Hannah Brown, THE FOUR ENGAGEMENT RINGS OF SYBIL RAIN
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[0:45]Hannah Brown is a television personality, lifestyle expert, and two-time New York Times
[0:49]best-selling author.
[0:51]Brown's authenticity and charismatic personality have captivated her millions of followers,
[0:56]and she continues to inspire and empower others, born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
[1:01]and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
[1:03]Welcome, Hannah.
[1:04]Thank you so much for coming on to talk about the four engagement rings of civil rain.
[1:09]This book was so fun, and I really, really enjoyed it.
[1:13]Congratulations.
[1:14]Thank you so much for having me.
[1:15]No, I'm excited.
[1:16]I'd love to hear that you enjoy that I can't wait for other people to read it.
[1:19]It's awesome.
[1:20]It's like the white lotus meets, like, sex in the city meets, I don't know, I had a better
[1:26]description before.
[1:27]No, actually somebody the other day said those two descriptions.
[1:31]It feels like sex in the city of white lotus, and I love that, because I love both of
[1:35]those shows, so yeah, it's definitely fun.
[1:39]I think anything that's based on a resort, especially with summer coming up, it makes
[1:44]for a really good beach read, summer read, to be set in a beautiful location, and then
[1:50]I love anything that happens to do with your girlfriend supporting you and being there
[1:55]for you.
[1:57]I will accept, even if that's, you had a better explanation, I will accept those.
[2:02]Thank you.
[2:03]Thank you for settling on my back up, on my back up description.
[2:06]Okay.
[2:07]Why don't you tell everybody what your, what your books have at?
[2:09]Yeah.
[2:10]So the four engagement rings of civil rain is actually my second novel.
[2:14]My first novel, The Mistakes We Never Made, really centered around this wedding weekend.
[2:19]That was actually my main character of the four engagement rings, Sibyl's wedding.
[2:24]She kind of blows up and she is left at the altar after she kind of goes missing during
[2:32]her wedding weekend.
[2:33]And so this book kind of starts out answering some questions for people who read the first
[2:38]book, but it's definitely still a same in the long book and it starts out with Sibyl having
[2:42]a much needed, me time vacation where she's doing a little bit of work, but really it's
[2:49]just for her to have some time to herself after a very chaotic year.
[2:55]It's been a year since she kind of left her wedding in shambles and everything's going
[3:00]great until she runs into not one, but two of her ex Beyonce.
[3:07]And so of course chaos entails and it is a really fun read, but also this trip really
[3:16]makes Sibyl have to continue to work on dealing with some things in her past that have
[3:21]really made it hard for her to really accept a future and accept love for herself and
[3:26]for other people.
[3:28]And we kind of go on a journey with Sibyl to really write some wrongs to understand
[3:35]like what it is that keeps pushing her from not being able to accept what is hers.
[3:43]And what she, what life has to offer her and continue to learn to fall in love in the
[3:49]process.
[3:50]I love that.
[3:52]And you're getting married.
[3:53]I saw on your Instagram, like no, she couldn't possibly, like what's she trying on these
[3:57]wedding gowns for the book?
[3:59]No, I actually, the book comes out June 24th and I get married July 26th.
[4:06]Oh my gosh.
[4:07]It's a crazy time, but you know, I'm looking at it in a really positive light that
[4:13]I get to share this book with other people who love romcoms that have supported me and
[4:19]it's like my, the book tour that I'll be doing is like a mini bachelorette party for me.
[4:25]Because it's getting it close to the big day, but it's going to be really fun.
[4:30]That's amazing.
[4:31]Oh my gosh.
[4:32]Well, I have to say I have such a crush on Jamie, even though I obviously have not met
[4:35]him.
[4:36]Yeah.
[4:37]You made it.
[4:38]I was like, who is this guy?
[4:39]Like, I love when people in fiction can create people who I'm like, not not Sebastian,
[4:44]but I'll take Jamie.
[4:45]Do you know what I mean?
