Five Books Everyone Should Read is a new feature we’re running in 2015. We’ve asked some of our favorite authors, readers and bloggers to share five books that touched them or have stayed with them throughout the years.
Rowena: Our guest reviewer Jen is here today to share the 5 books she thinks everyone should read. She’s got a great mix too. Check it out!
Jen: I love to talk about books, but I hate it when anyone asks for my favorites. I have so many different favorites: for when I’m feeling sad, for when I’m happy, for when I want excitement, for when I want sweetness, etc. I thought maybe narrowing to just romance would help, but romance is so personal that I couldn’t stop qualifying and justifying every pick. So I started and stopped a “Five Books” list probably a half dozen times before deciding I needed to give myself a narrower window or I was going to drive myself batty (or battier, perhaps). To that end, I switched directions and started thinking about what type of books I read the most of, which is how I landed on Harlequin Intrigues. It’s a quirky choice, maybe! But while the very first romances I read were regencies, I pretty quickly switched over to Intrigues when I realized my local library had scores of them. Later in my life I branched out and started reading other kinds of romance, but romantic suspense remains my favorite sub-genre, and the quick, action packed Intrigues are still my go-to when I don’t have a ton of reading time. I can’t visit a thrift store without scouring the racks for all the old Intrigues I can find. (Ooh boy, do the Intrigues from the 90s have some great covers. They’re not as flashy as the older historicals, but the 90s fashion is glorious. My junior high self thought the guys in the jorts and the mullets were exceedingly hot.) I rarely see Intrigues reviewed on book blogs, which is a shame because there are some real gems in the line. Don’t get me wrong, there are some truly, massively terrible books in there, too, but I decided to use my list to highlight some of the best and encourage anyone who enjoys romantic suspense to give these a try. They are quick little escapes, but that doesn’t mean they have to be bad.
Here they are, in no particular order.
Silent Night Stakeout by Kerry Connor
I don’t like true enemies-to-lovers stories, but I DO like less-than-friends-to-lovers stories, and Silent Night Stakeout falls into this category. Defense attorney Regina Garrett ends up involved in a murder investigation because one of her former clients is killed on his way to meet her. Marcus is one of the detectives on the case, and right from the start he thinks the worst of her. The cops hate her because she sets free the criminals they’re trying to put behind bars. I love that Regina never apologizes for being very, very good at her job. She defends herself but doesn’t make excuses, and while she’s not thrilled that people hate her, she also doesn’t let it distract her from doing what’s right. I also appreciate that Marcus doesn’t hold on to his distrust eternally. He takes the time to get to know her as a person, and while it doesn’t erase his concerns about her job, he acknowledges the bias is his own and not her fault. Some of the plot is a little far-fetched, but not totally unbelievable. Marcus is also a POC, which we definitely need more of in romance. For me, this book is all about the relationship between Regina and Marcus–great dialogue, time to learn about one another, and genuine respect on both sides. Plus, at one point Marcus has to move in with her to protect her and omg guys that’s my ultimate catnip.
Undercover Captor (Shadow Agents #5) by Cynthia Eden
Eden’s Shadow Agents series is one of my favorite action romance series. There’s an intriguing overarching story line running through the books that keeps you coming back for more, but each book also has a solid story and set of characters. Undercover Captor is probably my favorite. It tells the story of Dr. Tina Jamison, doctor for the Elite Operations Division, the secret organization the series follows. Tina gets kidnapped by bad guys who mistakenly think she’s the daughter of the head of EOD. Fortunately, EOD agent Drew Lancaster is undercover in the criminal operation. Unfortunately, he has to break cover to rescue her, and the two have to escape together and then work with other agents to keep Tina safe. Drew is a tough, ruthless special agent, but the way he’s so sweet and tender with Tina just gets me every time. Tina is smart and loyal, but she’s not an agent and struggles with anxiety that she’s not contributing and not useful enough. Their chemistry is sexy, and you can see how each is made better by their relationship. While I think you could probably start with this book and enjoy it, you’ll get the most out of it if you read the whole series.
