Audiobook Review of The Love Haters

This book is so intricate that even the dog has a backstory and depth! That’s the kind of care and heart this book carries also I didn’t know I wanted to be called a hot fudge sundae until now, but here we are.

This book makes me want to wear more color. It’s healing in the most unexpected, gentle way. It made me appreciate myself more and love myself a little deeper. There’s so much warmth written through these pages! It’s the kind of story that just feels good.
Yes, there were moments where my brain thought, “that would never happen,” but my heart always responded, “but it totally could.” And honestly, that’s the magic of this author. I believe in the world she’s created, I buy into the fantasy and doesn’t that make it an extraordinary piece of art?

Katherine Center never fails to draw me into her love stories. You always can kind of guess they’ll end up together but the ride is always SOOO good. Add in some adorable doggy love as well and I’m hooked. I never knew I needed to read a coast guard romance more. Add the terror of someone dealing with hurricane. Ah! It was so good.

Time after time Katherine Center hits it out of the park with a humorous, romantic, and heartfelt story with a cast of fantastic characters.

@netgalley
#readmorebooks
#readmorebooksbywomen
#readersofinstagram
#bookstagram
#bookstagrammer
#bookish
#mybookishlife
#wearebookish
#readinggoals
#readin2025
#goodreads
#audiobook

Katherine Center can do no wrong! I have loved all of her books and this one is no different. A perfect summer read.

OK, I'll confess. I love Katherine Center books. Both the female and male characters are so loveable. I'll also confess that this is only my second favorite of her books. (The first is How to Walk Away and I still think about Ian). But Hutch in this book is a really close second. His parents are gone and his brother is self-estranged. He's avoided relationships. But he gets sucked into doing a documentary on his work as a rescue swimmer with the US Coast Guard.

Katie wears black or charcoal all the time. She isn't in love with anything about herself, except maybe her work talents. She had been engaged to a local singer, but he'd hit the big time, had an affair, and their relationship was over. There was no way that a hunky rescue swimmer might ever be interested in her.

There are some sections of this book that maybe were too coincidental. But I finished the book, full of happiness, love, and contentment. It was exactly what I expected. I recommend reading the author's notes and her acknowledgements. They are a perfect complement to the story.

The characters only share a kiss or two so its suitable for almost any reader. There is drunkenness and mentions other people having love affairs.

I have both the e-book and the audio book. The narrator is just perfect for this story and its characters.

“Every time you have to be brave, you get to be a little braver next time. That’s what life is for.”

In a last ditch effort to save her job, Katie Vaughn takes on an assignment in Key West. She is highly unqualified for the project, but is determined to make it work. Along the way she meets Hutch and bonds with his aunt and dog. Katie must somehow come clean about her motivation all while encountering various mishaps.

I’ve been a huge Katherine Center fan for a while, so I was excited for this new release. I will say that I was hesitant after seeing mixed reviews. The book did get off to a slow start, but overall I did enjoy the story. Center’s trademark humor came into play and the FMC was a bit of a loveable mess. I had a love/hate relationship with the MMC though and that along with a few annoying plot points brought the rating down for me.

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress for gifted advanced copies (audiobook and ebook) of this title.

This wasn’t my favorite Katherine Center book, but it still had her signature charm - heartfelt themes, likable characters, and just enough emotional depth to keep things moving. If you’re already a fan of her writing, you’ll find familiar elements here, but it may not stand out as one of the strongest.

One of the biggest themes in The Love Haters is body positivity and body awareness, and it’s very front and center. I appreciated how openly it was explored and how it shaped the main character’s growth and self-acceptance. That said, it does get a little repetitive at times, so if that’s not a theme you’re particularly drawn to, just be aware it’s a big focus of the story.

The plot has some fun moments—Katie, a video producer who can’t swim, ends up profiling Hutch, a literal rescue swimmer, and fakes her way through it. There’s also a whole subplot involving her coworker Cole (who’s also Hutch’s brother), a meddling boss, and a tropical Key West setting with all kinds of chaos.

Hutch himself is… well, pretty much perfect. Even his brother calls it out. He’s kind, capable, attractive, and owns a massive rescue dog. While I didn’t totally connect with him the way I have with past Katherine Center love interests, I still enjoyed his dynamic with Katie. And I absolutely adored Rue, her deep backstory of how she ended up in the brothers's lives shows she is a truly good person.

The subplot with Katie’s ex-fiancé felt a little unresolved to me. It’s set up as if it’s going to play a bigger role, but it kind of fizzles out and doesn’t really tie back into the main plot in a meaningful way.

Overall, The Love Haters was an enjoyable read. The narrator for this was fabulous. It was fun, heartfelt, and full of that Katherine Center hopefulness. It didn’t quite hit the emotional highs or have the same impact as some of her other books for me, but it was still worth the read!

