“No one’s born fearless. You have to earn it.”

This wasn't just a romance with a hot guy, this was also a beautiful story of body positivity and self love. As always, the optimistic, hopeful and playful tone add so much depth to Katherine Center's work. After a ROUGH year, Katie's job is on the line and when given an opportunity to save it, she grabs that opportunity with both hands and omits some truths and signs up to do a promo for the Coast Guard. Enter rescue swimmer, Tom "Hutch" Hutcherson, the Coast Guard hero she is supposed to follow and film for a documentary. Hutch is a serious, broody non-smiler who is not interested in fame or being filmed.

With a rescue dog named George Bailey, a cheating ex-fiance, a lying coworker and a hurricane, what could possibly go wrong?

Great romance read. It was fun and flirty and a very quick read! The characters were interesting and likable from the start and the plot flowed really nicely throughout the story. Emma and Charlie had great chemistry. She was very relatable and I loved that Center wrote about her struggles with anxiety. It wasn't a super funny romance like Ali Hazelwood or Emily Henry, = but overall it was a really warm book that gave me a little laugh now and then. I highly recommend this book!

Although this book does give our leading lady, Katie, a handsome, fit as all get out, heroic rescue swimmer love interest it also focuses on Katie finding out how to love herself. The enemies to lovers trope features heavily throughout the novel in a nontraditional way because the main theme is about Katie learning to appreciate who she is and what she has to offer to the world. I loved her cousin asking her to find out what parts of herself she loves and how she struggles but ultimately realizes she is wholly special. I spent a lot of the book laughing out loud because Center writes comedic scenes that you can picture happening and as unrealistic as some of those moments might seem, her writing is so vivid that you can suspend belief. I found parts of the novel wildly unrealistic and almost silly but I also think Center can do no wrong as a writer and will always love her novels. This doesn’t top Things You Save in a Fire or How to Walk Away but I loved it nonetheless.

Charming, wonderfully written, entertaining, brimming with relationships, and water, The Love Haters swept me away to Key West and introduced me to an engaging, gripping, and delightful cast of characters. I enjoyed the emphasis on the various relationships in this book, being of service, taking chances, and facing your fears.

Katie Vaughn has had a rough go of it lately. Her ex-boyfriend is a rock star whose fans have commented on her looks and body online which resulted in Katie having body image issues. With her job on the line due to the possibility of layoffs she takes her boss, Cole's request to go produce a piece on his brother, Hutch who is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. There is just one teeny tiny little hitch - Katie can't swim! But to keep her job, she will dive into learning how to swim once she lands in Key West.

Once in Key West she meets Aunt Rue, her friends, Hutch and his rescue dog, George Bailey! She can't help but notice the oh-so-handsome- Hutch, his sad eyes, and his chiseled body. It's all about the journey for me and Katherine Center takes readers on a journey full of swim lessons, Congo dancing, friendships, attraction, family, swimming, a loveable dog, bravery, and secrets.

As with her other books, I found The Love Haters to be wonderfully written, well thought out, engaging, and gripping. I also enjoyed the sense of community between the characters, the various relationships i.e. friendship, love of family, love of your profession, love of a pet, self-love, and romantic love. It is also about being honest, being vulnerable, taking chances, and being brave.

Be sure to read the author's note at the end, it is a must read!

If Katherine Center writes it, I’m going to read it immediately – abandoning any and all other books on my TBR – and I’m going to give it 5 ⭐️.

KC writes romance, but her books are always so much more than that. She writes relationships: romantic, family, friendship and in The Love Haters, self. It’s a good reminder that in a society often driven by appearances, physical or otherwise, we do not need to be so critical and unaccepting of ourselves. We can and should choose to be kinder, gentler, and more understanding. I loved that. I loved Katie + Hutch, The Gals, and George Bailey too.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC, and thank you KC for continuing to share your talents with us.

“That longing to be looked at lovingly? That longing to be lovable... that's really also so much about wanting to be connected and safe and just deeply, fundamentally okay Maybe we didn't have to outsource that. Maybe we could fill that longing for ourselves. And I'm not saying we don't need other people, or that we should spend our lives alone. I just suddenly understood in a whole new, sun-breaking-through-the-clouds way that even if we do eternally need and long and want to be seen... maybe the most important eyes doing the looking are our own.”

This book was fantastic. Beautifully written, hysterical, joyful, moving, and lovely (except for any time Cole was on screen when I wanted to punch him in the face too). If you’ve read a Katherine Center book before, you won’t be disappointed, and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?!

I read this book in one sitting, which doesn’t usually happen for me ha. It was absolutely amazing! I loved the characters and learning about them and watching them grow, but as much as I loved learning about them, I also loved learning about myself while reading this. I decided to follow Katie’s journey of self love while I read this, and I think I will continue with that even now after I have finished the book.

The Love Haters by Catherine Center is a witty and laugh out loud tale about love and self-discovery. With relatable characters and a perfect mix of humor and emotion, this charming story reminds us that love often surprises us.

Katie Vaughn is about to get laid off from her job & she's dealing with the repercussions of a failed engagement to a famous singer. To save her job, she accepts a gig in Key West with Hutch Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer at the request of his brother, Cole. While Katie is hiding some truths of her own (like how she can't swim well), she learns of web of lies while working in Key West and the importance of facing your fears.

