Thanks to St Martin's Press for the ARC of this book! When I got it in my email, I literally let out a squeal of delight! I absolutely LOVE Katherine Center and I knew that I would love this one! It immediately moved up to the top of my TBR! She just has a way of writing that sucks me in from the very first page and I devoured this one in a day! This book is definitely a love story, but I actually think it is more about self acceptance and love than anything else. That is a little bit of a departure from her more recent books, but reminded me of her 2009 book, Everyone is Beautiful.

Katie is a documentary film maker who works for a company that is struggling financially. She takes a job covering a Coast Guard rescue swimmer on Key West in a last ditch effort to save herself from being laid off. She has semi recently ended an engagement to a now famous singer and her self love is at an all time low. Hutch, the rescue swimmer, is the brother of her colleague, Cole, and though he's closed off at first, they forge a really strong bond. As they fall for each other, Katie gets tangled in a lie that she can't get out of ans she worries that it will ruin her long term chances with Hutch. As Katie learns to love herself and to be true to herself, she finds love along the way. As a bonus, Hutch and Coles Aunt Rue is a very fun character and Hutch's Great Dane, George Bailey, is also a really bright spot!

Five stars from me and you should definitely pick this one up!

Katherine Center is starting to become one of my FAVORITE authors - literally dropped everything to read this book as soon as I received the ARC and it was well worth it.

The Love Haters follows Katie, who is a video producer sent to Key West to film a promo video that involves her knowing how to swim....which she doesn't. But since her job is on the line, she takes it anyways and that leads her straight to Hutch. He's the guy she's sent to film for the promo video, and he also happens to be her boss Cole's brother. What can go wrong?!

I related to Katie on such a deep level - as someone with my own body insecurities I felt so seen in the way Katie views herself. It was incredibly well done watching her grow so much in her own body image through the book, and the ending had me in tears. I also loved Hutch as our FMC - he perfectly matched Katie and watching their romance grow through the book was such a joy.

I literally couldn't put this book down, it was SO good. Such an easy 5 star for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is way more than a romcom. This book is about falling in love with yourself, how to look at yourself and see that all of you is beautiful.

This book taught me how to look in the mirror and see someone who is worth looking at; and that is something that is more valuable than you could ever know.

So read this book friends!! Read it and enjoy the love story between the guy and the gal (and the guy (Hutch) is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 WOW!! 🥵) But really friends, read it not just for that, but to learn how to love yourself the way that you are because you are perfect just the way that you are. I will forever be grateful for Katherine for writing a book that reminded me of that fact. 💖

The Love Haters by [author:Katherine Center|409113]. Release: May 20 2025

Thank You NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Katherine Center for the e-ARC copy of [book:The Love Haters|217387810]

I was SO excited to get this ARC as I LOVED 'The Bodyguard' and 'The Rom-Commers'.
I really enjoyed 'The Love Haters'.
The book started out a little slow for me, but then picked up and I couldn't put it down. I stayed up late or woke up early to read because I needed to know how this was going to play out. It made me laugh, and fall in love with the characters.

I really loved Katie & Hutch and their interactions, but wish there had been more of their development and interactions. Too much of Katie and her internal struggles and monologues and conversations with her BFF. I wanted more of the car conversations or poolside convos. (I get now why it was this way...but I would have enjoyed more interactions).
I liked the video production and Coast Guard aspect of this book.
I really loved and appreciated the Epilogue and Authors Note.

I already can't wait to re-read this once it releases, but I'm looking forward to listening to the audiobook for my 2nd read through.

Things I enjoyed - favorite parts - Katie's epiphany about herself, Rue, The Gals, the parts that gave me the warm fuzzy feelings, George Bailey, The Coast Guard, the Epilogue, Authors note.

"Love stories are the best kind of therapy. Love stories make us better at love"

I loved that this book was a lot of focus on the main character really learning to love herself more than the romance. The characters were fun, loved the aunt and Hutch was great. the brother was a bit much, but we knew that going in. The key west setting made me want to go back there. I liked the main characters being friends first and always love a dog.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She has a way of writing romance tropes without making them feel tropey. It's a Hallmark book without the extra cheese and I love that.

Katie finds herself forced to accept a job in the Florida Keys filming a promo for the Coast Guard to save her job. The kicker? She can't swim. Enter a hot rescue swimmer who happens to be the brother of her coworker and son of her landlord and you've got yourself a romance novel.