[4:46]Yeah.
[4:47]Anyway, I know he's a definitely like a Darcy type guy, which I love and he has a lot of
[4:57]characteristics that I feel like might be on say highs as well.
[5:00]So I definitely got some inspiration from my fiance and kind of how he treats, I mean,
[5:10]all the good parts of the ways that Jamie treats her.
[5:12]Just that type of man, I'm obviously really attracted to.
[5:15]So I also agree.
[5:16]I think he's very sloon worthy.
[5:19]And basically I have a crush on your fiance, which is so inappropriate.
[5:22]So it's okay.
[5:23]And I'm very happily married FY, you don't have to worry about me.
[5:27]It was so fun because, you know, Ryan, this book was definitely a labor of love trying
[5:33]to balance Sebastian and Jamie and these two experiences in both being very different,
[5:41]but making sure like one doesn't overpower the other.
[5:43]Like how do we make sure both men are like you understand why she was with them.
[5:49]But it was it was kind of hard because at first I felt like Sebastian was like when I was
[5:55]right.
[5:56]I'm like, okay, like it would, he's so fine and adventurous and sexy and Jamie is more
[6:02]of like this stable, grounded man.
[6:05]So I had to like figure out how to, I don't know, juggle the different personalities,
[6:10]but I feel like they're both like irresistible in their own ways.
[6:15]Yes.
[6:16]The third comp, by the way, it was Mama Mia, it had some mama Mia with all the different.
[6:20]Oh, I love that.
[6:21]Okay.
[6:22]I just thought I could do that out there.
[6:25]So this one thing that Sybil is sort of shamed about is her lack of a diploma, like
[6:32]a degree.
[6:33]How did you come up with that?
[6:34]Why does she feel so much shame?
[6:36]I know that Jamie's more cerebral and everything, but tell me a little bit about that
[6:39]plot line.
[6:40]Yeah.
[6:41]I think Sybil is somebody who definitely has like the sparkle, the shine, but I think
[6:49]just sometimes in the back of her head, she, she's always felt like she had this expectation
[6:54]to be something that she just wasn't like, I think for some, for some people like school
[6:59]is, is not all going, get your higher education.
[7:03]It's not for everyone, but feeling that expectation that it had to be, she's also like
[7:06]an only child.
[7:07]So I feel like her relationship with her parents, like her not being exactly what they
[7:13]wanted her to be, like that's where that kind of started.
[7:18]Really feeling like she had, because she had this sparkle shine, this something that people
[7:24]are gravitate towards, she's had a hard time in her life, really staying fully true
[7:30]to herself because she always kind of feels like this form of entertainment and expectation.
[7:36]And so I think, especially when it came to like her not finishing school and having
[7:43]that shame around that, she is a little bit mystical and all over the place and hard
[7:49]to commit to really anything in her life, even schooling.
[7:53]And now when she is with like this incredible, incredible man, Jamie, who is obviously like
[7:59]been really successful and that has been his path towards success.
[8:04]Like she feels uncomfortable and has a little shame about like her past and wanting to
[8:11]be the sparkle and shine in his life and what does that mean and how can she kind
[8:16]of like mold into that to be something that he's pleased with.
[8:21]So she, you know, leaves some details out of her life and one of those being, you know,
[8:27]being not as open about her schooling and her life choices that led to her and Jamie being
[8:34]together.
[8:35]Interesting.
[8:36]And then you also have this not so perfect relationship with her future potential in-laws
[8:43]and her particularly Amelia.
[8:45]What do you do?
[8:46]Like if has this happened to you and like what do you do in these situations or like
[8:50]how do we all find a way to handle the people who might not be rooting for us, which
[8:55]is something that so many people can relate to?
[8:57]Yeah.
[8:58]You know, I haven't had that I've had my family not root for my kids that I've been in.
[9:04]But I haven't had like in my experience like another guy that I was dating his family
[9:10]not approving, but there have been differences and maybe still feeling like not being what,
[9:18]you know, different people have expected me to be or who I would be with or vice versa.
