Exploring Hannah Brown's Personal Journey Within Her Debut Novel 'Unveiling Mistakes'

Hannah Brown showed how writing about personal experiences can take on various forms through her first novel, Mistakes We Never Made.

The novel, which came out on Tuesday, May 7, tells the tale of Emma Townsend, a 28-year-old ****interior designer. Emma embarks on a road trip along the West Coast with Finn Hughes, a childhood crush and former fling, despite their occasional disagreements.

"I wanted to incorporate some Taylor Swift Easter eggs into the book. While there are a few Easter eggs in there, they are loosely based on things," shared Brown in an exclusive interview with We before the novel's release. "Although the whole book is a work of fiction, the emotions, doubts, and miscommunications between Emma and Finn were inspired by personal experiences."

Fans of Bachelor Nation who know Brown's story could easily identify parts of the book that drew from her real-life journey as a former Bachelorette contestant.

Keep reading to uncover some Easter eggs from Brown’s Mistakes We Never Made novel:

The State School Connection

Emma, the main character in Brown's story, hails from Texas and attended the University of Texas — Hook ‘Em. Bachelor fans will remember Brown from Colton Underwood's season in 2019, where she was introduced as a proud Alabama native who graduated from the University of Alabama — Roll Tide.

Hannah Brown Easter Eggs in Her Debut Novel Mistakes We Never Made 3

Hannah Brown Courtesy of Hannah Brown/Instagram

Brown’s Former Career Choice

Before gaining fame as a reality star, podcast host, and author, Brown started off as an ****interior designer. She continues to work in the field of interior design, and was even showcased as a design partner on Tyler Cameron's show Going Home With Tyler Cameron.

In the novel Mistakes We Never Made, the main character Emma also happens to be an ****interior designer.

A Subtle Reference to 'The Bachelorette'

Nikki, a close friend of Emma in the story, appeared on a popular reality dating show named LovedBy. During her time on the show, Nikki famously declared that she was "not here to make friends." Does this scenario ring a bell?

Meet Hannah ‘Beast’ Brown

Throughout the novel, Emma is described as being in “Beast Mode.” Similarly, during her time on The Bachelor, Brown was given the nickname “Beast.”

Hannah Brown Easter Eggs in Her Debut Novel Mistakes We Never Made 2

Hannah Brown Courtesy of Hannah Brown/Instagram

Brown’s Toast Mishap

Brown became known for her blunder during Underwood’s Bachelor season when she mistakenly said “Roll Tide” instead of giving a proper toast. This incident was later included in her book, Mistakes We Never Made.

Emma admitted in the novel that she dislikes making toasts, especially recalling a time at her mother's birthday dinner.

"I attempted to express my feelings about how important she is to me but ended up feeling so nervous that I only managed to blurt out, 'Hook 'em,' and threw up the hand gesture," Brown wrote in the book.

A Reference to Her ‘Bachelorette’ Breakup

Sybil, another friend of Emma, had multiple relationships as mentioned in the book. On the other hand, Nikki found love with Aaron while she was on LovedBy. Unfortunately, their relationship ended because Aaron was not trustworthy and lacked integrity, as the book revealed.

Hannah Brown Easter Eggs in Her Debut Novel Mistakes We Never Made

Hannah Brown Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Brown, on the other hand, faced challenges with anxiety. During her time on The Bachelorette in 2019, she got engaged to Jedd Wyatt. However, their relationship fell apart after a woman named Haley Stevens revealed that Wyatt had ulterior motives for being on the show. Stevens claimed that she and Wyatt were in a relationship before the show began filming. Wyatt denied the accusations, but Brown and Wyatt ultimately ended their engagement.

Brown openly shared her struggles with anxiety and how it affected her before her now-fiancé, Adam Woolard, proposed to her in August 2023. She even described having a "full-on mental breakdown" before the proposal.

In her book Mistakes We Never Made, the main character, Emma, faces a similar situation when she decides to enter a relationship with Finn. Throughout the story, Finn is a constant support for Emma, providing her with tools to cope with anxiety. It seems likely that Finn's character may have been inspired by Brown's real-life fiancé.

Editor's P/S:

Hannah Brown's debut novel, "Mistakes We Never Made," is a testament to the power of personal storytelling. By weaving elements of her own experiences into the narrative, Brown has created a relatable and emotionally resonant work that explores themes of love, loss, and