The Love Haters AUDIO by Katherine Center. Center has it dialed in. She knows how to write a romance that is unlikely and yet, obvious. There is no spice. It is all personalities and situations. In this example, we are looking at a documentary film maker, Katie, who is in danger of getting laid off when she is sent to the Florida Keys to shoot a Coast Guard recruiting video. The catch is that the “star” will be her boss’s brother. He doesn’t want to go. And the brother, Hutch, is hurt and annoyed when Cole doesn’t show up. They have a very complicated relationship. Cole has fed Katie information about Hutch, not all true, and so she walks into the whole situation pretty much blind. The men’s aunt Rue, who raised them, owns an old motel which she has remodeled into small apartments and vacation rentals. That is where she will stay. And a bunch of retired ladies live there as well. And Rue seems to have taken her on as a project. There is so much more to this book. You have to read it or listen to it. It’s so worth it.

Katie is a messed up young woman. She has no self-esteem and she hates her body. She is a great character. She has lusted after Hutch since the moment she saw him but has been burned and is not ready to be burned again. He is unfailingly kind. He teaches her to swim, a fact she left off her resume but is necessary for this assignment. His dog loves her, running and jumping on her every chance he gets. Then, all of a sudden, he stops talking to her. Of course, that feeds right into her self esteem issues. It is all so complicated, based mostly on the people and their own issues. It is funny. It is poignant. It is frightening. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I love romance, but I do get tired of the sameness of it all. This is not the same. And, it is definitely romance.

The narrator is Patti Murin, who I did not love at first. She was too aggressive and so did not seem to fit the role, but she grew on me and ended up doing a fabulous job with this story. She became Katie and it was a most enjoyable listen.

I was invited to listen to The Love Haters by MacMillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #PattiMurin #KatherineCenter #TheLoveHaters

I want to start this review off by saying I've enjoyed so many of Katherine Center books, but this one I had to DNF very early in, sadly. I felt the main character to be one dimensional in a way she is constantly complaining about her body. Which, is fine. We are in a day and age where girls are made to feel worthless unless they are small. However, unless I am mistaken, there were no trigger warnings for this in the beginning. It would be fine if it was mentioned once or twice, but it had a whole chapter dedicated to this subject. Sadly, I am too sensitive regarding that subject right now to continue this. Also, I read reviews where people said the male love interest was referred to as an "alpha" and I just cannot take that seriously.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for the review.

The Love Haters will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love - with the characters & yourself, This book was full of love stories, big & small adventures, and a bit of self discovery. I loved following Katie as she learned how to live in color and love herself. Katherine Center’s books are always bittersweet for me - I hate to see them end!

The Love Haters A Novel written by Katherine Center and narrated by Patti Murin was so much fun. Strangers to lovers. Miscommunication. Forced proximity. Romance but not spicy. Hutch is dreamy. Katie is relatable. And the Great Dane, George Bailey, has my heart. This was a dual read/listen. Patti Murin was phenomenal. One POV is getting harder to come by. Katherine Center created such lovely characters in The Love Haters. This will be put into my reread cycle. Five stars.

👙 For my friends who are loyal Katherine Center fans.

THE LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center (Patti Murin, Narrator)

Thanks, @stmartinspress, for the e-book review copy via #NetGalley and @Macmillan.audio, for the audiobook review copy. #macaudio2025 (Available 20 May 25) 10 hours

Katie accepts a videographer assignment profiling the Coast Guard, with a focus on a very photogenic and heroic Hutch. Because her office is facing layoffs, she jumps at the job, despite not knowing how to swim, and realizing that Hutch is her supervisor’s estranged brother.

This felt like a departure from a typical Center novel, in that the “Enemies to Lovers” trope was applied to the main character and her own body. Katie learning to love her shape and herself after years of body shame and an eating disorder made up the majority of the story.

Relegated to the sidelines were colorful retiree-aged ladies, a Great Dane, and a handsome Coast Guard rescue swimmer. There was some miscommunication, loads of erratic behavior, an out-of-character drinking game, and an over-the-top finish that somehow ended rather abruptly, then jumped into the Epilogue.

I love Katherine Center and love how carefree and happy her books make me feel. I’m chalking this one up to something a little different, but with a good message. I was entertained, but I would have enjoyed it more with managed expectations. As usual, the talented Patti Murin enchanted as the audiobook narrator.

I was really looking forward to this book, but unfortunately, I just didn’t like it. I’ve enjoyed other Katherine Center books and I’m sorry to say that this one was just boring to me.

Katie is a video producer who is sent to the Florida Keys to create a video about a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in order to save her job. Unfortunately, there isn’t much more to say.

I felt zero connection between the FMC and the MMC. We didn’t go on a journey with these characters as they fell in love, and instead there were weird time jumps and all of a sudden it was like they were in love. In addition, I feel most of this book revolved around Katie’s body image and what she ate. And while, I think that is important I just got tired of reading and hearing about it go on and on.

For me, this could have been a four or five star if I felt more of the characters connection and I felt like I experienced their romance with them instead of just being told. I’m really sorry to say that I just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the audio and ebook arc.

