I’m a sucker for stories in the mountains, pop culture references and no third act break ups. This book had all those things plus some pretty good banter. It was a sweet, feel-good romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a fun and quirky story. Very low steam and a character I didn't like much in the beginning but who grew to as the story evolved and we got to see her true self.
Overall a great book with excellent narration.

This is the story of Brynn, a New York reporter who ends up back in her small mountain town in Colorado. During her visit she’s faced with confronting the people she left behind and the years of distance between them. As she gets reacquainted with the people in town she also butts heads with Sebastian, a man who moved to Colorado to start a new life in the quiet, sleepy mountains. When these two meet their confrontations begin to ebb into something more receptive to open communication which leads them to wonder what will happen to their relationship after her visit to town is over and she has to return back to the Big Apple for work.

This was an enjoyable audiobook to listen to. The narration was well done and brought the story to life. It did feel like the story took a little while to get going and the animosity between Brynn and Seb felt a bit excessive at the start of the relationship. This is definitely a slow burn but the conclusion was sweet and redemptive. I never quite connected with the characters on an emotional level and would’ve appreciated more time seeing Brynn reconnect with her old friends and friends who were like family, but I did appreciate the story and found it to be an entertaining (although slow paced at times) audiobook. Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars out of five stars

I received this book for an honest review from that Netgalley

Adorable holiday romcom. Setting is gorgeous and so sweet.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 30%. The premise was really good and the male main character was very charming. However, I couldn’t get over my distaste for the female protagonist. I understand that the author gave a lot of reasoning behind her personality but she desperately needed an attitude adjustment. However, I do think the writing was nice and the book almost felt a little like the film ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. Hopefully, the authors next book is more up my alley. Also, the book cover is super cute.

I really wanted to love this book but it really didn't work for me. The main character, Brynn, was so so painful for me. She had no self awareness, was so mean and biting to others and just cruel. She did not see her errors or apologize when she kept putting her foot in her mouth. I just didn't care for their relationship based on how awful she was.

I wanted to love this book so much.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the audio ARC in return for an honest review.

I loved the blurb, and the idea behind the book was so good. I just don’t think the execution was amazing.

In a contemporary romance, I think it’s so important to be able to root for at least one of the main characters. They need to have a likability that gives you a reason to root for them and want a happy ending for them. This book didn’t deliver this.

Brynn from the get go is shallow, fake and generally very unlikable. Sebastian was just a boring character over all. I think the whole mystery behind his plot was kind of underwhelming and didn’t lead to anything super interesting.

There was no part in this story where I was thinking, “yeah I want these characters to be together.” Even when Sebastian began feeling some attraction to Brynn, it felt more like a “oh yeah I’m attracted to attractive women” thing more than a “I’m attracted to Brynn specifically” thing.

I did love how it ended, and I loved the found family and community. What I didn’t love was the random “I hate my job plot” but that never goes anywhere. I just thought that was a weird plot hole.

Overall, I loved the idea of this story, but it just didn’t deliver the feelings and love story I was hoping for.

*Audiobook*

Brynn Cornell is America’s sweetheart and cohost of the morning show Sunup. She can seemingly do no wrong until she is caught on live TV bad mouthing her hometown and its citizens. In an effort to restore her reputation, she travels to her hometown to make nice with the people she left behind. She only plans to spend a week in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, but when she falls for the new guy in town, ex-reporter Sebastian Sudworth, she rethinks her entire plan.

Overall I liked this book, but it took me awhile to warm up to Brynn. I get that the entire point of the book is that she created a facade to succeed in her career and distance herself from her past, but there is nothing that characterizes her as the “ray of sunshine” she is described as at her job. She is bratty, entitled, and rude, but learning more about her past did enable me to come around to her. I liked Sebastian’s character and considered him more practical than cynical. The plot is cute and the epilogue wraps up Brynn’s story nicely. I do wish the audiobook had different narrators for Brynn and Sebastian since chapters are told from both perspectives, but that’s just me being picky. Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Bethany Turner for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book, this book, this book.
This book hit the mark for me in some areas and completely missed it in others.

