Jodi Thomas is the author behind the Ransom Canyon romance novels that inspired Netflix’s neo Western drama, whose second season arrives July 23. The series stars Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly as Staten and Quinn, but the show’s long term plan is already moving beyond the first book. Thomas’ series follows interconnected romances and rivalries across a West Texas ranching community. The first season tracks Staten and Quinn closely, while also giving Lucas and Yancy more screen time than they receive in the opening novel and introducing Lauren much earlier than the books do. How Different Are the Books and the Show? Netflix used the first Ransom Canyon novel as a launchpad rather than a strict season by season blueprint. Showrunner April Blair told Deadline that Thomas’ books shift focus to a new couple in each installment, an anthology style structure that would have required the television series to constantly rebuild its cast. That means viewers should not expect season two to simply dramatize the next book in order. Readers can explore the wider saga through titles including Ransom Canyon , Rustler’s Moon , Lone Heart Pass , Sunrise Crossing , Wild Horse Springs , Indigo Lake , Mistletoe Miracles , and Christmas in Winter Valley , plus the series’ prequels and additional Ransom Canyon stories. The takeaway: Thomas created a sprawling romantic universe, while Netflix is remixing that universe around one continuing ensemble. Season two’s eight episodes may borrow the books’ atmosphere and characters, but the plot is expected to follow the show’s own trail.