Katherine Center brings us a tale of overcoming obstacles, finding joy, and falling in love in her latest novel, The Love Haters.

Katie Vaughn finds herself in Key West, Florida, sent to shadow a rescue swimmer and put together a video about the Coast Guard. Her company is in the middle of layoffs, and the success of this assignment may be the deciding factor over whether she stays or goes.

The biggest problem: Katie doesn’t know how to swim.

Couple that with her subject, who is essentially perfect other than his tendency to frown a lot, expecting someone else to be there instead of Katie and not being happy about the switcheroo at all, and the likelihood of Katie keeping her job isn’t looking too pretty.

While this is a story about romantic love, it’s also a story about opening yourself up to possibility, love (in all forms), and self-acceptance.

Rue and George Bailey were two big highlights for me. Truly, they are treasures. Both brimming with personality, I loved how they each sense that Katie belongs in their lives. And, although I’m an introvert, I have a feeling I would adore joining Rue and her friends for nightly dinner and the occasional conga line. What a fantastic family they have created for themselves!

***Spoilers below***

As a romantic, I would have preferred to have seen more of Katie and Hutch falling in love on page. This story feels like an instalove situation, even if neither of them acknowledges that for a while.

Katie has body dysmorphia issues that are discussed pretty heavily, especially early on in the book. While I appreciate how both her friend Beanie and Rue contribute to change Katie’s attitude towards herself and her body over the course of the book, the repetitive negativity in this area was difficult to read.

I didn’t love any of the situations with Cole. I understand that his feelings towards his brother were the impetus behind sending Katie to Key West, but some of the later conflicts he causes feel unnecessary (and contrived).

I’m not sure that we needed all of the tragedies, emotional and physical, in the book. I expected there to be more to the story with her ex, especially when his latest song takes off, and felt like the health situation with one of the beloved characters was a bit of a bait and switch. (I felt this way about The Rom-Commers, too.) I know as romance readers we’re looking for that HEA, but, personally, I don’t like to see health scenarios used like this. While I’m sure this is not the intention, it feels trivializing to what many experience in the real world.

All of that said, though, I do feel like this will be a hit with fans of Katherine Center’s romcom books and will be read on many a beach blanket this summer.

3.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press. All review opinions are my own.

Katherine Center’s The Love Haters is a brilliantly written, heartwarming exploration of love, personal growth, and second chances. The author masterfully crafts an engaging, witty narrative that balances humor with emotional depth, making the characters feel real and relatable. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their individual journeys toward healing and understanding are both compelling and moving. Center’s ability to address complex themes like vulnerability and self-forgiveness within a lighthearted story makes this book impossible to put down. With a perfect blend of romance and personal transformation, The Love Haters is an unforgettable five-star read.

👙🚁🌊📹💕

When soon-to-be-fired video producer Katie is sent to Key West on a last-minute project to save her job (despite not being able to swim), she has to film a Coast Guard rescue hottie, who she's been told is a love hater and impossible to talk to. It turns out he's perfect- not just in body, but in face and personality, and everything. They're thrown together with some healing to do, but she expects chaos—not a rom-com plot of her own! With hilarious mishaps, slow-burn romance, and the Florida Keys as a backdrop, this book is fun and cheesy—everything you would want in a rom-com.

However, this isn't my favorite of her books, as it pushes a little too cheesy. If you are starting with Catherine Center, I would always recommend The Bodyguard or The Rom-Commers.

This was cute! I loved the deeper emotional aspects in this book. The topics of loss, grief and body dysmorphia were heavy but made the love story more impactful and emotional. It also had parts that just made me laugh out loud!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC!

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
Tags: Fake Dating, Single POV, Closed Door Romance, Body Positivity

I really wanted to give this book 4 stars, but SOMETHING is holding me back, and I can't quite put my finger on it. I would like to start off by saying this is my first book by this author, so I'm not sure if it was the writing style that was throwing me off, or the use of a repetitive phrase "Pup Daddy" that sent me cringing every time I read it. Apart from those, my only true complaint for this book is that I really wish it was a dual POV. There are certain scenes that I would have LOVED to have read from Hutch's POV.
For the past few months I have been in a reading slump, and this was the first book I have been able to read (not including one audiobook) since the beginning of the slump. I found myself frequently thinking about this book, wanting to pick it back up and find out what happened next in the storyline. It was a relatively short read, and perfect for the summer. I also enjoyed that while this was a book of fiction, it conveyed a very powerful message about body positivity. I will note that the message felt like overkill in the book itself, with the author spending way too much time focusing on body positivity and less time on the book plot. However, I loved how inspiring the message was. You witness the FMC, Katie, work through her insecurities and learn various coping strategies that ultimately help teach her to love herself.