I think I liked it. But I also almost DNF'd it about 3 times. Maybe it just wasn't for me, but it might be for you!

Audiobook notes: I feel personally that all dual POV novels should be narrated by two people. It was a little hard to follow that the same narrator was reading for for the FMC and the MMC. But she did a good job. It wasn't until I mixed in the audiobook with the ebook that I actually started to like Brynn a little bit.

Where It Hit the Mark:
Small Town Vibes
The Banter
Representation of Anxiety and PTSD (in the form of an adorable dog)

Where It Missed:
The redemption arc - it either felt like everyone forgave Brynn immediately or that the reconciliation took place off the page. Which really missed some character development for me.
Brynn& Sebastian go from straight up hating each other and intentionally irritating the other to...being in love. I just feel like they missed a few steps?
I wish there had been more about Brynn and Sebastians' back stories. I feel like we just grazed the surface and there was so much more.
I also did not understand why Brynn wanted to be on this other news program. She got to hang out with Keanu and interview Meryl on her third rate show - so why leave? If I've learned anything about morning TV (all of which I've learned from the movie Morning Glory), getting A-list stars on your show is how you know you've made it.

If you love the enemies to lovers trope, this is the book for you, hands down. Brynn is the type of protagonist that you want to love, but she makes it very hard. Sebastian, you fall in love with off the bat. The question is can they make it work, and do you want it to work? Read to find out the turn of events.

Ugh this book was just so cute!!
I think Brynn was a lot to take at points. she was very self absorbed. But I didn't hate her.
I thought it made for some good growth.
If you like enemies to lover, small town romance, you'll like this!

“Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other” is a charming small town romance that follows a big shot city girl as she is forced to return to her tiny hometown in the mountains of Colorado and face her past. While visiting her hometown, Brynn meets Sebastian, a newcomer and former globe trotted who has moved to the small town in hope have discovering the quiet life. Right off the bat they hate each other - hence the fabulous title - but they have more in common than they’re willing to admit.

This book includes:
- small town romance
- city girl + small town boy
- redemption
- healing

This story is fun and easy to follow. It read much like a hallmark movie to me - light, cheerful, not particularly memorable. I didn’t connect super deeply to either of the protagonists or the story, but it was an enjoyable ride and would be a fabulous read around the holiday season. I loved the way the audiobook had two narrators, one for each of the protagonists. It really adds a special level of enjoyment.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I’m a sucker for a good romance and this one was adorable! It moved at the perfect pace yet was over far too soon. Reporting on the avalanche felt like it happened a little abruptly, but I loved the way Brynn and Sebastian helped each other grow and open up. I’m also a sucker for a good epilogue and I thought this one was a perfect addition!

I was given an audiobook ARC from NetGalley and got to listen to this enemies to lovers before it was released.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other starts out with our FMC publicly insulting her hometown in Colorado on the air of the morning news show she’s a part of. In the wake of this, she goes back to this small town she hasn’t been back to in a very long time.

In small town Colorado currently lives Sebastian, single dog dad who is tasked as the welcome party to Brynn when she flies in with her cameraman at her side. This isn’t his hometown, but it’s his home.

From the get go, Brynn definitely thinks that she is far too good for this place and her attitude is on display and she’s basically intolerable. But as the few days there go by, she’s knocked down a peg or two by her old friends and now Sebastian, reminding her who she left behind here. She starts to shed her protective and judgmental shell. Eventually we get a nicer Brynn as she learns more about Sebastian, realizes how much she doesn’t know about these people she insulted, and starts to relax.

This book is dual POV with first person for the FMC and third person for the MMC. I enjoy these kind of dual POV’s because it reveals things differently for each person.

