10 Authors Like Toni Anderson: Masters of Romance and Suspense

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 2025, Anderson’s influence continues to grow as she demonstrates how perfectly romantic suspense can balance heart-pounding tension with deeply emotional connections. In our guide, you’ll find authors who can create compelling plots that expertly combine love, lust, and crime to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Must-Read Authors Like Toni Anderson

For more romantic fiction recommendations, check out best romance authors, authors like Sylvia Day, best dark romance books.

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.

Like Anderson, Love excels at weaving together multiple plot threads while maintaining the romantic tension that keeps readers invested in her characters’ relationships. Her Slye Temp series and MICAH CAIDA novels showcase her ability to create high-stakes scenarios where romance blooms amidst danger, much like Anderson’s Cold Justice series.

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. Her commitment to the writing community mirrors Anderson’s own engagement with her readers and the broader romantic suspense genre.

“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.

While Clayton focuses more on contemporary romance than suspense, her ability to create sexual tension and emotional depth parallels Anderson’s romantic elements. Both authors understand how to build relationships that feel authentic while delivering the steam that romance readers crave. Clayton’s humor adds a lighter touch that complements Anderson’s more intense thriller elements.

In addition to Wallbanger, the author is also known for Roman Crazy, The Redhead Plays Her Hand, and Last Call. Her ability to create memorable characters who stick with readers long after the final page mirrors Anderson’s talent for developing compelling protagonists.

“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?” - 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.

What connects Foster to Anderson is their shared ability to create characters who face real challenges while finding love. Both authors understand that the best romantic suspense doesn’t just put characters in danger—it forces them to confront their deepest fears and vulnerabilities. Foster’s characters often deal with family trauma and personal growth, themes that resonate strongly in Anderson’s work.

To date, the author has sold more than 10 million books around the world, demonstrating the broad appeal of emotionally resonant romance that doesn’t shy away from serious subjects. Her prolific output and consistent quality mirror Anderson’s dedication to her craft.

“If you don’t allow yourself to love, to fully saturate yourself with someone else’s life, someone else’s feelings… 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. This unpredictability echoes Anderson’s ability to keep readers guessing about both the romantic outcomes and the suspenseful plot elements.

Callihan’s skill at blending different subgenres (contemporary, historical, paranormal) demonstrates the same versatility that Anderson shows in moving between different types of romantic suspense, from FBI procedurals to international intrigue. Both authors refuse to be boxed into a single formula, keeping their work fresh and engaging.

“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.” - 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.

While Hoover’s work focuses more on emotional drama than suspense, her ability to tackle difficult subjects like domestic violence and trauma resonates with Anderson’s more serious romantic suspense themes. Both authors understand that the best romance often emerges from characters who have overcome significant challenges, and both aren’t afraid to address real-world issues that affect their readers.

Hoover’s massive popularity in 2025, particularly among younger readers discovering her through social media, demonstrates how contemporary romance continues to evolve and find new audiences—something Anderson has also embraced through her active online presence.

“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.

What connects Davenport to Anderson is their shared interest in creating romance within specific professional settings. While Anderson often features FBI agents, military personnel, and law enforcement officers, Davenport focuses on athletes. Both authors understand how high-pressure careers can create both obstacles and opportunities for romance, and both excel at showing how professional partnerships can evolve into personal relationships.

The sports romance subgenre offers its own form of suspense—will the team win the championship? Will the hero’s career survive an injury?—that parallels the life-and-death stakes in Anderson’s romantic suspense novels.

“He’d done it again. Screwed up in a social situation and dragged the whole team down with him. His new team. The ones who were counting on him to be a leader on and off the field.” - 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 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.

Sanders’ focus on Southern settings and culture provides the same kind of atmospheric richness that Anderson brings to her various locations, from small-town America to international settings. Both authors understand that place can be almost as important as character in creating the right mood for romantic suspense. The “Men of Action” series concept also echoes Anderson’s approach of creating interconnected series where readers can follow favorite characters across multiple books.

The blend of sensuality and regional authenticity in Sanders’ work appeals to readers who enjoy the steamy romance elements that Anderson weaves into her suspenseful plots.

“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. This perfectly captures what makes Anderson’s work so compelling: the delicate balance between romantic tension and life-threatening danger.

Warren’s prolific series output demonstrates the same commitment to world-building that Anderson shows in her interconnected Cold Justice universe. Both authors understand that readers want to return to familiar worlds and reconnect with beloved characters, whether in main roles or supporting appearances.

The themes of revenge and family that run through Warren’s work also echo the personal stakes that Anderson often weaves into her romantic suspense, where the crimes being investigated frequently have personal connections to the protagonists.

“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.

Charles’ focus on survival stories resonates strongly with Anderson’s approach to romantic suspense, where characters often must overcome both external threats and internal trauma to find love. Both authors excel at creating heroines who are strong but vulnerable, capable but flawed—the kind of complex characterization that makes romantic suspense so compelling.

The realistic contemporary settings that Charles favors mirror Anderson’s grounded approach to romantic suspense, where even the most dramatic situations feel believable because they’re rooted in authentic character development and realistic relationship dynamics.

“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.

While Steel’s work tends to be more traditional romance than romantic suspense, her longevity and consistent output provide inspiration for any author working in romance subgenres. Her ability to reinvent her stories while maintaining core elements that readers love demonstrates the kind of career sustainability that Anderson has built through her various series.

Steel’s focus on strong female protagonists who overcome adversity echoes the resilient heroines that populate Anderson’s romantic suspense novels. Both authors understand that readers want to see characters who face real challenges and emerge stronger, whether those challenges involve corporate intrigue or life-threatening danger.

“Maybe some people just aren’t meant to be in our lives forever. Maybe some people are just passing through… You’ll have that gift forever.” - Danielle Steel, The Gift

Why These Authors Matter in 2025

The romantic suspense genre continues to evolve in 2025, with readers increasingly seeking stories that balance escapist entertainment with emotional authenticity. These authors, like Toni Anderson, understand that modern readers want more than simple formula fiction—they want characters who feel real, relationships that develop organically, and suspense that serves the story rather than overwhelming it.

What makes these authors essential reading for Anderson fans is their shared commitment to character development within high-stakes situations. Whether it’s Foster’s focus on family dynamics, Warren’s exploration of revenge and justice, or Hoover’s examination of difficult social issues, each brings depth to the romance genre that elevates it beyond simple entertainment.

These writers also demonstrate the genre’s incredible diversity—from Davenport’s sports settings to Charles’ survival stories to Steel’s traditional romance elements. This variety shows how flexible and adaptable romantic suspense can be, appealing to readers with different interests while maintaining the core elements that make the genre so compelling.

For readers who love Toni Anderson’s perfect balance of heart-stopping romance and edge-of-your-seat suspense, these authors offer endless opportunities to explore new worlds, meet unforgettable characters, and experience the unique thrill that only comes from stories where love and danger intertwine in the most irresistible ways.