I could not stop reading The Love Haters! While the title refers to what Cole describes Hutch, it also describes Katie and her journey from self-hating her body due to previous events & demeaning comments on gossip websites to finding self-love (and romance along the way). Katie, Hutch, George Bailey & Rue are all likable characters that you want to root for them throughout the story. Themes include found family, enemies-to-lovers, vulnerabilities & loving yourself.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Thank you #netgalley and St. Martins Press for this early copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center. This one was a solid 4 star read for me and kept me up into the late hours of the night. The story centers around Katie, a documentary film maker who agrees to travel to Key West and do a story on the coast guard, along with a special side story as a favor to her colleague, Cole, and to potentially save her job. The side story is a “hero Documentary” something that Katie does in a YouTube series that documents the everyday lives of everyday heroes. This hero happens to be Cole’s brother, Hutch, who has refused any extra publicity for saving the dog of none other than Jennifer Anniston. Can Katie convince Hutch to let her do the story before it’s too late? This is a fun love story with some deeper themes intertwined. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was the absolute obtuseness of the characters at times and some of the story line being a bit over the top in the believability department. Loved this read!

Another fun and heartwarming book by Katherine Center. She is quickly becoming one of my auto buy authors for her engaging and entertaining books!

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartwarmingly, swoon worthy, romance perfect for the spring and summer seasons. I loved the characters in this book and how well thought out they were complete with meaningful backstories. Katherine Center remains one of my favorite authors due to her consistently lovable and interesting characters and plot points.

I've always loved Katherine Center's romcoms and The Love Haters was no different.

Katie is chaotic and relatable in the best ways - you want to root for her the whole time because who amongst us hasn't feared rejection, putting on a bathing suit, and deep water? Hutch is your typical grumpy-for-good-reason love interest and the supporting cast does their jobs well.

The story is over the top in many places, but that works for this book. Katherine Center isn't trying to be too serious. If every romance novel can end in a happy ending, the stories along the way can be equally as unrealistic and entertaining.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Katherine Center is my go to for a feel good story! I love her novels and characters. She did not disappoint with The Love Haters. What I love most about The Love Haters, which is the same as all of Katherine Center's novels, is you know which two characters are going to end up together. It is apparent from the beginning, but what you don't know is how they will get to that point. The Love Haters does a great job of introducing the two love interests--Katie and Hutch. Katie is quirky and unsure of herself. She is such a realistic representation of what women go through. She is an independent woman working on herself and her career, which is refreshing. I enjoyed witnessing Katie venture through her journey of self-discovery and falling in love in the process.

Katherine Center writes the most relatable, realistic characters. I always can relate to characters in her book, and I never roll my eyes thinking, "No way that could ever happen!"

I was looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed! I could not put it down!

I always look forward to Katherine Center's books, and this was another good one! Quirky and cute characters, a huge lovable dog and a girl learning to love herself. I couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I don't usually read romcoms. I'm more of a dark fantasy, gothic horror, spicy romance type of reader. But this book was just adorable! I liked the FMC (Katie) immediately. She was bubbly, intelligent, and vulnerable. It's one of those rare times where the MMC paled in comparison to the FMC. It was sweet and warm like a warm chocolate chip cookies. Even with zero spice, I still enjoyed reading it. This was a bright and cheery book, a nice change of pace to my usual dark and tense reads. This low stakes, cozy read was perfect for my anxiety flare up today.

I couldn’t put this book down! The chemistry between Hutch and Katie felt so real, and the miscommunication was kept to a minimum. I also loved the uniqueness of the setting/situation/occupations. My favorite part, though, was seeing Katie grow throughout her journey. And of course, the dog was absolutely adorable!

Thank you to St. Martins Press for gifting me this ARC!

Thanks so much to netgalley and st martins press for the arc in exchange for a honest review.
This was a beautiful story and it not only was a romance but it had familial love and self love. These characters felt real, the main male character is a coast guard and rescues people. I hadnt read about that before. The dog in this is so sweet. I highly recommend
This comes out may 20, 2025

This is my favorite ARC book so far. A cute little story about a sweet female character that we can all relate to and a man in uniform we can all want to stare at ❤️❤️ 5 stars. The characters were believable and I want to meet Rue and the Gals.

4.25 stars
I love Katherine Center’s work- the RomCommers had me in tears in the best way. The Lover Haters was equally special! I think one of my favorite part of her writing is that self-acceptance and self-understanding is such an important step alongside finding a partner in her books. I love that she’s proving that to be a good partner, you need to love yourself first. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!
Posted as Liz on Goodreads.

<A colorful story full of charming, warm characters that’s as much about falling in love with yourself as it is about falling in love with another person. This is my new favorite Katherine Center book.

Katie is in the middle of recovering from a recent heartbreak when she’s sent sent to Key West on a job that makes her face both her fears and herself.

The plot is dynamic, moving from hilarious situations, to softly heartfelt moments, and heart racing suspense with ease. You’ve got meddling retirees, an over-eager great Dane, and a best friend that’s the perfect balance of supportive and pushy. The romance is comfortable without being boring, and the conflict they face is more due to outside sources than issues between them. Hutch is capable, dependable, and kind. He rescues dogs. He teaches Katie how to swim. It’s a joy to watch them fall for each other.

Katie’s journey with self-esteem could be triggering for some readers, but the majority of millennial girls who grew up in the “Kate Moss” era of fashion can find something relatable about her relationship with her own body and her perception of how the world sees it. It’s one thing to say you love yourself, but it’s another thing to actually believe it, and watching Katie work through that is empowering.

I read this almost in one sitting and I could see myself rereading it in the future.