Karen Robards Popular Books

Karen Robards Biography & Facts

Karen Robards (born August 24, 1954, in Louisville, Kentucky) is a best-selling author of over fifty novels. After first gaining recognition for her historical romances, Robards became one of the first historical romance novelists to successfully make the switch to contemporary romantic suspense. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages, and has won multiple awards. Biography Early years Karen Robards sold her first story in 1973. As a teenager working part-time for her orthodontist father, Robards saw a Reader's Digest solicitation for funny anecdotes. She quickly penned and submitted a two-paragraph story. Several weeks later she received a check for $100, and her entry was featured in the December 1973 Reader's Digest.Her first attempts at writing a novel came while she was attending the University of Kentucky taking a graduate-level creative writing class, when the professor challenged each student to write 50 pages that could be published. After researching what types of books were selling well, Robards chose to write a historical romance, not realizing that she would be required to read her work aloud to the class. Although her professor and classmates laughed at her choice of subject matter, those 50 pages became the basis for her first book, Island Flame. This debut novel was published in 1981, when Robards was in her early 20s. Career At the time that Robards's debut novel was published, the typical paperback historical romance novel had a shelf life of only three weeks. After three weeks, her novel was no longer available on bookstore shelves, and her publisher was reluctant to purchase any further work without seeing the sales figures for the current book. Undeterred, Robards dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career. To pay her bills, she took a job in an orthodontic clinic, writing a new novel in the ladies' room at the clinic while on her lunch break. She finished this second book, the contemporary romantic suspense To Love a Man, in three months. The book sold quickly to a different publisher and became the true launchpad for her writing career.Within the next several years, Robards had three additional historical romances published, including Sea Fire, the sequel to Island Flame, before To Love a Man was officially released. After the publication of To Love a Man, Robards's new publisher contracted her to write two novels per year, one a historical romance and the other contemporary romantic suspense. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, however, publishers began to fear that the contemporary romance market was "dead", and Robards was asked to write only historicals. She switched publishers in the early 1990s, moving to Dell, and convinced them to take a chance on a new contemporary romance. That novel, One Summer, was Robards' first hardcover contemporary novel, and its success convinced Dell to ask Robards to concentrate on her contemporary novels. Her novels have been translated into eleven languages.According to Romantic Times Magazine, "Robards has a true flair for characterization and excels at adding large doses of humor to the spicy mix." She has won a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen awards for favorite romance novelist, along with multiple other awards for her novels.Robards lives in her hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, Doug Robards, and their three sons, Jack, Chris, and Peter. Her parents, three brothers, and sister live nearby. Bibliography Historical Romance Pirate Series Island Flame, 1981 Sea Fire, 1982Banning Sisters Series Scandalous, 2001 Irresistible, 2002 Shameless, 2010Historical Romance Novels, by publication date Island Flame, 1981 Sea Fire, 1982 Forbidden Love, 1983 Amanda Rose, 1984 Dark Torment, 1985 Loving Julia, 1986 Desire in the Sun, 1988 Tiger's Eye, 1989 Morning Song, 1990 Green Eyes, 1991 This Side of Heaven, 1991 Nobody's Angel, 1992 the enigma of the moon,1997 Scandalous, 2001 Irresistible, 2002 Shameless, 2010 The Black Swan of Paris, 2020Thriller / Romantic Suspense Jessica Ford Series Pursuit, 2009 Justice, 2011Dr. Charlotte Stone Series The Last Victim, 2012 The Last Kiss Goodbye, 2013 Her Last Whisper, 2014 The Last Time I Saw Her, 2015The Guardian Series The Ultimatum, 2017 The Moscow Deception, 2018 The Fifth Doctrine, 2019Thriller / Romantic Suspense Novels, by publication date To Love a Man, 1985 Wild Orchids, 1986 Night Magic, 1987 One Summer, 1993 Maggy's Child, 1994 Walking After Midnight, 1995 Hunter's Moon, 1996 Heartbreaker, 1997 The Senator's Wife, 1998 The Midnight Hour, 1999 Ghost Moon, 2000 Paradise County, 2000 To Trust a Stranger, 2001 Manna From Heaven, 2001 (in anthology Wait Until Dark) Whispers at Midnight, 2002 Beachcomber, 2003 Bait, 2004 Superstition, 2005 Vanished, 2006 Obsession, 2007 Guilty, 2008 Pursuit (Jessica Ford #1), 2009 Shattered, 2010 Justice (Jessica Ford #2), 2011 Sleepwalker, 2011 The Last Victim (Dr. Charlotte Stone #1), 2012 Shiver, 2012 The Last Kiss Goodbye (Dr. Charlotte Stone #2), 2013 Hunted, 2014 Her Last Whisper (Dr. Charlotte Stone #3), 2014 Hush, 2015 The Last Time I Saw Her (Dr. Charlotte Stone #4), 2015 Darkness, 2016 The Ultimatum, 2017 The Moscow Deception, 2018 The Fifth Doctrine, 2019Anthology Wait Until Dark (2001) (with Linda Anderson, Andrea Kane and Mariah Stewart)See also List of romantic novelistsReferences External links Karen Robards Official Website List of books Book reviews for Karen Robards' books. Discover the Karen Robards popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Karen Robards books.

