MANDA COLLINS likes Mystery & Romance Back to Blog
Update: The winner of HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE and ANGEL BETRAYED is…Yadira!
For my noon hour guest, I’d like to welcome best-selling historical author Manda Collins. Thanks for coming to the party, Manda!
YOU GOT MYSTERY IN MY ROMANCE! YOU GOT ROMANCE IN MY MYSTERY!
Back when I was a kid and Murder She Wrote was a big hit on the teevee, there was a comedian—can’t remember who—who joked that people did NOT want Jessica Fletcher coming for a visit because that necessarily meant that someone was going to die.
Even though my Ugly Ducklings Trilogy is historical romance, the heroines in each of the books are amateur sleuths and end up working to solve a mystery. In some cases a disappearance, in some cases a murder. In some cases both. And I can’t help but wonder if the other characters in my trilogy, like the denizens of Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove, worry that Cecily, Juliet and Maddie will bring death and disappearances with them. Not that it would matter if they did. I can’t write them any other way.
I write mysteries into my historical romances because, for me, unraveling a mystery at the same time I’m watching two characters fall in love is about as perfect as reading can get. There’s just something about the heightened sense of drama and danger that a suspense plot brings to a budding romance that rings my bell. I blame the childhood reading combo of Nancy Drew + Little Women. With a hefty dose of Jane Austen thrown in for good measure.
But what should the right combination of mystery to romance be? 50/50? 60/40? 40/60? To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t write that way. Some writers are pantsers (meaning they write by the seat of their pants). Some are plotters (meaning they plot out every little thing before they start). I am what I like to call a plantser (meaning I do a broad outline before I start, but leave enough up to my imagination to keep myself from getting bored). And as such, I like to “vibe” the mystery/romance combo. For some books there might be the same percentage of romance to mystery. For others there might be more romance or more mystery. It depends on the book.
In my next book, How to Romance a Rake, which will release on July 30, there is quite a bit of romance, but it’s liberally laced with mystery. There is the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Juliet’s music teacher, and there is also a mystery surrounding Juliet herself. All of which unfold at the same time that Juliet is falling in love with our hero, Viscount Deveril. It makes for some deliciously exciting romantic suspense. At least I hope so!
What about you, dear reader? Do you like your romance mixed with suspense? (Since we’re on the fabulous Cynthia Eden’s blog, I’m gonna guess you do!) But how much of each? Can there be too much romance, or too much suspense? What combo is just right? Inquiring minds want to know! I’ll give one commenter a copy of HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE and a copy of ANGEL BETRAYED!
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I just recently started reading historical romance. I have always read romantic suspense because I love that drama that adds to the hero and heroine falling in love. In the last two historicals I read both had a lot of suspense and mystery. I liked that one of them had spies as the main characters. I love a female spy. Who doesn’t? I’ll be sure to check out your books since I haven’t read any yet. This blog party is a great way to fill up my TBR pile with new authors! Thanks!
You are too right about the TBR pile! Cynthia knows how to bring great authors together! My own TBR is growing:) Welcome to the world of historical romance! The good news is that there’s lots to choose from. And plenty of them do have suspense plots included! Score!
I think that every great romance book should have equal parts romance and suspense. I do not think that there is any such thing as too much of either. It all depends on the type of romance book that is being written.
A girl after my own heart, Saydee!
Zounds! A copy of two wonderful books! Congrats to Cynthia for her new book and to Manda for her upcoming release. As to your question: I love romance mixed with suspense. Raises the stakes even more!
You’re right, Vanessa! It does raise the stakes–which I adore. There’s nothing like a rousing mystery to get the blood pumping! Thanks for coming by!
I love the suspense within a romance novel. I really enjoy trying to figure it out.
Me too, Viki! I guess I’m a multi-tasker even when I’m reading:) Thanks for coming by!
I like my romance stories to be mixed with suspense. I used to read a lot of romance (only) stories but then I grabbed Cynthia’s Never Cry Wolf and I was hooked! Now, when I start reading romance book, is just okay. I like when a romance story has the equal amount of romance and suspense. It just makes me want to keep reading and find out what happens next.
Cynthia is wonderful at finding the perfect mix of romance and suspense, Lucy! She’s great at making me turn the pages!
I love a good mystery and add a little romance…excellent. This sounds great, can’t wait to read this
Thanks, Sheryl! I love finding folks who enjoy romance + suspense just as much as I do! 🙂
I do like romantic suspense. How much depends on how the book is presented. If it’s categorized as romance, I don’t want much suspense, but maybe some to motivate the characters. If it’s romantic suspense, I want more suspense than romance. I depend on a book to provide me with what I want at a given time, so it needs to be categorized correctly. If I’m in the mood for fluff, I want fluff and a great romantic suspense might not do instead and vice versa.
