By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
During Lone Star Literary’s book blog tour for Fatal Strike, I learned a lot about what readers prefer in a romantic suspense novel. The responses can help me weave what reader preferences into my stories.
The following 16 responses interested me, and I wanted to share them with you.
- Good character development
- The edge of the seat tension and thrills
- I especially like it when there’s a huge twist or something I didn’t see coming at the end. However, I always want the book to end with all the questions answered
- Not knowing what will happen next
- The ability for two characters to work together and have respect, friendship, and grow in love.
- Tension
- The unknown
- Action and trying to guess the ending
- The small, sweet exchanges of affection, gazes, and touches between the hero and heroine
- All of it!
- Suspense and glory
- Setting
- Twists and surprises
- How the hero and heroine find love while solving a mystery
- Guessing who is the culprit
- More suspense than romance
So what aspects of a romantic suspense novel thrill you? Do you have a different answer than the ones given above? Let’s hear it.
Comments 17
I’m with #16…………I prefer MORE suspense than romance. That’s the reason I buy SUSPENSE books:~)
Hi DiAnn, I enjoy strong women protagonists who keep their minds on their vision, their calling, and their passion for life. Romance can nudge them but they don’t live their lives pursuing it!
Hi DiAnn,
Thank you for all you do.
I absolutely love, love, #9) The small, sweet exchanges of affection, gazes, and touches between the hero and heroine.
I also love kissing even long kissing but not petting and I don’t like an open bedroom door.
I like the Lord mentioned or aluded to, but not preachy or didactic.
Historical romances are what I like to read and write (I’m a rank beginner) with real historical persons thrown in as secondary characters that the protagonists run into.
Oh, I love action scenes with the romantic guy acting all alpha male. Love, love, romance.
Lurene Miller
Lois, I’m smiling here. You know exactly what you want and do not want to read. Thanks for your comments!
LOL. I know what I like reading – but I wish I knew how to spell! -alluded- oh boy.
Lurene, you are not alone! My spelling can be a new language.
I love clean romance with characters that seem real. Not ones who are so gorgeous they both belong on a runway. 🙂 I love suspense but not over-the-top killing just to add more “tension.” And I love to see the characters grow in their faith, to see Christ as a real part of their lives and of the story.
Thanks, Linda, I agree with you?
Hi DiAnn. I love all aspects of romantic suspense that you mentioned. Yes, some struck a cord with me and what I enjoy. Yet, I know not all agree with this, but I love how the hero/heroine of the story deals with whatever is thrown at them with Christian values or outlook. Life is not easy and no we don’t endure a crisis to the extent of most characters, but they give an example of how to deal with a crisis with faith. I don’t know if I explained it correctly. Basically how they grow in their faith and get closer to God during a trial. Thank you for your books.
Katrina, thank you so much for your comments. I value: “Life is not easy and no we don’t endure a crisis to the extent of most characters, but they give an example of how to deal with a crisis with faith.”
I like the focus to be on the suspense, not the romance. I want characters who don’t act like ten-year-olds or sixteen year olds. I want the story to be the focus, and something that matters. If I can learn something interesting, that’s 10,000 times better than batting eyelashes and sex.
Hi Karen, I’m laughing. Love love love your preference. I’m right there with you! Thanks!
I would love stories with an adventure and suspense in a foreign country. However, I also enjoy reading about familiar settings.
I think a story about twins being in some kind of law enforcement would be interesting.
I would really like a story with twins, but no one knows they are twins, because they wear disguises as they do their undercover work. They often substitute for one another, but no one knows it. Only their handler is aware that they are two women instead of one.
As others have mentioned, I want more suspense than romance.
I want squeaky clean in Christian suspense/romance. I don’t want a suggestive word picture or a tad of edginess, even when the novel is otherwise clean. I say this, because my husband was listening to a Christian book on tape with me as we traveled. A couple spots had that slight tad of edginess in it. He commented that he was surprised that those scenes were in there, since this was a strong, Christian author.
Oops, so sorry. It seems I misread the question. I was thinking in the future not in the present. 😬
Hi Barbara, thanks for your feedback. Twins in law enforcement is unusual. I like it! Yes, my stories are clean romance – not interested in otherwise. 🙂
I would love stories with an adventure and suspense in a foreign country. However, I also enjoy reading about familiar settings.
I think a story about twins being in some kind of law enforcement would be interesting.
I would really like a story with twins, but no one knows they are twins, because they wear disguises as they do their undercover work. They often substitute for one another, but no one knows it. Only their handler is aware that they are two women instead of one.
As others have mentioned, I want more suspense than romance.
I want squeaky clean in Christian suspense/romance. I don’t want a suggestive word picture or a tad of edginess, even when the novel is otherwise clean. I say this, because my husband was listening to a Christian book on tape with me as we traveled. A couple spots had that slight tad of edginess in it. He commented that he was surprised that those scenes were in there, since this was a strong, Christian author.
The action, on the edge of my seat, not knowing what will happen next, more suspense than romance. Characters who grow closer to God as they do toward each other.
Thanks, Rachel, like you, I love the suspense aspect.