Best Seller Karen Robards Books of 2024

  • The Last Kiss Goodbye synopsis, comments

    The Last Kiss Goodbye

    Karen Robards

    NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY RT BOOK REVIEWSWhen New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards brought her irresistible brand of hot passion and chilling suspense t...

  • Superstition synopsis, comments

    Superstition

    Karen Robards

    A killer has come out of hiding in this haunting novel by New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards.Pawleys Island hides a dark history of a shocking cold case: the murder of...

  • Dark of the Moon synopsis, comments

    Dark of the Moon

    Karen Robards

    "I'm not a child, Connor!" Caitlyn snapped, exasperated. "I want you to kiss me. Now. Please." For a moment longer, he resisted her gentle assault. Then he kissed her fiercely, as ...

  • Ghost Moon synopsis, comments

    Ghost Moon

    Karen Robards

    Nine years after leaving in disgrace, Olivia Morrison is coming home again with her eightyearold, Sara, to put things right with the Archer clan. But there is no welcome for the pr...

  • Wonderful You synopsis, comments

    Wonderful You

    Mariah Stewart

    Acclaimed for writing charming love stories that linger long in the memory, bestselling and awardwinning author Mariah Stewart “just keeps getting better and better” (Romantic Time...

  • Her Last Whisper synopsis, comments

    Her Last Whisper

    Karen Robards

    Readers who relish heated passion and chilling suspense love New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards’s acclaimed novels featuring Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone. A heroine w...

  • The Last Victim synopsis, comments

    The Last Victim

    Karen Robards

    “[An] exceptional storyteller . . . Leave it to [Karen] Robards to deliver the start of a series that is distinctive and unforgettable!”RT Book Reviews   A soughtafter exper...

  • Pursuit synopsis, comments

    Pursuit

    Karen Robards

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Guilty When the First Lady dies in a fiery car crash, rookie attorney Jessica Ford is the only survivor of the tragedy. As the natio...

  • Deep and Silent Waters synopsis, comments

    Deep and Silent Waters

    Charlotte Lamb

    Infatuation can make you do the stupidest things. Like risk your very life . . . Laura would never have gone to Venice if she had known she would meet Sebastian Ferrese there the ...

  • Hush synopsis, comments

    Hush

    Karen Robards

    In New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards’s latest heartpounding thriller, a woman must uncover a murdereror risk being the next victim of a vicious killer.When Riley Cowa...

  • Loving Julia synopsis, comments

    Loving Julia

    Karen Robards

    Seventeenyearold Jewel Combs is not a lady. She is a guttersnipe living handtomouth on London's mean streets when she meets a dying man who marries her to spite his aristocratic fa...

