Hannah Brown reveals her new novel, shares how she's paving a new path
Former "Bachelorette" lead Hannah Brown spoke with Fox News Digital ahead of publication day for her first novel, "Mistakes We Never Made." Brown shared insight on the storyline, writing process and how her confidence grew in the process.
With "pageant stage" and "national television" already under her belt, Hannah Brown is now adding novelist to her list of accomplishments.
Brown won the hearts of millions during her season on "The Bachelorette," which aired in the summer of 2019.
She's now taken her skills to the publishing world with the release of her first novel, "Mistakes We Never Made," which goes on sale on Tuesday, May 7.
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Fox News Digital spoke by Zoom with the 29-year-old originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, ahead of her book's release to talk about all things Emma and Finn, her main characters.
"I’m so excited about this book because it’s truly like a dream come true," she said.
Hannah Brown, former "Bachelorette," talked to Fox News Digital ahead of her first novel's release on Tuesday, May 7. (Raul Romo)
A proud graduate of the University of Alabama, Brown received a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and worked as an interior designer before going on "The Bachelor" as a contestant in 2019.
The TV personality shifted gears after her lead season of "The Bachelorette" later in 2019 — even writing a memoir and becoming a New York Times bestselling author in 2021.
She said she’s always loved to read and write, but this process was very different from writing her memoir "God Bless This Mess."
"Mistakes We Never Made" by Hannah Brown is on sale Tuesday, May 7. (Kaitlin Kall)
"It was very different. I would say ‘God Bless This Mess’ was hard because it was a very cathartic experience — it’s hard sharing your story and [wondering] how people will perceive you," she said.
"When it came to ‘Mistakes We Never Made,’ it was a lot more challenging [than knowing] the plot points in my own life [as] I experience them. But how do you create a totally fictitious world [with] characters? That takes a lot of organizing and plotting."
"I have a pretty good gut instinct for what’s working and what’s not."
The romance novel's two main characters go from "frenemies to lovers" during a "wild-goose chase" to find a missing bride ahead of her wedding.
Brown won FOX's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" in 2023.
She took some of her favorite things, she said, and put them in the novel — describing her book as "The Hangover" meets "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" meets "When Harry Met Sally."
Brown said her new novel was inspired by many aspects of her life. She also said the two-year writing process was a "brand-new thing" for her. (Randy Shropshire/Variety/Getty Images)
"I definitely drew inspiration from things I love about different things I’ve read or watched, or seen in some way, and was really inspired by those aspects of what I enjoy," she said.
Brown said the two-year writing process was a "brand-new thing" for her.
"That’s what makes it a lot harder because I’m still trying to figure it out as I go, but I feel very confident in this first book because I had a lot of pros helping me along the way," she said.
The Nashville resident got engaged to her fiancé, Adam Woolard, in August 2023 after over two years of dating.
Brown said through the writing process of "Mistakes We Never Made" she learned that she has "pretty good gut instincts."
Brown and her fiancé, Adam Woolard, were engaged in the summer of 2023. (Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
"Like anybody starting something new, you can get imposter syndrome, as in, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and ‘Why do I think I can do this?’ What I have learned about myself is I do have a pretty good gut instinct for what’s working and what’s not."
"People ask me [if] Finn’s based on any guy in my life, and I’m like, ‘Finn is definitely part of the people in my life' — but also Finn’s part of me."
She added, "When it comes to the big picture and seeing a full world and really understanding these characters, thoughts, feelings and emotions, how they could respond, react … I have a pretty good instinct for that."
Brown said that while the book is a work of fiction, she sees herself in different parts of the main character, Emma.
Brown said the writing process for her new novel was very different from her 2021 memoir. (Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images)
"For me, personally, I don’t think I can write anything that’s not based on some type of truth. I can’t write a character that I’ve never experienced," she said.
She added, "People ask me [if] Finn’s based on any guy in my life, and I’m like, ‘Finn is definitely part of the people in my life' — but also Finn’s part of me."
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The author said she hopes readers find the book a fun escape while also enjoying its depth and relatability.
Fox News Digital talked to Hannah Brown about her inspiration for her first romance novel in which "frenemies" turn into "lovers." (Raul Romo/Kaitlin Kall)
Brown is already working on a second novel — which she hinted might focus on a "side character" from "Mistakes We Never Made."
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She is also the host of the "Better Tomorrow" podcast and interviews guests about whether they consider themselves better today than they were the day before.
Hannah Brown spoke with Fox News Digital about her inspiration for her first fiction romance novel — in which "frenemies" turn into "lovers." (Raul Romo/Randy Shropshire/Variety/Getty Images)
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