This was a cute romcom but I feel it wasn’t my favorite from this author. My favorite character was obviously George Bailey because he is just the best pup. The story was fast paced and the ending got my heart rate up. It was cute overall.

I’m a big fan of this author for a light, low spice love story with some substance. This one has promise- film maker goes to Key West to film a day in the life of a hunky Coast Guard guy - and the setting and element of adventure are good. But there was way too much time spent on Katie’s body image issues, and the love interest lacked chemistry for me. It comes together in the end, but I was still questioning Katie’s choices!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio #MacAudio2025 for the advance copy of this audiobook 📚 🎧 It’s out 5/20/25.

This Audiobook was fantastic! I loved the narrator and how she told the story. This couple was so sweet and unique. I lived following every moment of their journey. The setting in Key West was everything, it added so much fun to the story!

I loved this book!

I knew I would enjoy this story because Katherine Center really does character development well. This book is no exception. The people in this book feel real and the relationships are complex.

The pacing and plotting were perfect. I love the way she handled the conflict/misunderstanding without a breakup. The Aunt Rue character was absolute gold! I literally couldn’t put this book down for the last 30% and I lost some sleep over it.

I was fortunate to receive an eARC and an eAudio copy from St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio. There were a few notable changes between them but both were excellent! (These variations may not exist in the final versions and many people would probably consider them minor, anyway.)

The audio performance was perfect—I actually had to look to see if there were two narrators but it was only one! Patti Murin did a variety of men and women’s voices and they were distinct—such an excellent performance!

Center has a way of exploring characters, families, and relationships that is eminently readable and I’m 100% here for it every time—she has hit it out of the park again with this one!

Does Katie know how to swim? No. Does she tell her boss Cole when sends her down to create a documentary on his Coast guard hero brother Hutch where swimming is a requirement? No. Living in Key West with Hutch and Cole’s colorful aunt Rue, Katie quickly integrates into the world in which Hutch lives - including with the ladies who hang around the hotel that Rue runs and Hutch’s Great Dane. While Hutch seems cold at first, after realizing she cannot swim, he spends time teaching her and even though Katie has been burned by love, she feels a spark between them. Hutch seems to pull back every time Katie feels they are moving forward - is he the love hater that Cole painted him to be?

I love Katherine Center and I loved this book - it was like my Xanax when we had travel issues (which turned into a 24 hour travel day) - I kept listening to the audiobook while my husband got us new flights and rerouted. I ended up reading the second half on our first flight and I really enjoyed the story and the characters. The Greek chorus of the women helping Katie and observing was one of the best parts of the book. I know some people didn’t love the body image aspect of the book but, honestly it spoke to me and I fully related with it. My biggest issue with the book is that I have to wait a while to read a new Katherine Center since this one isn’t even out yet.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC to review

Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of The Love Haters.
"The Love Haters," a romance novel by Katherine Center, is set to be released on May 20, 2025. Center is known for writing love stories, and she even gives her own books five-star reviews on Goodreads. She claims that since she's read and knows her books better than anyone else, she should be the first to review them.
The main character, Katie Vaughn, is a video producer facing a potential layoff. To save her job, she takes on a challenging assignment: profiling Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. There are a couple of problems, though. First, Katie isn't qualified for the job because she can't swim, but she pretends that she can. Second, Hutch is the brother of Katie's coworker, Cole, and the two brothers don't get along.
As Katie gets to know Hutch, she finds herself drawn to him, even though he seems to be a bit of a "love hater". She also becomes close to Hutch's colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane. However, Katie gets caught in a web of lies, which leads to some crazy situations, including swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, and even a hurricane. Through it all, Katie has the chance to confront her fears and be brave.
The story is told from Katie's point of view, so readers experience Hutch through her eyes. The romance between Katie and Hutch is a slow burn, with very little spice. Despite this, the story is both funny and heartwarming.
One of the central themes of "The Love Haters" is body image. Katie has struggled with her self-image for a long time, and she used to feel insecure about her weight and appearance. She even went on a starvation diet and got rid of her colorful clothes. However, with the help of Aunt Rue and her friends, Katie begins to embrace her true self and feel worthy of love.
Aunt Rue plays a significant role in Katie's transformation. When Katie's luggage goes missing, Aunt Rue makes sure she has access to vibrant and colorful clothing. She and her friends, "The Gals," take Katie under their wing and help her to feel more confident and comfortable in her own skin.
As Katie works on the video of Hutch, she learns about his heroic actions, including rescuing Jennifer Aniston's dog. She hopes that his story will not only save her job but also launch her career as a documentary videographer. However, Hutch is reluctant to participate, which makes Katie's job even more difficult.
Despite the challenges, Katie perseveres and eventually captures Hutch's story. Along the way, she learns valuable lessons about herself, love, and the importance of being true to who you are. The ending of the book is described as spectacular and will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Overall, "The Love Haters" is a feel-good romantic comedy with a big heart. It explores themes of self-acceptance, overcoming fears, and finding love in unexpected places. Katherine Center's fans will likely enjoy this latest addition to her collection of heartwarming stories. #Netgalley #TheLoveHaters

This book is more than a love story between two characters. It includes a beautiful subplot about all things loving yourself—even your thumb (iykyk).

