The Love Haters is one of those rare books that feels like it was written just for me. I loved every single thing about it. This isn’t just a five-star read, it’s an infinite-star, recommend-to-everyone-forever kind of book.

Katie, the main character, is incredibly relatable. Her journey of self-love, guided by thoughtful and heartfelt conversations with her cousin, gave the story surprising emotional depth. And her quirks (like not being able to swim despite working with the U.S. Coast Guard) made her feel so real, so human.

And then there’s Hutch. Oh, Hutch. He might just be my favorite male main character of all time. He’s the ultimate cinnamon roll: golden retriever energy wrapped in a grumpy shell, with heroic moments, a caring heart, and a straight-shooter personality that completely won me over. Katherine Center’s writing brings him vividly to life - I could picture every expression, every small gesture.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Broadway’s Patti Murin, which was a dream. Her performance was so heartfelt and compelling that I refused to listen on anything but 1x speed. Every inflection, every pause, every bit of storytelling kept me engaged.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early listen in exchange for my honest review. I’ll be shouting about this book for a long, long time.

Thank you NetGalley for the early release of the audiobook! Love Katherine center but this one was not my favorite done by her unfortunately. The fmc struggled with her body which is highly relatable but some of the scenes just were a bit much in my opinion. Still worth picking up.

I was so excited to receive one of Katherine Center’s books as an ARC—I’ve loved so many of her previous novels and fully expected this one to be just as great. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Right from the start, I struggled to connect with the characters. They felt unlikable and flat, and I found myself quickly losing interest. I rarely DNF books (maybe six or seven in the past two years), but sadly, this one made the list. The thought of listening to eight more hours just felt like a chore.

Looking for a summer beach read? If so, “The Love Haters” is for you! The story follows Katie, a video producer, as she heads to Key West, Florida to film a video for the Coast Guard. The star of the film is none other than Tom Hutcheson, a stoic and private man who has sworn off love.

What follows is a (mostly) light love story. Can Katie conquer her long-held negative beliefs about her appearance and self-worth? Can she get Tom (a.k.a Hutch) to open up for the camera in order to save her job?

I thought this was an enjoyable audiobook. I will say that, despite a slow start, the romance still felt too “instant love” for me. It also reads like a Hallmark movie in book form, especially since there is very little spice.

As a swimmer, I appreciated learning about the rigorous training that the Coast Guard goes through. My random favorite detail? The statement declaring that they’re called fins, not flippers. 😉 My swimmer heart was so happy.

If you like low spice romances, this would be a sweet one to bring on your summer vacation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

I really enjoyed this story, and thought parts of it was very funny. I read some of the other reviews that didn’t enjoy some of the themes of the book, but I didn’t have an issue with that. The story was cute, there were handsome sounding men in it, and it was set in Key West. What could be better?

I enjoyed the narration as well!

This book was absolutely ridiculous and I thoroughly enjoyed it! If you’re looking for a fun light and airy romance that doesn’t need to be taken seriously this is a great book for you! The story started out a little slow for me in the beginning, but once she got to Florida, it picked up and was very cute. The author clearly did her homework when it came to the MMC‘s career and well, parts of it were flat out ridiculous - like the house boat floating away when the dog would not leave- I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Okay, so let's start with the premise. Katie (fmc) gets hired to go to key west and make a mini docu series on the coast guard and do a profile on a rescue swimmer. Hutch (mmc) is described as "frowning is his only hobby", and is made out to seem like he will be quiet, standoff-ish, rude. I found this was not the case at all. If anything, Hutch is giving major golden retriever energy. Another main theme of this story is body dysmorphia, low self confidence, and childhood trauma. So read any trigger warnings if you need to before reading!

Katherine Centers writing is fun, not too serious, a little cheesy as times, but I would recommend if you're looking for a fun and quick summer romance. I don't think I would say that I loved this book, but it did keep me entertained.

Katherine Center is amazing! I love her books so much and this one is SO good. Hutch is a great grumpy hero and Katie is wonderful insecure and learning how to embrace her body with love and acceptance. They side characters are great too. Hutch's aunt and Katie's cousin are amazing supports to the main characters. I'm completely in love and happy because of this book.

