Most people believe that romance novels are all about flowers and chocolate, hugs and kisses, and an occasional burst of supreme sexuality. However, there’s a whole sub-genre of romance that’s all about surviving in the wilderness and the great dangers that come along. These books are known as survival romance, and they have a significant (and growing) fan base of people who crave a little adventure to disrupt the otherwise mundane flow of a typical love relationship (unless, of course, your beloved is a werewolf).
Just as the name suggests, in survival romance books, the hero and heroine are thrust into a situation where they must rely on each other to avoid death. This leads to them developing feelings for each other that they would not have experienced otherwise, and the reader is there to witness all the twists and turns on the path to… a happy ending? Well, it is never harder to get to than in survival romance books!
Top 10 Best Survival Romance Books
Survival romance books are harder to come across unless you know what you are looking for, so we decided to make the search easier for you. The following lists contains 10 of the best survival romance novels that have raving reviews of critics and readers alike. For your convenience, each title has a link to a free sample on amazon.com, in case you want to get more than a quick taste of the promised adventure…
And now the journey begins!
Surviving Raine by Shay Savage
Sebastian Stark captains a schooner catering to the wealthy on the Caribbean Seas and does his best to avoid any human interaction. He prefers drinking vodka alone to have conversations and is running from something in his past. He’s good at keeping secrets,
…until the night his schooner overturned, and he found himself stranded on a life raft with one of the passengers.
Raine is attractive, and Bastian would probably be interested in her if he weren’t suffering from alcohol withdrawal. As time goes on, delirium tremens (DTs), starvation, and dehydration become the norm.
Even the most introverted person starts to open up when he thinks he might die soon; however, when she realizes that their traumatic pasts are connected, it’s no longer the elements that have Bastian worried.
Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard
Bailey Wingate’s grown, scheming stepchildren were surprised to find out that their dad’s will left Bailey in charge of their fortune. War ensued between the siblings, and a year later while flying from Seattle to Denver, the engine in Bailey’s small plane sputtered before failing—nearly killing her.
Cam Justice, her sexy Texan pilot, crashes the aircraft they are flying in. Stranded in the wilderness and struggling to keep her feelings for Cam under control, Bailey begins to wonder if this was an accident. Who tampered with the plane? Who wanted Bailey and her husband to reunite in the afterlife?
Unseen Messages by Pepper Winters
No one knew who Estelle Evermore was until she suddenly became famous overnight. Galloway Oak decided to start fresh and try to make his fortune by using his skills.
Stranded on a deserted island, these two strangers must learn to work together to survive. With no experience or skills to rely on, they will have to struggle against the elements just to stay alive.
We only desire what we cannot have. And once we get it, it becomes dangerous.
Withering Hope by Layla Hagen
Aimee’s wedding plans become derailed when the private jet she is flying in malfunctions and makes an emergency landing in the Amazon rainforest. Aimee and Tristan, the pilot, are stranded with no hope of reaching civilization.
Their only chance is to be rescued, but that seems increasingly unlikely as time goes on. Death lurks in many forms in the jungle: starvation, disease, and predators. They grow closer while trying to survive and discover that mending their broken pasts is just as difficult, if not more so, than surviving in the rainforest.
Whiteout By Adriana Anders
Angel Smith has had enough of Antarctica and is ready to move on with her life. However, on what was supposed to be her last day, the research station was attacked. Glaciologist Ford Cooper and Angel had a narrow escape…only to realize that there are no safe places left to go in such a remote location.
The outside world is relying on Ford and Angel for answers, but as their pursuers close in and their partnership ignites, they will both do whatever it takes to stay alive.
Midnight Rainbow by Linda Howard
Granted, Sullivan was one of the government’s top agents, but he still had his reservations about rescuing Jane Hamilton Greer- a socialite with potential ties to espionage. However, as they spent more time together it became clear that their different backgrounds didn’t matter as love begins to grow.
Heart Of Fire by Linda Howard
Jillian Sherwood was an archeologist who believed in lost city myths- one of which included a red diamond that was once home to female warriors. To prove her theory, she put up with anything- including the company of Ben Lewis.
Jillian remained resolute when he demanded to know where they were headed upstream in the uncharted rainforests. Little did either of them know what awaited them: an adventure into the dangers of passion and betrayal that would leave them both resolved to face their fates together, surrounded by the eternal mysteries of love.
Dancing On Coal by Ellen O’Connell
Katherine Grant was relieved to escape from the robbers, only to realize she may have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The highwaymen, in this case, were that frying pan; the attractive young Apache who rescued her was the raging fire. And Gaetan? He might just be the coals.
Coerced into putting up with Katherine’s company, Gaetan tries to deny what his eyes could see—the white woman has a man’s temper and a lion’s valiance. She has an Apache heart. But when their bond turns to love, can they admit it? Can they bear the consequences?
Cover Of Night by Linda Howard
In the idyllic rural town of Trail Stop, Idaho which is accessible from the outside world by only one road, young widow Cate Nightingale lives peaceably with her four-year-old twin boys running a bed and breakfast. With the help of local jack-of-all-trades Calvin Harris, they always manage to make ends meet.
Cate, Calvin, and their entire community find themselves cut off and alone with no means to call for help as a deadly threat gathers intensity and first blood is drawn. As reticent Cal, an unusual character becomes a lionhearted protector, Cate attempts the most dramatic move of her life…
The Road Back to Us written by K. Webster
Caroline Harrison has finally had enough. After being in an unhappy marriage for eight years, she wants to end it. Her workaholic husband, Bentley, only cares about his career and not her.
When, in a bizarre twist, a snowstorm catches them off guard, they find themselves in an accident without any possibility of help shortly. At one point, their love was all they needed to survive. Will they find the love they lost before it’s too late?
Conclusion
Whether it’s a dangerous investigation, an impossible relationship, or a hidden mystery, there’s something for every adventure lover in survival romance books. These page-turners are designed to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, and the list above should give you a good idea of what your next exciting read could be. However, if nothing caught your attention yet, check out our romance books category: there’s plenty more of love affairs to choose from!