I thoroughly enjoyed Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other! With a title like that I knew it would be fun. I love romantic comedies by the talented and funny Bethany Turner. In the case of Brynn and Sabastian, thankfully first impressions are not always right. A funny and heartwarming journey for two people who are more alike than they think.

The story begins with a damning comment about her hometown caught on live TV changing the love for Brynn, "America's Ray of Sunshine". Brynn is sent home with a camera crew to make things right. Does she really want to, or is it just for show? A sweet and funny story with depth and introspection for a rom-com. Best epilogue ever!

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute enemies to lovers book. I really liked the setting of this book. I feel like this is a very run of the mill romance book. But it was really cute.

➳ arc rating: 3 ★

Well, that was charming?!

Brynn And Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner is a rivals to lovers, small town stand-alone rom-com novel.

The story follows Brynn Cornell, a TV cohost, must salvage her career after exposing her real self on air. Returning to her hometown, she meets Sebastian Sudworth, a journalist who's withdrawn from the limelight. Assigned to drive her around, Brynn tries to charm him, leading to a shift from mutual dislike to unexpected attraction.

Where do I start? I really loved Brynn and Sebastian’s first interactions —it was entertaining!

Even though, the storyline started slow and how the author introduces the characters too much before they even meet, it makes the beginning a bit boring. And also, it’s very much of a slowly slow burn, for my liking.

I found it confusing at first how Brynn’s chapters were written in 1st POV and Sebastian’s chapters were in 3rd POV, but you get used to it.

Besides, Brynn’s too immature for being a 37 y/o woman in the beginning and that irritated me.

But, overall, this is a cute book to read plus it’s very well written.

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Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This novel will be coming out on September 5th, 2023.

Bethany Turner never fails to leave me fully entertained with her humorous and sarcastic romantic novels. In Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, readers will embark on a comedic adventure of enemies turned allies. With a fast-moving plot, the battle of wills creates perfect tension as our main characters come to grips with reality, past hurts, and soul-deep transformation.

I enjoyed every minute of this novel. Bethany Turner knows how to deliver a romantic comedy that will delight in every sense!

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Dnf after 57%

I just couldn't stand the MC's in this book. They were behaving very immature and annoying. The start was very slow. Their fight was ridiciolus. This book was just not for me.

“The power of words, I guess, and what the right words could do when combined with a little bit of courage.”

Brynn is ‘America’s Sunshine’ clawing her way to the top, while Sebastian is a world renound investigative journalist who disappeared from the spotlight and never returned. When Brynn says some not-so-nice things about her small hometown on live TV, she rushes home to do some damage control. And who else does she bump into, but Sebastian himself; who has made her old home, his new home.

Enjoyed:❤️
-enemies to lovers with a gradual fade to the lovers part; I’m not a super “insta love” fan so this was a huge plus for me
-decent character development (hated Brynn at first, grew to like her) that, again, occurred gradually
-QUICK read: read it in 2 sittings
-witty banter
-lighthearted with a splash of moral dilemma and a pinch of self crisis made for a mostly lighthearted read with a bit of depth to keep it from being too unrealistic
-nostalgic & relatable as I am from a SUPER small town where I know everyone and everyone knows me, my momma, and my grandma

TLDR; highly recommend this if you’re looking for an enemies to lovers, small town, mountainside rom-com! 🏔️💕

I will definitely be keeping an eye out on @seebethanywrite moving forward! 😍

I really struggled with the FMC. I never really wanted the enemies to become lovers so this was a slog for me. She’s a journalist who makes a massive blunder on-screen about her small town and then must go back to save face. Insert brooding ex-journalist who has to film said apology. It sounded so promising but missed the mark for me.

Bryn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is an enemies to lovers, grumpy meets sunshine rom com that doesn’t quite work. Bryn is a morning show cohost trying to salvage her reputation after an on air gaffe. Sebastian is a former reporter tasked with being her chauffeur while she is in Colorado. Sounds like a recipe for a great rom com but the sunshine character is unlikeable and I found myself rooting against her.

I have such mixed feelings. I wanted to love this one based on the blurb and while it was good, it just wasn't quite it for me. The pop culture references in the book I think aged it a bit. Brynn was so unlikable at first, but the banter between her and Sebastian was perfect, I loved how they irritated each other. Brynn ultimately was redeemable and I did start to like her, but it took quite a bit.

