The Love Haters is my first Katherine Center book and oh boy - I absolutely stayed up way too late on a school night finishing because I just had to know what happened next and how Katie's (our FMC) story arc would go. If you're in the market for a rom-com about self-love and acceptance with a side of shitty boss and family drama - this is it.

Katie Vaughn is sent to Florida to do a story on her boss's brother, Hutch, a coast guard rescue swimmer who became famous after a daring rescue of a dog. Cole, Katie's boss, passes this off as an opportunity for Katie to make herself indispensable at her job where people are being laid off left and right. In the process, we are introduced to Aunt Rue, the property manager for a set of cottages (and shops) in the Keys where Katie stays, Katie's best friend Beanie, and The Girls, a group of older women who all stay at the cottages with Aunt Rue.

So much of the book is the love story between Katie and Hutch that survives miscommunications galore, lies from Cole, and a rescue at sea. But, one of the best bits is truly seeing Katie develop a better relationship with her body through her own hard work and the support of both Beanie and Aunt Rue.

For a heartwarming joyful read (and couldn't we all use one right now?) I can't recommend it more. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

Book Review
The Love Haters by Katherine

Thoughts
This book. This author. I highlighted and annotated everywhere.
Heroes. Journalism. Paradise. Social media. Body dysmorphia . Life. Illness. Aging. Trauma. Tornadoes. Death. And between it all- LOVE
Love for family ( found and by blood)
Love for your pets
Love for your friends
Love for your job
Love for your partner
Love for YOURSELF

Yes this is a love story, yes there is a happy ending at the end, but this book is soo much more than that.
Its a hug for your head and your heart.

Publishes May 20 2025
Thank you to the author and @stmartinspress for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own

I just finished this and I LOVED IT!

Katie & Hutch were just my fav. I’m still thinking about the way I felt reading this book! They were so uniquely themselves…love haters and all. But their backstories and how they just came together fit so well. I will not get over Hutch yelling at his brother about sending Katie and him not expecting him to fall for her? Swoon! Do not get me started on Rue. She was just a blast of color and warmth. I really enjoyed not as commonly used career choices for the FMC AND MMC. There was also so much depth to each character and hardship. Such a good read!

And to be honest, if Katherine writes it I’m reading it. PERIOD! Thanks for Katherine, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I ate it right up!

Katherine Center knows how to write a Rom-Com!
Katie is a lower level video advertiser who gets the opportunity to go make a film for the Coast guard. The catch- she can't swim and the main person in the film is her coworkers "hero" brother- he saves puppies, he's gorgeous, and he's kind to his Aunt Rue. Katie goes to Florida, is welcomed to the area by the loveable, unapologetic Aunt Rue and her gang of hilarious gal pals. She meets Hutch who she was told "hates love" similar to herself after a horrible breakup. And I won't spoil the rest.

I love the side characters in this book- Rue, the gals, Katie's best friend, a rescue great Dane! They all add charm and comedy to this story.

But by far my favorite love story in this book, is the one between Katie and herself. This is a beautiful story about self love. Especially in the age of social media and Internet trolls, this story about Katie learning to love herself was beautifully written.

I give this 4.5 stars!

This was my first Katherine Center book, and it won’t be my last (how have I not read her already??) I absolutely loved every bit of it!! The characters were all so well defined and developed throughout the story. The imagery of the locations was phenomenal. I felt I was there in every scene. And the emotion! I felt so much during this book!! I laughed; I cried; I felt all the pain and happiness the characters had in their lives.
This book releases May 20, 2025, and you won’t want to miss it! If, like me, you’ve never read Katherine Center, this is a great one to start with! 🤗

Everything I want a Katherine Center book to be - the characters, the setting, the romance and a solid lesson in self love. Thanks for a quick trip to Key West this winter!

Not only did this book make me swoon, but it was laugh out loud funny! Another unique romance from Katherine Center giving me all the feels, with great character development, and beautiful relationships, in a package you can’t put down!

