This is my favorite ARC book so far. A cute little story about a sweet female character that we can all relate to and a man in uniform we can all want to stare at ❤️❤️ 5 stars. The characters were believable and I want to meet Rue and the Gals.

4.25 stars
I love Katherine Center’s work- the RomCommers had me in tears in the best way. The Lover Haters was equally special! I think one of my favorite part of her writing is that self-acceptance and self-understanding is such an important step alongside finding a partner in her books. I love that she’s proving that to be a good partner, you need to love yourself first. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!
Posted as Liz on Goodreads.

<A colorful story full of charming, warm characters that’s as much about falling in love with yourself as it is about falling in love with another person. This is my new favorite Katherine Center book.

Katie is in the middle of recovering from a recent heartbreak when she’s sent sent to Key West on a job that makes her face both her fears and herself.

The plot is dynamic, moving from hilarious situations, to softly heartfelt moments, and heart racing suspense with ease. You’ve got meddling retirees, an over-eager great Dane, and a best friend that’s the perfect balance of supportive and pushy. The romance is comfortable without being boring, and the conflict they face is more due to outside sources than issues between them. Hutch is capable, dependable, and kind. He rescues dogs. He teaches Katie how to swim. It’s a joy to watch them fall for each other.

Katie’s journey with self-esteem could be triggering for some readers, but the majority of millennial girls who grew up in the “Kate Moss” era of fashion can find something relatable about her relationship with her own body and her perception of how the world sees it. It’s one thing to say you love yourself, but it’s another thing to actually believe it, and watching Katie work through that is empowering.

I read this almost in one sitting and I could see myself rereading it in the future.

The Love Haters was unfortunately a pretty significant disappointment for me. I enjoyed The Rom-Commers and was looking forward to reading more by Katherine Center, but I'm wondering now if maybe I'm not the right reader for her.

I thought the humor and plot (especially the ending!) were over-the-top, unrealistic, and a bit juvenile, which detracted from the more emotional parts of the plot. Cole is a bizarre, mean-spirited character, and I don't understand Katie's willingness to put up with him. He does several things, especially in the second half of the story, that I found both completely inexplicable and off-putting. The negative body talk throughout was excessive and confusingly handled.

This book tackles some pretty heavy subjects (including parental death and disordered eating/body image) and I felt that the overall tone of the book really detracted from how seriously those issues could be addressed.

It wasn't 5 stars for this one, but it was a solid 4 for me. I just think she's an amazing writer, and I haven't disliked anything yet, but Katherine Center delivers a heartfelt and humorous gem with The Love Haters. This nourishing and uplifting story encouraged self-love, personal growth, and embracing new perspectives, all wrapped in Center’s signature humor that felt like the best kind of therapy. The slow-burn romance between Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker, and Tom Hutcheson, an Aviation Survival Technician, was beautifully written, with a focus on vulnerability and connection that felt deeply relatable. Center’s storytelling is both inspiring and entertaining, leaving me smiling throughout. A must-read for fans of thoughtful, feel-good romance. Four stars. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank so much you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center!

Katie, a video producer at risk of being part of a workforce reduction, is assigned to film a profile on Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Hutch turns out to be the brother of her coworker, Cole. When she travels to Key West to film the profile, Cole arranges for Katie to stay with his Aunt Rue. The video profile lays the stage for a forced proximity romance between Katie and Hutch.

The Love Haters is very much a contender for being my new favorite book by Katherine Center! I absolutely adored Katie and Hutch! Rue, the Gals, and George Bailey were also major scene stealers throughout the book. This love story will make you swoon and the last act of this book will have you on the edge of your seat! It was absolutely incredible and brilliantly done!!!

I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book! I highly recommend having the Love Haters as part of your TBR for this year!!

This book was absolute perfection! It was a love letter to every person who has ever thought that they weren't enough, that they needed to change something about themselves. Katherine Center has a way of making you laugh through the heartbreak and tears, and this was no exception.

Review to come on instagram closer to release, posted on goodreads 1/6.

B O O K R E V I E W
Title: The Love Haters
Author: Catherine Center
Pages: 320
⭐️: 4/5

Katie Vaughan’s love life came crashing around her a year ago when her social media- made famous musician fiancé cheated on her. A year later, her life has stalled - that is until work begins laying people off. Katie can either be the next video producer to be let go, or a the request of her colleague Cole, go to Florida to film his brother, Hutch, for a Coast Guard recruitment piece. Katie is faced with fears and old scars, as she dives straight in.

Katherine Center knocks it out of the park again. Her characters, especially the FMCs, feel real and imperfect in the best possible way. Katie is strong, and smart and has baggage that doesn’t immediately disappear the moment she meets a man. This book is about love, not just between a couple, but also the love one has for oneself and their family - whether biological or chosen. It’s a beautiful story that I just couldn’t put down. I rated it four stars because I wish there was just a bit more about the couple at the end, but I love and respect that their relationship was just one part of the journey.

