I was so excited for this one, y’all!! I put the rest of my TBR aside to start this one and as per usual Katherine Center did not disappoint.

Like with all of her books, I knew I was in for the characters overcoming some very real struggles, loads of laughter, the warmest fuzzies, and falling in love of course.

Katie was so relatable! I love Katherine’s description in the author’s note “she is in an enemies to lovers trope relationship with her own body image”. The best romance of the book might actually be the one she develops with herself. I personally suffer from a chronic illness and some of my medications have drastically changed my weight and overall shape of my body over the years so this was so nice to read as I have been on a self love journey myself.

As much as I loved Katie’s personal journey, I do want to mention that the romance between Hutch and Katie was so special. Hutch is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer with the dopiest and cutest dog George Bailey. All of their interactions were just so heartwarming to me.

I adored all of the side characters as well. Rue and the Gals and even Cole added so much fun to the story.

This might be my favorite book of Katherine’s yet! Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I wish I could share this book right now! I absolutely loved the characters. I loved the message. I loved the drama, the suspense and the story line. This is a quick and easy read. I love when a book can capture fears and anxieties in such a natural way. Highly Recommend.

I love love love Katherine Center and her books never fail to delight me!

While this one was mostly enjoyable, it fell a teeny bit short for me.

The main character, Katie, has a tricky relationship with her own body, and at times, I felt that her harping on her shape and her ways of relating to food took away from being able to enjoy the book fully.

However, at the end of the book, there is a note from the author that addresses this, and she mentions that love stories can come in all forms. This one happens to include one between Katie and her body in a kind of enemies-to-lovers trope. I understand that and completely support it!

Aside from the body image aspect of the book, I was smitten, as per usual.

The fact that Katie's love interest, Hutch, has a Great Dane delighted me to no end. Big dogs are the best!

The book takes place in Key West, which provides a fantastically Floridian backdrop for all kinds of fun things to take place.

It's a story that will put a smile on your face and one that definitely deserves a spot on your TBR list!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #thelovehaters

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

As always, Katherine Center writes a 5-star book, and this might be my new favorite one to date. This book had me laughing and crying in one sitting, and I wish I hadn't read it so quickly. 

Katie, the FMC has had it pretty rough over the last couple of years, from getting engaged to being cheated on. Even worse, it all went viral. Additionally, Katie has struggled with body image issues. She goes to Key West and meets Hutch (who btw might be my new fave MMC).  He went viral for saving Jennifer Annistons dog from drowning. The chemistry between the two is amazing, and their meet-cute laugh is hilarious. Watching them fall in love has been a real treat, and I cannot wait to see what else Katherine Center puts out over the coming years! 

Read if you like:
Found family
Funny meet-cute
Coast Guard
Enemies to lover (with your own body)

I loved this! Katie is trying to save her job when she accepts a job filming with the US Coast Guard in the Florida Keys for a promotional video. Her co-worker, Cole, has asked her to go in his place and the subject is his brother Hutch. Perfect, handsome, hero Hutch who once saved Jennifer Annistons dog. I loved Katie and Hutch as well as the other characters of the book, especially aunt Rue who was so welcoming to Katie. And the dog George Bailey. I loved seeing the character growth of Katie. This is a love story but even more so, a story about loving yourself. This will be a great beach read next year. Also the authors note is perfect. Books really are so much magic:)

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of The Love Haters in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 20, 2025.

Christmas came early this year for this Katherine Center Super Fan! ! I was so excited to receive an email inviting me to read her latest book. This is the 9th book that I’ve read by this author - she is one of my top 5 favorite authors!

This book is a rom-com in that there is romance and there’s comedy. But there is so much more! There’s layoffs at work. There’s history between brothers Hutch and Cole that hasn’t ever been addressed. There’s Rue who runs the Starlite, wears bright colored-clothing and hangs out with The Gals. There are bathing suit malfunctions and splinters in embarrassing places. There’s George Bailey the Great Dane. There’s Beanie who reaches Kate to love herself. There’s a thrilling in-depth look at Coast Guard rescue swimmers. There’s a Hurricanes and lies and kisses.

This is so much more than a rom-com. The story brilliantly weaves themes of fear, confidence, body image and secrets.

