This author is such a great story teller! Her novels always place me right in the pages of the book, going along on the adventures with the characters. I can almost see what the Vitamin Sea looks like and feel the love from The Gals.

Katie struggles with her body image throughout the book and I enjoyed how Beanie attempted to counteract her thinking by talking about what she enjoys when looking in the mirror.

Rue was another great character and such an encourager.

George Bailey was pretty fantastic as well. I never knew what he was going to do next!

There were lots of family dynamics at play between Cole and Hutch. It was interesting to learn throughout the story of the struggles that they experienced.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

Katherine Center has a way of pulling your heartstrings like no other! I simply devoured this story. I did try to pace, myself but I was so invested in this story and I accidentally finished it before I was ready to say goodbye to the characters.
This tale focuses on two characters who stumble into a romance while they aren’t even looking for love. In fact, both are pretty firmly in the anti-love camp when they begin working together.
The Coast Guard aspect was fascinating, and the Key West setting was the perfect backdrop for this one. I wish I could head there on vacation and visit a place that has all the charm of the Starlight, the vacation rental where Katie stays.
Center is a master of weaving emotions into her stories, I alternately laughed and teared up at the circumstances the characters faced.
I highly recommend this delightful beach read.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Katherine Centers books. I was so happy to get this copy!! This was a story about self love, acceptance,  romantic love, and amazing friendships.  Katie was tasked to videotape a promo of coast guard Hutch as he went about his day saving lives. Her boss Cole was his brother so he figured it was better to send her as her job was on the line by the higher boss Sullivan. Katie arrived at Key West not expecting much except work. Yet, she met amazing gals and Aunt Rue. I absolutely loved Aunt Rue. She had her Vitamin sea store filled with colorful clothes that she shamelessly gifted to Katie. She took Katie under her wings to show her life can be colorful and fun. Katie was afraid of being seen. She was anxious of her body that started with her step mom body shaming her as a young teen. She was terrified of being unappealing to others. With the help of Aunt Rue and others she reclaimed her confidence and self love. I liked Hutch and his strength. I especially loved how he took care of Katie’s emotional needs and was very supportive. Another great character was Beanie, the sweet and caring cousin that cheered for Katie. Everyone should have a Beanie in their life. I loved any story with a dog and this was no exception. George Bailey was a sweet dog that added humor to the love story. The only meh moment was the beginning of the story. It started off slow for me. Otherwise what a wonderful,  sweet, and  beautiful story. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

Really cute! A romance story about a film maker and a rescue swimmer. It’s a cute premise mixed in with body positivity and saving dogs. While this isn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, it still emerges you into a heartfelt love story. I didn’t love the main character and her body image hangups, but did appreciate the ensemble cast. Center is a great writer and would recommend this book to friends.

Thank you #netgalley for sharing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another wonderful book by Katherine Center! If you look up "low self esteem" in the dictionary, you will probably see a picture of Katie Vaughn. She's hanging onto her video producer job by a thread, her musician boyfriend dumped her once he hit it big, and she struggles with body positivity. In order to save her job, she has to profile heroic Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom Hutcheson in Key West. Sounds great, right? Except Katie can't swim (she lied and said she could), and in order to do her job, she has to pass a test where she's upside down in a helicopter underwater.

Katie's navigation of this situation is both heartwarming and hilarious. She and the other characters are multi-faceted and deeply drawn, and I loved following along on Katie's journey to a more positive self image.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfection! I absolutely adored this book! Katherine Center has such a way with words and her books are my favorite! I always forget I’m even reading because I get so absorbed in her stories. There are so many funny moments and interactions that I was giggling as I was reading along!

At first, Hutch seemed so mysterious which intrigued me so much. And as I got to know him and he opens up more I fell in love with him just like I know you will! I loved how the story was told from Katie’s point of view. Her inner dialogue is so relatable and witty. Such an enjoyable rom com from start to finish! I couldn’t have loved it more!

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc!

First off thanks to netgalley for providing me an ARC!

