LOVE HATERS!!! Thank you NetGalley & Pub for this PLEASANT ARC! Hutch & Katie’s romance was so sweet,
though a bit of a slow burn.. and a little back and forth. This was my first Katherine Center book and I just loved her writing! The story was easy to follow, (most) characters were likable, and it was a completely good time! My favorite character was honestly George Bailey, Hutch’s dog! I loved how he wasn’t just a pet, but a part of the story!!

Romance is not usually my preferred genre but I love Katherine Center. She knows how to pull you in, develop lovable characters and relationships without getting overly spicy. I absolutely loved this one!

KatherineCenter writes the cutest warmest fuzziest romcom books ever. She is an autobuy for me, so when I saw an opportunity for an advance read, I jumped at the chance and had my fingers, toes and eyes crossed!

Katie is a video producer, and her company is downsizing – her job is in jeopardy. Her co-worker and mentor, Cole, sets Katie up to work on a promotional video of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Katie takes the assignment although she lied and said she could swim.

When Katie gets to the Florida Keys to work with the rescue swimmer “Hutch”, aka Cole’s brother, her lie comes back to haunt her. Cute, cute, cute. The flirting, the banter, and most especially George Bailey (Hutch’s rescue Great Dane).

A light, fun, easy read on a Sunday afternoon. Finished in one sitting!

RECOMMEND. You can pre-order it now 😉

Thank you #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the advance copy of #TheLoveHaters in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute, somewhat predictable rom com. BUT- the best part of this book, in my opinion, was how the main character learned to love ALL parts of herself. Lots of messages that I took to heart and will try to remember the next time I’m being hard on myself. Excellent narration of the audiobook!

This was a cute, light story with some deep under-meaning, however it seemed a little long winded with inner dialogue - but that is just for me, for others it might need to be what you need to hear. But overall it was a cute predictable story and everything tied together in the end. Made me smile and laugh in certain parts. Plus, a good happy ending is always the best way to end a story!

This contains an audiobook review as well.

The Love Haters is a standalone kisses only romcom with some swearing. It is told in 1st person point of view from the main female character.

I went in to listening to this book without knowing anything other than the title but was hooked before the narrator read 5 minutes worth of the book. I found it to it to be very funny and yet there was a deeper message that really struck me regarding body positivity. The way that was addressed was so moving for me. Can you name 10 specific things you like about your body? I couldn't and probably still can't but I'm definitely going to try working on that! I also found the information regarding Hutch's occupation very informative, and especially appreciated the origin of "helicopter".

Hutch was so appealing as a character. Katie was very relatable. I just thoroughly enjoyed this book. A large part of that goes to the narrator of the audiobook! I would never have been able to read this with as much emotion and enthusiasm and spot on inflection as she did. Top notch job there!

I am also very happy to note that the author's notes and acknowledgements are included in the audiobook. ThatA is always a big plus to me as a reader/listener. A plus for this book is that those are both read by the author Katherine Center.

I was given the opportunity to listen to a copy of this book before release by Macmillian Audio and Netgalley. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This was a wonderful story! Katherine Center has done it again! Katie, the main character has such good chemistry across the board with all of the other characters. I was so sad that Katie has such negative body image about herself, and it appeared to really affect her emotional state. I listened to this in audio form, and the narrator was engaging and did a great job. If you are someone who has enjoyed Katherine Center's books in the past, you will enjoy this. If this is your first Katherine Center book, then you won't be disappointed! Thank you to net galley for this ARC for free in trade for my honest review.

★★★☆ 3.5/5 stars

Read if you like :
- Ashton Kutcher in The Guardian
- Closed door romance
- Rescue dogs
- Early 2000s rom coms
- Key West & beachy vibes
- Jennifer Aniston
- Witty banter

My thoughts :
Coast Guard rescue swimmer with a giant rescue Great Dane meets an anxious documentary film maker. Full of laugh out loud funny moments, quirky supporting characters, set in a charming seaside atmosphere with all the makings of your favorite 2000s rom com movie.

Was this a deep, emotional work of literature? No.
There were definitely some things about this one that felt a little too far fetched & silly, but it was very entertaining! I listened to this one start to finish in one day.

You have to suspend belief a bit & accept it for what it is : a super lighthearted, sometimes cheesy, summery rom com that would make for a perfect poolside read!

Thank you @macmillan.audio &@netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this arc!

OK, how is this my first Katherine Center? Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Add this to your summer TBR!! I couldn’t stop listening to this. I love when romance can take real-life situations and weave them in effortlessly into the story. Katie’s struggles with eating disorders and body dysphoria were clearly done with a lot of research and sensitivity. Though I did not love this for Katie, I understood why the author kept Katie’s body-consciousness at the surface of this story. I felt like it honestly reflects the idea that when there is something you are struggling with, it’s never far from your mind.

