The Love Haters

A Balm for the Soul

I had an absolute blast listening to this audiobook. From the very first minute to the very last, it had me smiling, laughing, and feeling totally wrapped up in the story. I was only halfway through when I started recommending it to everyone I knew—at least five people on the spot. That’s how good it is.

Katherine Center writes like a balm for bad days. Her books are warm, witty, and full of heart, and The Love Haters is no exception. What really made this one stand out was how it centered self-worth and body image without turning it into a lecture. Katie’s struggle to love herself felt raw and real, and the book never rushed her healing. Everyone moves at their own pace, and the story honors that beautifully. It’s honest, empowering, and deeply relatable.

Katie and Hutch are pure joy together. Their chemistry is electric, their banter is gold, and the romance builds at just the right pace. Add in Aunt Rue, the fierce and funny auntie we all wish we had, and you’ve got a cast that’s hard not to fall for.

Yes, some plot points go big near the end—but honestly? I was all in. This is fiction, after all, and it was so much fun. The humor sneaks up on you in the best way, and the story kept surprising me in ways I didn’t expect.

I even loved the author’s note at the end. Just a perfect finish to a story that’s as feel-good as it is thoughtful. If you're looking for a story that makes you laugh, root for love, and rethink how you see yourself, give this one a listen. It might surprise you too—in the best possible way.

Ignore The Haters. Seriously, if one "lesson" can be learned from a rom-com, this is this book's lesson. But also: Seriously, ignore the haters of this book. They're wrong, they know they're wrong, and they can sit there in their wrongness and be wrong. And if they want to come at me, well, I'm a big boy and don't give a fuck what they think anyway, so they can continue to be wrong in their wrongness while I move on to ever more books. :)

This is one of those lighthearted romcoms with a few points, and it is crystal clear that one reason Center wrote this was so that she could expense likely a few trips out to Key West as "business expenses" and have a blast while "researching" this book... And yet even if you want to be so cynical like that... clearly, the research fucking *worked*, because Center absolutely *nails* the entire Key West vibe (particularly the eccentric secondary characters, yes, including the dog who has at least as much personality as anyone else in the book). And while I've never been in the Coast Guard, I've seen them operating enough from being at sea enough (hello, guy that cruises nearly as much as he reads - and he very much has a reading problem ;) ) to have a decent idea of the job, and Center nails that pretty solidly as well. From the standoffish "I don't know you yet" they can project to the closest-friend-you'll-ever-have once they do get to know you - or if you happen to be their brother and share a tragic backstory. ;)

Come for the eccentric Key West vibes. Yes, no matter what the haters claim, they really do permeate the entire book (says the Florida Man ;) ). Stay for the serious looks at both body image issues and hurricane survival. The haters do have *one* thing right - even broke clocks get two a day - in that there is never any true "body positivity", but Center, to me, actually handles these issues in a far more realistic manner, rather than simply glossing over the very real struggles the way so many "body positive" books do. And the hurricane survival bits... again, very, very well done - but Center didn't exactly have to do as much "research" for this, being based in the Galveston region with its history of hurricanes at least as destructive as those that are known to hit South Florida.

And the dog. My god, the damn dog. Seriously, dog lovers are going to love this dog, and even cat people like me will find this dog fucking hilarious. To the level of damn near stealing most scenes he is in. :)

Oh, last note: spice scale: Slightly warmer than a warm glass of milk, I don't think I'd put this up there with even a jalapeno. Maybe somewhere around a bell pepper or so - enough to have some flavor, but also gentle enough that all but the most sensitive stomachs should be able to handle it easily.

Very much recommended.

First I want to thank both Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the early listener copy of this audiobook.

This is the perfect summer rom-com. Katherine Center has hit it out of the park again. This was fun and a quick listen. I consumed it in one day.

I am giving it 4 stars rounded up to a 4.5. It would of been a 5 star, but I wasn't a fan of the way the body positivity was presented. I almost felt like she was too in her head about her looks and weight. As someone who has delt with weight issues most of her adult life it bothered me. That being said make sure to pick this up as quick beach read this summer.

Expected release date 5/20/2025

I was so excited to have gotten an ARC to review. I love The Rom-Commers and The Bodyguard by Katherine Center so I figured I'd love this one too. I was so so wrong! This being marketed as a romance is incorrect. Hutch and Katie have no chemistry whatsoever. I have more chemistry with my morning cup of coffee and a stale piece of bread than they have together. They had nothing going for them, other than Katie saying Hutch's name at least 800 times throughout the book, seriously! There were times where she said it at least 4 times in a single paragraph. I was so annoyed.

Then came fucking Cole. I despise Cole so fucking much. He's a trash human who doesn't deserve anyone's kindness. I was infuriated at the 70% by him and his fucking antics that Katie decided was okay to go along with? Girl grow a fucking backbone! Ugh, I was so mad at the bar scene especially. Katie should've just walked out and left his ass.

I don't believe they will last after the ending. I don't think they will make it a month into dating. There was no yearning, no tension, no chemistry. They felt more like coworkers or acquaintances. This wasn't a good romance at all.

I did really enjoy watching Katie learn to love herself after all the negativity she faced throughout her life. That was so sweet to see her finally appreciate herself and her body. I love Beanie, she is the friend that everyone deserves to have in life.

Anyway, I don't recommend this one. It was barely a romance. It felt like a freshman year creative writing assignment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for the opportunity to review an early copy of The Love Haters.

Final rating: 2 stars ✨

This started out really strong and a contender for my new favorite Center novel, and then it dissolved into craziness and complicated lies, and then it resurfaced toward the end.

The Love Haters is pure joy from Katherine Center as expected! This would be a fun beach or pool read as it is quick and easy to read. That being said, in true Katherine Center fashion, the book is so much more than a summery rom-com! This is an exploration into self-love and healing through the FMC and even through some of the other characters. KC has no issues writing characters who develop beautifully. Also, we allll will want a Hutch after reading this.