Review: Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner

About the Book
She’s a sunny morning-show host. He’s a cynical ex-reporter. They’re destined to hate each other . . . Aren’t they?

Brynn Cornell has to be stuck in a nightmare. Just last week, she was riding high as cohost of the popular morning show Sunup. She’s America’s Ray of Sunshine—the girl-next-door beauty who drives up TV ratings while never exuding anything but her trademark positivity and poise. All it took was one huge on-air mistake to expose her snarky side to the world and make it all come crumbling down. Now she’s back in her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, in a last-ditch attempt to convince viewers she’s not the mean girl they think she is. All she has to do is apologize and capture some feel-good footage reminding everyone she’s just a girl from humble beginnings who’s grateful for her big break, and she might manage to preserve both her career and her image. 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. A superstar reporter with a reputation for being in the center of the action, his fearless, relentless coverage of major events around the globe was winning him awards and accolades—until something snapped inside him and he vanished from the scene under mysterious circumstances. 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, sunny persona. But she’s determined to do what it takes to maintain her image and save her career—so she’ll just have to charm the socks off Sebastian the same way she charmed her viewers. Easier said than done. It’s no picnic to play nice around someone you hate . . . especially when you might be crazy about them.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This is a great enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine romance. Those are two of my favorite tropes, so I was eager to dive in! This story was so much fun and had me laughing up a storm.

Brynn is the "sunshine" part of the duo, and, well, I didn't know what to think of her at first. She was essentially playing a role in her job as a morning show anchor. A role that was nothing like who she really was. She was supposed to be "America's Ray of Sunshine", but her true self gets exposed in an unexpected moment on air. To rehabilitate her tarnished image, she heads back to her hometown. A town she's actively avoided since she left twenty years ago. Brynn wasn't the most likable character in the beginning. She came across as rude, condescending, and a bit of a spoiled brat. I was worried that she'd remain unlikable throughout the whole story, but thankfully that wasn't the case. I loved when she started opening up more and we got a glimpse of who she used to be before she became famous.

As soon as Sebastian the Grump appeared on the page, I instantly fell for him. Yes, he was a grump, but he had so many more layers to him. He was a really interesting guy, and the more I learned about him, the more I liked him. You could see how passionate he was about the things (and people) he cared about.

I loved the town of Adelaide Springs. There was a quirky charm to it that I couldn’t help but be drawn to. Their love of colonial history was endearing, and I loved the creativity behind some of their business names. (The Bean Franklin in particular.) And I can't fail to mention the fact that the town was full of some really wonderful people too. Doc, Laila, Cole, Jo, Old Man Kimball—the list could go on and on. By the end of the novel, Adelaide Springs started to feel like home. I didn't want to leave the town or its residents.

If you're looking for a fun romantic comedy set in a charming small town, grab a copy of this book. I highly recommend it!

I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FOUR STARS