One of my favorite types of romance novels! I loved the characters and the whole story line. Love to hate is so so fun to read! I highly recommend reading this one. You will fall in love with it.

Oh my gosh, this book!!! Not only was a cracking up, but I found myself getting emotional. As someone who struggles with insecurities, the message about loving and appreciating yourself was so powerful. This is BY FAR my favorite Katherine Center story.

This is one of my anticipated reads of this year, and it was everything I’ve wanted and more. The Love Haters is a rom-com following Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker, and Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, an aviation survival technician for the United States Coast Guards, also known as a rescue swimmer. In the midst of potentially being laid off, Cole, Katie’s work supervisor, offers her a filming documentary job in Key West, video-graphing a recruitment video for the US Coast Guard rescue swimmers. Despite not knowing how to swim or having any background knowledge of Coast Guards, Katie accepts the job in an attempt to prevent being fired. Cole informs Katie that the rescue swimmer she’ll be interviewing is his brother, Hutch, who he doesn’t get along with. During her stay in Key West, Katie learns more about Hutch and his history as well as rediscovering herself.

Katie is extremely relatable and heartbreakingly vulnerable. She is a character who perseveres despite difficulties. Her relationship with the way she struggles with her body and food hit too close to home, but her gradual acceptance and appreciation for them was extremely gratifying and beautiful. Hutch, on the other hand, was broody, stoic, and protective. His immediate first impression and reaction to Katie were charming and genuine. Hutch's appreciation and love for Katie for who she is as a person and never wanting to change her was endearing.

While The Love Haters is a rom-com, it reads more like women's fiction with romance in the rearview. It’s a story of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-discovery. It focuses on appreciating who you are as a person and how much you could achieve and accomplish if you set your fears aside. It focuses on accepting love, overcoming your past, and resilience. Moreover, it highlights the importance of self-empowerment and how much power you yield over yourself versus the world. Katherine Center wrote a profound book accentuating the beauty in learning how to be unapologetically yourself while finding comfort from inwardly reflecting and appreciating life for what it is and welcoming it instead of hiding away from it.

I truly adored reading this uplifting book, and anything Katherine writes exudes joy and warmth. I can’t wait for her future releases, and I’m beyond excited for what’s next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Katherine is back and she is back swinging! Katie is a videographer who is about to get sacked (or she thinks) by her boss, Sullivan. So, what does her coworker, Cole do? He offers his assignment to her to make a documentary about the newly popular, Hutch, a coast guard who saved Jennifer Anniston’s dog. Hutch, Cole’s older brother agrees to the terms, hoping he would come back home to Marina Keys, to at least be civil in front of aunt Rue. Seems like he and Cole are in not so friendly terms. And, we don’t know why. As they spend more time with each other, he falls for her and her too. But, then Cole comes with her going-on-a-firing-rampant boss and tells everyone he and Katie are dating?!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romance books are easy to predict when you have read them a lot. I thought I would get the older brother trope but it wasn’t predictable. Heck at times, it seems like it was contradicting tropes as a satire. And, I’m here for it. The laidback writing is able to convey such powerful meaning with the dialogue and descriptions.

The characters felt complex but still fun. Katie got dumped by her now famous musician fiancee a year ago and while she is over their breakup, she didn’t get over about the mean comments. She started not loving her body and who can blame her when social media endorse the unhealthy mindset of perfection. Then, in this assignment she met Hutch.

I thought at first, Hutch perfect physique (he is a Coast guard yall, his job desc is to stay ripped) would play into Katie’s insecurity. While they talked about a little, it wasn’t the main point. She opened up about how she hated her body and how her brain tried to love it but it’s hard. He opened up to her as well about Rue not being his biological aunt and what happened between Cole. Their trauma didn’t complete each other. They weren’t connected in some backstory. It did not NEED to match. They let and helped each other realize how grewt theyare. It felt like I was seeing two people connect and fall in love. It was dreamy, in a realistic and best way possible.

Her inner dialogue is so funny. I can relate of ‘why am i even thinking about this in this important matter right now’ mindset. I do widh that we could get Hutch’s inner turmoil more. We get to see much of Katie’s personality that he felt flat in comparison.

5 stars and I love it. It’s now my second fav book of hers, after the Bodyguard.

Katherine Center really shines at writing stories that suck you in and are entertaining all the way through. This book instantly had me into the story. It was especially enjoyable towards the end, where things go a bit off the rails. I liked Katie’s character and I found her inner monologue about her body insecurities very relatable and expressed in a way that I personally haven’t read in a book before but could very much level with.

