Tag Archives: Katherine Center

Review: The Love Haters

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The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 5/20/2025

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the free advanced copy. 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Katie Vaughn takes a job profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Hutch Hutcheson, even though she can’t swim. As she spends time with Hutch and his family, she faces her fears, gets caught in a few lies, and starts to fall for him.

The Love Haters had such an intriguing plot. I ended up really enjoying it! The real standout in this book was the amount of research and thought Katherine Center put into the Coast Guard details. I enjoyed the slow burn, the banter, and the quirky side characters as well. Rue, George Bailey, and The Gals were a hoot! Beanie was an interesting best friend and cousin to Katie. Though I didn’t agree with all of her advice and some of it felt harsh, I appreciated that Katie had someone in her corner. The character dynamics in the book were interesting. I loved how Katherine built the connection between Katie and Hutch while also focusing on Katie’s journey of self-healing and self-love. For Hutch, the story centered on healing his relationships. Katie was an interesting main character and I can see how readers might either connect with her or find her frustrating. She tends to overthink and get stuck in her head, but considering her journey, her struggles made sense. Hutch occasionally felt a little too perfect or seemed to act hot and cold, but by the end, I understood why he was the way he was. I really wish we had gotten Hutch’s perspective because it would have been fascinating to see some of the resolutions from his point of view. The last half of the book took some unexpected twists which made things even more compelling. Overall, this was a solid four-star read.

Review: The Bodyguard

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The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 7/19/2022

Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio for the free advanced copies on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindgerten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart. 
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret. 
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Review: The Bodyguard contains a faking dating trope along with themes of family, stalking, authenticity, healing. I absolutely loved this book and it deserves all the stars! I loved that everything was through Hannah’s perspective and we got to see her personality and emotions be revealed throughout the story. Jack was the perfect love interest for her and loved learning more about him and his family as well. I really loved the growing relationship between Hannah and Jack and especially their emotional intimacy. The author does touch upon some heavy subjects which I think needs to be stated in the beginning of the book: death of a parent, death of a siblings, cancer, gun violence, and suicidal attempt. I admire that Katherine was able to not only discuss heavy subjects but include moments of lightheartedness as well. High recommend picking this one up if you’re a fan of Katherine Center and/or looking for a sweet romance!