Narration 5 stars.

The story was.. cute, but there were almost too many little twists and clumbsy/rescue opportunities. More so than a love story (PG btw) it’s a story about loving yourself. Which is FINE but soooo much of this was her overcoming her body image issues that the plot was almost filler.

4.5 ⭐️🧡
As someone who has struggled with body image and insecurity all my life, this one hit me hard. I really felt connected with Katie and her inner thoughts, even when they felt silly or crazy. I didn't love the whole "web of lies" subplot, but I liked Hutch and Katie and Rue and the girls so much that it didn't bother me. As someone whose husband was in the military, I liked all the Coast Guard info also.

Katherine Center is my romcom queen. While I didn't personally enjoy one of her more recent novels, this one flet like an old friend. I will eagerly read anything she puts out there. 🧡

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.75 rounded up

What I find dependable about a Katherine Center book (especially her more recent ones) is that 1) they are just lighthearted and fun, and 2) you can count on the FMC to learn something important about themselves. In this realm, The Love Haters did not disappoint. I felt so connected to Katie and her body image struggles, and I loved watching her fall in love with her own body. It was so akin to my own struggles with how I look and being my harshest critic, and it was so important to me that Katie found love for her body because of her change in mindset not because of what a guy told her. While I know body image topics can be a touchy subject, I think it is important to note that--like so many other issues--everyone can present a little differently. Not all anxiety looks the same and not all body issues present the same either. For my part, I thought Katherine did an excellent job talking about it in this book.

That being said, the actual romance in the book was a bit lacking for me. It felt a bit shallow, and while Katie, the narrator, tells us that she and Hutch spend all day every day together for weeks, we don't actually get to see much of those interactions, which left the story feeling a bit insta-lovey for me. I loved Hutch--and his dog--and I did like him and Katie together. I just wish I could have seen more of their actual fall. And while I certainly don't mind a miscommunication trope if done well, I didn't like this one very much. It felt as though the characters chose miscommunication rather than it just happening unintentionally, and then even when that was resolved, it just stacked and had me screaming, "didn't you learn your lesson!"

I DID however love the dramatics of the end of the book. I like a little excitement in my romances, and that definitely bumped up my rating, even if it was a tad outlandish. Hutch's job as a rescue swimmer is such a bada** career, and I loved reading about it.

The audiobook was narrated by Patty Murin and, as always, she was fantastic! She fits Katherine's lighthearted writing style so well, and I love the different inflections she gives to characters.

Overall, it was a cute Katherine Center story.

Katherine Center has a way of pulling your heartstrings like no other!
I listened to the audio after reading a digital arc and I must say the audio made it even matter. The narrator was fabulous and really captured our characters perfectly.
This tale focuses on two characters who stumble into a romance while they aren’t even looking for love. In fact, both are pretty firmly in the anti-love camp when they begin working together.
The Coast Guard aspect was fascinating, and the Key West setting was the perfect backdrop for this one. I wish I could head there on vacation and visit a place that has all the charm of the Starlight, the vacation rental where Katie stays.
Center is a master of weaving emotions into her stories, I alternately laughed and teared up at the circumstances the characters faced.
I highly recommend listening to this delightful beach read.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for the opportunity to listen an early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★

Katherine Center has been one of my favorite authors to read over the years as I enjoy the depth of topics she covers and her style of writing.

This story of Katie and Hutch was such a fun enemies to lovers story that had me intrigued from the start. It had the best push and pull with great banter which had you rooting for the characters the whole way through even though they didn’t really connect until the very end.

I loved the tropical setting in Key West and appreciated how well it was described. I absolutely adored the side characters that brought so much fun and light to the story. Rue, Hutch’s aunt, was my absolute favorite character of all!

Katie’s growth over the course of the book was such a beautiful development to read. She went through so much over the years being criticized and it damaged her tremendously. Seeing her develop confidence and overcome some of these issues was admirable.

While I did love this book and will easily recommend it to others, it wasn’t my favorite book of hers. The reason for this was the chaos of the FMC. She is a bit frustrating with her constant rambling and her letting people take advantage of her. She wouldn’t stand up for herself or communicate which put her in horrible situations and it was just frustrating in the end.

The authors note at the end of the book is a must read! It really resonated with me and affirmed why I love reading Katherine’s books so much!

