I'm a devoted fan of Katherine Center, and I think I’ve only rated one of her books less than 5 stars. Unfortunately, this time, I’m reluctantly lowering my rating to 3 stars. This is my first three-star review for the author, and yes, this is an unpopular review alert! Don’t get me wrong—this is a solid romance read. Nothing about it is unenjoyable, and there were moments when I considered rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. But ultimately, my expectations were too high, and the storyline, along with the love story, just didn’t work for me. Here’s why.

Katie Vaughn’s journey in The Love Haters had an intriguing setup with its mix of humor, high stakes, and a dreamy Key West backdrop. The story promised all the feels, but I found the execution didn’t fully live up to the premise. Katie, a video producer faking her way through swim lessons and entangling herself in her coworker’s complicated family dynamics, started as a relatable and spirited protagonist. However, as the plot unfolded, the chemistry between Katie and Hutch, the so-called “love-hater,” felt underdeveloped and more told than shown.

The supporting characters were a mixed bag. Rue, Hutch’s quirky aunt, brought some much-needed vibrancy to the narrative, but others, like Katie’s friend Beanie and Cole, Hutch’s brother, lacked depth and likability. Beanie’s questionable support and Cole’s abrasive nature left me frustrated, and their roles in Katie’s life could have been explored with more nuance.

Another aspect that fell short for me was the handling of heavier themes, such as body image and grief. While these issues are important and commendable to include in a rom-com, they often felt overshadowed by the book’s lighter tone and over-the-top moments. The humor, which typically shines in Center’s books, occasionally missed the mark for me here, coming across as forced or distracting rather than charming.

That said, there were still elements of the story that kept me entertained. The tropical setting was vividly described, and the blend of swimming lessons, treasure hunts, and helicopter rides added an adventurous flair. Katie’s personal growth—learning to confront fears and embrace her worth—was a highlight, even if the journey felt uneven at times.

Overall, The Love Haters is a quick and easy read with flashes of Katherine Center’s signature charm. While it didn’t quite hit the high notes I’ve come to expect from her, it may still appeal to readers looking for a lighthearted rom-com with messages of self-discovery and empowerment. I’ll still be eagerly awaiting her next release—everyone has an off day, and this just wasn’t the perfect match for me.

3/5 stars

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is another win for Katherine Center. This fun rom-com has it all and had me laughing so much! Highly recommend!

Having the same name as a character is fun. Having the setting take place close to your home is amazing. Seeing the characters experience situations you have lived through is a dream. I loved this book. She captured the Key West vibe perfectly

I love Katherine Center’s books and look forward to reading any new ones published. I love how her main characters’ narrate the story and I find it comforting how they all have a similar voice. I read this in a day and found it incredibly enjoyable. I did feel like a large chunk of the story was focused on the main character’s past relationship history and not enough of the story was focused on the present one. It felt a little insta love-y for my taste. George Bailey stole the show! Overall I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend!

“No one’s born fearless. You have to earn it.”

This wasn't just a romance with a hot guy, this was also a beautiful story of body positivity and self love. As always, the optimistic, hopeful and playful tone add so much depth to Katherine Center's work. After a ROUGH year, Katie's job is on the line and when given an opportunity to save it, she grabs that opportunity with both hands and omits some truths and signs up to do a promo for the Coast Guard. Enter rescue swimmer, Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson, the Coast Guard hero she is supposed to follow and film for a documentary. Hutch is a serious, broody non-smiler who is not interested in fame or being filmed.

With a rescue dog named George Bailey, a cheating ex-fiance, a lying coworker and a hurricane, what could possibly go wrong?

Great romance read. It was fun and flirty and a very quick read! The characters were interesting and likable from the start and the plot flowed really nicely throughout the story. Emma and Charlie had great chemistry. She was very relatable and I loved that Center wrote about her struggles with anxiety. It wasn't a super funny romance like Ali Hazelwood or Emily Henry, = but overall it was a really warm book that gave me a little laugh now and then. I highly recommend this book!