[9:24]Like I'm not the person that my partner's family or friends expected me to be.
[9:30]That's always hard.
[9:31]I think that's a lot of symbols like part of her journey is sometimes you're not going
[9:36]to be for everyone.
[9:38]Do not have to be entertainment and of value to everyone to still have value for yourself.
[9:44]And I think it's just really important that like core relationship like if you find yourself
[9:49]in that situation like that your partner is encouraging you and validating you and seeing
[9:54]you because that's what really matters.
[9:56]Like if you are a core.
[10:00]solid
[10:02]Pair you're gonna be able to withstand that, but that comes with a lot of communication and for
[10:07]Civil and Jamie they did not know how to communicate with each other and
[10:12]And in ways like that is what hindered them from being able to weather that storm in the first place
[10:18]Yeah, she felt really
[10:20]Lost and unseen and I think sometimes we have found like men have a hard time standing up to their mother and their family and like
[10:29]When you get married like you are you are starting a new family and knowing that your partner is going to stand up for you
[10:35]And to see you and value you. I don't think civil fully felt that and so that's like part of what Jamie has to
[10:42]You know go on a journey for is like how is he going to balance like his parents expectations
[10:47]But also his love for civil and
[10:50]Find a way forward in that. Wow. Well good luck. It's hard
[10:55]That's a hard situation. Oh my gosh
[10:57]Runaway bride is like one of my favorite movies. I love it so much
[11:02]I don't know if you see do you follow this guy
[11:04]I think he goes by heartthrob Rob on social media. He does all these like
[11:10]Reinterpretations in a super funny way of 90s movies
[11:12]And he recently did one on runaway bride and being like what can we not all eat eggs differently on different eggs
[11:19]He's like what is up with that?
[11:20]She has to like commit to like having her ordering eggs one way who wants to commit
[11:24]Anyway, he's so funny about it, but I think about that and for those who don't know what I'm even talking about like in runaway bride
[11:30]The Julia Roberts is trying to figure out who she is and she doesn't even know what kind of eggs she wants and by the end
[11:34]She kind of figures to that so I'm joking with the whole thing
[11:37]But I felt like there was obviously a parallel to this storyline of course
[11:41]And I'm wondering what what your version is of the eggs and do you
[11:46]Like just tell me about the parallels there. Are you also a fan?
[11:49]I love that movie so so much. I I had always said which I'm not doing this, but
[11:56]I just love that in seeing like her in that beautiful like green field filled and they're on the horses
[12:03]I was like oh wouldn't that be like a dream way
[12:07]To get married to like that's like etched in my brain. Are you gonna get married on horseback?
[12:11]I am not gonna get married
[12:13]You know
[12:15]Sounds like a good idea, but considering the fact that I've only been on a horse like three times in my entire life
[12:21]Probably not what I wouldn't do does actually does not actually sound like a good idea
[12:26]Too much room for air
[12:28]But in the movie, it's beautiful. Yes, but yeah, I think for simple
[12:33]It's before engagement ring to civil rights
[12:35]There's definitely a story there and she's had different relationships where she's shown up as herself
[12:40]But parts of herself that feel like they
[12:44]Mashed with that relationship at that time and I think if anything could be the eggs
[12:50]There's the I think maybe even like it looks like the engagement rings that she had like
[12:56]all very different
[12:58]just like her relationships and
[13:01]Always just kind of missing that sense of like self-love and worth in these different relationships though
[13:07]She doesn't really know how to like say what she wants. She knows how to be what other people want and
[13:14]Bold in those way and until it becomes too much and there's too many things that she's hidden
[13:20]For myself and for other people to to wear it it makes her at just like Julia Roberts
[13:25]Like run away and not be able to fully commit because
[13:28]Person doesn't even know you
[13:30]Fully, you know, they know the parts that you wanted them to see so I think
[13:35]You can see that symbolized by even by like
[13:38]The rings that she has in this
[13:42]In the story. I mean in a way
[13:44]It's just such a crapshoot to get married when you're really young when you're figuring out who you are anyway
[13:49]As soon as like like this wheel of fortune thing is going around and like it just stops right there
[13:53]And it's like okay. Well, maybe I was actually gonna land somewhere else
[13:56]But this is where like that was a better analogy to it. No, it's not I think I think getting near M30 now
[14:04]I think you could look at it in different ways like now
[14:06]I've been able to establish like my own life
[14:10]And in that way it gives you like a lot of confidence and like I can do this on my own, but do I want to
