This book was fun and entertaining and was a good fluffy romcom to break up the serious tone of the books I’ve been reading lately. Overall, I enjoyed the story and had a great time.

This was my first book by Kathrine Center. I’ve heard great things about her books, so I was super excited when I received an Advance Listener Copy from Netgalley! I enjoyed the writing style. It was fun and kept me interested in the story. The overarching plot was really cute.

The FMC Katie is a video producer and her job is on the line due to layoffs. She travels to beautiful sunny and tropical Key West to produce a video featuring Hutch who is a coast guard rescue swimmer most famous for a viral video of him rescuing a dog, and well he’s pretty hot too! Katie finds herself swept up into a whirlwind of thrilling helicopter rides, fun gatherings with new friends, swim lessons with our handsome MMC, and stolen kisses when the tension becomes too much to resist.

One thing to note was the large focus on Katie’s body image issues. She is very insecure about her body and this is mentioned over and over again. Especially at the beginning of the book. It wasn’t subtle or nuanced at all. It was drilled into the story over and over again to the point where it was annoying and took away from the overarching plot. Now, I fully understand that many women, including myself, have insecurities about their body, but this was next level and felt very forced and not genuine at all. This topic could have been executed in a much more sensitive way and had a much more powerful impact.

All that being said, I still very much enjoyed the book, and will definitely be reading more books by Katherine Center in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

🎧Song Pairing: Florida!!! - Taylor Swift

💭What I thought would happen:

It’s Katherine Center, the female main is going to be a quirky hot mess that everyone loves.

📖What actually happens:

🔥FMC burned from a shitty famous ex
⚠️Body dysmorphia
🌴Florida setting
🌊Coast guard rep
🩷Hot, serious MC

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

I continue to give KC more chances and most often I hate her characters with a fiery passion. Happy to report I was delighted in this book! An absolutely wonderful summer read! I mean it gets pretty silly by the end but I’m just choosing to over look that.

The way eating disorders and body dysmorphia is portrayed in this….perfection. I related so so hard! The calorie counting, choosing to only wear black, to not want to weigh oneself. At my OB you have to weigh yourself weekly and I refuse to put myself through that trauma so the amazing receptionist who became my bestie did it and I looked away. Love you gf 🩷🫶🏼💋

Ok but seriously read this! I’ve seen people who are hardcore KC fans not love this book so I wonder if that’s true for most. And maybe if her books haven’t worked for you - this is the one to pick up! It’s fun-diddily-umptious!!

Warning - the third act gets exceptionally funky fresh, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

** spoiler alert ** Center's last release, The Rom-Commers, was utter garbage. Between the shitty characters and the gross mishandling of lung cancer (in which the MMC was diagnosed with a devastating terminal illness and then the author went, "haha sike!"), there was nothing redeemable about it.

The Love Haters takes a similar approach in insensitively handling a very serious topic; this time, Center sets her sights on eating disorders. Katie, the jilted fiancee of a newly famous singer, suffers from body dysmorphia, partaking in a starvation diet in the aftermath of cyberbullying from her ex's rabid fangirls. Now, I have no problem with authors exploring difficult topics like eating disorders. The issue arises when they brutally butcher what is a real lived experience by many people who may be picking up the book.

Here's how Katie is "cured" of her eating disorder and negative relationship with her body: Katie's famous fiancee cheats on her. Katie quits her starvation diet and eats a gallon of cookie dough. Her cousin comes over and burns her scale so she'll never weigh herself again. Fast forward a bit and Katie has to go to Key West for her job. While on this work trip, her cousin calls her, essentially usurping the role of a therapist, and forces Katie to tell her one feature each day that Katie loves about herself. Katie also meets a man who finds her beautiful. Together, man and cousin make Katie feel beautiful again. Katie then has a traumatic near-death experience getting trapped on a houseboat in a hurricane. She calls her cousin one last time, who tells her "I love my body because it's mine." As Katie's houseboat starts to sink, she realizes she loves her body for the same reason.

/the end

I'm not kidding. That's Katie's journey. At no point did she seek professional help from a doctor or a therapist. The characterization of her cousin was also completely shallow; she served only as a vehicle throughout the story to propel Katie toward self-acceptance. They had literally no other relationship beside that. After a certain point, I kept questioning why the fuck Beanie wanted to call Katie so often. ALL they talked about on the phone was Katie.

To make matters worse, the MMC, Hutch, is a super hot coast guard guy, who rose to internet fame when he rescued Jennifer Aniston's dog after he fell from a cliff. Katie, who hates herself and thinks she's ugly, suddenly starts to feel beautiful when ultra hottie Hutch takes an interest in her.

From the romance to the handling of an eating disorder, this book pissed me off. I regretted picking it up after the epic disaster that was The Rom-Commers, but I just couldn't resist the allure of Patti Murin's hilarious narration and the Key West setting.

