Book Recommendation: The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Publishers Weekly praises it as "striking a perfect balance of comedic moments and emotional authenticity," suggesting it may be Center's best work yet.

Okay, I know, this seems like an unusual recommendation from a therapist and based on my previous recommendations, this is a bit of a curve ball. But here is why!

Katherine Center's latest novel, The Love Haters, is a heartfelt romantic comedy that explores themes of vulnerability, self-discovery, and the complexities of love and relationships, including and perhaps most importantly, the relationship with yourself. There! That’s the golden nugget theme explored in this novel. She uses the popular trope of enemies-to-lovers within the relationship of the main character, Katie and herself. It’s a beautiful journey through challenging cultural expectations, criticism, pressure and negating thinking spirals toward establishing freedom, love and enjoyment within our own bodies.

What sets The Love Haters apart is Center’s ability to blend weighty themes—body image, past trauma, and fake-it-‘til-you-make-it confidence—with lighthearted charm. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance is handled with both realism and compassion, making her growth feel hard-fought rather than superficial.

Readers should be aware that the book addresses issues related to eating disorders and body image, which may be sensitive for some audiences. Bring that it is a “romance novel” it has a low-no spice level, meaning it contains no explicit sexual content.