Another win by Katherine Center!

I love getting early Christmas presents, and an ARC copy of @katherinecenter newest book is exactly what I wanted for Christmas.
I absolutely meant to try and read it slowly and make it last, but once I started all of a sudden I realized I was over halfway done and there was no stopping at that point.
Love and fame are two things documentary filmmaker, Katie, is wary of. Burned by both she has now perfected the art of blending in. Her newest assignment, filming a recruitment video for the Coast Guard, featuring camera and fame shy, Hutch, seems straightforward enough. Except Hutch is the estranged brother to her supervisor, Cole. And her boss, Sullivan, had been making personal cuts left right and centre and Katie might be next. With her job on the line Katie needs to make sure this is her best assignment yet, and lying about being able to swim to get the job might not have been the smartest course of action. With a few mishaps and a few strokes of luck this assignment in the Keys may or may not save Katie’s job but it will change her life.
I adored this book. I might not be totally impartial because I am a huge Katherine Center fan, I think reading her books is like being wrapped up in a cozy blanket. This book shines a light on how easy it is to get wrapped up in hating our bodies and hiding them away, and the freedom that comes with challenging that way of thinking. Katie is incredibly loveable, Hutch is the perfect combo of brooding and sweet, and the Florida background provides some great colour.
Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for letting me have the privilege of reviewing #thelovehaters
Look for it May 20 2025
#readforjoy #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #romcom #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #booklover

I became a fan of Katherine Center after reading The RomCommers. I had high expectations for The Love Haters. Katie, a videographer, travels to Key West to film the handsome rescue diver Hutch. She meets Hutch’s Aunt Rue who owns a motel where Katie stays together with “the girls” a group of full time residents. An inevitable romance between Katie and Hutch ensues. The characters are likable and cute but a storyline at the end of the book was a bit too far-fetched for me. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Center Strikes Romantic Gold Again!

“He’s good-looking, okay? A Guy that good-looking doesn’t stay single unless he hates love.”

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is contemporary romance (and self-love!) at its best. Katie would do anything to save her job as a video producer from her new boss, Sullivan, and therefore agrees on an assignment in Key West to make a promo video for the US Coast Guard following around Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson – an Aviation Survival Technician. But maybe she didn’t think this all the way through . . . because Katie cannot swim, and overall is afraid of a swimsuit. And she was assigned this job by Cole, who happens to be Hutch’s brother, meaning there may be a sticky family issue she is missing here. Hutch always frowns, he hates love (per Cole) and “[h]e’s the opposite of likable! He’s perfect.” What could go wrong?

Insert a huge smile: I loved this novel! The feeling of self-awareness and love you will feel after reading this is amazing. As Katie states: “I’m not the only woman in the world with body-image issues.” BINGO! How true is that – this is not just a romance book, but a love-yourself too reminder.
From George Bailey to The Gals, to popstars and flight gear, this book hit all the right chords. Being from south Florida and vacationing in the Keys every August, it was fun reading about Duval Street and Mallory Square (I wish Kino sandals were included – then you would know Katie really became a true Key West girl! . . . or sightings of the Key West Key Lime Pie Company – both staples in the Keys!). Also experiencing hurricanes more than I would like, there were some parts that didn’t necessarily add up but the overall story with Hutch and Katie will make you overlook any small detail. (I do wish that there was more "steam" in this romance book though - just a little more!)

You will be humming “Heart and Soul” after reading this gem – Hutch and Katie are recovering from their own jaded love lives and their story with leave you warm and fuzzy. This is a Nina’s Notables and 5 stars! I don't want to give anything away - just make sure you read this novel!

Thank you NetGalley for the joy of reading this novel; all opinions are my own and honest!

“Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time.”

I was thrilled to get this ARC! Sure, it’s the “wrong” season to read it—but I couldn’t care less.

I couldn’t put this book down. I stayed in the tub reading until the water went cold and I looked like a prune, and I even stayed up until midnight on a work night! 😬

This story had me laughing, crying, and yelling—jabbing my finger at the screen like it could change the characters' decisions. Katherine always creates the most unique jobs for her characters and weaves incredible stories around them. This time, we follow a video producer and a Coast Guard rescue swimmer.

Her books are my ultimate comfort reads, and this one is no exception. While there are some potential trigger warnings for body image issues, the topic was handled thoughtfully—especially for a ~300-page book with so much ground to cover.

