Take a photo of a barcode or cover
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 1.50
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
I received complimentary eARC and ALCs from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Erratic • Sappy • Beachy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
💭 T H O U G H T S
After reading Katherine Center's 2024 release, The Rom-Commers, I officially broke up with her books. While I enjoyed her earliest work, her writing style has evolved (starting with The Bodyguard to be more comedic than romantic and it no longer includes the emotional depth I crave in a romance novel. And yet, here I am having finished The Love Haters and feeling exactly how I felt last year when I swore off reading her new releases.
It's never a good thing when I prefer the side characters to the mains in any romance novel. Aunt Rue was an absolute delight, and I honestly would have preferred an entire book dedicated to her and her story. Then there is George Bailey, Hutch's rescue dog, need I say more. While I cannot fault Hutch's character either, I simply wish the story would have unfolded from his POV because I really didn't like Katie's character.
Patti Murin, as a narrator, really brings the characters to life and adds personality to each one. The pacing and tone were well executed and I do think it was is an entertaining audio listen. I cannot fault her because she is simply narrating the story she was given.
And that is where the good ends.
I didn't like the story all that much. There are so many outlandish situations that nothing felt real. The romance itself felt superficial (could she have mentioned his physical appearance more?) and it lacked any real chemistry.
Center has tried to check too many boxes in one book and as a result, the story suffers greatly. The lack of focus and endless list of tropes makes everything feel forced. Honestly, pick a lane and stick to it, there will be other books. She's also trying too hard to be witty and to come up with the most over-the-top moments that aren't particularly funny or entertaining, but rather quite ridiculous.
I appreciated the inclusion of body image and self-confidence issues, however, it also felt somehow shollow and forced rather than giving the story the emotional depth I suspect it was intended to. This isn't the first time I have said this about a Center book, but it simply feels like she includes these serious topics to tick the rep box rather than really researching whatever topic it is she's including. What Katie is dealing with is a serious mental illness and no where in the story is there talk of treatment or ways in which is dealing with it. In fact, there's no real resolution and it seems to disappear with all of Hutch's compliments, etc., which just isn't realistic.
I have no doubt The Love Haters will be a hit with many readers over the summer months, it just really didn't work for me. I certainly appreciate the themes of self-love and acceptance within the narrative, yet it's painfully obvious Center's humour (or lack there of) and current writing style don't jive with my tastes. I swore off picking up Center's books after reading 2024's release, and here I am again doing the same. I think it's safe to say, I've learned my lesson.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• deception
• furry friends
• forced proximity
⚠️ CW: body shaming, eating disorder, fatphobia, body dysmorphia, mental illness, bullying, death, death of parent, grief, toxic relationship, car accident, infidelity, alcohol, alcoholism, vomit, terminal illness
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Isn't that how it always is? The thing you're afraid of is never the thing you should be."
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 1.50
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
I received complimentary eARC and ALCs from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Erratic • Sappy • Beachy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
💭 T H O U G H T S
After reading Katherine Center's 2024 release, The Rom-Commers, I officially broke up with her books. While I enjoyed her earliest work, her writing style has evolved (starting with The Bodyguard to be more comedic than romantic and it no longer includes the emotional depth I crave in a romance novel. And yet, here I am having finished The Love Haters and feeling exactly how I felt last year when I swore off reading her new releases.
It's never a good thing when I prefer the side characters to the mains in any romance novel. Aunt Rue was an absolute delight, and I honestly would have preferred an entire book dedicated to her and her story. Then there is George Bailey, Hutch's rescue dog, need I say more. While I cannot fault Hutch's character either, I simply wish the story would have unfolded from his POV because I really didn't like Katie's character.
Patti Murin, as a narrator, really brings the characters to life and adds personality to each one. The pacing and tone were well executed and I do think it was is an entertaining audio listen. I cannot fault her because she is simply narrating the story she was given.
And that is where the good ends.
I didn't like the story all that much. There are so many outlandish situations that nothing felt real. The romance itself felt superficial (could she have mentioned his physical appearance more?) and it lacked any real chemistry.
Center has tried to check too many boxes in one book and as a result, the story suffers greatly. The lack of focus and endless list of tropes makes everything feel forced. Honestly, pick a lane and stick to it, there will be other books. She's also trying too hard to be witty and to come up with the most over-the-top moments that aren't particularly funny or entertaining, but rather quite ridiculous.
I appreciated the inclusion of body image and self-confidence issues, however, it also felt somehow shollow and forced rather than giving the story the emotional depth I suspect it was intended to. This isn't the first time I have said this about a Center book, but it simply feels like she includes these serious topics to tick the rep box rather than really researching whatever topic it is she's including. What Katie is dealing with is a serious mental illness and no where in the story is there talk of treatment or ways in which is dealing with it. In fact, there's no real resolution and it seems to disappear with all of Hutch's compliments, etc., which just isn't realistic.
I have no doubt The Love Haters will be a hit with many readers over the summer months, it just really didn't work for me. I certainly appreciate the themes of self-love and acceptance within the narrative, yet it's painfully obvious Center's humour (or lack there of) and current writing style don't jive with my tastes. I swore off picking up Center's books after reading 2024's release, and here I am again doing the same. I think it's safe to say, I've learned my lesson.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• deception
• furry friends
• forced proximity
⚠️ CW: body shaming, eating disorder, fatphobia, body dysmorphia, mental illness, bullying, death, death of parent, grief, toxic relationship, car accident, infidelity, alcohol, alcoholism, vomit, terminal illness
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Isn't that how it always is? The thing you're afraid of is never the thing you should be."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
body dysmorphia
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
✦POV: Single first-person
Katie is living the hero’s journey. While on this adventure in Key West, she will explore her relationship with her body and self and open herself back up to romantic love with Hutch after a very public betrayal. Katie is relatable and sympathetic and has great growth by the end. I liked Katie, but did find her tendency to repeat statements back as questions annoying.
Hutch is a hero, through and through. It’s the whole point, and the reason she goes to Key West, but as we learn more about him and his struggle, I wanted to reach through the page to hug him. He gets in his own way but his devotion to Katie from the start is achingly obvious. He also practices random acts of kindness, and that is hot af.
✦Spice: No/Low
This is a wholesome rom com, with a hint of suggestion. Like, we know they’re thinking saucy thoughts, but they aren’t printed. There are a couple of swoon-worthy kisses, but that’s as far as the spice goes.
The tension, however! This is one thing I love about Katherine Center’s writing: even though we’re only getting one POV, she writes scenes and reactions so that reading between the lines is easy and their longing is clear. She’s one of few authors who can make my chest ache with nothing more than the lead-up to a kiss. 💋
Katie is living the hero’s journey. While on this adventure in Key West, she will explore her relationship with her body and self and open herself back up to romantic love with Hutch after a very public betrayal. Katie is relatable and sympathetic and has great growth by the end. I liked Katie, but did find her tendency to repeat statements back as questions annoying.
Hutch is a hero, through and through. It’s the whole point, and the reason she goes to Key West, but as we learn more about him and his struggle, I wanted to reach through the page to hug him. He gets in his own way but his devotion to Katie from the start is achingly obvious. He also practices random acts of kindness, and that is hot af.
✦Spice: No/Low
This is a wholesome rom com, with a hint of suggestion. Like, we know they’re thinking saucy thoughts, but they aren’t printed. There are a couple of swoon-worthy kisses, but that’s as far as the spice goes.
The tension, however! This is one thing I love about Katherine Center’s writing: even though we’re only getting one POV, she writes scenes and reactions so that reading between the lines is easy and their longing is clear. She’s one of few authors who can make my chest ache with nothing more than the lead-up to a kiss. 💋
❝You know that feeling when someone’s about to kiss you? That tension? That palpable anticipation? How everything slows down and seems to matter in a whole new way? That was the feeling I had. And it pushed out all the others.❞
✩ Meddling matriarchs are my catnip in rom-coms, and The Love Haters adds a massive Great Dane into the mix! Cue genuine LOLs.
✦More to love about The Love Haters
🌺 Beautiful setting
🛥️ A houseboat!
🫶 Strong relationships
🥰 Found family
🛏️ Only one bed
❤️🔥 Forced proximity
☀️ Grumpy/ sunshine
😆 Banter!
♡ The Love Haters is an addictive, fast-paced read I recommend if you like rom-coms featuring thoughtful, moral-of-the-story vibes, and heroic grand gestures.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨ Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Connect with me on Instagram for more bookish content!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Terminal illness, Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Katie is still getting over the trauma of a very public breakup with her now famous ex. She is trying to keep her job and agrees to do a profile on Hutch a coast guard rescue swimmer who went viral for saving a celebrities dog.
This book was full of extremely relatable moments and conversations that we've all had in our life, But I was kind of disappointed in the fact that this really is a very little romance. Not even like a slow burn. Slow buildup just pretty much none. And I get that that might be on me. But with the title of this book I was kind of expecting a little bit more romance.
I loved the conversations throughout this book around. Loving yourself being happy with who you are and the career that you have, and how true friendship really can be a great love. Like every Katherine Center Book the writing in this was just
beautiful. I still highly recommend it and she will always and forever be one of my all-time favorite authors.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.
This book was full of extremely relatable moments and conversations that we've all had in our life, But I was kind of disappointed in the fact that this really is a very little romance. Not even like a slow burn. Slow buildup just pretty much none. And I get that that might be on me. But with the title of this book I was kind of expecting a little bit more romance.
I loved the conversations throughout this book around. Loving yourself being happy with who you are and the career that you have, and how true friendship really can be a great love. Like every Katherine Center Book the writing in this was just
beautiful. I still highly recommend it and she will always and forever be one of my all-time favorite authors.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship, Vomit
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Check back later, I will post my full review closer to the release date!
Pub Date: 05/20/2025
Pub Date: 05/20/2025
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Vomit
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gosh, do I love a grumpy MMC, especially those who are secretly softies. Tom, "Pup Daddy" Hutcheson most definitely fits that bill. He's a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who once saved Jennifer Aniston's dog, and let me tell you, the video of this gorgeous man saving a puppy had all the ladies clamoring for more. He likes to stay out of the limelight and has famously refused all interviews / tv offers in the year since the rescue. It comes as a surprise, then, when he agrees to star in a recruiting video for the Coast Guard.
Katie isn't sure why Hutch finally agreed to be on camera, but with her job on the line, she knows she must make the best recruiting video ever. She hopes that if she does her job well, she might be able to convince him to be a part of her Day in the Life YouTube series, which is her true passion. As soon as she arrives in Key West, she finds that this task is going to be a lot harder than she anticipated because her heart seems to have a mind of its own whenever she is near Hutch.
I found this book extremely hard to rate because the first and second halves of this book were polar opposite experiences for me. I was gobbling up every page in the first half - Katie and Hutch's attraction was palpable, and I laughed out loud as Aunt Rue and the gals were conspiring to get them together. If I had to rate this book based on the first 50%, it would be an easy 5 star read for me.
The second half, though, was so difficult to get through. I do not want to spoil anything for you, but I struggled greatly with the third act breakup. (Though can you have a breakup if you're not ever really together?) The cause of the breakup was contrary to everything we know about Katie, and I just wanted to scream, "Why are you doing this?!?!? This is not you!" On top of that, the hurricane. What?!? I am sorry but that situation was wildly unbelievable. If I had to rate this book based on the second 50%, it would be a 2 star read for me.
Ultimately, I ended up at a 3 star review because I loved the side characters, the laugh out loud scenes in the first half of the book and the author's note at the end of the book.
Read this book if you love:
🌴 Tropical settings
🌊 Sworn off of relationships
🌴 Geriatric side characters
🌊 Grumpy MMCs
🌴 Forced proximity
🌊 Closed door romances
🌴 Witty banter
TW: It would be remiss as a reviewer to not mention that this book explicitly mentions body image struggles. There are flashbacks to dieting / calorie counting. There is body shaming as well as negative body talk. While this character arc ends on a positive note, this could be very triggering for some.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Katie isn't sure why Hutch finally agreed to be on camera, but with her job on the line, she knows she must make the best recruiting video ever. She hopes that if she does her job well, she might be able to convince him to be a part of her Day in the Life YouTube series, which is her true passion. As soon as she arrives in Key West, she finds that this task is going to be a lot harder than she anticipated because her heart seems to have a mind of its own whenever she is near Hutch.
I found this book extremely hard to rate because the first and second halves of this book were polar opposite experiences for me. I was gobbling up every page in the first half - Katie and Hutch's attraction was palpable, and I laughed out loud as Aunt Rue and the gals were conspiring to get them together. If I had to rate this book based on the first 50%, it would be an easy 5 star read for me.
The second half, though, was so difficult to get through. I do not want to spoil anything for you, but I struggled greatly with the third act breakup. (Though can you have a breakup if you're not ever really together?) The cause of the breakup was contrary to everything we know about Katie, and I just wanted to scream, "Why are you doing this?!?!? This is not you!" On top of that, the hurricane. What?!? I am sorry but that situation was wildly unbelievable. If I had to rate this book based on the second 50%, it would be a 2 star read for me.
Ultimately, I ended up at a 3 star review because I loved the side characters, the laugh out loud scenes in the first half of the book and the author's note at the end of the book.
Read this book if you love:
🌴 Tropical settings
🌊 Sworn off of relationships
🌴 Geriatric side characters
🌊 Grumpy MMCs
🌴 Forced proximity
🌊 Closed door romances
🌴 Witty banter
TW: It would be remiss as a reviewer to not mention that this book explicitly mentions body image struggles. There are flashbacks to dieting / calorie counting. There is body shaming as well as negative body talk. While this character arc ends on a positive note, this could be very triggering for some.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Car accident
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall an enjoyable read but a few misses for me.
What I loved:
❤️ Rue
❤️ Rue
❤️ Beanie
❤️ Key West
❤️ George Bailey (dog lover here)
What I dislike:
💔 Cole
💔 Cole (this is an intentional duplication because he was in fact terrible)
💔 the “third act breakup” scenario
💔 possibly too many storylines vying for attention
What I can’t decide on
❓ The over the top ending?
❓ The mixing of a heavier topic with the otherwise lightheartedness that we typically see in a KC novel.
Personally, for me this book went from “great” to “WTF” to “okay I guess”
Katherine Center is, and will continue to be, and instant buy author for me but The Lover Haters fell short for me.
In the beginning of the story I really appreciated KC taking on a heavier topic like body image. As the story progressed it seemed like this topic was just fighting to be apart of a story that wanted to be both comedic but also dramatic.
I was on board with this book until we get to our “third act breakup” when Cole arrives at Key West. Everything about Coe in Key West was atrocious and off putting. I also really did not like how Katie the character was handled during this whole part. It really did not feel like I was reading the same book.
Once we start reaching the finale now the story really goes in to overdrive and I’m still trying to discern how I feel about it. Was the situation totally over the top? Yes. Could we assume that some rescue situation was likely going to transpire because of Hatch’s profession? Probably.
Overall, I feel like there were too many storylines trying to give this book depth but in my opinion, it made this book a little messy and over the top.
Rue was my favorite character and I really loved her story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent