Don’t hold back. Never give up. If only it was that easy…
When sabotage downs their helicopter in the mountains, Gallagher finally gets the up-close and personal time he’s been craving with fellow agent Carmen Olivera. After their rescue, the saboteur’s trail sends the Devlin Group to Africa, where Carmen tries to revert back to her cold, professional self. Except Gallagher isn’t ready to let her go. Not by a long shot.
As the Group gears up to rescue a young woman held hostage in the well-guarded compound of a guerilla warlord, Carmen tries to shove her long-time attraction for Gallagher—now jacked up by one mind-blowing night—back into its mental corner. No matter what her heart says, there’s no future with him. They’re from different worlds. Not to mention the effect a failed relationship could have on the job.
But as the mission gets blown all to hell, they find the African jungle has its own, brutal way of deciding who has future at all…
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After two light-hearted historical westerns, my new release, No Surrender, marks the return to my action-adventure romance series, the Devlin Group, from Samhain.
So why don’t I call it romantic suspense? After all, my publisher does. As does most of the romance industry, including booksellers, reviewers, librarians and contests such as RWA’s RITA awards.
But I think there’s a difference between romantic suspense and action-adventure romance, and the Devlin Group books are definitely the latter. Why? (These are my own personal musings, so your mileage may vary).
Action-adventure romances are less concerned about the why and the who than with the kicking of ass. Even though the hero or heroine of a romantic suspense is often in law enforcement—the “hunter”—the overall theme is one of being hunted, and usually the identity and the motive are hidden. In action-adventure, the main characters may also be hunted, but they quickly go on the offensive, kicking ass and taking names—names the reader often gets right up front. In No Surrender, the identity and motivation of the villain is never a secret. The suspense lies in how the agents are going to take him down.
Romantic suspense often involves taking puzzle pieces and trying to make them fit together while somewhere out there, somebody’s waiting to hurt you. In action-adventure, the gun’s already to your head so you blow up the puzzle box and sift through the scorched pieces after, hoping the bad guy’s in there.
In romantic suspense, the reader is trying to solve the puzzle alongside the characters. In action-adventure, she’s just along for the wild ride, hoping the hero and heroine live to fight another day.
The most well-known example of an author I personally believe is an action-adventure romance author being classified as romantic suspense is Suzanne Brockmann. Allison Brennan—romantic suspense. Roxanne St. Claire—action-adventure romance.
What do you think? Do you think there’s a difference between romantic suspense and action-adventure romance?
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Thank you, Ms Stacey!
Ms Stacey is generously giving away a download of one of her backlist titles to a lucky commenter here. To learn more about the Devlin Group and all her other titles, visit her website. Then come back and tell us what you think!
I wouldn’t necessarily make the distinction when entering the two in LibraryThing, but I think I can see the difference…. although I haven’t read any of the authors you listed! Hmm.
I can understand the difference. I am going to have to grab the others in this series. I am missing out!
I think you’re totally right, Shannon. I think Cherry Adair, Marlissa Melton, Tara Janze, even Nina Bruhns’ newest are all action adventure. They take off at the first page and don’t let up until the end. And as I started No Surrender last night, and am LOVING it, and I’m on about page 60 and it hasn’t let up on the adventure yet, I’d say YOU, too, lol. I had to make myself stop reading to go to sleep.
I really really liked the other Devline books…..but I have to say this is my favorite so far. I’m dying for work to be over tonight so I can get home and finish it!!
Congrats on the new release~~yesterday when I was at Samhain it was in the top 10~~YEAH!!
I started it last night too, Melissa. Would have stayed up all night reading but I needed to get some sleep because the girls went back to school today. I love this series and Gallagher…yum! 🙂
Good post!
I see what you mean and I think there’s a difference between romantic suspense and action-adventure romance. Between these two, I prefer action-adventure romance books. The difficulty is that I don’t know whether I’m getting one when picking up a book labeled as romantic suspense… Would like to get more recommendations!
You make a good point. I never noticed that difference that you mentioned, but now I do.
Great way to show the difference. I love the action! I think that’s why I loved the Bombshell line so much. It always had a lot of action.
I’d love to win one!!!
hugs,
WendyK
I’ve never lookd into LibraryThing. I should! And Roxanne St. Claire’s Bulletcatchers series is awesome! I definitely recommend those!
I hope you like the ending, too, Melissa! I’m probably not supposed to admit this, but No Surrender is my favorite of the series, as well. It’s actually my favorite of all my books to date. 🙂
Between these two, I prefer action-adventure romance books. The difficulty is that I don’t know whether I’m getting one when picking up a book labeled as romantic suspense… Would like to get more recommendations!
It’s definitely hard to tell when they don’t have their own label. The authors mentioned above are what comes immediately to mind. Suzanne Brockmann, Roxanne St. Claire, Cherry Adair, Marlissa Melton.
