Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Guys you are in for a treat with this book! It’s a romance book at heart but this entire book centers around learning to love yourself and doing the things that may scare you in order to be the best version of yourself. There’s a little quirkiness and some elements of found family but the theme is focused on learning to accept and appreciate all we have to offer as individuals and I LOVED it!

I think at this point I need to accept that Katherine Center is not for me. I’m still chasing the high of her older books, and maybe I’m being influenced by nostalgia, but I just cannot get into her anymore. I think unfortunately this has to be my last attempt.

I was extremely excited to see Katherine Center’s new book show up on NeGalley! I’ve read several other of her books and have always been a huge fan!

While I did thoroughly enjoy this book, it wasn’t one of my favorites. It’s still a solid romance read!

Katie Vaughn, a video producer is assigned to her coworker Cole’s brother, Hutch to produce a video of the US Coast Guard in Key West. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch - “The Love Hater” felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped at times.

This book also covered heavier themes such as body image (anorexia) and grief. They often felt over-shadows by the tone of the book and humor.

The book still kept me entertained and I finished it within a day. The descriptions throughout the book were great and made you feel as if you were there.

While it wasn’t my favorite book by Katherine Center, I still would recommend it to others. It’s a quick and easy read!

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of this book! I don’t think I have come across a Katherine Center book that I haven’t enjoyed reading, and this one was no exception!

Katie Vaughn’s job is on the line, which is why she agrees to an assignment covering the United States Coast Guard even though she doesn’t know how to swim. But at her coworker, Cole’s request she is off to Key West to cover the story so he doesn’t have to. Why? Because the subject being followed is Hutch, Cole’s brother. According to Cole, Hutch is a love hater. But will things change when Katie comes to town?

I enjoyed reading The Love Haters. It brought up topics that I feel so many people have experienced in some form or another- insecurities. Katie and Hutch each have their own insecurities that they are dealing with and I think it is the perfect way to draw them together. Katherine Center always has a way of pulling real life topics into her books and covers them well. This book put emphasis on body positivity and shows the struggles people have with themselves, but also shines a light on how other people don’t see the same things we see about ourselves. I loved the dynamic between Katie and Hutch! I definitely recommend this one!

I loved that Katie learned to love herself. A great lesson to us all. Interesting plot, perhaps a little too much crammed into one book, but still a entertaining. No spice but did not suffer for it.

I absolutely ADORE all of Katherine Centers novels and this one did not disappoint. I felt so many emotions reading this. I just love how there is always an enlightening “feel-good” message in her novels. I will anxiously await her next book! The characters are all well written. Her writing style is great! Most certainly recommend!!!

With her job on the line, Katie is putting her best foot forward for her new assignment, creating a promo video for the Coast Guard rescue swimmers featuring Hutch. But not only can Katie not swim, he also doesn’t want her there.

I finished this book in one day! It was such a page turner! From the start, I really loved Katie’s character. Katherine Center does an amazing job writing relatable characters with both internal and external struggles. I absolutely loved Katie’s awkward introduction to Key West and Hutch. Their chemistry and the tension carried throughout the whole novel. I also adored Hutch’s giant Great Dane, George Bailey and I loved the part he played in bringing them together. This was such a heartwarming read and the ending was just perfect!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for an advanced reader copy! 💕

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors. I’ve purchased her books in multiple formats, including signed copies. I’ve gifted her books and recommended her to my followers, and every time someone is looking for a great read.

So this review pains me.

By the time I reached Chapter Two, I had already given a few eye rolls and sighs of disappointment. The Google search results for random things, inserted as filler continued and the references to love hate were excessive. At that point I was ready to start speed reading to get it over with and wait until next year for another Katherine Center book.

As a side note: The nickname Pup Daddy would seem to be a play on words of Puff Daddy. I don’t think this will age well and it felt icky.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun little beachy read for the summertime. As a self-proclaimed "Love Hater," I resonated with both of these main characters so deeply. I actually really enjoy the "fake it til you make it" trope and I thought that it worked incredibly well in this story. This was kind of like if "The Wedding Date" with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney had a baby with "The Paradise Problem" by Christina Lauren. It was funny, romantic, cute, and sweet and I think a lot of readers will find this to be an easy read. Katherine Center has definitely turned a corner for me since "Hello Stranger" and she seems to have found her lane between "The Rom-Commers" and this novel. Expect to see this cover in beach bags everywhere come May. Four stars.

I love a good love triangle trope and Katherine Center writes characters with so much heart -- obsessed!

What a wonderful, heartfelt, laugh-out-loud funny story! I adored this book with the motley crew of side characters who were all so well fleshed-out: an aunt who makes us want to live loudly and in color, a cousin/bestie giving us all the truths we need to hear about self love, a hilarious dog sidekick, a gaggle of nosy and sweet retired women, a lucky toad. There’s lots to love here 🩷

This book was a breezy delight! I found KCenter last year and have so enjoyed her work since. The FMC was a tad confusing to me at times, her motivations etc, but I still found myself really enjoying her. All in all, this was a well-composed story!

