Yay! Katherine center redeemed herself! This book could still have been a little better but I liked it and I’m just going to leave it at that

Katherine Center is quickly becoming my new go-to author for comfort reading. It’s a predictable plot story and there’s something comforting about that.

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Love Haters is a charming, slow-burn romance with a unique setting and just enough twists to keep things interesting. I didn’t know much about the Coast Guard going in, so I really enjoyed that aspect of the story—it added something fresh and unexpected.

I really liked the premise and the characters, though I wish we had gone a bit deeper emotionally to fully connect with them. The slow burn was well done, and there were a few surprises that made the plot feel dynamic. My only complaint—and I know it ties into the theme—was that the focus on body negativity felt a little overdone at times.

I listened to the audiobook ARC through NetGalley—thank you to Macmillan Audio—and the narrator was great: super easy to listen to and captured the tone well. I’d definitely recommend this one, and I’ll be adding more of Katherine Center’s books to my TBR.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this absolutely wonderful book. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to “read” and provide feedback.

Incredible! I’ve enjoyed reading other Katherine Center novels previously and was excited to listen to this one. Not only do you get the super satisfying romantic story but also an evolution of the main character finding self-love and self-acceptance. The messages beneath the swoon worthy love story of two “Love Haters” emphasizes the importance of loving yourself and all your imperfect yet wonderful qualities and physical attributes. The story alludes to the importance of true friends who are real with you while helping you to affirm your own worth. I scanned the description after completing the book and was disappointed to see there was no mention of Katie’s best friend/cousin, Beanie, who along with Hutch’s Great Dane, George Bailey, provide a good deal of the comedy as well as liveliness in this rom-com novel. I not only got the feel good, therapeutic effects of a romance but also a dose of self-reflection. This book is worth reading again and again. It reminded me just how thankful I am for the Beanie in my life.

Oh Katherine Center! What a swoon worthy location to bring this newest book to life.

George Bailey and Hutch I mean how much can your heart take. I love the witty banter and how easily you fall in love with these characters.

A story with all the feels and I mean with Patti Murin bringing this story to life what else can you ask for.

I love all the love, joy, and happiness that KC brings to the world.

Thank you so very much for allowing me to review this audio production.

The Love Haters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The is the PERFECT Beach read. It was so fun & cute!
You will cheer for the characters & LOL alot. It even has a cute dog. Be sure to read this one! Center is Awesome! The Audio was really enjoyable and good.
Thank you NetGalley!

Katherine Center does it again, as in takes me away from my little world into another little world in which characters just fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Halfway through I was very annoyed at the male MCs brother, and the way the female MC caved into the pressure to “pretend” to be the brother’s girlfriend. It was a little too out there for me, I couldn’t believe adults would behave this way. Other than that ridiculous plot line, I enjoyed the book a lot and the narrator did a bang up job as always.

This is a Romance/Chick-Lit. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I loved the narrator of this book. I listened to this book while doing my daily walks. I found myself walking more and longer just because I was enjoying the audiobook so much. I really loved this book. I loved the characters. This book was just so much fun to read. There were so many cute and fun moments. I really loved the ending of this book. Great Read. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

I thought this was a cute, adorable summer read. It's a book you just want to curl up with and relax with a nice, cold drink and relax as you read and just enjoy without a lot of brain power required. Just go along for the ride.

Katie Vaughn is a video producer who is dealing with a public breakup. No fun! She's also about to potentially lose her job, so she accepts an assignment and has to move to Key West in Florida. Problem is, she'll be working with Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, estranged brother to Cole who is her coworker. Major problem: Hutch is a lifeguard and she can't swim, so what's a girl to do but LIE? And pretend, but how does one pretend to swim? Parts of this book, which is probably pretty obvious, is that it's humorous.

Hutch is, of course, just about the hottest male specimen Katie has ever seen. Naturally, they end up eyeing each other and what happens from there I won't say. Things don't always end the way one expects. But what I will say is that Katie grows exponentially by book's end and I love that.

I loved the narrator, Patti Murin, who I believe created a listening experience that engaged me even more in the book. She used good voice articulation, energetic, and consistently engages the reader (me!).

The queen of comfort reads returns with another charming rom-com—this time, with her signature touch of emotional depth. Seamlessly blending laugh-out-loud moments with heartfelt introspection, this story quickly pulls you in and holds your attention.