  • Shattered synopsis, comments

    Shattered

    Karen Robards

    A chilling photograph cracks open a decadesold mystery in this suspenseful novel by New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards.When aspiring attorney Lisa Grant begins investi...

  • Frostbitten synopsis, comments

    Frostbitten

    Rebecca Zanetti

    The latest novel in the fastpaced romantic suspense series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti is a perfect blend of sexy chemistry and Deep Ops in...

  • Bait synopsis, comments

    Bait

    Karen Robards

    The wrong woman attracts a predator in this thriller by New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards.It’s anything but business as usual when advertising agency owner Maddie Fi...

  • In the Still of the Night synopsis, comments

    In the Still of the Night

    Charlotte Lamb

    Annie Lang, star of the TV police drama The Force, is a character known to millions. Men want to protect her; women want to be her friend. But the actress with the innocent face ha...

  • Strings of Fate synopsis, comments

    Strings of Fate

    Deirdre Dore

    “Deirdre Dore deftly weaves together a bloodchilling mystery and a sizzlinghot romance. Strings of Fate is a captivating debut!” Laura Griffin, New York Times bestselling authorIn ...

  • Dark Torment synopsis, comments

    Dark Torment

    Karen Robards

    In this “spellbinding romance” (Publisher’s Weekly), falsely accused, Irishborn convict Dominic Gallagher is shipped to the Australian Outback, where he is rescued from being beate...

  • Mercy synopsis, comments

    Mercy

    Julie Garwood

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heartbreaker comes a thrilling novel of passion and obsession featuring attorney Theo Buchanan.Like his FBI agent brother Nick, The...

  • Heartbreaker synopsis, comments

    Heartbreaker

    Julie Garwood

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood proves she is a master storyteller in this classic romantic suspense novel featuring FBI agent Nick Buchanan.In the still shadows...

  • Wild Orchids synopsis, comments

    Wild Orchids

    Karen Robards

    Prim midwestern schoolteacher Lora Harding is in for the summer vacation of her life when darkly handsome American Max Maxwell slides into her rented car in steamy Cancun, Mexico a...

  • To Love A Man synopsis, comments

    To Love A Man

    Karen Robards

    Journalist Lisa Collins is in Africa to cover an armed uprising, but finds herself caught up in a war in this thrilling contemporary romance by “one of the most popular voices in w...

  • Shameless synopsis, comments

    Shameless

    Karen Robards

    The third in the Banning Sisters trilogy that began with the New York Times bestsellers Scandalous and Irresistible, Shameless marks a dazzling return to historical fiction for Kar...

  • Night Magic synopsis, comments

    Night Magic

    Karen Robards

    Romance writer Clara Winston dedicates her newest book to her cat, Puff, without knowing what havoc she is about to unloose on her placid (boring?) life. Because there’s a rogue CI...

  • The 100 Best Romance Novels synopsis, comments

    The 100 Best Romance Novels

    Jennifer Lawler & Crimson Romance Editors

    "My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Mr. Darcy, Pride and PrejudiceThe taboo affair of Jane and Mr. Rochester. The...

  • Kiss of Fate synopsis, comments

    Kiss of Fate

    Deirdre Dore

    In the bestselling tradition of Laura Griffin, the conclusion in a new romantic suspense trilogy features an officer with the Atlanta Police Department who teams up with a document...

  • Unforgiven synopsis, comments

    Unforgiven

    Rebecca Zanetti

    Readers of Lisa Jackson and Lucinda Berry will be thrilled by this stunning tale of suspense from a New York Times bestselling author. Even the most exclusive universities can’t ou...

  • Desire in the Sun synopsis, comments

    Desire in the Sun

    Karen Robards

    In this steamy romance by “the mistress of sizzling sensuality” (Romantic Times), the beautiful daughter of a plantation owner, Lilah Remy, is swept into a wild romance with the da...

