Discover. . .: Discover Romantic Suspense by Reggi Allder

MUSE MONDAY

Please join me in welcoming Reggi Allder to Muse Monday on Discover... She's talking about one of my favorite genres...Romantic Suspense.

Hi all, I’m happy to be here on Monday Muse.

As a teen, while in a friend’s basement, I discovered a bookshelf with old romantic suspense books. My friend’s mother read them. She said, “They’re keepers.” Though they were paperbacks and some of the pages had yellowed, all of them were in readable condition. I was allowed to take a few books home with the promise to return them when I was finished reading. Excited, I grabbed several. At that point, my reading had been classic fiction for English classes or science and math textbooks. Imagine my surprise to read pure entertainment with a great story arc.

Now, as a reader and a writer, I look forward to the mix of danger and romance. Statistics show I’m not alone. Romantic suspense novels are popular sellers.

I’ve often wondered why we love a dash, or should I say a slash of suspense with our romance. I guess a psychologist could answer that. However, a well-plotted romance and equally well-plotted suspense, seamlessly woven together, work well. Each storyline moves the plot forward and holds my attention. Perhaps the need to solve a mystery helps keep the pages turning.

A romantic suspense must have a compelling love story, often with the hero and heroine striving toward different goals. They share a strong attraction for each other that might get in the way of solving the mystery, perhaps even putting them in danger. They must be sympathetic characters as each struggles with internal problems and personal baggage while maintaining the determination to catch the bad guy(s). Right is on their side, though the villain might take issue with that statement.

A believable villain is important too. Not just a crazy man or woman wanting to hurt people, but a villain with a credible goal. The average person would think the objective is completely wrong. Still, the villain knows he’s righteous. The idea keeps him motivated and us reading to discover what happens next. The anti-hero should be intelligent, a person to be reckoned with, fear-imparting, and perhaps clever if mad.

Mysteries are often written in the first person. Yet, the romantic suspense has multiple points of view allowing the reader to understand the motivation of many of the characters.

In a suspense novel, it just gets worse until the reader can’t see how the hero and heroine will solve the mystery and survive. There is often a possibility the villain may win and all will be lost.

Blurb DANGEROUS WEB by Reggi Allder Book One of Four in the Dangerous Series by Reggi Allder.

Emma lives a quiet life and that is the way she wants it. When the past returns to threaten her present, is the key to her safety the man offering protection? Does he have secrets that will put her in greater danger?

Webb lives undercover and never lets anyone get too close. However, in his current perilous situation, Emma is the only one he can trust. Still, if he accepts her aid, he could put her in jeopardy. Can he justify involving her? Will he be able to manage his growing desire for Emma?

Romantic Suspense, 5.0 out of 5 stars “A non-stop suspense from the first chapter until the end!” “Real-to-life characters take you away!” “Reggi Allder has got us holding our breath and biting our nails with this romantic suspense.”

Excerpt

With Webb in the passenger seat, Emma drove the old sedan to their small West Coast bungalow and parked in the driveway. A memory of the first day she saw the home, with the “For Sale” sign on the front lawn, taunted her. Would he remember too?

What difference did it make now?

There was an almost imperceptible pause when he entered the place. Yet, his stoic expression didn’t change as his hand raked through his thick dark hair. He scanned the room, pausing on the Danish furniture they’d bought together. However, his deep brown eyes didn’t indicate his thoughts. He stood tall, strong, and in command and she couldn’t help admiring him. Darn it.

“Webb, you know where everything is. I’m going to take a shower. It was a long hot drive.”

She rushed to the master bedroom before he could answer. Why did she bring him to their home? Now too many uncontrollable feelings were bubbling to the surface.

What would he think when he noticed his clothes were just as he’d left them? She’d kept telling herself it was time to throw them all out or donate the bunch to a needy cause. Somehow, she hadn’t been able to do it.

Before long, he’d pick out some of his things from the dresser. Maybe he’d take items from the garage, and walk out. It couldn’t come too soon. She’d been able to manage her emotions while they were at the cabin, but being near him in their house threw her off balance. Without equilibrium, her life had tilted out of control. She had to get her day-to-day life in balance, ASAP. Their relationship was dead and she’d carved out a new fulfilling existence. She had to hold on to that realization.

In the bathroom, she undressed and tossed her clothes into the hamper.

The spray of cool water lowered the temperature of her heated body, and the aroma of the coconut shampoo soothed her. She closed her eyes to enjoy the fact she was okay, and he’d be gone soon. When he left, everything would return to the “new” normal.

Out of the shower and wrapped in a pink bath sheet, she dried her hair with a hand towel.

“I don’t mean to break into your private space, but I need a bandage. I’m bleeding again.” Wearing only boxers, he came into the room looking way too appealing even with the wound in his side.

She held the bath towel tightly to her. “Uh, they’re in the plastic box under the sink.”

“You don’t have to protect yourself so carefully. It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.”

She bent down as he came forward. Her line of sight was at his crotch. Involuntarily, she caught her breath and quickly searched for the first aid container.

“Here’s some gauze and tape.” She cleared her throat. “That should do.”

Was it the steam from her recent shower or could he be making the room hotter?

“Thanks, Emmy. If you don’t mind, I’ll get cleaned up now.”

She was barely able to grab the hairdryer when he dropped his boxers. She ran into the bedroom but heard him chuckle as she slammed the bathroom door.

Buy link Dangerous Webb https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XXNBDXV