Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired discussion

Lately I've started to feel like I need a paranormal and historical romance break. I'm looking for authors of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. You know, where the hero and the heroine are modern day regular people, that maybe get into extraordinary situations. I've come across Anne Stuart, Tara Janzen, Suzanne Brockmann and Cherry Adair (?). Can anybody suggest a few more? I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

meryl sawyer
maggie shayne (she does mostly paranormals but does have some straight thrillers/suspense that are really good)
dee davis
nina bruhns
cindy dees

there are tons more on my shelves too but those are off the top of my head. Do you like inspirationals? Harlequin has an excellent line for that - Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Some fantastic authors there
Ramona richards
valerie hansen
marta perry
liz johnson
virginia smith
and those are just recent reads for me but I have some otehr faves in that line as well

Kelley wrote: "meryl sawyer
maggie shayne (she does mostly paranormals but does have some straight thrillers/suspense that are really good)
dee davis
nina bruhns
cindy dees

there are tons more on my shelve..."

Thanks Kelley! I just went on Harlequin's website to take a look at some of the Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense novels, and I had no idea such a combination existed! There are a quite a few titles there that I'd like to read. I've made a list of all the authors that you mentioned to take with me to a library book sale that I'm going to later this week.

I hope yu find some you like in that list. You'll have to let me know which ones you try and what you thought of them.

I have lots more too. I just need to raid my shelves. I only listed the ones that popped into my mind first. So I can give you bunches more if you need them. Romantic Suspense isn't my first love as I'm a huge paranormal/urban fantasy fan. But I do read a lot of suspense. If I'm reading a contemporary romance 9 times out of 10 it's going to be suspense.

The LIS novels are great. I've read several of them and have yet to have a bad one. Of course some are better than others, but they've all been good so far. They also tend to do continuities in the line that usually run about six months long with one new book each month. Each book is a separate story but all advance the story running through the series. They are just finishing one up in June actually. I'm totally blanking on the series name but I can look it up as I have the first 5 and I have book 6 preordered.

If you have a used book stor nearby you may be able to find some of the older ones. I especially liked the series Secrets of Stoneley that was done in 2008. Last year was Reunion Revelations.

I'll definitely let you know which authors/ books I find, and read. As much as I love paranormal and historical romance novels, I feel like I may have gotten too much of a good thing lately. I'll be on vacation later this week, and I'm looking forward to relaxing and reading.

I went to a 10,000+ book library sale hoping to rack up on some romantic suspense authors. Of all those books, I only found authors Karen Robards and Kathleen Nance. I felt a little let down. So, I went to the used bookstore and bought some Jordan Dane, Christy Reece, and Leslie Parrish novels. Plus I bought Whispered Lies which is co-written by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love. Once I get through some more of the books I already own, I'll get a few more online.

Michelle wrote: "Of all those books, I only found authors Karen Robards and Kathleen Nance. ..."

hard to believe they had so few at the sale! Our friends of the library sale is coming up and I actually need to remember to write down the dates as I always want to go and always forget.

I was at the UBS today looking for one particular book that is fairly new but I was hoping to find there. I came out with about 8. :-)

I finished reading Fade to Black, a romantic thriller written by Leslie Parrish. I really enjoyed that one. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading romantic suspense.

Romantic suspense? I'm currently reading a captivating novel by a new author, Jennifer Lane.
Her book is called With Good Behavior.

I read by Marilyn Pappano, which I thought was pretty good for the most part. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I'll be sure to look for some of her other novels soon.

Have you tried any of the "older" writers? Mary Stewart for instance? Or some of the "contemporaries" (Still somewhat historical, since she died about 35 years or so ago) by Georgette Heyer. Also Phyllis Whitney. All 3 of these writers did romantic suspense.

Oh, and then, if you want humour, there are the Bombay Family series of books Leslie Langtry writes.

If you just want contemporary what about the The Little Lady Agency trio by Hester Browne?

And, finally there are Catherine Coulter's works, Jennifer Crusie's works and, and, and. . .

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Have you tried any of the "older" writers? Mary Stewart for instance? Or some of the "contemporaries" (Still somewhat historical, since she died about 35 years or so ago) by [autho..."

Thanks Anne. I've been looking for some books to read in between the pnr's all the time. I have a few Catherine Coulter novels that I haven't read yet, I'll have to move them up on tbr list.

Has anyone ever read ?

Michelle wrote: "Has anyone ever read ?"

Nope, sorry!

Michelle wrote: "Has anyone ever read ?"

I have. I liked it. It was a while ago, so I can't give a better review, but it's worth a read.

Kristi wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Has anyone ever read ?"

I have. I liked it. It was a while ago, so I can't give a better review, but it's worth a read."

Thanks for the info. I've heard good things about Rachel Gibson's writing, and came across this one at a library sale.

Nora Roberts has several romantic suspense novels, and a lot of them are stand alones. , , , and are all good. For "lighter" romantic suspense you might like Jayne Ann Krentz's or . And of course there's always Linda Howard. I loved , , and .

