Katherine Center's The Love Haters is a charming blend of romance, and heartfelt moments, but it left me feeling conflicted about how it handled some of its heavier themes. While the book has its strengths, particularly in its side characters of "The Gals", there are significant areas where it falls short.

One of the main elements of the story is the protagonist's struggle with body dysmorphia, a topic that has the potential for depth and emotional resonance. However, I felt the book treated this issue too lightly, often glossing over the weight of the protagonist's emotional struggles in favor of quirky humor or romantic banter. Body dysmorphia is a deeply complex subject that affects millions, and while it’s understandable that not every story needs to dive into its darkest depths, the tone here felt almost dismissive at times. This made it hard to fully connect with the protagonist's journey or take her healing arc as seriously as it deserved.

Another point of contention for me was the climax scene. Without giving away spoilers, it felt unrealistic especially as someone who resides in Florida and deals with hurricanes. I also found myself rolling my eyes at the secret that was being kept from Hutch.

That said, one of the highlights of The Love Haters was The Gals—a delightful group of side characters who brought humor, heart, and charm to every scene they were in. Their dynamics and support for the protagonist were some of the most authentic and enjoyable parts of the book.

Loved this book! Relatable main character, dreamy leading man, endearing supporting characters, and an underlying message about learning to love yourself? What more could a girl want?

This was a fantastic book. I enjoyed the insight into the US Coast Guard and setting. The Gals were my favorite characters. To be honest, Katie was a bit of an annoying female main character with her lack of self- confidence, but I do think that was part of the message of the book.

Reading "The Love Haters" felt like a restorative vacation. It featured a fun setting (Key West), a romance with a hot Coast Guard officer, and a dose of self-help. As always, Center combines love with the heroine overcoming a challenge - in this case, learning to accept herself. For the most part, it works.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy.

This is my second Katherine Center book and it was just what I needed to start off the new year. As much as I loved the banter and storyline between Katie and Hutch, I was moved by Katie’s personal journey with herself. It was great to read how far she came and the steps she took along the way. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish and the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and special thanks to Katherine Center or I may have missed the opportunity to read this ARC!

The Love Haters follows Katie and Hutch, two people who claim to hate love—and maybe themselves. Though it touches on some darker themes, this book is an absolute delight, sweeping you up with its charm.

Katherine Center’s writing is irresistible; I found myself highlighting passages on nearly every page—even the Author’s Note, which is not to be missed. this story was exactly what my soul needed. It was utterly heartwarming, filled with a cast of lovable characters that had me laughing out loud countless times. From start to finish, you can’t help but cheer for the two main characters. I adored every moment of it with all my heart!

If you need a reminder that you’re deserving of love—especially from yourself—this is the book for you.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the arc!

Gosh. My soul needed this one. It was such an endearing story, packed with a bunch of lovable characters that had me laughing out loud many times. Youre rooting for the two main characters from beginning to end. I loved this with my whole heart!

Thanks so so much!

This is my first Katherine Center book and it won't be my last!
I fell in love with this book! I also love the setting ! I wanted more! I really hope there's a second one to this story! I even loved the dog.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I was super intrigued by the concept of an MMC being a coast guard rescue swimmer, and that part definitely fid not disappoint. Being rescued by a hot MMC and hanging from a moving helicopter while dangled in his arms while he confesses his love to you? Swoon-worthy. What did disappoint, however, was the romance after! I get that this book was supposed to be a rekindling of love for yourself, but the romance with the MMC just felt unfinished? I wanted more interactions between them after the rescue, and more about their positive relationship after everything was finally disclosed.

Also, I think this book would have been better if all the action wasn’t all thrown in at the end. Like, so much happens with Cole and it just makes him so unlikable, but does nothing for the plot as a whole really. The bar fight and drinking game was just wrong, and made me personally feel icky. When Cole offered anyone to kiss the FMC who could win, that about put me over the edge. That’s just straight up wrong, and so gross, yet he gets no punishment for it?

I didn’t have the same issues others have with how the body image issues and anxiety manifested. I think it’s a complicated and individual thing that the author was attempting to make lighter for the scope of the book. I think while it wasn’t perfect, the overall message was done well and serves as a good point in the book.

Overall, this was my first book by this author, and I will for sure be checking out the rest of her catalog now.

📚 ARC Read 📚
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read this ARC!

