romantic-suspense

Interview with Jennifer Morey, The Secret Soldier

Each year, RWA recognizes excellence in romance writing through the RITAs, considered the top honor in the genre.   Though awards are presented in a dozen categories, a writer has just one shot in her career to win the Best First Book award.   This interview series focuses on the debut authors nominated in that category.   Alyson(…)

REVIEW: One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon

Dear Ms. Solomon: I have to share with you a problem. Every book that I’ve read of yours, I have liked, One Deadly Sin being no exception to that rule. For some reason, though, I never have the “must read” urge strike me when I come across a title of yours. In this case, I(…)

REVIEW: Silver Falls by Anne Stuart

REVIEW: Silver Falls by Anne Stuart

Dear Ms. Stuart, ewlywed Rachel Chapman Middleton has been living in her husband’s hometown, the sleepy college hamlet of Silver Falls, Washington, for only a few months when the body of a young woman is discovered. It’s an especially unwelcome shock for Rachel because she married David Middleton, a respected college professor, in large part(…)

REVIEW: Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffin

REVIEW: Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffin

Dear Ms. Griffin, After finishing the first book in this series, “Thread of Fear,” I was looking forward to reading the story of that heroine’s (Fiona) sister, Courtney Glass. I’ll be honest and admit I’m more of a Fiona in real life – I do everything I should, worry about not going too far over(…)

REVIEW: Scandal in Copper Lake by Marilyn Pappano

Dear Ms. Pappano, One thing I’m trying to do this year is expand my reading horizons.   I usually stay within my favorite genres of fantasy, paranormals, and young adult, but sometimes you need variety to keep things interesting.   So when I was glancing through the eHarlequin website earlier this month, your book caught my eye(…)

REVIEW: Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann

REVIEW: Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann

Disclaimer:   So as to avoid the appearance of impropriety, Dr. S is “a  complete, utter, and unabashed FanGrrl” and has “a professional relationship” with Brockmann. Dr. S does not enjoy any monetary gain from the sales of the books.   We encourage you to seek out other reviews (or read a few chapters in the bookstore) should(…)

REVIEW:  Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz

REVIEW: Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz

Dear Ms. Krentz: I think that my favorite books of yours are the not the paranormals but since you’ve decided to go all paranormal all the time, I’ve just got to suck it up or stop reading you.    So am sucking it up because apparently you are a drug I just can’t quit. The(…)

Bulk Review:  Bullet Catchers Trilogy by Roxanne St. Claire (First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die)

Bulk Review: Bullet Catchers Trilogy by Roxanne St. Claire (First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die)

Dear Ms. St. Claire: I am a wary reader of Romantic Suspense, disappointed in either the romantic or suspense aspect of the story of too many books in the subgenre or frustrated by the amped up violence and gore that sometimes substitutes for suspense.   But when Jane gave the first book of your latest Bullet(…)

REVIEW: Find Me by Debra Webb

REVIEW: Find Me by Debra Webb

Dear Ms. Webb: Unlike JT Ellison’s book I recently read which was a suspense/thriller with romantic undertones, this book has a pretty good balance of romance and suspense due to the time spent developing the relationship between Kale and Sarah and the internal conflicts they struggle with before they can become a couple. Sarah Newton(…)

REVIEW: Shield of Refuge by Carol Steward

REVIEW: Shield of Refuge by Carol Steward

Dear Ms Steward, Since I’ve had pretty good luck with the Harlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired suspense line, I thought I’d give your book a try. One thing I like about this line is that it doesn’t seem to rely on the use of super secret, black ops style businesses. Your book is a case(…)

REVIEW:  Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison

REVIEW: Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison

Dear Ms. Ellison: I’ve read the first in the series and while I liked it, for some reason I didn’t pick up the second or the third. I was able to plunge back into the life of Nashville Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson without many bumps with one small exception I’ll talk about below. Taylor and(…)

REVIEW:  Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood

REVIEW: Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood

Dear Ms. Garwood The lure of the 100% micropay rebate at Fictionwise was too great for me to overcome despite the fact my last few encounters with your books have not ended well. I’m happy to say that Fire and Ice is an improvement over recent publications but it doesn’t reach the level of the(…)

REVIEW:  Hot as Hell by HelenKay Dimon

REVIEW: Hot as Hell by HelenKay Dimon

Dear Ms. Dimon: Thank you for sending me Hot as Hell. I think the guy on the cover looks a bit like Tom Brady, of whom I not a big fan but I promise I didn’t hold it against your book. I think the complaint I had from the last book is that the plot(…)

REVIEW: Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin

REVIEW: Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin

Dear Ms Griffin, You impressed me with your response to my review of your previous book, “One Wrong Step.” When I finished it, I wasn’t sure I would care to read another of your books. But your email offering me a copy of “Thread of Fear” sparked my interest because a) of your gracious offer(…)

REVIEW: No Escape by Shannon Butcher

Dear Ms. Butcher: Jayne’s review of No Control got me interested in reading your books. Jayne isn’t the biggest fan of romantic suspense so her B- review of your book is a golden recommendation to me. But many of the things that bothered Jayne in her review of No Control bothered me in No Escape(…)