Ooh, Anne, great point. I really get frustrated when books aren’t labelled properly. I’m a librarian, though, so… I really want to get what I’m expecting to get from a book.
All about achieving that balance.. equal parts romance and equal parts suspense. The suspense adds a little flavor to the romance, spices up the plot and makes us delve more in the characters to see how they react.
Too true, Raonaid. Balance is key! I wish there were an app for that!
I read mostly for the romance between the h/h but I do enjoy a great mystery added in. I think it’s a fine balancing act between the two because I definitely want the focus to be on the romance but at the same time I don’t want the mystery to fall to the side and become not important.
Danielle, you’re so right. And I get really annoyed if the romance falls by the wayside. Mostly because for me that’s the element that is the most important. I love the suspense part, but ultimately if something has to be sacrificed, I’d rather sacrifice the suspense.
I don’t care if there is too much suspense, but what I hate is when the suspense takes too long to be wrapped up that the romance part of the ending is rushed
Good point, Rachel! That ending bit can be a challenge for us writers. So it sounds like you are like me and want to make sure the romance gets its due!
Personally I like the 50/50 mix so I get a little of everything. Because I enjoy the romance but too much can sometimes bury a storyline so I want a good helping of mystery in my book also. 🙂
50/50 is the best, I think, Lady V. If something has to be knocked down, I’d prefer it to be the suspense, but ideally I want equal parts of both.
I love romance with suspense. The stories appeal to my curious nature. I love a good mystery and the romance is another layer. Romantic suspense is becoming one of my favorite genres.
Curiosity is a great way to describe that need for suspense, Suziq! I’m always curious as to how the suspense plot will affect the romance plot!
Love the combination of suspense and romance in a story. The suspense just adds to the story, trying to figure out the mystery. Reading how the couple deals with it all as well just makes it that much more interesting.
Good point, Marianne! The suspense plot is best for me when it has an effect on how the romance develops. It’s about stakes, like Vanessa said upthread.
I find that most of the books I read are a combination of the two in some form or another. I have attempted to read straight “romance” novels but I can’t get in to them because they feel one dimensional to me. I need a story that has some meat to it, something that is not just boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy and girl marry and live happily ever after. I read a variety of different genres so I like variety!
Interesting, Lora! I’m very much like that in my writing. I mean, I have a difficult time writing just a boy meets girl kind of story. I need there to be some kind of external conflict–usually suspense–to drive the story between the hero and heroine. Otherwise it feels naked. 🙂
I think without the suspense all there is HEA – now dont get me wrong I love my HEA, but … really? I tend toward at least a good conflict – a little anger, fear, etc. Spicy!!
Too right, Kerry! Danger spices things up a lot:)
I like a perfect blend of both if I am reading a romantic suspense. Meaning I want the couple to connect and have chemistry during the entire story while I am on the edge of my seat and waiting to find out what happens next. If the couple doesn’t connect and the story doesn’t have romance it doesn’t work for me because ultimately I am a romance fan at heart in any form.
That’s it exactly, Maria!
I adore suspense in my romance, absolutely love a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat while the romance gives you butterflies. My two favourite genres 🙂
Great way to describe it, Michelle!
Congrats on the success of your series, Manda! So excited for you! And, wow, you have totally just taken me back to my Murder She Wrote days!
Thank you, Cynthia! And congratulations on the release of ANGEL BETRAYED! Can’t wait to dive into it! 🙂 Thanks for having me!
Love a combination of romance and suspense. I turn each page to see if I can figure out which way the author is going to take us. Of course I love the romance that is included 🙂 For the most part I like a 60/40 split, 60 suspense, 40 romance 😀
Thanks for stopping by Manda, I haven’t read any of your books; that is why I love this about release parties and getting introduced to new authors. Love your interview, your books sound like they need to be on my bookshelf 🙂 Do you have any recommendations of which book I should start with?
Hi, Michelle! Thanks for commenting! I would recommend you start with HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE. It’s the first chronologically in the series. 🙂
I want 2/3rds suspense and 1/3rd romance. I love mixing danger with the romance. It heightens the emotions of the couple. It also creates a protective hero which I adore.
Oh, Stacie! I love me some protective hero! They are my absolute favorite!
I like the suspense to be in the background or help progress the relationship, but not take away from the story!
I like more romance with some suspense thrown in to make the story interesting. Your book sounds good. Love the cover.
