I've just finished The Love Haters by Katherine Center late this afternoon with a happy little sigh. It is COLD AS HECK outside and it was the perfect day to snuggle under a heated blanket and let Ms Center take me away to Key West.

I really quite enjoyed this read! I thought the dog (named George Bailey!) was hilarious. Beanie walking Katie through loving herself, a bit at a time, was slightly contrived but nonetheless a welcome message. Lord knows we women get plenty of negative messaging about our bodies! And Rue and her gal friends- oh if only we all had a group of women friends like that!

The blossoming romance between Katie and Hutch was pretty hot and I enjoyed reading about the Coast Guard and rescue procedures.

Overall just a fun read with heart and a lovely message about loving ourselves first and foremost.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC of The Love Haters in exchange for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read!

My absolute favorite part of this book was the author's note at the end, about how "rom coms"./"romance" books are NOT frivolous where Katherine Center provides a whole bunch of evidence on how books like hers are actually super beneficial for readers, I do have to absolutely be in the mood for books like hers; I look for books like this when I need a little bit of reassurance in the world, that things actually are going to be okay (notable: I began reading this on January 20, 2025).

I loved the characters (especially Rue). I will say that there was part of this book that just seemed a little too "out there" to be 100% real (I don't want to spoil it) but again: see authors note.

If you've liked Katherine Center's other books, I feel pretty confident in saying that you'll like this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was very romantic and if you're a hopeless romantic, THIS is the book for you. I've been really enjoying the story in Katherine Center's books - this is my 3rd book I read so far in 2025 from her!

I love how there’s not really too many fluffed conversations between the two - more actions I guess. I think there are a lot of inner thoughts of Katie that we read about, but I don’t mind that at all.

The first, I wanna say, 13% of the book was kinda slow. But I guess it was setting up the origin story of how Katie ended up flying to Key West to produce a video for the US Coast Guard, and having to interview her coworker’s brother, Hutch.

The company that Katie works for is going through some restructuring, and Cole - the coworker who sent her over to Key West - wants to help her by giving her this job so he can tell the boss that Katie did a great job on it. Cole also wants to avoid doing this project because it involved his older brother that he kinda hates.

I think after we passed the 20% mark of the book, I couldn’t put it down! For some reason, the story just flows really well.

We do learn a little bit about Hutch and Cole’s family drama too, and why the brothers don’t get along. And the reason why Hutch was mad that Cole sent someone else to do the Coast Guard video.

Overall, it's a great read! It tugs on my heart and gives me the feel. It's a 5-star read for me!

Katherine Center just never misses. Her books are always like a shot of vitamin C or a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day.
This book is all palm fronds, blue skies and hibiscus scented breezes. I love the journey of self discovery Katie embarks on, and I love how she faces her fears. Hutch is perfect. Aunt Rue is a wonderful character. I had such fun being transported to the Florida Keys.
Thank you for the warn, sunshiney hug, Katherine!

After recently reading Things You Save in a Fire, I was really looking forward to another book by Katherine Center. This one missed the mark for me. Much of the repetitive and run-on inner dialogue by the main character felt shallow and not well thought out. The romance was cute, when it was present, but that too felt not well thought out. I'm sad to say that my favorite part of the book was the dog's relationship with frogs.

Another excellent romance from Katherine Center! She is an autoread author for me, and The Love Haters is no exception. While Center is a romance queen, the added adventure element here was *chef's kiss*, and made this such a standout read for me. Katie & Hutch were also such an easy couple to root for, and I wouldn't mind seeing more from them since their relationship was so lovely to witness. Overall, when I want an escape to Key West with a fun adventure romance, i'm reaching back from this book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**This review contains spoilers**

This novel follows Katie, a love hating video producer who is on the chopping block at her company, as she makes a last ditch effort to save her career (and her coworker who pawns off an assignment onto her). Katie is sent to Key West to make a promotional video for the US Coast Guard, including the former internet sensation Tom "Pup Daddy" Hutcheson. The only problem? Katie can't swim and hasn't been in a bathing suit since she was a child.

But what happens when two "love haters" realize that there is more to their connection than just as coworkers? What follows is a mix of connection in unexpected places, a delightful group of widowers who love to party, and a plethora of miscommunication.

Usually, Katherine Center's books blow me out of the water. I love how she.does so much research into the different occupations that she puts her characters into to make it feel authentic. However, something about this book just missed the mark for her. I felt that there were too many plot lines flying around and it was hard to focus on what was supposed to be the main plot of the book. I also don't understand the point of making her ex seemingly out of nowhere start missing her and want to reconnect, but never actually reaching out to her. The entire novel, I was waiting for his grand (and unwelcome) entrance, and it never came.

