First off, people want to know if it’s a romance novel. And the answer is no. It isn’t. It’s most definitely a historical mystery. But there is undeniably a romantic subplot—the strength of which will vary from person to person. For example, if you’re used to reading straight romances, historical or otherwise, then the romance is going to seem very mild. However, if most of the novels you read contain next to no romantic elements, then you might view it as heavily romance driven. As a reader of both romance and distinctly non-romantic genres, I like to think that it lies somewhere in the middle. I would suggest the romantic content is similar to that found in books by Deanna Raybourn, Tasha Alexander, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Sarah Addison Allen, just to name a few. 

 

I liken it to that of the romantic subplots you often find in action movies and TV shows. They aren’t the central plot, and thus the story would not fall apart without them, but they do enhance the story and the characters. What kind of show would Bones be without the attraction between Booth and Brennan? And who would Indiana Jones or James Bond be without their love interests—particularly Marion in movies 1 and 4; and Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale.

 

I would also like to point out that The Anatomist’s Wife is the first book in a series. The romantic relationship between my two lead characters will continue to develop throughout the other novels. I prefer it that way. It allows me to delve deeper into their individual psyches and to explore the issues between them. Believe me, at the end of The Anatomist’s Wife you won’t have seen the last of Kiera or Gage, and neither has forgotten about the other.