Halloween Romance by the Monster

It’s almost Halloween, y’all. True, this year, many fewer kids will probably be trick-or-treating. Even so, this remains one of my favorite holidays. As a paranormal romance author, how could I not love a holiday where the imagination gets to come out and play?

Ghosts and ghouls, vampires, werewolves, witches, zombies, demons, and more… Supernatural creatures come out to play on Halloween. Whatever your favorite paranormal creature, I guarantee there’s great books out there for you.

Here are a few of my fav “Halloween” reads…one for each Halloween monster!

VAMPIRES

These monsters have been around in some form in almost every culture since antiquity. In fact, most of the earliest recorded mythologies of blood drinkers were…female. But these days (thank you Anne Rice) the vampire is sexy, worldly, immortal, and…powerful!

BANE’S CHOICE by Alyssa Day

When a centuries-old vampire in search of redemption meets a doctor who’s on a mission of her own, a searing, world-destroying passion is the last thing on either of their minds.

Minds can be changed.

WEREWOLVES / WOLF SHIFTERS

Traditionally, these monsters were just that. Men cursed who had no control over their change and who would then become mindless monsters. But these days, shifters have control (usually) and when they put the power that comes with the shift to use… Yum!

COWBOY WOLF TROUBLE by Kait Ballenger

A wolf shifter romance like you’ve never seen before—cowboys by day, wolf shifters by night, this clan of secret wolves lies just beyond the mountains, and a world filled with intrigue and possibility is closer than you think.

GHOSTS

Ghosts just possibly might be the oldest and most widely believed in of all the traditional Halloween monsters. Almost every culture has stories of ghosts or sightings of spirits. In paranormal romance ghosts are fascinating in that they can be both malevolent and terrifying, but also tragic or loveable.

THE GHOST & THE GRAVEYARD by Genevieve Jack

Once a spirit manifests on her staircase, Grateful can no longer deny that her house is haunted. The graveyard caretaker, Rick, has a dark secret, and it has everything to do with her personal history, the house, and the spirit who warns her about both.

ZOMBIES

Okay, so technically mummies are more traditional than zombies, but I say…close enough. LOL. Plus I’m a huge “Walking Dead” fan. In the case of this Halloween monster, my opinion is the zombie must remain a monster. Hard to make rotting flesh sexy, you know? Any romance will have to be found among the surviving humans.

ZOMBIE ABBEY by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Clarke sisters thought their biggest problem was what to wear to dinner. None of them ever expected to work together with the servants for any reason. But none of them had ever seen anything like this. A delightfully unique mash-up of “Downton Abbey” meets “The Walking Dead.”

WITCHES

Like most Halloween “monsters” witches/warlocks/mages/wizards can use their power for good or for evil. They make a fantastic bad guy with all the things they can potentially do. Power can corrupt, absolutely. But to me, there is nothing better than a woman embracing her power!

WOLF GONE WILD by Juliette Cross

Evie Savoie has always obeyed the house rules of her coven–no werewolves. They’re known for being moody and volatile. So, when a distempered, dangerous werewolf strolls into the bar and almost strangles one of her late-night customers, she’s ready to bounce him through the door. But the desperation in his eyes when he begs her to help him softens her heart and convinces her to bend the rules.

DEMONS

Believe it or not, there does not appear to be a specific origin for demons. Possibly, because humanity has always seemed to believe in evil in some form. What we think of today is primarily formed by medieval Judeo-Christian thought. Because they are inherently evil, demons obviously make terrific bad guys. However, many romance readers love the “bad boy” redemption story!

TRY AS I SMITE by Abigail Owen

A demon infestation means Alasdair can’t trust anyone who may be possessed. The last person he wants to ask for help is also the only person who can fix this, so he sucks up his pride and storms into her office. And Delilah turns him down cold. How is a Christmas Carol nightmare supposed to solve his demon problem without breaking the rules she’s bound by?