Absolutely loved! Katherine Center can do no wrong with her characters being lovable, easy to dive into, and quick reads.

Loved this story about how Katie and Hutch get together. Cole ,who is Katie's boss asked her to do an interview on Hutch , who is a coast guard rescuer that Cole doesn't want to do. They are both in danger of having their jobs cut but what Katie doesn't know that Hutch is Cole's brother and they don't talk much. Cole says that Hutch is to perfect. Anyway, Katie takes the job , finding out a lot of things and Cole has been lying to Hutch. This thing between Hutch and COle goes back a long time. There is so much going on in this story that I don't want to spoil it. It is A VERY GOOD READ.

📚ARC Review 📚

The Love Haters⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trying to keep her job as a video producer, Katie agrees to take an assignment in Key West to shoot a promotional video for the US Coast Guard. She will be doing a highlight of rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch”Hutcheson (aka the Pup Daddy). The problem…Katie lied, she can’t swim and now she will be going on rescue missions to film Hutch in action. To make matters worse, Hutch has a reputation of being a love hater and hard to get along with but in order to keep her job, she will have to make this work.

I LOVED this book!! There were several laugh out loud moments and I loved that this was a sweet, closed door romcom with a deeper theme/meaning. Katie has had a lot of downs lately and isn’t really a fan of her body (after her ex leaves her) but during the story she learns to love what she has been giving and to take care of herself better. Hutch is a grumpy MMC but deep down a golden retriever. He’s also had a rough life but tries to make the most of it. I loved Rue and the group of older ladies, The Gals, and all their wisdom and laughs they brought to the storyline. Overall, this was just a “feel good” book that you will want to read again and again.

This book will release on May 20, 2025. Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR list and be sure to read the author’s note at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

title: The Love Haters

author: Katerine Center

publisher: St. Martin's Press

publication date: May 20, 2025

pages: 320

peppers: 2 (on this scale)

warnings: vomit, near drowning, fatal illness, cheating, binge drinking, death by car crash (described years later), disordered eating

summary: In order to save her documentary-film-making job, Katie accepts her colleague's offer to film a promotional video about Hutch, the Coast Guard rescue swimmer who saved Jennifer Aniston's dog. All she's heard from her colleague is that the guy, whose hobby is frowning, hates love and publicity. To get the job, she pretends to know how to swim because she's going to have to prove that she can escape an underwater, upside-down helicopter safety simulation. I know, what could possibly go wrong?!

tropes:

family troubles
stolen fianceé
cheating fiancé
learning to love oneself
he's perfect and smitten
I can't see how great I am
elderly and smart
lying for the job, gets caught
fake dating
bad boss
saving the dog
out-of-control dog
great best friend
found family
fun elderly ladies

what I liked: all of it.

The narrative voice is wonderful -- funny, smart, likable, honest, and imperfect in adorable ways
The love interest is perfect, an actual hero
the aunt has a great flair
the best friend is a winner
good life lessons

what I didn’t like: Nope. Nothing.

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

Center knocked it out of the park again in my opinion!

This cute and quirky love story was so much more than girl meets boy and they fall in love. This was about the struggle to love yourself and how life just doesn’t fit right until you can figure those parts out. This was about the unconditional yet sometimes painful love of family, both blood and found. This was about how love can find you when you’re not looking for it and when you can’t imagine that it could be there.

Readers are going to find Katie very relatable which I think is always the best part when enjoying a book. Her relationships with Hutch, Cole, Rue, and Beanie each showed a different facet of her character and provided beautiful opportunities for her to grow as a person after the horrible heartbreak she endured prior to the start of the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy! I can’t wait for others to read and enjoy this.

Anytime a Katherine Center book becomes available, I charge to read it!! Her books always leave me wrecked emotionally and then put back together again by the end of the story.

In THE LOVE HATERS, videographer Katie Vaughn may be getting fired. But not if her boss, Cole, has anything to say about it. He gives her an assignment she is – honestly – not cut out for in any way, either physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. But she doesn’t want to lose her job so she takes it.

The job? Make a training video of the Coast Guard Recuse swim team, namely one highly visible member, Tom Hutchenson. Who just happens to be her boss’s brother. Whom he doesn’t speak to.

Easy, right, Katie thinks.
So far from easy, the word isn’t even in the same dictionary as the reality.

First, Hutch as he’s known, is ridiculously handsome, Like, seriously – drop your panties gorgeous. Second? He wants nothing to do with this video.

How will Katie get him to agree? How will she earn his trust? Will she?
And just how much is she willing to sacrifice to achieve the goal?
This story had so many themes whirling around, at times I was spinning to keep up: parental death by vehicular accident; eating disorders; body dysmorphia; social media bullying; the traps of fame.

