3.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Audio, and Bethany Turner for this ARC of "Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other", in exchange for an honest review!

Our MC, Brynn, is a "sunny morning show host", though that's just her TV persona. The love intrest, Sebastian is a "cynical ex-reporter".
Them meeting force them both to face the past they tried to escape.

It all start with Brynn having exposed her small town sunshine persona as fake on live TV, Brynn is forced to return home to her hometown Adeline Spring to fake an redemption ARC to win back her viewers or possibly lose her future on the screen.
Sebastian, forced to act like her tour guide, sees right through her act and they immediately dislike eachother. However after some time spent togheter... well, its a romance, what did you expect?

I'll admit, I requested the ARC because of the title. Enemies to Lovers of one of my favorite tropes. However perhaps I'm more of a fantasy Enemies to Lovers fan, or Rivals to Lovers. And this did not feel like either.

While I did enjoy the book, I also struggled to get into it, but that also might be because of the reading slump I've found myself in.

This book follows the grumpy-sunshine trope. But the sunshine character is actually also a grump. I liked Sebastian but struggled with Brynn's character. Brynn heads back to her hometown after an embarrassing on-air moment that has fans calling for her to be fired. Her goal is to show them she really is the sweet girl they thought she was. Sebastian is the council member tasked with "babysitting" her on the trip. This book was fine but there are better ones out there.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an audiobook ARC of this book. I saw this book in a post on social media as a fun enemies to lovers book, so I was happy to give it a try. This story follows Brynn, a morning show host, returning to her small town after publicly insulting the town and it's residents. She is looking for forgiveness to save her career. Sebastian is a former journalist, who now resides in the town Brynn publicly defamed and loves it dearly for being a refuge when he retired from his stressful job.

The enemies part is fun, with the two characters genuinely disliking each other and not holding back on letting each other know. The first few chapters are just about the event that causes them to meet. It's like a slow moving train of second hand embarrassment, which could have been summarized in a flashback.

The story is written as a dual perspective novel, but the tense changes between dual narrative was jarring. Brynn was 1st person, Sebastian was 3rd. The change never failed to pull me out of the story and I don't really get the choice to do this, but it's an interesting one.

Brynn is a tough sell! She is immature and mean. This character is supposed to be in her thirties, but reads like a 22 YO. The precipitating event is of her going off about how dumb her hometown is, but she goes further than generally saying she doesn't like it by insulting the people. Later in the book, we learn how loving and supportive the people of the town have been to her and her words seemed so much worse. The only person of color in this book is used as Brynn's Jiminy Cricket conscience telling her to be a good person. He does get a lot of back story, but then drops out of the story once the Brynn starts being an adult.

In addition to my dislike of the FMC, there were a lot of HP references (more than 2!) and, honestly, is it possible to stop this? It feels stale to me and maybe also cringy because of how problematic JKR has been in recent years? Maybe it's just me.

I am no stranger to the cartoon cover with the heavy topics, but this one really tried to hang onto it's cartoon origins. There are many vague references to child abuse and neglect as well as genocide, but these topics are background, handled with little sensitivity. In contrast, the anxiety rep and PTSD as well as portrayals of therapy feel positive and realistic.

This book was a miss for me, but if you like small town romance and enemies to lovers, this might be the book for you.

#BrynnandSebastianHateEachOther #NetGalley

I liked this romance more than I thought I would, because I don't usually read G rated romances. I really liked the Colorado setting (having lived there for a long time). The beauty of the place and the down-to-earth centered-ness of the small town folks felt very real. The pop culture references throughout the book were also really fun. The biggest drawback from my perspective was the main female character who I really didn't like for the majority of the book. It might have worked better for me if we got hints of her backstory earlier so that we could sympathize with her more.

I would recommend this to readers who like clean small-town romances.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Cute, easy read! I love the enemies to lovers trope! The character build was good, though I wish there was just a little more.

I hate to say this, but I wasn’t a fan of this book. The grumpy x sunshine came across as grumpy x depressed. The FMC is completely unlikable. I could not find a single aspect of her that wasn’t arrogant, egotistical, or selfish. She really only cared about herself.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other takes the readers to a delightful and heartwarming contemporary romance that explores tropes like redemption, second chances, and the unexpected connections that can bloom even in the most unlikely circumstances.

