If you're looking for a book that feels like a tropical cocktail—sweet, tangy, and with just enough punch to leave you smiling— this is the perfect pick!  

Katie Vaughn is my new spirit animal. Who among us hasn’t exaggerated a skill or two on a resume? But Katie takes it to Olympic levels by pretending she can swim. (Spoiler: She cannot. Like, *at all.*) And where does she end up? Filming a profile on a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Enter Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, who is not just ridiculously good looking but also ridiculously complicated, which makes him even more irresistible.  

Throw in Katie’s charmingly awkward dynamic with Cole (Hutch’s brother and her coworker), a giant rescue dog that’s just as extra as the rest of the cast, and Aunt Rue—who might be the true MVP of this story—and you’ve got a recipe for hijinks that will have you laughing into your drink.  

The setting of Key West shines as bright as the romance, with sunsets, conga lines, and hurricanes adding to the drama. Plus, there’s something hilariously relatable about Katie floundering through swim lessons and trying to keep her head (and lies) above water.  

Yes, there’s tension, miscommunication, and enough sparks between Katie and Hutch to light up the Florida coastline, but what really makes this book shine is its heart. Katherine Center has a way of making you laugh and swoon while sneaking in a few life lessons about courage, truth, and learning to love—warts, fears, and all.  

So, grab a beach chair, a fruity drink, and prepare for a joyride of stolen kisses, larger than life personalities, and a love story that’s perfectly imperfect. The Love Haters is a feel good rom com that will leave you hating how fast you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book.