REVIEW: Reasons to Be Loved by You by Hannah Brown

Reasons to Be Loved by You by Hannah Brown: Two years after her very public breakup on a reality dating show, Nikki Bennet returns home to Georgia expecting a relaxing summer at the family lake house. Instead, she’s blindsided by her brother’s engagement announcement—and even more shocked by who he’s marrying. Convinced the wedding is a mistake, Nikki joins forces with Cara’s brother Nate to uncover what’s really going on. The more time they spend together, however, the harder it becomes to ignore the connection developing between them.

REASONS TO BE LOVED BY YOU by Hannah Brown was a fun summer romance filled with family drama, witty banter, and a heroine learning that the life she’s been chasing may not actually be the life she wants.

The lake house setting, Fourth of July festivities, and complicated family dynamics gave this story so much personality. Between late-night conversations, family secrets, and the constant push and pull between Nikki and Nate, there was always something happening. The summer backdrop added plenty of charm, but what kept me invested was watching Nikki question the expectations she’d spent years placing on herself.

Nikki was so much more than the polished, perfectionist image she presented to the world. Beneath that carefully controlled exterior was someone still trying to make sense of a heartbreak that played out in front of an audience. I loved watching her slowly stop worrying about who she was supposed to be and start figuring out what actually made her happy. Nate was the perfect counterpart to her energy. While Nikki was constantly planning three steps ahead, Nate approached life with a much more relaxed perspective, and some of my favorite scenes were the ones where he challenged her to loosen her grip on perfection.

The chemistry between Nikki and Nate was playful, easy, and packed with banter, but what made their connection stand out was the way Nate constantly challenged Nikki’s need to have everything figured out. While everyone else expected her to be the polished, put-together version of herself, Nate seemed most interested in the person underneath all of that. In return, Nikki pushed him to think beyond the comfortable life he’d settled into. They balanced each other in a way that felt natural, and I loved watching them become each other’s favorite person to spend time with long before either was willing to admit what was happening.

Tropes & Vibes
☀️ Summer romance
🏡 Lake house setting
💕 Opposites attract
🔥 Forced proximity
🎆 Fourth of July backdrop
💘 Falling for your co-conspirator
💕 Unexpected love
🌱 Self-discovery

REASONS TO BE LOVED BY YOU balanced romance, family drama, and personal growth in a way that made Nikki’s story just as compelling as the love story itself. The lake setting, the complicated family relationships, and the gradual shift from trying to control every outcome to embracing uncertainty made this a satisfying summer read.

Perfect For readers who love messy family dynamics, summer settings, and romances where the heroine’s personal growth is every bit as important as the relationship.

Book Info:

Publication: Published: June 23, 2026 | Forever |

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?