The Love Haters

It's a thin line between love and love-hating in the newest laugh out loud, all the feels rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center.

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 pretends that she can.

Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. 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 maybe 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.

From the publsher

St. Martin's Press | May 20, 2025 | 320 pages | ISBN: 9781250283825

1. 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?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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?

Book Club Talking Points:
The Love Haters by Katherine Center is a wonderful choice for book clubs because it blends humor, heart, and hope in a story that celebrates love and resilience. With its witty dialogue, relatable characters, and uplifting message about overcoming obstacles and embracing happiness, this novel invites readers to reflect on their own beliefs about love and second chances. The book's empowering themes and engaging storytelling make it perfect for sparking lively discussions and leaving readers inspired.

"Katherine Center's latest romance is madcap, laugh-out-loud, and adrenaline-packed-but with a tender center: the reminder that our first love story always needs to be with ourselves." -Jodi Picoult, #1 NYT bestselling author

"Center's latest is a charming romp full of all the elements readers have come to expect from her: endearingly guarded characters thrust into a situation that opens up their worlds in the best way." - Booklist

"A documentary unites two people who are jaded about love in the sparkling latest from bestseller Center (The Rom-Commers). Fearing impending layoffs, Texas-based videographer Katie Vaughn gamely agrees to an assignment from her supervisor, Cole Hutcheson, to fly to Key West to film a profile of his brother, Hutch, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The assignment is complicated both by Katie's inability to swim, which she failed to disclose to her boss and which makes joining Hutch on rescues impossible, and by her intense attraction to her subject, who, like her, has been burned by romance. The pair grow closer as both open up about their pasts, but their budding romance is forestalled when Cole shows up and ropes a reluctant Katie into a fake dating scheme. Add in the threat of a severe hurricane, and Center builds to a dramatic grand finale. She also surrounds her lovers with a colorful supporting cast, including Hutch and Cole's Aunt Rue, who's on a mission to add color to Katie's dull wardrobe, and Great Dane George Bailey, who smothers Katie with affection. Striking a perfect balance of comedic moments and emotional authenticity, this may be Center's best yet." -Publishers Weekly