Sandra J wrote: "Nora Roberts has several romantic suspense novels, and a lot of them are stand alones. , , , and [..."

Sandra I agree with NR and LH. Though I have to say I've found JAK to be hit or miss.

I have some Nora Roberts in the past, but I admit, I need to give her books another shot. I think I prefer her non-pnr writing. I have yet to read anything by Linda Howard or JAK; but have always heard good things about both of them.

Michelle wrote: "I have some Nora Roberts in the past, but I admit, I need to give her books another shot. I think I prefer her non-pnr writing. I have yet to read anything by Linda Howard or JAK; but have alway..."

Linda Howard is usually a mystery/suspense/romance type of writing. If that helps.

A couple of Linda Howard's books take a paranormal slant. My favorites are Dream Man about a cop, a psychic,and a serial killer and Now You See Her about an artist who develops the ability to paint murder scenes. I like a lot of her contemporary romantic suspense novels, too. And LaNora writes some terrific romantic suspense.

Sandra J wrote: "A couple of Linda Howard's books take a paranormal slant. My favorites are Dream Man about a cop, a psychic,and a serial killer and Now You See Her about an artist who develops the ability to pain..."

That's true. Doesn't LH have a series with a paranormal team? I know Suzanne Brockman does, but I think LH does too. ?

Michelle -
My fave NR are older ones - Honest Illusions and True Betrayals - Birthright is also very good.

LH - get a fan and read - After the Night (her 2 latest Ice and Burn are pretty flat)

CC - Coulter - I'm getting tired of the FBI series but I really liked False Pretenses - again an older one

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is not Rom Sup - but I find she is a real palate cleanser

Ruth: SEP is a great pick for a "palate cleanser" as you said. She's ...fun. Have you read Rachael Gibson? She's similiar to SEP.

Ruth wrote: "Michelle -
My fave NR are older ones - Honest Illusions and True Betrayals - Birthright is also very good.

LH - get a fan and read - After the Night (her 2 latest Ice and Burn are pretty flat)

..."

Good to know about the NR's. I'm at my parents house for the holiday, and plan to steal, I mean borrow, all of the my mother's NR books and anything else that she has that looks interesting.

I did find some CC books at the used bookstore a while back, but they're from her FBI series. I haven't read them yet. I'll have to look for False Pretenses.

Kristi wrote: "Ruth: SEP is a great pick for a "palate cleanser" as you said. She's ...fun. Have you read Rachael Gibson? She's similiar to SEP."

I love a good palate cleanser!

Kristi - thanks for the tip - I'll look for some RG - do you have a fave?

Off the top of my head (the one I remember the most) is Not Another Bad Date. I have to be honest, I don't remember a whole lot about it, but I remember the title.

Kristi wrote: "Off the top of my head (the one I remember the most) is Not Another Bad Date. I have to be honest, I don't remember a whole lot about it, but I remember the title."

I'm sitting here laughing...maybe it is just too late at night, but that was funny. I am dieing to ask: Bad experience?

Yup. Definately need to go to bed. I meant dying to ask, not dieing.

Lisa wrote: "I'm sitting here laughing...maybe it is just too late at night, but that was funny. I am dieing to ask: Bad experience?"

Nah, actually "Not Another Bad Date" was a cute one. I just have a horrible memory until it's triggered. Like reading the synopsis, or....

Ooooh, did you mean bad date experience? Ha ha. Okay too late for you, too early for me. Ha ha ha!

Yes, I meant bad date experience. You know, involving a frog...or rather a toad.

Lisa wrote: "Yes, I meant bad date experience. You know, involving a frog...or rather a toad."

Don't we all have a few? Ha ha!

LOL!

Anne Stuart. I don't think she's been mentioned yet, but after reading 2 of her books, I think she'd be a good rec for anyone looking for contemp romance/ romantic suspense.

Michelle wrote: "Anne Stuart. I don't think she's been mentioned yet, but after reading 2 of her books, I think she'd be a good rec for anyone looking for contemp romance/ romantic suspense."

I agree.

I have to jump in here, because I read alot of contemporary (but only just discovered suspense, so these will be STRAIGHT contemporary).

I love:
Rachel Gibson
Kristan Higgins
Susan Donovan
Lori Foster (minus to SBC fighter series - ugh).
Just discovered Jill Shalvis - fun - and I've heard wonderful things about Julie James.
I haven't read any Susan Elizabeth Phillips in eons, but I never really took to her.

One great way to find new Contemporary Authos is looking on review places that sort them that way - Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine (they also have a website) and a review site I visit alot - http://theseasonforromance.com/

Enjoy!

Zoe wrote: "I have to jump in here, because I read alot of contemporary (but only just discovered suspense, so these will be STRAIGHT contemporary).

I love:
Rachel Gibson
Kristan Higgins
Susan Donovan
L..."

Thanks for the link Zoe. I have the SBC Fighter series, but haven't read it yet. I think I have a few Rachel Gibson books, I've heard so many good things about her that I'm excited to read her books at some point. Sometimes I just need a break from the pnr and hr.

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