The love haters

Review by Booklist Review

Center follows The Rom-Commers (2024) with another tale of forced workplace proximity that leads to love. Video producer Katie is worried about losing her job when her new boss starts making staffing cuts, so when her coworker Cole comes to her with an assignment that involves filming a segment about his heroic brother, Hutch, she reluctantly agrees. Hutch is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who found himself in the spotlight after saving Jennifer Aniston's beloved dog, and while he's the perfect subject, he is by no means an enthusiastic one. Katie, who can't swim and struggles with body dysmorphia issues, dreads both being in a bathing suit and being in the water, especially once she sees how gorgeous Hutch is. For his part, the aloof Hutch warms to her pretty quickly, until the issues between him and his brother threaten his growing feelings for Katie. 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.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

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. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (May)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

Still reeling from a very public breakup with her now-famous ex, Katie Vaughn is upset to learn that she might now lose her corporate video production job, just as things were getting back to normal. When her coworker Cole offers her the chance to save her job by profiling a heroic Coast Guard swimmer in Key West, Katie jumps at the chance. The catch? Katie can't swim, and the Coast Guard swimmer she's assigned to is Cole's older brother Hutch--and the siblings don't get along. As Katie settles in and gets to know Hutch and his Aunt Rue, her trip to idyllic Key West proves to be more complicated than she originally thought, especially when she gets caught in a few lies along the way. A lack of chemistry between Katie and Hutch and some unbelievable twists and turns towards the end may prove frustrating. Note also that Katie struggles with body image and disordered eating; the book's portrayal of these issues could be more sensitive and might be triggering to some readers. VERDICT This isn't Center's (The Rom-Commers) strongest work to date, but fans of the bestselling author will still likely enjoy the story.--Whitney Kramer

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