[14:17]That can be hard because you're like, okay, I've already said I've settled in this
[14:21]But now bring somebody else in so that has its own sometimes challenges and ways to move around it
[14:26]But also to your point like I am so different than I was
[14:31]Six years ago, you know, 10 years ago and when you
[14:35]Are finding yourselves and in this like these really
[14:39]Like strong
[14:41]Connections and romances like in that moment you could say yes to that person
[14:45]But you're I think just in general relationships
[14:48]You have to be with somebody that you can grow and change
[14:50]Yeah, and find a person that's also okay with you growing and changing and
[14:56]Yeah, it's it's funny to look back at civil's relationships
[14:58]Because her first relationship with Liam
[15:01]That we that you get to discover in the this book
[15:05]It's very different than her relationship with Jamie and Sebastian. There's a different little, you know, wheels
[15:11]Little folks on the wheels of her fortune and we get to get we get the opportunity to kind of dive into those and learn
[15:18]More about her as a character and who she was at different moments of her life and also like things that happen in her life
[15:26]In years past how that is still coming up, you know, years and years later. So I think it was a good analogy to say
[15:36]How did you become an author? Yeah, so I actually started off in nonfiction
[15:43]I had the opportunity to write I call out like a quarter-life memoir because
[15:48]I was I was pretty young at the time. It's kind of crazy it's been like five years since I wrote that but
[15:54]There's a lot of interesting parts of my life and I was given the opportunity to do that
[15:59]That was never something that I really dreamt of
[16:02]But I had always had the opportunity I mean always wanted the opportunity and the ability to write a novel
[16:08]I remember being on my mom's like
[16:11]Hitching counter one day and being and telling her like
[16:14]And this is crazy like one of my dreams is like one day writing novel
[16:18]Like I really just want to be able to do that and say I've done it
[16:21]But also like have a story worth sharing and I had an idea still having my backpack is not one of these
[16:29]But yeah, this is what I say is like my first dream come true because all the other things that I've been able to do
[16:34]Have been so amazing
[16:35]But nothing that I could have dreamt up but writing a novel has always been something that I inspired to do and didn't know
[16:42]How and was offered the opportunity to be able to do this and
[16:47]It's just been incredible. It's truly been a gift for me
[16:51]But also to be able to share like these creative stories that I'm coming
[16:56]I've come up with with other people and people liking this
[17:00]Has been really really cool
[17:02]So it's like I said it's been a dream for
[17:05]Since I was in high school and so that it's come to fruition this past
[17:10]Year when my first novel was amazing and then to have opportunity to do it again
[17:14]Oh my gosh, it's been great, but also like I don't know if you hear this mother of people
[17:19]But the second book was a lot harder in a way because it's like you've done it went
[17:23]I don't know. I think for some people maybe it's like you do it once you're like oh, I can do it again, but I'm like oh no
[17:28]I've done it once like
[17:32]But I had an amazing co-author Emily Larby that really
[17:36]Helped with me for structure and like understanding. How do I have this idea? I had these characters. How do I
[17:44]Make this a reality like a book that somebody will be able to hold in their hands and not in 12 years
[17:50]And that was just really wonderful like that helped me so much to have like a team and support
[17:56]So yeah, that's kind of how it all started, but it's been a long time coming at least in my mind's eye
[18:02]Oh my gosh, so your last like mistakes were never made. What is a mistake that you made? Oh, we don't have time to go into all of them
[18:11]I think a mistake that I
[18:15]Have made, but it's been part of my story is not truly
[18:20]Kind of a similar thing that civil
[18:22]Has held her back is not fully
[18:26]Embracing who I am for fear of
[18:30]Not being enough not believing in myself being enough as is seeking validation for how I make other feel other people feel
[18:39]Versus how I really feel myself think that can really hold a lot of people back
[18:44]I don't think I'm alone in that and not knowing my value in worth sooner
[18:50]I think it's women we all can sometimes struggle with that because of the stereotypes and the ways that we're like
[18:57]supposed to be and
[18:59]I mean as well, but I
[19:01]Have really had to go in the journey of being able to like
[19:05]Love and value myself as is and not always having to win
[19:09]Or do it right make mistakes and it be okay and have nothing to do with
[19:14]My value as a human being
[19:17]But there's been a lot of years my life that I did not believe that and so
[19:21]You know that I don't live with like full regret
[19:24]But there's always those what ifs if what if I knew the sooner what else could I have done? What else would I have gone after or so?
