Cute and clumsy!!!

Katie, a video producer, has been burned by love in the past. The relationship with her former fiance, now music superstar, and all the publicity that goes along with it, left her with some serious self hate and body insecurity.

Hutch, the sexy Coast Guard rescue diver, is very reserved impossible to read. What is he thinking? Is he attracted to her, or does he find her off putting?? He will always do the "right" thing.

Then there is Cole, who is Katie's coworker and Hutch's brother, (with all the brotherly drama that develops over the years). When Hutch saves Jennifer Anniston's dog and their company wants to do a piece on him, Hutch only wants Cole to produce the shoot. Cole wants nothing to do with this and sends Katie instead. The problem is he does not tell Hutch, and she cannot swim! Over the course of the book, Cole's lies reek havoc on everyone's lives.

Overall, this was a very fun book, a nice beach read.

***possible spoiler below, not too significant***
There were a few cringy parts I did not like. I didn't agree with Katie going along with Cole and not telling Hutch that she and Cole were not really dating. Also, Katie should have left the bar when Cole offered her up to the crowed to kiss.


I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Get you copy on May 20, 2025!

#thelovehaters, #katherinecenter, #stmartinspress #netgalley

The Love Haters is a captivating story of growth and self-discovery, both personally and romantically. Katie and Hutch find themselves entangled in a business relationship, but as lies and secrets pile up, their connection deepens in unexpected ways. Katie's character arc is especially compelling—her journey of healing and transformation allows her to confront past traumas and finally embrace self-love. Hutch, as her partner in this journey, adds layers of emotional complexity to the narrative.

One of the standout characters is Hutch's brother, Cole, whose behavior is so infuriating that you’ll want to reach through the pages to shake some sense into him. However, as the story unfolds, you begin to understand the motivations behind his actions making him more likable, but still annoying.

Then there is Rue, the aunt we all wish we had—supportive, loving, and brimming with wisdom. She adds a delightful warmth to the story, grounding the characters when they need it most.

Overall, The Love Haters is a beautifully written tale that explores love, healing, and the complexities of human relationships with heart and depth. A must-read for fans of character-driven romance!

Profiler Kate Vaughn has an impossible task on hand - to film the fame averse internet hero, Tom Hutchinson to save her job.
But add in to the mix an eccentric aunt, fake relationships and a hazard of a dog, life in Key West at a coast guard Air Station isn't for the weak of heart, especially, not with the rumoured 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 around.

~

I live for Center's books knowing that each profession portrayed will be well researched and unconventional. This book was no exception.

The majority of the plot was a tactical sequence of comedic errors which made for a highly entertaining read.

However, the theme of this one had a little less romance and was more self love heavy. Which is not an issue but the synopsis is slightly misleading.

Regardless, it is quite a humorous book, Aunt Rue is a sweetheart and George Bailey (the dog) is a force to be reckoned with (truly). Every interaction between Hutch and Kate felt like a mini date and their chemistry was on fire.

~

3.94 / 5 ★

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katherine Center writes deep rom coms that you can't help but love. This book dives into difficult topics in a way that leaves me feeling uplifted. Center wove the theme of body positivity and loving yourself into this story alongside the romance between the FMC and MMC. The setting of this book was one of my favorite parts and while some characters were very unlikeable, Cole, I enjoyed it. This is the perfect summer beach read.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy.

The Love Haters is full of the aspects that readers love about Katherine Center: romance and a dynamic cast of characters. With a fun vibrant setting and a mix of interesting characters, this is an easy beach read. While the setting is light, the personal growth of the characters propels the plot while showcasing what it means to offer compassion and empathy to yourself. While some of the plot points are outlandish and wildly unbelievable, I enjoyed that aspect as it offers adventure and an emotional pull to the resolution.



Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the complementary advanced digital copy - all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for the arc! All opinions are my own.

Katherine Center continues to blow me away. I went into this book blindly, and man did it hit on all millennial heartstrings. As someone who has constantly been told to act small and to suck it in, Katie really resonated with me. I saw myself on the page as she went through her journey, and I love “that scene” when the metaphorical mirror is turned back on her.

This is a good example of good people do bad things with false information, and I think she handled writing that out where you still wanted to punch the guy but teared up when you understood why.

And Hutch. Total swoon.

And George Bailey? Goodest boy.

I really liked reading about Hutch and Katie's journey together! I wanted more of their story when the book was over and how things kept going for them! Overall, a very good book that I could not put down!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sharing an ARC of this book!

This was my first Katherine Center book and it was such a cute read. Definitely a few things that I didn't expect. The banter in this book is adorable and the growth of the FMC was so special to see. I was a little nervous because of some of the subject matter of the book, but it was handled SO well. I absolutely loved this book and I am eager to check out more of Katherine Center's work.

So, I only discovered Katherine Center’s books with The Bodyguard, and it became an instant favorite. Same with Hello Stranger. The Rom-Commers, not so much. It was cute but I felt it lacked the heart that her other novels have. And I'd gone back and read most of her backlist after The Bodyguard.

All that is to say: this book was absolutely adorable. It made me swoon. It made me sad. And it inevitably made my heart so happy and full. THAT’S what I want from this author's books. It also kind of gave me a minor panic attack, but it was worth it.

Also, to be clear: I would have 100% gone back for the dog.

