On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” I’m chatting with Hope Welborn, an award-winning author who writes spine-tingling suspense, sprinkled with romance, and saturated with faith. By day, she masquerades as a digital content marketing technology specialist, and by night, she stays up too late putting words on the page. Hope is also co-owner and design/technology manager for Spark Flash Fiction and a member of the Suspense Squad. She has two indie published works, and her Love Inspired Suspense released in August 2026. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.
“I think romantic suspense is unique in the genres because there’s a lot going on,” Hope said. “You’ve got your suspense plot, so you’ve got to create a believable crime, believable dangers that the characters are in. [You’ve got to] put enough red herrings in there so people don’t figure out who the villain is. … Then you have your romance plot [between] your hero and heroine … and create a believable romance. And then with inspirational romantic suspense, you’ve got their spiritual arc.”
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Taken Without a Trace by Hope Welborn. Excerpt and back cover copy read by Janda Sample of Janda Sample Storytelling.
Charly’s Volcano by Lorisa D.Wiedenheft — It’s the fall of 1993 in small-town North Carolina. Twelve-year-old Charly is in seventh grade and excited to be in junior high. But then her best friends start trying new things. Wya joins the basketball team, and June decides to be a cheerleader. Charly feels left out and can’t shake the anger simmering inside her. One minute she’s fine, and the next she’s blowing up at the people she cares about most.. (Children’s/Middle Grade, Independently Published)
Contemporary Romance:
Falling into Us by Denise Hunter — When a reluctant woman travels to Gibson, NC to deliver her late mother’s final letter to the grandmother she’s never known, she strikes a deal with a widowed journalist seeking a career-making story—only to discover that healing old wounds might require risking their hearts. (Contemporary Romance from Thomas Nelson Fiction [HarperCollins])
The Baker of Christmas Wishes by Georgia Curtis Ling — Sarah Baker is about to find out if her grandmother’s folklore is really just a recipe—or something more. They say Christmas Wishing Cookies carry prayers straight to heaven, but for Sarah, they reveal a secret she never saw coming. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Not So Very Sensible by Carolyn Miller — Elinor and Katie Bennett are as opposite as sisters can be: Elinor loves structure, planning and design, while Katie’s head is in the clouds as she chases fanciful, romantic dreams. A college graduation trip to the Blue Mountains sees them staying at the Hydro Grand hotel for a murder mystery weekend. There, they end up meeting two men who just might hold the keys to their hearts—taking the sensible Elinor Bennett by surprise while crushing the romantic Katie’s hopes. . .and proving that the path of love doesn’t always follow one’s plans or dreams. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing)
The Pastor’s Christmas Prayer by Mindy Obenhaus — Returning to Legacy Ranch with his two young daughters, widowed youth pastor Jonathon Bauer is delighted to find his first love, Meredith Hunt, is one of the owners. When Jonathon and Meredith are thrown together to oversee the annual Christmas Under the Stars event at the ranch, past affections stir between them. But Meredith has been keeping a secret since they were teens—one that she must reveal if she and Jonathon are ever to have a future together. Will the truth tear them apart…or give them everything they’ve always dreamed of? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
More Than Enough by Krystina Renae Rankin — Teacher and former foster care youth Isabelle and pastor and single father Dustin learn to heal and love again. (Contemporary Romance from Quirky Bullpen Press)
The Sweetest Thing About You by Alyssa Schwarz — She’s been looking for somewhere to belong for ten years. He’s been running away from the only place he ever had. Two plane tickets. One month. And one Maple Lake bakery about to remind them both what home actually feels like. (Contemporary Romance from Sunrise Publishing)
Crazy for Christmas by Penny Zeller — It’s Christmas in Cloverdale Falls! Take a trip to the town you’ll want to become a resident of in this hilarious installment, perfect for the Christmas season and beyond. She’s an extrovert who loves Christmas. He’s an officer who loves law and order. And there’s a Corgi. (Contemporary Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)
Contemporary Suspense:
The Glades by Angela Hunt — A dual-time novel about the consequences of man’s hubris in the Everglades. Billionaire’s wife Katherine Armstrong is planning a quiet birthday weekend on her private island in the Everglades—just her children and her two closest friends, far from the cameras, her husband, and the noise of her public life. Then the storm comes. By morning, the power is gone. The water is off. The mainland is unreachable. And in the mangrove shadows beyond her mansion in the mangroves, an apex predator circles. What was meant to be a retreat becomes a trap. (Contemporary Suspense from Hunt Haven Press)
