A lover of suspense thrillers and all things horror, my first introduction to romance novels was during book club. I love a good Rom-Com but as a reader, I used to shy away from erotica or meet-cute alpha male novels. Now I devour romance novels but they need very specific things. Strong heroines and suspense...and yes, great love scenes. Sparking my passion for the romance-suspense mash-up, I took a personal story and turned it into a suspense-driven romance full of angst. With 2 published novels, I continue to read and write romance thrillers hoping to change the stigma of romance as âfluffâ and âsmutâ and show the strength in love.
This is the first book I read by Melissa Copeland, and it fits perfectly on my checklist for suspense and strong ladies. Her writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, dying to find out who Paige, the heroine, can trust. The plot twists were on point, and the chemistry between Paige and Sean had me over the moon. The strength she writes through Paige resonated with me and made it easy for me to accept all her choices. I highly recommend this novel as an example of a woman's survival and ability to find love in hard places.
Everyone has an ex they regret. Mine just happens to be a notorious Dutch arms dealer. I've spent years running and hiding from David, but he's finally grown tired of tormenting me. Now he just wants me dead. With no more friends and family left alive, and no one out there I can trust, it's starting to look like my time has finally run out. Until I meet Noah, a persistent stranger with secrets of his own. My efforts to hide from David are failing. So when Noah offers his help, I'm not exactly in a position to decline. ButâŚ
Yes, Diana Gabaldon is a phenomenal award-winning author, but her first book in the Outlander series is one of my favorites. Besides the fact that Jamie Fraser is my ultimate book boyfriend, the story surrounding Claire Randall is full of intrigue and perseverance. Claireâs skills and independence are introduced in the very beginning while working as a WWI nurse. Then once she was thrown back in time, she faces many uphill challenges that allow her true strength to shine through. Add the earth-shattering romance between her and Scottish warrior Jamie, and Iâm hooked! This book gave me even more with the fantasy of time travel and the description of the Scottish countryside. Truly amazing.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ⢠The first book in Diana Gabaldonâs acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.
One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBSâs The Great American Read!
Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldonâs work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion andâŚ
David Fletcher needs a surgeon, stat! But when he captures a British merchantman in the Caribbean, what he gets is Charley Alcott, an apprentice physician barely old enough to shave. Needs must, and Captain Fletcher takes the prisoner back aboard his ship with orders to do his best or heâllâŚ
This book still fits into my niche of romantic suspenseful thrillers, but has an air of fun Rom-Com style writing and not the dark gritty suspense of my other recommendations. I loved this story. Sydney Logan was very creative with building the lust and desire between two professional thieves that are typically out to rival each other. A book about con artists may turn some off, but the sweet sassy relationship built between Ethan and Jenne will suck you in. Just when you think it's all flowers and chocolate, Logan has Ethan hiding Jenne away from a bigger threat until they join forces and take revenge. Suspense, intrigue, angst, and sass⌠This book is a homerun!
Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief. When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives-and their hearts-intact?
This book is the first in A.L. Jacksonâs Bleeding Stars series and I canât say enough about how much I love it. Two very broken people, Sebastian Stone and Shea Bentley, kept me on the ledge, knots tight in my stomach, waiting for their story to unfold. Jackson does an amazing job at building the depths of these characters and developing the consuming, canât-live-without, love affair. Iâm a true sucker for a story that is gut-wrenchingly beautiful. Both the characters have deep secrets, but Shea shows great courage and control over her life which I admire. Quick disclaimer: Jackson leaves a major cliffhanger so be ready to read book 2!
From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-mother rockstar romance...
As the lead singer of Sunder, I come with a reputation. A bad one. Iâm no stranger to trouble. It follows me wherever I go. So, I should have known Shea Bentley would be a problem. But this sexy Southern girl is all I can see. Now, weâre both drowning in a sea of desire, sinking hopelessly into a world of lust. But she has an inescapable past. One that might destroy both of us . . .
Fourth and Long is a novel written in the first person with dual POVs.
Ellie: When I meet Slater, an infamous quarterback trying to salvage his career, I know better than to form expectations. Our relationship starts out casual, but I canât help falling for him. The problem is, thatâŚ
This book⌠Wow! I read it in one night. No joke. Could not put it down. Colleen Hoover has hit the mark with many #1 selling novels, but this particular novel was a favorite for me. Not many YA romances are this thrilling but Hooverâs writing and story building have a way of drawing you in. The flashback memories give you snapshots of why Sky Davis never feels anything for a guy, without giving away the BIG reveal. When she meets Dean Holder, her attraction to him is jarring because sheâs used to feeling nothing. The reason why sheâs drawn to him was such a thrill ride of suspense, drama, pain, and real love. If youâve never read a Colleen Hoover novel, start with this book.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us comes the beginning of Sky and Dean's passionate love story - where well-kept secrets threaten to open wounds of a dark past.
Would you rather know a truth that makes you feel hopeless, or keep believing the lies?
Beloved and bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with the spellbinding story of two young people with devastating pasts who embark on a passionate, intriguing journey to discover the lessons of life, love, trust - and above all, the healing power that only truth can bring.
After a year free from pain and anguish, Madison Skye is jolted back into reality when her past catches up to her. Out of places to run, she is forced to return home desperate for help. As despair grips her mind, her encounter with the handsome young actor, Jackson Hunter, flusters her and turns her world upside down.
Feeling an immediate connection to the complicated beauty, Jackson refuses to accept her emotional disconnect and offers her an escape. A way to stay with him. Unaware of the secrets she keeps, heâs determined to break down her walls, convince her to stay but he doesnât know could break his heart for good. Fated to meet. Destined to be together. Can their love endure the dark turmoil of Madison's tortured past?
In May 1941, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, hums with talk of spring flowers, fishing derbies, and the growing war in Europe. And for the residents of a quiet neighborhood boarding house, the winds of change are blowing.
Self-proclaimed spinster, Bessie Blackwell, is the reluctant owner of a new pair of glasses. TheâŚ