Sneak Peek: Love Haters by Katherine Center
ON OUR BOOKSHELF
Love Haters
by Katherine Center
An unapologetically bright and bold celebration of life and love. You’ll want to pack this book in your pool bag.
When Katherine Center releases a book, you add it to your TBR and you pre-order it. It’s simple math.
Grateful to have received an advanced reader’s copy of this book via NetGalley!
The Sneak Peek
By day, Katie is a video producer. By night and weekend, she makes six-minute Day in the Life documentaries for her YouTube channel — her true passion. And when her day job on the line, she’s presented an opportunity to take the lead in filming a recruitment video featuring a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The problem? She knows nothing about the Coast Guard and she doesn’t know how to swim. But in the cut-throat world of mid-level video production, she had to grab onto every opportunity she could get her arms around and make lemonade out of lemons. But when her superior hesitates over her qualifications, Katie is quick to reassure him that she’s the perfect candidate to take on the project because her limited knowledge of the Coast Guard will give her the same perspective as their target audience, and together, they can learn.
So Katie finds herself in Key West in need of a new wardrobe and swim lessons because not being able to swim is a deal breaker, given the majority of filming will occur over, around and on the water… unless something horribly wrong happens and she ends up under water. But when she’s spent her whole life avoiding bikinis, bathing suits and any body of water that would require her to swim, Katie has quite a hill to climb to overcome her fears and mental blocks about getting back in the water.
Luckily, Cole’s aunt, Rue, turns out to be the fairy god mother Katie doesn’t expect, but definitely needs. And not only does she bring color to Katie’s life, she introduces her to the perfect swim coach, Hutch.
Hutch is set to star in Katie’s promo video, but he’s hesitant to partake in her day-in-the-life series after he accidentally rose to internet fame after saving Jennifer Aniston’s dog. Despite the praise he received from the media and internet, he stands by his statement that he’s not a hero; he was just doing his job. But the only reason Hutch agreed to do the video in the first place was if Cole (Katie’s boss) was behind the camera.
Does Katie have what it takes to overcome her fears and get Hutch comfortable in front of the camera?
TW: emotional / mental abuse from step-parent, body dysmorphia / disordered eating
What Victoria Loved
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
Oh, what I would pay to live in Katie’s mind 24/7 hahaha but I mean, I kinda do? And that’s probably why I enjoyed this book so much. This was such a fun read — perfect for a pool or beach day!
When I started reading about her body dysmorphia, I worried it would be triggering… but I appreciated that she voiced a lot of the behaviors and thoughts that haunt me. And you might think that would be triggering because in so many other instances it has been. Katie views herself as all the flaws and faults and shortcomings her stepmother pointed out growing up, for all the heinous things people attached to her when she was with her ex. That trauma defines her. Until it doesn’t. And we (the readers) will root for her in this journey!
But I could not stop laughing at the absurdity of the situations Katie found herself in and her ridiculous thoughts running through her head. There is absolutely no way this poor girl could have such miserable luck. Her perspective was simultaneously morbid / melancholy and hilarious, and it’s this outlook that makes her so human. She’s a kaleidoscope of emotions and thoughts itching to break through darkness.
AND ALL THE PHOBIAS!! The phobias, the freezing/inaction— I can completely relate to having irrational fears. I’m deathly afraid of squirrels, just typing the word makes my body tremor and my gag reflexes activate. I’d rather cross the street than pass one on the sidewalk. Picnics in the park? And risk death?! No thanks. My body will literally freeze up if I’m too near. Can’t even run one over with my car… it would be too close. So reading about Katie and the many steps she takes to tackle her fears, finding strength and learning to trust herself is admirable and encouraging.
I think my favorite part about this book is that it’s all about perspective. We’re introduced to Hutch from his brother’s perspective: he’s perfect, he’s fit, he’s the nicest human ever, a literal hero, but he’s quiet and “his favorite hobby is frowning” (now he honestly kinda sounds like a perfect man but whatever…) and then we meet him and while he is those things, he’s also not.
Pre-order your copy of Love Haters (Amazon) and read with me!
Favorite Scene
“I’m not laughing at you,” Hutch said. “I’m laughing because of you.”
“You laughed at me all day.”
“I saved you first, though.”
- LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center
Similar Reads & Recommendations
SIMILAR FMC ENERGY: The Rule Book by Sarah Adams (Amazon)
An HoH Book Club Pick! I’ve read many sunny characters who shine bright. But Sarah Adams has written Nora Mackenzie so blindingly beautifully that I felt her sunshine energy pulse through my own veins and her optimism emboldened the colors of my reality. And Derek. Oh, Derek Pender - anyone would be so lucky to have a man pine for them so furiously, so fully. Sarah carefully peels back the layers on their love story in a way that made my heart ache and convinced me that love will always find a way.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
SHE’S A PHOTOGRAPHER: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (Amazon)
This is going to be THE book of the summer. You’ll pick it up when you’re heading to the lake in June / July. Then re-read it when you’re at the beach in August. Then you’ll pick it up in late September when you’re craving those perfect summer days when life is care-free and falling in love is the easiest thing you could do… and as you turn those final pages to wish summer good-bye until next year, you’ll shed a few tears with Charlie and Ali.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
HE’S A PHOTOGRAPHER / CINEMATOGRAPHER: It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (Amazon)
This is a cozy romance, perfect for the beach — especially my New England girlies. It’s big city escapes to small coastal town where she’s surrounded by so much love and care that she allows herself to fall in love.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
HE’S A HERO: Hopeless (Chestnut Springs #5) by Elsie Silver (Amazon)
The local town hero (a military vet returned home) and the outcast bartender, shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks / family, band together in an effort to get a break from his family’s prying and build her reputation outside her family’s murky shadow. But this fake relationship, forced proximity delivers on everything we love about Elsie Silver, including witty banter, steamy scenes and a hero who falls hard.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3/5
BY THE AUTHOR: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center (Amazon)
Emma is an aspiring screenwriter, but she’s postponed her dreams to take care of her family. When she’s presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rewrite a script for “her personal writing god,” the Charlie Yates, she makes the move to LA to pursue her dream! But when their meet-cute is a meet-fail, Emma very quickly learns she has an uphill battle ahead of her and Charlie wants nothing to do with it.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
Until the next chapter!
xo, Victoria
P.S. Craving more books featuring these sub-genres, tropes, and themes? Tap the links below.
