Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review🤍

TW: ED, body shaming, discussions of negative body image

This was a very heartwarming and raw book that dealt with very heavy subject matter in a realistic way. I love all the relationships in the book and the romance was adorable. I laughed, cried and had a good time despite having a fear of large bodies of water. However, there were some cringey moments and I have a hard time almost universally with miscommunication/third act breakup. Good news is this one doesn’t last long.

I love Katherine Center and this book was right up there for me. She’s such a great writer and she develops such interesting, complex, relatable characters. I loved the female friendships in this book as much as the main romantic storyline. I also found the whole thing interesting, entertaining, and very readable. The only drawback was that parts of the plot were a bit outlandish and I had some trouble suspending disbelief. But overall, another winner.

This was classic Katherine Center to me - sweet, cheesy characters, and a great rom com. I loved the ending - I actually laughed out loud about one little detail. With that said, it was a slow start for me to get invested with the characters and I found it a little boring at times. Not my favorite by this author, but absolutely worth a read!

4.5/5

First off, I would like to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and the publisher for giving me this temporary ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are honest and completely my own.

Katie, a videographer, is faced with a challenge of filming Hutch, a Coast Guardman in Key West, in order to save her career. Both of them have been hurt by love in their pasts, and Katie also struggles with self-confidence in her appearance that she swears off wearing any color. But when she arrives in Key West, she meets a lovely and vivacious women named Rue, who helps her rediscover color and freedom of being herself. Beanie, Katie's cousin and best friend also helps Katie build her self-confidence. This summary barely scratches the surface of the complexity and roller coaster this book is.
One thing that I love is the support and encouragement that the characters show Katie. Katie truly find family in these people, and as the reader I grew to love each one of them.
I love the ending of the book, but I do wish there was more of the two characters together, because it is a slow burn, I feel like they only got their big moment in the last chapter and epilogue which covered a lot of updates on all the characters.
Another thing I love is the plot. As I was reading, I was rooting for each character and was hooked into the plot. There is not a dull moment in this book.

Highly recommend this book if you love slow burn, no spice, a roller-coaster of a romance. Katherine Center never disappoints with her romance books, I can't wait to buy this book when it comes out and recommend it to more people.

I had high, HIGH hopes for this one right out of the gate. Sadly, I wasn’t as blown away as I’d hoped I’d be. It started off a bit slow for me and I wasn’t truly entertained until around the 25% mark. I thought we had turned a corner but then Cole came into the picture and when I tell you; I was FUMING. I almost DNF’d it; I was that mad about it. But I prevailed and ultimately it ended up how I was hoping it would. Rue, the Gals, and George Bailey were definitely my favorite characters. But the way that Hutch noticed her pie slice of brown eye and stole her flower clip; swoon!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

(SPOILERS AHEAD) I will be rating this book 3.5 stars. There were parts of the book that I really really liked and then there were parts that just fell flat for me. As usual, Katherine Center created two love interests who I felt were really well suited for each other. My problem was that I did not feel like there was enough romance build up shown between the two. Additionally, the beginning of the story was very slow for me. I understand that one of the main points of the plot was self love for Katie but I found that it kind of took over the story to a point where it was annoying me. Furthermore, at the end when Katie is literally stuck in the middle of the ocean and gets rescued by Hutch disappointed me. There wasn’t enough time between that and the end of the story to really work out all of the emotions of that event. It was a really traumatic thing that happened to Katie and I don’t feel like the emotions were explored enough. I wanted yearning and crying and groveling and Hutch being so out of his mind worried that we could feel his emotions. That specific part of the book fell flat. Overall, I do recommend this book because there were parts that I enjoyed and I feel like those parts overshadowed the parts that fell flat.

Another book by my favorite author! I saved this one to read after a particularly tough week. I struggled to get into the book for the first 30%, however the second half really picked up and brought everything together. I am rating the book 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt like the miscommunication trope was overused. Just talk it out people! Overall another delight with a satisfying happy ending.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for making this book available in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center’s The Love Haters is a heartwarming rom com that delivers everything you’d want in a feel-good read. The story is centered around the relatable heroine, Katie, who is navigating personal insecurities, particularly around her body image and past relationships. Thanks to her best friend and cousin, Beanie, who challenges her to think positively about herself, you can’t help but root for her while she rediscovers her confidence and self-worth.

At the heart of it all is Hutch, the absolutely adorable and swoon-worthy male lead. He is a true gentleman and honestly, his kindness, patience, and unwavering support make him the kind of book boyfriend you can’t help but fall for. Alongside them is Aunt Rue, a delightfully quirky and wise lady who adds humor and warmth, offering sage advice and a touch of mischief to keep things interesting. She brings the chaotic and colorful to Katie’s “beige” life.

While the novel is mostly a cozy, wholesome romance, it does have just enough drama to keep things engaging—especially toward the end. But in true Katherine Center fashion, everything comes together in a way that feels satisfying and genuine, leading to a perfectly happy ending that leaves you with a smile. The balance of humor, heartfelt moments, and a touch of tension makes The Love Haters a standout, especially for readers who love stories about love, self-acceptance, and personal growth. It’s the kind of book that feels like a warm hug—charming, uplifting, and impossible to put down.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25 stars

Katie will do almost anything to try to save her job, including faking a relationship and pretending she knows how to swim. She heads to the Keys to do a story on her fake boyfriend’s brother the Coast Guard Rescue hero Hutch. Fake relationship fiascos, workplace dramatics, canine hijinks, and wicked weather ensue.

It was so easy to root for Katie and Hutch. I couldn’t wait for them to get through the obstacles that were thrown at them. I also loved Katie’s relationships with Rue and the ladies and seeing Katie’s progression in her relationship with herself. I felt connection with the main characters and wanted to know more about them.

