Tina Gabrielle: Romances and spies … a perfect combination
Tina Gabrielle, author of A Spy Unmasked, explores what makes spies so delicious in romances.
Tina: Romance novels are full of mysterious heroes and heroines who are intriguing, sexy spies. Authors love to write about them, and readers love to read them. My hero in my newest historical romance, A Spy Unmasked, is a master of disguise, a brilliant spy and an expert safecracker for the Crown. It's the first book in In the Crown's Secret Service series. Before I sat down to write the book, I thought about why spies are so popular. I also asked other romance authors their opinions. Here's what I found out:
• They're cool and elegant under pressure.
James Bond is the first on my list. The suave British spy was developed over 50 years ago by author Ian Fleming, and Bond is as popular as ever. He's elegant and self-confident under pressure. He even has a cool code name as 007. He has style, class and sophistication. What woman wouldn't love him?
• They're mysterious.
You never know what a spy's true motives are until the end of the novel. "Spies are mysterious and keep their agendas close to their vest," says Tamara Hughes, author of Once Upon a Masquerade, "and I always have the irresistible urge to find out what they're hiding." So true! If there's a spy in the book, I love how the plot thickens, the attraction heightens between the hero and heroine, and everything is wound tightly together.
• They're dangerous.
Ah, the danger abounds. The external plot that drives the intrigue is interwoven with the romance to make for a sizzling read. "Although they are usually the good guys, there is something inherently dangerous and mysterious about spies — which means you get the good guy you want to end up with wrapped up in a sexy, bad-boy package. It's the best of both worlds," says Michelle McLean, author of Romancing the Rumrunner.
• They're noble and believe in a higher cause.
I think the biggest reason spies are so popular is because they believe in a higher cause and are willing to sacrifice to achieve it. They put themselves in danger and never give up despite the mounting odds. It's heroic and romantic. Who can resist rooting for the hero?
• They have great gadgets.
Spies have cool gadgets. The best example is Q for James Bond. The Earl of Kirkland in A Spy Unmasked is an expert in the fine art of finessing open safes. He has state-of-the-art lock picks, and he uses them on more than one occasion. The scenes where he opens difficult and tricky safes were very fun to write.
• They're super sexy.
Spies in romances are sexually confident. They know they're sexy and they use it to their advantage during their missions. The women they encounter are smart and strong-minded and although they may initially resist our hero, we love to read how our spy slowly charms and tempts them into his arms. Diana Quincy, author of Engaging the Earl and Spy Fall, says, "The spy in many ways embodies the ultimate alpha male. He's smart, sexy and resourceful; failure is not an option for him. He's dominant but not aggressive. He can be quiet, almost laidback, but we always know he's in charge." And if our heroine is the spy? We enjoy watching as she conquers the hero with her intelligence and feistiness.
Romance spies don't have to all be lady-killers or man-eaters to be super sexy. The Earl of Kirkland in A Spy Unmasked may have been a womanizer in his past, but no longer. When the book opens he's celibate as a form of punishment after his first wife dies after a mission goes awry. But when the heroine unwittingly interrupts one of his missions, she tantalizes him like no other.
So why do you love spies in romances? What qualities do you find most attractive in a hero or heroine spy? And what's your favorite romance with spies? Please share!
About A Spy Unmasked:
The mission did not go quite as Robert Ware—known in society as the new Earl of Kirkland—planned. A spy in the service of His Majesty, Robert is a "guest" at a masquerade party as he retrieves vital information for a murder investigation. Until he's quite unexpectedly interrupted by an exquisite, masked woman with glittering green eyes. And a pistol she has cocked and aimed right at him...
Lady Sophia Merrill has defiantly taken up justice's shining sword, determined to expose the brigand who murdered her eccentric but brilliant father, and stole his latest invention. Now she must masquerade as Robert's betrothed in order to infiltrate the Inventor's Society and find the killer. But the undeniable potent attraction between them not only imperils the investigation, but Sophia's reputation... and both of their lives.
Find out more about Tina and her books at www.tinagabrielle.com.