I will say if you’re going into this book looking for epic romance - that’s not what you’re going to find here. This book is more like an extended meet cute with a bunch of complications.

Besides that though, I will definitely keep reading Katherine Center books for the pure, lighthearted entertainment.

Katie Vaughn desperately wants to keep her job as a video producer, so when her boss, Cole, assigns her a new project, she accepts—despite glossing over a key detail: she doesn’t know how to swim!
The task? Create a profile on Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer stationed in Key West.
The catch? Cole is Hutch’s brother, and the two have a strained relationship.
Determined to prove herself, Katie heads to Key West, figuring she’ll tackle the swimsuit dilemma once she’s there. (She doesn’t own one and struggles with body image issues.) The journey is chaotic, but her arrival is made better when she’s warmly welcomed by Aunt Rue, Cole and Hutch’s spirited aunt, who runs an inn. Rue, along with her quirky group of friends, provides plenty of lively moments.
Rue helps Katie settle into a charming cottage and even arranges for her to take swimming lessons over the weekend. Katie is relieved—until she discovers her swim instructor is none other than Hutch himself. Keeping her secret about not knowing how to swim is no longer an option!
The setup has plenty of charm, but the story stumbles in execution. While the concept is promising, the early chapters focus heavily on Katie’s insecurities, and the humor in the swimming lessons leans too much into over-the-top antics for my taste.
The plot takes another turn when Cole shows up in Key West with their overbearing boss, Sullivan. His exaggerated behavior and flimsy excuses feel more farcical than necessary, which detracts from the overall narrative.
Katherine Center is undeniably talented and always writes with heart, but this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. That said, there are still bright spots—like a lovable Great Dane named George Bailey.
In the Author’s Note, Center explains that she enjoys crafting stories about healing. Beyond the romance between Katie and Hutch, this book also explores Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance. It’s a touching take on an “enemies to lovers” arc, but with Katie learning to embrace her body rather than fighting against it. That message is truly inspiring. ❤️
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader’s copy. As always, these opinions are my own!

I was having a great time but then we completely just lost the plot. It felt flat for me. Hutch had very little depth

Thank you St.Martins Press for an early copy of this book via Netgalley.

I think as a concept this book had a lot of potential. This is the fourth Katherine Centre book I’ve read but was not my favourite.

My biggest issue was Beanie and what a horrible friend/support system she was for Katie? Why is your friend sending you articles and updates on your ex? Why was there never a point at the end of the novel of Katie setting that boundary?

Katie’s journey with body image I think is an important representation for a lot of people. I didn’t personally relate to it but I’m sure others did.

A lot of her relationship with Hutch was very tell not show, which can be a theme in KC’s books.

I still had fun and finished this in under a day! I will still read whatever KC puts out next!

Despite the title, The Love Haters brims with joy, wit, and wholesome romance but without shying away from the difficult topics. Katherine Center’s characters are always full of so much life, and Katie and Hutch were no different. A warm, endearing read with a powerful message about self-acceptance and learning to love yourself.

I am now and forever a Katherine Center fan and will read anything she writes.  So it pains me to give The Love Haters (pub 05.20) three stars. Don’t get me wrong I still liked it, I just didn’t love it. Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the early copy.

I typically find her work compulsively readable and this was no exception. Her novels invite me to suspend reality and enjoy a story that isn't light-light, but isn't heavy either. Although I was totally unprepared for the body issues/eating disorders/body dysmorphia that were woven throughout. It was uncomfortable. 

The premise of was intriguing, but the execution fell flat for me. I wanted more oomph. The dialogue felt choppy and the story a bit repetitive. The book felt rushed, unpolished and disjointed. I almost felt like I was reading a book within a book because the last 1/3 of the book had an abrupt, unnecessary turn leading to a fantastical ending.  

All that said- The Love Haters is an easy, engaging story in which you learn some facts about the USCG.

The queen of cooky rom-coms is back with "The Love Haters." Katie is a love-scorned woman whose ex-fiance became a pop-star right before cheating her. Flash forward one-year later when she's desperate to save her job, even when it means facing stretching the truth about her abilities and convincing a so-called love-hater to work with her.

The novel has great messages of self-empowerment, but the characters lacked a bit for me. I found Katie a bit annoying - but the best character in the story is Rue. She's the Aunt everyone needs in their life.

Quick and easy read, typical rom-com.

I know, I know, I say this every time but. This is my new FAVORITE Katherine book! Right from the start, I loved Katie and Hutch. And their story was so addictive I couldn’t put the book down. Such a great premise and usual top tier KC banter made for an excellent 5 star read to start off the new year. I can’t wait to read it again!!

Thank you so much to Katherine Center and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🥰