As my first read from Katherine Center, this book was a great introduction to her charming writing style and quirky characters. Her vivid descriptions had me daydreaming about a vacation, and the plot itself was refreshingly unique—though, dare I say, a bit too unrealistic?

To be fair, the book tackled some very real and important themes with sincerity (TW: grief and body image). But at times, the humour and questionable support tactics of the side characters seemed to undercut the weight of these topics—and the love story itself. While I liked both Katie and Hutch as individuals (for the most part), their chemistry felt underdeveloped. And that rescue scene? I won’t spoil anything, but the build-up had me expecting a much bigger moment between them than what we actually got—my expectations might just be skewed though.

All in all, this wasn’t a bad read by any means. It was quick, fun, and easy to get through with important moments of self-love and growth. I can see why others would enjoy the blend of heavy themes with over-the-top shenanigans. I’m definitely curious to pick up another Katherine Center book to see how it compares!

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

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Katie is jaded by love after a terrible break up with her now famous ex bf. She’s also on the cusp of being laid off. What better way to secure her job, than by telling her boss she can swim (when she cannot) to get a job making a video to promote the coast guards. Enter Hutch. Tall, handsome, dog lover and coast guard.

I LOVED Rue. She is a GEM. Hutch’s rescue Great Dane, LOVE.

Overall it was an enjoyable read!

4.25 stars rounded down

What an absolutely delightful adventure this book was! Katherine Center is an absolute master at romance novels with... can I call it edge? I don't mean in the sense of feeling sinister, but she takes us to the edges of the deeply human emotions. Those of grief, of fear, of vulnerability. And she does it all while delivering love interests with chemistry that drips off the pages.

Reading those book found me kicking my feet in glee in one moment for what a perfect book boyfriend Hutch is, and on the edge of my seat worried about Katie the next. For me, one of the markings of an excellent book in this genre is if I love the supporting characters as much as the main ones, and that was certainly the case here.

The ladies at the retirement community were an utter delight. I found myself wanting to move right into one of the cabins. Rue was also such a lovely honorary mom to so many throughout this book. Plus what a looooovable great dane pup who played his own starring role as well.

While I adored the romance sizzling between Katie and Hutch, one of the biggest wins was how much love she found for herself. I think it would be a far cry to find a woman who doesn't see herself reflected in some of Katie's self-critiques and we could all use our own personal cousin Beanies.

I completely devoured this book (much like I have many of Katherine's others) and I implore you to run to your nearest indie bookstore or library when it is released on May 20, 2025.

This story reminded me a bit of 90’s romcom movie. Katie goes to the Florida Keys to save her job where she meets the MMC Hutch. I thought the miscommunication trope between the main characters ran a little long though. The minor characters of the older ladies, the Gals, were funny the supportive female friends everyone wants in their lives. Hutch’s Great Dane, George Bailey, was great too. Who doesn’t love reading about a dog’s antics?

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Solidly a classic Katherine Center novel. Heart warming, tender, and full of quippy one liners.

There is a lot of body image related trauma that I'm sure others might find relatable but unfortunately did not strike any chords with me.

The love interest, Hutch, is a military man with a crew cut and strict working out and eating routine which also didn't do anything for me.

I know that there are readers out there that will love this book and relate to the issues mentioned in it.

While this was well written and a very well rounded story I can't say it tops some other absolute hits by Center.

The Lover Haters was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and overall, I enjoyed it. It was not my favorite Katherine Center novel, and I had a hard time getting into the story at the beginning. However, the depth of the characters really kept me invested. I found Katie to be very relatable, and I appreciated reading about a female main character who struggles with self esteem issues. I liked Hutch as well, but I had a hard time seeing the chemistry between them until the very end. Overall, this book was okay for me. It was a quick and easy read, and I will continue to pick up books from this author.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

3.5 rounded up. As Katherine says in her author’s note, this book was completely about nothing but still had touching moments. With her books in particular, there is some suspension of reality. But she does a great job wrapping it up to be a story we all care about.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for an ARC.

Relationships can be tough, but breakups (especially public ones) are even harder. A lot of people don’t have the strength to handle a very public breakup with the way social media is these days. Luckily for Katie, she had Beanie. Later on, she had to Rue to help her get through it without Rue even knowing about her breakup. Everybody deserves to have a Beanie and a Rue in their life! Two women who encourage you to be your true self and to see your true beauty (inside and out).

Katie struggles with self image issues and I can relate to that. This book made me realize I may be a little too harsh on myself. There are actually a few things about Katie that I could relate to. I don’t know how to swim and I have also struggled with self image issues especially post breakup. Love a good all black wardrobe too!

I want to say this is a grumpy sunshine book, but I’d consider Katie to be pretty grumpy herself. I guess I’d say Katie and Hutch are both grumpy, but together become sunshine characters.

In case you’re wondering like I was, the dog does not die (thankfully!).

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

2🌟

I guess call me a love hater… 😭 this was a flop for me. I usually love Center’s books (typically rate them 4 stars!!), so I’m definitely disappointed writing this review.