That leads me to my next issue with this novel. Key West??? Sure. That's where the book tells us Katie travels to. Except there is NO indication that the setting is any different from where she was before, aside from mentions of the over-water highway and a pool. Key West is a colorful, eclectic tourist destination. There was SO much Center could have done to immerse us in this setting, and she just chose not to even describe it.

I should've stopped with the shithole that was The Rom-Commers. I have so much regret giving this the time of day. Also, why was this called The Love Haters? No one actually hated love. Such an odd choice.

0/10. I do not recommend.

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Another unputdownable book by Katherine Center! Full of chemistry, humor, banter and heart I loved all of it. The characters were loveable and I am always a sucker for elderly characters and Rue made for an excellent side character. I loved the relationship that formed between her and Katie. The writing was and plot were spot on and I was hooked from start to finish.

The narrator did an amazing job but I really wish this would have been a dual narrator audiobook. She did great at bringing all the characters to life though and I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her.

As always with Katherine Center books, I am left raw and satisfied by this story. I loved Hutch and Katie's relationship! they are a grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract duo who are so drawn to each other they just can't help but fall in love. there is so much tenderness, love, care, and affection in this story between these two, and the perfect pup! I loved the way both of them brought the other out of their comfort zone just enough to see the possibilities beyond their bubble. capped off with a suspenseful, hilarious, tear-jerking rescue mission, this story had everything you could want in a romance book!

reading as an audiobook was amazing! the narration and production let me fully immerse myself in the story and feel all the wonderful emotions this book has to offer!

thank you so much for the ALC!!!

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!

Regarding the audiobook version, Patti Murin’s narration captured Katie’s relatability well and immersed me in the middle of island life on Key West.

***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 audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

I listened to the audiobook in one sitting it was great. Please purchase this audiobook or Book. The narrator gave different voices to all of the characters. This is a great story of love and being body positive. This is my favorite book of the author's. I definitely will be listening to this again especially if I'm feeling down it is a great romantic comedy book.

Katherine Center has always been a go-to author for me, and this is yet another delightful read. Her stories are always more than just romance—they’re clean, funny, and filled with heart. At first, I wondered if I had read this one before. The setup felt familiar: a grumpy hero who keeps his distance, a heroine who’s eager to please—inevitably, they’ll fall in love and become the perfect couple. But this story surprised me.

Thankfully, it didn’t follow the expected path. The characters truly made it shine—the dog, the frog, the aunt, and, of course, the main leads. They brought so much depth and charm to the narrative. There was an emotional pull I didn’t expect; at one point, I even found myself getting teary-eyed. Everything came together beautifully, and the typical “miscommunication” trope wasn’t even between the main characters, which was refreshing. The authors message on body positivity and weight was also a subtle, unique take that made me love the character and her BFF even more.

Center has once again delivered a story that is so much more than it seems, making this a truly enjoyable read.

This was not my favorite Katherine Center book. I liked the body positive story line but I think the romance lacked chemistry. The narrator did an excellent job with the many characters and she made the book better by her performance. But I thought it was little too sugary sweet and a bit OTT with silliness. Not the best but not awful. It's a cute, fast summer listen.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio. Opinions are my own.

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. Perfect audio.

Advanced listener copy provided by Macmillan Audio but all opinions are my own.

I loved the audio narration! Patti Murin always elevates the reading experience, and this story was no exception.
What worked for me here: Hutch's character was really likeable. He was a great male MC! I also loved the relationship he had with Rue, and her group of lady friends. They added humor and sweetness to the story.
What really didn't work was all the body positivity content. I wanted less of that and more romance. I understand the importance of that message, but it was overkill.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity! This was my first Katherine Center book ever and I devoured it, I couldn’t put it down. Our main character Katie deals with a lot of issues that any girl in her 20s can relate to. From broken relationships, self image, to trying to keep your job. I loved how much I could relate. Don’t get me started on the romance and the found family it was very heartwarming. I picked up this book wanting a palate cleanser and I’m so glad I did, it was everything and more!

Self love 💗 & body positivity
Forced proximity
Relatable FMC
USCG Rescue Swimmer MMC 🛟
Found family 🏠🌴
Lovable side characters 👩🏼‍🦳👯‍♀️
Fast paced 💨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Patti Murin did a fantastic job bringing all of the characters to life!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review ❤️

The perfect “beach read” - enjoyable characters (and a really good variety too), a new topic I was able to learn more about in a non-boring way (Coast Guard water rescues), and a closed-door romance. The first-person narration was easy to listen too, and the min character’s moments of inner- and self-dialogue was incredibly realistic.

