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There’s more to Netflix’s Ransom Canyon than meets the eye. The show initially focuses on Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel), co-owner of the Double K Ranch in Texas, as he grapples with the untimely death of his son and navigates a romance with the owner of the local dancehall venue, Quinn (Minka Kelly). But Quinn and Staten aren’t the only couple to watch in this new TV series.
Ransom Canyon is based on an ongoing book series by Jodi Thomas. And like another Netflix fave, Bridgerton, the Ransom Canyon books follow multiple characters in the town of Crossroads, Texas and their various love stories. Season 1 is based on the first novel in the series, also titled Ransom Canyon, but there are multiple sequels and even two prequels that can give us a clue about where the show could go next.
According to the showrunner and creator April Blair, the show won’t follow the anthology structure of the books. “That wasn’t really an achievable thing for us in series,” Blair told Deadline. “We wanted to stick with one cast, so we stuck to the single book as this jumping off point.”
Whether you’ve binged the TV show or you’re an avid reader ready for a new romance, here’s how to read the Ransom Canyon books in order.
Published in 2015, the first prequel in the series follows Staten’s father James Kirkland (played by Brett Cullen in the show), a wanderer who meets an Apache woman named Millie and embarks on a thrilling Texas romance.
The newest book in the Ransom Canyon universe follows young Staten’s origin story. When he hears his grandfather has fallen ill, Staten drops out of Texas Tech to run the Double K ranch. We also meet Charlotte Lane, a college professor who decides to become a high school teacher in the town adjacent to Ransom Canyon, and Peggy Warner, a 27-year-old who’s stuck at home with ailing parents and is desperate for change.
The eponymous book in the series follows adult Staten and his romance with Quinn. It also introduces mystery drifter Yancy Grey and hopeful teen Lucas Reyes.
Rustler’s Moon sparks Lucas and Lauren Brigman’s romance and introduces Angela Harold, a woman running away from her past. Her path crosses with that of Wilkes Wagner, owner of the Devil’s Fork Ranch.
Three new characters’ lives are explored in Lone Heart Pass. Jubilee Hamilton is looking for a fresh start after her career and relationship blow up, and all she has left is a Texas farm she’s inherited. While rebuilding her life, she meets Charley Collins but tries to fight their mutual attraction.
We return to Yancy Grey, who we learn had a brief stint in jail for petty theft. In his quest to become more than an ex-convict, he rebuilds an old house and finds a mysterious woman named Tori hiding out there. We also meet Parker Lacy, a gallery owner who meets a strong, silent cowboy as she enters Crossroads, and Gabe Snow, who returns to his hometown after a long time away.
The spotlight moves to Dan Brigman, Lauren’s father and the local sheriff. He finds a lone sparkly cowboy boot on the highway and sets out to find his owner. It ends up belonging to Brandi Malone, a singer who drifts from bar to bar but just might find a reason to stay after meeting Dan. And we check back in with Lauren, who’s now graduated from college and is ready to face her first love Lucas.
With an enemies-to-lovers premise, Indigo Lake follows Blade Hamilton, a newcomer to Crossroads who inherits a farm in a place he’s never been to before. He runs into a woman named Dakota, but despite their attraction, Dakota’s family has taught her never to trust a Hamilton.
This novella follows Maria Anne Davis, a local cook who sells her jams to the town’s grocer, Wes. Despite their feelings for each other, the two fear their love won’t be anything more than a holiday fling.
Griffin Holloway is proud of his family’s ranch, but it’s bleeding money. To save it, he’s on the lookout for a Christmas miracle: a wealthy bride to save his family home. The book also follows Jaxon O’Grady, a man who likes his solitude until a car crash brings a beautiful woman into his life.
Another book about the Holloway family, this one follows Cooper and Elliott Holloway. Cooper is determined to enjoy the holidays at a quiet, remote cabin, but instead he meets a stranger in need and a beautiful veterinarian. Back at home, Elliott tries his best to keep the Maverick Ranch running, but the arrival of long-lost love guarantees the holidays will be anything but typical.
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