Author Spotlight: Samantha Cole, Suspenseful Seduction At Its Best!
When I started my romance reader journey, I was a complete newbie to the genre and had no idea just how much ground Romancelandia covered. I had delved into the paranormal and romantic suspense waters, but the depths of tropes, topics, and adventures I was experiencing were about to get a lot hotter when I discovered Samantha Cole and her Trident Security series. I was still on a romantic suspense kick, and to be honest, I have no idea how I found my way to Samantha’s books. I think it was a combination of reader recommendations and targeted ads. Either way, however her books fell into my lap, I have never looked back or been more grateful for a series rabbit hole. I have recommended Samantha’s books to many people since I started reading them, and the conversations I’ve had with those readers are among the most amazing and entertaining bookish convos I have ever had. And I do mean ever.
Since Trident Security is probably Samantha’s best known series, I want to start there. And what an amazing place to start. Because Trident is not just a well thought out and deeply developed romantic suspense series, it’s a deep educational dive into the world of BDSM. (And, no, I am not talking 50 Shades here. And yes, that is the only time I will mention that book/series.) Samantha has a beautiful way of bonding the intensity of her romantic suspense with the integrity of true and honest BDSM relationships. As a retired police officer and paramedic, her experiences create a level of authenticity in her writing that brings the suspense to new depths. Combining that with a subject most people have either basic surface level knowledge of, or no true knowledge of, she builds an entire world of suspenseful seduction that heightens the reader’s enjoyment of her novels.
Now, yes, I know the image most people have of BDSM- and to those people I have to say: these books may just change your mind a bit, and satisfy your craving for solid romantic suspense stories as well. You know how you feel when people challenge the validity of romance novels as credible reading material in general? Well, Trident is a good way to extend the courtesy of acceptance to that lifestyle and those books. And before you ask if you can “just skip the BDSM parts” (yes, people ask that) I am going to tell you not to. One- they are an integral part of the characters’ relationships and the world Samantha builds within the series and her spin-offs. Two- you may just learn something about a topic you always felt uncomfortable about. Or had some very deep misunderstandings about. And what more comfortable way to get past some preconceived notions than within the safety and privacy of a book?
One of the things I truly love about Samantha and her Trident series is the characters she creates. The heroes are strong, confident, swoony, and 100% devoted to their partners. And the heroines she writes are strong, confident, independent, and 100% devoted to their partners. Pretty cool, huh? But Samantha also instills levels of vulnerability in her characters that become essential components of the BDSM elements of her Trident Security books. The two elements (suspense & BDSM) work together through her stories, each enhancing the other to build memorable characters who become part of her fanbase.
And yes, I have my favorite book boyfriends from her books. And yes, I do share them with other readers. And yes, it is seriously hard to pick even a top 5! And her heroines are definitely a group I would love to hang out with. There is a beautiful realness to her characters that makes them approachable, even though they’re only alive through her pages and in our minds.
Samantha’s backlist is vast and varied, though, and branches in many directions. She has several spin-off series from Trident Security, all of which are just as solid story and character wise, although not all infused with the BDSM elements. But my favorite not-Trident related series is her newest, which is also a joint project with J.B. Havens. The Antelope Rock series, a small-town series, centers around multiple ranches in Wyoming and brings all the feels. Samantha and J.B.’s storytelling skills truly shine in this series. There are only two books written in it so far, but they are multiple time reads for me already.
One of the things I truly love about Samantha’s writing is the sheer variety she offers her readers. From small town to suspense to non-traditional relationships to male-male romance, she truly has something for every reader.
Beyond what Samantha writes, I’ve had a chance to talk with and work with her beyond her books. When we first began to organize Charm City Romanticon, my co-organizer Julie and I had certain ideas in our heads of how we wanted to set things up. But we wanted to get input from authors we knew had participated in multiple events that had elements similar to what we wanted to do. I sent Samantha a message and asked if I could send her some questions for feedback based on events she had attended. When she sent a message back saying, “How about a phone call? That’s a lot of information.” I about died! Yes, I know authors are people, but this was an offer and opportunity to speak with one of my faves! One of my idols in the indie romance industry. And that opportunity turned into nearly two hours of conversation that blew my mind with her knowledge base and creative thinking. She brought up things we never even considered would impact authors and guests attending the event. And ultimately her input helped us revamp and reshape our plans into something even more exciting than we expected. An author’s time is so valuable, and that time she took to speak with me spoke volumes about how much she cares about the Romancelandia community and the interactions we have within it.
Samantha is another amazing example of how the indie romance community is so much more than the books we read. It really is about that community. The conversations, the support, the education, the information- it’s all part of it. Now, go read Samantha’s books so we can have more conversations about the most amazing authors in the world!
Just the facts:
First book I read by Samantha: Leather & Lace
What I love most about her books: swoony heroes, strong heroines, BDSM that is truly representative of the lifestyle- not just sensationalism & stereotypes, solid plot lines, emotional depth.
Fave book by Samantha: Tied between Forty Days & One Knight and Salvaging His Soul
Fave character: Jase (Salvaging His Soul). And Darius (40 Days & One Knight). And Carter (but I know he’s just here for the food)
Fave cover: Wistful in Wyoming
You can get Samantha’s books on Amazon
You can find Samantha on social media here:
Facebook reader group:Samantha A. Cole's Sexy Six-Pack's Sirens
Samantha’s Recommended Reading Order
