cast of really interesting characters. I enjoyed this beautifully narrated audiobook from the moment I pressed play.

I just finished The Love Haters by Katherine Center and here are my thoughts.

Katie has gotten herself between a rock and a hard place.. they are laying people off at work but she’s been given a lifeline.. to do the video productive of hutch.. a coast guard.. trouble is she lied about being able to swim.
She didn’t go down there expecting to feel things but they are both closed off from love and she is starting to fall back in love with herself.
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Date of Release - May 20th 2025
Publisher - @stmartinpress
Format - audio and hardcover and the narration was amazing!

There is something you should know about Katherine’s books is that she always puts a moral in there and it will resonate with you. It’s always more than just a romance. It’s a book of self discovery too.

I loved the characters. Katie is so relatable. All the characters are perfect! I was sucked right into Hutch’s world and I didn’t want to leave. The book was beautifully written and the story just flowed. It gave me all the feels! It made me laugh, it made my eyes well with tears. It had some really tender moments and I was fully invested in the outcome.

The ending was brilliant too. You won’t be sorry for picking up this book!

5 stars

If you love heartwarming rom-coms, grab this one next month!

Thank you St Martin’s press and @netgalley for my gifted copies

#thelovehaters #katherinecenter #romcom #bookreview #igbooks #igreader #bookish #smpinfluencer #bookishreel #bookalorian #booksbooksbooks #romancereader #booklove #readersofig #readingallday

The Love Haters was my 3rd Katherine Center rom-com and it was very enjoyable! It hit on multiple heavy topics including self-image (body positivity) and handling grief all while including her typical romance.

The main character, Katie, is a videographer. She is sent to Key West on the premise of recording a recruiting video for the U.S. Coast Guard in hopes of saving her job as well. What's the catch? The man she will be interviewing in Hutch, her co-worker Cole's older, perfect brother, whom he says is a "love-hater". Katie is staying with Rue, Cole and Hutch's quirky aunt who owns a row of bungalows in the Keys. Rue takes Katie under her wing and helps her with her self-esteem. Katie can't swim but for the job, it's a requirement. Hutch offers to give her swim lessons which helps them bond. And you cant forget my favorite character, George Bailey, Hutch's Great Dane.

I do felt that there could have been more moments between Katie and Hutch and that I wish we could have got to know Beanie a little bit more as well. The topic of body-positivity was also a very heavy focus throughout the book. I do think it was important to focus on Katie learning to love her body, however, I felt that it was a bit too overdone at some points.

This isn't my favorite Katherine Center rom-com but the audiobook still earned 5 stars. Patti Murin is a fantastic narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Very cute read! Heavy on former eating disorder, but this tells the story of journalist Katie going to make a feature about Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer who supposedly "hates love." There's a little bit of everything in this -- suspense during a hurricane, cute dog, annoying brothers, lies lies and more lies. Really fun!

It seems like the last few Katherine Center books have had very strong themes to them. This time she’s tackling body image. For the most part, I didn’t mind the internal body talk. It felt realistic and like something many women struggle with. But by 30% in, I was ready to move on. I quickly tired of the self help portion of the story. I was ready for the romance.

I really loved the Coast Guard rescue swimmer aspect of the story. It was interesting and not something I’ve seen in a romance. The romance had some great moments and some funny ones. I was embarrassed for our main character Katie. She had some bad luck.

In addition to enjoying the romance, I really loved the dog. I found him charming as he snuggled his way into my heart and into people’s beds.

What kept this from being a book I loved was when a side character took over and derailed everything. His actions had me so annoyed, and the reaction to his poor behavior left me so frustrated. I just wanted to focus on the romance not the side drama.

If you love Katherine Center’s recent books, you’ll probably really enjoy this.

I listened to the audio of this. It was narrated by Patti Murin who is the quintessential sound of a Katherine Center book. I found it enjoyable.

This book contains scattered moderate profanity and has kissing.

First of all, I adore Katherine Center. I think she's an incredible author and I love that her stories always have deeper themes/experiences sprinkled in amongst the humor and swoon. However, this book hit a bit different for me. I feel like it's definitely more women's fiction versus the emotionally charged, but romance all the way vibes of Katherine's more recent books. Don't get me wrong...Women's literature can be amazing. But Katie and Hutch's story was left a little more open-ended than I prefer in exchange for an epilogue that focused more on Katie's revelations about herself. Again...not a bad thing, just unexpected. I also struggled a bit with Katie's negative view of herself. I know many women experience feelings similar to Katie's and I can see how her character arc is probably extremely meaningful and empowering to them. My body is far from perfect, but I also prefer to try my best to not focus on outward appearance so I think that's why I had a hard time connecting to that aspect of the book.

