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.

Brynn and Sebastian hate each other was an enjoyable rollercoaster.

Brynn is a host for a sunny morning-show and her tv persona is this sweet and kind girl that loves everyone when in reality she is much more opinionated (and to be honest a brat) than what she is forced to show.
One a mistake uncovers her real personality and she is force to visit her tiny hometown she left twenty years prior to make amends.
There she meets Sebastian, the only newcomer in the city since she left. Everyone seems to like him but the two immediately dislike each other.

For the first 57% of the book I HATED Brynn. She was disrespectful, unpolite and generally a brat, so much so that I wanted to slap her in the face every time she opened her mouth, but as the story unravels she begins to open up with the city, her old friends and Sebastian and I really enjoyed the last 43%.
I think it is very unusual to have the main character so unlikable but all worked by the end.
Sebastian, on the other end, was perfect since page 1 and I loved him instantly.

I think the timeline of this book was a little rushed…
Everything takes place in the span of a week and this should be ´enemies to lovers ´ meaning they are actually enemies for like three days.

Cute, easy to listen to enemies-to-lovers!
Would’ve liked more detail of Brynn’s past with her mom. Feel like there’s some wasted potential on a deeper emotional connection with the reader there.
Absolutely fell in love with Adelaide Springs! Totally ready for some additional novels centering around the supporting characters.

Synopsis: Brynn Cornell was riding high as cohost of the popular morning show Sunup. Known as America's Ray of Sunshine who drives up TV ratings with positivity and poise, that is until a HUGE on-air mistake tanks that image in seconds. Now she’s back in the one place she never wanted to return- her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, attempting to convince viewers and the people she publicly trashed that she isn't the mean girl she portrayed. But this town holds painful memories that she’s not ready to face. Sebastian Sudworth was on the fast track to the journalist hall of fame. Until one day he broke and vanished from the scene without a word. Sebastian sought refuge in tiny Adelaide Springs, working odd jobs and trying to blend in as a scruffy mountain town citizen. When Sebastian is assigned to chauffeur Brynn around town, Brynn is sure he can see right through her carefully cultivated persona. But Brynn is determined to charm him. Easier said than done. Can these two learn to see eye to eye? Can Brynn win the town back over and by proxy, the public? Does she even want to get back to the morning show circuit?

My Thoughts:
I loved reading this. It was quick; it was easy; it was fun. The banter is witty. I rolled my eyes many times, and I even laughed out loud. The leads seem to hate each other's guts before they even meet, and they are frankly mean to each other. It kind of caught me off guard how mean at first. But once I got over my disbelief in that, it was a fun ride. I love a grump Sunshine storyline, two (momentary) grumps are honestly a fun spin. The small town backdrop is cozy. It's practically a character of its own. It's an honest conversation about privilege, upbringing, the costs of fame, and figuring out what you want out of your life take place. And the ending has its own massively enjoyable payoff.

I honestly considered DNFing this one. Brynn is AWFUL for the first half of the book. The plot needs her to be unsympathetic, but she was so bad, I wanted to quit. But- IT GETS BETTER. The second half is much, much better. Enough to willingly read through the beginning? I am not sure. But it turned around enough for me to go from about to quit to 3 stars. (The second half deserves 4, but I can't go higher than 3 based on the beginning)

Brynn is a morning show anchor. After an on-air gaff where her open-microphone inadvertently broadcasts her poor opinion of her hometown, she goes back to make amends. Sebastian is tasked with being her babysitter/escort around town. Sebastian moved to the small Colorado town six years ago looking to escape. And he does not like that Brynn spoke so poorly of the town he has come to love. They instantly clash. But as Brynn spends more time in town, she realizes she has good memories and still cares for a lot of the people.

Talon David narrates the audiobook and does a good job. No complaints about the narration. Even though it is told in dual POVs, it was easy to follow whether Sebastian or Brynn were narrating.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tough one for me - it was well written, had good pacing, and the overall concept was great.

The hard part was that FMC was wholly unlikeable, and I didn’t buy the romance or attraction. It was purely proximity and nothing else. Just because two folks have/had public facing careers, are emotionally damaged, and are in the same town doesn’t mean they’re going to be set up for a happily ever after. I just don’t buy it.

To be a reporter in war zones, MMC would have to be much more emotionally mature than FMC ever showed herself to be. She acted like a 16 year old girl lashing out nearly the entire book. It just didn’t work for me.

I will give this author another try though.

3.5⭐, 0.5🌶️

This was a cute, and sweet reflective book of Brynn coming back to her small town to make amends for making a judgmental statement of the town on live national television. When Sebastian sees Brynn for the fake personality she portrays on-air, the two clash until Brynn finally learns to be authentic, and address what her old problems of the town really are, as well as learning more of Sebastian's mysterious reasons for moving to this town after a famed professional career.

I wasn't the best fan of this book because I didn't connect much with the characters, but I truly enjoyed Brynn's coming to terms with her old life and the trauma she dealt with as a child, that had her running away. The pop culture references were cute at first, but felt a bit too frequent as well. Overall, anyone that like a slow burn, clean romance will enjoy this more than me, I think.

I wasn't the greatest fan of one narrator narrating a dual POV book, but Talon did a great job for what its worth!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an ALC of Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, written by Bethany Turner, and narrated by Talon David.