Hannah Brown’s debut romance novel, Mistakes We Never Made, delivers a compelling exploration of second chances wrapped in the chaos of a wedding weekend gone awry. The story follows Emma Townsend, a meticulous interior designer and perpetual fixer of other people’s problems, who finds herself reluctantly reunited with Finn Hughes—her former debate team partner and the one person who can simultaneously infuriate and captivate her.
When bride-to-be Sybil Rain vanishes just days before her wedding, Emma and Finn must put aside their complicated history to embark on a cross-country road trip to bring her home. What unfolds is a journey that forces both characters to confront their past mistakes, examine their deepest fears, and ultimately question whether some risks are worth taking.
Character Development: The Architecture of Growth
Brown demonstrates remarkable skill in crafting protagonists who feel authentically flawed yet utterly compelling. Emma emerges as a character study in control and vulnerability—a woman whose need to manage everyone else’s happiness stems from her own deep-seated fear of abandonment. Her controlling tendencies aren’t portrayed as mere quirks but as genuine coping mechanisms born from childhood trauma and a desperate need to prevent the people she loves from leaving her.
Finn Hughes presents a fascinating counterpoint to Emma’s rigid planning. His journey from the popular high school heartbreaker to a man grappling with grief and commitment issues reveals layers that gradually unfold throughout the narrative. Brown avoids the trap of making him a stereotypical bad boy by grounding his reluctance to commit in genuine emotional wounds rather than superficial charm.
The supporting cast, particularly the “Core Four” friend group, adds depth and authenticity to the story. Each character serves a distinct purpose while maintaining their own agency and complexity. Sybil Rain, the runaway bride, could have easily been reduced to a plot device, but Brown gives her genuine motivations and a compelling arc that extends beyond simply being the catalyst for Emma and Finn’s reunion.
Writing Style: Where Wit Meets Emotion
Brown’s prose strikes an impressive balance between sharp, contemporary humor and genuine emotional depth. Her background as a television personality translates surprisingly well to the written page, creating dialogue that feels natural and lived-in. The banter between Emma and Finn crackles with tension and familiarity, capturing the unique dynamic of two people who know exactly how to push each other’s buttons.
The author’s decision to structure the story around past “mistakes” creates an effective framework for exploring the protagonists’ shared history. Each flashback serves a specific purpose in understanding the present-day conflict, avoiding the common pitfall of excessive backstory dumps. The pacing builds momentum steadily, with the road trip structure providing natural opportunities for both intimate conversations and external obstacles.
However, Brown occasionally relies too heavily on internal monologue to convey emotional stakes. While Emma’s analytical nature justifies some of this introspection, certain passages could benefit from more showing and less telling. The writing shines brightest in moments of action and dialogue, where Brown’s instincts for dramatic timing serve the story well.
Thematic Exploration: The Courage to Be Vulnerable
At its core, Mistakes We Never Made examines the paradox of self-protection—how the very mechanisms we use to guard our hearts often prevent us from experiencing genuine connection. Emma’s journey toward vulnerability feels earned rather than forced, as Brown carefully dismantles her protagonist’s defenses throughout the story.
The novel’s exploration of friendship dynamics adds another layer of complexity. The relationship between Emma and Sybil serves as a mirror for Emma’s romantic struggles, highlighting how the fear of loss can manifest in different types of relationships. Brown’s portrayal of female friendship feels authentic, capturing both the loyalty and occasional toxicity that can emerge when one person consistently takes on the role of “fixer.”
The theme of second chances permeates every aspect of the narrative, but Brown avoids the simplistic notion that love conquers all. Instead, she presents a more mature perspective: that meaningful relationships require both individuals to do the work of growth and self-reflection.
Romance Elements: Chemistry with Substance
The romantic development between Emma and Finn benefits from their extensive shared history, allowing Brown to build on years of accumulated tension rather than creating instant attraction. Their chemistry feels organic, rooted in intellectual compatibility and genuine understanding rather than purely physical attraction.
Brown handles the physical aspects of their relationship with appropriate heat while maintaining focus on emotional intimacy. The progression from antagonistic banter to vulnerable confession feels natural, avoiding the rushed timeline that often plagues romance novels. The author particularly excels at creating moments of almost-connection that build tension without becoming repetitive.
The resolution of their relationship arc satisfies without feeling too neat. Brown acknowledges that their happy ending requires ongoing work and compromise, adding a layer of realism that elevates the romance beyond pure fantasy.