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook in tandem and I loved being able to hear all the personality Patti Murin put into the characters. She did a wonderful job bringing this story to life!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
Found Family
Forced Proximity
Tropical Location
Enemies to Lovers
Grumpy x Sunshine
Learning to Love Yourself

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025. I adore Katherine Center and her ability to write fiction and love stories that have some substance along with humor. I loved that this book was set in the Florida Keys and wished that it had been explored more through their time together. I loved the descriptions of Hutch and the things I learned about the Coast Guard from Katie's experience being thrust into that world. Rue was my favorite side character and someone that I adored after learning her backstory and the unusual way that the brothers joined her family. I never connected with Cole or the whole Sullivan/fake dating side story. The chemistry in this book felt like it was a secondary plot line to Katie's obsession with her body. I wanted to love the focus on her trying to learn acceptance and body positivity, but it became annoying when it was the whole topic of every conversation. She even decides to make that the topic of her possible last call to her best friend ever while she is in danger?? Come on. Ultimately, I still enjoyed both reading and listening to the story and finished it in a few days, but it won't unseat my other favorite Katherine Center books.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC to this book and audio.

Do you want a book that will fill your heart with Love? Then you need to read this one! This book was absolutely amazing. It had me laughing out loud, kicking my feet and crying. I never wanted it to end and now that it has I want to listen to it all over again.

This story is about Katie who has 2 choices. Get laid off or take a job profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Why is this bad? Katie is highly unqualified and can’t swim. Katie decides to fake it to you make it and heads to the Key West. This story has conga lines, drinking games, stolen kisses and hurricanes. This book is full of love and overcoming your fears and self doubt. Highly recommended, 5⭐️

Genuinely, and I cannot stress this enough, F*CK COLE. I am currently 75% of the way into the book and there is genuinely NOTHING Cole could do to redeem himself in my eyes. Which is unfortunate because he is the MMC’s brother, and you don’t really want them to be estranged; but also, again, F*CK COLE. F*CK THIS GUY.

Making the MMC’s brother the main villain is a bold choice. Why couldn’t he be an ex? It would fit the storyline and then I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable for not forgiving him… because I will not. He is the worst. I also don’t understand Katie’s motivations for going along with Cole’s scheme. Like yes, it’s to keep her job- but she doesn’t appear to really love this job and has the possibility to do at least moderately successful freelance work. There’s no reason for her to go along with such an absurd scheme for a job she is just good with. She doesn’t love it, doesn’t absolutely need it because she has no other options. Also, Cole doesn’t appear to be high enough on the totem pole that if Katie had immediately exposed his lie, the boss wouldn’t have taken Katie’s side, or at the very least, taken no sides. But then they say the lie is for Rue? Which I just really don’t get. The gist of this: the third act conflict makes ZERO sense.

Love Patti Murrin’s narration as always!

The Love Haters is a wild ride from Katherine Center following a video producer and her reluctant Coast Guard subject. This book is humorous, sexy, and thrilling at times. The author thoroughly researched the Coast Guard and does an amazing job of accurately representing this hardcore heroes. I highly recommend this book for spicy adult romance lovers, as long as you're willing to suspend your disbelief at some of the likely coincidences and ridiculous situations.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center.

This book delivers all the heart, humor, and emotional depth that fans of Katherine Center have come to expect. It blends romantic tension with themes of self-worth, personal growth, and second chances in a way that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. The main character’s voice is relatable and sincere, and the setting adds a breezy charm that enhances the story’s warmth.

While the pacing felt uneven in spots and some emotional beats could have landed stronger, the overall journey was engaging and satisfying. A solid read for fans of contemporary romance with a meaningful, empowering core.

This is my 3rd Katherine Center read and she has quickly become one of my favorite romance authors! And Patti Murrin narrated and next to Julia Whelan she is my top audiobook narrator!

This book is a cute summer read while also tackling difficult issues like insecurity and family conflict. It takes place in the Florida Keys (which, as a born and raised Floridian I was super excited to have my home state as the background of this story) about a video producer (*who can’t swim*) who is tasked with profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Honestly, I was sold at ✨Coast Guard rescue swimmer 😮‍💨🤪

Anyways, I loved this book! It was cheesy at times and a little predictable, but I still had fun reading it and felt touched by the internal struggles of the main characters. Katie’s difficulties with self love were so relatable and while other reviewers have said she comes off as whiney and too insecure, I felt that she expressed feelings so many women experience.

Be sure to check this one out when it releases May 20th!!

And big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy 🫶🏼

If you are looking for a closed-door book that you will totally pull you in, this book is for you! The narrator draws you and keeps you entertained from the beginning till the end. You will fall in love with Hutch. He is such a great cinnamon roll MMC. I loved that Katie is a strong FMC also. Katherine Center wrote her so well! Katie's self-loathing turns into self-love, that resignates with this reader. Personally, it made me look at my own self-loathing.

Thank you MacMillian audio for allowing me to listen to and leave feedback for this book.

I love Katherine Center and this book was exactly what I’ve come to expect from her. Fun, thought provoking, and fun facts learned along the way.