Katie is a filmmaker/producer for a living and her boss is apparently on a firing streak. Her coworker, Cole, will keep her from getting fired if she agrees to film a Coat Guard promo for him. He doesn't want to do it because he's mad at his brother.
Hutch is perfect but apparently he hates love. He was nothing like Katie was told. He was talkative and kind and has a dog. This family has all sorts of baggage and Katie ends up in the middle of it and inevitably falls for Hutch.
I really enjoyed this book, it was super adorable and fun. Definitely recommend it. Since this is an ARC, there was a handful of spelling and grammer mistakes.

A stunning novel, absolutely stunning! Katie takes a job as a videographer to avoid being laid off. She is profiling Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. But she can’t swim! What other lies has she told to get the job? Katie really has a low opinion of herself, hates everything about her body. But then she meets Rue and her friends who love Katie. Katie does begin to question her own view of herself and the results are amazing. I just loved the characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Love Haters is a bit of a different romance.

It’s a romance not just about two people, but the love we show ourselves.

Our main character has an unhealthy amount of self loathing for her body. It doesn’t help that her ex-fiancé, a famous musician, writes an entire album of regret about how he treated our MC (he cheated btw) and showcased a song just for her (named the song Katie). Even though the song is a hit, and an homage to how amazing Katie was, the internet is the internet, where people can showcase their worst cruel selves. And how can someone who hasn't shown herself much grace or found a way to love herself completely, process people being cruel and mean about her body?

As for pacing, The Love Haters starts off a bit slow.

But, don’t let that deter you!

Because book friends, after giving it a few more chapters, things rapidly pick up, and we get to experience the joy we get from Katherine Center’s writing. Readers will be highlighting line after line and googling the many fun facts Center drops like little golden nuggets in her story. There are a number of lines like gems I’ve highlighted myself.

With laugh out loud moments, heart felt scenes that leave you aching and torn, plus one scene that left my jaw on the floor, Katherine Center creates an unforgettable story about self love, friendship and family, wrapping it all up in a beautiful setting in the Key West.

3.5 stars, but I will round up to 4 because I love Katherine Center

Here's the thing about Katherine Center books: I always find them enjoyable and unputdownable. Her books bring so much joy to the world! The Love Haters was enjoyable and unputdownable, and I flew through it. It's about a video producer named Katie who is doing a feature on US Coast Guard member and hero, Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson.

While I did enjoy this book, it may be my least favorite by Center? I liked Katie and Hutch. Katie was relatable, and the love story in this book is more than just about her and Hutch. A lot of the story is about Katie and her love and acceptance of her own body. As far as Hutch goes, he was great. But I thought there was room for more depth in his character. I don't know that The Love Haters is the right title for this one? It doesn't seem to encapsulate the plot of the book very well. There is a brief mention that the characters might "hate love" at one point, but I didn't think that was issue that was driving the plot and relationship development.

One thing that I did enjoy was the parts about the Coast Guard. I thought it was interesting to learn more about and I wish there would have been even more about the Coast Guard in this story!

There are two plot developments in the last part of the book that are just a lot. I did not care for the first one, it was just off the rails and too much and wholly unbelievable. The second one was also very unlikely to ever happen, but it felt more in keeping with the story and I was okay with it ending that way.

Even with these critiques, I would still happily recommend this book for a light, easy and enjoyable read! I will continue to read everything that Katherine Center writes!

10* stars. I devoured this book in a few days and stayed up way to late to finish it last night. This book made me cry and laugh so very much. It was beautiful and relatable. And as always this author leaves me feeling like I received a great big hug when I finish reading her stories. She gives you such hope in life and love. A definite must read for 2025 for all.

It's always a good day when a KC novel drops!! THE LOVE HATERS centers on Katie, a videographer in danger of losing her job, and Hutch, a coast guard rescue hero. She is ordered by her boss, Hutch's brother Cole, to take the gig because he does not want to. Hijinks ensue, chiefly the appearance of a great dane named George Bailey.

This book was really good. Katie reckons with body positivity after being dumped by her famous ex and body shamed by his fans, and she is on a journey of loving herself just as much as falling in love with Hutch. You do get glimpses of the past where she was far less kind to herself, though, for any friends to whom that might be sensitive. There is a lot of emotion in Hutch and Cole's backstory that charges the animosity between them, but it did not feel quite as gut wrenching as some KC books have in the past.