One of the things I love most about well-crafted contemporary romance is when the supporting cast truly shines. In this case, the side characters add a layer of delight and energy, with George Bailey being an absolute standout—pure chef’s kiss.

While this isn’t my personal favorite of hers, I remained thoroughly engaged and emotionally invested throughout. Though I understand some of the criticism surrounding the depiction of body image issues, I found Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance meaningful. Her path to self-love offers enough emotional resonance and authenticity to leave a lasting impression.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

This book is pure Katherine Center magic—equal parts heart, humor, and healing. The Love Haters shines a spotlight on body image, toxic self-talk, female friendship, and learning to accept ourselves just as we are.

Katie is deeply relatable. Her inner critic is loud, often cruel, and unfortunately, all too familiar. Her journey—fumbling and emotional—is handled with such care that you can’t help but cheer her on. The trauma she’s carried from her stepmother’s harshness and online body-shaming hits hard, and yet her gradual healing with lots of nudges from her best friend and Aunt Rue feels so authentic!

Hutch is a classic grump-with-a-heart-of-gold, and his quiet strength makes for a perfect counterpart to Katie’s inner storm. Their chemistry builds slowly and beautifully, with moments of real tenderness and humor. Add in Aunt Rue and her circle of radiant supportive gals, and this book is practically begging to be read poolside with a fruity drink in hand!

And George Bailey? An absolute gem. This gentle giant and pro match maker might just be my favorite fictional pet of the year!

I especially appreciated the layers of humor that kept the heavier themes from feeling too heavy.

There are laugh-out-loud moments—especially when Katie is floundering (literally and figuratively)—but also incredibly moving scenes that encourage self-compassion and courage.

If I had one small critique, it’s that the subplot with Cole dragged on beyond what felt essential. The last wave of miscommunication/lies felt a little frustrating. Like come on dude! But overall, those were minor bumps in an otherwise joyful, empowering journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC (audiobook listening copy) of The Love Haters! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Katie Vaughn is a relatable, lovable heroine whose journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance is as inspiring as it is entertaining. From the moment she steps out of her comfort zone and into the sun-drenched world of Key West (despite not being able to swim), I was hooked. Her chemistry with Hutch, the swoon-worthy Coast Guard rescue swimmer, is undeniable—but what makes this story shine is the emotional depth behind their romance.

This audiobook was a great listen. I didn’t want to stop! Good characters, light, summery plot - perfect for what I needed. I usually flip between audio and ebook, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stick with the audio. Katherine Center is officially on my list of must-read (or listen) authors!

I received an advanced reader audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Love Haters! I could not stop listening! I put my headphones in while doing errands and chores. I had it playing in the car! Anytime I listened to this near my husband, he would get sucked in, wanting to know everything about the characters. There were things that were recalled from the beginning and it made you gasp or suck in a breath. I cried, I laughed and at one point almost pulled my hair out! I would read and listen again! I have already started another book by this author!

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

It hurts my heart to give this rating to a Katherine Center book. Normally I love them. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. The writing is still good and the characters were pretty well formed, I just didn't really like either of them or care about the plot.

Katie is a video producer and works for a company that creates promo videos for businesses. She finds out the company is downsizing and her creeper boss Cole tells her that it will save her position at work if she takes a job profiling Hutch, a hot shot Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Florida that heroically saved a person. She doesn't know how to swim or anything about the Coast Guard, but she doesn't want to lose her job so she goes.

Turns out there is a lot Cole left out about the job. 1. Hutch (a ridiculously hot guy) is Cole's brother and they haven't spoken in a really long time. 2. She'll be living in a cottage in his aunt's community, and 3. She'll have to film a lot of the video on a boat (did I mention she doesn't know how to swim?) Katie does what she always does, fakes it until she makes it. Katie suffers from crippling body image issues and there is a lot of self-hate talk in the book which hits close to home for me, which was a bit uncomfortable.

Hutch acts like he's got it all together, but inside he's dealing with a lot of strong feelings about the rescue. Even though the guy he saved lived, Hutch has a lot of guilt about the rescue (which I won't go into to avoid spoilers). He's totally against the video, but is ordered to cooperate with Katie by his commander. He just wants to get the thing over with and pretty much discounts Katie and everything she wants to do. They do have one thing in common, however - they both hate love (or so they think).

