Once I returned to the romantic suspense genre, there was really no turning back.
(Except for the necessary return to historical romance, but that will be another post for another day.)
The beauty of reading books from the genre you’re writing in is that it gives you an invaluable education. You learn the breadth of the genre and the conventions, and how your book fits in.
It’s also just a plain good time, frankly. Here’s what I’ve been reading (and loving) lately:
1. The Associates series by Carolyn Crane
As soon as I finished a book in this series, I immediately bought the next. Carolyn Crane has a knack for crafting compelling stories.
It’s often characters with harrowing pasts that are most interesting, and The Associates certainly takes advantage of that fact. They’ve loved and lost—in some cases, been hurt—but that only makes their stories more powerful.
The Associates operate on the fringes of society, dealing with the worst of the worst. They’re put through hell, but mostly come out alive. This series is definitely at the top of my list for a reason. Check out the books for yourself:
2. True Heroes series by Piper J. Drake
Dogs. DOGS! That’s what I love about the True Heroes series, and I’m not sorry for it. Set in Hope’s Crossing, a dog training facility, it features both dogs and the humans who train them.
Nothing’s better than a happily ever after for the humans and the dogs.
- Extreme Honor
- Ultimate Courage
- Absolute Trust (to be released)
No lie, this inspires me to include animals in my books. Redemption already has a cat. The rest of the Brewing in the Cities series will likely have dogs. Because dogs.
3. Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle
The only reason this is a book and not a series is that I haven’t had a chance to dive into the Search and Rescue series. You can bet that’ll change soon, though.
The Rocky Mountains that Katie Ruggle portrays in Hold Your Breath had me more than intrigued, especially after my time in Alaska (where there are similarities in the remote locations). I need more books now.
What great books—romantic suspense or otherwise—have you read lately?
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