Even with a couple of personal hangups, I still really enjoyed this book. Katherine's writing style is honestly like coming home for me at this point and I loved Patti Murin's narration in the audiobook. As always, I can't wait to see what Katherine has in store for us next!

Things I loved:
❤️Beanie (what an absolute hype woman)
❤️Rue (who seriously must be protected at all costs)
❤️"The gals" (I want these ladies to be my besties too!)
❤️George Bailey (just everything about him really)
❤️The nickname "Hutch" (it really is the coolest)
❤️Coast Guard rep (so interesting!)
❤️Katie and Hutch's meet-cute
❤️Swim lessons
❤️SWET training (the wardrobe malfunction in particular 😂)
❤️Some of the absolutely swoony things Hutch said to Katie
❤️Katie's thoughtfulness and sacrifice during the hurricane
❤️Beauty lists (Katie and Beanie's)
❤️Katie's successful character arc
❤️Overcoming chromophobia
❤️Katie's life changes

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

3.5 stars rounded down

This was actually my introduction to Katherine Center as I have heard about her but have never read her books. While the book had an intriguing premise—a mix of humor, high stakes, and a vibrant Key West setting—the execution didn’t fully deliver.

The story follows Katie Vaughn, a video producer who, to keep her job, takes on an assignment profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The catch? She can’t swim but keeps that detail to herself. The assignment is further complicated by Hutch’s strained relationship with his brother, Cole, who is also Katie’s boss. When Katie arrives in Key West, she stays with Hutch’s quirky Aunt Rue, whose lively presence adds charm. However, once swim lessons begin, the humor veers too far into slapstick, and the chemistry between Katie and Hutch feels more told than shown.

The novel’s handling of deeper themes, such as body image and grief, was uneven—important but often overshadowed by the book’s lighter tone. Some supporting characters lacked depth, particularly Katie’s friend Beanie and Cole, whose abrasive behavior was frustrating.

Despite its shortcomings, the book still had enjoyable elements, including the tropical atmosphere, adventure-filled plot, and Katie’s personal growth as she learns to embrace her body. The author even describes this as not just a romance between Katie and Hutch but a self-love journey for Katie and her body.

Ultimately, while this book wasn’t my favorite, I do acknowledges Center’s talent and remains excited for her next release. If you are looking for a lighthearted rom-com book, this is a great suggestion.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Read this if you like:
•dogs
•complicated family relationships
•forced proximity

George Bailey (the dog) stole the show and saved the book for me. The best Great Dane there is! Katie is jaded and has body image issues. The body image issues run DEEP and parts of this felt like a self help book for body issues. Katie lies to get a job, lies that she can swim, and the job involved being able to swim. Hutch is a coast guard hunk with a complicated relationship with his brother (Katie’s coworker). Katie felt immature at times but overall a cute story and the dog was the best part of the book! This is also a great reminder that everyone should learn how to swim. Thank you Macmillan audio for the ALC

I absolutely loved this book! What an adorable plot with characters I felt like I knew! Thank you for allowing me an arc! I will be recommending this book to my friends!

There’s a fine line between love and love- hate, and this book walks it perfectly.

I absolutely adored this novel! It’s my second book by Katherine Center, and I’m already eager to dive into more of her work. I went in blind, and I’m so glad I did—this book did not disappoint. It’s the perfect blend of rom-com charm and heartfelt women’s fiction. The main characters were fantastic, and the supporting cast added so much depth to the story. The small-town setting was wonderful, capturing that cozy, laid-back vibe that makes for the ideal summer beach read. I listened to the audio in 2 days and the narrator was great!

What really stood out for me were the discussions about family, body image, and love. (Please be sure to check the trigger warnings.) I really enjoyed following Katie and Hutch on their personal journeys—they both grew in such an authentic and moving way. The only aspect I didn’t love was the conflict— the brother. I had such a great time reading this, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a story full of heart. 4.5/5

Tropes/Notes:
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Rom Com
- Only her POV
- Slow Burn
- No Spice
- Small Town

This is the second book I’ve read of Katherine Center and I really enjoyed listening to it! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC audiobook. I really liked all the voices of this audiobook and kept me wanting to continue listening on.

The story is about Katie, who travels to Key West for work, and her co-workers brother Hutch. Katie is to follow him around and figure out this mysterious love hater while learning to overcome her fear of swimming, since Hutch is in the Coast Guard.

I enjoyed listening to their relationship blossom and became annoyed with Hurch’s brother, Cole. I also didn’t care for all the body image issues, but still enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars.