Take a photo of a barcode or cover
nicolecurlsuptoread 's review for:
The Love Haters
by Katherine Center
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