Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Love Haters by Katherine Center Narrator: Patti Murin
Published by MacMillan Audio, St. Martin's Press on May 20, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Life Fiction
Length: 10 hours, 33 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
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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.
I have never been disappointed by this author. Katherine Center takes me on a journey with realistic characters who are sometimes wonderful, sometimes horrible. While some of the situations may not be believable, the emotions are dead accurate.
Katie is a videographer. One of her co-workers got the assignment to film the Coast Guard guy in a demonstration rescue and promo for the Coast Guard. The guy is called Puppy Love (Pup Daddy in the ebook), because he rescued Jennifer Aniston’s dog and went viral. He has refused to do any interviews or anything ever since. It turns out the co-worker, Cole is his brother.
Katie would love to do this and maybe even interview, Puppy Love , otherwise known as Hutch, for her own project of Day in the Life. Most of her subjects have been women because she is with them a full day, sleeping at their home, etc. The staff at the company all needs to do great work because the owner is miserable from her divorce and firing people left and right.
Katie goes, even though she doesn’t know how to swim, and will have to pass a water test to ride in the helicopter. The Coast Guard facility is in Key west. Cole’s aunt Rue puts her up. She meets Hutch and after the initial shock Cole isn’t coming Hutch works nicely with her. But there are reasons Hutch agreed to the interview to make sure Cole came and reasons Cole doesn’t want to come.
Aunt Rue and her friends are awesome. I really like both Katie and Hutch; they are good people. Of course, Hutch and Katie fall for each other, and the rescue Great Dane, George Bailey. Cole absolutely makes a huge mess and then Katie goes back to get George Bailey when a hurricane is coming and that doesn’t go perfectly for them.
Be sure to listen to the author’s note about the background on The Love Haters. Every Katherine Center book is full of inspiration, feel good, and character growth, as the characters get to know and care for each other while dealing with life.
Narration:
Patti Murin seems to narrate many of this author’s books, so I have listened to her before. I appreciated the emotion she brought to the characters. None of the voices pulled me out of the story, but they were distinct and felt comfortable. I listened at my comfortably 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Katherine Center
Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away, the upcoming Things You Save in a Fire (August 2019), and five other bittersweet comic novels. Six Foot Pictures is currently adapting her fourth novel, The Lost Husband, into a feature film starring Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, and Nora Dunn. Katherine has been compared to both Nora Ephron and Jane Austen, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Katherine recently gave a TEDx talk on how stories teach us empathy, and her work has appeared in USA Today, InStyle, Redbook, People, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Real Simple, Southern Living, and InTouch, among others. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her fun husband, two sweet kids, and fluffy-but-fierce dog.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
This sounds so good! I may have to switch genres for a bit and read it😁
This is an author I always enjoy. I don’t always read this genre.
I’m listening to this now and loving it! I could only skim your review because of that but am loving your rating💜
Thanks Jonetta. I hope you enjoy it too.
I’m so looking forward to reading this one! I just need my library copy to hurry up and come in. Center is definitely one of my favorite authors. 😀
yes I try to read all her books. I’d like to get to some of her backlist, as I would some other authors but it is hard to fit in everything I’d love to read.
I’ve not read this author before. Based on the blurb and your review, I think I would enjoy it, but I can be picky with “love hater” books, and don’t enjoy the books if the “hate” goes on too long. Thanks for the review.
Oh there isn’t any hate in this book. The concept here is more about the individual not being currently interested in a relationship and more focused on career or personal issues. I think you’d love this author and they are all standalones. This is more like Emily Henry, and newer works of Jill Shalvis or Kristan Higgins, and Susan Wiggs. I enjoy all of those.
This looks so good! I have Katherine Center on my Must Read Authors list and I’m really looking forward to picking up something by her.
yes I’ve enjoyed all her books I’ve read and wish I could get to some of her backlist.
This is an author I need to try. Wonderful review!
Thank you. I think you would love her books.
Ooooh Katie. :/
I really appreciated how she worked through her body image issues, and made friends which turned into romance.
I really need to give this author another chance. But I think I will read the book this time. Unfortunately I think I gave away the physical copy I had of one of her books when I DNFed an audio, so now I don’t even have that to read again. Glad you enjoyed it!
It was fun. You could always get one of her books at the library!
I always love her author’s note! Yes, Cole did make a mess of things. What a selfish guy. Sad that he was so jealous of his brother.
Well at least maybe now Rue and Hutch will have an easier time of things and even Cole although I don’t feel too worried about him.