Book review: The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Release date: May 20, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4.03
My rating: 4.0
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The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a cute story with likeable characters. Katie, a video producer, is sent to Key West to do a feature on the Coast Guard. She hopes this feature will prove to her employer that she is worth keeping on staff during a time of layoffs. There, she meets Hutch, a Coast Guard rescuer that she hopes to win over despite his reputation for being a ‘love hater’ and despite Katie’s own insecurities.
Although the evolving love story between Katie and Hutch is cute to follow, at its core, this book is a story of self-love and growth. I loved seeing Katie’s evolution. By the end of the book, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Katie is truly the hero of her own story here.
A few secondary characters stood out too. Aunt Rue adds vibrancy to the book. Her love of life is palpable (and contagious) and she brings a strong sense of community to this mix bag of characters. And George Bailey, the loveable Great Dane, steals the show in a few scenes.
Although the level of toxicity in Katie’s workplace bothered me a bit (I personally would have walked away from this job before the story even started 😊), this is a light and enjoyable read overall, and great if you are curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ work of Coast Guards.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.