Romantic Thrillers

The struggle is real. I’m not talking about the action or thriller component in a Romantic Thriller. I’m referring to the right balance of action to romance. I’m not sure if there’s a formula out there to follow. And even if there was, I’m not the kind of writer to adhere to those rules, anyway. After searching for tips on the internet, one that stuck out was the notion of balance, with many stating it should be a 50/50 split. Other tips include starting with a good plot that has interesting and relatable main characters with just enough complexity to keep the reader interested and invested. No one cares about one-dimensional characters.

Romance thrillers aren’t terribly realistic. The heroines tend to be superhuman fighters who prevail despite the odds. So, I suppose the reader can expect to come across love scenes smack dab in the middle of a life-and-death situation. Ugh…who wants to make love to someone when the prospect of getting your ass shot off is weighing heavily on your mind? Apparently, every protagonist out there!

So…what would happen if the author broke that rule of balance? Would the readers forgive him or her? That’s a question I keep asking myself as I struggle with the final chapter of my Next Generation Trilogy. I’ve been having so much fun with the action plot, the romance has definitely taken a back seat. It’s hinted at and eventually fleshed out a bit more as the story progresses, but so far hasn’t met that epic proportion of love where the two simply cannot exist without the other. Clearly, I could have done a better job as I round the corner to the 3/4s mark of the book. So…what’s an author to do? Blow up the whole book and start anew, add more scenes early on? Or…just accept this is more thriller than romance? I honestly don’t know the answer. Fortunately, I have time to figure it out since book one and book two don’t come out until March and June of next year. In the meantime, maybe you’ll want to check out my San Diego trilogy that exist in the same universe twenty years earlier. For this trilogy, romance definitely plays a prominent role in all three books. I’d like to think I adhered to the 50/50 split as strongly suggested for the genre. Look for a reading and giveaway at the Sapphic Book Lovers Facebook Page…I’ll be the spotlight author from August 22nd to the 25th! See you there!