Meet Brynn Cornell, a former cohost of the beloved morning show Sunup and the embodiment of America's ray of sunshine. She's the girl-next-door who radiates positivity and charm, boosting TV ratings with her trademark poise. But when a colossal on-air blunder exposes her snarky side to the world, her career crashes and her image is tarnished. In a desperate attempt to salvage both, she returns to her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado. Her mission: to apologize to her viewers and capture feel-good footage that portrays her as a humble girl grateful for her big break. However, returning home also means confronting painful memories she's long avoided.

Sebastian Sudworth, once a rising star in journalism, has vanished from the spotlight under mysterious circumstances. Seeking refuge in the quiet town of Adelaide Springs, he blends in as a regular mountain town resident, hiding from his past. When Sebastian is assigned to chauffeur Brynn around town, he's skeptical of her carefully crafted, sunny persona. Brynn, on the other hand, is determined to win him over and save her career.

As Brynn and Sebastian navigate their complicated relationship, they must confront their own pasts, secrets, and the undeniable chemistry that simmers beneath the surface. Can they overcome their initial disdain for each other and recognize that love might be waiting where they least expect it?

The storytelling is a perfect blend of humour, heart, and relatability. She creates characters who are flawed yet endearing, making readers cheer for their happiness. "Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other" is not just a tale of romance but also a story of personal growth and self-acceptance. It captures the essence of second chances and the transformative power of love. Bethany Turner's narrative is filled with witty banter, genuine emotion, and the heartwarming belief that even the most unexpected love stories can bloom in the unlikeliest of places.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
If you enjoy an enemies-to-lovers book, this one will not disappoint. It was a quick listen and helped me pass the time while doing those household chores!
3.5 stars for me

I really enjoyed this audiobook!
The narrator Talon David did a wonderful job at keeping me entertained, and was really great at differentiating between characters with unique voices.
The story was funny and cute! I was worried I would have trouble with Brynn because of how rude and entitled she is, but she redeemed herself in the end.
Overall this was a great enemies to lovers audiobook that made me swoon

I got to meet Bethany Turner and hear her talk about this book when it was still in its idea stage, and I was glad for a chance to review the audiobook now that the story is out in the world.

Morning show host Brynn Cornell lands herself in big trouble when she's caught in a hot mic moment blasting her hometown—the one she left almost 20 years ago without a backward glance. Knowing she needs to restore herself in their graces, she sets off for a journey of patching things up, but she packs one thing that isn't going to help her: a terrible attitude.

Sebastian Sudworth has found a haven in Adelaide Springs, and who is this lightweight faux journalist to throw shade on their traditions, and then to blow in like an entitled princess? But he's stuck ferrying her around town, even though they clash like baking soda and vinegar.

I do enjoy a small town setting with plenty of quirkiness, and Adelaide Springs provides that in spades. I understood from the beginning that Brynn was written to be unlikable, but even so, she's a bit insufferable at times. Some of the things that happened seemed too implausible even for suspension of disbelief, and I noticed the lack of faith arc.

However, the characters are very deep and well-developed, and the more you get to know them the more they will touch your heart. The depth really was the shining star of this novel, and it gave some wonderful moments that took me by surprise with their meaning. If you enjoy this type of story, I would recommend this one to you.

I received my copy of the audiobook from NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own.

4.5 ⭐️ Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is a thoroughly enjoyable clean romance (and this is coming from someone who says she’s not a romance reader, mind you). The book is published by Thomas Nelson, who seem to still consider themselves a Christian publishing house, (although I’m not sure I do, but that’s a story for another time). There isn’t a faith element in this book, as there is in many of Turner’s other books, and that’s one thing I found lacking in BASHEO.

The book summary describes Brynn as a “sunny morning-show host”, but that’s a bit misleading. While Brynn’s work persona IS that of sunny morning-show host, that isn’t her day to day persona. In actuality, she’s insecure, judgmental, and sometimes downright rude. When Brynn returns to her hometown and immediately sticks her foot in her mouth, it’s Sebastian, a guy with his own issues, that her life becomes entangled with.

