A Thrilling Combination: Lovers and Partners

By Linda Lovely

What is a romantic thriller? While there are many definitions, here’s the one I like best: a novel with two threads—one romance, one thriller—and, if you remove either thread, the book doesn’t work.

That’s exactly how I’d describe the first two novels in my Smart Women, Dumb Luck romantic thriller series. The series follows the adventures of three women, who bonded at a university and now know they can count on each other for expert help if they’re ever in danger. 

As the series title suggests, these heroines are bright, competent career women. That doesn’t mean they don’t want and need to partner with men to survive and defeat some very scary villains. In each of the books, the bad guys will cause the deaths of hundreds of people if they’re not unmasked and stopped.

Some romantic thrillers rely on a woman-in-jeopardy model. A heroic male saves a woman who would die if he didn’t intervene. In some thrillers, the woman’s role doesn’t expand much beyond victim.

I prefer a different approach. My heroes and heroines are co-equals. Each brings a different set of skills to solving the mysteries that confront them and thwarting the villains’ plans. That co-equal approach is reflected in my decision to write the books in third-person point-of-view, which lets the reader see in alternate chapters what the heroine is thinking and feeling versus the hero’s thoughts and emotions. The main villain also has a voice and point-of-view so we know what the lovers are up against.

Nexi, the heroine in DeadLine is a forensic accountant, and the co-equal hero is a police detective. In DeadHunt, the heroine, Riley, is a former FBI agent, who is now the head of security for a university. DeadHunt’s hero is a liberal professor taught to hunt in the mountains by his Cherokee uncle. DeadCure will be the third book in the series and will feature Kate, a microbiologist heroine. Since I’m a seat-of-the-pantser and this novel is still evolving. I’ve yet to determine the hero’s identity. But he’ll definitely be Kate’s equal and partner.

In each of these thrillers, a main theme is the need for the heroine and hero to develop the depth of trust needed for them to share secrets and information they would normally never divulge. This means their relationships must go far beyond sexual chemistry—though that’s part of the bonding, too!

I think the interactions between the three lead women in the series add depth to the stories. How did they meet? Riley, then an FBI agent, agreed to participate in a career mentoring program for young women at her alma mater. Nexi and Kate were fortunate enough to have Riley as a mentor. A decade age difference between the women adds another dimension to their relationship.

I enjoyed portraying strong heroines who maintained their friendships with women. These women are available to each other as both confidants and valuable resources. In DeadLine, for example, Nexi, the heroine, can tap Riley’s former FBI resources and take advantage of the contacts Kate developed during her time with the Peace Corps in Jamaica.

Of course, a romantic thriller doesn’t deliver on its promise to the reader if it isn’t, well, thrilling. So I worked hard to ensure the heroine/hero partners had to survive lots of dangerous situations that would test their mental and physical abilities to the limit.

What do you like best about romantic thrillers? Do you want your heroines and heroes to be equal partners?  

For more information about Linda Lovely's romantic thrillers visit her website: www.lindalovely.com