Silhouette Intimate Moments – Series History and Facts
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Silhouette Intimate Moments was one of the flagship romance lines published by Silhouette Books, a North American romance publisher that became part of Harlequin Enterprises. The line was created to feature longer, more sensual contemporary romances, with an increasing emphasis on romantic suspense during the 1990s.
Publication History
| Period | Event |
| June 1983 | Silhouette Intimate Moments launches with #1, Dreams of Evening by Kristin James. The first month included four launch titles. |
| 1983–late 1980s | Initially published contemporary romances with stronger sensuality than the standard Silhouette Romance line. Authors included Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz (as Stephanie James), and many others. |
| Early–mid 1990s | The line gradually shifted toward romantic suspense, military heroes, law enforcement, bodyguards, undercover agents, and action-driven plots while maintaining a strong romance focus. |
| 1996–2006 | Became one of the premier homes for romantic suspense authors including Suzanne Brockmann, Carla Cassidy, Marilyn Pappano, Linda Castillo, B.J. Daniels, and many others. |
| Oct. 2006 – Jan. 2007 | Books carried both Silhouette Intimate Moments and Silhouette Romantic Suspense branding during a transition period. |
| February 2007 | The imprint officially became Silhouette Romantic Suspense. Numbering continued uninterrupted, indicating it was a renaming rather than a new series. |
| 2010 onward | Following Harlequin’s retirement of the Silhouette name, the line evolved into Harlequin Romantic Suspense. |
Editorial Identity
The line developed a recognizable editorial style:
- Contemporary settings
- More explicit sensuality than many category romances of the 1980s
- Strong heroines with established careers
- Alpha or protective heroes
- Increasing emphasis on:
- FBI/CIA
- military special forces
- police detectives
- private investigators
- bodyguards
- serial-killer and espionage plots
By the late 1990s it was arguably the leading category line for romantic suspense.
Collecting
Collectors often organize the books by:
- publication number
- publication month
- author
- continuity/mini-series
Notable Authors
Among the many writers who published in the line were:
- Nora Roberts
- Jayne Ann Krentz (as Stephanie James)
- Suzanne Brockmann
- Carla Cassidy
- Linda Castillo
- Marilyn Pappano
- Kathleen Creighton
- Ruth Langan
- Linda Turner
- B.J. Daniels
- Karen Templeton
- Christine Scott
- Sally Tyler Hayes
- Vickie Taylor