Love the many genres in romance… I have been on a romantic suspense kick recently… For me, the balance between romance and suspense depends on the book and my mood. I have not had the pleasure of reading your books before… I think I need to change that… thanks for sharing! 😀
I LOVE both! But I have to confess, I like it more on the romantic side 🙂
I love romance mixed with suspense! I don’t think there can ever be too much romance in story as far as I’m concerned:)
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I like romantic-suspense. I don’t know what combination is the right amount, it just varies with each story. The only thing I don’t enjoy is when there’s a lot of suspense and the romance doesn’t get any development until the very last second.
Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres. However, there seems to be no guide on the 50/50 balance. Some authors write tame romantic suspense that doesnt have gritty scary scenes. While other authors have such grittiness that it should really be classified a thriller.
Sometimes when I am in the mood for romance and I dont want any violence, I wish there was something on there to indicate which are completely violence free and which arent.
I guess it depends on my mood. I love so many genres but I just think that romantic suspense is very varied and it seems to be a mix of genres nowadays. Maybe we need more sub categories such as:
Light romance, heavy suspense
Heavy romance, light suspense
Just something to let readers now what they’re getting into.
I am not sure what the perfect combo is but I like the two together! I read books that are only romance or only suspense but I like the mixture. The only thing I do not like is if it says it is romance and then they throw in crazy suspense things and I am not expecting it and vice versa. Let the readers know what is going on in the description of the book.
I think there can be an perfect balance of suspense and romance. But it all has to fall nicely within the theme of the story.
Hi Manda,
It’s definitely hard to have a balance of suspense and romance, but I guess it depends on the story. I do think the romance needs to be believable and not too rushed.
A nice blend would be ideal but I’ve been known to read a suspense book with no romance. A book just of romance with no other plot would be too boring lol.
I have to have romance in my book. I am a total romance junkie. The majority of the romances I read have suspense of some type in them, but once in a while, I like to read a light, sweet romances.
I don’t like the suspense to take away from the romance too mcuh so maybe a little more romance than suspense.
Thanks!
i do like suspense in my historical romances because it makes things more interesting. but it cannot be a weak plot device where it’s just tacked on or is a filler. it has to be a good one that will keep me guessing.
Yes, please. Suspense and romance make a nice balance. The fast-paced and action makes the romance all the more sweeter in the stories I’ve found.
I love suspense in books but I prefer equal parts romance and suspense.
I think I like a bit more suspense than romance but I’m happy with equal parts of each, just as long as the characters don’t stop to have sick while trying to evade the bad guys.
Of course, I read straight romance and straight suspense as well.
I love some suspense meshed with my romance. I don’t want to over power the romance with the suspense.
I love when the romance and suspense aspect are balance. Too much romance will make me bored to read, too much suspense will make me antsy to wait when the h/H will hit the sheet, lol! But, yes romance mix with suspense is definitely a must 🙂
I prefer the romance and suspense to be equally balanced.
I like more romance than suspense… A bit of humour is nice too. 🙂 But a litle suspense is needed.. 🙂
I actually started down the romance path reading historicals! My dad was/is a big reader of tech & military thrillers, so I read a lot of straight-up suspense growing up (and crime fiction– Agatha Christie was a childhood favourite). Then a classmate got me hooked on historicals in middle school, so I read a lot of straight-up romance. Now I mostly prefer them combined– if I’m reading a contemporary romance, I’m always thinking “where’re the guns/dead bodies/stolen government secrets/etc.??”, and if I’m reading a thriller it’s “when’s the snogging & shagging going to take place? what do you mean the H/h don’t end up together forever to make gorgeous babies & breed golden retrievers???” 😛
It’s hard to say which combination is just right because I feel that it really depends on the characters and story. However, since I’m a romance reader at heart, I would generally prefer more romance than more suspense 🙂
I like the mix of genres. I don’t mind the percentage of the mix, as long as the story is good.
i love mixed romance with suspense but balance it’s more okay
I love romance and suspence, and usually the balance is pretty good. I find there’s only too much romance if the suspense side of the story feels too rushed or simplistic, and the same vice versa. Thanks!
I think what combo works best depends a bit on the book and the author–and honestly, sometimes my mood! I like enough suspense so I stay on my toes and keep turning the pages, but enough romance that my heart goes zing 🙂 I DON’T like when there’s too much of the couple being distracted by the sex or the romance during what I consider inappropriate times during the action, but otherwise, it’s a good thing!
I really like having both. But I need a really good mystery. Not something I can figure out who is the bad guy in the first half of the book. I think if you make enough twist and turns 50/50.
I love a good mystery, but if I’m reading a romance I like it to have the same page time as the suspense.