What a great story. Sometimes you just need a good story with a great message and a happy ending of a person finding herself and love. Katherine Center always finds a way to have a complicated, sometimes flawed, female character and having her be so relatable that you can’t help but love her. The witty banter is a bonus! The Love Haters was so beautifully wrapped up that I’m pretty sure I was smiling the entire last chapter and a half.

Katherine Center has QUICKLY become one of my favorite romcom authors. And The Love Haters was definitely no different. I literally took it with me in the far to grocery shop today because I couldn’t put it down. DO NOT MISS

This was a beachy, breezy and fun read about a documentary producer sent to Key West do a promo video of the Coast Guard featuring a local hero who skirts the spotlight and focuses on doing his job. Add in an adorable rescue dog, quirky elderly women meddling and an estranged brother and you have this delightful rom-com .

This was more than a rom-com as there were definitely themes that hit heavily (i.e., body positivity, cyber bullying) but the author handled the issues with intentionality and care. I felt connected to the characters and I wanted to move into the Starlite complex and become one of the Gals.

Check out this book if you love:
🐾 Forced Proximity
🐾 Found Family
🐾 A Match-Making Dog
🐾 Close Female Friendships
🐾 Single POV

Thank you to @katherinecenter, @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the e-ARC.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center (ARC)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Katherine Center brings a tender love story between Katie, a filmmaker and her documentary subject named Hutch. He is a hero rescue diver with muscles for days… Unrelated: I binged this whole book in a day. 🙂‍↕️😂

I was a huge fan of the dynamics between MCs; both really complimented each other in different ways. Hutch is my favorite type: tall, dark and quiet 🙊 I love a shy MMC!! Such a fun change up from the usual formula!

One really big trigger warning I think should be included is for EDs. This subject is handled very well for the most part in this book, with the MFC going through a healing journey learning to love herself. But it is a large overarching book theme and starts off with some pretty triggering behavior. Hopefully when published, the book will include TWs but that is not the case for the ARC.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to a 4 because I couldn’t put it down!

Huge thank you, as always, to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review🫶

How many different ways are they to say you love a book other then to just say I loved this book. The balance of the serious heartbreaking themes the FMC deals with and the love story that unfolds could not have been handled better. I always say I read for vibes and the vibes were right with this one. I laughed so hard and shed a few tears as well. Katie was struggling with things that I don’t think any woman is ever untouched by and I think they were handled perfectly with enough seriousness the topics required from such a book but also with a humor that kept the tone light enough to enjoy. Part of me wishes this book was a dual POV with the MMC. I found myself dying to understand Hutch’s thoughts and feelings but then again I think that would have taken away from Katie’s path. As much as this was a romance between a man and a woman it felt very much like a woman I could relate to finding her way back to herself.

Love love love this story !!! My first book I read so far this year that has had me all giddy for the characters!

think I'm going to have to give up on Katherine Center. I haven't enjoyed her last couple books and The Love Haters is no different. The storyline was boring and I did not like the two main characters at all. Overall this was a miss for me, but if you are a fan of clean romance with no spice and a rom-com, hallmark theme book then give this one a try. Thanks NetGalley for advanced copy.

DNF at 60%. I can’t believe I’m dnf’ing this far along, but that’s how much I simply do not like these characters. I hate HATE that I am doing this because I LOVED the Rom-Commers so so much. But I am just really not enjoying this book.
The FMC is extremely immature in my opinion, and really just seems like a child to me. The MMC doesn’t communicate well, at all.
And the Cole coming in, just made me so upset with all his lies I can’t do it anymore. I was just getting so frustrated with all the miscommunication, and immaturity with all of them. I’m really sad to have to leave this review, but it’s just not it for me.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Last year, I read the book The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center and absolutely loved it. It was one of, if not THE, top read of the year. Which was why, I was so incredibly excited to score an ARC of her new book!

I started The Love Haters and got sucked in almost immediately. The main character is very relatable and the MMC is super likable and kind. This was a book I found hard to put down, was eager to come back to and was so sad to finish when I did. I absolutely cannot wait to read more Katherine Center books.

If you are a fan of books with heartwarming stories I definitely suggest you grab a copy of this book when it becomes available!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Love Haters had more depth than your typical romance book and taught you to love yourself too. It’s a sweet story and included a dog! I really liked Katie’s character and she was relatable for many women. Themes of family, loss, self-acceptance, and falling in love made this story great! 4.5⭐️

Rating ⭐️ : 5/5
No Spice 🚫🌶️
Release Date: May 20 2025

“Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time.”

Perfection. A must read!

Katherine Center never misses. Katherine Center always writes books that are more than just a simple love story.

Summary:
Katie is sent on a work trip to Key West to film a video about a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Hutch, her coworker’s brother. If she refuses, she risks losing her job. During her time in Key West, Katie faces a series of challenges that force her to confront her fears—from learning to swim and wearing a bathing suit in public, to surviving a hurricane. With every challenge, Katie is pushed to her breaking point, forced to overcome her relationship with herself while grappling with the complicated dynamics between Hutch and his brother and the tension building between herself and Hutch.

Other Thoughts:
I saw myself in Katie, and I think a lot of people will too. Her journey to self-love throughout the story had me in tears, but also left me feeling hopeful. It’s the most beautiful enemies-to-lovers story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review