Looking to spice things up while lying on the beach or sitting in an airplane? Boy, do I have some tips for you.
One of the Garden State’s busiest romance writers is L.G. O’Connor of Somerset County. By day, she’s a corporate business executive for a Jersey-based Fortune 250 company, but by night she’s the author of romantic women’s fiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance and new adult fiction.
I asked L.G. what makes her latest romance novel, Caught up in Raine, a great summer diversion. “I love reading a good book on the beach, especially if it has romance and is set in a nearby place. So, when I wrote the book, I decided to use places I’ve lived and loved. The book opens in August, and Jillian and Raine’s story is set in Chatham, Morristown and Spring Lake, New Jersey. You’ll recognize some of the places in the book, since I held true to authenticity.” When L.G.’s new work was published a few months ago, many of her fans flocked to Grasshopper Off the Green in Morristown for a book signing party…an appropriate venue since the restaurant mentioned in Raine was based on this real-life venue.
L.G., a member of the Romance Writers of America, also is the author of the four-book, one-novella series, The Angelorum Twelve Chronicles. She admits to having consumed more than 375 books in urban fantasy, paranormal romance and other miscellaneous genres throughout her life.
Once you’ve read an L.G. O’Connor romance novel, you’ll likely want to get your hands on other steamy reads, too. Here are 10 more Romance Writers of America members who are knocking it out of the park. Each hit the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and/or USA Today best-seller lists just this week:
- Robyn Carr, Swept Away
- Jayne Castle, Illusion Town
- BJ Daniels, Into Dust
- Christine Feehan, Dark Carousel
- Barbara Freethy, Summer Rain
- Heather Graham, Deadly Fate
- Helen Hardt, Craving and Obsession
- Lisa Jackson, After She’s Gone
- Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dragonmark
- Debbie Macomber, Silver Linings and Sweet Tomorrows
According to the Romance Writer’s of America, every romance novel contains a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Romance novels can take any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have varying levels of sensuality — ranging from sweet to extremely hot. (Better pack some icy-cold beverages in your beach coolers, ladies.)