I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Superb writing and storytelling from this author, yet again! This time, readers are treated to Katie, who cannot swim, but finds herself in the vicinity of water and rescue swimmer, "Hutch". She goes to Key West to profile him for work on behalf of her coworker, Cole, who is also the brother of Hutch. Hutch is a stud, but has his own issues, much like Katie.

This book brings all sorts of fun things melded together really well. The characters do not outwardly seem like they'd be a match, but they click and the chemistry is very real. There are also some great themes here, such as confidence and self-worth, and this is applied to both characters. Secondary characters are also pleasant here, and I loved the addition of the dog. Readers will laugh and feel deeper feelings, which is just a hallmark of this author, and that is why she is an automatic read for me and should be for you, too.

The audiobook version is also a great way to read this book. The narration was clear, as is the case with all of this author's books, and the narrator was able to deliver the appropriate emotions and delivery throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After falling in love with The Bodyguard and enjoying The Rom Commers, I was excited for this new release from Katherine Center, but unfortunately, The Love Haters fell short for me. I was not expecting Katie's body image insecurities to be such a large part of the narrative. I enjoy when romance and women's fiction novels can balance heavier themes with romance, humor, and hopefulness, but Katie's body image insecurities felt overwhelming in the first third of the book, so I hope the final published version of the book provides clear trigger warnings.

My main disappointment is that Katie and Hutch had the potential to be another charming romance, and while they did have some cute interactions in the beginning, there was a lot more telling than showing, before keeping them apart for almost the entirety of the second half of the book. Katie tells us about how it's so fun and easy to talk to Hutch, but we get minimal dialogue between them as they start getting to know each other. It was missing the playful banter I loved so much from The Bodyguard, so I couldn't see how Hutch fell for Katie so hard so quickly. Then, the second half of the book keeps the two apart because of a frustrating, manufactured conflict, all thanks to the irritating Cole. Their eventual reunion was sweet but very short, and it was difficult to root for a couple we barely got to see interact on the page before things started to go awry.

It is still a quick read that has some of the signature sweet Katherine Center moments that I love, and Patti Murin once again does great with the audiobook narration to make it more engaging. Consuming this as an audiobook added to my enjoyment of the story. Rue was such a vibrant, fun character that felt like a breath of fresh air every time she showed up, especially with Murin's narration, and I loved all her reactions with Katie. George Bailey, the dog, also had some very aww-worthy scenes with Katie and Hutch. The epilogue left me feeling warm and fuzzy, as Center's epilogues usually do. I hope we see more humor and on-page development again from Center's next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook!

Another heartwarming read from Katherine Center! I love the interactions between Katie and Hutch. You can tell that the author does a lot of research when writing her books. The details adds so much to the story.

I listened to this audiobook and the narrator did a fabulous job of bringing the characters to life and making the story entertaining.

I am a huge Katherine Center fan but this book I needed more from. I found the book to start off a bit slow. It did pick up and I still enjoyed it but had to give it four over five stars.

I haven’t read all of Katherine Center’s books (yet) but I am working on it. I found this one entertaining and thoughtful. I love the friend that wanted Katie to find self love. I loved George. I am a sucker for any book supporting the rescues of animals. Hutch was typically perfect but I could’ve maybe done without as much of the brother. All in all an enjoyable rom com. I’ll be reading more of her books for sure.

The Love Haters was such a fun ride! The banter was sharp, the chemistry was undeniable, and I found myself genuinely rooting for the characters. It had the perfect blend of humor and heart, and the fake-dating trope was done really well. I knocked off one star just because a few parts felt a bit rushed, but overall, it was a super enjoyable read. If you’re into rom-coms with sass and sweetness, this one’s worth picking up!

The Love Haters beautifully explores the theme of self-love and the honest, often uncomfortable realities of how we view ourselves as women. There were moments that made me squirm while reading — but I think that was the point. It highlights the tough truth that while we would never let someone we care about speak so harshly about themselves, we do it to ourselves constantly.

Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance is one that we could all benefit from. I loved the balance of laugh-out-loud moments and genuinely sweet, heartwarming scenes. Rue, in particular, is the kind of person we all aspire to be — confident, supportive, and real. Rue, Beanie, and even Hutch play such important roles in helping Katie find her footing, each offering their own kind of encouragement.

Beanie stood out to me as such a good friend, constantly encouraging Katie to find just one thing a day to love about herself. That simple, persistent reminder felt really powerful.

Honestly, this book felt more like a story of self-love and friendship, with a little bit of romance sprinkled in — and I loved that about it.

This was the first novel I have read by Katherine Center, and I am not usually a romance reader. However, I saw so many people recommending The Love Haters and Katherine Center's previous work and I decided to try it. This was a very cute and easy to read story about two unlikely people who are unlucky in love coming together and finding their person.

As a tried and true Katherine Center fan, I'll say The Love Haters was "ok." The plot was slow, but I'm glad I stuck with it because things picked up towards the end. There were some funny quips throughout that kept me going and Patti Murin's narration was great as usual. Overall, I felt myself searching for more chemistry between Katie and Hutch. At times I found myself wanting more of a story about Rue or Beanie instead of Katie as the FMC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to preview this book!

ARC REVIEW:

2.5 - I really wanted more from this book. I genuinely had zero interest in both FMC and MMC and the writing didn’t have much substance. I listened to this on audio but if I had read the physical I probably would have DNF’d and picked it back up at a later time. Just wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t really consider it a romcom - it just happened to have some romance in an average story about a girl with insecurities.

