Kennedy Ryan Shares With Jenna Bush Hager the Sweet Reason Her Son Inspired Her To Write Romance Novels
The bestselling author opens up on 'Open Book With Jenna' about the emotional family journey behind her books
Key Takeaways
- Kennedy Ryan didn't land her first book deal until she was 40 years old.
- The bestselling author ran an autism foundation for 11 years before becoming a novelist.
- Her books ‘Score’ and ‘Reel’ have prompted readers to seek their own diagnoses.
She didn’t publish her first novel until she was 40. Now she’s one of the most celebrated romance authors alive. In a new episode of Open Book With Jenna, bestselling author Kennedy Ryan opened up to Jenna Bush Hager about the deeply personal journey—including raising a son on the spectrum—that brought her to romance in the first place.
Kennedy Ryan opens up to Jenna Bush Hager about family and autism advocacy
Kennedy, 53, has written numerous bestselling romance novels, all of which feature people of color and center around moving plots with just the right amount of spice. And while she’s now one of the most celebrated authors of the decade, the road to her first book deal was anything but straightforward—shaped largely by her life as a mother and advocate for the autism community.
“I never thought I was going to be writing novels. I used to do a lot, and I still do a lot of advocacy work with autism. My son is on the spectrum. I ran a foundation for 11 years,” Kennedy told Jenna. “In my 30s when everything was really intense [and] there was a lot that was required of me as a mother, and there was a lot that was required for me as an advocate running this foundation for other families. It felt like a pressure cooker and I needed something that was just kind of a release for me. And that’s when I remembered how much I loved romance novels when I was younger.”
Over the years, Kennedy has spoken out about the importance of there being support and visibility for the autism community. She has included autism in several of her books, all of which were highly praised by readers and reviewers.
“I feel like I was made to do these things. And one of them is to advocate for families who have children, adults and young adults on the spectrum,” Kennedy said. “I was doing that, and I was like, if I write a book, it’s probably gonna be my family story and it’s gonna be a mother’s story. It’s gonna be about our journey and about neurodivergence. That’s what I thought writing a book was going to be for me. And then I remembered romance.”
Why Kennedy Ryan chose romance (and why it matters)
One of Kennedy’s most recent books is Score. It follows Verity Hill, a sharp and driven woman living with Bipolar I Disorder who unexpectedly reunites with her college sweetheart, Wright “Monk” Bellamy, on the set of a sweeping Harlem Renaissance biopic. Old feelings resurface fast—and so do old wounds. It’s a slow-burn reunion romance wrapped around a culture-rich backdrop, with plenty of spice and emotional depth—and a heroine whose mental health journey is portrayed with rare nuance and authenticity.
“I’ve gotten so many messages from people who are like, when I read Score, I saw my own patterns of behavior, and I had just kind of tried to dismiss it. But after I read Score, I called my insurance company and I was like, ‘Hey, I am on my way to getting a diagnosis,'” Kennedy said. “The first measure of success is when you hear from people saying things like that.”
Another Kennedy book that has deeply resonated with readers is Reel. It centers on Neevah, a talented actress who lands the role of a lifetime starring in a biopic helmed by the brilliant—and breathtakingly handsome—director Canon Holt. What begins as a professional collaboration quickly becomes something far more complicated. At the heart of the story is a heroine living with Lupus, navigating both Hollywood ambition and chronic illness while daring to believe she deserves love.
“So many people who had lupus were like, I never thought I would read a romance novel with a lupus heroine,” Kennedy said. “That is the biggest thing I want people to walk away with—is you are worthy of love.”
Where to listen to ‘Open Book With Jenna’
New episodes of Open Book With Jenna drop regularly, and you can tune in wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube—just search “Open Book With Jenna.” You can also watch full episodes on The Today Show’s YouTube channel.
Whether you’re a longtime bookworm or just discovering your next favorite read, each episode is a cozy, intimate conversation between Jenna and some of the biggest names in fiction—Emily Henry to Rebecca Yarros—covering everything from the stories behind the stories to the books that have changed their lives.
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