I laughed, I cried and I had all the feels! ❤️ I wish the Starlite really existed because I’d like to retire there, wear bright clothes and hang with The Gals.

Highest recommendations!

Once again, I was so excited to read a new Katherine Center book. And there was a lot to like about this one. As usual, there was humor and heart, and just an overall lightness in the writing, which I love. I liked Katie and Hutch, the lead characters, though I do wish their relationship had been explored further. I also really liked George Bailey the Great Dane and Rue and her gals.

What didn't work for me was Cole, Hutch's brother. I was not a fan of all the lying, and he was downright awful.

All in all, it was a good read, and I'm already looking forward to her next one.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have yet to read a Katherine Center story that didn’t make me giggle. This is no exception - such a sweet, light hearted story.

I loved this book so much. Katie was such a relatable and likable character. I wanted to hang out with Rue and the Gals. I loved Katie’s journey of learning to love herself and how everyone had a part in helping her get there.

Katie Vaughn is in a little bit of a rut, she broke up with her musician ex-fiancé and her job is not on the cutting board. She gets an offer from a co-worker to go out to key west to film a video about the US Coast Guard in order to save her job. Since this job revolves around water and Katie doesn’t know how to swim, she’s in a little over her head but that is until she meets the rescue swimmer she’s supposed to be profiling, Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson.
The Love Haters is a funny, cute romantic comedy. I’ve really enjoyed all of Katherine center’s recent books and this one is no exception. I would highly recommend this when it comes out May 20,2025. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an Advance copy.

A must read author in my book! I really got into Center’s latest story and connected so much with the main female character. The storyline was interesting and I had a hard time putting this book down! It’s such a captivating self-discovery romance that I’ll remember for a long time. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I wanted to love this so much, but this author is hit or miss and this was a big ole miss for me. The characters were so cringy I just couldn’t focus on the story at all

Katherine Center can do no wrong. I will always recommend her books! This one was just the right dose of cute and sweet without being bland.

I absolutely LOVE Katherine Center, so when I got an email that I was invited to read an advanced copy of this book, I was beyond THRILLED to take St Martin’s Press up on their generous offer (multitudes of thanks to them!).

Katherine Center books are always the perfect blend of funny and poignant, and this book was no different. At first, I didn’t like all of the body image issues Katie had (though it was definitely understandable why she had them) but as the story progressed, I loved seeing her become more confident in herself and get out of her comfort zone. I always love Center’s love interests, and sure enough, I was swooning over Hutch from the moment he was introduced. I loved every scene he was in. I really enjoyed their relationship and their chemistry was fantastic (though this is a clean read with nothing other than kissing).

As a dog person, I loved George Bailey, and also Lucky! The secondary (human) characters were great as well, especially Beanie, Katie’s cousin/best friend/de facto sister. I love stories that have a strong bond between cousins. I also loved Aunt Rue and her gang of friends.

I always like that Center’s books are deeper than just a stereotypical romance. This book made me laugh and it made me cry (in a good way). I was a ball of emotions but overall this book just made me HAPPY.

I loved this book so much. A new favorite of mine from this author.

Naming the dog after James Stewart’s character from It’s a Wonderful Life got me thinking — Katherine Center needs to write a Christmas book! I would love that so much!!!!

Anyway, I enjoyed this book so much. I’m already awaiting Center’s next book and this one isn’t even out yet!

Wow wow WOW!!!! Absolutely LOVED The Love Haters! I can honestly say that from start to finish I was feeling ALL. THE. THINGS.

The love story between Hutch and Katie is so sweet and loved the genuine way they come to have feelings for each other.

I have honestly never read a book that portrayed what it is like to feel big feelings about your body and the anxiety of having others judge your body. Then Katherine went and showed Katie's journey to starting to love herself and her body despite imperfections and it was BEAUTIFUL.

Rue & The Gals and Beanie were the cherry on top!

Katie's point of view was raw, genuine and hilarious and I couldn't wait to hear from her what would happen next.

If you asked me to pick a favorite between The Rom-Commers, The Bodyguard and The Love Haters I don't know that I could do it!

