Who doesn’t love a good romance novel, am I right? Romance novels draw you in, making you believe that true love is possible and that it can withstand anything. While this is a love that many can only dream of, romance novels are popular and a good source of entertainment for those who enjoy living vicariously.
We have created a list of the best contemporary romance novels, including reviews, to make choosing your next book easier. So, whether you are looking for a book about lesbian love, or the usual meet-cute story of an unlikely couple, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Let’s look at the best contemporary romance novels based on popular reviews and recommendations.
Best Contemporary Romance Novels
It Happened One Summer: A Novel
USA Today’s bestselling author Tessa Bailey brings us a romance novel that will have you in stitches. When spoiled rich-girl Piper Bellinger and her sister are cut off from their fortune and exiled to small-town Washington by their stepfather, they move to Westport to try their hand at everyday life.
In what can only be hilariously described as a “Schitt’s Creek” type situation, the sisters must pay their way, creating many funny situations. However, life is no walk in the park once they settle in, and Piper’s dreams are soon thwarted when she meets a man that would not usually pique her interest.
While she dreams of meeting and falling in love with a wealthy doctor, her hopes are dashed as she meets fisherman Brendan. Handsome and brooding, yet the polar opposite of what Piper wants in a man, the chemistry between the two is undeniable. Finally, Piper gives in to her feelings, and just as a relationship between the two starts to develop, she gets an opportunity to go back to L.A. and the carefree, luxurious life she had before.
Will she leave the small yet likable town that has begun to feel like home, or will she flee? And, more importantly, is Brendan a good enough reason to stay? Follow this gripping tale of choosing between love and riches by clicking the link.
Choose from hardcover, paperweight, or Kindle format and enjoy this love story with a difference that will have you hooked as you race to find out if love is the ultimate winner in a world where money talks.
Meant to Be: A Novel
This against-all-odds love story will have you ditching the chores to keep reading. Set in 1967, New York Times bestseller Emily Griffin’s much-anticipated novel “Meant to Be will” enthrall you from the very first page.
The sixties were a great time to be in love, and Griffin captures this era perfectly with her description of how life was back then. So, travel back in time and follow along as Emily Griffin’s new novel “Meant to Be” explores the age-old pairing of rich vs. poor as a love match.
An unlikely match, the novel centers around playboy heir Joe Kingsley III who has to fill his father’s shoes after inheriting not only the family’s legacy but their wealth too, and Cate Cooper, a small-town nobody. She finds herself on billboards and magazine covers when she is discovered by modeling scouts at 16 while escaping her troubled childhood.
There is an instant connection between the two when they meet, but as they start dating and becoming more serious, life’s challenges intervene, and soon they wonder if they are heading for disaster as their respective pasts catch up with them. Will their relationship survive the spotlight, a family curse, and Joe’s family demands?
To find out how the story ends, click on the link and choose from one of our available formats, including Kindle, to see how these youngsters fare in the game of love and life.
Book Lovers
For Nora Stephens, the only things that truly matter in life are books and her little sister, Libby. So, taking a break from her job as a tough literary agent in the city, Nora and Libby embark on a sister’s vacation in small-town Sunshine falls.
Dreams of picnics and meeting handsome doctors are all Nora wants; these are quickly squashed as she meets a book editor from the city. While she has built herself up in her career and love life, the introduction of Charlie Lastra soon throws her for a loop and has her questioning her values and beliefs on love and life.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry explores the love-life of heroine Nora, who has created the best possible life for herself and Libby, as she navigates love and everything that goes with it when she meets Charlie. But will their love be enough to sustain the persona they have created for themselves, or will it destroy them?
No relationship can survive when it is marred by secrets and lies, no matter how hard a couple tries. Will this time be different? Purchase this book by clicking on the link and choose from hardcover, paperback, audio, or Kindle format to find out just what happens between Nora and Charlie and if they find their happily ever after together.
The Summer of No Attachments: A Novel
Leaving a dead-end relationship can be one of the most freeing things and is precisely what vet Ivery Anders does in this charming love story by author Lori Foster. Confiding in her assistant and best friend, Hope Mage, she plans a carefree, uncomplicated summer focusing on flings and living life. But just as she gets a grasp on life and plans to focus on short summer flings rather than serious relationships, her world gets turned upside down as she meets someone.
