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.

I loved this book - the characters, the tropes, the narrator, the banter, and personalities were all amazing. It was a great break from reality with a cute romance with grumpy(ish) meets sunshine with comedic relief of an eccentric aunt and lovable, clumsy pup.

I devoured this in a day and didn’t want it to end. It was such a cute story. Throughout the book, you are given so many interesting/authentic details that showed how much research went into the characters’ professions and life experiences and dealing with natural disasters.

The FMC deals with body dysmorphia and shares her mental journey throughout the book. It’s filled with self confidence boosters and ways to reframe how you see yourself, your abilities, and your body. I appreciated the complicated relationship with body image being included with relatability and sensitivity.

Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio for the ARC of The Love Haters!

This was a delight to read! I have been a huge fan of Katherine Center and this felt true to her writing style. She is a master of internal dialogue and helping you really get into the character's shoes.

It was a sweet love story with a quick pace and great narration that had me finishing the audiobook very quickly! However, I was bummed that it missed that *oomph* I always want to feel in love stories.

I think because it focused so much on the FMC's self love and growth, it lacked a bit with the actual romantic relationship storyline. Because of that, I think it really could've benefited from being dual POV to get the MMCs perspective to add some more pining and spark that was missing.

Finally, a trigger warning to anyone that is sensitive to topics surrounding body dysmorphia and extreme dieting because it is a major plot point of the book and to me became pretty distracting.

Another great book by Katherine Center! I prefer my rom-coms heavy on the com and this author continues to deliver this novel after novel and the latest was no exception.

The main character, Katie, is quite lovable. In this novel, the author addresses lifelong body shaming and its effects on the recipient. This is done in a way that is respectful, understanding, relatable and to illustrate that the heroine is not a “perfect” body type.

I love the relationship between Katie and her cousin and how supportive they are to each other. I also loved that the definition of “family” takes on many forms as evidenced by the love and care that Blanche has provided to Hutch and Cole over the years and how their relationship came about.

The plot provides great backstory regarding the issues Katie has had with her family, her romantic past and the story of Hutch and Cole’s strained relationship. The plot does progress nicely and keeps the reader entertained throughout and builds to a satisfying ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

In The Love Haters, we follow Katie as she is tasked with creating a day-in-the-life video of an internet sensation who is also a member of the Coast Guard. And did I mention he is perfect? Attractive, saves people, saves celebrities' dogs, and is all around a great guy? But there's one small problem: he doesn't want to be famous and much less filmed. Katie must convince him to do this video, but once she finds out more about him, she starts to fall for him, and maybe the video isn't the best idea...
The romance in this was cheeky and cute and was really a perfect standard rom-com. The side characters were hilarious and the conflicts were honestly laugh-out-loud funny. It is set in Key Largo, so the atmosphere was perfect for the summer months, or even if you just want to escape to a warm place. You also get to learn so much about the Coast Guard, which was so interesting! The true gem for me was the underlying plot that Katie works through from start to finish.
This is the perfect book for anyone who looks at the swimsuit aisle as summer is approaching and feels nothing but anxiety. This is such an affirming book for anyone who has struggled with body image or working on the journey of loving yourself. There is so much about self-love, how the internet comments on women's bodies, and what all of these expectations can do to women. I loved Katherine Center's approach to this topic and how Katie came through these struggles.
The audio book narrator was AMAZING! I loved how dramatic she was and made me want to act out the dialogue as I was listening! It was a magical experience.

I feel like you can’t really go wrong with a Katherine center novel. I adore her writing style and the heart and humor she brings, despite the layers of trauma interwoven. My only complaint is the lighthearted way Katie’s body images were portrayed. I feel like therapy should have been encouraged and a more serious tone taken. Otherwise it was a really fun book. I loved the coast guard and rescue swimmer aspect! It was unique and exciting, especially hearing about through Katie’s tales while making her videos. Rue and the gang, and George Bailey were my favorite parts! Also could have lived with less Cole and his douchey behaviors.

