Author: Katherine Center
Published: May 20, 2025, by St. Martin's Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Blurb: Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
My Opinion: The Love Haters was my first dip into Katherine Center’s world, and I was surprised since I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. What I found was a quirky, heartfelt, and emotionally layered story that blends classic romance tropes with genuine character growth and vulnerability.
At its heart, this is grumpy-sunshine done right. Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker with a knack for tripping over her own optimism, isn’t just looking for love; she is looking to keep her job and find something about herself that she likes. Enter Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a brooding, self-assured Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s genetically incapable of watching someone flounder and not stepping in. They’re mismatched in the best way. Hutch is steady and grounded, while Katie’s all sunshine and bungling. Between them is a chemistry that is less about sparks and more about a slow-burning beneath the banter.
What makes this story work isn’t just the romance (though it's adorably fumbly and sweet), but the deep emotional undercurrents. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, which is nudged along by her friend Beanie’s body-positive challenge and a self-help strategy she hilariously repurposes, is both funny and tender. Watching her fumble her way to empowerment and turn those insights onto Hutch creates some of the most unexpectedly moving scenes.
Family dynamics also bring real weight. Hutch and his brother Cole carry the scars of losing their parents far too young. Cole’s bitterness toward Hutch, who seems to glide through life with ease, is deep and painful. And when the truth behind their shared trauma finally emerges, it’s a moment that will squeeze a tear out of even the most jaded reader.
Rue, the caretaker who scooped up the broken boys and gave them a home, brings another layer of heart and color to this story. Her backstory? Gasp-worthy. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful.
Oh, and George Bailey, the terrified Great Dane and Lucky the frog, when you find a friend, you protect your friend. George might be odd in the way he does that, but a friend is a friend.
Katie and Hutch don’t have a traditional meet-cute or a love-at-first-sight trajectory. They stumble, they deflect, they dodge their own feelings until their personal walls start crumbling. It's in those cracked-open moments, full of awkward missteps and vulnerable truths, that they become not just lovers, but partners. Bandages to each other’s bruises.
Katie is hilarious. She could trip into an ant hill and still find a way to make it endearing. Her clumsy charm and resilient spirit carry the story. And Hutch, ever the stoic protector, is there to catch her, sometimes literally.
Amid all the laughs, there's genuine heartbreak and some deep family drama. But Center keeps it balanced, never veering too far from the feel-good vibe. By the end, with its quirky and oh-so-satisfying conclusion, you’re smiling through the sweetness. Who knew hating love would lead to their own love story?
No spice, all heart. A perfect pick for readers craving a warm, romantic escape that won't make them blush but will definitely make them feel.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
My Opinion: The Love Haters was my first dip into Katherine Center’s world, and I was surprised since I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. What I found was a quirky, heartfelt, and emotionally layered story that blends classic romance tropes with genuine character growth and vulnerability.
At its heart, this is grumpy-sunshine done right. Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker with a knack for tripping over her own optimism, isn’t just looking for love; she is looking to keep her job and find something about herself that she likes. Enter Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a brooding, self-assured Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s genetically incapable of watching someone flounder and not stepping in. They’re mismatched in the best way. Hutch is steady and grounded, while Katie’s all sunshine and bungling. Between them is a chemistry that is less about sparks and more about a slow-burning beneath the banter.
What makes this story work isn’t just the romance (though it's adorably fumbly and sweet), but the deep emotional undercurrents. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, which is nudged along by her friend Beanie’s body-positive challenge and a self-help strategy she hilariously repurposes, is both funny and tender. Watching her fumble her way to empowerment and turn those insights onto Hutch creates some of the most unexpectedly moving scenes.
Family dynamics also bring real weight. Hutch and his brother Cole carry the scars of losing their parents far too young. Cole’s bitterness toward Hutch, who seems to glide through life with ease, is deep and painful. And when the truth behind their shared trauma finally emerges, it’s a moment that will squeeze a tear out of even the most jaded reader.
Rue, the caretaker who scooped up the broken boys and gave them a home, brings another layer of heart and color to this story. Her backstory? Gasp-worthy. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful.
Oh, and George Bailey, the terrified Great Dane and Lucky the frog, when you find a friend, you protect your friend. George might be odd in the way he does that, but a friend is a friend.
Katie and Hutch don’t have a traditional meet-cute or a love-at-first-sight trajectory. They stumble, they deflect, they dodge their own feelings until their personal walls start crumbling. It's in those cracked-open moments, full of awkward missteps and vulnerable truths, that they become not just lovers, but partners. Bandages to each other’s bruises.
Katie is hilarious. She could trip into an ant hill and still find a way to make it endearing. Her clumsy charm and resilient spirit carry the story. And Hutch, ever the stoic protector, is there to catch her, sometimes literally.
Amid all the laughs, there's genuine heartbreak and some deep family drama. But Center keeps it balanced, never veering too far from the feel-good vibe. By the end, with its quirky and oh-so-satisfying conclusion, you’re smiling through the sweetness. Who knew hating love would lead to their own love story?
No spice, all heart. A perfect pick for readers craving a warm, romantic escape that won't make them blush but will definitely make them feel.
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