This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.
One of my favorite parts of writing romantic suspense isn’t the explosions, the conspiracies, or even the slow-burn kisses.
It’s the women.
The heroines who run when they’re afraid.
Who fight when they’re hurt.
Who fall in love when it would be safer not to.
Over the years, I’ve written women who’ve been betrayed, hunted, underestimated, and broken open by love in the middle of chaos. And somewhere between the danger and the devotion, they’ve learned a few things about surviving—and about loving—when the stakes are high.
So today, I thought I’d let them speak.
If my heroines could step out of the pages for a moment, here’s what they might tell you.
1. Trust your instincts. They notice danger before your heart does.
Every one of my heroines learns this the hard way.
That quiet unease in your chest.
That pause before you say yes.
That moment when something feels off but you can’t explain why.
Instinct isn’t fear. It’s wisdom.
In love and in life, pay attention to what your body knows before your brain tries to talk you out of it.
2. Love should make you braver, not smaller.
None of my heroines fall in love because they’re rescued.
They fall in love because someone sees their strength and refuses to dim it.
The right person won’t ask you to shrink.
They won’t silence your voice.
They won’t make you choose between who you are and who you love.
If love asks you to disappear, it isn’t love.
3. Survival doesn’t mean you stop believing in romance.
Danger has a way of hardening people.
It teaches you to guard your heart.
To expect betrayal.
To prepare for loss.
But every one of my heroines learns this truth: surviving doesn’t mean closing yourself off forever.
You’re allowed to hope again.
You’re allowed to want again.
You’re allowed to fall in love even after everything.
Especially after everything.
4. Choose the partner who stands beside you, not in front of you.
Protector heroes get a lot of attention in my books, but the best ones know when to shield—and when to step back.
The right partner won’t fight your battles for you.
They’ll fight with you.
They’ll respect your competence.
Trust your decisions.
And believe you’re capable of surviving your own story.
That kind of love lasts longer than any happily-ever-after.
5. You are stronger than the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.
Every heroine I’ve written carries scars.
Some visible.
Some hidden.
Some still healing.
And every one of them learns this:
Your past does not disqualify you from happiness.
Your trauma does not make you unlovable.
Your survival is proof of your strength, not your weakness.
Love doesn’t arrive because you’re perfect.
It arrives because you’re still standing.
6. When the moment comes… choose courage.
There’s always a moment in every romantic suspense story.
The moment when everything is at risk.
When the truth must be told.
When love could be lost.
And in that moment, my heroines choose courage.
Not because they aren’t afraid.
But because love, safety, and self-respect matter more than fear.
And honestly?
That might be the best advice of all.
A Final Thought from Your Fictional Survival Team
If my heroines could leave you with one last piece of advice, it would be this:
You deserve a love that sees your strength.
You deserve a partner who trusts your power.
You deserve a story where you survive—and get the happiness, too.
After all…
Happily-ever-afters hit harder after chaos. 🖤
Thanks for joining me on Ink & Intrigue, where romance and suspense go hand in hand.
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Want more behind-the-scenes content, writing tips, or a peek into my books? Visit sheilakell.com or follow me on social media at @sheilakellbooks.
Until next time—keep writing, keep swooning, and remember: every heart has a secret. 💕