Something that has nothing to do with the writing that I struggled with was the format of the arc. The line breaks mid sentence or even mid word, the publishers logo really big in different places on every other page was distracting and made it hard to get into the story.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

This was such an interesting read. I thought it would be like other enemies-to-lovers contemporary romances but there was more depth to this book than I was expecting.

Although it's an unpopular opinion I do think that I actually need to like the main characters of the book I am reading and, in the beginning, I wasn't sure I was going to like Brynn or Sebastian much at all. But I am so glad that I stuck with reading this the whole way through. Sebastian and Brynn are complex characters who contain multitudes.

I also really loved the townsfolk of Adelaide Springs and I hope we'll hear more about Colt and Leila in the future.

This is a lovely romance but it's also a moving story about confronting one's demons and being your authentic self. A solid 4 star read.

Enemies to lovers...check
Grumpy x sunshine...checK
Overall this story had everything it needed to be great, the mmc was slightly uneatable and annoying but I can overlook that. Overall, I enjoyed the second half more, but I couldn't connect with the heroine. At least Sebastian was a more likable and attachable character. That's why I decided to give it three stars. This is still a good choice for readers who enjoy sweet, small-town romances.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas Nelson and also NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with this book. I wanted to like it so bad, I love a good enemies to lovers story, but I just could not get into this book. Brynn had the worst attitude, I didn't like, and couldn't connect to the character. I actually read half of the book, took a break for a week, and then finished it. I'm glad I finished it because the second half was much better than the first half. I liked the ending, but it seemed like it took too long to get there.

i liked this so much more than i expected, the characters all showed so much growth trough the story and it was so enjoyable to see how they changed in such a positive way

thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner is fun loving romantic-comedy. Brynn Cornell is a morning show host who has made an error and must go back to her home town to make things right. Sebastian Sudworth is an x-reporter in hiding who was used to covering breaking news stories internationally. They both meet in tiny Adelaide Springs, Colorado not particularly fond of the other.

I am a fan of Brynn and Sebastian. I enjoyed their banter, love story, and backstory. The characters in Adelaide Springs were funny, quirky and enjoyable to get to know. It was fun to get a peak into the world of television morning shows and news reporting. The author has an amazing way of bringing in pop culture and making me smile! This lovely setting is in a small town Colorado was fabulous and I just happened to start this while in a small town in Colorado. Destiny!

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Other is a delightful romantic comedy with fun pop culture references, a great small town setting, and sweet romance. It was the reading pick me up I needed. I recommend!

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review!

Another fun (and awkward!) tale from Bethany Turner littered with lots of pop culture and a little snark.

I've enjoyed reading Ms Turner's books since I discovered "The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck" a few years ago. There's just something special and engaging about her writing... and her social media posts are quirky and self-deprecating. 🙊😂

"Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other" kept me entertained and amused from the moment I opened the book and squirmed at the awkwardness of Brynn's on-air faux pas.

I've read several reviews and noted that many readers didn't like Brynn. Um... I believe that's the point of this story. Brynn behaves like a snot-nosed city snob who's lost her way underneath layers of "fake" in her efforts to leave behind a painful past and remake herself in the media world. I didn't particularly like the nasty things she directed at her hometown (especially when her dead mother was best served that particular dish) and the way she scrambled to hold her world together with every selfish sentence known to man sprouting from her mouth. But that's how she coped, and that's how she sparked the flame (of animosity!) which had died inside Sebastian years earlier.

This "iron sharpens iron" banter, back talking and hilarious awkwardness drove these characters to new levels of self-awareness, allowing them to grow through the pain and come out better in the end.

Loved the town of Adelaide Springs and wish this was the beginning of a book series. One thing I crave in Ms Turner's books is the possibility of seeing more of her side characters. Since her books are standalones, I fall in love with a location or group of people then have tp move on to the next. Adelaide Springs is a town worthy of more "digging". It would be a treasure trove of stories... and even a few more happy ever afters.

Thanks, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I've just preordered the paperback because I need a complete Bethany Turner collection. 😁

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

2.5 stars but I rounded up.

I feel misled by the cute cover and promising title! I genuinely expected to like this book way more than I did. I adored <i>The Do-Over</i> so I was very excited to dive into this one.

