The Love Haters: A Novel

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for the ARC.

Having previously read The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, I had a good sense of what to expect with this book: a rom-com that is brave enough to touch on serious topics but never takes itself too seriously. Center’s stories tend to be lighthearted, making for great beach reads or palate cleansers between heavier books.

While the execution of The Bodyguard leaned a bit too far-fetched for me to REALLY love, I found The Love Haters to be more grounded, thanks to the research Center put into the US Coast Guard and the more well-rounded, believable characters. The main characters' journeys with self-image and past trauma gave the story more depth than I anticipated. The Author's Note speaks to themes of "Katie and her body - in a kind of enemies-to-lovers trope". There were some truly beautiful passages exploring themes of self-compassion and resilience, with thoughtful insights on how tools from relationship counseling can be applied to our inner dialogue. Reclamation of the anniversaries of a traumatic memory for several characters are a standout for me.

That said, the tone is still unmistakably rom-com, with plenty of goofy moments, playful banter, and a few cringey exchanges along the way. It’s a well-balanced "just here for the vibes" kind of book with a comedic relief dog, Golden Girls energy, and everyday hero love interest. For readers looking for a fun, escapist read that offers both heart and humor, this one scratches that itch perfectly. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read with a little more substance than your average rom-com, even if it doesn’t always stick the landing.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review. Rating: 3.5/5

One of, if not the best Romance I have read!

You start off with a woman who has no self worth, except for her job. A job that ends up sending her to the Florida Keys to do a story on a coast guard diver who saved Jennifer Aniston's dog. It ends in a literal hurricane where the woman realizes (thinking she is going to die) that she has been too hard on herself and that she does not need to listen to all the naysayers.

Lots of humor! Must read!

I love everything Katherine Center. This one got a little boring in the end though and a little far-fetched. Boilerplate

A fun read about a video producer from Dallas, Katie Vaughn, who is assigned to a recruitment video about joining the Coast Guard. The search and rescue team member who gained some notoriety for saving Jennifer Aniston's dog, Tom Hutchinson, is the person designated to be featured front and center in the video. The only thing is, Tom, or 'Hutch' as he called, shies away from fame. He has no problem doing the recruitment piece, but Katie has a side gig going where she posts to You Tube stories of everyday heroes. And he flatly refuses her. But, over the next few weeks, he doesn't flatly refuse his growing attraction to Katie. And Katie returns his interest. There is a convoluted sidebar in the story of the manipulative brother of Hutch, Cole, who also happens to be Katie's manager at the video production firm. But Cole and Hutch do not get along, primarily due to Cole's jealousy of Hutch. And a back story that their adoptive aunt, Rue, is heartsick over their estrangement. Rue is running the cottage hotel where Katie is staying in the Florida Keys. She and her gaggle of senior citizen friends are all in on trying to hook-up Hutch and Katie. But my favorite part of the Rue story is how Katie and Rue because very good friends themselves. There is a running theme in this book about body positivity with her best friend and cousin, Beanie, all mostly via cell phone. That's a good message - acceptance and having fun, without worrying about how you look in a swim suit. But this interstitial seems a little interruptive, since she is dropped in as a long-distance pep-talker only, and doesn't take an active part in the action. Loved Hutch's Great Dane, George Bailey. Sounds like a lovely life, living in a colorful cottage in the Keys, without a care in the world.

Super cute romance read, I always am so impressed with her characters they always feel so real and natural to me.