I enjoyed a lot about this novel. The setting was filled with fun and adventure with laugh-out-loud humor. Key West became its own character, and I love when the setting is intricate to the storytelling. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was palpable and so much fun to read. Where it missed was, we didn’t get enough of Hutch and Katie together; their reconciliation felt rushed, and I also feel like the ex-boyfriend was a huge loose thread.

I’ve always loved Katherine Center’s books and how she addresses important themes and issues in her stories. Plus some swoony moments. Love Haters definitely has all those. Katie (FMC) has some intense struggles with body image and self confidence, and the story also explores grief, loss, and overcoming negative self talk.

Things I loved:
-Rue & the gals
-The dog
-The first swim lesson (IYKYK 🤭)
-The swoony moments

Things I didn’t love:
-The body image stuff was relatable but also felt..maybe too extreme? And then it didn’t make sense to me to have a sculpted, perfect, statue of a man as the MMC.
-Speaking of the MMC. This is really just a personal gripe with many romance books in general, nothing against KC. But the perfect body, being overly described and ogled, and the man without any flaws, is not doing it for me.
-A lil bit of miscommunication that felt out of character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thanks, Macmillan Audio & Netgalley, for the audio ARC! Patti Murin does a fantastic job as always, and I love the little notes from Katherine as well.

Katherine’s books read like a love letter to life, to love, and to the romance genre. They leave me feeling hopeful and happy, and what more could you want from a book?

Patti did such an excellent job with the narration. She brought out the emotions in KC's writing and kept me engaged in the story from beginning to end. I just love her expressive voice, and it's so soothing to listen to.

I really enjoyed the development of Hutch and Katie. From the swimming lessons to the scenes with George Bailey, they were just so fun on page together. And, as always, KC had the best side characters. I loved The Gals and wanted to pull up a beach chair right beside them!

While the romance was excellent, Katie’s personal growth was the best part of this book for me. I was rooting for her to see her worth and love herself and her body. This book was such a good blend of humor and heartfelt, emotional moments!

Grab a bright, floral dress and some sunnies and let’s head to the beach!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC! All thoughts are my own.

This was a quick, fun romance read that had me smiling from start to finish. The pacing was spot-on, the writing style flowed effortlessly, and the characters—especially Katie and Hutch—were both charming and easy to root for. The Key West setting, mixed with adventure, humor, and a Great Dane, made this feel like a sunshine-filled rom-com in book form.

Where the story missed for me was the constant body-consciousness from Katie. It felt repetitive and unnecessary, especially in a romance that otherwise radiated confidence and growth. Remove that aspect, and this would’ve been an easy 5-star read!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I was between a 3.75 and 4 star rating for this book, I decided a 4 is the rating for now.

I enjoyed the story but there were some elements that needed a touch more of sensitivity, in my opinion. I have been a fan of Katherine Center’s books for a few years now and have enjoyed most of her works, so I want to give this one the benefit of the doubt.

I liked the characters, the plot, and the romance of this book. I always appreciate a found family book, especially one like this.


***Semi-Spoiler/Trigger Warning***

The main character has an eating disorder and a complicated relationship with her body and how she looks.

I have complicated feelings about the way this was handled and I believe that it could be damaging to someone who is actively working through an eating disorder of their own.

Thank you to Macmillian and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This is a 3.5 rounded up to a 5. This is my first Katherine Center book and her others have been on my TBR for a while. I don't think I would have enjoyed reading it on the page as much as I enjoyed the audiobook. Patti Murin is an excellent narrator who made me feel like I was in the Florida Keys with Katie.

Katie is on the verge of getting fired at her video production company. Her colleague Cole has the job of a lifetime for her: creating a promotional video for the U.S. Coastguard featuring his brother, Tom "Hutch" Hutheson. Katie could not be a worse fit for this job as she can't even swim. With the help of her best friend/cousin Beanie, she learns how to love herself. Katie's broken engagement and lifelong body image issues have left her insecure and doubtful that this project will save her job. When she meets Hutch and Cole's aunt Rue, she learns to accept herself even if she's scared. Throughout her time in the Keys, she and Hutch's bond grows as she faces her fears.

I know the old saying not to judge a book by it's cover, but I have never seen a cover fit less for the story itself. It's giving sunny summer vacation romance, when it was more about trauma and the ins and outs of the U.S. Coast Guard. If you're looking for a swoony love story, this isn't it.