  • Julia synopsis, comments

    Julia

    Karen Robards

    No te pierdas una de las primeras novelas de Karen RobardsLa ladronzuela Jewel Combs ha aprendido a sobrevivir en las calles de Londres y sabe que está condenada a la prostitución ...

  • Guilty synopsis, comments

    Guilty

    Karen Robards

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Superstition and Bait comes the story of Kate White, a single mom and successful prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA’s office. She’s use...

  • Heartbreaker synopsis, comments

    Heartbreaker

    Karen Robards

    While vacationing in Utah’s mountain wilderness, Lynn Nelson suddenly finds herself having to deal with her teenage daughter Rory’s raging hormones. The object of Rory’s passion is...

  • Sleepwalker synopsis, comments

    Sleepwalker

    Karen Robards

    New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards’s thrilling contemporary romantic suspense novel featuring an electric attraction between a cop and a thief.It’s not that Micayla La...

  • The Midnight Hour synopsis, comments

    The Midnight Hour

    Karen Robards

    A time to fear....Grace Hart seemed to have it all: a bright, beautiful daughter, a successful career as a judge, and a lovely home in an Ohio suburb. But beneath the placid veneer...

  • Walking in Darkness synopsis, comments

    Walking in Darkness

    Charlotte Lamb

    Your father's or the truth. Whose side would you be on?Beautiful heiress Catherine Gowrie has spent her life protected by one of America's wealthiest families. Now Don Gowrie, her ...

  • Trust But Verify synopsis, comments

    Trust But Verify

    Karna Small Bodman

    "Bodman's hardwon information and sheer storytelling talent make this a book to remember.” LEE CHILD, #1 worldwide bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series  "Karna B...

  • Green Eyes synopsis, comments

    Green Eyes

    Karen Robards

    Young, beautiful, and destitute, widowed Anna Traverne finds herself at the mercy of her brotherinlaw Lord Ridley, who offers her and her little daughter a home for a price: Anna m...

  • One Summer synopsis, comments

    One Summer

    Karen Robards

    He was pure, unadulterated trouble.  Johnny Harris is home again, his tootight jeans and damnyoureyes belligerence honed to perfection by a tenyear stretch in federal pri...

  • Mr. Perfect synopsis, comments

    Mr. Perfect

    Linda Howard

    Written in her “trademark darkly sensual style” (Booklist), New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard brings us an electrifying pageturner of passion and suspense with a capti...

  • Vanished synopsis, comments

    Vanished

    Karen Robards

    When she receives a call from a child who sounds exactly like her missing daughter Lexie, Sarah Mason turns to her closest friend in the world, P.I. Jake Hogan. Jake is convinced t...

  • The Last Time I Saw Her synopsis, comments

    The Last Time I Saw Her

    Karen Robards

    In the sizzling new novel from New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards, Dr. Charlie Stone must prove the innocence of a dangerously sexy condemned man, or lose her one chan...

  • Walking After Midnight synopsis, comments

    Walking After Midnight

    Karen Robards

    The nude male body lay on the embalming table, battered beyond recognition. Gingerly, Summer McAfee, chairman, CEO, and sole employee of Daisy Fresh cleaning service, reached out t...

  • Angel of Death synopsis, comments

    Angel of Death

    Charlotte Lamb

    What do you do when you overhear a murder? You call the police. But what happens if the police send you straight into the danger . . .'A potent mixture of murder, mystery and intri...

  • Sombras en la noche synopsis, comments

    Sombras en la noche

    Karen Robards

    «Aunque en su furia y su dolor él la había desdeñado, ella juró reavivar la llamada de su amor...»Rescatada de las calles de Dublín, Caitlyn O'Malley se encontró bajo la protección...

  • Whispers of Fate synopsis, comments

    Whispers of Fate

    Deirdre Dore

    In the bestselling tradition of Laura Griffin, this second book in a new romantic suspense trilogy features an heiress whose search for her long lost friend has kept her from a man...