The narrator was fantastic for the audio as well!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This book was ADORABLE but fell a little short of the classic Katherine Center we know and love. The narration was well paced and engaging, and sucked me in, but I just didn’t feel giddy and ravenous reading it.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

not the best romcom i’ve read, but also not the worst. i just felt like some plot points/scenes were TOO unrealistic to be true.

i also just find katherine center utilizes issues between siblings as a subplot too much.

as for the narrator, she did a fine job!

Katherine Center returns with The Love Haters, a charming, emotionally resonant, and delightfully witty romantic comedy that flips the script on love and rivalry. Known for her ability to blend heartfelt storytelling with lighthearted humor, Center delivers another winner—this time with a clever enemies-to-lovers twist that plays out in an unexpected and refreshing way.

The story centers on Samantha "Sam" Davis, a smart, ambitious woman who's sworn off romance after a string of disappointments. When she’s reluctantly paired with Jack Malone—her childhood nemesis turned infuriatingly attractive co-worker—sparks fly, and not the good kind. Their constant bickering earns them the title of “love haters” among friends and coworkers. But when a twist of fate forces them to fake a romantic connection for the sake of a work event, their banter evolves into something neither expected.

Center excels at crafting characters who feel real, flawed, and fiercely lovable. Sam is equal parts vulnerable and strong, and Jack’s slow-burning charm and depth make him a standout love interest. Their chemistry crackles on the page, but what elevates the novel is its emotional core: Center explores themes of trust, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to open yourself up to love again.

With her signature mix of laugh-out-loud moments, poignant insights, and swoon-worthy romance, The Love Haters is a reminder that sometimes the people who challenge us the most are the ones we need the most. It’s a perfect pick for fans of Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, and anyone who believes love is worth fighting for—even if it starts with a fight.

Rating: 4.5/5
Uplifting, hilarious, and heartfelt—a rom-com with real emotional stakes

My favorite thing about The Love Haters was how layered Katie and Hutch's traumas were, and that it didn't detract from the cute romance aspects of the story. Instead, it was interwoven to create a fluffy yet deep story of love and overcoming personal trauma. I give The Love Haters 5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review The Love Haters by Katherine Center. All opinions are my own

Normally, I love reading Center's books. I was just not into this one. The obsession with the main character's weight made it difficult for me to get through it. I found the story lost due to discussions of weight gain and bathing suits.

What can I even say about this book? I LOVED it! Solid 4.5 for me! It was a well
written book, with such relevant subject matter, such as body dysmorphia and grief and it was just *chef's kiss* wonderful! It hits on those forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine tropes (and more
6)).

“But I hadn't thought I hated love. I'd thought I was just recovering from it.”

I found myself relating to Katie and her insecurities in so many ways. She was such a likeable, kind person, she just had trouble seeing the positive things about herself. Hutch was the perfect romantic partner for her, even when they didn’t want to admit it. Hutch was a true hero and that works because Katie was too. She didn’t let being afraid stop her. I absolutely loved his dog, George Bailey. He was such a fun, sweet dog that helped Katie and Hutch into several funny situations. His aunt was the sweetest. I admit that I wasn’t fond of Hutch’s brother, Katie’s boss, at first but he redeemed himself. The characters in this book were so much fun in every situation, even when they were feeling emotional or in a dangerous situation. I’ve never read anything by Katherine Center but I’m glad I read this. I can’t wait to read more of her work. She really has a talent at writing a fun story with amazing characters.

Thank you, Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this romcom!

Katherine Center’s ability to make a reader work through a tough topic with humor and a light touch never fails. In The Love Haters, we get a good hard look at what it means to love ourselves – our physical bodies, our worth as individuals, the value of our place in our family and in the world.

The setup in a nutshell: Katie is a junior videographer whose job is on the chopping block. Her coworker Cole, ostensibly trying to help save her job, offers her the chance to film a promo video for the US Coast Guard – “ostensibly” because the subject of the promo is Cole’s estranged brother, Hutch. Add in a hurricane, a rescued Great Dane named George Bailey, the fact that Katie can’t swim (a detail she omitted to get this gig), and the fact that Cole is willing to tell an unlimited number of lies for the sake of self-promotion, not to mention a misguided need to one-up his brother, and you betcha things go south quickly.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Patti Murin, brought the characters to live flawlessly – and hilariously!

