Q&A: Rachael Johns, Author of ‘The Bad Bridesmaid’

We chat with author Rachael Johns about The Bad Bridesmaid, which is a heart-warming friends-to-lovers romance about the magic and mayhem of weddings – and what happens when everything you thought you knew about love is turned upside down.

Hi, Rachael! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’m a mother of three boys (all taller than me now), a cat person obsessed with a doc, a Diet Coke addict and not a perfectionist (I’m still trying to work out if this is a good or bad thing). I love sewing, knitting, embroidery and baking but don’t do any of these things nearly enough. I wish I loved gardening, because I’d like to have a pretty one. I live in the Swan Valley with my husband, our three sons, my mum, two cats and a naughty dog.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve been writing since I was 17 when I accidentally dumped my first boyfriend (at the time I thought he was The One and was hugely devastated in the way only 17-year-olds can be). For some reason unbeknownst to me because I’d never been a huge reader or writers up to this point, I turned to writing as a form of therapy for my broken heart. I wrote the story of me and the boy, but I rewrote our ending. Instead of breaking up, I gave him a horrific disease and killed him off. The writing was therapeutic and the story cringeworthy, but I caught the bug, and I haven’t stopped writing since. I also realised how much I loved reading at this time – because you can’t be a writer without being a reader – and now I probably read even more than I write!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

  • The first book you ever remember reading: Grug by Ted Prior.
  • The one that made you want to become an author: A Crack in Forever by Jeannie Brewer.
  • The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller.

Your latest novel, The Bad Bridesmaid, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Entertaining, Emotional, Escapist, Sexy and Surprising.

What can readers expect?

An unconventional romance novel that gives you all the feels you look for in the genre, set on beautiful Norfolk Island.

Where did the inspiration for The Bad Bridesmaid come from?

While writing my last rom com, The Other Bridget, I fell in love with Bridget’s feisty best friend, Fred. I had so much fun with their opposites attract friendship. Bridget was a die-hard romance, looking for the one, but Fred was anti-romance, determined to date and have fun with men without catching feelings. In edits I was asked to soften her just a little and I wrote this sentence: Bridget had only ever seen Fred cry twice – when her cat died and when her mum told her she was getting married for the fifth time. Suddenly I knew why Fred was the way she was and although I never planned to write her story, a whole plot practically fell into my head, inspired by one of my favourite childhood movies, The (original) Parent Trap. I decided I wanted to write a reverse parent trap and that’s exactly what The Bad Bridesmaid is – instead of trying to get parents back together, Fred and the hero, Leo are trying to stop their respective parents from getting married.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Ooh hard to answer this without giving away spoilers, but my favourite scene is probably one in with Fred and Leo have a run in with the local Norfolk Island police. I also love writing banter between two characters, and this flowed quite easily between Fred and Leo.

Did you face any challenges? How did you overcome them?

My biggest was that Fred starts the book hating on love, romance and committed relationships and deems that she is happily single. I believe that being single-by-choice is a valid decision for someone to make, yet I write romance, so my readers expect that my characters will fall in love and live a happy ever after, or at least a happy for now. I wanted to make Fred’s falling in love and the subsequent decision to pursue a relationship realistic while also not perpetuating the myth that you need someone else to be happy and fulfilled. To do this, I showed that Fred has made this decision for the wrong reasons and while it might be a valid decision for some, it was not for her.

Why romance?

Because just the word makes me smile! Because I love the emotional journey I’m taken on as a reader of romance. Because I believe in happy ever afters. Because I want to offer my readers comfort and hope. Because it’s fun. Because I get to fall in love every time I write a book. Because romance novels can explore serious and important issues in a light and entertaining way.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently writing a general contemporary fiction novel called The Lucky Sisters about twin sisters who were adopted at birth and just before their fiftieth birthday, go looking for their birth parents. What they discover is life-changing and they both react in very different ways.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?

So many, but top of my list are Fredrik Backman’s MY FRIENDS, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ATMOSPHERE and Emily Henry’s GREAT BIG, BEAUTIFUL LIFE.

Will you be picking up The Bad Bridesmaid? Tell us in the comments below!

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