Kennedy Ryan

Kennedy Ryan is an American romance author and the first Black author to win the RITA Award for Best Long Contemporary Romance, which she won for Long Shot (2019). She is known for contemporary romance novels featuring sports heroes and strong-willed heroines, often with significant social and cultural depth. Ryan is also an advocate for autism awareness; her son has autism and she writes and speaks publicly about raising an autistic child. Her novels include the All the King's Men series, the Hoops series, and the Bennett series. Long Shot, featuring a professional basketball player and an intern, was praised for its emotional depth and authentic sports world details. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.