Hey, Virgin River fans! We have an exciting season 4 update for you.

After missing out on the majority of season 3 (besides a few FaceTime cameos) due to pandemic precautions, Hope McCrea (Annette O’Toole) is making her return to season 4 of Virgin River—which premieres on July 20.

We sat down with O’Toole for an exclusive interview where she describes her time away from the show as “incredibly difficult” but is more than happy to be back on her feet as the mayor of our favorite (fictional) Northern California town.

Fans of the show might remember the season 3 finale being full of plot twists, including news of Hope’s involvement in a tragic car accident that left her hospitalized.

We can expect to watch Hope “maneuver this new world” in season 4, as she recovers from a traumatic brain injury while dealing with the emotional and physical implications of it all.

“It’s hard for Hope not to be a part of the community because that’s her life,” O’Toole tells ThePioneerWoman.com. Hope’s return to the town’s social setting, marriage with Doc (Tim Matheson), and relationship with Muriel (Teryl Rothery) will all be touched on.

And, just like us, Hope is “desperate” to dive into the ongoing drama. (Like, who really shot Jack? And is Jack the father of Mel’s baby?)

Long days on set are both enjoyable and rewarding for O’Toole. “Sometimes as an actor, you feel like this isn’t very important,” she says. “But I think this show has resonated with people in a way that it does feel important. It’s sort of healing for people to go to a place that’s pretty and where people love each other and try to make things work. Everybody’s positive, everybody’s trying. And I like being in a show like that.”

O’Toole is currently stationed in Vancouver, Canada, about 45 minutes away from the Virgin River set. She’ll remain there ahead of filming season 5, which begins next week!

She gave us the lowdown on what a day in the life of a Virgin River actor is, and for her, it goes something like this: A driver picks her up and they head to set, a cup of tea is consumed, make-up and hair are done, scenes are rehearsed, scenes are then filmed, and lots of joking around between cast members takes place.

O’Toole’s acting resume is long. Besides Virgin River, she’s been in shows like Smallville where she played Clark Kent’s mother. You might also know her as Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in The Kennedy of Massachusetts for which she earned an Emmy nomination.

When she’s not in front of the screen, she spends time with family, cooks, and… yes… watches our very own Ree Drummond on The Pioneer Woman!

“Watching The Pioneer Woman is a big part of our day,” O’Toole says with excitement. “We love [Ree]! We make her crash hot potatoes a lot. Sometimes plain… or sometimes with parmesan cheese.”