I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was entertaining enough. I think if I didn’t listen to it, I would not have liked it as much. Our MC Brynn was not very likeable at all, but we got to see her grow a bit to someone tolerable. What was not buyable for me was the timeline. This all was over 1 week. I would have liked the story more if it was a more spread out timeline. As for the narration, I liked it a lot. My only qualm was that I didn’t really like when the narrator went into the “man” voices. They sounded kinda silly and that took me out of it some. Overall, not a bad read, but I didn’t LOVE it

For a book that essentially takes place over a one week time period, this didn’t have the instalove trope that I really don’t like in books. It was enemies to lovers (as the title suggests) as much as that trope can be present in a contemporary and the romance built in a believable way. Brynn had a lot of growing to do and I liked the theme of how coming home can help you find yourself. I love small town settings and this had all those great vibes similar to Sweet Home Alabama and Runaway Bride. I also liked that at the end of the week, there wasn’t a grand “I love you” statement but rather “I like you a lot and want to see where we go from here”. The finale was a really great scene and I enjoyed the book.

Content Notes: Emotionally-distant/absent parent, anxiety, kisses only

We have Brynn who escaped the life of her home town and became an entertainment journalist TV anchor personality. She has spent the past decade plus making a name for herself working from the bottom up. She finally has a big break and she makes a mess of it live on air by making fun of her hometown. This causes a big backlash and she travels back to the small town to make amends. She bumps into Sebastian who has his own baggage but is assigned to baby sit Brynn while she is in town since he moved there after she left. Brynn goes to her home town looking to repair her career but winds up repairing what she didn't realize was actually broken.

I found the story so sweet, do I think everyone will like it? No, but I was entertained, though I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop the entire time. I would have liked the love story to be more drawn out, but Brynn was only in town for a week. Brynn and Sebastian start off on the wrong foot and keep spiralling downwards. Brynn is not a generally nice person, but a lot of that seems to be because she had to fight her way to the top in her career and doesn't know how to act in a normal situation. Sebastian and Brynn aren't quite insta-love, but we are pretty darn close. That there takes a little away from the story for me. I also think the relationships she has with her childhood friends could have been explored even more as Brynn learns to love herself and the town she grew up in. Brynn cries most of the time, but there are so many sweet interactions that I can't help but enjoy the ride.

The narrator did a great job with all of the voice and helping create the personalities of each of the characters in the story. Overall, this is a sweet romance that is a quick read and worth any of the cheese that is presented in the story.

If you like pop culture references, small towns, Hallmark vibes, small town girl makes big but comes home, big town boy finds small town lifestyle, great kisses, beautiful locations, finding your happiness, and a slow burn romance, check this one out!

I got an audio arc from netgalley and the narrator is 👌👌

This story is about Brynn and Sebastian. Brynn is a new anchor who insults her tiny hometown of Adelaide Springs and their inhabitants whilst unknowingly on the air. She then goes back to her hometown to “make nice” with the people from there. That’s where she meets Sebastian, a ex reporter who somehow ended up in Adelaide Springs, and he is to be her guide during her visit. This was a hard miss for me. I found Brynn to be really annoying, and there was no chemistry between her and Sebastian.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute enemies to lovers romance book. I enjoyed the career choices for the characters a lot! Brynn is a news reporter for a morning talk show and Sebastian is a former world news reporter. The rest of the book was cute but didn't blow me away. It was cute and easy but don't go out of your way to read this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Brynn was on a roll being the cohost of the popular morning show, Sunup. She was America's ray of sunshine, positive and poised. But after a huge on-air mistake, exposes her snarky side and the world was not on board, crumbling her public persona. She decides to go back to her hometown as a last-ditch effort to convince viewers she's not a mean girl hiding behind the mask of a nice girl.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other was a fast and entertaining read. I received this as an audiobook ARC and I was able to listen to it in one sitting. The narrator did a fantastic job making this story come to life. Although I didn't fall in love with the characters, I wanted to know what happened throughout the book. I think deep down Brynn might actually be a mean girl or maybe she's just a misunderstood sassy girl... either way she didn't redeem herself in my eyes but it didn't help that she was a little... annoying. I must say, I did enjoy the second half more than I did the first. If you're looking for a fast and entertaining read for a genre break, you might want to consider this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC and the chance to listen and review it honestly.

Happy reading

i think i’m getting tired of the grumpy sunshine trope because most of the time the guy is just an a*hole but since he’s ✨grumpy✨ it’s fine? hell no. here brynn, our FMC supposed to be the sunshine, wasn’t so sunshiny and annoyed me, whereas sebastian, the MMC, was simply bland and uninteresting. their romance was too insta-love for my liking, i love a good slow burn since it gives the author room to develop the characters as people as well as their relationship. here, neither stood out to me and they both felt pretty 2d rather than actual people. sebastian kinda grew on me in the second half of the story but not enough for me to actually enjoy this book and give it more than a 2⭐️

At first I didn't like Brynn very much, so I understood how Sebastian felt, but I didn't think all the hatred between them was necessary.
But moments after Brynn's arrival at her hometown and as the book developed, I began to warm to the characters and understood Brynn's reasons to be.