Katherine Center continues to blow me away with not only the romance in her books, but the relationship with other characters and deeper themes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Soo many thoughts on this one. I had a bad taste in my mouth at the start with The Love Haters. The main character is recovering from an "eating disorder" and as someone who has a lot of experience with this issue, I was put off that it was handled so flippantly. They make light of it and act as if it's something you can just get over at the drop of a hat. It should have just been that the main character has body image issues. Once I let that go, the story was okay. It was very in line with Katherine's latest books (The Rom-Commers and Hello Stranger). I adored the love interest, Hutch, and his dog. I also loved Rue and her group of old lady friends. The drama in the middle was weird and unbelievable. The ending was also weird and unbelievable. But I was entertained enough and flew through it.

The main message in this book is to love yourself and to live and love loudly. The message was repeated so often that it kind of felt like I was reading a motivational, self-help book at the end. I appreciated that. I just wish I loved it as much as I did some of her earlier work and The Bodyguard.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Love Haters, by Katherine Center.

Katie is a filmmaker tasked with interviewing a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer for one of her co-worker's, who opted to pass this task off to her because the interviewee is his estranged brother. Her co-worker, Cole, warns her prior to the assignment that his brother, Hutch, is a bit of a love hater. Katie arrives in the Keys and meets eccentric Aunt Rue who owns the cottages where Katie will be staying. Aunt Rue takes an immediate shine to Katie and introduces her to her group of friends, "the Gals". This assignment is crucial to Katie's job, but she may have stretched the truth a bit about her skills and ability in the water, so she joins Rue and the Gals for their daily swim instruction with Hutch. As Katie and Hutch spend time together on the assignment, she finds herself catching the feels. It seems like Hutch is on the same page, until Cole arrives and complicates everything. Will Katie be able to make Hutch see things her way before it's too late? As a hurricane bears down on the keys, things grow dire for Katie. Will it be Hutch to the rescue, or has she just re-enforced his hatred of love...

I really enjoyed Katie and Hutch's story!! Katherine Center has become and auto read for me!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback. Another cute fun read by Katherine Centre. A cute slow burn clean romance is what this book offers and I love it!

Katherine Center is an auto-buy for me, and The Love Haters did not disappoint.

Katie and Hutch's chemistry was on point, and Katherine has created yet another book boyfriend for me in the form of Hutch. I loved Katie's back story where she was engaged and her fiance became a huge super star, cheated on her, and then realized he wanted her back. I waffled on if I thought Katherine should have her ex-fiance make an actual appearance instead of in the background, but there was already a lot going on that I think the right choice was made.

Watching Hutch fall in love with Katie silently with some meddling from the older ladies was so fun to read. Katherine always does a good job of developing side characters so well that they work seamlessly into the story, but having read so many books in my life, some authors treat secondary characters as an after thought. I did want to scream at Katie for not correcting Cole when he claimed Katie was his girlfriend.

I thought it was so tender how close Hutch stayed to Katie when she was doing her flip test, and took care of her when she tore the bottoms off her bathing suit. And I totally would have gone back for the dog too like Katie did at the end. And that final rescue? are you kidding me?

Katherine Center remains an auto buy author for me. Loved this one!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center
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Katie has to interview a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to keep her job during a brutal round of lay offs. The Coast is described as a man who hates love. Katie also has had a bad time with love so that is not a problem. The biggest hurdle is she can’t swim.
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What I loved:
-I mean anything that Katherine writes I will read. 💜
-I loved Katie’s relationship with her best friend/cousin. Katie has been through the ringer and needs all the upbuilding so her cousin’s tough love and “pep” talks were so touching to read. (Also I admire my right foot but not my left. If you read this book you’ll understand why I put that here.)
-A grumpy guy with a huge rescued great dane. C’mon.
-Aunt Rue. 💜💜💜💜💜 I desperately want an Aunt Rue in my life.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I adore Katherine and will read anything she writes. There are other Center books that I loved more than this book so I couldn’t give it the full five stars as it could not knock “Hello Stranger” or “The Rom-Commers” out of their first and second positions. But I did enjoy The Love Haters and cannot wait till the day I can read whatever story Katherine is cooking up at this very minute.