This small-town Colorado romance delivers a delightful blend of humor, heart, and classic romantic tropes. Centered around an enemies-to-lovers story, the book features Brynn—initially a bit of a “mean girl” sunshine—and Sebastian, the quintessential grump. At first, neither the reader nor Sebastian is particularly fond of Brynn, and her sharper edges definitely provoke a few eye rolls. But as the story progresses, her character softens in meaningful ways, making her growth genuinely satisfying to watch.

The dynamic between the leads is a twist on the familiar grumpy x sunshine trope, where both characters are equally flawed and occasionally frustrating—but that’s part of the charm. Their banter and emotional tension lead to some hilarious moments, as well as more tender, heartfelt scenes that balance out the comedy.

With vivid descriptions of the hometown setting and strong Hallmark-movie vibes, this book is a cozy, feel-good read. It may start off a bit rocky with some prickly personalities, but stick with it—it’s well worth the ride.

If you’re in the mood for a fun, small-town romance with some great banter, Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is a solid pick. It’s got an enemies-to-lovers vibe, but honestly, it feels more like “mildly annoyed to lovers” rather than full-on hatred.

Brynn is a morning show host whose career crashes after a PR disaster, so she’s basically forced to go back to her hometown for damage control. That’s where she meets Sebastian, a grumpy ex-journalist who wants nothing to do with her or the attention she brings. They’re stuck spending time together, and of course, the tension slowly turns into something more.

The book is fast-paced, and the humor really makes it shine. Brynn starts off pretty unlikable, but her character growth is well done, and Sebastian balances her out with his broody, quiet charm. The romance develops quickly, so if you love a slow burn, this might feel a little rushed but it still delivers on the chemistry and emotional moments.

Overall, it’s a fun, easy read with a mix of humor, heart, and small-town charm. If you like opposites-attract romances with great dialogue, this one’s worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me with an eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Why was this so cute? I'm obsessed with Turner's witty dialogue and sassy characters! Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other was so good! Definitely rom-com-y but with a lot of depth and heart as well. The friends to enemies storyline was done so well and I loved the small town vibes. Turner sets up the cast of characters so well for the sequels and I'm excited to read the rest of the series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the #gifted book!*

While I enjoyed the premise of this book, this one was not my favorite. Brynn’s character just irked me. And the plot seemed to take a long time to develop. There was a little too much inner dialogue for my liking.

I think many readers will enjoy this book, and I’d love to give Bethany’s books a try in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the e-book copy!

I went into this with high hopes as I like enemies-to-lovers stories especially if they are set in small towns. I just did not click with this title at all. I found the female lead to be a bit annoying. I had to DNF in the end but I would be open to giving this author another chance.

El titulo, eso fue lo que inicialmente me atrajo a este libro. Y sí, realmente se odiaban. Tanto que, cuando había avanzado tres cuartas partes del libro, me preguntaba cuándo llegaría el giro. Y entonces apareció, de manera muy repentina y bastante tarde en la historia. Se sintió forzado y un poco incómodo. Para mí, hubo demasiada construcción para un final feliz muy débil. El desenlace se resolvió demasiado rápido y de forma descuidada. Mucho ocurrió en los últimos capítulos, y fue demasiado poco, demasiado tarde.
Brynn es un personaje interesante. A primera vista, es caprichosa y desagradable. Pero, a medida que profundizas en su historia, comprendes las razones detrás de su actitud y descubres su profundidad. Me gusta que no sea la típica protagonista femenina que encontrarías en este tipo de historia, aunque creo que no será bien recibida por la mayoría. De hecho, no comencé a simpatizar con ella hasta casi el final del libro.
En general, me costó engancharme a esta historia debido a su comienzo lento, su final apresurado y sus personajes poco agradables. Había demasiado odio y no suficiente romance para ser un libro romántico.

The book was okay but I had a hard time liking the characters, specifically Brynn. She wasn’t relatable and was generally annoying. I also wasn’t a fan of the writing style, in that Brynn’s chapters were in first person but Sebastian’s were in third. I also don’t really feel like it was a true enemies-to-lovers book if they second they’re alone they like each other. Otherwise I thought the book way okay.

Sebastian was definitely not the only one who did not like Byrnn at the beginning of this book. While she had moments of light clarity there were sometimes, my literal eye roll could not be held. I did enjoy seeing the progression of her character as well as her relationships with the others and especially Sebastien. I think I'm in need of a mountain vacation sometime soon after this read.

The banter!!

Brynn and Sebastian were two peas in a pod, headstrong characters whose lives turned upside down.
I liked the concept of the girl from a small town being forced to return from the big city and learn from her 'mistakes'. I adore this trope in movies and I liked it here! The grumpy sunshine element was in full force and I actually was leaning towards to liking Sebastian more than Brynn.
Brynn was a bit hard for me to totally love. She had some annoying qualities.
The saving grace was the banter and how the two main characters played off of each other in the end!