[19:31]Yeah, I think
[19:32]When I'm writing these books a lot of these characters are very
[19:37]Similar to me because they're a part of me. I don't know how to write about anything that I don't fully
[19:42]Know the feeling of I might have not ran into
[19:46]two of my x's on a beach
[19:49]Going and having to like confront them and maneuver around that
[19:54]But I know what it feels like to be scared and have doubt and have my
[20:00]us catch up with me and allow me not to really be able to accept what's in front of me.
[20:08]So yeah, I think some of the mistakes that I've made have been things that in this book
[20:14]civil also has to go through but also the mistakes that I've made can
[20:19]be a path for a beautiful future once you've like faced them head on and open up other doors.
[20:27]So that's what I feel like has happened in my life. A lot of the things that I'm like most like,
[20:31]oh my gosh, why did I do that? There has been a way made forward in that and I would say that for
[20:38]anybody that that there's always no matter what you've done, where you feel like you failed,
[20:44]there's always like a light at the end of the tunnel that maybe it was a hard run around
[20:50]that you can be didn't have to go through. But there's always like something on the other side that
[20:56]whether that's a life lesson or a gift, I think either one is worth it. I love that. Amazing.
[21:03]So in addition to getting married and releasing this book and all the rest, are you already writing
[21:09]your next book or how are you feeling about that? I have ideas. I have not started another book. I
[21:16]also just bought my first house. We have like a lot going on at one time, but I have a few ideas. So
[21:24]in mistakes we never made and the four engagement reads a civil reign, there is a core for a group
[21:29]of girls. It's kind of a sex in the city vibe. The first book kind of revolved around Emma's love story
[21:36]and obviously the four engagement reads a civil reign is about civil. But I have ideas to be able
[21:42]to really create a world in where Nikki has her own story and Willow has her own story and how
[21:53]this relationship of these women like how they're there for each other and love and loss
[21:59]and learning more about themselves. And so I have ideas, but they're fully on paper. Well,
[22:07]the idea is on paper, but I'm not fully written out about, but I would love the opportunity
[22:13]to do that soon when things come down just a little bit. Well, I love the idea. I don't even know
[22:19]what do you call it when it's for. It's not a trilogy. It's like a quad trilogy. I just made it
[22:24]up. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know either. That's why I don't know. I'll stand alone
[22:28]books. So like just for for people who are interested, like you could start with the four engagement
[22:33]reads a civil reign. I want them to be able to be stand alone, but also what was so fun to be
[22:38]like how I decided to write stibbles. But next is because people were so invested in her story in the
[22:45]first book and wanting to know more about her. So I hope that continues to happen so that I can
[22:52]give Nikki and Willow their chance to shine and share their love stories.
[22:57]Well, I did not read the first one, sorry to say. And I was not the least, but I didn't even
[23:04]you wouldn't even have known that there was another book. Oh, good. Good. I'm gone.