The Love Haters publishes on May 20, 2025, just in time for summer! Get your pre-orders and library holds in now.

Thank you to MacMillian Audio, NetGalley, and author Katherine Center for the complimentary copy! It was my pleasure to write this candid review.

5 stars, hands down. I adored this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook! Katie is such a relatable character, her struggles with loving her self were so understandable. It was fun to go on this adventure with her of going to Florida and to film a video about the Coast Guard. I loved the interesting facts in the book and the chemistry she has with Hutch! The MMC, Hutch, is swoon-worthy. He is a coast-guard rescue swimmer, and every part of the book with him in it just made me want to keep reading to keep getting to know Hutch better because he just seems like such a good man. There was one plot point that I wasn't a huge fan of, but I'm glad I kept reading through it because it all worked out in the end. Overall, this was a well-rounded, very enjoyable romance that I devoured in 2 days. I am not typically the kind of person to re-read books, but I will definitely be reading this one again when I am in a reading slump and need a feel-good book.

you really cant go wrong with a Katherine center book. this novel, like all her other works had all the right ingredients for a romance novel. I also really enjoyed seeing a FMC showcase her struggles with her body image, I found the author really treated that topic with as much lightness and realness that she could muster. The narrators were fantastic and I had fun!

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 ~ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 ~ by Katherine Center ~ Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC of this May 20th 2025 (next month) release. K. Center is an auto-buy author for me. I was not a fan of her last book THE ROM COMMERS, so I was ready for this. Before I focus on the book, Katherine Center is the queen of the author’s note because she sounds so genuine in her idea that love stories can change our lives. It makes the whole reading experience mean something more when she awakens that notion and asks it to be part of the reader’s reflection. Hence, with that in mind I will start off by stating the positives: I like the author’s style, I loved the Key West setting, the description of the Oversea Highway was lovely, the break up was fine, the idea of brothers was good, the past trauma was expected and an okay addition, the dog was cute and Rue and the Ladies were excellent. There were also a few quotable phrases or life affirming moments that are a trademark for this author that I related to. However, my biggest problem was Katie, the FMC. Ok, I appreciate the body positivity and self love situation, but it was way too much in this story. It consumed her to the point of being too crippling to believe she could even be doing the other things that she was achieving, so there was no balance in believability. She really started to annoy me and seemed so immature after a while that I was getting aggravated. The love connection was too insta-love, and again, the believability of Hutch as a love-hater was non-existent. I never felt any chemistry between Katie and Hutch except they were both single and in proximity. I heard the self love message at the end which was great, but I never really believed that Katie found that more than we were TOLD she did and TOLD that they found love. Going back for the dog was heartwarming, but the set up for that was more like a slap in the face. Sadly, not as much of a 2 star miss as her last book…. But I am having a tough time rating it too much higher. However, I remain a fan.
⭐⭐⭐ barely making it-stars. (more like 2.75 but there were a few things I really liked in context so…)
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥! 📚♥️

Katie is trying to save her career by convincing the stubborn and selfless Hutch to share one of his heroic rescue stories.
This book should contain a major TW for body-dysmorphia and eating disorder. I'm not triggered by these things, but I know a lot of people are. What actually triggered me, is that the FMC was trying to make us believe that she "practiced" body positivity, and yet she barely talks about anything else than her body and everybody elses. This way of thinking can't be the entire plot, nor can her entire character's personality can be that she's insecure about her body. What could be triggering for some was very annoying for me. What did trigger me, however, is one character insisting that another character drank alcohol. Can we normalize not drinking and minding our business on the matter? I'm even more triggered by the character who folds under the pressure and enters a frigging drinking contest (because that's not the stupidest thing to do). Also, siblings rivalry is one of my least favourite trope. All in all, this one was definitely not for me. I usually adore Katherine Center, but this one is at the very bottom of my list of her books.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Love Haters takes place in Florida as Katie tries to save her job by creating a video profile of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. The story is covers some heavy subjects such as parental death, parent abandonment, and disordered eating but overall is light and fun. I loved the ending and how the characters grew.