Although this book does give our leading lady, Katie, a handsome, fit as all get out, heroic rescue swimmer love interest it also focuses on Katie finding out how to love herself. The enemies to lovers trope features heavily throughout the novel in a nontraditional way because the main theme is about Katie learning to appreciate who she is and what she has to offer to the world. I loved her cousin asking her to find out what parts of herself she loves and how she struggles but ultimately realizes she is wholly special. I spent a lot of the book laughing out loud because Center writes comedic scenes that you can picture happening and as unrealistic as some of those moments might seem, her writing is so vivid that you can suspend belief. I found parts of the novel wildly unrealistic and almost silly but I also think Center can do no wrong as a writer and will always love her novels. This doesn’t top Things You Save in a Fire or How to Walk Away but I loved it nonetheless.

Charming, wonderfully written, entertaining, brimming with relationships, and water, The Love Haters swept me away to Key West and introduced me to an engaging, gripping, and delightful cast of characters. I enjoyed the emphasis on the various relationships in this book, being of service, taking chances, and facing your fears.

Katie Vaughn has had a rough go of it lately. Her ex-boyfriend is a rock star whose fans have commented on her looks and body online which resulted in Katie having body image issues. With her job on the line due to the possibility of layoffs she takes her boss, Cole's request to go produce a piece on his brother, Hutch who is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. There is just one teeny tiny little hitch - Katie can't swim! But to keep her job, she will dive into learning how to swim once she lands in Key West.

Once in Key West she meets Aunt Rue, her friends, Hutch and his rescue dog, George Bailey! She can't help but notice the oh-so-handsome- Hutch, his sad eyes, and his chiseled body. It's all about the journey for me and Katherine Center takes readers on a journey full of swim lessons, Congo dancing, friendships, attraction, family, swimming, a loveable dog, bravery, and secrets.

As with her other books, I found The Love Haters to be wonderfully written, well thought out, engaging, and gripping. I also enjoyed the sense of community between the characters, the various relationships i.e. friendship, love of family, love of your profession, love of a pet, self-love, and romantic love. It is also about being honest, being vulnerable, taking chances, and being brave.

Be sure to read the author's note at the end, it is a must read!

If Katherine Center writes it, I’m going to read it immediately – abandoning any and all other books on my TBR – and I’m going to give it 5 ⭐️.

KC writes romance, but her books are always so much more than that. She writes relationships: romantic, family, friendship and in The Love Haters, self. It’s a good reminder that in a society often driven by appearances, physical or otherwise, we do not need to be so critical and unaccepting of ourselves. We can and should choose to be kinder, gentler, and more understanding. I loved that. I loved Katie + Hutch, The Gals, and George Bailey too.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC, and thank you KC for continuing to share your talents with us.

“That longing to be looked at lovingly? That longing to be lovable... that's really also so much about wanting to be connected and safe and just deeply, fundamentally okay Maybe we didn't have to outsource that. Maybe we could fill that longing for ourselves. And I'm not saying we don't need other people, or that we should spend our lives alone. I just suddenly understood in a whole new, sun-breaking-through-the-clouds way that even if we do eternally need and long and want to be seen... maybe the most important eyes doing the looking are our own.”

This book was fantastic. Beautifully written, hysterical, joyful, moving, and lovely (except for any time Cole was on screen when I wanted to punch him in the face too). If you’ve read a Katherine Center book before, you won’t be disappointed, and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?!

I read this book in one sitting, which doesn’t usually happen for me ha. It was absolutely amazing! I loved the characters and learning about them and watching them grow, but as much as I loved learning about them, I also loved learning about myself while reading this. I decided to follow Katie’s journey of self love while I read this, and I think I will continue with that even now after I have finished the book.

The Love Haters by Catherine Center is a witty and laugh out loud tale about love and self-discovery. With relatable characters and a perfect mix of humor and emotion, this charming story reminds us that love often surprises us.