[23:08]It was totally free. You know, stood on its own 100%. So that was great. Is there adaptation,
[23:14]news coming or anything? That would be such a dream, obviously. Like for me, I come from television.
[23:22]And so to be able to bring these stories into that scope of work would be a dream come true.
[23:30]So it's definitely something that I think about when I'm writing, but I'm really just excited
[23:35]for people to get their hands on it and read it first. And you know, if it becomes something more,
[23:40]like that is the goal. But as you know, those things are really hard to come by and take a long
[23:46]time. So it's a dream. And we'll see, but I always like to put it out there that, yeah, that would be
[23:53]amazing to be able to see this hit a screen of some sort, whether that's TV or film, that'd be huge.
[24:02]Amazing. And do you have a core for? Are you part of a group of girls that are? Yes. Yes.
[24:09]I mean, I have, I'm so grateful for the women that I have in my life that support me who
[24:17]check me, who encourage me, who are able to talk sense into me when I need it. They all come from
[24:25]different areas of my life. Kind of the same was civil too. Like they, I'm obviously getting married
[24:31]so I'm having my bachelor at trip soon. And so everybody's starting to get to know each other.
[24:35]It's just so amazing to be able to have like the people in your life from different seasons,
[24:40]be able to come together. And who knows, I will have a great because I have eight
[24:46]bridesmaids. But yeah, I have, I value my female friendships so much and how they have
[24:53]really been integral in in my relationship now, like just supporting my relationship being there
[25:00]for me. And in my fiance Adam, like in times when like I was off, I was wrong. When we were maybe in a
[25:08]fight or upset with each other, like them continuing to support me and see me. And yeah, I think it's
[25:14]super important. I think one of the greatest love stories in your life can be with your female
[25:19]friendships and how you can show up and be there for each other. So yeah, very, very life
[25:26]great women in my life. So I have a totally superficial question. I've been staring at your wallpaper
[25:30]at this whole time and I love my favorite so much. Do you have any idea like where you got that
[25:34]or what kind it is? Okay, I'm pretty sure it's William Morris. Is that that William Morris?
[25:41]I'm not sure. I cannot take credit for it because I just bought this house recently. It's like in 1905
[25:50]craftsmen in Nashville, Tennessee, like this adorable little neighborhood and the people who
[25:57]we bought the house from did some really great work. And so this is theirs, but I'm pretty sure
[26:04]I looked it up and it's William Morris wallpaper. Amazing. But yeah, there's wallpaper in like
[26:09]five of the rooms. Oh my gosh. But it's done so well. I think eventually I'll make it my own, but
[26:17]it's too good to change it right now. I'm going to enjoy it for a little bit. Yeah. Oh my gosh,
[26:22]I'm just going to move right in. I want to move into your house. Well, we can just trade.
[26:26]That could be our next book. Do you like the holiday? Yeah, we'll do the holiday. Trade spouses are
[26:31]yeah. Nashville in New York City. Why not? Perfect. Okay, great. I'm in. Well, good luck with your wedding.
[26:38]Congratulations. I truly enjoyed the book. It was really escapist and fun and yet there was
[26:44]meat on it. So yeah, I really enjoyed it. I appreciate it. Okay. Best of luck.
[26:50]Oh, thank you. August. So calm while behaved. Mine is going crazy. Oh, she's someone's to
[26:57]love it. Oh my gosh. So you have a baby, like a three year old dude also. They're wild. Yeah,
[27:04]no, but yeah, she's very chill. Well, thank you so much for having me. All right. Thank you so much.
[27:10]Good luck. Okay, bye. Right. Thank you for listening to totally booked with Zibi,
[27:14]formerly mom's don't have time to read books. If you loved the show, tell a friend,
[27:19]leave a review, follow me on Instagram at Zibi Owens and spread the word. Thanks so much.
[27:25]Oh, and bye the books.