* I would like to thank St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had a fun time reading this book. I loved the interactions between Katie and Hutch. I do feel as if the focus was on Katie's body image a little too much, but it added almost a comedic twist into the book.

Overall still a good read. And if you are looking for a cute romance with Coast Guard rescue swimmers, this would be a good choice.

3.75 🌟

Thank you NetGalley for the gifted eARC.

I always enjoy Katherine Center's books and this one was no different. Actually, it kind of reminded me of her book "Things You Save In A Fire". That being said, my rating for this book would be a 3.5 stars- or 4 stars rounded up.

The storyline here features Katie, an 'about to get fired' filmmaker who is sent to Florida's Key West to make a promotional video for the Coast Guard's swim rescuers, in the hopes of boosting their recruitment. She is to tell the story of Hutch, an extremely handsome and heroic swimmer, who just so happens to be the brother of her coworker Cole. Cole tells Katie his brother is too perfect; he's the best at everything he does and in particular, his job but that he's pretty closed off to relationships because he is a "love hater". Cole is at odds with Hutch but he doesn't tell Katie why- only that she has to make this video because he doesn't want to.

Undeterred, Katie ventures to the Keys to learn all about Hutch and the Coast Guard, immersing herself into their day-to-day activities, in the hopes of saving her job and making the best video she can to help bring awareness to what they do- how hard can that be? Did I mention she's deathly afraid of water and can not swim?

With a limited budget to work with, Cole sets Katie up with his Aunt Rue at her Starlite resort and they get on very well from the start. Rue and her friends 'The Gals' take Katie in and help her overcome some of her own issues, all while playing matchmaker between her and Hutch, while he teaches her how to swim. And there's a goofy and loveable Great Dane added into the mix as well!

Overall, it's a good storyline. You learn about what both Katie and Hutch are personally dealing with. You see them begin to open up to each other. A fondness and understanding grow between them, and you can feel the palpable sexual chemistry develop.

But where this falls a little flat for me is in the ending. It is predictable as all Rom-Coms are, but here it sort of ties up all the loose ends too quickly. I would of liked more explanation of Hutch's feelings and appreciation for all that Katie did for him. Some of the key details were mentioned, but breezed through. Character development at the end is limited for them, despite most of the storyline actually being about them. The focus pivots more toward understanding the conflict between Cole and Hutch and reestablishing their relationship. The resolution for Katie and Hutch is more implied vs. actually and disappointedly, played out. However, this is a perfect beach read, given the location of the book!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and St. Martin's Press.

Katherine Center has become a go-to author for me in the last few years, so I was a bit disappointed when this one fell flat. I do think a content warning about body dysmorphia would have been warranted (for those of us who grew up in the age of Top Model and are scarred for life… or anyone just existing as a human in this world.) I also felt it was mis-titled. The MMC doesn’t come off as a Love Hater and the FMC had a bad relationship but I don’t recall her actually swearing off of love. In general, we got a lot of telling and not much showing as their friendship developed. This one also felt like it had a lot of antics that the FMC should never have agreed to, and some underdeveloped secondary characters who were supposed to be plot hindrances (Sullivan, especially) and just weren’t. I still thought the characters were likable and I enjoyed the bones of the story, but not my favorite from Katherine Center. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC.

This was a cute and quick rom-com read. Enjoyed the main character’s journey in the book to accepting and loving herself most of all.

ARC Review
Release date: May 20th, 2025
4 stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes:
Forced proximity
Fake relationship
Slow burn
Caretaking
Meddling family
Body positivity

I was completely sucked into this book & I easily finished it in a day. I was *obsessed* with Hutch’s dog. I’m a sucker for an animal that likes to cause a little mischief.

Let’s get my personal preferences out of the way-
One: I love a good military MMC situation. &
Two: I prefer to not constantly read about how the fmc feels about her body.

Hutch’s broodiness and how he quietly cared for Katie through this book was what really sold it for me. I usually like my MMCs to loudly want our FMC but since this book is only told from our FMC’s perspective we didn’t really get that. But I don’t think that took away from all the small ways we were shown that Hutch was pining for Katie.

