I'm always a sucker for a good love story, but I also love when there's an important underlying message, and that was the case with The Love Haters. When the main character, Katie, talked about her self-negativity and body image issues...yeah, I felt that. I saw myself in her so profoundly at times that it made me cry. (Especially the ending where she has the conversation with herself on the boat. Not going to give away any spoilers. I'll just say it made me sob). The hero, Tom (aka "Hutch") is something special too. I mean, he serves in the military as a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard, so he's like an ACTUAL hero. But, thankfully, he's not one of those alpha male heroes who think they're God's gift either. Hutch is kind, thoughtful, and humble, but he's also a fierce protector when it comes to the people he loves. So, honestly...how could you NOT love this man? The two of them together make such an endearing couple. I should add there are plenty of wonderful secondary characters too. Hutch's Aunt Rue is precious, and his dog, George Bailey - oh my goodness! Adorableness overload! I just wanted to crawl inside the story and snuggle with him.

I switched back and forth between listening to the audiobook version and reading the digital book version, and I enjoyed both of them. Patti Murin is an excellent narrator. And what can I say about my girl, Katherine Center? I just love her. She's a truly amazing writer, and it's such a joy to read her work. I always add her new releases to the top of my TBR list, and I highly recommend The Love Haters.

3.75⭐️ Katherine Center’s books have been hit or miss for me so I was hesitant to read this one as I am still chasing the love of Things You Save in a Fire and I will honestly say I really enjoyed this one! The setting (Key West) was so fun as someone who loves visiting the colorful town. I liked how she touched on harder themes and you could watch the characters grow. Some of the wilder storylines didn’t do it for me (Cole) and some of the time the FMC felt very naive in an annoying way. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was looking forward to reading it every time I picked it up!

I didn’t love this one unfortunately! Katie and her self image focus for 45% of the beginning of the book was so off putting. I think the message could have been received in other ways, but the way it’s written makes Katie seem insufferable. As someone who lived in Florida and spent a few months in the Keys, I adored the setting. I never heard of anyone referencing A1A as the overseas highway, but for writing purposes I’m sure that sounds better than just calling it A1A.

As much as I love KC, this one didn’t really register with me between the characters and the plot.

Katie hates love. Hutch hates love. Therefore, it should be easy for them to work together and not fall in love, right?
Katherine Center is one of those authors where you can confidently grab any book and know it's going to be an enjoyable read. This is more than a cutesy love story. The main message in this book is about learning how to love yourself. I think everyone should read it and soak up the meaning.

Katherine Center is an auto read author for me and her newest book didn’t disappoint. This makes for a great spring and summer read as we follow our main character, Katie, to Key West to interview hero Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom Hutcheson. Woefully under qualified for the gig, Katie finds herself in over her head and having to tell lie after lie in an attempt to keep her job. In the midst of it all she finds herself falling for her interview subject, but can he forgive her once all the lies are revealed?

I thought there was so much depth to this story and I love all the layers the author builds into her side characters. The reason behind the personality traits of the brothers Tom and Cole was heartbreaking. The body image battle that Katie dealt with was relatable and one of my favorite parts of the story when at the end she had a complete moment of self love for her body and how it gets her through life.

Overall another fantastic read by a favorite author!

Another winner from Katherine Center! The set up for this one - video producer/filmmaker Katie is sent by her boss Cole to the Florida Keys to film a recruiting video for the Coast Guard featuring his brother Hutch. And with her job potentially on the line, Katie omits the important fact that she can’t swim. But between getting to know Hutch, his giant crazy dog, and his aunt Rue who takes Katie under her wing, Katie finds the job a lot more impactful than she expected.

I just love Katherine Center, she’s one of my most favorite rom com authors. Over and over while reading this one, I find myself thinking “this is so adorable,” while at the same time noting so many wonderful quotes in the book. There are great characters, great banter, but also deeper themes. And another winning author’s note about why reading romance is good for you and helps teach you self-love as well, another theme of this book!

I don’t usually read my ARCs this early, but for the third year in a row, the Read Spin Repeat Book Club has chosen an early read of Katherine’s upcoming release for our book club discussion. We love her and fondly remember zooming with her two years ago!