FMC: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
MMC: ♾️ 🌟
Spice: 🌶

Such a cute romance book! I laughed, I felt the butterflies, and now I really want a Great Dane lol. I loved all the characters, the budding romance between Katie and Hutch was sweet, and the story was wrapped up so nicely in the end! I loved it, and I'm looking forward to reading it again in the future!

Whenever I see a new Katherine Center book available, I drop everything to dive straight in. Her books never disappoint with sweet love stories and a deeper message to go along with it. In the Love Haters, I could relate deeply with Katie’s struggles to love her body, and as she gradually learned to accept herself, it helped me to think differently about myself too. Her hero, Hutch, is a little too perfect, being not just super hot but also basically a saint. Her best friend and Hutch’s aunt are the two sidekick characters all the best romance novels have and I ate them right up. The worst thing about finishing this book is knowing I have a long wait for the next one.

Katherine Center never fails. Once again, she's captured relatable characters in a fast-paced read about self-love and healing.
Katie's life has been anything but perfect. Her famous musician fiancé cheated on her, and now she's at risk of losing her job as a video producer. Swooping in to save the day is Cole, Katie's coworker. He has the perfect idea to save her job - film a recruitment video for the Coast Guard. The only downside, the video will star Cole's brother, Hutch, who's perfect, attractive, and always way too serious. He's "all exterior, no interior."
Katie's time in Key West was supposed to help her build her career but instead turned into an epic self-discovery journey. Katie and Hutch heal little pieces of themselves along the way and decide that being "love haters" may not be too bad after all.

I always make sure to read any book Katherine Center releases so I was very excited when I read this ARC copy of her upcoming book, The Love Haters. The ARC edition I read was provided by NetGalley and I thank the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest feedback. There were some grammar and punctuation mistakes here and there as well as some spacing issues that can be easily fixed with more in depth editing. The story really captured my interest and I personally connected with the female main character, Katie, and was rooting for her the entire time. Overall I loved this book but felt the ending was lacking/missing something more. I appreciate the epilogue but felt there could have been an extra chapter afterwards in regards to the relationship between Katie and Hutch. Also I think the nickname Hutch was given of "Pup Daddy" should be changed since it sounds too similar to a certain famous celebrity who is currently in prison. The book is basically great otherwise and I highly recommend it! Just some minor editing corrections and revision to the ending would be my feedback.

Sadly, I think Katharine Center is one of those “used to be for me” authors. I remember really liking Things You Save in A Fire and How to Walk Away, but I read those before I started writing reviews so I couldn’t tell you why. But for the last few, they’ve mostly fallen flat with the author’s note about romance and story being the best part. The Love Haters flew awfully close to the insta love trope for me, and if they’re really love haters, wouldn’t insta love be the last thing they would do? I found the back stories underdeveloped and unbelievable. Or maybe they were both trying to hold so much that there was no way they could be developed in a standard length book. The other definite insta love in the book was 10 times less believable. Honestly, I’d rather wait longer for a better book from a previously loved author than this model where they’re churning one out every year. 2.5 stars, because it held my attention.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

I haven’t read too many books written by Katherine Center, this one started off good and then kind of slowed down a little. I see how it ended the way it did. Overall still a good read.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. Check this book out May 20, 2025.

#thelovehaters #katherinecenter #romanceread #romcom #lovestory #bodypositivity

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of Katherine Center, I'm sad I didn't connect more with The Love Haters. (I think others on here & other reviewing sites have already pointed out that the title of this book is odd at best and doesn't really align with the content). I kept looking for the spark that I usually feel in reading a romcom and I unfortunately have to say that I didn't feel it in this book. Her characters usually feel rich and emotional but they fell flat for me.
The basic synopsis is that our female main character, Katie, is a videographer worried about the latest round of layoffs at her firm. She's given an opportunity that she thinks may hold a layoff at bay - taking an assignment to shadow a U.S. Coast guard rescue diver in Key West, FL even though she, herself, cannot swim and is slightly terrified of anything water related. She meets Hutch and he's well... he's perfect. He's attractive and athletic and though a bit brooding by nature, he thinks Katie is pretty and by the second day he's giving her swimming lessons. As with any other Center novel, though, there's a lot more than is apparent from the surface. Which is when things get a little bit... sideways for me.
Katie and Hutch are both beautiful people who don't believe they're beautiful, so they need a quirky character trait. Katie unfortunately gets my least favorite character trait to convey complexity - body image issues that have been so well honed over the years that she nearly has a panic attack looking at a bathing suit. If you have a history of disordered eating, I imagine this novel would be fairly traumatizing to read, so please heed that content warning. Hutch, while a seeming caring, chill guy, reads hot and cold for no apparent reason all the time.
I really thought I understood the plot of this one until the last 25% - where it escalates into something that felt out of a different novel entirely. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing so much as that it felt completely out of left field and disconnected from what we'd been reading for much of the book.
Writ large, I was entertained (there was plenty of banter and moments of character growth and I did learn a lot about the coast guard) but it felt a little loose and sloppy for Katherine Center, who I consider up there with the best romcom authors. The Rom-Commers was one of my favorite romance novels of 2024, but this book - and these characters - missed some of the magic that Center so expertly weaves into many of her novels.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for the ARC.