Cozy Mystery:
Fatal Impulse by Janet Sketchley — When a newly-discovered corpse could be a neighbouring teen’s runaway mom, can Landon prove the secretive woman is still alive? Landon Smith doesn’t dare investigate. Juggling intense university courses, a fledgling romance, and an empty bed and breakfast, the twenty-four-year-old trauma survivor is fighting for her dreams. Yet her heart breaks for the hurting teen who’s convinced his mother is the body in the woods. For his sake, she’ll dig into the secretive woman’s abrupt flight. But when the missing persons case ties into the murder, Landon fears she’s placed herself on the villain’s hit list. (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published)
General Contemporary:
Letting Go of Perfect by Janell Goodrich York — When Olivia moves with her two children to a small town, she hopes to find her footing, finish her degree, and give her family the fresh start they need, but what she doesn’t expect is a community determined to make her one of their own. (General Contemporary from Scrivenings Press)
A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli — When Brooke’s beloved grandparents die unexpectedly, their final wish brings her scattered family back to Hope Creek, including Jeremiah, the boy she once loved—the same boy who abandoned them when the Chilton clan disintegrated years ago. Despite the long-held grudges and awkward secrets that kept them all apart, Brooke and Jeremiah convince the Chilton cousins to help honor their grandparents’ last request: to take the old church they saved from destruction and turn it into a bookshop that will serve their beloved community. And to do it all before Christmas. But repurposing the church building may be easier than healing the deep wounds that tore their family apart. (General Contemporary from Hope Creek Publishers LLC)
Mercy’s Rose by Delores Topliff — Mercy’s Rose invites readers to join a young Amish woman’s journey as she struggles to help her family through a medical crisis while respecting the confines of her community’s faith. This is a sweet coming of age story that allows Mercy to grow into the right love and the right role for her through discernment and faith. (General Contemporary from TrueNorth)
Historical Biblical:
Unwavering Heart: The Story of Rebekah by Angela Hunt — When Rebekah is offered a marriage to Isaac–heir to wealthy and well-respected Abraham–she leaves behind the only world she has known and ventures into the sunbaked lands of Canaan. (Historcial/Biblical from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])
Historical Romance:
Mail-Order Lady by Misty M.Beller — Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains… She agreed to a safe, sensible marriage. He agreed because she already holds his heart. From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a marriage of convenience, unrequited love, and a family mystery that spans continents…all set in the rugged Montana Territory. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Loyalty’s Pursuit by Shannon McNear — August 1780. After the Battle of Camden leaves British camp follower Bess Eaton widowed, expecting a child, and stranded in enemy territory, she faces two impossible choices: a return to an England that offers her nothing…or marriage to a stranger before the army marches on without her. Backcountry loyalist Rob MacFarlane has already buried a wife and son and has no intention of risking his heart again. But he can’t ignore the vulnerable widow in his path. What begins as an act of duty quickly becomes something far more complicated when he offers Bess protection—and a name. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Romantic Suspense:
Coordinates of Death by Darlene L.Turner A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Deadly Charade by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood — One wrong move and their cover is blown. So their charade sparking real feelings is the last twist they can afford. Special Agent Kira Miller’s new career at the FBI has started–in translations. It’s not the opportunity she was hoping for to show off her skills, until she detects a lead in some paperwork. Now assigned an undercover role, she’s in her element as she gathers intel on an art smuggling ring. She’s daunted not by the mission but by her cover–posing as a married woman to the fake husband she met less than twenty-four hours earlier. Special Agent Bryce Lambert’s assignment to go undercover as a newlywed couple with Kira has the two of them moving next door to the prime suspects, and a relationship is the last thing he wants, fake or real. With secret auctions and hidden treasures, there’s plenty to keep them busy–if only they can play the part their lives and careers depend upon while keeping their own hearts in check. (Romantic Suspense from Revell [Baker Publishing Group])
Speculative: Soft Science Fiction and Romantic Fantasy:
The Prodigy and the Telepath by Kenneth Bliss — After burying his adoptive mother, thirteen-year-old psionic prodigy Eric D’Tra’val discovers that the voices of rage and despair filling his mind are something far more dangerous than grief. (Speculative/Soft Science Fiction, Independently Published)
