Katherine Center is one of my favorite romance authors. I love that she writes romance books that also focus on deeper issues. The Love Haters focused on body image, terminal illness, and various family issues. I loved the lessons in this book about conquering your fears and loving yourself. I thought the synopsis for this book was very interesting and unique. There was a lot of character growth throughout the book. Some of the twists in the plot line were confusing, but the ending and epilogue wrapped everything up very nicely. Overall, I would give this book 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like Katherine Center books. But I have never really loved one. I thought this was the one. For the first 2/3 of the book, I was in DEEP. Totally hooked on the story and wondering about the secrets and conflicts the characters held. And then it felt a little off the rails. Some characters hopping in without cause and creating chaos. Some story lines that are seemingly a big deal but just….left. Some very extended set pieces that got repetitive and boring. Ultimately the love story kept me going (although I don’t really think they are love HATERS) but I have so many questions still.

I was so excited to receive this eARC- Katherine Center is one of my favorite romance authors- and I've really loved everything I've read by her. The Love Haters, however, felt like it was missing something. It was a cute romance, sure, but I felt like it lacked the depth that made her other characters and plotlines so unique and captivating. I will say this story picked up in the second half, once we learned more about the male main character besides the fact he was hot and worked with the Coast Guard.
The good: I appreciated the female lead's growth and journey towards self-love and positive body image. Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

Another one of my favorite authors, but this one just wasn’t one of my favorite books of hers.

I didn’t connect with the main character and her body issues were a little bit triggering for me so some people might like this more than I do. I also didn’t really like the way the grief was handled but again that’s probably more of a me issue.

I will say it has some amazing tropes, that I was looking forward to! It was still very enjoyable and a quick and easy read and I would recommend it for sure! I’ll always be a fan and I know not all of my favorite authors. Books are gonna be five stars. Can’t wait for the next one.!

This was such a fun, quick read! I loved Katie, and I truly felt like I was talking to a friend while reading! The plot was fun and different then what I normally read, and it kept me on my toes as I never for sure knew what would happen next!
Hutch was great, but maybe could have had more depth? I wish I could have read from his POV for some of the book, but that wasn't a deal breaker.

There was a lot of self love/acceptance in this book, and it was actually refreshing going through the whole process of her character growth, without skipping through any of it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

this was a slow start but really picked up halfway through! I knew to expect more from KC than just a fun romance, and I was right. This was an interesting point of view from someone who may not always be kind to themselves. I loved the addition of FMCs cousin who was supporting her, it was cute and fun. Overall, a great read but did not top my previous KC read that I love!

With similar vibes as Katherine’s previous book, “The Rom-Commers” people are going to love or hate this book. It starts with Katie, jilted by her ex (as love hater #1), taking on a video producer job in Key West for a promotional/recruiting video for the Coast Guard. She lies right off the bat because she can’t swim. One of the reasons she can’t swim is horrible body image issues that she slowly deals with throughout this book.

Enter Hutch (love hater #2), a dreamy Coast Guard rescue swimmer who is the subject of Katie’s video, and he is conveniently available to teach her to swim. I love the forced proximity. The hilarious situations Katie finds herself in are great. Other than Rue, the side characters were a bit lacking, especially Hutch’s brother, Cole. At the very beginning, I almost confused him as the love interest, but for Cole to hate such a lovable character (Hutch) makes him unlikable all the way through.

I loved the audiobook version of this novel. Patti Murin does a great job narrating this single POV romance. I enjoyed this book, and I’m sure others will too, even though it is far from perfect, there are some redeeming factors as well as an interesting side plot involving the Coast Guard.

In this book:
*forced proximity
*cute dog
*body issues
*grief/trauma
*humor
*one bed
*Key West
*coast guard

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley for an ARC/ALC of this book.

LOVED this book! I related so much to Katie, it brought tears to my eyes at certain points. The way she overcame how she felt about herself was truly inspiring. And the romance....it was all so cute.

I will always love Katherine Center books! Something about them feels so heartwarming. Katie and Hutch were no exception in this long line of fun, loving books by KC.

****Publishing May 20, 2025****

Katie Vaughn, a video producer, has been burned by love and is about to get laid off by her company. When her coworker, Cole, asks her to go to Key West to film his brother Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, for a recruitment video, she agrees. The only catch is she is supposed to know how to swim and she doesn’t. She has lied to get the job. Cole didn’t tell her Hutch is attractive and isn’t easy to work with. Will she be able to get the job done?

Katherine Center’s books are always fun, heartfelt, and entertaining to read! She draws you in with her writing, story and relatable characters. I especially love the humor! Once you start reading, it’s hard to put down! A perfect book for your pool or beach bag!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Katherine Center is usually a hit or miss author for me but I was super excited when I saw she had a new book releasing this year. This was a decent rom com that would be a perfect summer read. It took me a little while to get through this and it was nothing spectacular. I would recommend if you want something light and fluffy and enjoy romances.

Katherine Center has done it again! The Love Haters is more than just a swoon-worthy rom-com—it’s a heartfelt journey of self-acceptance, courage, and learning to love yourself first.

Katie Vaughn is the perfect mix of charming, flawed, and fiercely determined. She may be out of her depth (literally—she can’t swim!), but watching her navigate not just deep waters but also deep-seated insecurities is both inspiring and relatable. Her journey isn’t just about falling for the smoldering, emotionally guarded Hutch. It’s about learning to see her own worth, embrace her fears, and stand tall in who she is—flaws, strengths, and all.