Mid-way through the book another stressor is added to an already difficult situation, as if the couple didn't have enough problems as it is. I'm not really sure what it was about this book, but I just didn't connect with it. I felt there was a lot of unnecessary filler and the "twist" was a bit cringy. I didn't connect with either MC and frankly, didn't care what happened to them. But, that's just me. Others may completely disagree with me.

The bright spot in the book was Hutch's aunt and her friends. She cracked me up and the dynamic she has with her friends has me hoping I can find a group like that to hang out with once I retire. I'll also say that the narrators did a great job and I would have probably DNF'd the book if I hadn't listened to it instead of reading it.

I received a complimentary e-copy and audio copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Cute story with a fun narrator. Not as much heart/depth as others of Katherine Center's books but I still enjoyed it.

Five stars, no question. Katherine Center does it again. The Love Haters is everything I love about her books: smart, funny, tender, and full of heart. The characters are the kind you want to hang out with, the dialogue sparkles, and the emotional payoff? So satisfying.

She has this magical way of writing love stories that are just as much about finding yourself as they are about finding someone else. I laughed, I swooned, and I felt like my friends had moved away when it ended.

If you’ve loved her previous books, you’ll devour this one. And if you’re new to her writing, what a perfect place to fall in love.

If Katherine Center writes it, I will definitely read it. Katie heads to Key West, presumably to save her job, by profiling Coast Guard hero, Hutch. Several problems arise with that, including the fact that Hutch and Cole, Katie's co-worker who sent her, have bad blood between them. And the fact that Hutch is a swimmer and Katie can't swim. Add Hutch and Cole's Aunt Rue, a hurricane and a great dane to the mix and you have a hilarious rom-com perfect for summer.. Pattie Murin does a fantastic narration.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

“He must have loved you, to write a song like that.” “Yeah, probably,” I said, “He just didn’t love me...good enough.”

"But I hadn’t thought I hated love. I’d thought I was just recovering from it."

"I regretted how mean I’d been. I regretted how relentlessly I had refused to show myself any kindness."

There's so much self reflection to unpack in the often touching, laugh out loud, The Love Haters, by introspective romantic comedy author, Katherine Center.

Katie's recovering from a broken engagement. To make matters worse her job as a video producer is on the line unless she completes a recruitment film for the Coast Guard highlighting their star rescue swimmer, the heroic, handsome "Hutch." The problem is she's supposed to participate in their rescue simulations and she can't swim. Hilarity ensues during her "I Love Lucy" predicaments.

But what Katie wasn't expecting was Hutch to be kind, patient and flirty. He's been labeled a love hater. Supposedly he doesn't believe in love. Then again, he hasn't met Katie before now.

In this single first person POV, leading voice actress Patti Murin reigns supreme. Her understanding of Katie's pain, her low self esteem and self degradation about her weight is raw and real.

Hutch's relationship with his brother Cole, a seemingly immature annoying character, also has a journey that left me owing Cole an apology. It was a definite "don't judge until you have all the facts" moment for me.

Reading and listening to The Love Haters is an abundance of laughs and tears, with an adorable Great Dane, a feisty Aunt Rue and swoony romance. Hutch is everything he appears to be, a good looking, sexy hero and the only thing he hates is not loving Katie sooner.

I received free copies of this book/ audiobook from Macmillan Audio, St. Martins Press and SMP Romance via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martins press for an ARC of Centers newest novel, " The Love Haters". She is a go to author for me and every book of hers feels like a warm, cozy hug. Out of all her books though, this was my least favorite. Katie has to save her job during a mass layoff, and her boss says he will help her with their boss to save her job if she films his Coast Guard brother's promotional video in the Florida Keys. His brother is a hot commodity since he was filmed saving Jennifer Anniston's dog! When Katie travels to Florida to meet " Hutch" sparks fly, and his dog, George Bailey, will steal your heart. However cute this book was, I couldn't get over the constant focus that main character puts on her body image disorder, and it felt way too repetitive for this novel. I did love the Florida Keys location and Aunt Rue and her loud outfits made this book in my opinion. Patti Murin is an audio goddess!