This is Katherine Center back at the top of her game in a moving, heartfelt love story about learning to love yourself, body positivity, grief, healing and forgiveness as documentary filmmaker Katie gets sent to the Florida Keys to do a feature on her colleague's estranged brother, Hutch, a coast guard air rescue swimmer.

Full of laugh out loud moments, a great cast of side characters, a super swoony male lead, a neurotic great dane, an epic survival/rescue moment and so much more. I loved it soo much and especially fell for Katie and her journey of self-love. The audiobook narration by Patti Murin was fantastic and you don't want to skip the author's note at the end either!!

10/10 recommend!! Interestingly enough it's also the second stranded on a houseboat love story this year so if you want another, check out Swept away by Beth O'Leary too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!

TW: death of parents off page from a car accident, loved one with terminal illness diagnosis

FAVE QUOTE (from the author's note):
"The best love stories are never just about romantic love. They're always about so much more than that: kindness, and joy, and belonging, and safety - not to mention growing, and changing, and healing from the past. They are always master classes on how we find the best in each other - and, by extension, ourselves."

I love Katherine Center’s books. This book was a fantastic mix of realistic, romance and depth. The narration was great it was as if I was watching it all unfold. Great characters. There is some mix-up trope mixed in which isn’t my favorite but still a good book.

This book was so much more than a boy meets girl love story. This was a girl learns to love herself love story! Those were the meat of the book for me! So many quotes in this book hit him. Self-image is a struggle and Katherine Center pens a novel that will really open your eyes and allow you to fall in love, or back in love, with your body. I enjoyed the love story between Katie and Hutch tremendously! It was definitely a Rom-Com...but again, so much more.
Rue is the aunt that everyone wants, followed by a Great Dane, George Bailey, that will make you want to go out and rescue a dog!
Don't skip out on The Love Haters! Learn to fall back in love with yourself!

Not my favorite KC but still very enjoyable. Some of the side characters ended up being my favorites of the book. I also appreciated the typical KC positive self-love message embedded in the love story. Narration on the audio was very well done-- although only one narrator, I felt like she brought all of the characters to life.

Katie has no desire to risk her heart again. But now she has to make a choice, get laid off from her job as a video producer or follow a friends advice, and profile gorgeous Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. Hutch just happens to be the brother of her friend. Just to make things interesting, the two brothers don’t get along at all, Hutch hates the idea of romance even more than Katie does, and he has an eccentric aunt and a great Dane. This is a lighthearted, feel good read, something we all desperately need right now.

Absolutely obsessed with this audiobook! The Love Haters had me hooked from the very first chapter, and I could NOT stop listening! Every spare moment, I had my earbuds in because I needed more of Katie and Hutch’s adorable, swoony romance.

The narration was excellent—the voice, the emotion, the banter—it all came to life so perfectly! The chemistry between Katie and Hutch was off-the-charts cute, and I was giggling nonstop at their back-and-forth.

The side characters added a "cherry on top" to perfectly round out this story! George Bailey, Hutch’s lovable Great Dane - ADORABLE! Rue and the Gals - Nothing but a good time! Beanie - the never ending support and encouragement! I don't think I have ever fallen in love with so many side characters in a book before!

The self-love journey woven throughout the story was very empowering and beautifully done.

Katherine Center delivers another heartfelt, feel-good romance, and the audiobook made it even better. If you love a great slow-burn romance with humor, heart, and outstanding narration, this one is a must-listen!

Katie Vaughn is still getting over the trauma of her very public breakup with her now-famous ex. Desperate to keep her mid-level video production job, she agrees to do a profile on the perpetually frowning Tom “Hutch” Hutchinson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who happened to go viral saving Jennifer Aniston’s beloved pup. But as Katie gets entangled in Hutch’s daily life in the Florida Keys, she is forced to confront some of her greatest fears and insecurities, all while not getting fired.

Let me start by saying that my favorite character in this story is the very gentle giant, George Bailey, a Great Dane rescued by Hutch and a dog who is hard not to fall in love with. He pretty much stole the show in every single scene he was in. And having just watched It’s a Wonderful Life over Christmas break, the name definitely put a smile on my face every single time I read it. The second star of the show? It’s easily The Gals as they are so fondly referred to, a group of retirees who swim, drink cocktails, and mettle, but who are the group of friends everyone needs in their life.

While this book didn’t necessarily blow me away like some of Katherine Center’s others, it’s still a wonderfully charming story about loss, friendship, and learning to love yourself as much as you love others. Katie is a solid MC who is so easy to relate to (I am pretty sure I have had many of the same self-conversations), and Hutch is a total sweetheart. What stands out about this book is the laugh-out-loud humor, including one scene involving a big dog, splinters, and Katie’s haunches (IYKYK) that made me laugh so hard I cried. I usually save KC’s books for when I need a life pick-me-up, and this one did not disappoint.

🎧 Patti Murin is, of course, perfection as this audiobook’s sole narrator and one of the reasons I always choose to reread books she has narrated once the audio is released.

Read if you like:
▪️coast guard hero
▪️quasi-Hollywood romance
▪️grumpy x sunshine
▪️forced proximity
▪️dogs named George Bailey
▪️fun side characters
▪️romcoms with heart
▪️Key West setting

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy.