Hello - this is my first "post" after lurking and enjoying this forum for a long while.  And I want to say I really appreciate the recommendations and new books I've discovered because of all your great reads.  Paperbackswap romance readers are AWESOME!

So........... I thought I'd ask for help to identify some new "reads".  I'm kinda in a slump.  (It's depressing when there's nothing on my to-read pile that intruigues me!)

Here's what I'm looking for - I'm drawn to and enjoy most books with these qualities:

- alpha male hero & unique/unconventional/unexpected heroine

- almost immediate identification of love for the other

-  most of the emotional conflict comes from one or the other (often hero) cannot/will not acknowlege their love because it'll harm the other in some way

- mix in some mayhem or murder or well written intimate moments and the book is just perfect!

Examples of books with these elements & are on my keeper shelf,  include Linda Howard's, Mackenzie's Mountain (Wolf & Mary Elizabeth) - Lisa Kleypas', Dreaming of You (Derek & Sara),- Sarah McCarty's Promises Prevail (Clint & Jenna), -Sherrilyn Kenyon's Night Play (Vane & Bride), Lavyrle Spenser's Family Blessings(Greg & Lee), and -Lori Foster's Too Much Temptation (Grace & Noah). 

As you can tell, I'm not prejudiced against any genre - love 'em all! 

Any suggestions of other books you've read and might also be on your keeper shelves?

Thanks so much!

Hi Lori! Heres a few  favorites from my keeper shelf:

Nora Roberts: Honest Illusions, Black Hills, Night Tales

Lauren Bach: Lone Rider

Sherrilyn Kenyon: Dance With the Devil, and also Night Play

Erin McCarthy: Mouth To Mouth

JR Ward: Black Dagger Brotherhood....all of them!!

I'll keep watching also to see if I can pick up a few more ideas!

I think you may like Duncan's Bride by Linda Howard.  Really good romance.  I loved how hard it was for the Hero to give into his loving the Heroine in this one because he actually had really good reasons to mistrust love.

Shiloh Walker's Fragile and Broken

Thanks for all the great recommendations!  I've ordered/bought three of your suggestions and noted the others.  It's great to have some new reads - thanks again!

I really liked:

Lisa Kleypas - Suddenly You, Because Your Mine,

Heather Graham - Captive

Teresa Medeiros - One Night of Scandal  (actually, I love pretty much anything by her)

Shannon Drake - Knight Triumphant  (this one was great!!)

Good luck!

not sure these fit all 3 criteria but they're on my keeper shelf(along with Howards MacKenzie's and Sarah McCarty's)

Exposure by Susan Andersen

anything and everything by Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick - Ravished by Quick was awesome (wanted to reread as soon as I finished), Wildest Hearts, Silver Linings are some of Krentz' s I like...an there's the Arcane Society series by all of her pseudonyms but The Perfect Poison and Burning Lamp(both l ater in the series) were 2 of my favorites and characterhs in Lamp show up from Poison..the men didn't wantt ot marry because insanity ran in their family and their 'talents' made them prime targets for the insanity trait.

From my keeper shelf, I'd add Nalini Singh's Psy Changeling books into the mix.  Slave to Sensation is the first one.

I also think Devilish by Jo Beverly fits your criteria

The best alpha hero/romantic suspense in my book is Shannon McKenna, her McCloud Brothers series. They've all been keepers!