Katherine Center is just a genius. I have never had a book of hers I didn't LOVE. She is hilarious but also her stories are so poetic. I am so thankful I got to listen to this one early!!!

🎧 Audio Review 🎧

I had high hopes for this book, I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away by it like I thought I would be.
I am not a fan of females leads with no confidence, especially when they only gain confidence from how a man makes them feel. I mean I get it but I just need stronger leads. I wanted to love Katie and understand her body issues but it felt shallow in a way, she thought about body image in herself and others more than anything.

The first half drags a bit, with a lot of buildup but not much happens. I think Avery’s growth is a big part of this book but at times it feels more like ticking off a list of romantic tropes. I did enjoy the slow burn romance and the snarky banter. The characters share some sweet, fun and heartwarming moments that kept me going.

Besides all that I enjoyed the plot and if your looking for something light and easy with a fun dog, this might be a great summer read for you! Fans of rom-coms that don't mind a familiar storyline, this one is for you.

The narration was good, I always enjoy Patti Murin!

The Love Haters covered a lot of topics which included to body negativity, cheating ex, job in peril and facing your fears. We have Katie that goes to the Keys to do a special video on Hutch who is special coast guard. Hutch also happens to be her co-worker's estranged brother.

There a lot that I enjoyed this book:
- George Bailey, the Great Dane rescue dog
- Rue, Hutch and Cole's grandmother
- Katie facing her fears
- the complex relationship between Rue and Hutch and Cole

There were a few things I felt distracted me from loving the story:
- Cole, he seemed so self centered and his relationship with Katie seemed distant and odd
- there was a lot of stuff with coast guard that felt a bit too much
- I didn't buy the romance, I wanted Hutch's POV. At times, he was too closed off.

Patti Murin did a great job with the narration. I could feel the tense moments when Katie was weathering the storm with George Bailey.

Thank you @smpromance @macmillan.audio for a copy of this.

This was such a charming and lovely novel. Katie was such a relatable and down to earth fmc that I really loved and appreciated. Hutch was the biggest sweetheart with the best sense of humor.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio version. I loved this story of being afraid but going for it anyway. Loving yourself and finding the family you need.

It took me a while to get into this book, however in the end the story won out and I liked it. It is the second book by this author that I have read and while good it did not measure up to the first one. As the book went along I got into the story more and liked it more. There were some scenes that did make me laugh out loud and the story was good. There were characters I really liked that were fun and interesting and some that I did not like as they were shallow and predictable. The narrator did a great job with an easy to listen to voice. All in all it was a good quick listen.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a heartwarming and emotionally charged novel that explores love, healing, and self-discovery. Center’s writing is witty and relatable, and she does an excellent job of blending humor with deeper, poignant moments that explore vulnerability and the complexities of relationships.
While the romance is at the heart of the story, it’s also about personal growth and finding one's way through emotional turmoil.

The narrator also adds a special touch to the novel, bringing the characters and emotions to life in a way that feels authentic and immersive. Their voice is engaging and full of personality, capturing the humor and depth of the story perfectly. The narration enhances the emotional beats of the book, allowing listeners to feel the tension, humor, and growth between the protagonists even more deeply. Fans of contemporary romance with a touch of humor and heart will find The Love Haters a delightful read or listen.

Romcom
Close proximity
Body infected
Little fake dating

Characters
Hutch
Katie

Thais was an easy read. Quick story with quirky characters. I enjoyed the side characters ( the older ladiies) I loved the cousin, beanie who was a great champion. Everyone needs someone that can lift you up. The brother was annoying.
I was enjoyed the story for the most part. It was fun and mostly lighthearted. There was a lot of focus on body image.
This is a quick one do there wasn’t much of a relationship development between Hutch and Katie.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listener copy of The Love Haters! 💕 I was so excited to get my hands on this book and listen to it as I was driving down to Florida myself for spring break!

My thoughts 💭:
I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of “The Lover Haters,” offering insight into the worlds of videography and the Coast Guard. Told from Katie’s perspective, the narrative really captured her healing journey after a breakup while she faces new challenges with Hutch.

Though I loved Katie’s POV, I wished for a glimpse into Hutch’s thoughts. At times, he felt one-dimensional, especially during their romance, and his perspective would have added valuable depth.

Hutch’s Aunt Rue was my favorite character, embodying the carefree spirit I admire in older women. Her support for Hutch and encouragement of Katie regarding self-image struggles was genuinely heartwarming.

Katie’s journey toward body positivity struck a chord with me, resonating with the societal pressures many women face. However, the family drama between Hutch and Cole sometimes distracted from Hutch and Katie’s relationship. I also found Katie’s participation in the “fake dating” trope frustrating as it strained her connection with Hutch. I wanted to shake her for deciding to weather a Category 4 hurricane in a houseboat! 😅 I did appreciate her heart though for George Bailey 🐶.

This book had many great elements—dynamic characters, romance, and a heartfelt message on learning to love your body for all it has carried you through —but it could have benefited from greater cohesiveness. Overall, if you enjoyed Katherine Center’s previous works, you’ll likely enjoy this one too, especially with its beautiful Key West setting and Coast Guard adventures. While it ranks #3 among her three books I’ve read so far, it’s a delightful spring break read.

3.5 Stars ⭐️

Nothing but love for The Love Haters!

Katherine Center has done it again, not because it's an adorable romance (cuz it is), or because it’s a fun and entertaining story (cuz it is), but because it’s such an honest look at how much emphasis we put on looks and body in our world. Katie is such an honest portrayal of woman struggling with body image and her cousin Beanie is the friend we all need. Patti Murin di a great job on the narration.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an early copy. All opinions are my own.