With that being said, the story was still cozy and heartwarming. It dealt with a lot of sensitive topics in a very appropriate and caring way. Katie's body image issues and former eating disorder played a factor in a lot of the novel, but I enjoy that it focused on her recovery and how she found ways to cope.

3.25/5 stars.

Trigger warnings: parental death, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, natural disaster (hurricane), cheating (not by the MMC)

I am a big fan of Katherine Center and this book delivers on all her charms- humor, romance, positive messaging ( in this case self-love/ body positivity). George Bailey was a favorite character! I only deducted one star because the plot became a bit outlandish.

Katherine Center’s The Love Haters is a funny, heartwarming read that’s easy to love—but not without a few hiccups. It’s about resilience, figuring yourself out, and learning to let life (and love) get messy. I’d give it a solid 4 stars.

The book has that classic Katherine Center vibe—warm, witty, and packed with moments that make you laugh and then hit you right in the feels. It’s got a great mix of humor and heart, and the writing flows in that effortless way that keeps you turning pages.

That said, it’s not perfect. The plot? Pretty predictable. You’ll probably see where it’s going early on, which takes away some of the excitement. The middle part also drags a little, with the same conflicts being revisited a few too many times. And while the emotional moments mostly work, a couple felt a bit over-the-top, like they were trying too hard to hit you in the heart.

Still, it’s such a feel-good story that you can’t help but enjoy it. If you like rom-coms with a little extra depth, The Love Haters is worth picking up. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling and reminds you why love—no matter how messy—is always worth the risk.

I usually love Katherine Center’s books but this was unfortunately not for me. I felt like the discussion and dialogue surrounding the body image and eating disorder content was a bit shallow. I still enjoyed the plot and characters!

4.5*
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kathrine Center for this digital ARC! 
This book is perfect for summer! It has everything you could want for a beach read while providing the necessary depth. Kathrine Center is one of my favorite rom-com writers because she writes realistic characters with relatable struggles and backstories. Katie was such a fun main character to read through. She was witty and selfless towards everyone around her, and her career was so interesting to read about. Seeing her film videos and her process of capturing the Coast Guard was done so well. Katie also had struggles with her past and her body image, so seeing her work those insecurities out and appreciate herself was done flawlessly. It reminded me to love myself a little more, too. Hutch was a phenomenal MMC. His job as a coast guard was done so impeccably well. You can tell Kathrine Center does extensive research because I felt like I was learning and falling in love with the Coast Guard alongside Katie. All the terminology was explained clearly and made the reading experience that much more fun. You do learn a lot from romance books! 😉 The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was amazing! Seeing them work through their insecurities and build each other up was so sweet. I adored seeing them be there for each other. Katie brought out Hutch’s lighter and sweeter side, while Hutch balanced out Katie's bubbly and spirited side. Hutch was so gentlemanly towards Katie, and it definitely raised my standards. 🤣 The side characters like Rue, the gals, George Bailey, and Beanie were so fun. Rue was so sweet, and I need a grandmother like her. All the side characters had their own quirks and depth that made them enjoyable to read about. They gave Hutch and Katie such a great community. I wish the final plot twist had been fleshed out better and had more closure between Hutch and Katie, but I ate this book up in a few days. I can't wait to get a physical copy!
There was some swearing. Characters kiss and literally sleep together.

I screamed happy screams when I received this ARC. Katherine Center’s writing style always exudes joy and an optimistic outlook even when her characters are struggling. I gobbled up this book and loved Katie, the coast guard storyline in Key West, Rhea and George Bailey. Without giving away spoilers, I loved the climatic scene in the house boat (I was at the edge of my seat). Center is great with romantic comedy but she also excels at darker topics (“How to walk away” and “Things you Save in a fire”) and I wish Katie’s self image issues were a bit edgier and not written in a tongue and cheek manner. Sometimes Kate’s inner thoughts would ramble on for pages, I craved more discussion and “doing” not thinking.. I loved Hutch but wish again there was more discussion between the 2 characters and less “explaining”. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the explorations of grief and found family and I cannot wait for Center’s next book! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

loved this book! this author is an auto buy for me and I was excited to see this book being offered. While it feels and reads like a romantic comedy (which I LOVE), I loved the themes of self image, and self love that ended up being more important than the romance in the book. The way the romance plays out is a bit far fetched at times but honestly, it is fiction and I will accept it.

What can I say... Katherine Center hits a home run again with a amazing action packed rom-com!
Are there cliche slap stick comedy here? yes BUT I ate it up and had such a great time reading it.
There are trigger warnings here so readers will need to keep an eye on it but I didn't find it to much in my opinion to deter myself from reading it and loving this story.
The amount of emotions i felt throughout this.book from the characters, their development, story lines, struggles, love, the heartache, all of it. It was a rollercoaster but a good one that I would ride again if I could.
I will be highly suggesting this to readers especially if they are fans of Katherine's other books, my personal fav being the Bodyguard. Her writing truly never misses!

