Note: This article contains spoilers about Abby JimenezsThe Friend Zone.
Brandon did not stand a chance.
The man was dead before I even met him, she says.
Credit: Rachel Nadeau/De La Vue Photography
I know its this incredibly brutal thing.
I knew the pregnancy at the end was going to be triggering, she admits.
But theres a reason why this story feels authentic.
This was somebodys real story.
But can Sloan handle what could be another heartbreak?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You said you had the idea for this book first.
I had a friend who I was very, very close to and her husband died.
Two years after his death, she was very much still broken.
Obviously, its incredibly tragic.
So thats what I did.
It picks up two years later, and shes very much still broken.
She never went to grief counseling.
Its been like 15 years since her husbands passing.
Jason is 100 percent bearded Chris Evans in my book.
They have the cutest meet-cute in this book.
She steals his dog basically.
Sloan will be very okay.
Sloan isnt as angsty as Kristen either.
Kristen is a hard pill to swallow.
And youll never feel like that with Sloan because shes such a different person.
Jason is a musician whose star is on the rise.
not famous, person like Kristen and Josh?All of my men are soft boys.
And Jason is no different.
Jason grew up in the tiny Minnesota town of Ely.
So hes really new to this fame thing.
Hes not your typical rock star.
And when he meets Sloan, hes not really looking for someone.
Of course, neither is she.
It was really important to me that her recovery wasnt because she had a man in her life.
Sloan has a man in her lifebecauseshes okay.
I took a ton of time going through these songs.
Its truly an appropriate playlist for the book.
Some of the songs are fictional because some of them are Jasons songs.
More Kristen than Josh because thats her best friend.
Shes got that slapstick shock humor, and shes always messing with Sloan.
Well see more Stuntman Mike in the book.
Theres a lot of fun Easter eggs I put in both books.
Like in the karaoke chapter inThe Friend Zone,Kristen notes theres a poorly sung Lola Simone song.
Lola Simone is the villain in [this next book] shes a famous rock star.
You have now made the jump from being a very successful business owner/baker to being a best-selling author.
How did that journey start for you?
I used to blow through books when I was like 8.
I was always a huge reader, and I took creative writing all through high school.
I started by writing this really horrible YA romance.
It was so awful.
I cant even look at it now.
I never want to see it again.
When I like something, I get very laser-focused with it.
I really liked decorating cakes, so I watched a ton of videos and I watched all the shows.
I just applied that to my writing.
Whats on your own happy ever after playlist?Maybe The Only Exception by Paramore.
I love that song.
It is a beautiful song.
And thats so my husband.
Hes just the only exception.
Theres a lot of Paramore in the soundtrack for the book.
And then maybe a Smiths song because I just love the Smiths like, old school Smiths.