Katherine Center does it again with another “can’t put down” story. Hutch may just be one of my favorite book boyfriends ever and Katie is one of the most relatable main characters I’ve come across. Plus, who wouldn’t love a giant lovable dog named George Bailey?!

Bro I finished this on 6 hrs!! This book made me cry!! Was so good! I really want to be stranded on a boat just to get rescued by hutch!!

For me Katherine Center's books are hit ( The Bodyguard, The Rom-Commers ) or miss ( Hello Stranger ) I'm sorry to say The Love Haters was a total miss.

It felt more like a self help book on body image positivity and weight loss struggling. Sorry, no, I couldn't do it. It's okay to include a subtle message but not shove it down the reader throat on every page. Where even was the actual romance?

Katherine Center is a solid writer. I usually enjoy her books and especially appreciate the fact that she focuses on the story and doesn't have explicit sex scenes in her book. That being said, this one was just okay for me.
I didn't really enjoy Katie because she confused me. I think she had body issues, but it wasn't clear at first if she hated bright-colored clothing and swimsuits because of her unfavorable view of drawing attention to herself or because of something that had happened with her stepmom as a child. Then I was convinced she was just afraid of the water because she couldn't swim, but that turned out to not be the case. Her ex being tossed into her insecurities just fueled the "what is going on?" for me. I thought eventually he would have a bigger role. Same goes for Cole; I thought they were going to be in a fake relationship from the jump from the blurb I read, but that wasn't the case. More confusion!
Hutch was a flat character. I didn't feel like we really got to know him on a deeper level- it was all mostly surface things such as what he did for a living or what he looked like and didn't go into much detail about his personality. Their relationship also felt like it came out of nowhere; like where did all these feelings on both sides come from? I know not all books talk about the couple's future, but it wasn't even a conversation they had even once. You would think with him being in the military and her living in Dallas they would've tried to see if it could possibly work? I don't know, maybe it was just me that it bothered.
The two best things in the book were Rue, the Gals and George Bailey for me- I wanted more of them!
I would definitely pick up another Katherine Center book in the future, however, because they are definitely reads I fly through and a nice palate cleanser from all the smut on the market right now.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early copy of this book to review.

3.75⭐️ rounded up. I’ve loved Katherine Center’s last three books, so I was thrilled to get an advanced copy! I really liked this book, but I didn’t love it as much as some of her others.

Love Haters started out really strong for me. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I love the way the author’s writing style makes your feel like you are along for the ride! The premise of this book felt different from other romances. Katie, the main character is tasked with shadowing Hutch in his job as a rescue swimmer, in order to film a promo for the Coast Guard. The proximity created an intimate setting for these two characters to slowly fall for each other. The main characters were very likeable and relatable, and I loved their chemistry from the first meet. I adored the fun and colorful side characters of Rue and The Gals!! The setting of this story really got me! I’m ready to move to the Starlite Cottages in Key West and live a whole new way of life, colors and all!

Where this story took a turn for me was when Cole, Hutch’s brother, and Katie’s colleague, shows up. The story became a bit outlandish and made for some pretty uncomfortable situations for everyone involved. Luckily, the story made a quick recovery toward the end with a real life rescue scenario.

This story also dealt with a lot of themes of self worth, body image, and self love. Throughout the story we see Katie confront these issues from both her past and her present. This felt very relevant, especially in the day and age of social media. There were times where I found these parts of the story to be a little over the top. But overall, I loved the messages of learning to love yourself, especially in a world where there’s so many unrealistic expectations of women and so much judgement related to physical appearances.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 20, 2025.

At first, I wasn’t sure how much I would like this book. I love Katherine Center. I’ve read her entire backlog of stories and have loved them all. The first half of the story didn’t move me as much as her books normally do. However, Katie grew on me. I related very much to her story and the insecurities that she struggled with. I fell in love with Hutch and his annoying brother and wonderfully charming and eccentric aunt. The Gals and George Bailey brought an even cozier feel to this story. One thing I’ll always adore about Katherine is the witty writing and the breaking of the fourth wall she does in the narration. Every story she writes brings forth so much lightheartedness, but also new things to think about and to learn from. While this isn’t my favorite book of hers and it isn’t one I fell hard for, I still enjoyed the ride.

I devoured 'The Love Haters' by Katherine Center, and it left me feeling seen, heard, and emotionally drained (in the best way possible). As a documentary filmmaker, Katie's journey resonated deeply with me. Her task of creating a promotional video for the Coast Guard alongside the broody Hutch serves as the perfect backdrop for her own journey of self-love. What struck a chord with me was Katie's relatable struggle to find self-acceptance. Center masterfully weaves together themes of vulnerability, self-doubt, and the transformative power of love – not just romantic love, but also self-love, friendship and, dog love ;) (love you, George Bailey.) Be prepared to laugh, cry (I cried a lot!), and cheer on Katie as she navigates her way through the ups and downs of life. 'The Love Haters' is more than just a romance novel – it's a powerful exploration of the human experience, and I couldn't recommend it more. 5/5 ⭐️ thank you netgalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin’s press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charming story about self acceptance and how hard it is to get comfortable in your own skin. The two thirds of the book had me so invested in Katie and Hutch. I felt as though the last third was A LOT, but still enjoyable.