What I like about this book:
-It’s clean in terms of both language and sexual content
-It showcases two imperfect characters who experience great character growth yet aren’t magically “perfect” by the end of the story
-It allows Turner’s authorial voice to show through, including pop-culture references from previous decades, which is one of the things I love about her work.

In terms of the audiobook, the creators chose a perfect narrator. Her voice was a great fit for the characters, her inflection lent authenticity to the story, and she pronounced words correctly. (Is anyone else bothered when audiobook narrators mispronounce words??) Overall a great quality audiobook that I definitely recommend.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other. I was a little worried at first that I wouldn't like Brynn because she was a bit of a brat. However, as her backstory was told and the story progressed, so did Brynn. We became friends. I liked Sebastian almost from the very beginning. The other characters in the story really made the book come to life as well. The author made fun references to movies and music that made me smile. I loved the ending. It was a super fun way to end the book.
I listened to the book and the narrator did a fantastic job.
*I was given a copy of the audio version of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

This book gave me everything I wanted. If it had been Christmas related(which it had the perfect setting for) it would have been the BEST! I hated Brynn going after the first few chapters she seemed unnecessarily cruel and I was not for it. I think the small town really was what I enjoyed most. They didn’t care that she poo-pooed on them. They just missed her and felt bad she had such a crappy childhood. The love story behind it all was a good one, but the love story between her and the town is what really shined.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and grumpy meets sunshine and this book had both of those!

This is one of those tropes that I either fall head over heels in love with or put down quietly with a sad little sigh that it just wasn't meant for me. If you are into super unlikeable characters and quintessential mean girls, it could very well work for you. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it.

I enjoyed this book. It was light, easy, and warm. The characters really grow on you especially considering how unlikeable Brynn is in the beginning of the story. Sebastian is an easier character to love since we see him being kind and genuine from the beginning.
I really like that they share a history in journalism and are able to find common ground in both that and their love for the people in Adelaide Springs (despite Brynn’s initial claims of disliking them at first).
What I took issue with was the pacing of the book. It felt like things moved way too fast which made the character development a bit hard to believe. Brynn had only been in Adelaide Springs for a week and suddenly she loves it there? I don’t buy it. I also would have liked to see more scenes of Sebastian and Brynn warming up to each other. The scenes that we do get are great but I felt like I needed more.

I rated this book 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brynn and Sebastian hate each other. She is an on air co-host to a morning wake up show and he used to be a reporter. He now lives in her hometown while she’s in the big city. One day Brynn didn’t realize the commercial break was over and Brynn accidentally was truthful with her co-host and saying bad things about her hometown. Well she was live and she lost her image by saying what she said. Now she had to go to her hometown to apologize and “reconnect” to her old friends. This is where she meets Sebastian. They fight instantly and have to learn to be nice to each other. We all know this trope and I love it!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC audiobook. The narrator did a great job telling the story. I enjoyed the bickering between Brynn and Sebastian. I also liked how she had to redeem herself in her hometown. I liked how Sebastian had to face his fears. I do wish there was a little more romance.

This Audiobook was so slow-moving that I almost did not finish it it was narrated by Talon David. The first half of the book was so slow, and I felt like nothing happened. The first chapter sets the tone for the entire story, and it also sets up Brynn Cornell as a character who is rude, disrespectful, annoying, selfish and a brat. Sebastian has a chip on his shoulder that hardly changes throughout he is bossy and arrogant. The second half of the book was better, and I wish that it was that consistent throughout the book.

As it was hard to connect with the characters I could not get into the grove of the story at any point. Simply was not a story for me but I wish the author well. From the blurb, I thought it would be a great read for me but sorry it was not.

Thank you NetGalley, publishers and author for allowing me to listen to an advance copy of this book.

I really wanted to love this book more, I think I expected something more fun. Enemies to lovers is definitely a favorite trope of mine but this didn’t quite get there for me

This was a cute enemies to lovers troupe. I did feel it was a little long and using the same narrator for the male perspective as well as female threw me off a little, but she did a good job. The audio was enjoyable. I loved the back stories of all the characters. The addition of the hometown and a runaway with PTSD was an interesting twist.
Can’t say it was my favorite but it’s a solid story.