Reasons to Be Loved by You

by Hannah Brown

From New York Times bestselling author and Bachelorette fan-favorite Hannah Brown, a rom-com beach read full of witty banter, emotional authenticity, and female friendship—perfect for fans of Emily Henry’s Funny Story and Carley Fortune’s One Golden Summer.

Perfectionist and former pageant girl Nikki Bennet is looking forward to relaxing at her family’s lake house in Georgia for the Fourth of July. Even though it’s been two years since she was on the reality dating show LovedBy, she still hasn’t recovered from finding out on national TV that her fiancé, Aaron, had been dating another woman all along.

But when she arrives home, her little brother makes a surprise announcement: he’s engaged to his girlfriend, Cara—the “other woman” Aaron had been seeing behind Nikki’s back. And what’s worse? They intend to have the wedding this summer, right here at the lake.

Hoping to stop her brother from making the biggest mistake of his life, Nikki discovers an unlikely ally in Cara’s brother, Nate. While their bond begins as shared shock over their siblings’ rushed nuptials, it quickly deepens into something more. Nikki knows Nate is completely wrong for her—he’s a laidback country boy, she’s a driven LA influencer—and yet he’s a welcome distraction from the mess of her love life… as well as the growing sense that her family’s been hiding something from her, something she may not be ready to hear.

But as fireworks light up the water, can Nikki and Nate really stay focused on preventing this wedding? Or will all the reasons they’re wrong for each other lead to an even more unlikely love story—their own?

Genres: Romance, Summer, Audiobook, Summer Reads, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Hannah Brown is a television personality, lifestyle expert, podcast host and New York Times bestselling author of God Bless This Mess. After winning Miss Alabama USA in 2018, she went on to star on season 15 of ABC’s hit reality series The Bachelorette, win season 28 of Dancing with the Stars, and compete on FOX’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, where she ended up being one of two women who completed the course and outlasted the other 16 contestants, most of whom were professional athletes.

Brown’s authenticity and charismatic personality have captivated her millions of followers, and she continues to inspire and empower others by instilling beauty goes beyond just what’s on the surface, advocating for mental health awareness, and emphasizing the importance of self-love.

Born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Brown currently resides in Nashville.

Reviews

[bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh so… this hurt!

[Heather Lilia · Rating 1 out of 5]

It has been a while since I have read a book... this badly written 🥴

Look, I am a romance STAN! A romance afficionado if you will, but this book was a mess.

The characters felt like shallow, paper cutouts of people. The romance was instalove to the max. There was nothing believable about this story, and ALL of the main characters were wildly unlikeable.

Not to mention it just felt like a really aggressive self insert, and the main character's inner thoughts were infuriating to live inside. She was shallow, out of touch, and completely self absorbed. The MMC wasn't much better, and there weren't enough moments between the two of them that actually justified any kind of relationship.

I know this was loosely based on HB's life story, but the execution and writing was really really bad. The dialogue was genuinely horrific and cheesy, and the banter/chemistry was ... nonexistent. 😬😬

[Sarah Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phewwwww even though I saw it coming, that ending!? I think I read the last 10% of the book through tears. Devastating and beautiful.

This book was such an interesting look at growing up and growing out of the constraints and expectations that life and our family/friends have of us when we were younger.

This book really felt like a 2000s romcom. Not only do we get some amazing Parent Trap love, but I also got some Bride Wars vibes as well.

You’re getting:
-an FMC who was a former pageant queen who was the lead on a reality love show
-an MMC who is the antithesis of the LA lifestyle
-a large family with hysterical dynamics and of course, some secrets
-a story set at a beautiful lake house

It was sweet and funny, heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. It really brings up a lot of thoughts I think many women in their late 20s and early 30s have had and will have. I had trouble putting it down!

4.5/5

Thank you to Dell for the early copy!

[Bbecca_marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasons to Be Loved by You 🧨 Review ✨ Thank you Partner @readforeverpub for the gifted book!

Reasons to Be Loved by You
by Hannah Brown
out now!

Two years after a heartbreaking breakup on a reality dating show, Nikki Bennet returns to her family’s Georgia lake house hoping for a peaceful Fourth of July. Instead, she discovers her younger brother is engaged to the woman her ex-fiancé cheated on her with. Determined to stop the wedding, Nikki teams up with the bride’s brother, Nate. But as sparks fly and family secrets surface, Nikki may find herself caught up in an unexpected love story of her own.