And so we get the rude girl turned nice again after she goes back to her hometown and then meets the sorta grumpy dude who she does not get along with because of who he is and who she is. Then she learns about his past and… it’s a storyline and trope seen a lot, but this one was just too mild. Brynn had such an attitude problem that I feel like she ditched it quicker than someone like that really would. She’s too good for her hometown and she’s felt like that for a long time. I think because the book had very few events or deeper character development the overall storyline and trope just didn’t do it for me. Because it was an audiobook and I was able to listen to it and finish quicker rather than read physically, I think that made it easier to finish. If this had not been an ARC via NetGalley I would have DNF’d.

That being said I would give this one a 3.5 overall. It may be great for some folx and it has a cute premise.

This fun rom-com was the perfect way to escape to small town America, Adelaide Falls, where everyone loves and supports their neighbors. Sometimes you just need a sweet book that you can enjoy a "happily ever after" story and know that you will encounter sweet romance and be able to recommend to anyone.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is a fun "boy meets girl - boy hates girl" story that was smart enough to have a little depth also. Brynn is a morning show host that makes a huge mistake on air and is forced to go back to her little home town to save her reputation. Sebastian is the handsome town representative that is forced to welcome and accompany the annoyingly conceited Brynn. This book touches on some serious issues, but keeps it light.

I listening to this book on audio and the narrator did a great job. I could definitely distinguish which character was speaking throughout the story.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio. Also, a big thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. #NetGalley #BrynnandSebastianHateEachOther

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I listened to the audiobook.
The first half was a bit drawn out and not as engaging as I was hoping. The MFC comes off as a rude and not so nice human being.
The second half was cute. Although this book is supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance, that wasn’t the bulk of the storyline.

Brynn makes a huge mistake on air and is then tasked with rectifying it and going back to her home town. A home town she fled years ago.
Brynn is very unlikable at the beginning, and that’s how she’s supposed to be. Sebastian is reclusive and private but also up to helping as many people as possible.
This book was fun and entertaining. Which some Colorado vibes and events thrown in.
It also had a reference to dead guy days which I am obsessed with and very much want to go.
The audio was good and one person narrated both voices which isn’t my favorite but there were characters named in each chapter so it was easy to follow along and the voice was good even sped up.

Who doesn’t love some enemies to lovers?

*Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio for a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Different, fun story and plot that just took too long to get to the point... 2.5 stars for the audio, 3 stars for the story.

For the most part, the things I struggled with were:
- pace (it only got interesting about 80% of the way through)
- the friction/drama was very repetitive and got old quickly
- the emotional part of this story felt very disconnected from the main character, Brynn, and the person we were introduced to (although her emotional growth was great, it was just hard to separate the very off-putting woman from the beginning of the story to the emotionally well-adjusted woman at the end)
- I didn't even care when the characters kissed for the first time (at the... 73% mark?)
- both MCs had trauma in their pasts, but I don't feel like it brought them together

In general, this was a cute story about a former field reporter and a morning reporter. This is marketed as a grumpy/sunshine, but really they're both kind of grumpy/grumpy (at least towards each other?). I loved the small town and how they showed up and forgave Brynn throughout the story. There were a lot of fun side characters, but there seemed to be unnecessary drama or information about people who had no impact on the story or the direction the story took.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook. These are my honest thoughts.

Thanks to NetGalley for audiobook of Brynn and Sebastian. The narrator was great, I really enjoyed listening and thought that Adelaide Springs came to life. I immediately liked Sebastian and think Brynn's character was written well as she was pretty dreadful at the start. I liked both Brynn and Sebastian's back stories and the supporting characters were well-rounded. An enjoyable listen. Looking forward to Cole and Laila's story.

I generally like a grumpy sunshine trope, and especially one that has the guy as the sunshine since it is so rae - but it was SO difficult to like Brynn the first 1/2 of this book. She did eventually turn it around, but her really bad behavior and self-centered attitude stuck in my head and made it hard for me to believe that Sebastian could grow so fond of her so quickly. Overall wish we saw something a little more to like about Brynn (since we do actually get to see inside her head). Her trauma from her mom and treatment by network execs didn't give her justification to be plain rude.

Enjoyed the small town and all of the quirky characters generally and I liked how the book wrapped up. So if you are a fan of small-town romance and life transformations, this may still be the book for you.