Do you love heartwarming Christian romance novels, like the ones most authors on this blog write? Do you love that warm, cozy sigh at the end of a sweet love story?
I’m with you: I mostly prefer reading contemporary Christian romance. Those stories warm my heart and transport me to a world of small towns and domestic bliss where everyone cares about each other. I like the kids and the dogs and the happy families that populate most contemporary Christian romance. I’m reading to escape my problems, not find a bunch of new ones.
Then why on earth would I advise you change it up and choose a heart-stopping, suspenseful story, one that makes you shiver with fear and huddle in under the covers and check the locks on your doors?
Here are six reasons:
- The problems are bigger and more real. Let’s face it, our world includes stalkers and drug dealers and bad parts of town where everyone doesn’t care about each other. Romantic suspense is more likely to deal with those gritty, real-world problems.
- With bigger problems—problems that seem unsolvable—there’s more need of God and more room for his grace. Violence and crime don’t have easy solutions. It takes a big God to make them go away. Fortunately, our God is large and powerful beyond measure!
- If you’re feeling blue or distracted, sometimes you need a page turner. Most romantic suspense and thriller books keep you up way past your bedtime. Each chapter ending makes you turn the page to find out what happens next. Before you know it, it’s after midnight, you’ve neglected all your chores… and you’ve completely forgotten about your problems.
- Some of your favorite sweet romance writers just might have a dark side! Beloved inspirational writers like Hallee Bridgeman, Roxanne Rustand, Lenora Worth, and Margaret Daley write both gentle contemporary stories and suspenseful ones. If you love their sweet romances, you’ll find many of the same qualities in their more suspenseful tales.
- It’s fun to be scared! We’re coming up on that time of year when our neighbors display spiders and cobwebs and grimacing pumpkins. The most innocent trip down the aisle at Wal Mart can trigger a sensor, resulting in a plastic goblin’s bloodcurdling screech. What better accompaniment to fall’s blowing leaves and howling winds than a nice scary story?
- And finally… you should give romantic suspense a try because you can do it FOR FREE! Here are two ways:
- Come to a Facebook party celebrating the romantic suspense genre. Six romantic suspense writers are chatting with readers and giving away copies of
their books. And EVERY SINGLE COMMENTER will get a free copy of the prequel novella for my Sacred Bond Guardians series of Christian romantic suspense novels. It’s a great time to give this genre a try!
- If you can’t come to the party, or if you’d rather dive right in, you can grab Book One of my Sacred Bond Guardians series for free. These books connect to the Sacred Bond series, but they’re longer and more suspenseful, with heroes in military or law enforcement.
Did I convince you? Which do you prefer: sweet romance, or romantic suspense? We’d love to hear why!
Lee Tobin McClain read Gone With The Wind in the third grade and has been an incurable romantic ever since. Lee is the author of the Sacred Bond series of contemporary inspirational romances and also writes the Rescue River books (angsty, but full of fun kids and dogs) for Harlequin Love Inspired. When she not writing emotional Christian romances, she's probably driving around a carload of snarky teen girls, playing with her rescue dog and cat, or teaching aspiring writers in Seton Hill University's MFA program. She is probably not cleaning her house.
I love reading Christian fiction books. Amish Christian fiction is my favorite genre. I’m so glad authors write inspirational fiction!
susanlulu@yahoo.com
Reason #7 Because Lee Tobin wrote a few romantic suspense novels and you know you all enjoy a Lee Tobin penned novel. ;)
In all seriousness, I love some suspense with my romance. Keeps me on my toes or at least awake. I joined the FB party nearly a month ago and have been looking forward to it. See you Thursday!
Lee, You know I love romantic suspense. See you Thursday at the party.
I have never read one but will add a Christian suspense to list.
How nice to wake up and find that you guys are already up and about and commenting! Susan, I enjoy Amish fiction too, and my favorite Amish author is Adina Senft–have you tried her books? Terrill, you are sweet to say that–made my day! And Linda, yes, I know! Glad I’ll get to see you both at the party.
Good, Colleen–let us know how you like it!
I’ve read quite a few romantic suspense novels… and lived to tell the tale! I prefer sweet romance. I read to escape and have found so many authors I enjoy, some through Inspy Romance and some from other places. Besides, I read in that last hour before bed and don’t need scary stories keeping me awake! :)
Lee, I read both sweet romance and suspense. My favorite suspense author is Lynette Eason. Only once was I half right of who did it. She always stumps me and keeps me guessing, and that’s what I love most about suspense stories… if I can’t figure it out all the time. Some are so predictable I have to put them down before finishing. Hate when that happens.
