Interview: Jennifer Ryan, author of 'When It's Right'

Jennifer Ryan joins us to chat about her newest release, When It's Right; writing contemporary romance vs. romantic suspense; favorite romance tropes; and tacos (and shares a recipe!).

Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Jennifer! Your latest release is When It's Right. What can you tell us about it?

Jennifer: Like most of my books, When It's Right starts off with a bang when Gillian faces a life-or-death situation when her father goes after her in a meth-induced rage. She survives, but is left with no other option than accepting her grandfather's invitation to come and live on his ranch in Montana. She's never met the man, but she needs a safe place to raise her much younger brother. There she finds two things that have rarely been a part of her life — kindness and love.

Blake is the perfect match to Gillian. He's patient with just the right amount of push to make Gillian confront her past and move forward. His determination to love her, despite the way she pushes him away, teaches her to trust and believe a happy ever after is not only possible, but hers if she opens her heart to a Montana man.

Joyce: Your first published book, Saved by the Rancher, sold really well in 2013, and you've been on an upward trajectory since. Some would call you an overnight success. Is this really an "overnight" thing, or did you write for years before you sold your first book?

Jennifer: Success came quickly after Saved by the Rancher was released, but I'd actually written the book five years before that, along with the other three books in The Hunted series. During those five years, I worked on my craft, constantly going back and editing the books and writing more books. I queried agents and publishers and collected a stack of rejection letters. Any time an agent or editor gave me a suggestion or said why they didn't like something in my work, I edited, I polished, and I kept writing. All that hard work leading up to Avon publishing The Hunted series contributed to my having that "overnight" success.

Joyce: You write both romantic suspense and small-town contemporary romance. As a romantic suspense author myself, I would have a hard time keeping a small-town romance from venturing into mystery/suspense territory. Do you have trouble with that?

Jennifer: Oh my gosh, yes! I love the excitement and fast pace of a suspense. It's been said I write soap opera drama in my books. It speaks to the intensity I try to bring to my characters and the storyline. The suspense I can't help but add to my small-town contemporary stories may not come in the form of a stalker or killer on the loose, but in grabbing the reader and building the anticipation for what will happen next. How will the conflict be resolved? Even within each of my series, the intensity of the suspense plot may be light to heavy. In my new Montana Men series, At Wolf Ranch has an intense suspense plot, while When It's Right is much lighter, finishing with Her Lucky Cowboy that falls in between. For me, it's about molding the story and suspense to fit the characters and storyline.

Joyce: What are your favorite romance tropes?

Jennifer: I do so love tropes. There is something so tried and true and familiar about them. When It's Right is a touch Cinderella story. At Wolf Ranch is a city girl falls for a sexy cowboy, sprinkled with opposites attract laced with a revenge plot. Her Lucky Cowboy is definitely the good girl falls for the playboy bad boy.

The Hunted series is ripe with revenge, a city girl falls for a cowboy, law enforcement, opposites attract, a love triangle, accidental pregnancy and fairy tale.

The McBrides are filled with reunion, return to small town, love on the rocks, redemption, and one of my favorites — secret babies. That's right, in The Return of Brody McBride, I've set up double secret babies.

Joyce: What are three romance books on your keeper shelves? (I know it's tough to pick just three, but we have only so much time.)

Jennifer: Judith McNaught's Whitney, My Love; Julie Garwood's The Lion's Lady; and Nora Roberts' The MacKade Brothers series.

I know, a suspense author who loves historicals. I devour them. And yes, I cheated on the Nora Roberts series. I love everything she writes, but I have a thing for family/brother sagas.

Joyce: You've said your favorite food is tacos. What, to you, makes a taco irresistible? Other than its just plain taco-ness. : )

Jennifer: The taco thing is a big joke in my house, because I make them at least once a week and always on the day my husband has Mexican food for lunch. It's a sixth sense. He literally walks in the door, smells the tacos, and says, "Of course. That's what I had for lunch." The kids laugh and say, "You know that's probably what Dad had for lunch." After nearly 25 years, I don't care anymore. I love tacos. I love that they are fast and easy to make, that each of the kids can have them the way they want and I don't have to make extra food to please each one of them, and that it annoys (not really) my husband to eat the same thing twice in one day.

My favorite thing about tacos is their versatility, but ultimately they are the same. Whether it's beef, chicken or pork. Top them with your favorite fixings and it's nothing short of delicious.

Our most recent favorite:

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Tacos

12 boneless skinless thighs

1 cup of your favorite salsa

½ cup onions

1 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. honey

Mix all ingredients in Crock Pot, cook 3-4 hours until chicken shreds easily. Fork into taco shells or flour tortillas, top with cheese and your favorite fixings.

So good … and easy.

Joyce: What can readers expect to see next from Jennifer Ryan?

Jennifer:Her Lucky Cowboy (book three in The Montana Men series) comes out on Aug. 25. In that series, Dane introduces Bell to his buddies, the Kendricks — Rory, Ford and Colt. So you might see a whole new set of Montana Men coming soon.

Joyce: Is there anything you'd like to add?

Jennifer: Fans of The Hunted series might be interested to know I've just completed book five. I don't have a title yet, but after Saved by the Rancher came out, I received dozens of requests for Ben's story. Since I already had the other three books in the series written, Ben had to wait his turn. His book will be out in January 2016.

Joyce: Thanks, Jennifer!

Find out more about Jennifer and her books at www.jennifer-ryan.com.

HEA curator and contributor Joyce Lamb is a USA TODAY best-selling author of romantic suspense and three-time RITA finalist and has been a professional journalist for 25 years. You can reach her at jlamb@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter (@JoyceLamb). You can also follow HEA on Twitter (@HEAusatoday).