Undercover Encounter (New Orleans Confidential #1) by Rebecca York
Admittedly, this book is kind of crazy, but I love that it toes the line of being stupid without going all in, if you know what I mean. The story centers around rookie cop Gillian Seymour who has to go undercover as a high class prostitute to try and stop the flow of a new drug called Category 5. Apparently the drug is being slipped to unsuspecting men by complicit bartenders, and it gets the men, shall we say, hot and bothered, at which time the prostitutes can lead them darn near anywhere. Unfortunately, the drug also kills some men, so the police are anxious to stop it. Don’t question why they’d send a brand new officer into a seriously dangerous undercover mission, and definitely don’t question the coincidence of her old boyfriend, Alex, being involved, too. I know, you’re probably wondering, “But does she actually need to sleep with men while pretending to be a prostitute?” Ah, never fear! She has a special miracle cream that will put the men to sleep, give them amnesia, AND make them highly susceptible to suggestion so she can tell them they had hot monkey sex with her and they leave satisfied. How can she avoid being put to sleep herself? Another good question! She has special vitamins to take that block the effects of the cream, naturally. Yes, this book gets crazy, but for me it’s a good crazy, and I like both Gillian and Alex as characters. Neither acts too stupid, and Gillian is good at thinking on her feet. It’s by no means the best Intrigue out there, but if you want some sweet, sweet crazysauce, Undercover Encounter is one way to go.
Secret Identity (Cooper Security #1) by Paula Graves
I’ve written on this site before about my love for Paula Graves’s Intrigue series, but Secret Identity is my favorite of the bunch. The heroine, Amanda, is an ex-CIA spy, which is high on my list of “favorite heroine occupations.” In the very first chapter of the book I fell in love with her because she gets a suspicious package. What would many heroines do? Rip it open immediately, right? Amanda takes all precautions and assumes something very dangerous could be in there. Hoo boy, a smart, competent heroine who doesn’t forget her training just because it would help move the plot along! The adventure in the book is intriguing and fast paced, and I enjoyed the romantic conflict. Rick is a former operative too, and he and Amanda had a relationship while on a foreign assignment. I liked seeing how they had to relearn the other person because both had been playing a part to some extent. I’ve enjoyed many of the books in the series, but this one holds a special place in my heart.
I’ll Be Watching You by Tracy Montoya
I said these were in no particular order, but actually I saved the best for last. This is one of those books that I could have sworn was written for me. It’s like the author said “Here’s a book with all your favorite things in one delicious package, Jen.” Freaky, grisly serial killer stalker. Overprotective best friend. Strong but sensitive cop hero. Smart heroine who plays a role in her own salvation. Latino main characters. And, you guessed it, he has to move in with her to protect her. BOOM, I’m there. The heroine is Adriana Torres. Addy lost her cop fiance James several years ago to a serial killer known as The Surgeon. (This book is technically part of a 2 book series about the killer, but I beg of you, do not read the first book. Just do what I do and pretend it doesn’t exist. Trust me!) She’s been essentially living in mourning ever since. When it seems like The Surgeon’s returned and has Addy in his sights, her fiance’s old colleague, Daniel Cardenas, moves in to help protect her. Daniel was actually the one who had delivered the news about James’s death to Addy, and the fact that he is part of her most painful memory makes her attraction to him that much more confusing for her. Daniel is so sweet and sensitive to Addy’s loss. He is honest with her but bends over backwards to respect her needs and not pressure her into feeling something she’s not ready to feel. Strong heroes don’t have to be jerks! (This is basically becoming my reviewer’s motto. I’m thinking I should probably get it tattooed somewhere.) While there’s lots of emotion in the book, it doesn’t get bogged down in excessive angst and hand wringing. Plus, the writing here is lovely–Montoya’s voice really works for me. I love I’ll Be Watching You, like really love it. I don’t do tons of rereading, but this is one title I have reread many times because it just hits all my buttons.
Totally jotting down these suggestions. I came late to Intrigues even though I like romantic suspense (it’s the shorter word count – that’s really hard to pull off with romantic suspense!). But I read and really liked Silent Night Stakeout when it was first released so including it on your list is a surefire way to get me to check out the four others here that I haven’t read 🙂 Thanks!
I think the short word count is why it’s so hard to get the Intrigues right! Even in the best, there are often short cuts taken, and you never get that leisurely build up you get in longer books, which is good or bad depending on your mood. When it’s done well, some judiciously used short cuts help you still feel like you got a developed relationship (and I think Silent Night Stakeout is a prime example of that). When it’s not done well you get a hot mess of cliches and instalust, lol.
Thanks for the list – I haven’t read any of these and I do like romantic suspense so I’ll add them to my list
Hope you like some of these titles! Intrigues are kind of personal, I realize. They’re full of romance tropes, and I think some of those either work for a reader or they don’t. These ones all work for me, for sure!