Thank you Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC via NetGalley. Comments and opinions above are my own.

#TheLoveHaters #NetGalley

Katherine Center can do no wrong in my eyes, and this was no different! Once I started this, I couldn’t put it down, and I stayed up until 3 am finishing 🥲.

The internal monologue of Katie had me cracking up so many times, especially a certain scene with a Great Dane, some splinters, and some haunches lol. I loved how this was just as much of a story about Katie falling in love with herself as it was her falling in love with Hutch. Hutch was just so cool, calm, and collected and loved her exactly the way she needed to be loved and I LOVED how flabbergasted he got when he finds out how she feels about herself.

My only complaint would be I wish we saw a few more scenes of Katie and Hutch on the job or just hanging out together. I feel like we got a lot of Katie’s journey with herself and then some of the journey with Hutch was sped through and just left me wanting a little bit more. Especially the epilogue… I wanted more Hutch!

All in all, Hutch is the biggest sweetheart and green flag MMC, George Bailey is the perfect book dog and can do no wrong, Aunt Rue and the Gals were such a delight every time we saw them on page, and Katie was so relatable and so real that I loved reading her story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy 🫶🏼 all my thoughts are my own.

This was fine... A woman who is insecure about her body isn't the most unique protagonist, so the underlying "heart" behind the book fell a little flat for me. The dynamic between Hutch and Cole was way more compelling but not as center-stage. Also, I like Katherine Center's characters better when they aren't famous or famous-adjacent. And finally, I totally reject the fact that loving yourself more is the answer... if something is broken it can't fix itself.

What I liked? The meet cute was incredible. George Bailey is the perfect name for a dog. Rue and The Gals made my heart happy. And the romance was believable and easy to root for if not incredibly messy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my e-ARC of the book.

Another success by Katherine Center! I have read several of her books and each is just satisfying. Fun characters, an interesting location, realistic romance, some tears and a take home lesson on positively improving your view of the world. What more do you need in a story? For this book, we are taken from Dallas to Key West with a videographer who is about to lose her job if she doesn’t pull off this new assignment. The assignment is a promo video for the coast guard. From Katie’s arrival in Key West to the end, you enjoy the relationships, the banter and the storyline. A wonderful escape that leaves you with a smile. Please give this one a read. It will not disappoint..

a perfect summer romcom! We follow Katie on her quest to save her career in a paradisiac, sun-soaked setting. Her mission? convincing the stubborn and selfless Hutch-our swoon-worthy male lead with a savior complex-to share one of his heroic rescue stories. I was thoroughly enjoying the ride until a major miscommunication entered the picture, dimming the novel's spark a bit. but that's just personal preference, as I'm not a fan of this arc in romance. If you're craving something fresh, vibrant, and fast-paced, this book is for you!
many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc

Katherine Center has done it again! I absolutely loved this story of not only falling in love, but falling in love with oneself. Katie and her feelings were relatable, and I adored her and Beanie’s relationship. How special it is to have a friend like that!

And Hutch! Oh I love him and his big heart. Absolutely adored this story and the characters. 🤍

So so good!

This was a funny, silly, lighthearted romance story. Forced proximity, found family trope. Katie is a video producer who goes to Key West to film Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer, for a recruiter video. Hutch is her coworker’s brother and this leads to many issues.

The real hero in this story is George Bailey, the great Dane. His introduction had me literally laughing out loud. So many funny parts and Katherine adds in lots of reflection and beautiful words such as the time horizon. She even mentioned Brene Brown, love her writing! The issue of body image is sprinkled throughout the book in a lighthearted way with lots of self reflection dialogue. This is meant to be a light, funny read that concentrates more in the lessons and the appreciation for ourselves than about the romance.

I would def recommend it. The Rom Commers and Happiness for Beginners are still my top two for her but this is def going on my shelves.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was on vacation this week and was looking for a nice, easy, fun read. I definitely found it with Love Haters. It was easy to get into and I found myself not wanting to put it down. While it had a few underlying serious issues (body image and loving yourself as well as honesty always wins) the overall story was light and heartwarming. The good guys came out on top!

This truly hurts because I love Katherine Center as a human and author. But this story was NOT IT for me.

I learned a lot about the Coast Guard and that was really interesting. Hutch as a character was a really sweet guy. The story overall was just such a hot mess. It read almost like a YA novel (nothing wrong with that if that's how the book is advertised) where the main character just needed a lot of help working on herself and the last thing she needed to worry about what falling in love. Too much self doubt and body negativity that really took away from the fact that this is supposed to be a romance book. I'm crossing my fingers hoping next year's book from her is a winner. Thank you again for the advanced copy.

This book was like summer sunshine! It was the perfect mix of funny and emotional. I specifically loved how well developed the characters were. All of the side characters existed despite the main characters stories which made this book very believable.

The Love Haters is a heartwarming tale of a quirky, lovable woman and a handsome hero, full of moments that will make you laugh and twists you didn't see coming and a chance to love yourself a little more along the way, too. I felt as though I were stepping into Katie's shoes, questioning, "how can this happen to me?" alongside her while looking into a mirror over her shoulder each time she took a step toward loving herself more fully. In a world where it can be so easy to believe the lies we hear about ourselves, to the point we begin to echo them, this novel is a refreshing breath of sea air, reminding us that we have the power to "see ourselves for ourselves," and surround ourselves with those who will remind us of truth lovingly and be there when we need them the most.

I love Katherine Center. Her books are cozy blankets and an excuse to cry about something super sweet. The Love Haters is no exception. Her characters have chemistry and the stories are always about people I wish I knew in real life. Katie and Hutch are so cute. Just read this. You’ll feel better.