I cannot even begin to imagine a better, more satisfying genre than erotic romantic suspense. It has everything. True love, passionate sex, adventure, danger. It’s all in there.

To my mind, an erotic romantic suspense is the perfect romance novel. You get to see close up what it is that will bond this man and this woman forever.

Of course, that is the whole point of a romance. If we don't feel that the hero and heroine are in it for the long haul, why read on? Erotic romance is very definitely not about two hotties burning up the sheets. It's about two people finding true love, for the rest of their lives.

The danger ups the ante, makes the bond real, because there are real consequences and you have to step up to bat. The suspense and danger are like pressure cookers that show you the stuff the characters are made of. Just as in nature, sometimes intense heat and pressure produce diamonds.

In DANGEROUS LOVER, Jack and Caroline are made of strong stuff, the best. They've already proven that. They've already proven their loyalty to the people they love. They are both strong, loyal and steadfast.

We all know how hard life can be, how it can simply chew you up. We also know that through the course of a lifetime, sex isn't enough, cannot possibly be enough. But what binds Jack and Caroline together transcends sex. They share a bond that can never be broken.

The sex in an erotic romantic suspense is so exciting to write, but not in the way that you think. Every touch and every kiss is special. When the hero and heroine make love, it's up to the writer to show you what that means to the couple.

The French have a wonderful term for bonding--les atomes crochues. Intermingled atoms. Where the very atoms making up your body are interlinking. The sex in an erotic romantic suspense is, in a way, shorthand for a process that in real life might take more time, but is ultimately just as enduring.

I cannot believe that I get to make these wonderful stories up and that (shhh! don’t tell anyone!) they actually pay me for this!Do you want to know what happens to Jack and Caroline, the story of the rest of their lives? Here's a teaser:

Jack and Caroline marry just before Easter, in a quiet civil ceremony, with only a few friends attending. As a young girl, Caroline had dreamed of her wedding. She wanted a huge, elaborate wedding and spent many dreamy afternoons designing a gown--with yards of lace and tulle, a pearl-encrusted bodice and a 12-foot train (not to mention 12 bridesmaids, 250 guests, an 8-tier wedding cake, chamber music for the wedding ceremony, and a rock band for the reception).

Jack pales when he hears this. He would rather lop off a limb or have all his teeth pulled out without benefit of anaesthesia than suffer through a huge wedding. And, God, it sounds like he might actually have to wear a tuxedo. Gah. But he doesn't allow these feelings to show. Or so he thinks, until Caroline laughs in his face and says that that was then and this is now.

Now, older and wiser, Caroline wants a small, intimate ceremony and that is exactly what they have. A candlelight ceremony at midnight in a small chapel with just a few friends. Caroline wears a long, satin ivory sheath and holds a bridal bouquet of miniature white roses.

Caroline follows one tradition--the groom must not see the bridal gown until the ceremony itself. As a matter of fact, Jack doesn't see Caroline at all until that evening, when all the candles are lit, with the pastor waiting at the altar. He has missed her fiercely all day and vows to spend as little time apart from her as possible, for the rest of their lives.

Jack can barely breathe when he finally sees Caroline coming alone down the aisle, bathed in candlelight, beautiful beyond words to describe her. Caroline is a beautiful woman but, like all happy brides, she has a special glow on this special day. Jack can hardly believe that this magical, beautiful woman will be his to the end of time.

The rest of the story can be read in the Just Erotic Romance Reviews's newsletter or click here.

Lisa Marie Rice