Author Interview: Jennifer Carr

Let Me Love You is out on March 4th!

Mar 04, 2025

Today we’ve got an author interview with Jennifer Carr. Her new novel, Let Me Love You, is the third book in an interconnected series of stand-alone contemporary romantic suspense novels.

Let Me Love You has
❤︎ slow-burn romance
❤︎ country setting
❤︎ journey of healing and rebuilding
❤︎ haunted by the past
❤︎ love worth fighting for
❤︎ he will protect her, no matter the stakes
❤︎ hope, healing, new beginnings, and second chances

Kensington "Kensi" Rose Solinas flees an abusive marriage and finds refuge at The Yellow Rose Inn in Liberty, Texas. Guarded and broken, she begins rebuilding her life, unexpectedly connecting with Wyatt Turner—a former Navy SEAL and rising country music star whose quiet strength awakens her hope.

When her past resurfaces, news of her husband’s arrest sets off a chain of events, plunging Kensi back into danger. Wyatt must choose between his rising stardom and risking everything to save her.

Thank you to Jennifer for taking the time to do this interview with us!

Let Me Love You is the third book in an interconnected standalone series. Did you always know this would be a series, or was it something that happened during the process?

Oh my stars, NO! Book one, Fall When You’re Ready, was supposed to be a solitary book. But when I wrote The End, a couple of the characters jumped out and said, “Hey, we want a turn.” And now, all told, the series has six books, a novella, and a couple of short stories to go with it.

Those pesky characters really have far more control than we give them credit for sometimes. At least they’ve given you a lot to work with!

When did you first come up with the idea for the series?

I love 90s Country–yes, this matters! One day Brantley Gilbert’s song Fall Into Me came on the radio. Some of the lyrics include the phrase, “Fall when you’re ready, babe…” and all of a sudden these two characters popped into my head and said, “Hey! This is our song!” I pulled out my phone, started leaving a note to myself using voice to text. As soon as I got home I sat down at the computer and interpreted it the best I could. Thus, the first book, Fall When You’re Ready, was born. From there, the characters kept speaking to me and when they finally quieted down, I decided it was time to go a different direction!

I love that! Inspiration can come from so many places, and music can hold so much.

Do you have a favourite line you'd like to share?

Wyatt Turner is the epitome of the perfect book boyfriend and always knows exactly what to say and do. And he feels things deeply. Case in point:

I wanted to be there for her. Not just for a moment, not just until she found her footing again, but for the long haul. I wanted to create a future where she knew, without a doubt, that she was loved, safe, and cherished. The way she made everyone else feel.

I wanted her to be mine.

Oh my gosh, I think maybe we all need a Wyatt in our lives, he seems like an absolute darling.

Who would you recommend Let Me Love You to?

Let Me Love You is perfect for those looking for a no spice contemporary romance with a bit of suspense and boatloads of swoon! It’s categorised as New Adult Fiction but has already been enjoyed by readers of all ages between 15 and 72.

Wow, that’s a very specific age range!

Do you know what your next project will be?

I DO! I’m working on a spin-off series that takes us to Montana where we’ll reunite with a couple of characters we meet in book four of the Real American Country Series. There are currently four books with synopses but that can easily grow as I’ve discovered!

Ooh, bringing back old characters! That sounds like an exciting project.

Have you always wanted to be an author? What inspired you to start?

I have always loved writing. I was scribbling really bad poetry on paper as early as fourth grade. I actually stumbled across some of it when we cleaned out our attic a few years ago and it was embarrassing and hilarious to say the least. And no, it will never see the light of day again! HA!

But, writing has always been a natural way for me to process my thoughts and emotions. I entered and won multiple writing and oratorical contests all throughout middle and high school. I did not, however, know that I could write a book and love doing it until 2021. And now, I can’t stop!

As a poetry lover, I’m sure there’s a lot of published (and popular) poetry that’s worse, but I won’t push you to show us. I’m glad to hear you found a style that works for you though!

How long have you been writing?

Professionally? I started writing my first book (No Matter What) in 2021, self-published it in 2022.

How much does your own life influence your work?

I mean, I write what I know. My first book drew heavily from my background in psychology and love of crime shows like The Mentalist and Psych. The RAC Series stemmed from my love of 90s Country. Granted, I’ve done my fair share of research for every book I’ve written about so many random things. But for the most part, everything at least starts with something I’m familiar with!

Sounds like a solid mix of subjects! And certainly an interesting combination.

What made you decide to self-publish?

I submitted A LOT of queries to find an agent. After the 99th rejection and a TON of research, I decided that I could do the self-publishing thing and see what happened. When I tell you it’s probably the best choice I’ve made in a long time, I’m not exaggerating. The experience, the opportunities, the network and relationships I’ve built would have never happened if I hadn’t self-published.
I’ve talked to an agent and am still talking to an agent about some things that have to do with trad. publishing. But I keep coming back to how big of a blessing my journey into self-publishing has been.

It’s certainly a very different experience. I think a lot of folks underestimate some of the possibilities self-publishing can bring us.

Who was your biggest influence as an author?