Expect a touching but heart-wrenching family story, a rescued Great Dane, plenty of humor, a sweet romance, and fun besties. You’ll want to grab this in May—it’s the perfect beach read!

Thanks to @netgalley, @smpromance @StMartinsPress for this ARC, all thoughts are my own.

#TheLoveHaters #KatherineCenter

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC!

I adore Katherine Center’s books & thought this one was a ton of fun. Katie was a great FMC, Hutch was a cutie pie, Rue & the Gals are the loves of my life. And I would be remiss not to mention George Bailey🩷

While I did super enjoy it (4 stars!), here’s what missed the mark for me:
- Hutch (while I loved him) was a liiiiittle bit half-baked as a character.
- Every plot line that had to do with Cole (which was most of them) ANNOYED ME oh my god. I can’t take the lying and miscommunication, it’s my least favorite trope 😭why couldn’t we just be upfront with AT LEAST Hutch?!
- The body images issues that basically took over the entire book were tiring to read about (coming from me, who definitely has them myself)

+ some other spoiler-y reasons I won’t mention. THAT BEING SAID! I still really liked it; I don’t think Katherine Center is physically able to write a book I wouldn’t enjoy.

Cant wait for her next book!

I cannot believe I’m saying this about a Katherine Center book, but I hated this so much, I had to quit. Maybe (most likely not) I’ll pick it back up again at some point, but the Big Conflict that appeared to keep the love interests apart was extremely off-putting and archaic and felt gross. And the FMC’s body image and history of disordered eating was… confusingly handled. I can’t nail down *exactly* what was giving me the ick so badly, but something felt very off about pretty much everything.

Katherine's writing has a way of making you feel more emotions than you thought possible while reading a romance. The way she makes you feel seen in her characters is undeniably one of my favorite things about her writing. The Love Haters has plot, lovable characters, and a romance that will sweep you off your feet.

Thank goodness for Katherine Center, who can be trusted to release a feel-good romantic comedy every summer. I always look forward to her books, and getting to read an early copy of "The Love Haters" (her summer 2025 novel) was a treat.

Katie Vaughn works for a Texas video production company which is in the middle of a round of layoffs. Her boss, Cole, sends her to Key West, FL, to shoot a promotional piece for the Coast Guard, featuring a rescue swimmer named Hutch, implying that a great final product could save her job. What he doesn't tell her right away is that Hutch is his brother, and that the two are somewhat estranged, for reasons that aren't made clear until much later in the book.

In order to get permission to go up in a rescue helicopter, she'll need to pass a swimming test, which means putting on a swimsuit, something she hasn't done in years. She has serious body image issues, and has had to overcome feelings of inadequacy, rooted in her stepmother's criticism during Katie's childhood. (She talks about obsessive calorie-counting, which might rate a trigger warning.)

Naturally, Hutch is incredibly handsome, and there seems to be some mutual attraction... but then he starts acting rather aloof. It all comes back to Katie's job, which seems to be an extremely dysfunctional situation on many different levels.

The best part of "The Love Haters" is the final quarter, when the story takes a very dramatic turn. It would almost have been too suspenseful had it not been for the fact that I know reading a Center book guarantees a happy ending. In this case, that also involves Katie learning to love herself.

4 Stars! I did enjoy this book a lot. However, it felt boring at times, too slow to start & it seemed to drag on a bit & I started skimming through. Once the main characters meet, it got better. I’m glad I didn’t stop reading. The main characters are Hutch & Katie. I loved Hutch, a Coastguard rescue swimmer (how hot is that!) but Katie annoyed me. I get it, she has self image issues but unless she’s actually overweight, shut it & move on. It’s like when beautiful women complain that they’re ugly to someone who isn’t good looking themselves. I really loved Hutches aunt too. The HEA ending was great. Action packed, entertaining, and it had Hutches dog, whom I also loved. All in all, a good read that had me smiling while I read & I’d definitely recommend.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

It’s official: Katherine Center is my favorite rom-com author!
This book was everything I’ve ever wanted—deep, funny, sexy, and absolutely swoon-worthy. I laughed, I gasped, I got butterflies, and yes, I even got chills the entire way through. It’s the kind of story that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go.

Sure, we might shake our heads at the Katie for turning around to save George Bailey, but do we hate her for it? Not one bit. That choice, like everything else in this book, just worked.

I can only dream of writing something this good. Katherine Center has set the bar impossibly high, and I’m not mad about it. Highly recommend!

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)