Violet Fly by Demi Griffin — Rescued by a Mystic with no memory of his life prior to the event that should have ended it, Siaran becomes the ward of Prince Enris. He matures into a young man with all the privilege and protection of the Emerald Palace while the kingdom is ravaged by enemies. Life in the palace on the mountain should have been peaceful. The disappearance of the king’s firstborn child haunts the corridors and hearts of the royal family. With the Cerulean Rose wilting, the kingdom’s divine protection falters. Siaran is desperate to do something to help. An unsanctioned departure from the palace takes him on an adventure that brings the legend of the Violet Fly to life, making him the hero the kingdom needs. Wrestling with the unknowns of his past, Siaran’s restless soul leads to his captivity. Only one thing can save him – the woman he mistook for an enemy. (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy, Independently Published)
Western Historical Romance:
The Heart’s Most Wanted by Mary Connealy — When a mysterious threat follows their every step, can two wounded hearts find refuge and love? With outlaws, a rugged hero, and a spirited heroine, Mary Connealy presents another action-packed Old West historical romance. For fans of second chance romance, frontier journeys, and hijinks in the Colorado wilderness. (Western Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])
Young Adult:
Into the Crashing Waves by Stephanie Cardel — After Dante Edmonds is torn from his foster dad and the girl he loves and sent to juvie for a crime he didn’t commit, he is forced to escape and assume a new identity. But he doesn’t want a life on the run. HE WANTS REVENGE. (Young Adult from WordCrafts Press)
Edges & Other Hard Things by Lauren Thell — A teen artist with a sensory disorder and a high-strung boy photographer hiding a dangerous secret collide in this sweet, faith-based YA romance. (Young Adult, Independently Published)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Murder at Crayfish Cove by Suzie Peace Pybus — Hester receives an empty envelope in the post, follows it to Crayfish Cove and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. (Cozy Mystery)
Just Grace by Kimberly Banet — Two families. One long-held secret. Only God’s grace can heal them when they collide. (General Contemporary)
The Seafaring Women of the Faithful by Susan Page Davis and James S.Davis — Captain Alice Packard and her all-female crew face danger, uncertainty, and a fight for their future when the Vera B reaches England, forcing them to rely on faith, courage, and one another both on land and at sea. (General Historical)
Moonshine River by Marie Wells Coutu — She’ll break the law to save her mother. He’ll uphold it to save her soul. (Historical Romance)
Vision of My Heart by Heidi Gray McGill — Blinded by smallpox and guarded against pity, Serafina Shankel never expects a steady Irish horseman named Connor Finnegan to unlock a love built on trust, patience, and a way of seeing that has nothing to do with sight. (Historical Romance)
The Lost Warrior of Noridge by Demi Griffin — His life was a mistake. Her love had to remain hidden. Would their united faith shine bright enough to save their world? (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy)
As the World Burns by Aaron Ryan — For the Earth to survive, one father must sacrifice his only son. (Speculative/Science Fiction)
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guest is Julie Arnold, who is a French speaker, slow runner, and coffee lover who cannot help but make up stories. She grew up in Michigan but currently resides in Northwest Ohio with her husband and three children. The Lord has blessed her with a love for storytelling, so when she’s not writing a book, she’s probably curled up on the couch reading one.
“Like every author, I’ve always been a reader,” Julie said. “Reading a lot through high school and college, and at a certain point, I sat down and thought, ‘I’m going to write a story.’ … I found that I love it. I love escaping into a story.”
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Montana Ranch Hideout by Julie Arnold. Excerpt and back cover copy read by Janda Sample of Janda Sample Storytelling.
Award-winning author Lori DeJong recently stopped by my blog to share some about her writing life.
Why did you start writing romantic suspense novels? It was kind of by accident after my first three novels were straight-up contemporary romance. I needed to pitch something new to my publisher, and I had a manuscript I’d written many years ago that I’d kept coming back to over the years to tweak. What I didn’t consider was that it had a suspense element. I didn’t realize it was entirely different genre until I got the contract and it said it was a romantic suspense. That’s how I stumbled into the genre, I guess you could say. Looking back, though, I can understand why I wrote some of my old manuscripts with a suspense element. I’ve always loved mystery novels, and if there was some romance in them, all the better.
What’s the hardest part of writing romantic suspense? The suspense thread. Which is probably why my books lean more into romance than high-octane suspense. I like to think I still keep my reader on the edge of their chair wondering what happens next, but for the romance as well as the suspense.
