Hannah Brown’s New Book Is The Summer Romance People Want

Former “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown is trading roses for engagement rings, four of them, to be exact, in her highly anticipated second novel, “The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain.”

The book, a standalone sequel to her debut “Mistakes We Never Made,” delivers a blend of beachy romance and soul-searching, described as “The White Lotus” meets “Sex and the City,” with a little “Mamma Mia” magic thrown in.

In a recent interview with Zibby Owens, Brown opened up about the book, her upcoming wedding, and why writing this story felt deeply personal.

At the heart of the novel is Sybil Rain, a woman who once left her own wedding in chaos and is now seeking clarity on a solo vacation. But things quickly spiral when she runs into two of her ex-fiancés.

“It’s a really fun read,” Brown shared on “Totally Booked with Zibby.” “But it also makes Sybil confront the parts of her past that have kept her from fully embracing love, both from others and herself.”

Sybil’s journey echoes Hannah’s own.

Now 30 and planning her real-life wedding this July, Hannah Brown reflected on how much she’s grown and how that growth shaped her story. “I’m so different than I was six years ago,” she said. “Relationships, especially the ones that last, need to allow room for that evolution.”

Though known for her television roots, Brown has found creative freedom in writing. “This is what I call my first dream come true,” she said of her fiction career.

“It’s something I’ve wanted since I was in high school.” She credits her co-author Emily Laraby for helping bring the vision to life and joked that the second book was “a lot harder” than the first.

Hannah Brown also confirmed that elements of the story were inspired by her own life, including her swoon-worthy fictional fiancé Jamie, who bears more than a little resemblance to her real-life partner, Adam.

“Jamie has a lot of characteristics I love about Adam,” she said with a laugh.

As for Sybil’s personal hurdles, like the shame she feels over not having a degree, Brown crafted those struggles with care. “She sparkles, but she hides things she’s ashamed of. And that really resonated with me, not feeling enough, not being what people expected.”

Another layer to Sybil’s story involves tension with future in-laws, a challenge Hannah Brown hasn’t personally experienced but one she recognizes as universal.

“Not everyone’s going to be your biggest fan,” she said. “But what matters is having a partner who sees you, supports you, and stands by you.”

“I am so different than I was six years ago, 10 years ago, and when you are finding yourselves in these really like strong connections and romance, it’s like in that moment you could say yes to that person,” she added. “In general, in relationships, you have to be with somebody that you can grow and change.”

Despite all the romantic entanglements in the book, Brown says one of the biggest love stories is between the core group of female friends who support one another, something she values in her own life, too. “I have amazing women in my corner. Some of them are coming on my bachelorette trip soon, and I’m so grateful for the different seasons they’ve been part of.”