I do kinda of wish some of the author’s notes were actually part of the book as she had some of the best quotes in that part! “We can train our own eyes to look with kindness and pay attention to what’s beautiful and focus on what’s right instead of what’s wrong.” <— GOLD!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook. All opinions are 100% mine.

The delightful romance, The Love Haters by Katherine Center, follows a videotaping of a U.S. Navy promotional video. Engaging and enjoyable, the story is well-written, especially the audiobook narrated by Patti Murin, who skillfully portrays all characters.

Another lovely book by Katherine Center. I always enjoy her books and this was no exception. It was a cute story. The supporting cast of characters (friends, family) made this story shine-- the support system that embraced a new member and took her in as family, as well as the long-distance best friend (captured the nature and value of this type of relationship so well). Several themes of self growth and reflection throughout, that create more well-rounded, relatable characters.

The ending felt a little rushed (and honestly not one of my favorite tropes with the 'misrepresentation of truths'), but still a very enjoyable read.

Read with my ears and enjoyed the lovely narration that Patti Murin always delivers.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced access to the audiobook.

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅'𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑰'𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒕.

The Love Haters by @katherinecenter
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: closed door romance
Release: May 20

let me start off by saying this is my first katherine center novel and it will not be my last!!!

katie is a media journalist who specializes in filming “day in the life” interviews and her next project is hutch, the brother of her boss who is a rescue swimmer for the coast guard.

katherine center nailed it with this book. i love that there were some topics discussed, that i personally have not encountered a lot in other works. there is discussion of eating disorders, fat phobia, body shaming, and body positivity. all of this makes katie more relatable because as a female in this day and age i can relate to all the feelings she had.

if you are a fan of abby jimenez or emily henry put this on your tbr because i know you will eat this up!

thank you @katherinecenter @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for giving me the opportunity to listen and review this ARC.

What was this 😭 I think I'm giving this a 2.5, and I'll round up to be generous because it pains me to rate Katherine Center any lower.

The narration by Patti Murin was wonderful, as usual, and helped to elevate my review a little bit.

I was simultaneously immersed in the story while not feeling a damn thing. Katie's body image issues were relatable but I don' think they were approached in an organic or authentic way. It didn't flow naturally in her thoughts or in dialogue. I also think the "why can't you see yourself the way I see you" idea is so meh and predictable. It isn't like a few words of affirmation from one swoony man are going to immediately cure insecurities from past ED trauma and lingering body image issues and I hate how that's always the way that romance novels approach this topic. There was so much opportunity for positive reflection and self-growth alongside a potential partner who can actively support and reinforce positive body image talk but it wasn't executed in a way that made it believable for me.

There wasn't a whole lot of chemistry between Katie and Hutch, Cole was an utter nuisance and the whole story line was utterly unrealistic.

Also, not to judge a book by its cover (but I'm doing it anyway) -- the depiction is a wildly inaccurate representation of what happens in the pages of this book in my opinion. I love the bright and bold colors but this was not the vibe for 90% of this book.

Disappointed in this, I need to go re-read the Rom-Commers for some redemption.

I loved this book, which is exactly what I predicted. I love Katherine Center every time I read her books and this was another winner for me! I ate it up.
I'm so pleasantly surprised by how funny yet genuinely emotional it was. I absolutely loved it. Both Katie and Hutch were such endearing characters and the supporting cast of characters was great and unique. I loved the way Ms. Center told the story and how it was in no way predictable (at least not for me) and I was there for it all. There was just enough angst and sadness to offset the silliness and humor that I enjoyed so much. The Love Haters was perfect for me. It made me swoon, made me sigh....and made me smile. This cozy, cute, and self-reflective novel delivered on all fronts. All in all a very satisfactory reading experience!
I guess Katherine Center can do no wrong for me! I love everything she’s written so far, and this was no exception. Overall, a 5 star read for me and probably one of my favorite reads of this year so far.
(Adding a note here to say there is zero spice in this book. I don’t mind it, but I know people tend to ask the spice level).
Last but not least, I listened to an audio version and the performance of the audiobook was marvelous. All in all a very satisfactory reading experience! HUGE Recommend.

Katharine Center is an author whose books I will always read, so I was really excited to check this book out.

And there’s a lot going for it - cute older ladies, a swoon-y protagonist, villain who’s just a male with a fragile ego, a lovable dog, some scenes that made me LOL, a message about loving one’s body, some family drama that meets a sweet resolution. Lots of good stuff.

All that said, this wasn’t my favorite book of hers. Katie was an interesting person but was written a bit ditzy, and not in a way that I think was intended. The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was a little off, and the hurricane part of the book just left me with a lot of logistical questions. I think with a bit more editing, this book could have been stellar.

If you’re a Katherine Center fan, I think it’s still worth reading. Just know that it likely won’t rank in the top compared to her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.