All, though, are expertly woven together by this master storyteller.
I was given this book as an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher, so thank you for that.
5 amazing stars for another powerful story from a master storyteller.

I have three romance authors that I will stope everything for to read their latest books: Emily Henry, Abby J, and Katherine Center. I love that all her books just spark so much joy.
This book had so many things that I LOVE in it: the Keys, a hurricane, a male MC that is straight out of the movie The Guardian, and a tragic story that brought people together.

Because I did get up at 4:30 am to finish this book, I am choosing to overlook some of the issues: the way the body dysmorphia was handled, the fact that a hurricane was approaching and no one mentioned it to her (very un-florida-like), and the brother, OH and the boss. Truly some bizarre things that I think could have been edited to flow better and make sense.

But this book did elicit true happiness from me reading about the great dane, George Bailey. So I am sticking with 4 stars even though I expect a lot of readers to be more critical of this book.

The Love Haters by C. Center, published by St. Martin's Press, is a witty and fun read. A rom com of its finest that had me laughing out loud, made me want to throw the book at some point, and gave alllll the feels.
I recommend the book, 5 stars.
Blurb: It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

3.75 stars- First off, the cover is so cute. This is the second Katherine Center book I have read and I flew through it. I was interested in reading about Katie shooting a documentary and how the relationship would evolve with the main subject of it (Hutch). I didn't love the last third of the book/the conflict. I liked all the moments with the dog, George Bailey, and the found family aspect especially with Rue. I liked how supportive Katie's cousin Beanie was.

Wow! What a wonderful story! Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center has become one of my favorite authors and her latest book did not disappoint. I loved the delightful main characters, Katie and Hutch, as well as the supporting cast of Rue (and her lovely friends), Katie's cousin and bestie, Beanie, and, of course, George Bailey, Hutch's cutie patootie Great Dane. And then there's Cole (boo! hiss!) who I enjoyed loving to hate and yelling at him in my mind.

Besides the romance (which was very enjoyable), this story also is about learning to love yourself and dealing with judgy social media. For any woman out there who's struggled with accepting and loving her body the way it is, this book has a powerful and positive message. There's also parts about forgiveness and learning to embrace the joy of every day. There's witty dialogue, some awesome kissing, and a satisfying HEA. As an added bonus like her prior book, "The Rom-Commers", there's a wonderful "Author's Note" at the end discussing the romance genre which was really good and really interesting.

A smattering of f-bombs and, as stated earlier, awesome kissing.

How much did I love this book? Well, even though I have the ARC, I will definitely be buying the final version in ebook and audiobook format. This one's a keeper!

As a long time Katherine Center Fan, I was thrilled to receive and review this ARC from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley!. The Love Haters follows Katie Vaughn as she tries to not be the victim in an imminent downsizing, on an assignment to make a USCG promotional video profiling rescue swimmer Tom 'Hutch' Hutcheson. One big catch, Katie can't swim and she soon finds herself intertwined with Hutch and his 'family' and a lot of antics along the way. This is a perfect mind escape, I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I loved the ending. I also think the way Center handles very sensitive issues such as body shaming and phobias is very refreshing, and down to earth. The honesty makes her characters real. While this novel is a 'rom=com', it also has very deep themes of friendship, self love and growth, and belonging where you never thought you could. Highly recommend for your TBR list!

3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors so I was so excited when I received this ARC but I found this book to be a miss for me. The book started off pretty slow and was hard to get into at first, but then picked up. I really liked the humor thrown in and Rue really made the book for me! I did not feel any chemistry between Hutch and Katie. It felt forced and unrealistic. Also, the part of the book involving Cole and his lies felt out of place. Overall, I thought the book had a cute story line but it could have been executed better.

In The Love Haters, Katie is on the verge of loosing her job when she gets an opportunity to film a promo video for the Coast Guard in Key West. She takes it and meets Hutch, who the is the star of the film. He is handsome and irresistible but has sworn off love. They both have to spend a lot of time together filming and feelings start to happen but Hutch's brother Cole has other plans in mind.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

It was a little slow to start but once I hit around 25%, I was sucked into the storyline and could not stop. Ended up staying up til 1am to finish it. The storyline and dialogue move fast and you will want to keep turning the pages. I noticed that this novel is a little bit different than her usual - less focus on the main characters' (Hutch and Katie) romance and more on Katie's journey to self love. I encourage you to read the author's note after the story. I also appreciate Katherine Center's highlight on the rescue swimmers - definitely learned a lot and have a new appreciation for these heroes.