Having previously read <i>The Bodyguard</i> by Katherine Center, I had a good sense of what to expect with this book: a rom-com that is brave enough to touch on serious topics but never takes itself too seriously. Center’s stories tend to be lighthearted, making for great beach reads or palate cleansers between heavier books.

While the execution of <i>The Bodyguard</i> leaned a bit too far-fetched for me to REALLY love, I found <i>The Love Haters</i> to be more grounded, thanks to the research Center put into the US Coast Guard and the more well-rounded, believable characters. The main characters' journeys with self-image and past trauma gave the story more depth than I anticipated. The Author's Note speaks to themes of "Katie and her body - in a kind of enemies-to-lovers trope". There were some truly beautiful passages exploring themes of self-compassion and resilience, with thoughtful insights on how tools from relationship counseling can be applied to our inner dialogue. Reclamation of the anniversaries of a traumatic memory for several characters are a standout for me.

That said, the tone is still unmistakably rom-com, with plenty of goofy moments, playful banter, and a few cringey exchanges along the way. It’s a well-balanced "just here for the vibes" kind of book with a comedic relief dog, Golden Girls energy, and everyday hero love interest. For readers looking for a fun, escapist read that offers both heart and humor, this one scratches that itch perfectly. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read with a little more substance than your average rom-com, even if it doesn’t always stick the landing.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review. Rating: 3.5/5

I just love Katherine Center! Her books are always more than just a romance, there is a deeper takeaway and her characters have such depth!

Thank you to the the and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early for a honest review.

Kate and Hutch are unlucky in love. Kate is given an assignment at work: make a video profiling Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer or risk being let go. There are a few problems, Kate doesn't know how to swim; the interview subject is Hutch who is the estranged brother of Cole-the coworker who has given her this assignment. Kate meets Cole and Hutch's Aunt Rue and her friends and hits it off immediately with the ladies. She also gets to spend a lot of time with her interview subject, Hutch, and his dog (who adds some excitement to her days!).

Body image and self esteem are plot lines that are handled with care.

Things I loved: Aunt Rue and her gals, the way Aunt Rue and the gals welcome Kate to their circle--love the mutli-generational friendships, and the Kate-Hutch relationship.

What I didn't care for; Cole's character in general.

A quote from Katherine Center's Author's Note that I loved: "Love stories are the best kind of therapy. They aren't shallow, they're deep. Start looking and you'll see it too."

I finished this in a day and I have quite a lot to say about it. Katherine Center never fails to create a good story.

I first started reading her work about two years ago and each new release I’ve read since has been better & better. She has a knack for capturing really relatable aspects of humanity some might describe as unpleasant, but these revelations are the very things that ground her romance novels in a more lucid world.

Love Haters is my favorite of the bunch. From my POV, as a woman, I feel that Katherine Center effortlessly captures so many heartbreaking realities that we really shouldn’t have to confront. She does all of this with an unfailing sense of humor that makes facing these harsh truths really enjoyable.

I’m able to reflect back at my own life and see the parallels between my own and the main character’s. Considering harder times where I too stumbled into a starvation diet, though less methodical; primarily birthed from an unfortunate mix of familial grief, toxic work culture related stress & a delirious aspiration to realize the scientific truth of calories for myself, after watching multiple seasons of ALONE. Suffice to say, the main character’s brand of humor? I totally get it.

But that’s not the only reason why this book is so lovable. I mean, the MMC is a total dreamboat. I love any plot featuring a lovable group of old ladies. And the romance story is such a roller coaster that I think I have whiplash. This story contains the perfect blend of fiction and romantic realism (if such a thing exists).

Never have I wanted a massive Great Dane and a Hutch of my own more…

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. Thank you Katherine Center for your incredible work!