An action-adventure romance I’m DYING to get my hands on is Stephanie Tyler’s HARD TO HOLD (11/24/09). It’s the first in the series. And I read that it’s (and I’m paraphrasing) got all the hot action of Brockmann with the awesome male characterization of Nora Roberts. I can’t wait!
I thought about submitting to the Bombshell line once upon a time, but it centered around the heroines and I’ve always considered myself a hero-centric writer. I was sad when they shut that line down, though. They had some great action-adventure stories.
I’d never thought about it, but I think I can see the distinction. I would love to try your books, Shannon! Thank you for the great contest.
I prefer action-adventure romance books. Love the kick ass adventures in them.
I understand the difference… I enjoy both… sometimes one wants to become the detective and other times one may want to be along for the adventurous ride!!! As long as it is well wriiten, holds my attention, and has a HEA, I am in!!! 😀
Like Colleen I understand what you were saying about the differences between romantic suspense and action adventure…and really I love them both. It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I like to have a little bit of mystery, where I don’t really know what could happen. Other times I don’t want to think, I just want to enjoy. That’s why I am glad readers have so many fantastic choices to choose from.
I have never read any of the Devlin Group, but definitely need to give them a try! Congrats on your newest release!!!
Oh yes I do think there is a differents. I loved the way you seperated the two and you hit it about right. I agree with you!
I’ve never really considered the differences, but the way you’ve described it makes sense! I guess I enjoy both, as long as there’s an HEA and the plot doesn’t get too scary! Sometimes the suspense gets a little too suspenseful for me, and that’s something I don’t enjoy as much…
I’ve never tought about it either, but you showed the difference so well! I do love them both, but it would be nice to know which one I’m getting… Thanks for the recommendations!
O.M. G. ~~did you finish it, Fatin??? I finished it this morning. LOVED it. Loved it. Gallagher is the hero of my dreams. You so nailed this one 100%, Shannon~~and damnit, now you’ve already got me salivating for Jack’s story. Oh, and you know, it was after I finished that it hit me~~John McClain?? Like Die Hard, lol? He was the perfect alpha hero, with that vulnerability where the woman he loves is concerned. Sigh.
I never thought about the differences, but now I understand. I enjoy both.
Congratulations on your new release. I am going to have to start your Devlin group since reading all the great comments.
Thank you, Melissa! You’ve totally made my day and it’s not even noon!
Yeah, Gallagher’s name. *g* Sometimes when you’re working on the first book in a series, you write something that amuses you. But down the road, when you get to THAT guy’s book, you have to play the hand you dealt yourself. But, yes, it was a tiny little homage to one of my favorite movies.
Here’s the scene in the first book, 72 HOURS, in which Gallager’s talking to Grace (the heroine of that book):
He leaned close to her so he could speak quietly. “My name—my real, tell anybody and I’ll kill you slowly name—is John Gallagher McLaine.”
“John McLaine? Like the Die Hard guy?”
“Spelled differently, but yeah. Only better.”
Grace arched an eyebrow at him. “How so?”
“I’m real, and my gun’s bigger.”
I was actually going to do Connor’s book next, but Jaci Burton and Charlene Teglia said NO. Unacceptable. It has to be Jack. So Jack will be next. 🙂
I read 72 Hours, but didn’t remember this…..lol, I feel a reread coming on!! And YES, it HAS to be Jack. He can’t wait that long….let alone me, lol.
So you gotta get to writing, he’s waiting!!
Cool topic! I definitely agree with Shannon that there is a big difference between romantic suspense and romantic action-adventure or romantic thrillers. Personally, I prefer stories where there is major butt-kicking along with great settings, rather than blood and gore and serial killers. 😀
I would certainly classify most of my own books as romantic adventure…especially my new series from Berkley. My fave action-adventure reads are Suzanne Brockmann, Gennita Lowe and Cindy Gerard.
Nina
http://www.NinaBruhns.com
Very well said, Shannon!
I always nutshell it by saying romantic suspense is about fear, romantic adventure is about excitement. That’s quite general, of course, and there’s some overlap, but it matches your explosion description. 🙂
I consider you a prototypical romantic adventure author! 🙂
One of my favorite Bombshell authors, Evelyn Vaughn, has a new series with Silhouette Romantic Suspense called The Bladekeepers. It’s more hero-centric.
Jennie Crusie and Bob Mayer’s books (the ones they do together) are considered romantic adventure.
OOooh! Toni McGee Causey! Talk about action that never lets up, to-die-for heroes, and a kick-ass heroine!
I also love Suzanne Enoch’s contemporary series featuring a master thief. It’s a bit Leverage-like, without the team.
Would love to try your book! Sometimes I will try to read romantic suspense, but either the romance or the suspense is not balanced, or GASP, the romance is an afterthought. You book has generated a lot of positive buzz.