The situation that Katie and George Bailey find themselves in at the end of the book had me holding my breath and flying through the pages to find out what was going to happen to them. That was easily a high point in this book for me. I love that she cared enough to put herself in that situation for Hutch’s dog.

There were a couple things that brought this book down a little bit for me:
The constant body image conversation.. This is a personal preference but I dislike when a FMC is obsessing over her body image. I get that it is a journey that she goes on through this book of learning to love herself and I do appreciate that it wasn’t a situation where the man is the one who pulls her out of her negative thoughts & that she was able to come to terms with her negative thoughts on her own, but it still personally is not for me.
Hutch’s brother Cole and his meddling ways at the end of this book brought down my feelings for this story a little bit too. I didn’t like how he backed Katie into a corner of having to lie for him and it caused a huge miscommunication & rift between her and Hutch.

Even though there were a couple things in this book that weren’t for me, I do still really enjoy Katherine Center’s books and I will always read whatever book she writes next.

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

It’s not spring without a new Katherine Center novel. I was so excited to have the opportunity to read The Love Haters.

Katie’s life has been turned upside down— recently out of a relationship and her job is in the line. She is given the opportunity to go film a promo video for the Coast Guard. Upon her arrival in Key West she meets the promo start Hutch who hates love.

This book was funny and the characters were endearing. I highly recommend The Love Haters if you’re looking for a fun rom-com to kickoff the beach read season! I can’t wait to read what Katherine Center writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book!

I am not sure if it is me, but a few of my favorite authors have really been a huge miss for me lately- KC included. This is a 2.5, round up to three because of my previous love of this author.

I felt like this book did not grab me from the start and each of the characters, were just "blah." I thought most of the story was predictable, which I feel as though most KC books are, but this one wasn't even an engaging predictable.

I cannot in good faith even recommend this book for a lovely beach read. This is a hard pass for me.

Loved this book. I will read anything Katherine Center writes! Katie and Hutch were such good characters, but the side characters were so awesome and funny!

‼️ARC REVIEW‼️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hutch and Katie have a beautiful friendship that blossoms through some unexpected forced proximity. He falls first, but of course family drama has to ruin it.

To be honest, I think Rue was my favorite character in this book though. She has such sage advice and lives her life unapologetically even through grief and heartache.

Katherine Center does it again! What a beautiful book that follows a journey of self discovery and love (and real love) that many of us can relate to. Multiple moments during reading I felt myself nodding along, throat choking up, because I related deeply to what Katie feels about herself. What society has told her. Is it true? No, but sometimes you need help seeing your own beauty and worth, especially when life has beat you down so many times.

I love every Katherine Center book I have encountered so far. Her romance plot lines are cute, fun, and satisfying. This was a beautiful story about self acceptance and had an extremely realistic depiction of a history of an eating disorder and the associated body dysmorphia. Be warned if discussion of body images is a trigger but it was handled extremely well.

ARC REVIEW

The Love Haters
by Katherine Center

Rating; ⭐⭐⭐/5 ( 3 out of 5)

Publishing date: 5/20/2025

Welp. Add this one to the list of "books that I rate less than Goodreads"  😞 but that's okay! We all don't love the same things!

It seems like Katherine Center is hit or miss for me. I LOOOVED last year's release, but I never got sucked into this one. For some reason I couldn't relate to the characters and I had a hard time feeling their connection. Since I couldn't feel their connection, the romance part of the story felt rushed and underdeveloped. 

BUT REMEMBER- a 3 star books means It was a  "okay" experience for me but you might love it!! 😉 

Always thankful for @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the early read opportunity!

GOOD READS BLURB: 

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. 

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can. 

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Loved it enthusiastically. I didn’t have the highest hopes at the beginning. However, the story quickly progressed into an adorable story with not only a cast of loveable supporting characters, but a great lesson, too. The scene on the roof made me cry.

Advanced listener copy provided by St. Martin’s Press but all opinions are my own.

"This book was an absolute page-turner, filled with rich characters, vivid storytelling, and a plot that kept me hooked from start to finish. A must-read for anyone who loves immersive fiction!"

There are not enough positive words to day about this slightly unrealistic yet amazing story. I loved the main characters, they were so likeable and I felt like I really got to know them.