
Cross-genre stories become more popular everyday. This is one way to appeal to a broader audience, provided it’s done in a way that doesn’t stretch credibility so far it snaps or not deliver what the reader is expecting.
Romantic suspense has been around for a while as well as several others that are primarily a romance, such as historical romance, Gothic romance, and more recently science fiction romance. Obviously, the romance element works well to add interest to a story as well as its setting and circumstances.
The primary theme of romance is “boy gets girl” or vice versa. However, other genres, such as mysteries, thrillers, horror, and fantasy can all provide the backdrop and, in some cases, comprise more of the plot than the romance element.
How well the plot in one of these other genres is constructed will determine whether it’s simply another setting for romance or legitimately fits into another genre solidly enough to not be considered simply a romance in disguise.