Thank you so much to Katherine Center, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this EARC and ALC!
All thoughts and opinions are my own 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Closed door romance/only kissing
* Body image struggle TW!!!!
* Opposites attract
* Small beach town
* Coast Guard MMC
* Video Production FMC

I love Katherine Center books so much. This one was a bit of a hard read for me, at times. Body image struggles are such a nuanced topic and our FMC Katie has struggled with body dysmorphia and negative self talk since she was young. I think it felt uncomfortable because 1) it felt very real - and this is something I really admire about KC’s writing. But 2) as someone who has lived in a fat body/has been fat my whole life, it was really hard to hear what Katie thought she looked like when I actually look like that.
Im hoping this makes sense. Not to diminish her struggles at all, but it’s upsetting that in her eyes, the worst thing that could happen to her was being fat or perceived as big, or being seen in a bathing suit.
How she didn’t believe it at first, when Hutch said he wanted to cover her up because seeing her in a bathing suit affected him in a good way.
I would have loved to see her gain a bit more confidence and self love earlier in the story. But, we got there in the end.
I think the epilogues was one of my favorites I’ve read in a while.
I still would recommend this book, just going into it knowing that if you struggle with body image or are fat, some parts may be hard to read. 💕

And also Patti Murin always does such a great job with these audios!!!

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Katherine Center is an auto buy author for me so I was delighted to get an advance copy of the audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job of keeping me interested.

This story was like so many of Katherine's stories - hopeful and funny and a bit far fetched in the best way. Katie and Hutch are adorable!

Cole - what a tool! I suppose he has a couple of redeeming qualities but it could be a stretch.

Pick this one up if you need a little "pick me up"

Congrats to Ms. Center on a job well done.

3.75

There was a lot of woe is me surrounding the fmc's body image and I felt that it took away from the enjoyment of the story. I understand it is a topic that needs to be discussed (EDs and such) but I think it was way too big a part of the story when we were supposed to be focusing on Hutch and his job as a rescuer for the coast guard. You know, the whole reason she's in Key West. I liked the story (other than the body image stuff) and I listened to it basically in one day. The characters were relatable and the dog adorable (as adorable a great Dane can be!) It was a cute rom-com with some adventure thrown in.

The narration was well done, easy to listen to.

3.5 /5
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the #ARC audio book.

This was a super light and fun book with endearing characters, cute interpersonal relationships and a picturesque backdrop. The quirky background characters of Rue and her lady friends added a lot of the comedy to the story line. The chemistry between our MMC and FMC was fantastic, thought I do wish it was explored a bit more. I am not embarrassed to admit that George Bailey was my absolute favorite character.

On top of a rom-com esque storyline we also get the self discovery of a woman trying to fall in love with herself. I loved the body positivity that our FMC gained as the story went on.
Another highlight for me was the narrator. Her voice perfectly told the story and though I rarely like a book in a single POV, it was perfect for telling this story.

The Love Haters
by Katherine Center
5/5 ⭐️

Five stars isn’t nearly enough for this book. The Love Haters has officially stolen the number one spot on my favorites list. This romantic comedy is not only laugh-out-loud funny and full of heart, but it is also rich with themes of found family, friendship, and learning to truly love yourself.
I connected with the main character, Katie, on a personal level. Her beauty list was an uplifting concept, and watching her personal growth unfold made me feel seen in ways I didn’t expect. She is flawed yet determined and easy to root for.

Rue, with all her gals and confident quirkiness, is the kind of best friend/mentor every woman dreams of having. Her big heart brought so much soul to the story. And let’s not forget Hutch! He is hot, charming, and in the Coast Guard. Yes, please. The Coast Guard storyline was fascinating and added a unique aspect to the book. If you’re like me and love it when a story includes a furry friend, George Bailey, the dog is the cherry on top. He was so loyal, lovable, and full of personality.

This book was nearly impossible to put down. It made me laugh, smile, and cry. I highly recommend this book! @katherinecenter continues to amaze me!

Read if you like:
🧡fake dating
🚁only one bed
🧡body positivity
🚁workplace romance
🧡forced proximity

Thank you to @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. All my opinions are my own.
Publication Date: May 20, 2025

2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3
Katherine Center is one of my favorite romcom writers, so I requested The Love Haters audiobook from Net Galley. This was a first miss for me. There was not much chemistry and no spark between the MC's. It was missing Miss Center's usually witty conversation. FMC is constantly dealing with body image and fearful of everything because of what her stepmother told her years ago, which could work for some time, but it lasted for the entire story. It was just overdone. Info on the coastguard was interesting. Loved the dog,