Behind the Book: 5 Fun Facts About Never a Bridesmaid

We’re officially in the one-week countdown to Never a Bridesmaid, the final book in my Always a Bridesmaid world, and I am SO excited for you to meet Dylan and Marina. This book was an adventure to write. It was full of surprises, detours, and one extremely stubborn hero who absolutely refused to cooperate until I found the right woman for him.

Cover of Never a Bridesmaid on tablet surrounded by flowers. Behind the Scenes

So today, I’m sharing five behind-the-scenes secrets about how this story came together!

1. Dylan was not supposed to fall for Marina. At all. Ever.

Originally, Dylan Delaney — the world’s first and only professional groomsman — was meant to have a second-chance romance with his high school sweetheart.

Reader, I tried. I really tried. I attempted three different openings, and every time, Dylan just stared at me like, “Nope. Absolutely not. Wrong girl.”

Characters have opinions, apparently.

Marina Rivera was originally the heroine of a completely different (future!) book in a completely different series.

But the moment I put her in the same room as Dylan? BAM. The chemistry practically set my keyboard on fire. They clicked in a way I never expected, and suddenly the whole book came alive.

2. Dylan and Erin’s sibling banter? Straight from the heart.

If you met Dylan in Forever a Bridesmaid, you know he and his sister Erin have a special brand of sibling love-chaos.

She calls him Pickle (Like Dill Pickle?)
He calls her Ladybug (or just Bug).

Their scenes together were some of the easiest to write because their vibe has always been crystal clear in my mind: gentle teasing, deep loyalty, and the fierce, protective kind of love that siblings don’t always say out loud but always, always show.

Bonus secret: their nicknames came from a scrap of a scene I wrote years ago and never used.

3. Marina was inspired by that one friend we all have.

You know the one.
Quiet in a crowded room.
Brilliant when you get her talking about something she loves.
Kind to animals, especially the tiny, fragile ones.
Says things that land with surprising emotional accuracy.

Marina is an introvert, a future veterinarian, and a dedicated bird-lover who would absolutely rather hang out with parrots than attend a bridal brunch. Writing her felt like writing a love letter to the soft-hearted people who show up for others even when it costs them energy.

She may be quiet, but she is mighty, and exactly the kind of partner Dylan needed.

4. This is my first “secret bargain” romance, and it was SO MUCH fun.

The premise came to me all at once:

He needs a bridesmaid.
She needs one discreet, very personal first.
One summer. One favor. One rule: no feelings.

HA.
You can guess how well that goes.

Forced proximity + wedding season chaos + a rescued tuxedo kitten + one VERY swoony professional groomsman = a whole lot of heart-melting moments I can’t wait for you to read.

5. Never a Bridesmaid wasn’t just the end of the book. It was the end of an era.

Writing this story felt like saying goodbye to a world that has been with me for so long. The Always a Bridesmaid universe was born with my very first published novel, Forever a Bridesmaid, and has grown with me through so many seasons of my writing life.

Dylan and Marina’s book is the perfect sendoff: funny, tender, a little spicy, and full of the emotional depth that makes goodbyes bittersweet.

There may have been tears while typing THE END. ❤️

Mark Your Calendar!

Never a Bridesmaid arrives February 3
Opposites attract • Best friend’s sister • Forced proximity
Secret bargain • Virgin heroine • Steamy, swoony fun

If you love high chemistry, heartfelt moments, and a hero who falls harder than he ever planned, this one’s for you.