Netflix's Ransom Canyon has officially set a release date for its highly anticipated second season, and there's not much longer to wait.

The hit Western drama premiered last April and introduced fans to an epic family saga set on a ranch in Texas, with the powerful romance between Staten Kirkland (played by Josh Duhamel) and Quinn O'Grady (Minka Kelly) at the centre.

Season one revealed the shocking truth behind the death of Staten's son while the stoic rancher gradually gets closer to Quinn, his longtime family friend and owner of the local dancehall.

Meanwhile, charming and enigmatic drifter Yancy (Jack Schumacher) comes to town to reunite with his long-last grandfather and strikes up a romance of his own, only for him to reveal a startling secret in the jaw-dropping finale.

The series has been compared favourably to Netflix's other hit small-town romance, Virgin River, with some Redditors even claiming the new series is "so much better".

Netflix Tudum has this week confirmed that the riveting drama will continue to play out on Thursday, 23rd July, with all eight episodes releasing.

Creator April Blair has revealed the highly anticipated follow-up will pick up six months after Quinn's decision to leave home to pursue a dream job in New York.

"In that time, she didn't speak to Staten at all," actress Kelly revealed. And Duhamel confirms: "He missed her. Staten has been masking that with his behaviour.

"So when he finds out Quinn is back, Staten realises that he's made some mistakes, and he wants to make it right."

Season two will also check in on the flourishing young love of high schoolers Lauren (Lizzy Greene) and Lucas (Garrett Wareing), while Yancy is presumably on thin ice with bartender Ellie (Marianly Tejada) after a woman claiming to be his wife arrived in the season finale.

"We've also built out the world even more this season," showrunner Blair teases. "Quinn's mother, Claire - played by Patricia Clarkson, who's an icon - comes to town, and she's a little Postcards from the Edge meets The Notebook.

"What did she do to mess up? We find out there's some secrets from the past."

Joining Clarkson are a few more newcomers, including High Potential's Steve Howey portraying Staten's half-brother Levi, an outdoorsman who lives off the land.

Ben Robson (Vikings) and Heidi Engerman (Chicago Fire) have also been cast, with returning stars including Casey W. Johnson, Tatanka Means, Justin Johnson Cortez, Kenny Miller, Philip Winchester, Jennifer Ens, Brett Cullen, Lauren Glazier, and Niko Guardado.

A synopsis for season two from Netflix reads: "Season two begins six months after the events of the first season, with rancher Staten fighting to reclaim his legacy after being unseated as trustee of his family's Double K Ranch.

"Meanwhile, musician Quinn must decide if her heart truly belongs in the small town she once tried to outrun or in the fast-paced world of New York City. Are the pair star-crossed lovers, or fated to be together? In Ransom Canyon, true love stories are messy, complicated, and always worth the wait."

Ransom Canyon season 2 premieres Thursday, 23rd July on Netflix.