Potential ending spoiler/trigger: The book ends with a hurricane and the heroine in the middle of it (all ends safely!) but just FYI for gulf coast friends who have gone through hurricanes.

4.5 stars! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

Heat level: just kissing

Another winner from Katherine Center. This story make you laugh and cry. Katie is pitted between two brothers and on top of it all she is about to lose her job...or so she thinks. The story will have you laughing and feeling all the "feels" . Katie finally finds her true self after some harrowing experiences and true love finds Katie. Everyone in this story will grow as you learn their stories (even the story of George Bailey). Read on and enjoy the ride its worth your time...

Another 10/10 by my favorite romance/women’s fiction author. The amount of detail she includes about the location, and both Katie and Hutch’s careers is fascinating and adds so much to the story; I love the way I always feel like I’ve learned something in addition to reading a fantastic love story. Cole is a menace and those characters can be so frustrating, but there was enough background and justification for his actions that made it believable. My only complaint is that now I want to vacation in the Florida Keys!

If it’s possible, Katherine Center has topped herself again. The Love Haters is a lovely, poignant, and delightful story of falling in love—with someone else, with life, and especially with yourself. It treats topics like disordered eating, loss, grief, and insecurity with the all the kindness you could ask for. And then it asks you to turn that inward. This is one I’ll come back to, again and again.

Once again, Katherine Center creates a story that I’ve fallen in love with. I absolutely loved the characters and felt that their development was perfectly detailed. I loved the one liners and the ode to Casablanca at the end 🩷

3.5 stars rounded up -- let me start by saying I LOVE Katherine Center's writing. She always puts together the most interesting characters and storylines. This was a fun, light-hearted read but the romance just wasn't there for me. I loved these characters individually but it was too insta-love and almost rushed in the end.

Katie is a videographer that hasn't dated anyone seriously since her ex-fiancé got famous and cheated on her, making her the subject of unkind internet speculation. She is dealing with a lot of negative feelings about herself (tw: disordered eating) and now may be losing her job due to layoffs unless she nails this next assignment: a recruitment video for the Coast Guard. Her subject is the intensely private Captain Hutch, who became an internet sensation in his own right after a dramatic rescue of a celebrity dog.

So despite not knowing how to swim and being afraid of bathing suits, Katie travels to Florida to get the footage. She is expecting a surly and grumpy Coast Guard captain, but finds Hutch to be incredibly considerate, warm, and fun to be around. He may just be the man to break her out of her slump --if the lies she told to get the assignment don't get in the way.

Overall, a fun beach read but would have loved more oompf between these characters. Would have loved it to be dual POV too.

Oh how sad I am to only give The Love Haters three stars. I was so excited to read this gifted copy, especially after Center’s previous book The Rom-Commers. Don’t get me wrong I still liked it, I just didn’t love it.

Katie is a relatable character, in that she struggles with body and self-esteem issues, it’s mentioned a lot and therefore might be triggering for some. Hutch is, well, he’s perfect which makes him kinda “vanilla” as a romantic leading man, but he has a super cool job - U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer - and looks fantastic in aviators.

A lot of other early reviewers share my sentiments with where TLH goes sideways. It’s when Cole, work colleague/superior of Katie and the younger brother of Hutch, arrives in Key West. The last third of the book becomes too unnecessary (the lies) and fantastical (the ending). However, that being said, The Love Haters is an engaging story in which you learn some facts about the USCG. It’s also an homage to [learning to] loving yourself.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted digital ARC. The Love Haters will be available on May 20, 2025.

thanks to st. martin’s press for an advanced copy! this was such a cool premise. i did not have learning about the Coast Guard rescue swimmers on my romance bingo card. this was a fun cast of characters, and i really liked katie and hutch. interesting third act - not at all what I was expecting. i also wanted more hutch lol, i kind of think we didn’t get enough of them

usually I like this author. This book was a romance and loved that she fell for hutch and made some friends with the gals. she goes to key west to do a video about her boss's brother . They do end up falling in love but this book also dealt with self love and loving your body. She had some body issues and in the end becomes okay with herself. There was some romance .