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Anyone a Contemporary Romance and/or Romantic Suspense fan?

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36K views 208 replies 28 participants last post by  TriciaJ82  
#1 ·
We romance fans have a mega thread for historical romance and we have one for PNR and UF. I think we need one for
contemporary romance which I think would include romantic suspense.

I just heart from a reader in the HR thread that Grace Burrowes came out with a CR. She has only written HR so far as far as I know and has been pretty prolific. Curious how switching genres like that will go with her hard core fans.

I am always looking for good contemorary romance as it is the subgenre of romance I have the most issues with finding interesting stuff. Not sure why that is. So bring them on.  ;D
 
#2 ·
So I'll start with one I really liked I read recently.


I know its considered by many as new adult romance and I guess it is. I also filed it under contemporary romance. Reason for this is that it seems really difficult to find nowadays NA or even contempo newly written that isn't a continuing saga over 3 books. So I search out romance with as usual each couple getting a book and then the next. I am not opposed to liking something that stretches over several books, I am totally gaga over the Kathleen Tuner series after all, but I will mark as such.
Kathleen Turner is by Tiffany Snow by the way with a 5 book romantic suspense where it doesn't really end until the last book.

So back to the book I read, its the first in a series, romance series I mean with the couple getting their story in this book. I really liked this one. Former ice hockey player heroine that has an accident which makes have to use a wheelchair and she can get around with crutches a bit. I really liked both the heroine and the hero, but especially the heroine.
 
#3 ·
Atunah said:
So I'll start with one I really liked I read recently.


I know its considered by many as new adult romance and I guess it is. I also filed it under contemporary romance. Reason for this is that it seems really difficult to find nowadays NA or even contempo newly written that isn't a continuing saga over 3 books. So I search out romance with as usual each couple getting a book and then the next. I am not opposed to liking something that stretches over several books, I am totally gaga over the Kathleen Tuner series after all, but I will mark as such.
Kathleen Turner is by Tiffany Snow by the way with a 5 book romantic suspense where it doesn't really end until the last book.

So back to the book I read, its the first in a series, romance series I mean with the couple getting their story in this book. I really liked this one. Former ice hockey player heroine that has an accident which makes have to use a wheelchair and she can get around with crutches a bit. I really liked both the heroine and the hero, but especially the heroine.
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Thanks for starting this thread, Atunah. I don't read a lot of CR but I have noticed the Tiffany Snow books and probably have a couple in my TBR pile. I need to get to those soon. One CR I read last year and liked was I know there are more in that series but haven't gotten around to them yet.
 
#4 ·
I loved On Dublin Street. I read the one after, was good too, didn't like it quite as much due to the heroine.

I also want to mention

Its the first in a series of rockers, each of them gets their own books. I love this series. Rockstars done right. I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

I might be reading a few more romantic suspense novels coming up. Since Harlequin pumped a bunch into Scribd, there are some really highly recommended ones from the 90's when the line had a different name.

I read way more HR than I do CR, but I just want to find the few good CR when I do read it. It seems to get harder with a lot of the new stuff that is being put out. I don't really care when something was written, even if its a story that was written before there were cellphones for example. Doesn't bother me. If its good its good.

One thing I can't handle well in CR are heroines that collect shoes or are all into clothes and all that stuff. When the naming of the brand of the shoe starts happening, my eyes glaze over. There were a couple were she was wearing Lobatins (sp) or whatever the heck they are called. Some designer thingy. And it kept getting mentioned again and again. Or the purses and the clothes brand. Or what designer drink she drinks.

I also like Romantic Suspense a bit. I think its because there is something else going on other than just the contemporary romance so to speak.
 
#5 ·
I am the person who mentioned loving Grace Burrowes new contemporary romance:



The heroine has a lot of emotional scars but nonetheless is a kick-ass attorney (even though she struggles with feelings of insecurity in her personal life) and the hero is a beta sort of guy, a single father and so warm, loving, and hunky that I fell in love with him myself instantly. There is some element of suspense thrown in as well although it is not difficult to guess who the bad guy is but reading the story unfold did keep me on the edge of my seat. One of Burrowes greatest elements in her historicals is the witty dialogue and that is true in her first contemporary as well. I loved so many of these characters and am looking forward to the next two books in this new trilogy.

I also like to take a break from historicals every now and then but have a hard time finding contemporaries that I like. If you are in the mood to try something a little different I highly, highly recommend this novella by Mary Ann Rivers:



I promise you will laugh and cry and fall a little in love with these characters, flaws and all. I would give it ten stars if I could, just because it is so out of the ordinary but so believable and lovely. And if you enjoy it as much as I did, the author has begun a new series (the first two books are available so far) about a family of siblings who each find love which I'm also enjoying.

Thanks Atunah for starting this thread. Although I have a feeling my TBR list is about to grow even longer!
 
