My 11 Favorite Contemporaries

My favorite romance novels in the contemporary genre. As with favorite movies, they’re not ranked but organized alphabetically by title and there’s 11 instead of 10 and I’ve summarized as much as I can. You may notice I have a thing for Jennifer Crusie’s books.

The list of my favorite historical romance novels is coming tomorrow!

Bad Boys Do by Victoria Dahl

Book Two in Donovan series

Published October 2011

A really fun book that takes what is essentially a “bad boy meets good girl” set-up and enriches it. It’s about people who are more than the labels they’ve been given learning how to just be themselves and be together. Jamie and Olivia are a really cute couple.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Published February 2004

So. Good. A classic, even according to Smart Bitches TrashyBooks. “Cranky accountant” Min and “charm boy” Cal rub each other the wrong way because of a misunderstanding over a bet, but fate keeps throwing them together. There’s a great ensemble cast, too, and an interesting theme as people debate over theories of love: fairy tale, chaos theory, chemical reactions, etc. This book is almost worth it for the descriptions of food and shoes alone. BONUS for musical-theatre geeks like me: Stephen Sondheim gets mentioned. And sung.

Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

Published May 2001

Nell’s boss divorced her, so she needs a new job. She gets one as a secretary at a small private detective firm, where she bickers and banters with and fights attraction to her new boss, Gabe. A mashup of noir and screwball comedy with a retro feel? Yes, please.

Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

Sequel to Welcome to Temptation (see below)

Published August 2002

I never expected to like a book about art forgery and con men so much. Tilda and Davy meet in a screwball comedy situation: they’re burgling the same house at the same time. Actually, this whole book is a screwball comedy. Tilda tries to stay in control of her crazy family, Davy tries to woo Tilda or at least get her to loosen up, Tilda’s family does crazy things regardless of Tilda’s efforts, there is awful sex and amazing sex, and everything just keeps building up.

Flirting with Disaster by Ruthie Knox

Book Three in Camelot series

Published June 10, 2013

Stuttering hero. Katie thinks Sean hates her, because he won’t talk to her, but the reader soon learns it’s actually that he can’t. I thought it was such an interesting characteristic, and so well-handled, but of course the book is more than that. Together, Katie and Sean move forward through past misunderstandings and through their individual hurts and issues.

Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

Published May 3, 2012

Violet is Elizabeth’s best friend. Martin is Elizabeth’s fiancé. Martin and Violet loathe each other. When Elizabeth discovers a surprise on her birth certificate, and flies to Australia to work things out, Violet and Martin try to deal with what happened. Martin is genuinely hurt by the dissolution of their relationship, and wants to talk to Elizabeth, but Violet tries to protect her friend. Somehow, even when Elizabeth gone, fate keeps throwing them together and they discover that what is between them isn’t loathing after all. Violet and Martin have INSANELY hot chemistry together, and the unlikely plot works out in a fascinating way. What’s even more interesting is that Elizabeth’s book, Hot Island Nights, takes place simultaneously and so if you read both books you can see certain scenes from two points of view.

Her Secret Thrill by Donna Kauffman

Published December 2001

Natalie and Jake meet in an awkward situation—their mutual friends hook up and leave them stranded at a party. But they discover something between them that night. They both travel frequently, so they plan to have a casual affair whenever their paths cross. But of course, they’re so amazing together that soon each wants more, though they would never tell the other. Jake and Natalie really are amazing together, and get gratifyingly playful and creative. When they’re apart, the story is a little thin, but that just makes you want them together more.

Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl

Book Three in Donovan series

Published November 2011

Eric used his brother Jamie’s bad boy reputation (as in, Jamie from Bad Boys Do, above) to attract Beth into a one night stand. The truth comes out at the start of the book. That sounds like an awful setup, but things work out, and Beth and Eric acknowledge their smoking-hot chemistry even while dealing with Eric’s really poor choice. Beth is one of my favorite heroines. She owns an adult store and she’s so positive about sexuality, and I really appreciate the book’s emphasis of such positive views.

Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox

Published February 13, 2012.

I am, to say the least, not a fan of simple wheeled vehicles and traveling and being outside for more than thirty minutes at a time. So I didn’t expect to love a book about traveling cross-country on bikes. But it happened. Tom and Lexie get a really interesting twist on the “enforced proximity” storyline. (Not sure if that’s the phrase I want, but you know what I mean.)

Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins

Published February 2009

I usually don’t enjoy first-person romances, but it’s a lot tamer than what I normally read so my main issue with first-person romance isn’t an issue. I also don’t like liars, but Grace is so funny and so relatable. Since Grace is the narrator, you get to know her a lot better than the hero, Cal; Grace’s job as a high-school history teacher and her volunteering at the nursing home really come to life and make her very real. Her unlikely romance with the guy next door, who happens to have just gotten out of jail, and her personal growth (probably not a spoiler: the lies become an issue) makes me cry at the end. In a good way.

Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

Published March 2000

The book that got me into romance novels. Gorgeous, kinky preppy Phin gets straitlaced, uptight Sophie to loosen up. When they can just be together, they’re amazing. Otherwise, Phin is the mayor of Temptation, OH and Sophie is involved with a movie being filmed there that could turn out to be trouble. There’s all kinds of small-town political things at work, and even a murder. So it gets complicated, and Phin and Sophie have lots to deal with. But, of course, it all works out in the end. In this case, it works out very well indeed.