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.

Thank you NetGalley for this delightful audiobook! I really enjoyed this story. Having grown up in a small town I can understand the feelings Brynn felt seeing her friends again and everyone who supported her and helped mold her into who she is. The love story was cheesy and sweet and just what I needed from this. I would recommend this to friends AND read it again.

First I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Brynn, national morning show cohost, who during her first week on the job gets caught talking poorly about her hometown of Adelaide Springs and ruins her "America's Ray of Sunshine" image. To protect her place on the show she volunteers to go back to her hometown with a camera and show the people of America if the people she expressly spoke ill of can forgive her they can to. Back in Adelaide Springs, the city council decides new import Sebastian will be in charge of Brynn while in town and their first meeting does not go well. As Brynn spends time back in her hometown she is reintroduced to who she was and learns more about Sebastian and why he chose Adelaide Springs.

What I Loved:
- Morning Show, I just adore how the morning show is portrayed as just a façade and how Brynn has to has this persona even though its not really who she is
- Adelaide Springs, I would love to go visit this little town and the fact that they have a revolutionary war reenactments made me laugh out loud
- Sebastian, he knows exactly the type of person Brynn is and he doesn't let her get away with anything and I just LOVE those type of characters
- Enemies to Lovers, I'm a sucker for this trope and this book did a great job with the build up and how they enemies at first meet
- Dual POV, I think multiple POV stories brings so much and this book was no different also the narrator did a great job with differentiating between the two character chapters too

This was a easy listening audiobook with a great enemies to lovers romance set in a very cute small Colorado town. If you ware looking for an easy read with great characters, personal growth, romance and some comedy on the side then I would absolutely recommend this book to you.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is an enemies-to-lovers romance book that was honestly extremely frustrating.

The title puts the two main characters against each other but I really failed to see why. Brynn made it big as a morning show anchor. She has a slip-up with a hot mic and says some not nice things about the small town she grew up in, Adelaide Springs. This directly contradicted her image the station had for her and she needed to go back to her hometown and get footage of her making amends and being forgiven.

Sebastian is a former field reporter who disappeared from the spotlight and has been living in Adelaide Springs for the past six years. He was tasked with babysitting Brynn and showing her around. They were both immediately rude to each other which I didn’t understand but what was more confusing to me was why Brynn needed a tour guide for her hometown, especially when the guide was not from that town.

Brynn is trying to rebuild her image and make it look like she is the wonderful person the station portrays her as. The only problem is part of the book is from her POV so we get her thoughts. She is rude and it’s hard to root for her.

What absolutely saved this book for me was the epilogue. This was one of the cutest epilogues I have experienced in a book like this. If the entire book was like this we would have a different conversation and I would have loved the entire book.

If you like enemies-to-lovers books then check this one out. In my opinion, the epilogue alone makes it worth it.

More like 2.5 stars rounded up.
If the book blurb seems a little muddled, the book is even more so. And it’s not just the fact that the blurb right off the bat ruins the reveal of Sebastian’s hostility towards Brynn--that he sees her as a superficial diva and not as a journalist. Taking the story at face value, it’s just everybody being mean towards each other for meanness sake.

Mind you, Brynn asks for it. If you're on an All-Sweetness-and-Light mission, perhaps not snap at everyone in your path before you make it on camera. (And actually film stuff when moments work in your favor.)
But Sebastian doesn’t make himself any more likable to the reader than she does. And their antics that make us find them so unlikable carry on for a little too long. The title should read “Brynn and Sebastian Are Hated By Everyone.”

Life in a small mountain town, Seb’s heartbreaking backstory as a war correspondent--all lose their power due to pacing that’s a little off. And instead of a gradual transition from enemies to lovers--although, as a clean read, there’s not much to the “lovers” part--it's like a switch has flipped, making it even tougher for the reader to accept the plot so far--at least it did for me.

But we’ll see what future novels hold.

When Brynn slips up at work she manages to turn an entire town against her.
Unfortunately this is also the town she grew up in, the town filled with her childhood friends, the town filled with the people who raised her and looked out for her, it is also home to newcomer Sebastian Sudworth.
Brynn must win over the town if she wants to fix her reputation and keep her job.

This book was a cute enough read, but not for me.
There was very little substance and I found myself bored and predicting the paragraphs as I read them.
The characters left much to be desired and the relationship between Brynn and Sebastian felt hallow and and boring.
Unfortunately this one was a miss for me.

So…… 3 stars. There was so much wasted potential in this book that kept it from being “great” instead of “enjoyable.”

My two biggest / only gripes:
-The town forgave Brynn way too quickly & easily for how furious they were at her. Yes even considering that they collectively consider her “their” daughter. I wish we had seen more tough conversations.
-Sebastian had so much unexplored depth, I wish we had seen more of his inner turmoil than we did.