4.5 stars
Katherine Center does it again!
Our main character Katie, a video producer, is in danger of being fired when her company starts laying people off. She is volunteered to do a special story on a man who saved Jennifer Aniston's dog and went viral by her co-worker Cole. This man is Cole's brother (who he doesn't like), Hutch. So Katie travels to Key West to do a story on hunky Hutch in order to save her job.
I liked the characters in this book a lot. Katie was recovering from an eating disorder (her ex got famous and the internet roasted her looks), but she was on such a journey of recovery. Her biggest cheerleader was her best friend and cousin Beanie, who made her burn her scale. Hutch was presented as a grumpy love hater by Cole, but turned out to be smart and nice and just good at everything and a really good guy. And he has a Great Dane named George Bailey. One of my favorite characters was Rue. She took in Hutch and Cole after their parents died in a car accident. She immediately took Katie in (she was living at the cottages Rue owned while doing the story) and forced her to come out of her shell and wear colors and go swimming and have fun. Cole was a jerk and I will leave it at that, though he partly had a good (if incorrect) reason why.
The plot of this book was great. I just had fun following Katie around while she was obviously falling for Hutch and we realized that he really wasn't the grumpy guy Cole said he was. The only part I didn't really like was when Cole got there, but there was a reason for it. I just wanted it to be shorter. The ending also seemed a little far fetched, but was it absolutely entertaining? Yes.
The audiobook narrator was great. She fit the character of Katie and brought her story to life.
If you are looking for a humorous, sweet romance with a few bumps in the road, look no further!

Katie Vaughn's love life is a disaster - and now her career might be too. Desperate for a win, she takes on a job interviewing a love-hating, swoon-worthy Coast Guard rescue diver in Key West. There is chromophobia, a vibrant shop and owner, sibling tension and lies, a Great Dane who steals every scene and a new relationship built from spending a whole lot of time together. All involved must choose to be brave, especially when tested to their absolute limits.

4 stars!

Now, I know there's been a lot of buzz about this book being unexpected and different from what we usually see from Katherine Center; however, isn't that kind of the point?? Isn't that why we have authors we love over and over again - because they write new and unique stories that capture our attention? I would say YES!

Katie and Hutch (and George Bailey) are a leading team with all kinds of stuff going on. Katie has some seriously mishandled body image issues (yikes with the impact of bad mother figures) and Hutch is still dealing with the loss of his parents, a fall out with his brother, and a really difficult and dangerous job as a rescue diver. George Bailey, Hutch's loveable great dane, is the highlight of the story for me. He creates real, honest moments and ties together so much of the story. Katie's best friend Beanie and Hutch's... Ru, are excellent supporting characters, as are The Gals. Life down in the Florida Keys doesn't seem too terrible.

It's definitely a wild ride, and there's a lot thrown at you as the reader, but was it entertaining? Heck yes it was!

Thank you Katherine, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book! It was an honor to get to read a brand new KC before its official release on May 20, 2025!

Katie is trying to not get laid off from her job. Her boss, Cole, sends her to Key West to film a video for the Coast Guard, hoping this will help save her job. She gets there and meets Hutch, who was expecting Cole. Katie later learns that Hutch and Cole are brothers who don't get along. The joke is on Cole, though, because Katie and Hutch, who both have their reasons to hate love, start falling for each other and try their best to stop it.

Alright, who is going to talk Glenn Powell into taking the role as Hutch in the (hopefully) screen adaptation of this book?!? Because that's who I kept picturing as Hutch while listening to this book and he'd obviously be perfect for it..I loved the humor in this book. So many funny moments. I loved how Katie's growth progressed throughout the book. There are great side characters in this book and the setting was one of my favorites I've read in a while. This is the perfect summer read and one I'd go to again if I needed a pick-me-up.

Patti Murin was great! I'd definitely listen to her again!

A big thank you to Macmillan Audio and the author for an advanced copy of this audiobook. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love cute romcom, great side characters, and a dog named after an It's a Wonderful Life character.

This wasn’t my favorite Katherine Center book. It was OK, a quick read, but it was a bit different from her other works. A lot of focus on body image issues and a romance that was pretty thin, not fully developed.