My thoughts 💭:

I absolutely devoured this book! This is easily my favorite Hannah Brown book so far. From the very first chapter, I couldn’t put it down. It has all the swoony, laugh out loud romantic comedy moments I love, but what made this story unforgettable was the family dynamic. It was messy, complicated, frustrating, beautiful, and so full of unconditional love that it felt incredibly real. Seeing Nikki open her heart again was a joy to watch, and her chemistry with Nate had me smiling the entire time. Their banter and the way they slowly found common ground made every moment between them feel effortless. I had a feeling that heartbreaking moment was coming, and even though I was bracing myself, it still shattered me. I was in tears. But somehow Hannah Brown managed to take all that heartbreak and turn it into something incredibly hopeful. My heart went from breaking to feeling completely full by the final pages. If you love romances that deliver plenty of laughs, swoon worthy moments, emotional depth, and a family story that stays with you, don’t skip this one. It’s the perfect summer read, and one I’ll be recommending to everyone!

What to expect:
☀️ Summer lake house setting
🎆 Fourth of July vibes
💍 Wedding chaos
😂 Witty banter
👨‍👩‍👧 Messy, realistic family dynamics
😭 Emotional moments that pack a punch
🥹 Healing, hope, and lots of heart
❤️ A satisfying happily ever after

Happy reading 📖🧨☀️

[Taylor Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah’s best book yet. It truly delivered with everything you want from a romance novel and gave much more as well. I’ll be thinking about that ending for a long time - everything about it was so beautiful and well done.

[Keri Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikki was on a dating show called LovedBy (basically The Bachelorette) that ended badly. News broke right before their wedding that her fiancé had a girlfriend, Cara, the whole time. Nikki has moved on and is starting on a new business, but she hasn’t really healed. Life in LA isn’t bringing her happiness anymore, so she decides to go home to her family’s Georgia beach house for part of the summer. The family always gets together there for the 4th, and she is looking forward to reconnecting and having some time to figure things out.

As her little brother is set to arrive, her parents are acting strangely. She is shocked when he arrives with his new fiancé Cara. Yes, that Cara. And she’s even more shocked when the family all approves of having the wedding be there at the house in less than two weeks. She teams up with Cara’s brother Nate in their concern for this quick wedding. As happens, the two of them become friends, and then a romance blossoms.

All if this is a fairly light hearted romance and story of figuring out what you want in life… until a secret puts a new perspective on everything. This is a bit of a heart tug, in different ways. Good narration on this audiobook
.

[Hannah Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ **A Swoon‑Filled, Messy, and Utterly Addictive Summer Romance**

Hannah Brown absolutely delivers with *Reasons to Be Loved by You*, a sparkling, emotionally layered romance that perfectly blends small-town charm, reality TV fallout, and complicated family dynamics into one unforgettable read.

Nikki Bennet is such a compelling heroine—equal parts polished perfectionist and deeply vulnerable woman still reeling from a very public heartbreak. Watching her return home to what should have been a peaceful Fourth of July getaway—only to be blindsided by her brother’s engagement to *the woman* who played a role in her own very public betrayal—sets the stage for a story packed with tension, humor, and emotional depth.

The premise is deliciously dramatic, but what really shines is the execution. Brown expertly balances the chaos of family secrets and wedding drama with the slow-burn romance between Nikki and Nate. Their relationship begins in shared disbelief but evolves into something tender, authentic, and impossible not to root for. Nate is the perfect foil to Nikki—grounded, steady, and disarmingly kind—and their chemistry leaps off the page. The “opposites attract” dynamic feels fresh and nuanced rather than cliché.

Beyond the romance, the novel digs into themes of identity, self-worth, and the pressure to maintain a perfect image—especially in the wake of public scrutiny. Nikki’s journey toward healing and rediscovering herself is just as satisfying as her love story, if not more so.

The lake house setting is pure summer magic—fireworks over the water, humid nights, and emotional explosions that mirror the holiday backdrop. Brown captures the atmosphere so vividly that you can practically feel the warmth and tension radiating from every scene.

*Reasons to Be Loved by You* is heartfelt, funny, and deeply satisfying. It’s a story about choosing yourself, embracing imperfection, and finding love where you least expect it—even when it seems like everything is working against you.