4.25 stars

The premise was interesting and I liked Hutch and Katie, but the middle part seem to lose me. I wasn't connected to the relationship as much. I thought the drama with Hutch and his brother was good. The ending was dramatic, but nice.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an e-ARC for my honest review!

Katie is a video producer assigned to do a promotional US Coast Guard profile video on Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson. The video was originally assigned to Katie's colleague, Cole, who happens to be Hutch's brother. But the two brothers do not get along, so down to the Florida Keys Katie goes for a career saving job where she will literally be surrounded by water... despite not being able to swim and having a phobia of bathing suits (and anything colorful).

I enjoyed the story, but I didn't totally connect with it like I have with some of Katherine Center's other books. Hutch is a stand up guy and a great MMC, but I struggled to understand the draw to Katie. She grew on me, but she was kind of a mess at the start!

There are some choices made that I really wasn't into, but other moments that had me literally laughing out loud or tearing up. It's a bit of a mixed bag for me, though overall I had fun reading the story and experiencing the vibrancy and color of the tropical setting.

💕: kissing, innuendo
⚠️: language, body image issues, online bullying, past loss of loved ones

4.5

Okay...so I loved this. I consumed it (in Florida on vacation and it was perfect!) and I loved the setting in the Keys. I also love how well Katherine explained and brought attention to the coast guard and I have a whole new level of respect for them. Then, the main character Katie suffers from body image issues and I loved that the book follows her overcoming it and learning to love herself and that everyone is beautiful. I adored Katie's character and that she put Hutch's wishes above her own when it could literally save her job. And Hutch....oh man I LOVE HIM. He was charming and he literally jumps out of helicopters to save people. GREEN FLAG. Also George Bailey? Perfection. Rue? I loved her.
All I know is I want more. I need more Katie and Hutch.

Thank you Netgalley, Katherine Center and St. Martins Press for the ARC copy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Catherine Center for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It's always such an honor to read an ARC of Center's works. I admit, that I am a total fangirl. This was no different. I couldn't put this book down. It has all the elements one would expect from Center -- funny characters with so much depth, serious subjects (grieving, body image, illness, guilt, expectations), love with a guaranteed HEA, and of course joy! The heavy topics in this novel were treated with care and respect and well balanced with the silliness of so many of the situations and the humor of the characters. Katie and Hutch are absolutely lovable and all of the secondary characters are wonderful. I sometimes cringe when we have too many side characters but this was perfectly well done. Loved the whole story!

This is not the first Katherine Center book I’ve read. I’ve loved all the books I’ve read from her so far!
This book is about a video producer who can’t swim Katie and “Hutch” a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, original “love hater”, according to his brother Cole, (who is Katie’s supervisor), and their real and perceived issues that they need to overcome in an easy to imagine, beautiful Key West setting. Katherine Center’s books usually follow the same trope of a rom-com, but what makes hers so different are the issues the characters tackle and the sheer amount of research she puts in to be true to life and give the characters such a great depth that you don’t always find in these types of novels. The characters are all real and relatable, and the story moves smoothly. This novel was a quick, easy, light-hearted read.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute and funny! It makes for a perfect beach read! I just love her books! They are all so engaging and entertaining!

The characters are all pretty likable with some interesting back stories. Also, the setting and plot were so different compared to other Rom-Coms.

I will say, I started getting annoyed by the repetitive body image discussions. It really dragged down the book even though it all ended well with understanding to love yourself, but it really put a drain on the cutesy story.

I can’t wait for her next book!

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Katie is someone who has not had an easy love life. When she meets Hutch through a new job opportunity she is immediately attracted. What ensues are many situations that even though began as little white lies help Katie discover herself and love. I am a Katherine Center fan and thought this book was different than some of her other books. While different I did enjoy the banter and humor the book brought. I was pulling for Katie to get her happy ending and the ending did not disappoint.

Katherine Center does it again! I’ve been a long-time fan girl of Katherine Center and she’s my go-to recommendation for someone who just wants to read “a good book”. I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but how can you not judge her books by the cover. They are always gorgeous and bright and happy. This book was no exception. I really loved the characters in The Love Haters because of their growth throughout the story. I think most women can relate to Katie’s relationship with her body and how difficult it can be. I also enjoyed the glimpse into the world of the Coast Guard. I felt like I was on that houseboat with Katie and the dog waiting to be rescued.