Katie Vaughn is about to get laid off from her job & she's dealing with the repercussions of a failed engagement to a famous singer. To save her job, she accepts a gig in Key West with Hutch Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer at the request of his brother, Cole. While Katie is hiding some truths of her own (like how she can't swim well), she learns of web of lies while working in Key West and the importance of facing your fears.

I could not stop reading The Love Haters! While the title refers to what Cole describes Hutch, it also describes Katie and her journey from self-hating her body due to previous events & demeaning comments on gossip websites to finding self-love (and romance along the way). Katie, Hutch, George Bailey & Rue are all likable characters that you want to root for them throughout the story. Themes include found family, enemies-to-lovers, vulnerabilities & loving yourself.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Thank you #netgalley and St. Martins Press for this early copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center. This one was a solid 4 star read for me and kept me up into the late hours of the night. The story centers around Katie, a documentary film maker who agrees to travel to Key West and do a story on the coast guard, along with a special side story as a favor to her colleague, Cole, and to potentially save her job. The side story is a “hero Documentary” something that Katie does in a YouTube series that documents the everyday lives of everyday heroes. This hero happens to be Cole’s brother, Hutch, who has refused any extra publicity for saving the dog of none other than Jennifer Anniston. Can Katie convince Hutch to let her do the story before it’s too late? This is a fun love story with some deeper themes intertwined. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was the absolute obtuseness of the characters at times and some of the story line being a bit over the top in the believability department. Loved this read!

Another fun and heartwarming book by Katherine Center. She is quickly becoming one of my auto buy authors for her engaging and entertaining books!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartwarmingly, swoon worthy, romance perfect for the spring and summer seasons. I loved the characters in this book and how well thought out they were complete with meaningful backstories. Katherine Center remains one of my favorite authors due to her consistently lovable and interesting characters and plot points.

I've always loved Katherine Center's romcoms and The Love Haters was no different.

Katie is chaotic and relatable in the best ways - you want to root for her the whole time because who amongst us hasn't feared rejection, putting on a bathing suit, and deep water? Hutch is your typical grumpy-for-good-reason love interest and the supporting cast does their jobs well.

The story is over the top in many places, but that works for this book. Katherine Center isn't trying to be too serious. If every romance novel can end in a happy ending, the stories along the way can be equally as unrealistic and entertaining.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Katherine Center is my go to for a feel good story! I love her novels and characters. She did not disappoint with The Love Haters. What I love most about The Love Haters, which is the same as all of Katherine Center's novels, is you know which two characters are going to end up together. It is apparent from the beginning, but what you don't know is how they will get to that point. The Love Haters does a great job of introducing the two love interests--Katie and Hutch. Katie is quirky and unsure of herself. She is such a realistic representation of what women go through. She is an independent woman working on herself and her career, which is refreshing. I enjoyed witnessing Katie venture through her journey of self-discovery and falling in love in the process.

Katherine Center writes the most relatable, realistic characters. I always can relate to characters in her book, and I never roll my eyes thinking, "No way that could ever happen!"

I was looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed! I could not put it down!

I always look forward to Katherine Center's books, and this was another good one! Quirky and cute characters, a huge lovable dog and a girl learning to love herself. I couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I don't usually read romcoms. I'm more of a dark fantasy, gothic horror, spicy romance type of reader. But this book was just adorable! I liked the FMC (Katie) immediately. She was bubbly, intelligent, and vulnerable. It's one of those rare times where the MMC paled in comparison to the FMC. It was sweet and warm like a warm chocolate chip cookies. Even with zero spice, I still enjoyed reading it. This was a bright and cheery book, a nice change of pace to my usual dark and tense reads. This low stakes, cozy read was perfect for my anxiety flare up today.

I couldn’t put this book down! The chemistry between Hutch and Katie felt so real, and the miscommunication was kept to a minimum. I also loved the uniqueness of the setting/situation/occupations. My favorite part, though, was seeing Katie grow throughout her journey. And of course, the dog was absolutely adorable!

Thank you to St. Martins Press for gifting me this ARC!