Thank you so much for the ARC, NetGalley! This book was truly a joy!

I wanted to love this book but it ended up falling flat for me. It had so much potential but it just didn’t live up to my expectations.

This was my first arc from Netgalley, so thank you to them for allowing me to read it early. Yes, I'm a bit late to the NetGalley game, but I'm excited about it!

There is a lot to unpack in this book. So much so, that I'm afraid there was a little too much going on at times.

The story is both light-hearted (almost to the point of slapstick) and heavy and while I liked both of those aspects, I'm not sure the transition between the two was smooth enough in the book.

Katie, the MC, goes along with a lie in this book, and that is just not my favorite trope. I don't even care the reason, it just frustrates me to no end. Once that started I lost some interest, but I did finish the book.

Here is what I did like:

*George Bailey, the dog

*Rue and her sparkling personality

*Katie's evolution of her relationship with her body (a major theme in this book and a major theme in the one I am writing, so I very much wanted to see how this storyline played out)

*Katie's friendship with Beanie

This book is definitely worth reading. There are funny parts and touching parts. There are lessons to be learned or perhaps reminded.

Hutch and Katie are caught in a web of lies before they’ve even met. Katie is a video producer who *really* needs this job and is willing to shoot a promotional video for the Coast Guard under false pretenses to keep it. Hutch is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and devoted dog dad. Two love haters, an eccentric aunt, a friendly giant of a dog, some delicious chemistry, and a few teeeeensy white lies all mixed together make Love Haters impossible to put down.

I love everything Katherine Center writes! I love how her characters are so vunerable. She takes us on their journey of reflection and learning and we come out wiser and better, just like them.

I'm taking away a star because Cole was actually so annoying and that mid fake dating plot line was dumb and I hated it. BUT I loved everything else about this book. I related so hard to Katie and I was crying by the end of this

Enjoyable romanance. Spice level was low (and that’s ok!). Trigger warnings of body image and eating disorders. Overall, if you like Center’s style and other books, you’ll like this one!

I just finished this book and LOVED it. It was such an emotionally charged romantic book. Katherine Center did a great job of showing how women don't need to have a relationship with anyone in order to love themselves. Knowing how her books typically work, I assumed the 2 main characters would eventually end up together. I love that there wasn't a typical happy ending. The happy ending part came from Katie learning to love herself and realize she didn't need anyone.

I ate this up! The pacing was good and kept me entertaining. The concept was unique. Like I said, in my Goodreads review this felt a little bit more like a women’s fiction novel with a sprinkle of romance. I enjoyed that aspect—it was all very relatable. I enjoyed all of the side characters (except for Cole, I haven’t really forgiven him) and think they added so much depth to the story. Rue is an angel!!! I think Hutch was exactly the type of man that Katie needed. Secure, kind, with an acts-of-service love language.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this novel!