Perfect for fans of emotional romances with sharp wit, strong character growth, and a generous dose of drama. I absolutely devoured this and didn’t want it to end.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and cozy romance! 💕 I loved the emotional depth mixed with the swoony moments, and the characters were easy to root for. The story had a warm, comforting feel while still exploring themes of love, growth, and vulnerability. Overall, this was a heartfelt contemporary romance that left me with a smile on my face and all the cozy feelings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hannah Brown for this arc!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was beyond excited when I received a galley of Reasons to Be Loved by You in early April. I absolutely loved Mistakes We Never Made and The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain, so when I learned about the release of Hannah’s newest book, I knew I would love it just as much.

I loved everything about this book — the main characters, their family members, and the deep emotional connections throughout the story. For some characters, this was such a heartwarming found-family journey, while for others, it was a beautiful story about reconnecting with family. Every family-centered moment in this book felt meaningful and authentic.

Seeing Emma, Willow, and Sybil’s names early on and watching them appear throughout the story was such a treat. The friendship between the core four is so strong, and I loved getting to spend more time with them in this book.

I loved Nikki and everything she experiences in this story. After an embarrassing public heartbreak on a reality dating show, she’s trying to open her heart again and find her happily ever after. But as she reenters the dating world, she’s met with disappointment after disappointment. Even though the breakup happened two years ago, she’s still navigating the emotional aftermath and learning how to trust again.

Then there’s Nate. I truly don’t have enough words for how much I loved him. From the very beginning, he was kind, thoughtful, and caring — an incredible brother, son, and overall wonderful person.

This book was such an emotional roller coaster, and I couldn’t put it down — just like the rest of Hannah’s books. There were moments that made my stomach drop and others that had my heart aching with emotion. At the same time, there were laugh-out-loud scenes and so many tender, heartwarming moments. I truly felt every emotion while reading this story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Hannah Brown, and Forever Publishing for the ARC of Reasons to Be Loved by You. All opinions are my own.

[rin ⋆˚✿˖° · Rating 3 out of 5]

listened as an audiobook and it kept me entertained.

[Madison Parent · Rating 5 out of 5]

i LOVED this. I’ve been in a reading slump for a hot minute now but I couldn’t put this down. I was so excited to read it as I was a huge fan of Hannah on the Bachelorette! The main character, despite being an influencer, is so relatable and likeable! Great story, the summer read I’ve been waiting for all year!

[Rachel Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m such a fan of these Miss Hannah Brown! See you next year for Willow’s?

I had no idea the basis of this story (other than the reality tv show of course) was actually about Hannah Brown and her actual sister-in-law 😭 and I think I maybe zoned out while listening to this about how Cara and Cooper met? But otherwise such a great romcom and the ending was so emo 🥺 I had a sneaky feeling about her mom, and maybe wish that would’ve been a little more played up throughout the story because it felt just a smidge sudden. Very Family Stone of them.

What I loved the most about this book was Nikki’s personal growth with perfection and realizing what she truly wants. As a perfectionist myself (recovering? hard to say) I really relate to her wanting to make people happy and doing everything to the best of her ability but then not being about to do that for herself. I’m very into the romcom renaissance of the leading ladies taking control over their life as well as getting love in their life too!

[Gianna Guido · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Grover publishing for the early copy of this book.

This wasn’t my favorite. I liked the beginning, I liked the FMC And I liked the meetcute.

The second she got to her parents house and she was blindsided by her entire family, I lost interest and couldn’t connect after that.

Poor Nikki was gaslit the entire story. I didn’t like Cara at all and cooper annoyed me. How could they possibly all say she was selfish or overreacting? The nerve of them asking her to get over it.

After everything, I just didn’t like the way the story panned out.

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasons to Be Loved by You ☁️☀️⛱️🚤🌊
5 🌟
3 🌶️

Thank you so much for Forever for the chance to read and love this gifted advanced copy!

Tropes and TWs:
☁️ Summer Lake House Setting
☀️ Influencer/Reality Dating Star FMC
⛱️ Small Town MMC
🚤 Infidelity
🌊 Cancer/loss of a parent
☁️ Open-door spice
☀️ Moderate language

This was a perfect must-read summer romance! I absolutely adored how real this story was. Nikki is the character of the series who is the most like Hannah herself, and I really liked getting to see how that shaped this story.