I enjoyed the first half quite a bit. I loved the idea of Katie, our FMC, being a videographer and having to go to Key West to shoot a promo of, Hutch aka our MMC/US Coastal Guard rescue swimmer/hottie 😍 Cute concept! 🌊☀️👙 The (semi)work place romance & forced proximity in paradise were great! Plus, Rue’s character was just darling. 😚

Then I slowly started to realize how FLAT Hutch was. When I got to their first kiss, I remember feeling that they had zero chemistry because I felt like I didn’t even know his character… he had no personality. Then the conflict at the 60% mark… OMG!! 🫠 I almost stopped reading the book lol! I hated the lying so much. Ugh. It was so frustrating to read. I was hopeful of the ending but it was SO INSANE 🙃🚁 to the point where I was sooooo ready for the book to be over. Still with no chemistry between Katie and Hutch.

I won’t hesitate to pick up more of Center’s novels moving forward. I have loved so many of her previous titles. Sadly, this one was just not for me.

The Love Haters is rom-com gold! In my opinion, Katherine Center knocked this one out of the park!

Katie is a video producer who has been burned by love in her past. Now, with the possibility of getting laid off, she agrees to a career making project profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutchinson that she is completely unqualified for! Hutch is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West and Katie doesn’t even know how to swim. But they are reluctantly thrown together and sparks fly! But things are never as uncomplicated as they seem.

This grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity romantic comedy is hysterically funny. It is filled with a zany cast of characters, including, a gigantic Great Dane, a group of meddling old ladies, a crazy self-help obsessed cousin and a possibly deranged brother who can’t seem not to tell a lie to save his life! The banter is hilarious, the antics are wacky and the story is filled with anticipation and swoon worthy moments. Katie’s relationship with herself is so relatable and the sense of community among the characters is so endearing. Such a fun, funny, feel good story. I cannot recommend this one enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Love Haters in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center books have been hit or miss for me lately, and though this one didn’t beat some of her other bangers, I still enjoyed it! I alternated between the ebook and audio and both were good! Loved the narrator, loved the voice of the main character, and loved Hutch sm 💞

would definitely recommend this one for a cute romcom with some serious body image themes that can be relatable and a hottie in the coast guard jumping out of helicopters to save people! 🤩

I’m a huge Katherine Center fan! I have a special display on my bookshelf just for her books! I’ve loved all of her previous books, but this one just didn’t have the typical KC sparkle for me. I didn’t connect with Katie. I felt like all of her body issues really took away from any real character development. I really wanted more for her character. I think her body issues could have been dealt with in a better way.

I did love Rue and the other gals. They really added a fun spark to the story. I enjoyed the Key West location. I’ve always wanted to visit! I also learned a lot of interesting facts about the Coast Guard! I definitely appreciated all of the research that went into writing this book.

I enjoyed Hutch and really wish that we had gotten to know him better! The addition of his POV would have been awesome. The epilogue was sweet and I enjoyed how the story ended.

This story had a lot of promise, but sadly didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I still love Katherine Center and look forward to reading more from her.

The Love Haters is a fun and fabulous romance that is so easy to love.

Katherine Center is one of my insta-buy authors; her stories are always so much fun to read. Overall, I enjoyed this book, it has this interesting and unique plot that sucked me in and had me needing to turn the page because I wanted to know what would happen next. There are a lot of fabulous things about this story. It's hard to figure out what I want to gush about first.

Let's start with the setting and secondary characters. I love it when an author transports me to a gorgeous location that just comes alive on the book's pages. The Florida Keys have been on my bucket list to visit, and this book had me wishing I could pack my bags and soak up that Florida sun. It was a lot of fun hanging out with Katie and The Gals at the Starlite Cottages. Rue, who is Cole and Hutch's aunt, is an absolute delight and just a joy to be around. Rue has that larger-than-life, sunshine, quirky personality that makes you feel loved and seen. Rue instantly took Katie under her wing and showered her with love, bright bathing suits, and beach dresses. She is just one of those characters who brightens the scene whenever she is on the page. Her friends, aka The Gals, are also a hoot and a half added that fun charm and humour that made reading this book that much more fun.

The story was really interesting in the sense that you get to take a deeper look at the life of a coast guard. There are stretches of fossil, aka work talk, in the story, but Hutch's job is so different and interesting that I just soaked it all up. But if you aren't a fan of fossil talk, it is really easy to skim over those sections. The pacing is pretty steady until you get to the last bit when Katherine takes her readers on an unexpected and nail-biting twist. I like being surprised when I read a book, so the unexpected twist was right up my alley. This is a great book, for those who don't want to read something that is overly romantic or spicy. There is a budding romance between Katie and Hutch, and yes, Katherine works in a bunch of different tropes into this story, but you aren't beaten over the head with romance.

