The Love Haters

Katie and Hutch meet under unusual circumstances that shape their initial perceptions of each other. How do their first impressions influence their relationship as the story unfolds? Were there moments where you saw those early judgments shift significantly?

Hutch is the famous “Puppy Love” rescue swimmer. What makes him a standout hero—his actions, flaws, or something else? Did he match your expectations?

The novel features high-stakes moments, like rescue missions, alongside personal risks, like opening up emotionally. How do the characters’ willingness (or reluctance) to take risks define their journeys? Did any risk feel particularly surprising or rewarding to you as a reader?

Characters like Beanie and Cole bring external perspectives into Katie and Hutch’s lives. How do these secondary characters act as mirrors or catalysts for the protagonists? What do they reveal about Katie and Hutch that might otherwise stay hidden?

Hutch saves Katie in more than one way during the story—and Katie saves Hutch, too. What are some of the ways they save each other, both big and small? How are these two good for each other?

Hutch’s rescue Great Dane, George Bailey, is a fan-favorite character, bringing Katie and Hutch together over and over in different ways. What do you think of Katie’s decision to go back for him at the end? Have you ever made a sacrifice or put yourself in danger for someone or something else?

The helicopter rescue scene at the end is dramatic and romantic. What are the roles of danger and physicality in the story? How do those aspects of the story push Katie and Hutch from “love hating” to falling in love?

The setting of Key West, with its vibrant energy, and The Gals, with their colorful caftans—show “chromophobic” Katie a wildly different world from the one she’s used to. How does the setting amplify the characters’ emotional arcs for you? How does Rue nudge Katie toward living a fuller, more joyful life?

Katie started making hero documentaries at a time when, she explains, “I was feeling, shall we say, just so disappointed in humanity. A time when I really needed to hear stories like that: of kindness and heroism and sacrifice. Of people doing good.” Katie finds all kinds of people like this over the course of the story. Who are your favorite heroes here? Does Katie become one of the heroes she was looking for by the end?

Katherine Center is a passionate advocate for the cultural value of love stories. In her author’s note, she argues that love stories are uniquely good for us, saying “love stories are the best kind of therapy” and “getting better at love, of course, means getting better at life.” What kind of values do you think love stories bring to the world? What is it about them that’s so healing and uplifting?