I’ve been a fan of Katherine Center’s books for a while, but The Love Haters might just be my new favorite of hers! This book is a delightful rollercoaster of humor, heart, and a little bit of suspense —and it’s definitely a read you don’t want to miss if you’re into the whole "enemies to lovers" thing (which, let’s be real, who isn’t?).
The premise is simple, but oh so good: Katie, a woman who’s just been burned by love, ends up falling for her nemesis, Hutch, the charming and way-too-attractive and perfect guy. They’ve got that perfect mix of "we can't stand each other" and "we absolutely can’t stay away from each other," which, as far as romance tropes go, is chef’s kiss.
First, let’s talk about Katie. I loved her. She’s funny, and she’s not afraid to be real about her feelings—both when it comes to her career and her complicated relationship with love. She’s been through some tough stuff in her life, and that’s made her understandably wary of getting too close to anyone, especially Hutch. But the thing is, Katie’s also super relatable. Who hasn’t been there? Avoiding vulnerability and trying to keep your heart protected, but then... boom—life throws you a curveball, and suddenly you’re in a situation where your emotions are totally out of control.
And then there’s Hutch. Oh, Hutch. He’s the classic perfect guy. Not to mention he has the sweetest relationship with his dog George Bailey. He has that easy charm and confidence that makes you kind of want to roll your eyes and then also fall in love with him. What makes him so compelling, though, is how Katherine Center slowly peels back the layers of his character. There’s depth to him that becomes more apparent as the story progresses, and watching his relationship with Katie unfold felt so satisfying.
The chemistry between Katie and Hutch? Electric. The banter between these two is sharp, hilarious, and just the right amount of tension. Watching them constantly try to outwit each other while also clearly harboring an attraction they both refuse to acknowledge is pure gold. It’s the kind of tension that makes you want to shake them both and say, “Just kiss already!” But the slow burn? Totally worth it.
What really sets this book apart, though, is the way it balances humor with emotional depth. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments, but there’s also real heart underneath it all. Katie and Hutch’s journey isn’t just about falling in love—it’s about growth, healing, and figuring out how to open yourself up to someone else when you’re afraid of getting hurt again. It’s also about learning to love your self and appreciating your flaws. Katherine Center does an amazing job of blending the funny, the sweet, and the emotional in a way that feels real without ever being too heavy-handed.
I also have to mention the side characters—Katie’s “sister” Beanie, as well as her new friends Rue & The Gals that become her family—because they add so much warmth to the story. They’re supportive and loving without overshadowing the main romance, and I really appreciated how they helped round out Katie’s world.
In short, The Love Haters is exactly the kind of book you want when you’re craving a mix of laugh-out-loud humor, heartwarming romance, and emotional depth. It’s a perfect reminder that love is messy, complicated, and totally worth it. If you’re a fan of Katherine Center’s writing (or just looking for a feel-good rom-com that’ll keep you hooked), definitely pick this one up.

Rating: 5/5—Another winner from Katherine Center. Can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I read "The Rom-Commers" last year and absolutely loved it! I like authors who approach real life struggles with humor. Sadly, "The Love Haters" missed the mark for me.

Katie works for a company that produces corporate promotional videos. With layoff's looming, she accepts an assignment from her work superior, Cole, to travel to Key West and produce a video for the Coast Guard featuring Cole's brother, rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutchinson. To save her job, Katie lies saying that she can swim. Hutch turns out to be nothing like the sullen love-hater Katie was expecting. As the two grow closer through swim lessons, filming, and hanging out with Hutch's Aunt Rue, both Katie and Hutch must confront the lies and misunderstandings that have shaped their lives.

Overall, the story is engaging, but felt rushed to me. Katie has serious body image issues that require more than a supportive cousin and self help books to address. While the author's note states the romance is an enemies to lovers story between Katie and her body; validation from Hutch does play a large role in Katie's journey of self-discovery. I found Katie to be kind of weak and annoying; trying to face her fears but at the same time being pushed to take risks due to lies and an inability to fully stand up for herself.

Just a "meh . . .it was OK" for me.

Katherine Center’s The Love Haters is a fun, lighthearted rom-com, though it doesn’t quite reach the emotional depth of her earlier works. The story follows Katie, a video producer who fakes being able to swim to land a job profiling a Coast Guard swimmer, leading to humorous and heartfelt moments. While the book is easy to read and enjoyable, it feels a bit lighter than expected. It’s a pleasant read with relatable characters, but lacks some of the depth and impact of Center’s other novels. Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars.

The Love Haters was a quick, simple dopamine read. The ending was so lackluster though. She is literally trapped at sea in a hurricane and I felt no fear for her. The epilogue was also disappointing. For a romance there was so little romantic interaction and then the majority of the epilogue is about every other relationship besides Katie and Hutch.

Super cute and fun read! Even knowing Katie & Hutch were inevitable, I wish there was a little more depth in their buildup to them realizing their feelings for one another. But still really enjoyed the overall plot, as well as the characters - both the main characters and the side characters!