Romantic Suspense

Yesterday, I asked you to help me pick a romance to read.  Thanks to those of you who have already left comments or emailed me your suggestions. There were some authors whom I had never read before.  Also, I tended to only read historical romance when I read straight romance, since I enjoy the historical aspect.  Ditto with paranormal romance.  I have read very little contemporary romance beyond Nora Roberts, so I might be going that route.  I will get back to everyone soon with my choice.

Another area of romance with which I am more familiar is Romantic Suspense.  Technically, Romantic Suspense has much more in common with traditional Suspense, Thrillers, and Adventure stories.  Here it is all about the action, pacing, and heroes saving the day.

In Romantic Suspense, the protagonist is always a strong female who is fighting a villain, finding love, getting in peril, extricating herself, and then reuniting with her love interest.

This is the basic plot of most Romantic Suspense novels; however as a recent essay I read in my favorite crime fiction resource, Criminal Element, notes in "You Can't Do That Here: Awkward Moments in Romantic Suspense:"

Ever notice how you can be reading a really good romantic suspense and then something just plain screwy happens?

Like…say, there’s one of those life or death moments. I’m not talking after the life or death moment has passed and the adrenaline rush is still going and people just have to have the glorious life reaffirming moment… (you know where I’m going with this, right?)

But right in the middle. Guns blazing, or people chasing them, or the bad guy is so very, very close…

And what do the hero and the heroine do? 

Nookie.

This is just the beginning of the essay, click here for the full text.  Also, scroll down to read the interesting discussion that has continued in the comments.

On a final note, I would be remiss if I did not mention that despite the random sex, Romantic Suspense also happens to have much more violence than regular suspense.  It is a great option for your readers who like harder edged suspense and some lovin'; which is quite a high number of people by the way (at least that is what 11 years behind the RA desk has shown me).