Katie is an interesting character, and I think people will love or hate her. Katie has a problematic and toxic relationship with her body. Without giving too much away, Katie was criticized, harassed, and made to feel like the way she looks is something to be ashamed of. This led Katie to adopt unhealthy eating habits and had her so obsessed with her weight that it consumed her life. Fast forward to the beginning of this book, Katie has healed, grown, and adopted a healthier lifestyle, but those fears and that self-insecurity still linger. When Katie realized that she would have to wear a bathing suit for this new job, her negative feelings came crashing back. I liked her character, and I think it's because I can relate to what Katie is going through and feeling. That dread I feel when I realize I have to put a bathing suit on is so strong that oftentimes, I just avoid any situations where wearing a bathing suit may pop up. That unhealthy relationship many of us have with our bodies and our weight is a real struggle. Katie's growth in this book is one of self-love. With help from her cousin Beanie, Katie works hard at learning to love who she is and accept that she is pretty damn fabulous and screw anyone who says otherwise. I do think some bookworms may find Katie's obsession and her struggles with her looks and her weight to be too much. This issue does consume a lot of the story and Katie's inner dialogue.

The romance is great, and I enjoyed watching it unfold on the pages. Hutch reminds me of Reacher, which had me sighing oh so happily. He is this gorgeous specimen of a man who is considered to be perfect by those around him. He is career-driven and doesn't say much to anyone… well, that is, until Katie enters his world. I really liked that tentative back-and-forth chemistry between these two. Their chemistry isn't explosive; instead, you get this quiet chemistry that slowly unfolds on the pages and just has you hooked in. Katie utterly bewitches Hutch. He thinks she is the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen and cannot believe that she would ever think she is ugly or fat. He is just smitten with her. The relationship between Kate and Hutch has its rocky patches, which are because of our forces, aka Hutch's brother Cole. These two brothers have a rocky relationship, and Katie finds herself in the middle of what is happening between them. That tension between the two brothers creates a lot of drama and plenty of miscommunication.

The Love Hater is another great rom-com by the talented Katherine Center.

5 ⭐ Katherine, girl, I KNOW it's not your fault that this banger of a book has such a bad cover!!! I will forever love the way that Katherine Center writes her characters. They're so funny and it feels like they barely even have to try. I loved the setting, I loved the gals, and I loved the fucking dog. The SECOND George Bailey was in peril, I was preparing to either add this to my 5 stars of the year, or write Katherine Center's publisher a formal cease and desist letter. No in between.

How did I get so lucky to be selected to receive an ARC of this book?! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC, and obviously to the goddess Katherine Center for writing this masterpiece. All opinions are my own.

This is the type of book I want to live in. I wanted it to go on forever, but I couldn't put it down. Warm fuzzies doesn't even begin to describe the full body emotional experience I just went on.

How does KC create such relatable women? Because Katie is all of us... or at the very least, she is me. A successful woman with severe imposter syndrome in every aspect of her existence. To meet a real life hero who couldn't possibly be into her. And then, of course, puts us through the wringer before giving us the HEA.

If they don't make this into my next favorite rom com movie that I can sob over after being mildly inconvenienced by my husband while PMSing but not realizing I'm PMSing and stuffing handfuls of junk into my face and wondering why I'm not skinny, then the powers that be are completely stupid.

10/10 stars.

This was a sweet love story between Katie and Hutch but check the triggers. Katie's body issues and internal monologue were a major part of the book. There are also life-threatening situations.

Rue and her crew and George Bailey were some of the best parts of the book. Cole was the worst and Katie going along with his nonsense was frustrating.

Overall, I enjoyed it but there were some pretty heavy parts to get through.

Katherine Center has once again delivered a delightful reading experience with her upcoming novel, The Love Haters. As a long-time fan of Center's work, I was eager to dive into this story, and it did not disappoint.

In The Love Haters, Center explores the romance between two unlikely characters, Katie and Hutch. However, what sets this novel apart is its deeper focus on Katie's journey of self-love and acceptance. While the chemistry and banter between Katie and Hutch are delightful, the narrative emphasizes Katie's personal growth, making it a more profound exploration of love—both for oneself and for others.

The witty dialogue and playful interactions between characters are classic Center, and I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the story. The balance of humor and heartfelt moments creates a captivating atmosphere that keeps readers engaged.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Overall, The Love Haters is a charming and uplifting novel that showcases Katherine Center's signature style while delving into important themes of self-discovery and love. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to her work, this book is a must-read. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and can't wait to see what Center has in store for us next!

Katherine Center did it again! I loved her new book just as much as her others! I felt like this had a new spin on tropes done before and it was very refreshing! Can’t wait to read her next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me and this book will be no exception for my need to own (and recommend! and loan to friends! and post about!). Her stories are always magical and leave me wishing (and waiting) for them to be turned into a movie. This book features a totally relatable FMC named Katie who battles insecurities about herself, which we can all relate to at some point or another. It also has the love-to-love bother as well as the love-to-hate brother and all the family drama in-between. But what won me over the most? Aunt Rue and her gals! You get all the feels from this story from beginning to end. Easy 5 star romcom!

i have mixed feelings on this one. i wanted to love this one but that wasn’t the case sadly. i wish we got dual pov, i think it would have helped me enjoy this more. i did enjoy the summer feeling setting. i would still recommend giving it a go!