Katherine Center’s best yet, I think! The whimsical Key West setting was a nice contrasting backdrop for serious Hutch and the Coast Guard, Hutch’s aunt, Rue, and her Gals were charming and I loved their contributions to the narrative arc. Hutch was hot, of course, with a heroic persona and permanent sexy frown, while Katie was adorable and endearing. I absolutely loved the side plot of Katie’s love story with herself and her body – self-love and respect is such an underrated - yet, essential! - element of love with other people and I thought it was brilliant to apply the Gottman’s principles to a relationship with yourself.

This needs to be made into a movie so we can all see the final kiss on the big screen – epic is an understatement.

[Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!]

view this and other reviews here at the end of each month: https://journalsonthejourney.substack.com/

When an author misses the mark.

We have all been there: A well-loved author releases a new book, and you eagerly dive in, expecting magic—only to find it doesn't hit quite right. So, what do you do when you're disappointed? Remember what you love about the author and give them another chance. Review with kindness. Accept that other people won't agree with you.

Unfortunately, this was my experience with Katherine Center's new book. I loved her story-telling with "Hello, Stranger" and "Things You Save in a Fire." Both were unique and interesting, and their wit and joy kept me reading. This book just didn't hit me the same. The story was a pretty typical romance read. I feel like the uniqueness I've found in the past wasn't there. I didn't feel the attraction between the characters, and even Katie's love-hate relationship with herself was not well done. It was messy and unrealistic. There was just no real depth here. I'll be back for the next one, and hope for more.

I am grateful for the ARC

Katherine Center has a way of creating characters you connect with immediately, and Katie Vaughn is no exception. Faced with a career crossroads, Katie takes on a high-stakes assignment profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson in Key West—despite one small problem: she can’t swim.

What follows is a mix of swim lessons, helicopter rides, hurricanes, and a few awkward lies that keep her on her toes. Add in Hutch’s complicated relationship with his brother (Katie’s coworker), a rescue Great Dane, and plenty of messy yet heartfelt moments, and you’ve got a story that keeps you hooked.

While this wasn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, it still delivered everything I love about her writing: relatable characters, an engaging plot, and a style that makes it hard to put down. It was an enjoyable read and a perfect escape. Katherine Center remains a go-to recommendation for me, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a free review copy.

Another great read by Katherine Center! Katie is in danger of being laid off so she takes a crazy assignment from her coworker Cole making a video of Hutch, a rescue swimmer in Key West. Only one problem. She can't swim. Another problem. Cole and Hutch are brothers. And they don't get along. Will Katie be able to break through Hutch's love hate and soften his broken heart? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Katie is about to be laid off when she gets an opportunity to film a documentary-style film about a coast guard. One of the qualifications required for this gig is being able to swim. Katie doesn’t know how to swim, but says she does so she can keep her job. She ships off to paradise to work on this project where her lie snow-balls into many lies. The person she’s profiling is a handsome, heroic type, but is also a love-hater.

This was a typical Katherine Center cute rom-com. If you like her other books you won’t be disappointed. Generally, I dislike books that rely on a lying trope because it annoys me as much as a miscommunication trope annoys everyone. I knew that was the premise going into this book so the trope didn’t bother me so much.

This book was well-written and laugh-out-loud funny at times. It as such a fun time and a quick read. I love her writing and highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great romantic-comedy.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

A sweet, light, upbeat, happy-ending romance - everything you'd expect from Katherine Center! I just love this author's stance that books should be happy and romances can be fun and light. She goes into this in the author's note at the end, and I do wish they'd put it at the beginning (so I would reco reading it first!).

I like how KC dives deep into a random topic, researches it, and writes about it in a way that afterwards I feel super knowledgeable about it too (why yes, I too am now an expert on the coast guards!). I loved the beautiful, tropical FL Keys beach setting of this book & mostly enjoyed all the characters (Rue was perfect, Hutch was generally good but maybe could have communicated a bit better). I like how KC moves her stories along pretty fast (I think that's part of keeping it a light/quick read). And I really enjoyed the major drama/disaster at the end!!!

The missing 5th star is due to two things: 1. there were a few parts that were just a little *too* slap-stick roll your eyes funny for me (ripped underwear and t-shirt like a diaper? no way! getting knocked into the water with her entire overnight bag? come on!)., 2. It was too overly focused on body-image for my taste (AND for what I expect from a KC book). A little bit as a sub-plot/character development/learning to "love yourself" kind of play with the title/theme of the book?...fine. But I was 40% into the book still wondering when Katie was going to gain a little self confidence and we were going to stop reading details about her body. Regardless, a KC book is always an immediate YES to read so I still full reco this one!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.