If you’ve spent any time on BookTok in the past year or so, you’ve probably seen someone crying over Wrecked. Bree L. Mina’s romantic tragedy about Ellie and Nate built a massive readership as an indie release before Simon & Schuster’s Simon Maverick imprint picked it up for a traditional re-release. The sequel, Revived, follows Katie’s story and arrives this November, finally giving us the happy ending we (and the characters) have been waiting for.
I had the chance to chat with Bree ahead of the re-release to talk about writing these stories, the real-life experiences that shaped the survival elements, and what’s next for the Westin siblings. Read all about it below.
Was Wrecked always going to end in tragedy? I know writers sometimes begin their books with one idea, only to have their characters take them on a different journey, so I wonder if Nate and Ellie got a happy ending in any previous versions of the story?
Wrecked was going to end in tragedy before I even knew what the overall plot was going to look like! Katie’s story had been something I wanted to write for years, but I needed a way to get to it without villainizing her sister. And even though I fell in love with Ellie and Nate, I knew it was the only ending that made sense for them. Ellie suffered from severe, untreated depression and anxiety. She was postpartum. And she relied on a crutch (Nate) as a way of unhealthy coping. Unfortunately, there was never going to be another ending for her. There are many books that have mental health representation where the story ends with healing. And readers need that. But I also wanted to show some of the harsher realities of mental health disorders because I think that is also something some readers need to see to feel validated.
Considering that Katie is the heroine of Revived, how did that shape how you wrote her in Wrecked? The “other women” are often villainized in second-chance romances, so I wonder if it was difficult to balance having Katie as both the blocker of Nate and Ellie’s relationship and someone the reader should love in the next book?
Katie is such a complex character, and her story shaped the entirety of Wrecked. Even parts that felt minor or unimportant are going to be incredibly significant in Revived. I wanted readers to sympathize with Katie and the position she was put in, but also root for Nate and Ellie. I was honestly surprised to find out so many readers didn’t like Katie. But I also think it’s hard to put yourself in her POV when you are getting the full story, feelings, and emotions from Nate and Ellie. But if you separate that, the truth is that Katie was used, lied to, and cheated on. So I didn’t actually expect her to be villainized. I’m finding that once readers understand her better in Revived, their outlook changes drastically.
Since you wrote both a tragedy and a more hopeful romance, which one would you say was more difficult to write — both on an emotional and on a technical level?
Writing Wrecked lacked the pressure that writing Revived had—because I wasn’t sure anyone was going to read it! I wrote it very casually, and was pleasantly surprised over how many readers enjoyed it. Writing Revived was a bit harder because I didn’t want to let readers down. Katie’s story is very important to me, so I felt I had to get it just right. I think they both impacted me emotionally, but for different reasons. For me, the scenes in Revived were harder to write because I was letting my personal emotions lead, so I needed to take several breaks through the writing process. Both stories had scenes, events, and conversations that were taken from my personal life, so it was equally challenging to be open and vulnerable writing both.
What is your writing process like? Do you prefer to plan your stories in advance or do you just allow them to unfold as you write?
I do a little of both. I plan out the major plot line and the significant events. Everything in between is wherever the characters take me. Nate, for example, was supposed to bully Ellie in high school. That changed by chapter two when Nate kind of got in the driver’s seat and took the story in a different direction.
How did your life experiences shape how you wrote the survival elements of this book, or the resilience Nate and Ellie need to get through it?
So much of my life experiences shaped Wrecked—just not in a linear path of my life events. I served for eight years active duty and incorporated a lot of my experience into the story—from knot tying to shelter building. The scene where Ellie was swept away in a rapid is something that I experienced myself (also in the Amazon jungle), so I was able to take my fears, feelings, and perseverance and incorporate that into the story. Having spent time in that environment made it much easier to describe the elements, scenery, and dangers, as well as understand the resilience needed to survive.
Wrecked started as an indie release and built a huge readership before being traditionally published. What’s changed for you or for the book going into this edition?
I think more has changed for me personally than for the book itself. Readers will get the same story—with minor changes—and an enhanced cover and painted edges. For me, bringing my story to so many new readers is a feeling I can’t even explain. It’s excitement—with a healthy dose of fear. Having such a big publishing house backing Wrecked is giving me opportunities I never even dreamed of. Mostly because I try to dream within the realm of possibility! And I just never expected Wrecked to have the following that it does!
Is the Westin Legacies duology fully closed or is there something about the world you’d like to return to? If not, do you have a new story in mind?
The Westin Legacies will be a trilogy! There are three Westin siblings, so they will each get a story! After that—there is a character I think I’d love to return to in the future, but it’s not something I plan to write anytime soon. And their story would be separate from the Westin Legacies because they are not a Westin. I do have a new story ready and plotted out! It’s a romantic thriller and I am really excited about it. I think it will be equally terrifying and emotional.
What author (or authors) first made you want to write romance, and is there a writer today who still inspires how you approach your own stories?
The very first romance novels I read were The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward and it made me fall in love with the paranormal romance genre. From there, I really dipped my toes into everything—dystopian, fantasy, contemporary—and I love it all. The authors that inspire me most today are Kate Stewart and Jennifer Hartmann. I love emotional and angsty reads and they always deliver.
Do you have any book recommendations for readers who tear through Wrecked and need something to fill the void?
If they are looking for more heartbreak I would suggest the Ravenhood series by Kate Stewart or the Torment Duet by Dylan Page (Torment duet is not a romance and please check triggers!) If they are looking for sister’s fiancé trope I would suggest Dancing with Sin by Alexandria Lee. If they want another love triangle I would recommend Black Swan Affair by K.L. Kreig.
About Wrecked
Fate is a fickle thing. When Nate meets Ellie during his senior year of high school, he believes they are fated to love each other through their most challenging moments. With dreams of escaping their abusive homes, they plan to leave their past behind and start a new, happier life together. Fate is unpredictable. Not every story has a happy ending, and not every love is meant to survive, and finally Nate and Ellie face one storm their relationship is unable to survive. And so they go their own ways, never to see each other again, until…Eight years later, Nate is engaged to Ellie’s sister. After being tasked with retrieving her wedding dress, the two take off on a trip to Brazil. Fate is uncontrollable. But when their plane goes down in the Amazon, the two must fight to survive in the jungle, while unraveling the events of their past and exposing the truths that could tear them apart. Fate brought them together. And fate tore them apart. Will fate give them a second chance at love? Sometimes your second chance is also your goodbye.
Wrecked comes out on October 16, 2025, and Revived comes out on November 24, 2026 (so you won’t have to wait too long for the sequel) and you can find both wherever books are sold!
About the Author
Bree L. Mina is a romance/fiction author who believes the more angst the better. She is a Navy veteran who has lived all over the world, but currently resides in Ohio. You can follow her on Instagram for more updates!