Brynn is the worst! She's so fake and entitled and manipulative and gross. Or at least that's the persona she's adopted because she has convinced herself it's the only way to survive in the industry she works in. I wish there was a stronger explanation for her TV personality and how things got muddled in her head. It would've made me hate her a little less. As it stands, I was actively rooting <b>against</b> her.

Sebastian isn't much better, at first. Brynn unknowingly insults her hometown and everyone in it on air and because of that, Sebastian decides she's a terrible person. She never stood a chance. Their animosity is so contrived, it feels forced. Like we have to go through that so the payoff is that much sweeter. I warmed up to him as it went on but neither of the main characters made a good first impression on me.

And can we talk about how they're both supposed to be in the late 30s / early 40s and yet they act like they're just out of high school half the time? It's annoying and tiring. I love character-driven stories but the characters need to be done well for it to work.

The pacing of the story is off, too. Brynn and Sebastian spend SO LONG antagonizing each other that it feels like a runaway train once they stop. There isn't much left to the story so it really speeds up from there. The ending doesn't really feel earned. It's cute, it's sweet, it makes sense, but I didn't particularly care.

The small town atmosphere, however, is captured beautifully. It's gorgeously depicted and feels like a breath of fresh air. And Orly and Doc are fantastic characters, probably my favorites.

Unfortunately, I can't see myself recommending this one.

Brynn must return to the home town she ran from 20 years ago after an awkward on air blunder sees her needing to repair her image as Americas Ray of Sunshine. After losing yet another town hall vote, Sebastian is tasked with chaperoning Brynn to keep an eye on her. But how can Seb make nice with the woman that hurt the town he loves and saved him 6 years ago 🩷

I absolutely adored this book! It was funny, it was emotional, it was swoon-worthy and it was so heartwarming 🥰 all the things you want from a rom-com. The banter between Brynn and Seb is 👌🏼I could clearly see this town in my head and I could clearly see each character shining through☀️ it’s rare you come across a book where all the side characters feel like they’re given just as much thought as the main!

I laughed out loud, I shed a tear and my heart swooned for this book 🩷 it was super quick and easy to read, perfect for when you need a little pick me up or just want to feel the love.

I am a great fan of Bethany Turner, so I was surprised that I had such a hard time getting into this book. I just couldn’t engage for the first 50% or so. But I’m so glad I persevered. The second half made it all worth it.

Brynn is a morning talk show host who accidentally slams her hometown on live TV. To redeem herself she’s sent back (after a 20 year absence) to make things right. It’s there that she meets Sebastian, a relatively new resident of the town.

Though they got off to a very rocky start I loved the building relationship of Brynn and Sebastian. The witty banter was fantastic! It was heartwarming to see as they finally let their walls down to let each other see their true selves and discover how much they actually had in common.

I loved the hometown of Adelaide. The characters were so loving and forgiving. Almost makes you want to pick up and move there.

This is a sweet, clean, enemies to lovers romance that delves into some deeper issues that were not seen on the surface. I loved the process of discovery and forgiveness that was at the heart of this story.

If there is something I will always love, it’s small town romances. Brynn has moved on from her hometown and her past. She’s on top as a news anchor in NYC but she makes a crucial mistake that takes her back to her hometown on an apology tour.

Little does she know her hometown, population 300, has a new resident that can put her in her place and make her fall in love with him. Sebastian has lived Brynn’s life and he’s content now with small town life

I highly recommend this cozy read.

My review on this title is available on my Goodreads account.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other
by Bethany Turner
Rating: 4.5/5

I don't know how she does it but Bethany Turner has written another witty, delightful, charming rom-com that is endearing and so funny! I absolutely love a good enemies-to-lovers trope that brings authentic characters together. I also loved that it was set in a beautiful small town. How I love a good small town romance with quirky characters who make you laugh and smile. I could not stop reading/listening this book. I had the opportunity to read the ARC and listen to the audiobook and they did not disappoint at all. I was hooked from the beginning and the pacing is well done. I never got bored but it wasn't too fast-paced that you could not enjoy getting to know each of the characters. I would love to return to this small town to get to know more of townspeople.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean, inspirational, rom-coms that make you chuckle!

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.