Technical Craft: Structure and Pacing
The novel’s structure, alternating between present-day events and past “mistakes,” creates effective momentum while deepening character understanding. Brown demonstrates solid instincts for pacing, knowing when to accelerate action and when to allow characters space for reflection.
The road trip framework provides natural opportunities for both intimate conversations and external obstacles, though some of the travel sequences feel slightly rushed. The Las Vegas setting offers colorful backdrop without overwhelming the central relationship dynamics.
Brown’s handling of dialogue deserves particular praise. Each character maintains a distinct voice, and conversations flow naturally without feeling forced or exposition-heavy. The author’s background in television clearly influences her ear for realistic speech patterns.
Cultural Context and Contemporary Relevance
Mistakes We Never Made reflects contemporary attitudes toward relationships, career ambition, and personal growth. Emma’s struggles as a working professional trying to establish her own design business feel relevant to modern readers, as does the novel’s exploration of friendship dynamics in adulthood.
The book’s portrayal of mental health issues, particularly Emma’s anxiety attacks, adds depth without sensationalizing these experiences. Brown treats these aspects with appropriate gravity while avoiding the tendency to use mental health struggles as simple plot devices.
Series Potential: Setting Up Future Stories
As the first book in the series, Mistakes We Never Made effectively establishes a world and supporting characters that could sustain additional stories. The upcoming sequel, The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain (2025), promises to explore the fallout from Sybil’s dramatic wedding weekend decisions.
Brown wisely concludes Emma and Finn’s story with enough closure to satisfy readers while leaving room for them to appear in future books. The supporting characters, particularly Nikki and Willow, have been given enough development to potentially anchor their own romantic storylines.
Comparative Analysis: Standing Among Genre Peers
Mistakes We Never Made positions itself favorably within the contemporary romance landscape, particularly alongside works by Emily Henry and Christina Lauren. Like Henry’s Beach Read or People We Meet on Vacation, Brown’s novel combines humor with genuine emotional depth, avoiding the superficiality that can plague the genre.
The book shares DNA with enemies-to-lovers classics while bringing fresh perspective to familiar tropes. Brown’s willingness to explore the less attractive aspects of her protagonists’ personalities sets the novel apart from more sanitized romance options.
Similar Reads for Romance Enthusiasts:
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Critical Assessment: Strengths and Limitations
Mistakes We Never Made succeeds as both an entertaining romance and a thoughtful exploration of personal growth. Brown’s character development feels authentic, and her handling of complex emotional terrain demonstrates sophistication beyond what might be expected from a debut novel.
The book’s greatest strength lies in its willingness to let characters be genuinely flawed without excusing their behavior. Emma’s controlling tendencies and Finn’s commitment issues create real obstacles that require actual growth to overcome.
However, the novel occasionally suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the middle section where the road trip elements feel somewhat rushed. Some secondary plotlines, particularly those involving Emma’s career struggles, could have been developed more fully to add additional depth to her character arc.
The resolution, while satisfying, might feel slightly too neat for readers who prefer more ambiguous endings. Brown chooses optimism over realism in her final chapters, which may disappoint readers seeking grittier emotional complexity.
Final Verdict: A Promising Start to a New Series
Mistakes We Never Made announces Hannah Brown as a romance author worth watching. While not without its minor flaws, the novel delivers genuine emotional satisfaction alongside entertaining romantic tension. Brown’s background in reality television translates surprisingly well to fiction writing, bringing an understanding of human nature and relationship dynamics that elevates the material.
The book succeeds in creating characters readers will genuinely care about while exploring themes of vulnerability, friendship, and second chances with appropriate depth. As the foundation for a series, it establishes a compelling world and supporting cast that promises entertaining future installments.
For readers seeking contemporary romance with substance, Mistakes We Never Made offers a satisfying blend of humor, heart, and genuine emotional growth. While it may not revolutionize the genre, it represents a strong entry that should appeal to fans of character-driven romantic fiction.
- Recommended for: Readers who enjoy Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, and contemporary romance with strong friendship elements and realistic character flaws.
- Best aspects: Character development, dialogue, exploration of friendship dynamics
- Areas for improvement: Pacing in middle sections, development of secondary plotlines
Hannah Brown’s previous work includes the New York Times bestselling memoir God Bless This Mess. Mistakes We Never Made represents her fiction debut, with the sequel The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain scheduled for release in 2025.