And now for the long wait until the next Katherine Center book!

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It pains me to write this, but I DNF’ed at 67%.

I was so excited for The Love Haters and I typically love Katherine Center’s books, but I found myself so bored with this one. The FMC and MMC fell flat for me, I didn’t care about them at all. Aunt Rue and her gal pals were my favorite part, I would’ve enjoyed a book solely about them.

I love everything that Katherine writes. She just keeps doing amazing work. This was such a cute story. Loved the grumpy main guy.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copies!

4.5 Stars!!

I liked this story so much more than I was anticipated liking it!

Katie has been burned by love and had challenging family relationships. When her job is threatened she accepts an assignment to interview and film a coast guard rescuer. The premise is to use the video as a Coast Guard recruiting video. Still, the rescue swimmer being interviewed was also in a viral video rescuing Jennifer Anniston's dog a while back.

Military, seal team, and Coast Guard books are my top love, so the behind-the-scenes of Coast Guard rescues spoke to my heart! It also doesn't hurt that Hutch is top-tier book boy!

The small community in the Florida Keys where Katie goes for her assignment opens their hearts up to Katie, building the best found family!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job! Her performance enhanced the story!

Romance content: Just kissing!
TW: She had some body image trauma she had to work through.

2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Love Haters on May 20, 2025.

As a Katherine Center fan, I expected to fall in love with this book and these characters like I have her other books. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. While I loved the premise (work trip to Key West and shenanigans as she attempts to film sexy Coast Guard and "Love Hater" Hutch), the execution fell really flat for me.

From the get-go, we get a feeling for Katie's predicament at work and her reasoning for needing to go to Key West. But we're also hit unexpectedly with avid descriptions of Katie's struggles with an eating disorder and continued body dysmorphia. These issues are in NO WAY clued in or indicated in any of the marketing for this book. There's no content warning at the beginning for readers who may be sensitive to Katie's situation. And not only does it play a role in Katie's backstory, but it continues to DRIVE the plot and her character development for the majority of the book.

I'm not saying the inclusion of important issues like ED and BD is bad or wrong. I can't speak to whether this was a good or bad representation of the situation. But the rest of the book was VERY over-the-top, campy, and quirky, and the tone just didn't fit with the serious matters being discussed at times (including brief mentions of suicidal thoughts).

Like interspersing body dysmorphic thoughts while he's pulling splinters out of her butt was a no for me.

Aside from that, I was initially drawn into the story and romance between Hutch and Katie. I appreciated the direction Center was trying to go with Katie learning to love herself and be more open to adventure. But the third act break-up?? Conflict?? With Hutch's brother came out of NOWHERE and completely took me out of the story.

And don't even get me started on the rescue at the end.

In all honesty, I found Center's author's note at the end to be the best-written part of the whole book. She talked about her continued love for writing romance novels and how reading these novels is akin to falling in love with pieces of yourself, and I found glimpses of the author I loved who wrote The Rom-Commers. But The Love Haters was all over the place, disjointed, not humorous or fun in tone, and definitely not marketed correctly.

The Love Haters was unfortunately a miss for me. I disliked the main characters and felt completely disconnected from the romance. I did enjoy Patti Murin's narration and found the book easy to read/listen to.

I received and ARC and ALC from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Katie, video producer, is pushed by her coworker Cole to interview Hutch, an USCG, to tell about his life as a "hero. In Key West.

Plot twist: part of the assignment is to wear a bathing suit & be in a helicopter upside down in the water. One problem with that : Katie can't swim & she has self love issues with her body.

Along comes Rue, Cole's & Hutch's aunt to save the day w
By befriending Katie & giving her a little fashion advice.

Rue invite Katie to her swimming lessons and the instructor is none other than Hutch.

In this book, Katie is taught she is perfect just the way she is.

The ending was so explosive firework rom-com moment I just swooned.

George Bailey, Hutch's dog, was pretty cute too.

I loved this book and definitely will be buying for my shelf. Thank you to NG for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.