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other was such an easy fun book to read! I really enjoyed the banter between the main characters and their journey to really get to know one another - rather than just judge each other by their snarky comments and assumptions. The author throws in so many fun pop culture references that added to my enjoyment of this book. As someone who loves Colorado (and once lived there) - I really appreciated the setting of this book and the references to its history.
This is my first book by Bethany Turner and I don't think it will be my last. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I have really enjoyed Bethany Turner's previous books. In Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, I think I could have loved it a little more than I did. I struggled with the characters some. While it was a cute concept, it just wasn't my favorite execution.

Fun enemies to lovers
It was interesting to see the attitude adjustments of Brynn and Sebastian in this story. Brynn grew a lot and it was great to see how her past made her who she was, even though she tried to run away. The journalism touches were great and added depth and purpose to the story.

This was a sweet romance, I'd rate PG for kissing.

REVIEW: Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other was an enjoyable read! It's one of those "enemies to lovers" stories, but it's done well. Brynn and Sebastian used to be besties as kids, but now they can't stand each other. Then, they have to work together.

The banter between Brynn and Sebastian is hilarious. They're constantly snapping at each other, which made me laugh out loud a bunch of times. But it's not just all snark; there's some real heart to the story, too. As they spend more time together, you see why they were friends in the first place, and you get to see them work through some stuff from their past. It's not just a fluffy rom-com; there's some real emotion there.

I'm not giving it a full five stars because there were a few times when I thought, "Just talk to each other already!" You know how it is in these kinds of books—sometimes the miscommunication drags on a little too long. But honestly, it wasn't a huge deal.

Overall, if you're looking for a lighthearted and funny romance with good chemistry and emotional depth, you should check this one out. It's perfect for a beach read or just sitting on the couch.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson-—FICTION | Thomas Nelson for sending me a free copy for my honest review.

This was a heartwarming read that bound the concept of love and hate. I really liked following Brynn and Sebastian and their chemistry. Their banter is witty and engaging, making it impossible to put the book down. The story is filled with humor, romance, and unexpected twists that keep you hooked until the very end. It’s a perfect blend of enemies-to-lovers and small-town charm, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This book was, unfortunately, a major disappointment. It was super hard for me to get into the storyline, and I honestly wasn't impressed with the FMC or the MMC.

It really isn't a stretch to say that the first 75% or more of the book felt like the author wanted us to detest Brynn. She was super rude, whiny, kind of bratty and just all around self-centered. To be clear, Sebastian wasn't great. He was a vast improvement over Brynn, to be sure, but I still thought he was kind of insufferable. Having PTSD is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and I'm not sure why he was hiding the fact that he had a service dog. Additionally, I DEFINITELY don't believe that he decided to open up about his PTSD to Brynn, of all people. You literally can't convince me of that.

Along the lines of things I don't believe: the last 25% of the book was all of a sudden about the romance that we were expected to believe spontaneously (and I do mean spontaneously as there was no lead up to it) happened between Brynn and Sebastian. I have zero idea where the romance came from, and I definitely didn't buy into it. They were suddenly all about each other, and the whole ending felt super rushed.

I always make it a point to read other reviews both before and after I read a book. It was very discouraging to see that the literal author for this book stated in a review that she didn't fully love the book until she listened to the audiobook...what? How am I supposed to love this book when you yourself didn't you listened to it?

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Bethany Turner for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own (and I wish they were more favorable).

DNF- I couldn't stand that it switched back and forth from first to third so I just could not read any more

This book is a charming tale of unexpected love. The setting is vibrant and enchanting, making it easy to get lost in the story. The protagonists start off as unlikely pairings, but their journey together is filled with sweet moments and growth. It’s a lovely reminder that love can blossom in the most surprising situations!

This was a fun book! I always love the trope of when two characters are forced together and initially do not get along and through some machinations end up falling in love in the process! I know that many reviewers were not big fans of Brynn in the beginning but I liked her quirky character and liked the complexity of Sebastian's character. It is definitely a book I would recommend to friends!

Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy!

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I’ve tried a few times to read it but I think I have to finally say it’s going to be a DNF.

Normally I love a grumpy/sunshine small town romance but I hated Brynn so I just couldn’t get in to the story at all.

I won’t be reviewing elsewhere as I didn’t finish the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit I had trouble getting into this book at first.

I think the character descriptions in the blurb got switched, somehow. Brynn, who is supposed to be a ray of sunshine on network tv is actually, grumpy, and judgmental. Sebastian who is supposed to be grumpy, is actually pretty funny and down to earth. I get being assertive, but Brynn comes off more as shrill. She’s not remorseful at all at the beginning for insulting her hometown on a network morning show.

But as I kept reading, I learned why Brynn was the way she was and why Sebastian as the way he was as well, and I say bravo for the in-depth character development.

Overall I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more titles by Bethany Turner.