Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!

This was my first Katherine Center read and I read it in 2 days. I’ve always heard great things and was so excited to get this! Now - I have to admit the first chapter of the book had me thrown off because the way Katie was coming off was a bit “clueless” vibes BUT I fear I judged her too harshly at first. I ended up really enjoying this story. This is exactly what I expect when I pick up a RomCom. While the storyline was a bit silly - there were still some very tender moments. I’ll definitely be picking up more of Katherine’s books.

I finally got my hands on the baby thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press!

I love a love story, and The Love Haters is a love story in so many different ways. It’s about finding love for yourself. Finding the love of your life. The love and connection with a sibling. The love for a stranger, and bringing joy to others and yourself. The love for an animal that has never been shown love before, and a fierce love that animal has for toads.

Katie is relatable in her self deprecation that I myself, and a lot of other women struggle with. She is quirky, she rambles when she is nervous, and she has a support system that reminds you to be there for yourself and others.

Hutch is just cool, without having to try to be cool. He has layers and shadows that gave me all of the feelings.

This was a great book, and I have to quote Katherine Center’s author’s note, “it’s healing to read stories about healing… It’s life changing to read stories about people changing their lives.”

The Love Haters
Katherine Center
Publication date: May 20, 2025
4/5 stars

I was so excited to get this ARC and stayed up way too late to finish reading it! Katie is a video producer who agrees to film a promo for the Coast Guard in attempt to save her job. There she meets her supervisor’s brother, Hutch, and his lovable Great Dane, George Bailey.

I am a huge Katherine Center fan but there were a few aspects of this book that make me take off a star. There is a lot of content about eating disorders/body image that I felt should have been mentioned in an author's note at the beginning of the book vs the end, a lying scene, and a certain order of who was “rescued first” that gave me pause. Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. Katherine Center has a way of pulling you into her stories and also teaching something new along the way.

Thank you Katherine Center, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was incredible, packed with so many elements I love in fiction. The characters had real depth, and the story wove in meaningful life lessons about self-esteem. With fabulous characters, a heartwarming love story, an unforgettable dog, and more, it had everything I could hope for. Katherine Center never fails to deliver! I'm thrilled to recommend this book widely, as it's clean and suitable for readers of all ages.

I love Katherine Center so I was beyond excited to receive the Arc of her upcoming book! The way she writes her characters is so real and endearing. The FMC has body issues and the brothers have some unresolved issues to unpack but the prior is what makes the story real. I think the subplot of the brothers was ridiculous but then again I’ve also seen my sons fight over the most ridiculous stuff! I would recommend this story to any rom com loving reader who also needs to work on falling in love with themselves again! I also highly reccomend her writers notes, they’re always a perfect way to end her stories and the reason I rounded up 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you soooo much NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

Another KC home run. This story is not just a sweet love story between Katie & Hutch. It is a story of personal growth, accepting and loving yourself and your qualities, especially your body. I loved how KC tackled body image issues and how Katie had to grow personally before she could truly love someone.

My only comment is that I wanted more Katie × Hutch content. They are adorable.

This was the best first book to start the year with.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

4.5/5

Such a fast-paced, very cute read!

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS:
Katie Vaughn, a video producer from Texas, has 2 choices: lose her job in a company-wide layoff or fulfill her editor Cole's adamant request to produce a recruiting video for the Coast Guard profiling Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, a rescue swimmer in Key West. ...only Katie isn't qualified for the job because she can't swim. And Cole is actually Hutch's brother who claims that Hutch's main hobby is frowning and reports that Hutch has refused all interviews until this one. Can Katie fake it till she makes it? Can she break through Hutch's always-serious shell to produce a career-saving recruiting video?

I really loved this one 🥹 Were the body image issues laid on a little thick? Yes. Did Cole drive me crazy? Yes. Did some wild, outrageous, and beyond silly things happen to thicken the plot? Also yes lol. These were some things that I was considering when I initially thought to rate this book 4 stars instead of 4.5, but I loved Katie's self-love journey SO MUCH (Special thank you to Beanie. Every female deserves a Beanie in their lives.) and the silly plot developments were just so entertaining that even when I found myself thinking "WHAT?! That would NEVER happen", I still enjoyed every second and couldn't stop reading because I had to find out what happened next. I also adored Rue in every single way. I highly recommend reading the Author's Note at the end to put some things into perspective!

Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Genre: romantic comedy, contemporary romance
Tropes: forced proximity, (unconventional) workplace romance
Trigger warnings: body image issues (body dysmorphia, disordered eating), family trauma, grief following death of family members

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

The title is perfect! It reflects the preconceived notion that Katie has about Hutch before she meets him, but also is a subtle nod to Katie’s own love-hate relationship with herself. I found myself relating a lot to Katie’s inner thoughts and narratives, and I often had to stop and pause to reflect on what I was feeling and thinking as I watched her be cruel to her own body. I loved the side characters, especially Rue. I long for my own “Gals” in my life who are always around and hyping me up. While I felt that Cole’s character was a bit shallow and surface level, I acknowledge that this was probably the point and it did not detract from the emotional impact of the story. While I loved the buildup and tension between Katie and Hutch, the shining star of this book for me was Katie’s journey towards self-acceptance and love. I am still on that journey myself and I think it was important for me to be there with Katie as she has those ups and downs while trying to be kinder to herself.

So excited to have received an ARC from NetGalley! During (minimal) pauses I took when reading, I tried to think of how I’d describe it — and because of Center’s writing style, I kept feeling like reading this book was like listening to a friend tell me a story — a funny, charming friend who is *really* skilled at storytelling tell me a story about a miraculous, exciting time in her life that left me feeling as though I know her and the others in the story.

What a story it was. It is so evident how much research and care goes into her books - they feel authentic and compelling, and this one is no different.

The theme of not only accepting but going beyond that and loving yourself as told through Katie’s journey on the relationship she has with herself/her body was especially poignant for me - and many women, I’d assume - and that topic was addressed in such a meaningful way that I’m certain the quotes that stood out to me will be ones I revisit often, especially at times when my self image isn’t so great.

Love books that make you feel like you’re living alongside the characters … ones that you think of long after you read the final page — and this is one of them. The author’s note in this one is the icing on the cake.

As a romance reader, I picked up this book expecting a cute vacation romance, but it turned out to be so much more than that.

The story follows Katie Vaughn, a video producer working at a production company. To save her job from her boss, who is on a firing rampage, she agrees to go to Key West and produce a video about Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Even though she doesn’t know how to swim, she takes on the task. Oh, and one more thing—Hutch is the older brother of her coworker Cole, who has a strained relationship with him.

Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson is a stoic man who lives with his rescued Great Dane and is close to his aunt Rue. At least, that’s what Katie initially believes. But as she spends more time with Hutch, she learns that he’s much more than what his brother described him to be. Over time, Katie and Hutch’s love blossoms.

However, for me, the main focus of the book wasn’t the romance—it was about a woman’s relationship with her body. Girls and women everywhere have struggled, and continue to struggle, to maintain a healthy relationship with their bodies. Often, we can be incredibly harsh on ourselves—through self-sabotage or by depriving our bodies of the nourishment they need. The author skillfully made this theme a central part of the book, and through the main character’s development, the message of self-love shines through. By the end of the book, and especially in the acknowledgment, the author beautifully conveys this message, and I couldn’t help but tear up while reading it.

As the author mentions in her acknowledgment, “The best love stories are never just about romantic love. They're always about so much more than that: kindness, joy, belonging, and safety—not to mention growing, changing, and healing from the past. They are always masterclasses on how we find the best in each other—and, by extension, ourselves.” This perfectly encapsulates the essence of the book.

For me, personally, the romance was the subplot. This book is ultimately about self-growth, learning to love yourself, and being kind to your body.

My favorite quote:
“We're here to be alive. To feel the sun on our skin. To breathe deep in the wind. We're here to feel it all. To love and cry and love some more. We're here to rescue ourselves—and everybody else—in every way that we can.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

THE LOVE HATERS, By Katherine Center
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Katherine Center does it again! Not only are her books filled with beautiful and warm love stories, you can’t finish one of her books without feeling a deeper sense of satisfaction to be human and alive. I won’t forget Katie and Hutch’s chemistry and their story - this is an easy 5-star review to give!

Katie Vaugh is desperate to keep her job - desperate enough to lie about her qualifications and take on a project in Key West, Florida to shoot a promotional video featuring US Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutchenson. As Katie gets more involved she learns that Hutch may not be the “love hater” she was warned about. Between conga lines, chromaphobia, swim lessons, and one incredibly sweet Great Dane, Katie’s trip to Key West becomes less about her job, and more about finding herself, including who makes her happiest.

True to Katherine Center's style, Love Haters is quirky, heartwarming, and full of wit. Center
has a remarkable ability to create characters that feel real, and this book is no exception. Hutch, our hero, with his handsome yet perpetually frowning demeanor who does not say much, stands out as a unique and lovable hero. I especially appreciated how Center wove in his quirky habit of humming "Heart and Soul," a touch that makes him feel even more authentic.
The heroine, Katie, is endearing, though she struggles with her self-image—a relatable thing for many readers.


