2.5 stars rounded up

For many reasons this book just didn’t work for me. The first and primary reason being the character of Brynn. She is honestly one of the worst characters I have read in a while. She immediately comes off as narcissistic, self centered, and rude. We are supposed to feel sorry for her since she had a rough childhood, but this is a woman in her late 30s who honestly thinks it is okay to treat everyone like they are below her. She is the perfect example of main character energy. I instantly didn’t like her and wanted to skip her POV chapters. The second reason this book didn’t work for me was the quickness of Brynn’s turnaround. It was almost like she had a personality and attitude transplant within a day of arriving in her hometown. It was off putting and made her seem even more fake.

Overall, this book would have worked better if the main characters were in their early to mid-20’s instead of late 30’s. This is especially true for Brynn. Many parts of the story (especially how quickly she is forgiven by her hometown) don’t make sense if she has been gone for 20 years.

3/5 stars


I really wanted to like this one. But I didn’t automatically like the FMC, Brynn. In fact, I kinda disliked her. I was so relieved to see the author post that you weren’t supposed to like her in the beginning. I wish I would have been able to like her more by the end. I did like Sebastian and wanted to root for their relationship. The first 50% was a little slow and wish I could have connected with Brynn more. I think maybe this book would be a 5 star for someone else, so I would recommend for people who enjoy the tropes.

Tropes
-Grumpy x (fake) Sunshine
- Small town
- Dual POV
- Enemies to lovers vibes

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This ended up being a DNF for me at around 10% in. Brynn is sarcastic and reasonably unlikeable. This seems like a nice light fluffy book but it’s not giving me what I want from the MC Brynn. Thank you for the ARC opportunity and apologies for making the wrong pick for myself.

I did not finish this book. I started to lose interest around the middle because it wasn't picking up the way I had hoped. I thought the way the community treated Brynn was dramatic and not in an effective way, and didn't represent women or treatment of women well. I might revisit this book at a later date, but not for now.

I enjoyed reading this, but can't say that I loved it. The character development felt like it was happening in fits and starts - Brynn is unlikeable for too long and then the sharp switch from "hating" each other to immediately developing feelings was a bit jarring. Overall, it didn't quite have the execution that I wanted.

such a fun enemies to lovers, small town romance!! brynn was no very likable…and it was awesome. haha i absolutely loved her character growth and how she found her way to to her true self through her visit to adelaide springs. the banter between her and sebastian had was so good and had me cracking up at times. i also loved how perfectly everything was wrapped up in the epilogue! i cannot wait for joel and laila’s story!

thank you to thomas nelson for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book*

Turner’s “Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other” is an enemies to lovers novel about fallen from grace golden girl Brynn coming back to her hometown to make amends all while at odds with local grump Sebastian.

One of the best aspects of the novel definitely was the banter and conversation between the main characters. For a character as prickly as Brynn is in the beginning, it was refreshing to see a love interest have no qualms about calling her out when it matters. And I liked seeing how they related to one another being their part of the industry.

Where the book fell a bit flat for me would be in Brynn’s redemption arc and also the pacing. For how angry the town got, they all seemed to forgive her all too easily and also made quite a few excuses for her poor behavior. As much as the novel tries to rationalize her reasons for her resentment, it still felt quite terrible that she was not really taking accountability for how wrong she was until the last portion of the book. The pacing also felt a bit erratic because the two main characters were at each other’s throats but then they were suddenly in love. I would have loved to have seen more development in between those two extremes.

Overall, a cute book with an interesting premise, but definitely still had some facets that could have been made better.

3.5/5 rounded up to four.

Grumpy meets sunshine in this cute small town novel. Brynn is a reporter who trashes her small town on air when her mic is left on. Whoops! Now she is going to her small town to try and rectify things and win them over.

Sebastian is the sunshine character and love interest in this novel and buts head with Brynn frequently. He has been given the assignment of looking after her.

While this wasn't my favourite rom com I really enjoyed the small town aspect of it. For me all the people in the small town were my favourite parts of this novel.

If you're looking for a quick and cute read this one is perfect. The romance didn't quite hit for me but I enjoyed this book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc

I really wanted to like this novel as a fan of enemies-to-lovers and grumpy-meets-sunshine cliches. I was astonished, though, to discover that I loathed the "sunshine" persona and sympathized more with the cranky one. I kept expecting for her salvation and for her to view things from a new perspective instead of acting like a spoiled brat. I thought her character growth was a little delayed. Furthermore, the title's emphasis on the enemies-to-lovers cliche was not the book's main topic. It should have been done better, but instead, as soon as the characters spent their first alone time together, they suddenly started like one other, which felt rushed.

Bethany Turner is an absolute queen at writing Contemporary RomComs! And this "enemies to more" plot is no exception. Not only does she write multi-layered characters that you'll either love... or love to hate, but she knows exactly how to draw you into their story and want more as well. Brynn and Sebastion are delightful characters. They both have deep pasts that have molded them into the people they are... and left a few scars along the way. They're both a little unlikeable in the beginning. But I loved how all along you're given just enough to keep your feelings for them evolving. And pretty soon, you find yourself cheering them both on! This is truly a likeable story, from beginning to end and as always, I cannot wait to read what Ms. Turner brings us next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This is a sweet, feel-good, small town story reminiscent of a Hallmark movie. If you like the enemies to lovers trope, this one has some fun banter between the MC's who do not hit it off when they first meet!