#6 ·
Oh I loved the Story Guy. It kind of blew me away. I don't usually read novellas, but at least its a longer one. But it was so so good.

I think I own the first in her series she did after. Bought it on sale without checking anything, based on The Story Guy. It was that good.

Good to know about the Burrowes CR Wisteria. Wonder if she got tired of writing HR for a while. She is quite a prolific with her HR's.
 
#7 ·
Atunah said:
Oh I loved the Story Guy. It kind of blew me away. I don't usually read novellas, but at least its a longer one. But it was so so good.

I think I own the first in her series she did after. Bought it on sale without checking anything, based on The Story Guy. It was that good.

Good to know about the Burrowes CR Wisteria. Wonder if she got tired of writing HR for a while. She is quite a prolific with her HR's.
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I don't think she's finished with historicals! She has a new one coming out in an anthology later this week:



And I think she also has a new HR that will be released in April:



Not sure I should have posted those here--I think I am getting us off the contemporary track ;) I can't figure out how anyone can write so many books so quickly and have all of them be so good. I am definitely a fan.
 
#9 ·
Interesting. I'll check the one out set in Scotland. I like contemporaries that have something something. Setting somewhere other than the US is one of those something.

Or wait, is that a short in an anthology though? I don't read shorts unfortunately, even from authors I like. Romance can't be put in a short. For me that is.
 
#10 ·
Atunah said:
Interesting. I'll check the one out set in Scotland. I like contemporaries that have something something. Setting somewhere other than the US is one of those something.

Or wait, is that a short in an anthology though? I don't read shorts unfortunately, even from authors I like. Romance can't be put in a short. For me that is.
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It's a two story book (Burrowes and Griffin) and about 200 pp so probably 100 pp each--about the length of "Story Guy." I know how you feel--I usually don't do short stories either but there are one or two authors I will make an exception for. I totally agree with you that romance can't be put in a short. I can count the good ones I've read on one hand and I read a lot of stuff.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all the great recs! :)

I recently read these 3 new adult books from a new to me author & enjoyed them. They're part of a series called "a Sign of Love" loosely based on the zodiac. More of a theme than a series, they're mainly unrelated standalones except for 4 books that are paired together. (Leo & Leo's Chance), (Becoming Calder & Finding Eden). I think this is the 1st time I ever knowing read a series out of sequence! :eek: That's only because this doesn't seem like a real series to me.... I was able to look past my series order OCD. ;) Looking forward to reading the rest of the "series".

 
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#13 ·
Hi. I am new to kindleboards and this thread caught my eye. I love romantic suspense. The most recent one I have read is an older one by Nora Roberts. I managed to get a 'boxed' set while it was on sale but it looks like the price has gone up now. Nora Roberts seems to be pretty well known, but I was only recently introduced to her writing a few years ago.

I am also new to posting links but will give it a go. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L7GY4K8
The first one in the set that I read was called 'A will and a Way' and it was a good, fast read.

I am currently reading the first book in the Game of Thrones series (not exactly romance haha - but has plenty of suspense). It is the first time I've read a book after watching the show, and it is a strange experience for me.

I look forward to looking at the recommendations on here, especially the romantic suspense recommendations.
 
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#16 ·
Atunah said:
That link goes right to the kindle version. Are you in the US? Is it not available to your region?

It does look good. Don't think I read Robarts before, but she keeps popping up for RS.
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Oh! Silly me - that explains it. I'm not in the US! There was a whole bunch of her books available for my region (au) but it wasn't listed there, so I (stupidly) assumed there wasn't a kindle edition of this particular book. Being in Australia sucks sometimes - I am not sure how much her ebooks are in US but in AU they are all around $9.99. I tend to read a lot of indie authors for this reason as I have no problem paying up to around $5 for an ebook, but I still kind of balk when they are between 10 and 20 dollars, and sometimes even more, for Australians. I've lost count of the amount of times a book I want has a fantastic promo price, only to find out the Australian publishers aren't matching it!!

Ps - thanks for pointing out the obvious - I feel like such a ditz haha
 
#17 ·
Ouch darn. I heard AU is expensive for books. This book is 5.99 in the US store. Not that this helps you anything.

Although, I grew up in Germany and books there have always been a lot more too with the way they had the system set up there. Pay the same no matter where you are. I been gone there now for almost 20 years, so no clue how it is with ebooks now there. Most of family I know there still read paper books, no ebooks. 
 
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#18 ·
Atunah said:
Ouch darn. I heard AU is expensive for books. This book is 5.99 in the US store. Not that this helps you anything.

