Searching for authors like Toni Anderson who know how to mix romance and suspense? Our guide has you covered!
New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson got her start as a marine biologist–and then shifted gears to write romantic thrillers. Readers love getting to know Anderson’s characters in each series, including the Cold Justice series, the Her series, and the Cold Justice: Most Wanted series.
The author is also well-known for her standalone novels, including The Killing Game and Edge of Survival. In our guide, you’ll find authors who can create a compelling plot that expertly combines love, lust, and crime to keep you on the edge of your seat.
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Best Authors Like Toni Anderson Ranked
1. Dianna Love
Nowhere Safe author Dianna Love got her start as a visual artist and began making up stories in her imagination during long days of painting. Eventually, she decided to try her hand at writing, and quickly developed a following. The New York Times bestselling author is known for creating compelling plots and characters who feel real to readers.
In addition to continuing to write, Dianna is also proud to support young authors. She has written a book entitled Break Into Fiction, encouraging other aspiring writers to dive into the world of getting their books published. If you’re searching for more romantic suspense novels to add to your reading list, check out our guide on the best authors like Tijan!
“Well hell. Her heart was melting and she’d never get the fickle organ back to a normal shape again.”
Dianna Love, Dead After Dark
2. Alice Clayton
Best known for her steamy page-turner Wallbanger, Alice Clayton is a New York Times bestselling author who got her start working in the cosmetics industry. The St. Louis-based author began writing at age 33 and quickly developed a loyal fan base. Clayton fans love the author’s ability to combine romance with a great sense of humor, creating stories that are steamy and fun at the same time. In addition to Wallbanger, the author is also known for Roman Crazy, The Redhead Plays Her Hand, and Last Call.
“You know those moments when everything is exactly the way it was meant to be? When you find yourself and your entire universe aligning in perfect synchronization, and you know you couldn’t possibly be more content? I was inside that very moment, and fully conscious of it.”
Alice Clayton, Wallbanger
3. Melissa Foster
Melissa Foster, author of Freeing Sully, Tru Blue, and Always Her Love, is known for her romance novels that feature sassy heroines that feel like friends to readers. The New York Times bestselling writer also writes under the pen name Addison Cole. Readers love Foster’s interaction with her fans–she regularly chats with her audience on social media and is happy to interact with book clubs. To date, the author has sold more than 10 million books around the world.
“If you don’t allow yourself to love, to fully saturate yourself with someone else’s life, someone else’s feelings, if you don’t allow your ego to disappear and your heart to beat for another person so that every breath you take is taken for them, that person, well, then I’m afraid you’ll be missing out on one of life’s only blessings.”
Melissa Foster, Lovers at Heart
4. Kristen Callihan
Three-time RITA nominee Kristen Callihan is the author of Make Sweet, Dear Enemy, and Managed. Callihan states that she believes “falling in love is one of the headiest experiences a person can have,” leading her to write romance novels. In addition to her romance works, Callihan also writes historical paranormal novels.
The author is a three-time RITA award nominee and has won two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Readers love how Callihan’s books often take unexpected twists and turns, with characters making surprising choices that may–or may not–be conducive to their happiness.
“Truth is, we all project a false front to the world, peppering our social media pages with witty words and silly emoticons. Life narrowed down to 140 characters, staged selfies, and tirades over opinion posts. Life lived for the approval of the masses, all while tearing strangers down for the slightest misstep.”
Kristen Callihan, The Game Plan
5. Colleen Hoover, 1979 –
Colleen Hoover is a number 1 New York Times bestselling author who writes contemporary romances, including It Ends with Us (2016) and It Starts with Us (2022). In addition to her incredibly well-received work as a writer, Hoover also makes a point to give back to her community through The Bookworm Box. The author and her family founded the charity bookstore in 2015.
Each year, The Bookworm Box hosts Book Bonanza, a book signing event that offers readers a chance to meet more than 200 authors and participate in an auction to help raise money for food banks across America. Hoover’s efforts have resulted in more than $1 million in donations for people in need.