How do you connect with your characters? I love character development. It’s my favorite thing to do. I first find inspiration photos of them. I usually make them in Canva AI so I’m not using any copyrighted photos. Then I identify their job, Enneagram, birth order, love language. What does their home and home décor look like, what do they drive. I determine how they like to dress and why, where they hang out, what their favorites are (food, color, songs/genre, etc.), if they have a strong faith, one in crisis, or none at all, in what environment they were raised. There’s a ton more than that but it would probably be a class instead of a short answer. Haha! Most of what I know about them never makes it onto the page. But it all helps me know how they would respond, speak, think, pray, etc.
Why do you like writing romantic suspense? Ironically, for the suspense. Which sounds odd since I’ve already said that’s what I find the most difficult to write. But I love the tension it organically creates and gives my protagonists something to either work toward together, or something that keeps them apart. So fun!
How do you pick the location/setting of your romantic suspense novels? Texas is my brand because I love the Lone Star State, my adopted home. For each series, I have a “main” home base – Arlington/Dallas/Ft Worth in the True Calling Series, Houston-based Petersen Security International in the Guarded Hearts Series. Then I do all the research I can about wherever that might be. The next series I hope to write is set in the country north of Texas, toward the Oklahoma border. I had to make up my own little town for that one, and that was a kick. I love world-building!
What is one of your favorite ways to connect with readers? I absolutely love speaking events – book talks, book club appearances (in person or virtual), women’s ministries and events – anywhere I can share my love of God and writing and how they work together.
What do readers ask you when they meet you? How do I come up with my ideas? How long have I been writing? Have I always wanted to write? I love it when folks feel free to ask me questions. It’s just another door to ministry.
Which of your books is your favorite and why? Usually the last one I wrote, until I fall in love with my work in progress. Right now, Sanctuary and Sabotage is my favorite because I adored Trevor from the moment he popped up in book one, Mistletoe and Malice. I knew long before that one was finished that Trevor would be my next. And Kinsley was the perfect romantic interest for him. I’m just starting Legacy and Lies, which comes out September 2027, and I’m sure before long, that one will be my favorite.
About Lori Award-winning author Lori DeJong enjoys penning contemporary stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love. About romance with a touch of suspense, and a firm foundation of faith. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and two fur-babies, with a daughter and son-in-law in DFW.
Protection Specialist Trevor Paxton returns to his Texas hometown carrying the weight of a mission gone wrong. Seeking sanctuary at his family’s ranch, he never expects danger to follow him into the life of Dr. Kinsley Talbot, the once-freckled tomboy now fighting to save her family’s land and the veterinary clinic that is her future.
When Kinsley’s clinic is sabotaged and her barn goes up in flames, Trevor’s instincts tell him she’s in danger. But Kinsley refuses his help, determined to protect her family’s legacy without revealing the secret that could bring it all down.
As threats close in and old feelings rekindle, Trevor makes a quiet choice that could cost him her trust. To save Kinsley, he’ll have to expose his own subterfuge—and convince her that love sometimes means standing guard, even from the shadows.
On this episode of “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” my guest is Donnie Stevens, who was born and raised in Bassett, Virginia, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. His career centers around being a self-employed businessman where he started and sold three successful businesses. Now in retirement at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, he spends time with his wife, Jackie, son Justin and his spouse, and three granddaughters he admits to spoiling along with their family dogs.
Donnie’s desire to write began when he was a child and living with his grandparents. The image of his grandfather sitting beside the coal-fed, pot-bellied stove late in the evenings reading stories to him from his Reader’s Digest or Life Magazine etched a yearning in him at a young age to write.
He wrote and published his first indie novel in 2008, and since has published four others. He is now represented by an agent who believes in his talent and has five other manuscripts ready to place. Donnie writes fictional stories from experiences he’s encountered or from others, often with a romantic element that take place at historical places and settings, he and Jackie like to visit. When not writing, Donnie has chaired and served on several community boards along with various leadership roles in his church.
“A lot of times, I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, … I’ll start thinking about my story. … Sometimes, my wife will [notice] me staring off into space and ask me what’s on my mind,” Donnie said. “I tell her I’m having a conversation with my characters, [which she thinks is so weird].”
Connect with Donnie Website: Donniestevensauthor
Facebook: Donniestevensauthor
Instagram: Donniestevensauthor
Listen to the podcast for more from our interview, plus an excerpt from Back To You by Donnie Stevens. Excerpt and back cover copy read by Janda Sample of Janda Sample Storytelling.
About Lori
