I love fast-paced books with strong female characters. Romance or at least romantic elements aren't a must for me,  but I tend to gravitate toward books with a romantic sub-plot. I love character driven stories,  but I think there needs to be a healthy dose of action as well. My writing reflects my cynical nature and I love to pepper my work with sarcasm. A little profanity and sexual tension doesn't hurt,  either. ;)