Glad to see more authors are dabbling in genres outside of their usual. Pretty cool.
Hi Lee,
I love many different kinds of Christian fiction. Another couple authors that I find write great Christian suspense are Chautona Havig and Christy Barritt. They both write romance and suspense.
Now I have another author to read, you! Thanks for the great blog post. I’ll look forward to reading your books.
The first I read was one of the Sacred Bond series and I really enjoyed it. Since then I have read most of them and I am looking forward the new series. I came across a romance that you wrote and now I will be searching for more of those. My favorite read is mystery/suspense and you do a wonderful job. I love Lenora Worth and Margaret Daley but there are many really good authors and read them all. I can read a book a day so I am always looking for more. Thanks for giving such great entertainment to so many readers.
I like to add a romantic suspense into my reading at about a two romance to one romantic suspense ratio. It’s fun to change things up. :)
I love romantic suspense, but I read the books too fast. I want to enjoy them but I want to know how it ends.
As a male reader I love a good romantic suspense novel. The Sacred Bond series was fantastic. Keep them coming.
I really appreciate the encouragement here! Valerie, I know what you mean about reading before bed… I don’t read the scary stuff then. My little Maltese is not enough of a protector! Andrea, I would love to be half as good as Lynette Eason at building suspense! Marylin, I haven’t read either of the authors you named, but I will put Havig and Barritt on my list of books to explore. Thank you!
thank you, and I hope you’ll come “meet” Lenora Worth and Margaret Daley at the party on Thursday night–they’re both coming and giving away some books!
Romantic Suspense and/or mysteries have long been my favorite books. I honestly can’t get enough of them. And I have read numerous ones by some of the best authors out there: Margaret Daley, Dee Henderson, Lynette Eason, DiAnn Mills, Brandlyn Collins, and on and on! Thank you for your gift. I did get Tom Tobin’s new book, thank you so much! Be blessed!
Kimberly, I agree about the ratio. I read mostly contemporary romance, but after a couple, I like to read something else for a change. Sometimes cozy mystery, sometimes romantic suspense, sometimes science fiction or literary fiction. Carolyne–LOL about reading too fast! I guess you would rather savor a story… but reading fast is what most readers want, I think. And Pete–I’m glad to welcome male readers and am curious about whether I’m getting the male point of view right. Stay in touch and let me know via a review or blog post comment, okay?
Faith, those are some of my favorite authors, too. A huge high point for me as an author came when someone compared my books to Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series. I wish! Hope you will come to the party and meet some romantic suspense authors, including Margaret Daley. Thanks for commenting.
I love romantic suspense novels. Life isn’t just rainbows and roses. Life can be gritty and messy. I love being immersed in a new novel. It’s like taking a mini vacation.
I agree: the best novels sweep you entirely out of this world and into another, whether scary or rosy. I love to read and am glad you do too!
I love a little romantic suspense. And while I don’t write it, I have two that have “suspensful-ish” elements to them (I mean, really, the reason I don’t write it is because I would commit the number one pet peeve I have of RS or Mystery — making it too easy to figure out who the bad guy is.) But still – I’m going to have to check yours out. :)
Ha, Elizabeth, it’s definitely a different plotting process for romantic suspense. Mine are a little more romance than suspense, compared to a lot of inspirational romantic suspense. And the bad guys are usually right out there being scary!
I am just starting to like reading romantic fiction. I had prided myself on not being like my mom and sisters reading those fluffy female books. However, I have recently learned to appreciate clean romance novels. I am learning I can still read my favorite genre action packed suspense but it can be served with a side of romance.
I like both suspense & sweet romances. There are elements of both that I love, sweet romance makes my heart swell & warm and go awwww at the end…..suspense makes my heart beat faster wanting to know what happens next and a love bought together by sometimes dire circumstances. Both are good in and of themselves I think! :-)
Hi–I love sweet romance! But I do read suspense as well. I haven’t read one in a while–now might be the time. :) Thanks for sharing!
Ha—fluffy female books! That’s an apt description of some, but not all, romance novels. Glad you’ve come to see the light!
Thanks for commenting, Lindi and Trixi. Just as I suspected, there are a lot of readers who like both “flavors.”
I love both sweet romance and suspense, but I tend to read more of the sweet.I admire those who write the suspense. I’m not sure I’m clever enough. :)