Enter Corbin Meyer and his son Justin, and Ivery’s idyllic life is thrown a curveball that sees her falling head over heels in love with a man she just met. On the other hand, Hope has a scarred, painful past that has her seeing the absolute worst in men and never trying new relationships. Avoiding love and warning Ivery to do the same, Hope has all but given up on true love.
That is until she meets Corbin’s older brother Lang and has to choose between being alone for the rest of her life or giving love a try one more time. Will he be the one to change Hope’s perception of love? And will Ivery and Corbin end up together? You will have to read the book to find out what happens between the two couples and if love wins the war against Hope’s fears and past hurt.
Click on the link to be directed to the online store where you can choose between a hardcover, paperback, audio format, or Kindle download for your reading convenience. The perfect love story for a rainy day, this book will intrigue you and keep you hooked from the very beginning. Who knows, maybe it will change your perception of love, too.
Dance Away with Me: A Novel
A story of womanhood and the healing power of love. This is the best way to describe the new novel by New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips. The story introduces us to Tess Hartsong, a newly widowed midwife, as she escapes to Runaway Mountain to grieve the loss of her husband.
As she dreams of starting a new life, away from the pain of loss and heartbreak, Tess finds solace and comfort in this small town and seems to be doing quite well in rebuilding her life. But, as always, drama is not far behind, and Tess soon faces something she never thought she would again. Gone are the dreams and expectations she had when moving to Runaway Mountain as an unlikely stranger crosses her path.
The last thing Tess expects is to meet Ian North, an artist with a baby that suddenly throws her life into upheaval. The book explores the ups and downs of living in a town where she feels she does not fit in a while navigating a relationship that she is not sure she is ready for.
Will she stay and build a new life with Ian and his baby, or will she flee again in fear of having her heart broken again? Find out how the story ends by clicking on the link to buy this romantic novel for your Kindle or in hardcover, paperback, and audiobook format.
The One I Want: A Neighbors to Lovers Office Romance
Office romances are tricky—especially when that romance is between you and your sexy boss. S.L. Scott is the New York Times bestselling author of this romantic novel that explores the dangers and thrills of office romance. So, what could possibly go wrong when your new neighbor also happens to be your boss?
From flirting and kissing to a “friends with benefits” relationship that sees the lead character soon embroiled in a full-blown office romance, this book has it all. With sexy love scenes and graphic details, you will feel like you are watching the romance play out in front of you. But how long can the lovers keep it up?
Just as everything seems to be going well, things start changing, and soon the seemingly innocent office romance is threatened by outside forces. When both parties have a secret, will the relationship survive? Or will it see the situation blow up for both of them?
Will love be enough to save the relationship once the cards are on the table and the couple finds out whatever the other is hiding, or is it so bad that it will put an untimely end to their love? To find out the answer and see if the seemingly domed couple will survive, you can click on the link to be redirected to the online store where you can purchase this book in Kindle or paperback format.
Read Between the Lines: A Ms. Right Novel
Is lesbian love trickier than a heterosexual relationship? Or is it easier to be with someone of the same sex that understands how a woman’s mind works? Unfortunately, it seems that no relationship is truly safe from drama, as we find out in award-winning author Rachel Lacey’s new novel.
When young bookstore owner Rosie meets lesbian romance author Brie online, sparks fly, and there is an instant connection that sees the two falling in love. But Brie is not who she says she is and hides a secret that could ruin Rosie’s life.
Enter property developer Jane Breslin who suddenly ends the lease for the bookstore Rosie inherited from her mother in downtown Manhattan as the family-owned development business and has far more illustrious plans for the humble site that has been Rosie’s sanctuary for the past few years.
Facing eviction, Rosie is confused as she feels there is chemistry between herself and Jane. However, things soon come crashing down when it is revealed that Jane is, in fact, author Brie. Is love enough for Rosie as she has to choose between her only connection to her mother and the woman she loves?
Available as a hard or soft cover or in Kindle format, this book guarantees to be a page-turner from the beginning. So, click on the link to purchase this book today and enjoy a romance novel that focuses on a different kind of love.
Conclusion
Escape the humdrum of your everyday life by losing yourself in some of the best contemporary romance novels we have reviewed above. Choose from a host of love stories that will keep you hooked and entertained from the very first page.
We hope that you enjoy these books and choose the right one to keep you on your toes in guessing who will end up with who and if love indeed does win at the end of the day. These books are all available online from Amazon.com and are available in a variety of formats for your reading pleasure.