There are so many forms of media, whether that’s TV, books, social media, podcasts— literally anything, that are showing us a completely perfected format of something. We all know that’s not real, and it’s easy to feel how edited things are in today’s society. Reasons to Be Loved by You is the antonym of this. Hannah Brown works to rewrite the narrative of a perfect story, aesthetically perfect characters, and a traditional romance story. Reading this book felt like coming home, and it felt like a soft place to land in a genre that often feels as though it romanticizes perfection. I adored that Nate’s smile wasn’t perfect and he had a crooked tooth. I loved that Nikki jumped in the lake and got her hair wet— it’s the little things that push the boundaries of a character who’s typically very focused on physical things begin to lean into truly living freely.

I loved that Nikki and Nate’s relationship felt soft and grounded. They’re such complete opposites, but they complement each other and work together so well. The supporting storyline between Nikki and Cara was also way more emotional than I expected it to be, and I loved how they were able to work through their shared differences without putting each other down.

The ending of this book (if you know, you know) actually made me cry so hard that I couldn’t see and honestly almost made me change my rating to one much lower, but I think that there is something to say, and something beautiful, about a story that can make you feel emotions so deeply. Definitely check your triggers on this one, though!

[Megan Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review

I really don’t like giving books less then 5 stars, but unfortunately with this one, it never made it over a 2 star book. I thought about DNFing about 25% in, but I wanted to give the author a chance. I understand what the story was trying to do, I get the sweet southerness that was used for the characters and setting, but it went beyond just being southern, and into overall cringe territory.

the main character Nikki is just 30, a former pageant girl and a former reality tv star but GOD she is also SO superficial and immature. the friendship she has with her core four as she calls them, seemed like a group of 15 year olds, not 30 something women.
Nate is the love interest in the story for Nikki and while their lives are oddly intertwined, lust at first sight turns into something more. Nate himself seems ok, he has absolutely NO character development, no one does really. I don’t buy the idea of them falling in love, still just seems like glorified lust. he lets Nikki be mean to his sister Cara time and time again, while claiming to be a “protective” older brother. and even though I don’t love Nikki, some of the stuff he says to her in heated moments is downright mean and borderline unforgivable, definitely not something that then furthers your new “love” for someone.
With the description for the story before reading, I really thought the book was going to be a fun summer read. instead it left me feeling icky and angry with the way all the characters interact and claim to love and care about one another. this is a first from this author for me and unfortunately, I will not be reading any other books from her in the future.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this newest release from Hannah Brown, but this one fell short for me.

Loosely inspired by Hannah B.'s real life experience on The Bachelorette, the story follows Nikki B. who grew up in a Southern household, competing in pageants, and starring on a reality TV show, LovedBy. She picks Aaron, a pro golfer, who was actually dating someone back home (Cara). Similar to her real life story of picking Jed, who was dating Haley Stevens back home. Nikki and Aaron break it off, and Cara dumps Aaron too. But, Cara goes on to marry Nikki's brother, Cooper (Haley Stevens went on to marry Hannah B.'s brother, Patrick). So when Nikki is home for the 4th of July and her birthday weekend (MFC had my birthday, July 11th!!!), she is blindsided by Cooper's engagement to Cara. The entire 10 days she is home is spent planning the backyard wedding. The only thing that gets her through is her budding romance with Cara's brother, Nate. Hopefully that makes sense, if not... Google will explain it!

I don't know exactly what it was that I didn't like about this story. Maybe it was picturing Hannah B. as Nikki in my mind as I read, or hearing her voice (although I don't really follow Hannah B., her voice is distinct) when Nikki spoke. It could have been the "I am drop dead gorgeous" and the "I want to win" everything attitude, and the falling in love over a short 10 days wasn't it for me either.

I won't write her off for good, but this wasn't my favorite!

[Amanda Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a little gift from Hannah Brown to us Bachelor girls. This one was exactly what you would expect it to be… sweet, fun with a thin layer of emotional depth.

I definitely cried happy and sad tears.

I respect how Hannah wrote this book with enough truth and enough fiction to keep it fun for the fans without really trashing the people or the process of The Bachelor too hard. It was not a tell all in terms of gossip and drama but a tell all of the emotional toll of being a lead on the show and going through what she went through which was cool.

[Jessica Sattler · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨

I absolutely devoured Reasons to Be Loved by You. I finished it in less than a day and honestly have zero regrets because this book was SO sweet. Nikki and Noah had chemistry from the very beginning, and you could feel that instant attraction immediately. I loved watching them navigate those feelings while also dealing with real-life complications - especially with her little brother marrying his younger sister and all the connections that came along with that.