With hopes of not sounding cliché or prideful, I am going to say that I don’t have a lot of influences on my work as an author. Understand, I am a voracious reader and have my favourites as far as authors I read are concerned. But when I started writing, it was out of my own heart and mind and I’ve never had another author in mind while I’m writing. Just my characters!
If you’re asking if there’s anyone who has encouraged me to write and become a better writer, then that’s a completely different story! My 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Cockson, and my 10th grade ELA teacher, Ms. Brown, were MAJOR influences on my writing. They were the teachers who encouraged, critiqued, and pushed me to write and be better.

Writing from your own heart and mind sounds like a lovely way to go! It sounds like you had some pretty great teachers on your side too.

If you could recommend one book aside from your own, what would it be?

This is actually easy for me. The Princess Bride, hands down. I think a lot of people know the movie (which is, in my opinion, one of the best adaptations in existence), but they don’t realise it’s a novel. And the book is so amazing because you get so many details about the characters and their backstories which enhances the movie in so many ways. If you are a fan of the movie, I highly recommend reading the book if you haven’t. You can thank me later.

Second this! I absolutely loved this book. There are so many details, and the format is incredibly unique. And surprisingly, yes, the movie adaption is pretty great, even if you’ve read the book (not many adaptions can say the same).

What advice would you give to other writers? Is there anything you wish someone had told you?

I have three major pieces of advice or insight I think is beneficial that I’ve learned over the last few years.

1. Don’t let anyone tell you that being an author is not a real career option. When I was graduating high school, pursuing a creative career wasn’t really encouraged. I had even taken aptitude tests that said the top three careers for me would be Actor, Writer/Director, or Teacher. Unfortunately, because the ones I really wanted to pursue were considered careers for the “special people,” I was expected to pick a traditional path that looked like everyone else’s. For a long time, I felt lost trying to fit into that mold. I floundered A LOT.
But when I started writing and eventually publishing my own books, it was like a floodgate opened, and I felt so free creatively. I hate that it took me until I was almost 40 to see that pursuing a passion is a viable option.
If a person will stay focused and embrace the hard work behind it, a creative career can absolutely lead to success. It’s possible to pursue passions and build a career that looks different from the norm—and thrive doing it.
Your first draft isn’t meant to be perfect! It’s really just the starting point. Think of it as the foundation you’ll build upon through multiple revisions. The real magic happens during the rewriting and editing stages, where you refine your story, develop your characters, and polish the language. So don’t be discouraged if your first draft feels rough—it’s supposed to! Writing is a process, and each draft gets you closer to the final product.
Your book is not for every reader.
I wish that I had understood that I’m not writing my books for every single reader.
Authors, especially self-published authors like myself, rely on reviews and word-of-mouth more heavily than any other form of marketing. What I knew but didn’t understand is that not every person who picks up my books is going to like them and rate them the way I would.
After my very first book (No Matter What) got its first (and so far only) 2-Star rating I heavily questioned if I was even cut out to write. That rating was amidst so many other good ratings and reviews. But it stood out and echoed loudly in my thoughts on repeat and I immediately doubted my ability to write a good book. So I kind of battled those rollercoaster emotions for a proverbial minute.
I had to learn to take my author hat off and put my reader hat on and remember that there are books that I didn’t enjoy that plenty of other people did. Now I write the stories that I love and I just hope that they find their way into the hands and Kindles of other readers who love them, too.

That’s some very sensible advice! Authors, take note!

Anything else you would like to add?

If I could change one thing in my life, it would be learning earlier to surround myself with people who support me as much as I support them. For the longest time, I lived in a world where almost every relationship I had was one-sided. I poured my heart and soul into friendships and relationships, always being the one to give more, only to find myself burned out and, eventually, abandoned once the support fizzled then stopped.

Looking back, I wish I had recognised sooner that I deserved mutual support—people who genuinely had my back, who lifted me up the same way I did for them. It’s a tough lesson, but one I’m grateful for now. Relationships, whether personal or professional, should be balanced, with love and support flowing both ways, and I’ve learned the importance of setting boundaries and recognizing when someone isn’t offering that same energy in return.

So be wise in who you let enter your circle of influence. Writing is a PERSONAL journey. You bleed parts of your soul onto the page. It’s foolish to be cavalier with the environment in which you try to nurture that.

Absolutely! The people you surround yourself with can have a huge affect on your life in so many aspects. Choose them carefully.

Thanks so much to Jennifer for joining us today, and for answering our questions! It’s been great to have you here and learn more about your book!

About the Author

I'm Jennifer Carr. I'm a wife (married my best friend that I met when I was 13), homeschooling mom (1 teenage daughter who is an artist and looks just like her dad), part-time farmer (we just downsized to chickens only but there were goats not long ago!), social media addict (aka Queen of the Doomscroll!), and an avid reader (I’ll give anything a try).
I'm a lover of coffee, music, learning, animals, and writing. I have a degree in Psychology, a Master's in Marriage & Family Counseling, and certifications in Life Coaching, Health and Wellness Coaching, and am a certified Brain Health Professional. I also taught high school AP Psychology for several years. Then I wrote a book... and my world shifted on its axis.
In March 2023, I launched a podcast (Connected Conversations for Creatives) in hopes of cultivating a community geared toward creatives—authors, musicians, artists, etc. My goal has been to foster a platform where we can share ideas, support one another's work, and create a network of resources creatives need along their journey.

Content Warnings
✘ abuse
✘ kidnapping

Quiet Writers