I didn’t particularly like the main female/male characters, although I loved Rue, The Gals, and George Bailey.

Overall, a decent read, but not my favorite.

I liked the audio narrator. She did a nice job, added to the enjoyment of listening to the book.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center can not write a bad story! I'm constantly amazed at what she comes up with. This was a sweet story - especially if you are a dog lover :-)

The Love Haters is a fun, feel-good rom-com that follows Katie Vaughn, a video producer with a skeptical view of love, as she’s sent to profile Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a heartthrob rescue swimmer in Key West. The twist? She can’t swim and is caught up in a hilarious mess involving her coworker and Hutch’s estranged brother. With a sunny Key West backdrop and plenty of humor and heart, this book is the perfect escape into a world of romance and second chances! This charming story is full of humor, heart, and surprising romance.

Katherine Center continues to prove why she’s the queen of romcoms. Her stories are always a perfect mix of lighthearted fun and meaningful depth, and The Love Haters is no exception. The characters are vibrant and genuinely funny—especially the fabulous group of older women living it up by the pool. The female main character is pushed out of her comfort zone time and again, and it’s so satisfying to watch her grow with each challenge. It’s a feel-good read with heart and humor—I highly recommend it!

The Love Haters - Katherine Centre
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I absolutely adored this book. This was an audiobook for me, and the narration was perfect and kept me engaged the entire time. Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

Katie is a journalist who is about to find herself laid off when she is sent to Key West to interview her co-worker’s hero brother, Hutch, in an attempt to save her job. Hutch works for the Coast Guard, and to pass the training to go on the flight, Katie needs to be able to swim. Here’s the catch: she doesn’t actually know how to swim. While there was romance happening in the book, I’m not sure I’d classify it as a romance. There was no spice in this book. I felt it focused more on Katie’s own relationship with her body, the struggles she faced currently and in the past. The author takes on the issues of body image and the media, online bullying, and finding one’s own self worth.
It also focused on the relationship between the two brothers and their trauma they faced losing their parents at such a young age and how that affected their relationship throughout their lives and currently.
I really enjoyed the humour in the book and the setting of Key West. It definitely makes me want to take a trip back one day.

I will admit, maybe 25% of the way through I thought to myself- where is the “Katherine Centre” in this book. By that I mean some tragedy you don’t expect that will break your heart and then put it back together. But trust this book lives up to the expectation and then some.

This cast of characters is just as delicious as other books but I think even sweeter given their age. Not to mention, this has me wanting to go back to Key West asap!

I loved the message of finding love within yourself and your body. Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time, this was that for me. Katie’s love letter at the end to her body is something we should all strive for!

Patti Murin did an incredible job once again of narrating - she is one of my favorites. But I will say the best treat of listening to a Katherine Centre book is always her note to authors that she reads herself. It is something I look forward to every time!

I swear a Katherine Center book just hits different. The audio version is worth it just to hear her read her authors note herself at the end. I stg it’s like a pep talk + life lessons convo with your big sister. It’s my favorite thing and I always listen to them multiple times.
Onto the actual story . It has all the crazy meet cute and shenanigans KC books are known for with a very positive and inspiring body positivity message woven throughout. I can’t decide if it’s taking over The Bodyguard as my favorite KC book but it is definitely up there.

Perfect summer beach read, kissing only on the slice level, you will laugh a lot.

Author Katherine Center never fails to hit readers right in the feels. This time, she uses Jennifer Aniston, dogs, hot men, and water. From the color schemes, to the splinters, dogs, boats, and brothers, everything about this read is exceptional at drawing readers in.

I am so disappointed. Katherine Center is one of my all-time favorite authors and I was so excited to receive an advanced audiobook copy from NetGalley. Unfortunately this one is not up to the standards that I have for the author. I was honestly bored throughout most of the book and felt that the plot was really lacking. I get with the message of the book was, but the delivery was very redundant and just not done right. I didn’t feel any chemistry with the two main characters and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. The narrator, Patti Murin, has narrated many of her books and while she is a good narrator, I don’t feel that she was the right voice for the female main character. I feel like she overdramatized some scenes and gave the character a bigger personality than I think she really has. Overall, this book would truly just very disappointing. Really hoping her next one will bounce back.