We are discovering the characters and seeing that the book focuses on Brynn's growth and realizations, and also on showing what reporters go through, I found this side very important, but it also leaves room for romance. Which I found very sweet and innocent.
The book also reveals a lot about the city we are in, giving us the feeling of being there. I loved the descriptions and the environment created.
And I have to mention, it's a book without unnecessary drama, which makes it perfect for a calm listening, relaxing and letting yourself be carried away by the story.

I enjoyed so much the book that it flew by me, and reached the end without me noticing. I really liked the narrator, who reads from both perspectives, but it is perfectly understood which one you are in, and if there are problems with that, the writing helps, because Brynn is written in the first person and Sebastian in the third. I thought it was a genius touch by the writer to give more of a sense of change between the two characters.

I thought it was a shame that we didn't see Brynn having her first reconnection with the people of the place, we only have one perspective on that, which is her friend's, so I'd like to see how the other characters reacted to her arrival and not just the thought that having her there again, and how did she feel about it.

Still I really enjoyed listening to this book, and I recommended.

This is probably my favorite romcom read of the year! It has the perfect amount of comedy to romance that I have been looking for recently. Also, and book that makes me actually laugh out loud to where people look at me like I’m crazy is a good book to me.

I haven’t read any other Bethany Turner books, but I plan on buying a few of her other books. I need more of her writing.

Spoilery section

While I immensely enjoyed this book, there was one problem I had with it. I did not like Brynn till 3/4 through they book. However, I do believe that is intentional. Brynn goes through the character development of letting go of her sunshine persona, if her resentment of her mother, and the pressures she places on her self to be liked by everyone, to letting go an accepting that she isn’t going to impress everyone or be liked by everyone and that’s okay. She stops trying to be what other people want her to be and starts being herself. So while Brynn was slightly annoying and constantly self sabotaging herself, I didn’t like her. But once she stopped changing herself to be what others wanted from her at any given time, I liked her.

I also understand her a bit. I’m from a small town in Texas, and while it’s not as small as Adelaide Springs, I knew all 160 people I graduated high school with and had started kindergarten with probably 60% of them. I also wanted to escape from it all. And while I would not feel bad for saying bad comments about it, I also wouldn’t want to loose my job over those said comments. Now, do I think I would be reformed from my opinion by a hot guy. No, because my problems don’t stem from my relationship with my mother, but half the people in the town.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner, Narrated by Talon David.
Duration: 10:15:00
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
It is a Romance book (no spice) I could see it being made into a Hallmark movie, The characters are very loveable towards the end. But Brynn really had me hating her at the beginning. Sebastian was endearing from the get-go. Both characters give each other the chance to grow and respect each other. Its small town girl leaves without looking back and during a crisis of her own doing has to come back to said hometown to make things right.
Both characters have hard pasts that make them weary of those around them. It makes them seem very self-centered.
Talon David does a magnificent job of portraying the characters. I think they really portray the emotions the characters are feeling. She made me feel that I could befriend them.

The story was amazing and I am going to read more from the author. This is a clean romance and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Brynn Cornell has been coined America’s Ray of Sunshine, but when makes a mistake that is caught on camera her world as she knew it crumbles around her. Trying to make things right with her image, Brynn finds herself back in her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, a place she hoped she’d never return to. In search of redemption, Brynn is forced to face her past and the people she left behind. Along with the familiar faces of her childhood, Brynn comes face to face with Sebastian Sudworth, a former superstar reporter who has disappeared from the mainstream. From the moment they meet Sebastian and Brynn are not impressed with each other, but only time will tell how this will play out. Will Brynn recover her image and go back to her old job? Will the town accept Brynn and her attempts at apologies? Will Sebastian and Brynn stay enemies?

The reviews I read were mixed when it came to this book, but I loved it. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers theme and I enjoyed how this book ended. A lot of people who gave this book unfavorable reviews complained about Brynn and her attitude and I do understand where they are coming from, but the rest of the story and Sebastian made me forget about the qualities of Brynn that could have rubbed me the wrong way. I did listen to the audio book and the narration was so good, so that may have had something to do with my loving this story so much. This was they type of book I needed right now. The enemies to lovers trope was done well in this book and I enjoyed seeing the background stories for Brynn and Sebastian and seeing how they influenced the people they are at this point in their lives. I would recommend this book as a good enemies to lovers romance with a good redemption storyline.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC audiobook version of this book!

I didnt love this one; it felt a bit cheesy and unrealistic to me. I have read this author before and enjoyed it, so i was surprised. Audio quality was good, though.

I love the love-hate relationship trope so much that this book gotten me excited every time they'll fight and gives me a crackling sound when they become romantic. Love the book. Thank you netgalley for lending me this book.