This is funny, quick-to-read ride about my favourite trope “enemies to lovers”!
When the rising TV star Brynn succesfully compromises her career by revealing her mean side when unknowingly being live, the best damage control solution is also the hardest - to go back to her Colorado small town which she actively shamed in her live talk to gain the forgiveness. Little she knows that she will really touch her roots here...because her true heart is not the one of s fake sunshine superstar, but the hurt girl behind all that glitter, who needs acceptance, uncompromising love and the hint of that mountain beauty and peace. And there is Sebastian, who might need the chance for the true acceptance as well.

This is definitely fun and cute read. The banter is crazily funny, livid and intelligent; the storytelling is vivid and charming and the sparks between the characters are SO real (and hot, lets be true here). Ms Turner might be my favourite Christian rom-com authoress of nowadays because she simply can write sparky romance!

But...this read also might go much deeper. Everything is solved lightly, there is no catharsis, no fight, no real growth. Brynn definitely has past issues which are touched very lightly. And the love is also found very lightly. But life is no Hallmark movie.

But still, the sparks are the best; much can be forgiven for that! And for Orly, the Black Catholic cameram sidekick, who is really my favourite character here.

I also hope that this is the start of a series, because there are many stories waiting to be told in that smalltown!

The narration was fine, it quite enhanced the fun of this novel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The opinions in the review are my own.

From the moment Brynn put her foot in her mouth on air and dragged her hometown in the process, I was a goner. Throw into the mix the grumpy sunshine reclusive ex-journalist with the smoldering glances and 24/7 babysitting he has to do while she's back home to fix the mess? Yea -- this was perfection.

I usually cringe when the main characters keep making an ass of themselves but Brynn made it so easy to transition from one cringe-worthy moment to the next with an emmy-award winning performance.

No spoilers here but if this becomes a series and we get to go back to that sleepy little town and find out what happens with Layla and Cole — sign me up for that one too.

What drew me to this novel was that it had an interesting premise that I hadn’t read before. Brynn is a news anchor on what we might think of as a GMA or Today show. When she accidentally says something snarky about her small hometown on air, she’s sent back to her hometown to do damage control and find a way to get back in America’s good graces. While there, she meets Sebastian who not only has a past in journalism, but is the town councilman. Though I loved the premise, there were a few things that didn’t land for me. Brynn was a very entitled and selfish character with little redeemable qualities. I see what the author was trying to do with her “why” behind her actions, but the mother’s storyline was way too underdeveloped. I also found the relationship to be forced. There was no chemistry until suddenly the main character begin to like each other. I wish there were more development in the characters and storyline. I especially was hoping for more of a connection to Brynn. This had loads of potential but fell flat on execution. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson audio for the advance listen.

Brynn is America’s Sunshine - the morning show cohost everyone would want to be, or be with. But when Brynn unknowingly bashes her tiny hometown and shatters her perfect image, she’d definitely rather be anyone else. Sent back to her hometown after 20 years away to bring back footage that will endear her to her viewers again, she encounters Sebastian - a new beloved resident who is making this visit much harder than expected.

When I say I love a small town setting, this is exactly what I mean. A township filled with residents who can spread news(but mostly gossip) within minutes, spend their time congregating in the local establishments like clockwork, and who are always looking out for each other? Yes please.

Mix that setting with two headstrong people who are too busy butting heads to realize that they’re falling for each other? That’s the ticket!

I really enjoyed this book, and the narrator did a good job of embodying these characters.

Not a fan of the way this was written. The dual POVS made this difficult to follow. One is in first and one is in third.

Although Brynn does make some improvements and develop as a character, I just couldn’t get past how she acted in the first half of the book. Someone had to advise her to be an actual kind person instead of pretending to be one. She was so rude and a brat. I wasn’t feeling the romance. It just fell flat for me. Sebastian was just not swoony enough for me.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner


I had a hard time liking Brynn but by the ending I forgot all about it, especially with Sebastian being one of the cutest book bfs. Overall it was a sweet, heartwarming small town read; this story had emotional moments, mixed with fun and humour. I enjoyed this for a weekend relaxing read, as I’m a sucker for grumpy sunshine tropes.

This book was a typical enemies to lovers plot. I liked the second half of the book better than the first. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief for a few things. However, at the end I liked the setting and characters better. Charming ending. I would recommend for rom-com lovers. I would rate this book three out of five stars.

I thought this book was just adorable. It was just what I needed. A little enemies to lovers with a lot of pining by the male MC. Brynn is caught on national TV shaming the town she grew up in, now she is going back there to make amends. Sebastian left the spotlight and retired to Brynn's little hometown, and took great offense in her slander. He wants the town to be put on the map, so when he hears she is coming back there for an expose and to apologize, he thinks it is just what the town needs.
Too bad he is the one who has to cart her all over and babysit her. What he doesn't bank on is getting to know the real Brynn, the one the town knows is still there, under all of her hard exterior. When she comes into town, he thinks she is just a stuck up TV personality, but he doesn't count on seeing all of her scars and relating to her more than he would like.
I loved the way these two grew together, opened up about their past and communicated. I really loved that there was no third act break up, and once they were together, they were cemented. If you are looking for a cute, quick read with lots of love, pick this up.
I loved living this book through its narration! It was perfect.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Bethany Turner and Netgalley.