One thing that stands out in this book is self-help wisdom infused within the narrative. There are references to the Gottmans, renowned relationship therapists, as well as plenty of insights about love, communication, and personal growth.

What do you do when you sign up for an assignment you’re not qualified for in an effort to not be on the chopping block along with 50% of your colleagues? You fake it til you make it.

Katie finds herself in such a position when she agrees to a job that takes her to Key West to film a video about a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. A swimmer who is her editor’s brother and is the worst thing imaginable according to him—perfect. Oh and apparently he hates love.

Katie can’t swim, has trauma from her adolescence, and body image issues. Tom Hutcheson aka Hutch is caught off guard when his brother Cole sends Katie in his place. For him, this was supposed to be about more than just a promo video. Can their alliance show them both that hating love isn’t what’s best for them?

Katie really struggled with her insecurities but, oh my, Hutch wasn’t having it and I loved how they spent time getting to know one another beyond the scope of the project. And boy oh boy, could I feel the flutters in my tummy and all the delicious tension and anticipation as they crossed that line to more.

Cole and all his unnecessary lies and manipulation really annoyed me, but Beanie, Rue (and the Gals), and George Bailey were all sorts of awesome.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story which touched upon loving yourself, finding value in who you are (and ignoring the haters), spreading joy because life is too short, and rescuing the ones you love (yourself included).

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Can I start by saying I LOVE Katherine Center? I consistently enjoy her books and while they’re usually three stars for me, I find them sweet and fun and comforting. I was mostly feeling that way about this book for the first two-thirds of it then I was sent into a RAGE that I never could recover from (because KC kept delivering more blows; it wasn’t my fault).

I will back up. Katie Vaughn is a filmmaker or something (IDK I don’t super trust KC’s expertise here) and her producer sends her to film his semi-famous brother as part of a promo for the Coast Guard. The logistics here were baffling and as someone who works in a communications-based setting…this is NOT how filming a promo for THE COAST GUARD would go (again, KC’s expertise is lacking and yes so is mine but no way would she just randomly follow them around with no script/plan/shot list). But! I was willing to go along with it as we met the (hot) brother, Hutch, and our cast of colorful characters (ily Rue).

HOWEVER (semi-spoilery, sorry). At 66-ish percent, we get a miscommunication trope that really made me mad, followed by literally the most ridiculous scenes - the drinking contest?? The going back into a hurricane?? The shipwreck?? The multiple phone calls yet no ability to determine one’s location?? THE RESCUING OF A DOG OVER A HUMAN?? The full-on conversation over an ocean while suspended from a helicopter?? The KISS in that moment??

Y’all. Just…no.

And to top it all off, the commentary on body positivity/neutrality/etc was throughout the book yet felt very out of place and just kind of awkwardly tossed about.

I was going to give two stars but I think it’s 1.5 rounded up. I still love you KC but this book was just not it.

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

Katherine Center is an absolutely force to be reckoned with. Her stories are always captivating and the character development is executed perfectly.

There were some moments where I shed a tear and the story really roped you in.

Being an ARC, there was dialogue which was missing some words, but hopefully those are corrected for the final publication.

The climax towards the end of the book, I didn’t feel like the situation was as emotional as it should’ve been. This was the only section I thought could’ve been improved to somehow give the reader more adrenaline and fear while going through the situation with the FMC.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and am sure any other reader will just devour it as well.

This is a great rom-com read! It is laugh-out-loud funny, and I really liked that the romance between the two main characters was easy and comfortable (sans the outside interference). I loved the remembrance rituals and the beauty list so much, and the Author’s Note was the perfect icing on the cake.

It pains me to type this but...

2.5 stars rounded up.

Look, I love me some Katherine Center. She's up there in my top 5 authors. But the title of this book perfectly reflects how I feel about it.

I have a love/hate relationship with it. And here's why:

What I loved:

🔹️Katie and Hutch. Loved their personalities even though I didn't quite feel the chemistry, I was rooting for them. And I think a Hutch POV might have solved the chemistry problem. And despite the title saying they are, neither of these characters are love haters.

🔹️Rue and The Gals. Adorable. The story needed more of them.

🔹️The Coast Guard setting was enjoyable and made me want to visit Key West which has always been on my bucket list.

🔹️The topic of body positivity. Katherine handled this with sensitivity and grace. It's something not talked about enough in books, but should be. And when Katie finally accepts who she is and what her body means to her, it was lovely.


