3 things a swoon-worthy romance MUST have – Cheryl Ann Smith
As a voracious reader I would say the three things that make a swoon-worthy romance would be the following:
A hunky hero. He shouldn’t be perfect. Perfect is boring. But there should be something sexy about him that makes the heroine crazy, whether it’s his looks, his personality, or his dreamy backside, he needs that ‘hook’ that pushes her towards him even if she’s dragging her feet the whole time.
A heroine with kick. I personally don’t know any romance reader who wants to read about a heroine that shivers in the corner like a chilly Chihuahua every time the hero frowns at her. She doesn’t have to be a martial arts expert, but she should stand up for herself and be strong in her own way. She needs to be his match and he, hers.
Serious sexual tension. Whether a reader prefers a sweeter romance or a spicy one, if the tension isn’t there, there is no romance. We’ve all seen movies where the two lead characters have no chemistry whatsoever. The movie is usually a dud. It’s the same with romance novels. Throwing the hero and heroine into bed every other page can’t force the reader to believe they have chemistry if there is no build up. When I wrote Andie and Colin’s love story, I wanted the reader to feel the charge between them, both obvious and subtle. I hope I’ve accomplished that!
Goons, deadbeats, and murder: A tenacious process server’s unconventional techniques get her into loads of trouble. So much so that her boss jokes that he keeps the coroner on speed dial just in case. Still, most of Andie Dixon’s job is pretty tame if she doesn’t count snapping dogs and homeowners squirting her with garden hoses.
That changes when she serves papers on a notorious crime boss and puts her life in real jeopardy. But despite this close call, Andie will not let threats keep her from doing her job. She puts the matter behind her until a hunky U.S. Marshal tracks her down and solicits her help to find the fugitive. Again. At first Andie adamantly refuses, but eventually agrees when she’s swayed by the Marshal’s persistence and rather dreamy brown eyes. However, when crime boss Sammy Gilroy finds out she’s back and close on his heels, he threatens to make her disappear for good this time.
Marshall Colin Navarro needs to find Sammy Gilroy before the man vanishes forever. Colin is certain that the notorious crime leader was involved in a shoot-out with the FBI that injured his sister. But he never expected that he’d have to sway a newbie process-server to help, or that she’d turn out to be stubborn, aggravating, and an all-around pain in the ass. Yet despite her shortcomings, he cannot figure out why she’s taken over his thoughts and is front and center in some very hot fantasies. But can he keep her from getting herself killed as they edge closer to catching the fugitive? Then again, the crime boss and his goons don’t know who they’re messing with.
With Andie on the case, Colin is beginning to believe that justice may be served after all.
Looking for more Dead to Rights fun? Then be sure and check out Murder, Mayhem and Perfect Hair, coming October 27th from Tulip Romance!
Cheryl Ann Smith loves mystery and adventure and always includes both in her books. And when she’s not putting her heroines in danger, she’s watching true crime shows or spending way too much time on email with friends. Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family and several pets.
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WOW, awesome cover and even better giveaway. thank you.
I have been looking for a great summer read!