This story is soft, and strong, and honest, and kind all at the same time. The dynamic relationship between the two MC is made stronger but the messy and deeply-human relationships all through out their lives.

Women supporting women, men working through complex feelings, grappling with the meaning of life—this story has all of the best of these things.

And it has a giant Great Dane, so that’s enough of an argument to read the book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5

✨Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for this ALC.✨

I absolutely love the characters Katherine Center writes. It’s so easy to fall in love with The Love Haters when you get to know her characters. And you have to listen to the audiobook. Patti Murin is back at it making the characters come to life with her narration. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This is not one I would have wanted to miss.

NetGalley Read

3.5 Stars - Rounded Up for Goodreads

I generally find Center's romcoms to be fun, easy reads. This one had some heavier themes around things like body image and disordered eating underpinning the story. I appreciate these details because they make the characters feel a little more real to me. It was sometimes a bit overwhelming to be in Katie's head as she focused on her flaws. We're introduced to this as one of the key defining characteristics of what our MC has lived through, but the rest of the story emphasizes that this is, in fact, not a defining characteristic of who Katie really is.

The pacing is a bit off on this one for me - nothing happened for a good 1/3 of the book before it really started to pick up. Once the story picked up - and our MC started to make her way out of the thought spirals a bit more - I found myself enjoying this one. There were a number of places where it really beggared belief and/or were unnecessary drama that didn't need to happen, but that is kind of the fun of a light romcom, and I was ok with it. Katie was overwhelming and made some questionable choices that didn't make sense to me. Aunt Rue, the dog, and Katie's cousin rounded out this story for me.

Overall, not my absolute favorite Center romcom, but it was an enjoyable read and would be fun for a Summer beach read pick. This was great on audio, and I highly recommend the audiobook version.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I thought this was an overall fun read, but it took a while for the main character to grow on me. She had a lot of insecurities to the point of having disordered eating for a period of time. I think most of us can relate to feeling insecure about things, particularly our bodies, at some point in time, but it was a lot be in her head. She does grow through the story and fortunately she has an amazing friend to help her find her way, but she definitely struggled. She also makes some pretty dumb decisions. Her saving grace is that she was a good person and she tried to do right by the people around her. I was rooting for her to do better, particularly for herself.

I loved the Key West setting, the Gal Pals, and the dog. They all made the story more enjoyable. It was fun to see the interactions between the characters. Aunt Rue was just great and so entertaining.

I had both the ebook and the audiobook of this one. The audiobook was narrated by Patti Murin. I thought she did a wonderful job and really brought the characters to life for me. I would recommend the audio of this one to listeners.

I love Katherine Center's writing. This wasn't my favorite book by her due to the MC, but it was still one that I really enjoyed reading. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

I love Katherine Center's books. I received Hello Stranger as an ARC and then went back and read her entire bibliography, so I was very excited to see this one. It definitely wasn't my favorite and falls in the middle of the road, but it wasn't bad.

I feel like there was too much body shaming/self body-shaming of the main character. I know part of it is that she's learning to love herself and that I'm guilty of this myself, but it just made reading this love story a downer. I also have a personal hate of the dating brothers trope. (I know she didn't actually, but still). It's just icky for me.

Katharine Center once again delivers a lighthearted rom com that is the perfect type of story for an audiobook. She is a very consistent writer so you tend to know what to expect with each book - this is a positive for this type of book when I need a break from heavier stories.

First off, the narrator was terrific! I imagined that is exactly how the main character, Katie, would have spoken.
I am a big fan of this author. Her books always fit into the rom-com category, as does this latest one. The dilemma for the main character, Katie, initially involves her potential job loss which further develops into a series of humorously developed sidelines. Love hits every aspect of the story. So, of course, there are many ups and downs that the spirit of love can eventually conquer.
Center's writing style includes pathos and humor and moves along at an impressive pace. The characters are ones whose fate you feel invested in and hope for the good guys to find fulfillment in each other, which, they inevitably do. Truly enjoyable!

The Love Haters is a sweet story of finding love and romance in an unexpected place and time. While the set up of this rom-com is fun, and I typically adore Centers’ novels and characters, this one fell flat for me. The main characters, Katie and Hutch, feel underdeveloped and thus, it was hard to feel as connected to them. Katie deals with body image and disordered eating in her past, but the treatment of these issues was a bit hollow, like something that happened to her in the past, rather than an intimate part of who she is. Other than not liking wearing a bathing suit (who does?!) this part of her doesn’t really emerge in her characterization through the story. This seemed inauthentic to me.
Hunter (Mmc) is lovely, but is pretty flat and only really starts to take shape towards the end.
The two minor characters, Beanie and Cole, are just not that likable and didn’t provide the fun energy and humor expected.
That said, there were dreamy settings, adventurous outings that were secretly dates (fun!), and cute rom-com moments that still made for an enjoyable ready.
This is a generous 3.