“All humans make mistakes. What determines a person’s character isn’t the mistakes we make. It’s how we take those mistakes and turn them into lessons rather than excuses.”
Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us
6. Jami Davenport
Shootout author Jami Davenport writes romance novels covering a few niche interests, including sports romances. Many of her books detail romances her protagonists have with hockey players. Fans of the ice will love getting a behind-the-scenes look at what life might be like for their favorite players.
Fans of Davenport’s work are especially invested in her Portland Icehawks series, following the romance of Grady, a rookie NFL player, and Aspen, who is working one day at a time to make a living as an artist. Readers love how Davenport takes characters who seem polar opposites and finds commonalities that help them relate to one another.
“He’d done it again. Screwed up in a social situation and dragged the whole team down with hm. His new team. The ones who were counting on him to be a leader on and off the field. He’d led them, all right, almost into a brawl.”
Jami Davenport, Down by Contact
7. Ahren Sanders
Like Notebook author Nicholas Sparks, Sanders bases many of her novels in the South, so readers may even feel like Southern culture is a constant character in her writing. Her 2022 novel Speed King is a part of the Men of Action series. The author’s current offerings are part of a larger series (Sanders has released three series so far) but can also be read as standalone novels. The author is known for writing romance in a way that is both sensual and sexy. Readers who want to work their way through Sanders’ entire collection will love seeing how the books connect with recurring characters and themes throughout the author’s entire catalog.
If you enjoyed this round-up of the best authors like Tijan, you might also like our list of romantic suspense authors in our guide to the best authors like Fern Michaels. Or you can use the search bar at the top right of the page to search for the best authors.
“People may say you are perfect for me, but to me you’re just perfect. Everything about you is flawless.”
Ahren Sanders, Smokescreen
8. Skye Warren
Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of Three to Get Ready. She’s known for several romance series, including The Rochester Trilogy, The Endgame Trilogy, The North Security Series, The Hughes Series, The Diamonds Trilogy, and The Chicago Underground Series. Warren’s works span a variety of themes within the romance world, including revenge, family, and more. Fans of the author’s work love her ability to combine danger and romance, keeping readers on the edge of their seats waiting to see how each story’s characters make their way through seemingly impossible situations – and fall in love at the same time.
“Those scars, received in battle as a soldier, proved his bravery and honor. It was another example of him protecting others, the way he advocated for unheard groups and causes in his writing.”
Skye Warren, Beauty Touched the Beast
9. Elle Charles
Liberated is one of five romance novels by up-and-coming British author Elle Charles. Her debut novel, Fractured, was a self-published hit. She’s known for writing in a contemporary style that includes diverse, strong characters in realistic settings, allowing readers to lose themselves in the worlds she creates. The protagonists, Charles features, openly show their flaws and strengths, and the author excellently develops characters throughout the connected series of novels. The survival stories of her heroines create relatable characters that readers can’t help but root for from the start of the book until the very last page.
“Skin heals, broken hearts mend, and eventually emotions become less fraught and torn, but memories never fade.”
Elle Charles, Faithless
10. Danielle Steel, 1947 –
The Gift author Danielle Steel is known as the queen of romance writing for good reason. This world-renowned bestselling author has churned out more than 200 romance novels and has sold over 900 million copies of her books worldwide. She’s been published in 43 languages. In addition to her work as a novelist, Steel also runs two charitable foundations, one that works to prevent suicide in honor of her late son and one to assist people who are struggling to find stable living. Steel is one of the bestselling fiction authors of all time, and her readers know they can count on her for steamy stories that involve wealth, romance, and strong female leads.
“Maybe some people just aren’t meant to be in our lives forever. Maybe some people are just passing through. It’s like some people just come through our lives to bring us something: a gift, a blessing, a lesson we need to learn. And that’s why they’re here. You’ll have that gift forever.”
Danielle Steel, The Gift
Looking for more? Check out our round-up of romance author best sellers!