Katherine Center never disappoints and I'm ready for her next one!

A new Katherine Center book, add in the Coast Guard (proud Coastie wife here!) and a big lovable dog what’s not to love?! This was such a heartwarming and funny story and I loved all the characters. I was slightly disappointed in the ending, wanting more! But still a 5 star read from Center. Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy!

Out of Katherine Center's latest books, this one is a top contender for me (though Hello Stranger is my favorite). Her writing is always funny and heart-tugging. I didn't particularly identify with the MC's body-image struggles, but I thought they were done sensitively. I also think there were times where Katie's inner dialogue was just too much. There were parts I skimmed completely trying to get to more action. I loved George Bailey and dreamy Hutch - top tier MMC! I wish there had been more done with the anti-fake-dating with Katie and Cole, I actually really liked reading that after being inundated with nothing but fake dating tropes the last few years. The hurricane felt like it came out of nowhere, but I really enjoyed its conclusion.

katherine center has become an auto-read author for me, and I always jump to read go read her books, especially when I receive an ARC. unfortunately though, this one missed the mark a little for me. i’m always going to enjoy center’s books, but this one focused a little too much on body image (she mentioned how this was healing for her, so nothing against her for including it, it’s not not something I particularly enjoy having so much focus in a book), cole was insufferable, and the ending quite honestly just seemed absurd. I still enjoyed this and would recommend to katherine center/romance fans, but it was not my favorite by her.

The Love Haters is Katherine Center’s newest novel and it’s sure to be another hit. We follow Katie as she tries to save her job by taking on an assignment to film a promotional video of Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson. The problem is that she can’t swim, and the assignment requires her to go through some of the safety training involved, in the water.

As with all the author’s books the writing is quick and witty but she’s not afraid to take on some hard subjects. This is one of the things I really admire about her writing. The tone of the story is fun and light, but Katie is also tackling some past serious issues with disordered eating and struggles with her self-confidence and body image. I appreciate the harder subjects that are handled with respect but also a lightness. I thought the author handled the subject well and loved the growth that she goes through. A content warning for readers who are sensitive to this subject.

I loved the two primary characters in this as well as so many of the side characters, especially George Bailey. There are themes of found family which were very well done. The only slight issue for me was the third act setback, which felt pretty contrived. The ending was very exciting and I loved how the whole story wrapped up.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press, author Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC to review in exchange for my honest review.

When love-hater Katie faces the possibility of being fired, she accepts colleague Cole’s offer to film a promo video for the Coast Guard. The catch? The subject of the promo is Cole’s rescue swimmer and fellow love-hating brother - Hutch. To save her job, Katie jets off to Key West with a bag full of black on black clothing that is lost in transport, and has to allow Cole’s Aunt Rue to clothe her in the best of the tropics.

You see, Katie has body image issues. Her ex is the latest singer to take the world by storm, and due to the exposure, Katie has found herself the subject of gossip sites. She has been ripped apart by strangers for what she wears, how she wears it, and every hill and valley of her body. She’s learning how to love herself while training with the Coast Guard - which is challenging for her because it means she must spend a lot of time with hottie Hutch while wearing a bathing suit.

The Love Haters is an adorable romcom with a powerful message - can you love another when you struggle to love yourself?

Heartwarming and healing, this is a book you don’t want to miss!

Another home run for Katherine Center. I was so excited to get a preview copy of this book and really enjoyed it. Her characters come to life and the little details are great right down to the little toad.

Have you heard the outdated word “Apricity”? It’s the feeling of the sun's warmth on a cold winter day. That joy is the same kind I feel every time I read a Katherine Center book.

Every time I think she can’t possibly make her new book as good as the last, she proves me wrong.

And “The Love Haters” was quite possibly my favorite book to date, perhaps because I related to the storyline so much.

Military love. Check. Great Dane. Check. In an “it’s complicated” relationship with myself and my body. Check.

And I adored Rue and her group of friends as supporting characters.

Let’s look back at some things I’ve said about KC's novels over the years because they continually prove true with every new story she writes.

“I loved every funny, sad, silly, cheesy, heartbreaking, empowering, heartwarming, and sometimes all too-relatable moment of this book. Five fantastic stars!”

“Katherine Center books are always on my TBR list. They’re witty, charming, insightful, and leave you feeling hopeful.”

“She accurately portrays trauma, tragedy, and grief so that you feel hopeful and inspired. Every time. Every story. That is what I love most about her work. I always take away some nugget of wisdom for this beautiful mess we call life.”

Fun side note: This was my 10th Katherine Center book and 100th read of 2024!

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