Book Review
Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other – A Love Story
By: Bethany Turner
Pub Date: September 5, 2023
Thanks to @netgalley and @thomasnelson for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Brynn is the happy sunshine girl of the morning news, until she isn’t. After being caught on camera saying how she really feels about her hometown, the only thing she can do is go home to repair the damage. When word gets out in the town meeting that she will be coming to Adelaide Springs for a week to make amends the older folks are not too happy about it. The youngest in the meeting, Sebastian says he will chaperone her and the crew (Orley) around town. After all, this can be great publicity for Adelaide Springs.
When Brynn and Orley meet Sebastian, they don’t exactly hit it off. Sebastian is defensive and just wants to get it over with and Brynn is, well being Brynn. Brynn’s act of being America’s sweetheart is over and now she needs to figure out how to break down Sebastian’s wall and make everything better so she can get back to New York. With a little advice from Orley, she decides to just be herself and not fake her way through the week.
Sebastian notices Brynn’s attitude adjustment and admits when she is just being herself, she is amazing. Through adventures like Sebastian helping Brynn out of a tree, and breaking news that finds Sebastian being a reporter again, one thing is certain their lives will never be the same again. They realize they have feelings for each other that they can’t ignore.
My thoughts:
First, Adelaide Springs sounds like a Hallmark Movie, and I must admit I would watch it! Second, this book cover- swoon. Okay, back to the story, I like the main characters, they are real. One is not better than the other. This isn’t prince charming coming to save the fragile girl. This is a story about two people that have had heartache and trauma in their pasts and having that in common is huge. It also shaped them into the people they are. Brynn is headstrong and defensive because of her childhood. Sebastian is suffering from PTSD of some capacity with a difficult divorce and experiences of being on location as a reporter that have changed him. They also have their love for reporting the news and Adelaide Springs. The connection they find with each other can’t be ignored. The only question is, can the relationship survive the distance, or will someone relocate?
What I enjoyed the most was the banter and pop culture references.
I only wish the romance would have started sooner.

Okay our sunshine character was so unlikable with every pop culture reference she made and just being a total brat. She hated these people from her hometown because of her mom even though they all took care of her? Also back to pop culture references which she does often but can’t remember zayns name from one direction who wasn’t apart of them more than likely and the only poc of the group and I just was raging, it’s minor doesn’t matter but as a former 1d lover it kind of pissed me off. Plus isn’t 1D a little dated reference or? And don’t get me started on calling Julie andrews a snob or pretentious or whatever?! JULIE ANDREWS? I was seething and cursing the author! Do news anchors just get celebrities phone numbers? Sebastian stan really? Aint no way! I was baffled more than focusing on the romance. Anyways I didn’t mind the grumpy hero Sebastian. Their like for each other happened a little too instantly for me. practically nothing was filmed in the hometown and felt that got lost. Plus does Brynn just not own a phone to google or have an inquisitive bone in her body as a supposed journalist? It didn’t work. Even the second half which was better, still did not make me like brynn anymore, and it’s crazy Sebastian did either.

Thanks natgalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. All thought are my own.

Audio was fine no issues and narrator was great.

Long story short, I couldn’t put this book down! With the gentle reminder that we never really know what someone is going through, following Brynn and Sebastian as they navigate a complicated relationship drew me in from the beginning. I loved the small town charm, big dreams, and lessons learned.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other was an enjoyable read. This is a small town, enemies to lovers story.

Brynn is a co-host of a morning show and has been the girl next door that everyone loves. But she shortly falls from grace when everyone thinks they are off the air and she is actually recorded speaking badly about her hometown. She now has to go back to her hometown with her cameraman to make nice with the people she hurt when this happened and try to fix her reputation.

Sebastian gets assigned to to help Brynn and her cameraman while she's around town, but he has his own past in the same industry as Brynn and he can quickly see right through her fake persona... Brynn is determined to make nice with the town and Sebastian and revamp her career no matter what.

Overall, the narrator did a really great job and the book was cute and the typical rom come story. I think the feelings between Brynn and Sebastian were rushed and the story focused way too much on Brynn revamping her image, than on her personal growth and the romance with Sebastian.

Thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first advanced copy of an audiobook, which I listened to along with the ebook. I would like to thank both Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing me with the copies in exchange for an honest review.

I give Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other a solid 3.75/4 stars. The book reminded me of Book Lovers, but with Nora and Charlie actually hating each other. The audiobook narration was excellent. The story is more about vibes than plot, and, to be honest, Brynn was not an easy character to like or relate to at the beginning. However, I think the author did a good job in developing her character, but the other characters, including Sebastian, could have received more attention.

The epilogue was one of my favorites in a long time.

Don't let the cute cover fool you, this is more than just an enemies to lovers story. It's about self-discovery, facing your fears and coming back home. I'm not afraid to admit that I got choked up a couple of times and even had a tear or two escape.

Some say that this is also considered a grumpy x sunshine but it's more like grumpy x fake-sunshine or even grumpy x2. And while I didn't initially gravitate towards Brynn, after learning her backstory, you understand why and in the end, she redeems herself and ends up being the sunshine she was meant to be.

Overall, I thought this was a great read. Definitely pulled on some unexpected heartstrings.