It’s a strange thing, finishing a book series. It’s an even stranger thing when you are the author writing it!

There’s a reason I always write long series. I love delving into a series, really getting to know the characters, loving some, hating others. I want to immerse myself in their world; I want to taste their food, breathe in their air, feel as though I could reach out and touch them at any point.

That’s hard to do in a standalone book. You simply don’t have the time to get to know the characters in the same way.

So when a series that you love comes to an end, it’s like saying goodbye to a trusted friend. You know that they’ll always be there when you need them, but there are no new adventures to go on together.

That’s exactly how I felt when I finished my Never the Bride series, or as my wonderful readers call it, the Always series. Many of them have emailed me to let me know that they wish the series could go on ‘always’!

But sometimes, you reach the end of the line. I didn’t realise that it was going to come with Olivia’s story. I actually thought the series would be complete at book six, and then four books later. But eventually I realised that there were two more stories to tell, and then I would reach the end.

It’s bittersweet. As an author, I always find it much easier to write in a series when I’m four or five books in. I know the world. I know the characters. It’s as simple as writing down the scenes I am already watching in my mind.

So although both you and I will always have new series to explore, Never the Bride has a very special place in my heart. I hope it does for you, too.