What I hated:

🔹️A LOT of decisions that were made in this book by many of the main characters made zero sense. Katie did way too much lying to keep a job that she didn't even seem to like. And somehow the documentaries she made outside of work (for her own personal enjoyment) were supposed to help her save her current job? How? It's never explained fully. So of course, she ends up going along with a lie and hurts Hutch in the process. It was infuriating to read. I honestly was kinda happy that Hutch was upset. I got it. THAN, there's a Cat 4 hurricane approaching and no one, and I mean no one, checks on Katie to make sure she got out safely? Hutch doesn't even call. Like I get he was mad, but you love her right!?!? Rue and The Gals up and leave and don't call her until they are almost to Arizona. And then it's like a "Hey. You might wanna leave." KATIE WAS STAYING ON RUE'S PROPERTY!!! All of this is explained by the fact that Katie cut ties with the internet and social media so she had no idea there was a storm coming. And she was perplexed as to why the resort was desserted. Like come on. Someone should have said something to her. A guest even??

🔹️Too many side characters were being pushed on us. Like Sullivan. Didn't care about her. Like at all. But at like 90% in, there's almost a whole chapter dedicated to her and a redemption arc that wasn't necessary.

🔹️Cole. Ugh. Where to start. I get making him unlikable but sheesh. It was way too much. And if you're going to write him this way, don't suddenly try to redeem him. It didn't work. He should have stayed the villain and NOT got a happy ending. Sorry, but not every character needs to be redeemed in the end. Sometimes people get what they deserve and he should have been one of them.

🔹️For the first time EVER, in my personal history of reading books, I skimmed an Epilogue. I kid you not. I skimmed over WAY to much telling about where these characters ended up except for the two I loved the most. That's right...Katie and Hutch. All we got was "We didnt talk after my rescue. I moved to Key West though, but not for a man. But yeah, that man lives next door and we like each other." That was the end of their love story. But Cole got a page and a half recap of how great he turned out. I was livid. And we got another long and drawn out phone conversation with her best friend. The epilogue was confusing and made no sense.

🔹️Speaking of showing not telling...this book has a lot of that. Which surprises me. At times it got boring. I skimmed...more then i want to admit. At one point I felt like the story should be wrapping up and then I looked. I still had an hour and a half of book left. Sigh. Honestly this book was kinda exhausting. I just wanted it over with.

🔹️Circling back to the Coast Guard aspect. There was a lot of it. Too much. It felt like Katherine spent so much time researching this side of things, that other stuff suffered. Because parts of this book didn't "feel" like her. It's like I was reading someone else's writing. Something was off. Her usual witty banter was there, but even that felt over done at times. Some of the funny scenes were too slapstick. And often times things felt repetitive. For example, how many times can you have an interaction with a person and it feels like everything is happening in slow motion? 3 times, that's how many. And Hutch does everything slowly apparently. All his mannerisms were slllloooowww. It was too much.

Overall, I am very disappointed. Katherine never misses, but this one did unfortunately. Obviously, I'll buy a physical copy to go with my KC collection. Plus, the cover is adorable.

Please though, read this one for yourself. You may love it. Or hate it.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

I LOVED this book! I began the book apprehensive about how the topic of eating disorders and disordered eating would be handled, but overall I felt it was handled with sensitivity and empathy. I thought the main characters were well-developed. My favorite part of the book might have been the author’s note at the end. It was beautiful, profound, funny, and meaningful.

I LOVED this book. It could definitely do with another once over because there’s a few typos in different spots. Other than that, I’m obsessed.

I’ve never read a love story where my biggest takeaways had nothing to do with the relationship, but I loved that too. The Gals were so fun to learn about. I can only hope that in my old age I have beautiful friendships with even more beautiful women. This book was full of hope. My FAVORITE part was 100% Katie developing a better relationship with herself.

I definitely think that this book is very focused on her eating disorder/body image, and it could benefit from a trigger warning since that’s a very sensitive topic. I’d also recommend slightly altering the description/blurb of this book to make it clear how much of the story focuses on her relationship with herself and her body. I think that part is wonderful and it truly healed something in me. I plan to use some of the tactics the FMC used myself, even. And I hope that other women feel inspired by Katie’s story and learn to love themselves and other a little more freely.

Overall, one of my favorite contemporary romances I’ve read in a while. I’m incredibly lucky to have gotten an ARC, and I wish for everyone to give this book a shot.

He’s grumpy with a great Dane and USCG, she is trying to avoid being laid off and having to learn some new skills like swimming. I absolutely adored Rue and the gal squad. unfortunately, some of the side characters needed to be more developed, and they felt very placed