Five Fast Paced Romantic Suspense Reads

An isolated mountain spa with a murder problem, small towns with big mysteries, and a loving captor.

Apr 18, 2025

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Hi Librarygoer, happy April!

I hope you’re taking care of yourself. If someone hasn’t told you lately—you deserve to feel safe to thrive and enjoy life.

Safety is not something characters in today’s round up take for granted. Whether they are literally on the run from a stalker or trapped in the mountains with the client from hell while bodies are dropping, their entire worlds are turned upside down.

I love engaging with drama that isn’t mine (in fiction) and these books are full of drama and we get to watch a couple fall in love. The topic of today’s roundup?

Romantic Suspense

Romantic suspense is a subgenre that blends the romantic HEA with high stakes action. A little love, throw in some thriller elements like a mystery the MCs need to solve or a mission they need to conquer.

If quick, fast paced reads that keep you as engaged in the mystery as the romance are you jam, keep reading to grab some selections for your next read.

-Aleia

Note: If you purchase books linked below via Bookshop, a) I may receive a small commission and b) you’ll be able to support an indie bookstore of your choosing.

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

Romantic Suspense, Vacation Romance

Thank you Berkley for this advanced gifted copy.

Murder confessions aren’t supposed to be funny … but yet A Proposal to Die for exists.

This was such a fun read that I forgot to be sad about people dying. I wasn’t alone in that, one of the side characters, who I’ll describe as a villain of common sense and decency, also regularly forgot about the bodies on the mountain of her temporary home. She needs to plan her surprise wedding proposal with her professional proposal planner of course!

Jess is said professional proposal planner. It’s like a wedding planner (which she used to be) but for over the top wedding proposals. When we meet her, Jess’s livelihood is in jeopardy because the building she runs her business out of, and lives in, is being sold by the children of her recently deceased landlord. They are giving her time to raise money to buy the building but she doesn’t have anywhere near enough collateral for a loan.

That is until she is accosted in a parking lot by Diana, a mean girl from her high school who is very upset that her very rich boyfriend did not give her an over the top proposal worthy of all five hundred or so of her followers. He had the nerve to quietly propose over dinner at the restaurant they first had dinner by reading sweet things about her off an index card. In her rage, she leaves the botched proposal, hunts Diana down on the other side of town and hires her to plan her “surprise” proposal do over.

Jess says yes because this deal comes with what she’s dubbing “real estate money”. She just has to spend a week in a remote mountain spa without cell or internet service, Diana, a wedding planner—another mean girl, and the bride-to-be’s cousin.

The lack of internet sends the influencer bride into a tailspin, and the Osbourne clan, the family that owns the spa, have a lot of fun telling her how much they don’t care about her wifi-less caused discomfort.

Jess has work to do so she finds herself spending more time with the Osbourne's, especially Dean, who generally doesn’t like anyone but has very protective feelings about Jess. Especially when the bodies start dropping all over the resort. Pretty soon it turns into a “what’s next?” type of situation. Whose body will Jess find next? What ridiculous thing will Diana do next? What will Dean or his family do next?

This book is a laugh out loud riot that keeps you turning pages to unveil the mystery, the twist you don’t see coming, with just the perfect kiss of romance.

CW: (in case it’s not clear) People die … but they do it off page. Very considerate like.

Where We Found Our Home by Natasha Bishop

Romantic Thriller, Black MCs, Firefighter, Author

Ciara moves from her hometown of Baltimore to Austin, Texas. She’s working on her latest thriller novel and is trying to stay under the radar. And then the five-year-old of the coffee shop owner plays matchmaker with her firefighter uncle. She makes a connection with Lincoln, his family, and his friend group. And then her past, the one she was running from, shows up and threatens to burn down the new life she’s built.

Why I Love It: Natasha Bishop’s pen leaks gold with every stroke! My comfort show is Criminal Minds so I love that we got an unsub moment and a woman taking charge of her life. There’s a scene in CM where JJ is fighting on a roof and I feel like we have a similar moment in this book that made me LOVE it.

Wyoming Christmas Conspiracy by Juno Rushdan

Romantic Suspense, Small Town, Black FMC, Secret Baby

Exes Monty and Amber had a break up and then she left town. Now she’s back to bury her father and sort through the mess of a will and her secret new sister. Somehow she finds time to hook up with Monty, who leaves her a little gift.

Then the bodies show up and they take turns getting framed! So now they have to clear their good names and deal with … everything. Like the fact that she hates him.

BTW: Though Christmas is in the title, it just happens to take place over a handful of days in early December. No actual holiday related things occur so feel free to consider this a non-seasonal read!

Why I Love It: Fast paced read with the perfect amount of drama.

Wild Goose Chase by Kilby Blades

Romantic Mystery, Small Town, Firefighter Series, Black FMC, Single/Widowed Mother

Chase has been helping Violet raise his best friend’s kids since he died working a wildfire eight years ago. Violet has relied on Chase as well … until the day she quits the job he made up for her. Now he’s very unhappy about her moving on because of course he’s been in love with her all this time. Which is very messy. And then Chase finds out there may be more to his best friend’s death than he originally thought. He’s down for figuring out the mystery but he can’t tell Violet and get her hopes up which causes conflict between them right when they’re starting to explore if there’s something more to their relationship.

Why I Love It: Perfect, cozy small town read. I also love children with main character energy and this has two! (See full review here)

Lilith by Alexandria House

Dark Romance, Black MCs, Mature FMC, Age Gap

Ray sees Lilith (while doing murder-y things in the alley behind her building). Ray decided he wants Lilith. Ray makes it realll uncomfortable for anything other than him getting Lilith to happen. In real life, you would go into witness protection over Ray but as a book boyfriend, he’s the ultimate protector and provider.

Also, Lilith’s family is … interesting. This is hilariously delicious!

CW: This is a dark romance, so check your trigger warnings.

Why I Love It: The mystery in this book is WHY IS HE HERE AND INSANE?! I laughed out loud, not just at funny things, but very much at his audacity. There’s also a juicy second layer mystery that I didn’t anticipate in the beginning.

Romantic Suspense Authors at the Top of My TBR

Beverly Jenkins
Juno Rushdan
Denise N. Wheatley
Aaliyah Deana

Are you a fan of romantic mysteries? Tell me your favorites below!