Have you read The Rancher's Return? Kathy Douglass talks Sweet Briar and sweet love

By now, you have to be a fan of romance author Kathy Douglass. If you're not, then let me tell you that it is time to treat yourself to some of the sweetest romance on the shelves right now.
Kathy introduced us to the small town of Sweet Briar, NC in HOW TO STEAL THE LAWMAN’S HEART – Harlequin Special Edition – February, 2017

Forgiveness starts with a stolen kiss…

Chief of police Trent Knight had it all until an accident took his wife and he was left alone to raise two beautiful girls. Now the person he always blamed for his loss is back in town, and all bets are off. But soon his anger toward Carmen Shields gives way to a very different emotion — awareness of Carmen as a woman. On one hand, it feels like a betrayal of his late wife’s memory. On the other, it could be his second chance at life — and Carmen’s shot at redemption. Maybe she can go home again — with the help of a certain lawman.

And she takes us back in her latest, THE RANCHER’S RETURN – Harlequin Special Edition – March, 2019

“That’s all you have to say? You’re back now?”

Ten years ago, the love of Raven Reynolds’s life disappeared without a trace. Now Donovan Cordero is back, standing on her doorstep. Along the way, Raven had the rancher’s child—though he didn’t know she was pregnant! Now her prayers have been answered, but happily-ever-after feels further away than ever. Because how can she rebuild a life with her child’s father if she’s engaged to another man?

 Kathy has taken the time to talk to me about her latest book and the lovely town of Sweet Briar. (Trust me, you're going to want to live there!) 

1. You gave us all the feels, where did you get the idea for this second chance romance? 

My editor contacted me with the opportunity to be a part of the Linda Lael Miller Presents promotion. There was one condition – the book had to be a western. Even though my books take place in North Carolina, I have ranchers in the series so they still qualify. I had been working on another book at the time and we discussed moving those characters to a ranch, but it wouldn’t work. Their backstory had already been established and they lived in Sweet Briar. I was going to have to start from scratch.

I’d mentioned Donovan in THE RANCHER AND THE CITY GIRL. He was Jericho’s friend who’d disappeared without a trace some years ago. At the time, I had no more information about Donovan. All I knew was that he’d vanished. I decided that he would be the hero of my new story. Then I imagined that there would have been someone left behind. Someone special that he’d loved more than life. That someone was Raven. I thought he’d lost enough in life and deserved the chance to make his relationship work the second time around. Happily it did.

2. Donovan and Raven had such heat, even though it is a sweet romance. All of your characters do. How do you balance that while keeping things nice and sweet?

Well, I’m not quite sure. It just sort of happens. All of my couples love and desire each other passionately. I just keep most of the longing in their minds and all sex behind closed doors.  

3. I love all the kids that you've written about, but Elias is my favorite so far. How did you come up with his personality? 

I love the kids in my books. They are so much fun to write. Whenever I write a kid, I start with the premise that he or she is basically a good kid. With Elias, I tried to imagine what a boy living on a ranch with his mom and grandparents would feel. What would his days be like and what would he want? Then I set him loose on the page. His personality was revealed a little bit more with each scene he was in.

To be honest, the people in my books are real to me and I let them tell their own stories. I don’t think I’m creating their personalities as much as they are revealing who they are. I’m a pantser so I generally don’t know what they’re going to do until they do it. Sometimes I’m surprised by their behavior, but generally it’s in line with their personality so I shouldn’t be.

4. There's a heartbreaking scene with Elias and Donovan in the book that really got my eyes sweating. But it was real. Was it important to you to show these kind of emotions and not have a Disneyland reunion? 

Yes. I want to keep it as real as I can. People get angry when they think they’ve been betrayed or feel like someone has made a fool of them. They often say really nasty and cruel things in an effort to make the other person hurt as much as they do. I just couldn’t imagine Elias being thrilled at the way he found out the truth. But I could imagine him being furious. And hurt. To me his reaction was understandable and real. And my eyes were sweating there, too.

5. You've made Sweet Briar such a character in your series, how did you come up with this town? 

The town just sprung up out of my imagination as a nice place to live. I like to pretend that I pictured the entire place at once, but that’s not true. The town has grown with each book as new places become necessary. I wish I would have made a map of the town before I started writing, but I didn’t. Hopefully one day I’ll get to that. In HOW TO STEAL THE LAWMAN’S HEART, a restaurant, beach, and youth center were necessary so I created them. Later I needed a garage so I added it. Now we have a doctor’s office. I do love this little town and all of the background characters that go with it, like the retired gentlemen who play checkers outside the barber shop.

6. Do we really have to wait until August for the next story? Whose story will it be? 

Yes and no. My next Sweet Briar Sweethearts book won’t be out until August. It’s Joni and Lex’s story. The title is A BABY BETWEEN FRIENDS. I am so excited for people to read that one. But I have another book coming out in May. THE CITY GIRL’S HOMECOMING is part of a multi-author continuity centered around a pet rescue. I had so much fun writing this book. It doesn’t take place in Sweet Briar, but it is set in a small community.

7. I know this is hard, but do you have a favorite Sweet Briar book? 

Whenever I’m writing a book, I fall in love with those characters, and that book becomes my favorite. So at one time or another each book has been my favorite.

But if I had to choose a favorite favorite, I would say HOW TO STEAL THE LAWMAN’S HEART. Not that I love the characters more than the others. I love all of the heroes and heroines. I think it’s because it was the very first book that I had published. And although they weren’t the main characters, I really loved Alyssa and Joseph’s relationship. So with LAWMAN, you get Trent and Carmen and Alyssa and Joseph. Two romances in one book. When you add up all of that, that’s what put this book over the top and makes it my favorite.