New to romantic suspense? Start with Nora Roberts
I’ve been an avid reader since I was around four years old, but I didn’t dip my toes into the romance genre until I reached high school. Sadly, it didn’t take long for me to realize that it might not be for me. I found myself cringing one too many times from the cheesiness.
There were also too many clichés I couldn’t find myself appreciating. The damsel in distress. Enemies to lovers. Marriages of convenience. The never-ending love triangles.
Despite all that, I didn’t really want to give up on the genre just yet. Maybe, just maybe, there’s something a bit more specific that would appeal to me. It’s that search for something that’s more suited to my taste that led me to romantic suspense and, specifically, Nora Roberts.
Why Nora Roberts’ books are the best place to start
Anyone exploring the romantic suspense genre is bound to run into Eleanor Marie Robertson—better known as Nora Roberts. She is also known by her pseudonym J. D. Robb, the author behind the “In Death” series, which leans more toward a futuristic police procedural. But under her own name, she is best known for her romantic suspense novels.
I remember reading my very first Nora Roberts book and liking it so much that it wasn’t long before I started buying or borrowing her other works from the library.
One of the things I really appreciate about her storytelling is how her protagonists all have strong characters and lives outside the romance. They have their own careers, families, skills, and talents. They don’t overtly rely on their romantic partners. They’re their own persons, so to speak.
I also appreciate the variety that she offers when it comes to the suspense aspect of her work. From family mysteries and the paranormal to mass shootings and serial killers, her books have it all.
And even though her books deal with dark and sensitive themes, her stories are able to illustrate danger and mystery without being extremely dark psychological thrillers. Yes, they can make you uncomfortable, and they’ll make you wince every now and then, but they never reach the point that you’ll put down a book and say it’s too much.
Recommendations for first-timers and personal favorites
Ready to start your Nora Roberts journey? Here are some suggested titles for first-time readers as well as some of my personal favorites:
1. “Northern Lights”
First on the list is “Northern Lights,” which has actually been turned into a television film starring Eddie Cibrian and LeAnn Rimes. The story follows Nate Burke, who moves to the tiny Alaskan town of Lunacy after the death of his police partner. There, he falls for pilot Meg Galloway while investigating an unsolved murder that threatens the new life he’s trying to build.
“Northern Lights” is a great choice for those who like small-town settings, atmospheric locations, police investigations, and slow-burn romance. The Alaskan setting is almost a character in itself, and the mystery and romance are tightly intertwined.
2. “Shelter in Place”
“Shelter in Place” begins with a mass shooting at a shopping mall. The incident connects Simone Knox and Reed Quartermaine, both survivors, to one another years later as a series of killings suggests that the danger they thought was behind them may not be over.
“Shelter in Place” is one of the books I found hard to put down because I just wanted to know who survives the cat-and-mouse scenario that eventually emerges. I also think the premise of the story is relatable in this day and age, given the numerous incidents of mass shootings that have happened in recent months.
3. “The Search”
“The Search” tells the story of Fiona Bristow, a survivor of a serial killer who murdered her fiancé and his K-9 partner. She’s rebuilt her life as a search-and-rescue dog trainer, but a copycat killer brings the past back into her life just as she begins falling for Simon Doyle.
For those looking for a Nora Roberts book where the suspense is genuinely central to the story, “The Search” is a good place to start. The romance develops naturally around Fiona’s recovery and Simon’s relationship with her, and the search-and-rescue dogs also give the book a distinctive hook.
4. “The Villa”
A perfect combination of family drama and suspense, “The Villa” tells the story of Sophia Giambelli, a PR executive from a prominent California wine family, whose life becomes complicated when her family’s business announces a merger with the MacMillan family’s winery. Things become more complicated when she finds herself attracted to Tyler MacMillan and acts of sabotage threaten both the business and the family.
It’s a good introduction to Nora Roberts’ works because it combines romance with family drama, corporate intrigue, and secrets. The romance between Sophia and Tyler develops alongside the investigation into threats against the newly merged company, giving the story both personal and professional stakes.
5. “The Witness”
“The Witness” follows Abigail Lowery, a woman living under an assumed identity after witnessing a brutal crime. She then meets Brooks Gleason, the police chief who becomes intrigued by her. Her carefully controlled life starts unraveling when the people she’s been hiding from find her again.
“The Witness” is a good place to start for first-timers because it has everything you’d expect from a Roberts romantic suspense novel—an independent heroine, a capable hero, danger, secrets, sexual tension, small-town characters, and a substantial mystery.