This book celebrates body positivity and self-appreciation in the most natural, empowering way. Through Katie’s eyes, we see that beauty isn’t about perfection, confidence isn’t about appearances, and real love—whether romantic or self-love—comes from embracing your whole self. With hilarious moments, touching self-reflection, and a setting so vivid you’ll feel the ocean breeze, The Love Haters is a reminder that the healthiest, most fulfilling relationship starts with yourself.

An absolute joy from start to finish.

Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This is a perfect summer Rom-com filled with witty banter and conflict. I would've grabbed this by the cover alone, but I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC. I will say the beginning started off a little slow but quickly moved into the storyline and I had a hard time putting this one down. I had the audiobook as well as the book so when I wasn't able to read I was listening to it. Narration was spot on and added to the humor in some of Katie's sensitive moments. Read this or listen to you, you won't regret it!

I love Katherine Center's romcoms, and this one is no exception! She makes really likable characters who I actually root for, and her third-act break-up scenes normally aren't quite as annoying as others. I have realized as I've read more of her books that while I like that the dialogue flows pretty well, she uses a lot of juvenile forms of speaking most of the time. Lots. Of. Pauses. And lots of weird comparisons/metaphors/similes/etc. And maybe it's not quite as noticeable in the written version, but hearing it read out over audio started to grate on my nerves a bit.

Overall, this was a very cute story. Hutch seems like a great male character, Katie was relatable (for the most part), and I loved Aunt Rue and hope to be her someday. One thing I didn't like quite as much was Cole. He is the worst character and made me almost knock my rating down to 3 stars just because of how annoying and awful he is. I wish he could be removed, because it would have made for a much better read in my opinion. It just felt like Katherine was looking for a way to cause miscommunication, but it didn't feel natural to the story.

Cute, but not her best work so far. It's a very easy read, and very enjoyable!

I hate giving THE Katherine Center only three stars but I did not vibe with this one. I thought it would give The Bodyguard, and while I wasn't expecting a one for one, I just wasn't expecting this. First, I really feel like the fake-dating trope thrown in at the last third of the book was unnecessary. Second, Tom and sometimes Janie didn't feel like they ever evolved. Especially at the end when Tom freaking leaves Janie on the raft and rescues the dog! WTF! I would have never forgiven him for that, even though he does come back like five minutes later. No way. He obviously still cares more for rules than saving the life of someone he supposedly loves, all the while she went to rescue his dog! That's how she got trapped on the boat house and flung out to sea in a hurricane. UGH. Aunt Rue was the best character and she was in it for two minutes it felt like. Give Aunt Rue a story! Or give Janie's cousin a story! Especially when they are talking about what they like about themselves, that was so good! I wanted more of that energy.

I am still looking forward to any future Katherine Center book. I loved The Rom Commers.

Getting to read one of my favorite romance authors early was a treat. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC ebook.

Katherine Center finds a way to make these stories feel so authentic to the characters she is writing. In Love Haters, our lead, Katie, takes on an assignment to cover a video for the US Coast Guard to help prevent herself from being laid off.

During this assignment she comes in contact with Hutch, a US Coast Guard, who she is meant to shadow and film. The catch for Katie is that she doesn't know how to swim. There are many gaffs and hijinks that occur surrounding this fact, that I won't spoil, but it plays a large role in the rescue swimmer vs non-swimmer dynamic.

I love these characters and the way that meet and react to each other throughout our story. I don't love a romance miscommunication, so there were parts that I was yelling at my book, but in the end, this love story won me over.

I admittedly will read anything this woman writes, but The Love Haters was phenomenal.

I love Katherine Center! This one felt different than her others but not in a bad way (it gave off Abby Jimenez vibes?). Katie is sent on a work trip where she struggles with her identity, body image and self love - all while crushing on her unexpected client! The Coast Guard perspective was new and intriguing.

This was a fun, closed-door, summer romance!

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is another great Katherine Center book! The perfect beach read. Includes a storyline but also the romance is there. Definitely will recommend to girlfriends for this summer!

5 Stars

This was so so good! I sat down to read this book while my daughter took a nap and next thing I know, she’s up watching Netflix and I’m finishing up this book IN ONE SITTING.

Katie is taking on a documentary assignment that she has no business accepting because it seems like the only way to save her job. Next thing she knows, she is in Key West at the cutest motel, being TAUGHT HOW TO SW BY THE OWNER’S ADOPTED SON WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE COAST GUARD RESCUE SWIMMING SHE IS SHADOWING ON THIS ASSIGNMENT.

The forced proximity and all around good-guy vibes from Hutch made me swoon and honestly this book only furthered the unhinged idea that I could totally fall for a military man. Also, then ending rescue with the dog and frog. I cannot. This book was TOO GOOD!

I also wildly appreciated the journey to self-love and acceptance that Katie had as a secondary (or more linear) storyline to the romance. Katherine Center has a beautiful authors note all about how radical self-love and acceptance can be and how romance is powerful and I couldn’t agree more.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the beautiful print edition!

Love Haters

A story about self-love and healing. While this wasn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, I always find her writing easy and enjoyable to read.

I absolutely loved Hutch—he was sweet, sensitive, and had an adorable Great Dane. How could you not love a guy with a huge, mushy, lovable dog? His Aunt Rue was another standout character—quirky, fun, and surrounded by a hilarious group of friends who added so much charm to the story.

However, some parts felt a little too over-the-top for me. The whole being stranded on a boat in a hurricane and the dramatic helicopter rescue seemed pretty far-fetched. I also struggled with Katie’s body image issues—while I appreciated her journey, it took too long for her to become more self-aware. Her friend Beanie came across as more annoying than supportive, and Hutch’s brother? Total jerk.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a great message about self-acceptance, but some aspects didn’t quite work for me.