Although, I grew up in Germany and books there have always been a lot more too with the way they had the system set up there. Pay the same no matter where you are. I been gone there now for almost 20 years, so no clue how it is with ebooks now there. Most of family I know there still read paper books, no ebooks.
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Haha - wish everyone had that system! Personally, I think if you are buying a digital product that is exactly the same as the one in other countries, I think you should pay the same price (taking the countries dollar into account etc). Maybe one day Australia will catch up.

Most of my family also reads paper and my son absolutely refuses to read anything except paper even though he is a teenager. You would think he'd embrace digital before me, especially since he is a computer nut, but he loves the smell and feel of paper. Funny enough it was my mum who bought me my first kindle. Kindle has been a godsend for people like her (she has eye issues that make reading paper impossible). I love ebooks for their convenience.

I noticed you have a quote from Outlander in your signature. I have been meaning to read it and just noticed the au store has it for a lot cheaper than usual - only $6.92 - but I will probably wait until it becomes available at my library which has just added ebooks.
 
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#20 ·
Trophywife007 said:
Have you read any of the "In Death" series (with Roarke -- hubba hubba -- and Eve) by J. D. Robb? J.D. Robb is another pen name for Nora Roberts. I've read a few of them and thought they were quite good.
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I do want to read the series, but have put it off so far. ebooks are very expensive in Australia :( The problem is there are so many good books and not enough time to read them all, and I tend to read the cheaper ones because I go through quite a lot of books. (I have trouble sleeping so I literally read myself to sleep). Every now and then we get the 'big names' for a decent price, but not very often.
 
#21 ·
The "Fatal" series by Marie Force is an excellent romantic suspense series. LOVE Nick and Samantha.....their story and the suspense begins with If you start this series you will not stop reading until you've finished the latest book (#8), so allow plenty of time. ;D

Another RS series is the Bone Secrets series by Kendra Elliott. Good series and they are in Prime, so if you have it you could read them for free.

Julie James has an FBI/US Attorney series. I've only read the first one so far but have the other ones on my list to read soon. The first one was very good and had humor as well.
 
#22 ·
KindleGirl said:
Julie James has an FBI/US Attorney series. I've only read the first one so far but have the other ones on my list to read soon. The first one was very good and had humor as well.
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I've only read the 1st one too & loved it... definitely plan to read the rest of the series!

I don't read all that much RS, but did enjoy these 2 by Elisabeth Naughton.


I love Pamela Clare's I-Team series!
 
#23 ·
I literally inhaled that first in the Naughton series, Wait for Me. I own the 2nd and was about to start it soon. I mean I literally could not get my nose out of that one. My tip, don't read reviews or anything else about that. Just read it.

Agree also on the Pamela Clare. I think I only read the first 3 so far, but I like its not the usual Seal type main characters, but reporters.

Julie James sounded familiar, I had to look it up. I read "Just the Sexiest Man Alive" by her and remember being a bit disappointed as there was no "payoff" at all. I don't think there was even much kissing if any at all. It was just all the build up and with a title like, expectations and all that and then nothing. Not a bit of sensuality. Nichts. Nada. Nothing. In this case if felt missing.
Fade to black can work, but for me, it didn't there.

Are all of hers that "clean"?
 
#25 ·
Yay, Tess found us bearing gifts, thank you. :-*

I just found out that Courtney Milan today published a CR/new adult :eek:

Every time a historical author does a contempo I stop breathing for a while. Especially if they are good.

It sounds really interesting with it being multi cultural and the description really is intruiging. Apparently amazon is slow as its not up there yet, but up at the other sites. Could only find this still not active link to the paperback

eta: NEver mind, I can't get the link to work at all. Its called "Trade Me"

Here is the link to its page on goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23566506-trade-me
 
#26 ·
Atunah said:
Julie James sounded familiar, I had to look it up. I read "Just the Sexiest Man Alive" by her and remember being a bit disappointed as there was no "payoff" at all. I don't think there was even much kissing if any at all. It was just all the build up and with a title like, expectations and all that and then nothing. Not a bit of sensuality. Nichts. Nada. Nothing. In this case if felt missing.
Fade to black can work, but for me, it didn't there.

Are all of hers that "clean"?
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Definitely not! Each title in the FBI series is a little racier than the one before it. Only her earliest books are clean. ;)

I love romantic suspense but have to confess up front that it is hard for me to read any that contain very graphic violence. Sex is one thing, but torture and brutal murders just give me nightmares. One of my favorite RS novels is Linda Howard's "Mr. Perfect."



Enough suspense to keep you awake at night reading under the covers, but also great dialog and real humor.

I also enjoy Nancy Herkness. Not quite as heavy on suspense, but great love stories. She has a trilogy set in West Virginia that is great. In the first one the heroine is an artist recovering from a traumatic family situation who bonds with a 'whisper horse' and the hero is a very sexy Veterinarian.



And not a RS but just an unusual and lovely romance set in the Ozarks:

 
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