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

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

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

I love a good rom-com, delightful characters with is she for real moments - as Katie fakes it to make it, the attitude story turns into a love-haters-to-lovers story with the help of an adopted aunt Rue's advice, adding some color and florals to her life.

This was my first KC read. All my reasons for liking this book revolve around the main character Katie - I related to her very much. Her resolutions are mine (and I’m working on it!) I appreciate the message around Katie and that her relationship with herself is the best a greatest love story of all. It’s one of those things that we know is true, but it was nice to have a book out there to tell that truth. I will say the story, the writing, the humor were weak. Not in a “non-talented” weak, more like I felt like this book wasn’t her best and shining moment. I’m giving KC another chance because I see the talent and I want to like her.