This one just never made me connect with the MC's or really feel their chemistry at all, and that's something I expected from something labeled "a love story".

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this e-galley.

In terms of character development, Brynn and Sebastian's transformation over time is captured in a way that is believable, drawing you into their world and making you root for them to become the people they were always meant to be. It's a fine line between self-improvement for the sake of wanting to appear as a better person versus confronting painful truths to discover the lies that have kept you from simply being a better person. Bethany Turner delves into this topic in a sensitive way for both characters, highlighting their brokenness and how they cannot and should not go about life on their own. As a result, it is the supporting cast of characters in Adelaide Springs, Colorado who shine the most in Brynn and Sebastian's story, supporting them and loving them unconditionally. This very attribute reflects the love that God has for us, along with what it looks like to be part of a loving community. Though it is not implied, the parable of the Prodigal Son comes to mind for Brynn's return home, exemplifying to readers what it feels like to still be counted as part of the family even after hurting them.

If you're looking for a book that provides the charm of mountain life, BASHEO delivers it to you on a platter amid the Rocky Mountains. Although Brynn mentions that Sebastian's name does not roll off the tongue easily, readers will find that Sebastian Sudworth is a name that is quite memorable, and for good reason. It is gratifying to see him overcome his regrets and relational failures, and even more so to see him in his element in his field. The way that Brynn and Sebastian both have to work through their past allows them to slowly peel back the layers of the other person, revealing their commonalities. If readers like a large dash of pop culture, clever dialogue, and endearing characters that are worth the wait, Brynn and Sebastian will have you wanting to see them on-camera and off-camera.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a complimentary digital copy of Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other (aka BASHEO) by Bethany Turner for review consideration. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cute read with interesting and well developed characters. I enjoyed reading a lot, however this is a pretty forgettable read.

Enemies to lovers/grumpy vs sunshine tropes, those are some of my favorites! Brynn and Sebastian will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Bethany Turner writes a story that makes you feel like you're right there in that tiny little town in the middle of the mountains. Kind of a Sweet Home Alabama vibe.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is another un-put-downable, highly entertaining story from the tremendously creative Bethany Turner. This author couldn’t write a boring, predictable book if she tried.

The basic premise is this: an on air morning tv host (Brynn) makes a huge mistake and denigrates her former hometown while the microphone is hot. In a bid to keep her job, she’s sent back home to make amends. But Adelaide Springs is the very last place Brynn ever wants to go. Ever.

Conversely, former award-winning, superstar reporter Sebastian is happy to live there in total anonymity, blending in as a rugged mountain man and working a plethora of odd jobs to fund his new life. That is, until he’s assigned the role of Brynn’s chauffeur while she’s back. Will he see straight through her charm offensive or will she figure out who he used to be?

This is another hilarious romp through the enemies to lovers rom com from one of the very best in the genre. Highly recommended for anyone who needs a smile on their face as our couple lurch from crisis to disaster, growing closer all the while.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are all my own.

I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other is an enemies to lovers and grumpyxsunshine romance set in a small town. The book follows Brynn who is a morning show host who one day makes a comment that tarnishes her image . To redeem herself she has to make a public apology in her small town. While there she meets the brooding 'almost reclusive' journalist Sebastian.. The character dynamics were interesting however the book starts a bit on the slow side and thus it needs a little bit of grace. Once it starts being interesting it never lets go .I actually enjoyed what the author with the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This was a fun book with quirky, and endearing side characters! Though in the beginning, our heroine was hard to truly like. Thankfully, there is character growth, and our grumpy hero is really a cinnamon roll. Both of our main characters have a deeper backstory that gives you better insight into their character. I enjoyed the banter and the development between Brynn and Sebatian. I adored the full circle ending!

4 stars

“If a classic country karaoke dork is lucky enough to find a woman who can look that cute and be that irresistible while singing that badly, he’d be a fool to let her get away.”

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•••••••••••••

I loved this book! It was such a cute enemies to lovers. The characters were all amazing and I love Sebastian! This is definitely a cozy little romance and I enjoyed it so much! Definitely a book I’d read again. I loved the back and forth banter between Sebastian and Brynn. Even though I knew they were going to fall in love I got so excited when they did! Absolutely adorable.

A small town vibes romance, I throughly enjoyed this read (even if I did not throughly enjoy Brynn at the beginning). Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner has a terrific plot and excellent character building. This is the perfect read for fans of Sarah Adams!

Meet Brynn. She hasn’t been home in years and isn’t too sure anyone will be there to welcome her. She has one chance to redeem herself, she just has to convince the town to forgive her. It sounds like a small thing, except she previously bashed her hometown in Colorado on-air… live.

Meet Sebastian. He has to act as chauffeur for this morning show host and is considering listening to this crazy idea she has… reviving a beloved traditional festival for the town. Will Brynn be able to recover her reputation, and will she ever say the right thing around Sebastian?!

The growth game is so strong in these characters, I was totally here for it. It was a great grumpy-sunshine clean romance with some enemies-to-lovers, you’re going to love this book. The romance is full of chemistry, banter, and it’s totally cute. I really enjoyed this lighthearted read and really think you will enjoy this too!