This book balanced the fun, flirty moments with emotional depth so well. There was one part near the end that completely got me in the feels and tugged hard at my heartstrings. I won't spoil it, but wow. And the epilogue?

Perfect. I will never stop loving books that give us epilogues.
Give me all the extra moments. 💕

Such a cute, summery, beachy romance and an easy five-star read for me. Definitely recommend if you're looking for something heartfelt, swoony, and impossible to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Marrissa Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Hannah Brown’s for years, and have loved following her writing career! Her stories and characters are so charming, and it was fun to be back with the core four in her latest - this one might be my favorite of all so far. The fact that she went there and turned her own experiences into this beautiful romance makes me adore her even more. It’s a bit of a rage read honestly, which are my favorites 😅 If I was blindsided the way it all went down in this book I would have been floored! Anyway… I was completely hooked from the beginning, and the story moved right along. It was angsty, messy, raw, but also sweet and nostalgic, and I didn’t expect the emotional turn it took!

🎙️ 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 ⇣
I grabbed the audiobook and binged it on release day, because Christine Lakin narrates and no way was I going to miss that! She was amazing as always @yolakin 👏🏼👏🏼
Produced by @hachetteaudio

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Summer at the lake
LA girl x Country boy
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Friends to lovers
Emotional
Family drama & grief
Single first POV
Light spice

[Ashley Flippin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and forever publishing for the arc of this title.
This was a great summer romance, perfect for the season. Our female main character is a retired beauty pageant star turned reality star. She went through a very messy break up that went viral so she has lots of trauma. Our mailman character had an awful wake up with a long-term girlfriend. This book is full of drama, but also laughs and maybe a few tears. This one made me feel all the feelings.

[Maegan Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was adorable 🥹

[Emily Walseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Nikki O'Donnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I have really enjoyed this series!! Not sure if she will continue for a fourth book in it or not?! Loved the parallels in this book to her own life and wish I knew what aligned and what is fiction! My romance loving friends need to read these books!!!

[Lis Durst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I loved this. Such a soft and realistic love story, nothing over the top. Very refreshing!!

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no previous interest in reading Hannah Brown’s novels, but this one is directly inspired by her own experiences as the Bachelorette, so needless to say my interest was piqued. And it was actually kind of great?

It’s honestly a nice change of pace to read a book about a hot, cool girl after so many romances about sad nerds. Popular people read romance novels too! (Never fear, I went right back to sad nerd romance right after this.)

The description compared it to Funny Story and the characters reference The Parent Trap, but it’s more like the many romcoms where characters try to sabotage a wedding. It was interesting to read about the aspects of Southern culture that I interacted with but was not a part of from the point of view of someone on the inside. This book nails the little things too—the culture of backhanded compliments and uppercuts delivered with a smile is extremely true to life.

I thought this was really funny and charming. Brown’s ghostwriter is Emily Larabee, and if she decides to publish independently, I’m there.

[Brittany Garrabrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Hannah’s best work yet, beautifully written! I loved the story and seeing the parallels to Hannah’s life.

[Breanna Gaskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all - nothing and no one can convince me that Nikki’s entire family wasn’t the worst!!!

They absolutely should NOT have kept Cooper’s girlfriend a secret from her and then act like she just needed to accept it immediately and be fine. And they wanted her to share a room with this girl?! HECK NO!!!

I’ll just say, Nikki wasn’t mad enough about this situation. Now look, I didn’t want her to be a baby and throw a fit about the whole thing, but she deserved a lot more apologies from her family than she got.

The big secret at the end- yeah saw that coming and also crazy that nobody felt the need to tell her about that. “Well you haven’t been around Nikki” Okay? She still deserves to know!!!!

The romance aspect of this book honestly wasn’t that important it felt like, but it was still cute. I honestly cared more about my girl getting an apology from her family than I did about the romance!!

Cute book nonetheless and makes me feel HORRIBLE for Hannah Brown if this book is anything like what she really went through!

[Reese Eady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and an easy read, but I definitely have a few items to discuss at book club tomorrow. 🤪

[Emma Truitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute! My favorite out of her books so far! I also got to meet her and get a signed copy so that is a bonus as well!🤠🤗

[Emlyn Knerem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the messiness… and the epilogue 😭😭😭 the perfect wrap up for the series