Best Ever Contemporary Romance Books

Vote for the all-time best contemporary romance novel.


**** a contemporary romance being a full length novel set in modern times that is almost entirely focused on the romance.

(i.e. it's NOT a romantic suspense, historical romance or a paranormal romance, etc!)

1

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3.94 avg rating — 94,897 ratings
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2

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3.82 avg rating — 470,314 ratings
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3

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 69,179 ratings
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4

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4.12 avg rating — 48,064 ratings
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5

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4.03 avg rating — 43,823 ratings
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6

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4.17 avg rating — 69,108 ratings
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7

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4.16 avg rating — 1,817,623 ratings
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8

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4.15 avg rating — 37,627 ratings
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9

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4.08 avg rating — 32,875 ratings
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10

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4.14 avg rating — 42,831 ratings
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11

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4.18 avg rating — 40,026 ratings
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12

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3.91 avg rating — 45,545 ratings
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13

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4.08 avg rating — 26,325 ratings
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14

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4.30 avg rating — 36,579 ratings
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15

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 705,099 ratings
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16

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3.94 avg rating — 63,550 ratings
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17

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4.16 avg rating — 36,209 ratings
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18

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4.04 avg rating — 35,632 ratings
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19

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4.01 avg rating — 46,083 ratings
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20

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4.20 avg rating — 839,840 ratings
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21

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3.95 avg rating — 32,292 ratings
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22

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3.94 avg rating — 33,953 ratings
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23

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4.04 avg rating — 262,950 ratings
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24

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3.89 avg rating — 606,450 ratings
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25

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4.02 avg rating — 26,608 ratings
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26

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4.10 avg rating — 25,650 ratings
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27

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4.30 avg rating — 25,298 ratings
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28

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4.12 avg rating — 142,859 ratings
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29

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3.86 avg rating — 310,277 ratings
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30

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4.05 avg rating — 37,462 ratings
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31

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,847,203 ratings
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32

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3.99 avg rating — 18,391 ratings
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33

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4.04 avg rating — 394,777 ratings
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34

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3.81 avg rating — 262,402 ratings
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35

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4.06 avg rating — 33,856 ratings
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36

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3.91 avg rating — 20,188 ratings
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37

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3.96 avg rating — 463,440 ratings
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38

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4.16 avg rating — 569,310 ratings
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39

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4.04 avg rating — 615,284 ratings
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40

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3.67 avg rating — 2,820,904 ratings
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41

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3.81 avg rating — 1,015,688 ratings
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42

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4.05 avg rating — 27,005 ratings
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43

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3.79 avg rating — 16,268 ratings
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44

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3.97 avg rating — 21,923 ratings
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45

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3.82 avg rating — 21,296 ratings
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46

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4.13 avg rating — 67,148 ratings
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47

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4.23 avg rating — 63,712 ratings
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48

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3.85 avg rating — 22,320 ratings
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49

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4.12 avg rating — 225,869 ratings
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50

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3.71 avg rating — 798,527 ratings
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51

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3.91 avg rating — 35,304 ratings
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52

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4.01 avg rating — 79,109 ratings
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53

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3.83 avg rating — 904,931 ratings
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54

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3.93 avg rating — 19,564 ratings
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55

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3.94 avg rating — 237,876 ratings
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56

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3.87 avg rating — 14,207 ratings
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57

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3.83 avg rating — 965,120 ratings
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58

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4.05 avg rating — 250,039 ratings
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59

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3.93 avg rating — 14,073 ratings
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60

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4.23 avg rating — 77,392 ratings
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61

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4.15 avg rating — 61,167 ratings
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62

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4.17 avg rating — 89,428 ratings
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63

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4.22 avg rating — 67,949 ratings
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64

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4.13 avg rating — 37,949 ratings
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65

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4.16 avg rating — 18,738 ratings
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66

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3.75 avg rating — 12,781 ratings
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67

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4.21 avg rating — 74,391 ratings
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68

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4.13 avg rating — 21,492 ratings
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69

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3.88 avg rating — 7,998 ratings
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70

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3.98 avg rating — 246,451 ratings
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71

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4.30 avg rating — 12,043 ratings
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72

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3.91 avg rating — 19,157 ratings
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73

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3.80 avg rating — 18,136 ratings
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74

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4.05 avg rating — 166,310 ratings
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75

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4.21 avg rating — 36,801 ratings
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76

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4.33 avg rating — 9,327 ratings
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77

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3.88 avg rating — 11,472 ratings
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78

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4.18 avg rating — 36,119 ratings
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79

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3.89 avg rating — 21,420 ratings
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80

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4.19 avg rating — 36,419 ratings
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81

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4.27 avg rating — 4,465 ratings
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82

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4.13 avg rating — 8,640 ratings
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83

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4.08 avg rating — 14,523 ratings
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84

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4.19 avg rating — 62,897 ratings
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85

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4.21 avg rating — 27,358 ratings
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86

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4.15 avg rating — 204,094 ratings
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87

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4.11 avg rating — 86,683 ratings
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88

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4.01 avg rating — 194,999 ratings
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89

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3.78 avg rating — 15,237 ratings
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90

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3.91 avg rating — 14,217 ratings
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91

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3.86 avg rating — 812,075 ratings
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92

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4.01 avg rating — 13,384 ratings
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93

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4.21 avg rating — 3,756 ratings
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94

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3.94 avg rating — 13,150 ratings
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95

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 169,505 ratings
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96

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4.03 avg rating — 211,596 ratings
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97

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3.94 avg rating — 12,025 ratings
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98

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4.01 avg rating — 180,590 ratings
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99

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3.85 avg rating — 8,930 ratings
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100

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3.82 avg rating — 14,447 ratings
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4,692 books · 8,156 voters · list created June 24th, 2008 by jenjn79 (votes) .
1056 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


jenjn79 3585 books
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 55 (55 new)


message 1: by Eckhard (new)

Eckhard My novel "My Landlady the Lobotomist" would fit into that category. Plus it plays with the conventions of the great works of German romantic literature! I'd vote for my own novel on this one. My Landlady the Lobotomist. Curtis's would be the only other one on the list that even looks literary. And I don't think romance precludes literary merit.


message 2: by [deleted user] (new)

Don't read/like romance novels; voted strictly on the basis of what my patrons seem to like -- likewise on where they appeared on your list!


message 3: by Carol (last edited Oct 29, 2008 08:33PM) (new)

Carol I'm sure your book would be better suited to a superlative in another category. Romance these days (in American lit) usually connotes chicklit. How about most inventive reformation of romance in defiance of the banality of romance in American fiction?


message 4: by Paul (new)

Paul I haven't read a romance novel in years. Having said that, my favorite romance/history book of all time was and still is "Gone With The Wind". IMO,it is a must read of anyone who likes romance novels, and it takes place during a very interesting time period of American history - the Civil War.


message 5: by Cam (new)

Cam There are some books I think that aren't on the list and should be but it's a pretty good range I'd say.


message 6: by Nahid (new)

Nahid Rachlin Haven't read any of the books, sorry. Nahid Rachlin


message 7: by C. (new)

C. McKenzie I'm sort of out of the loop on romance books. Maybe I should try to read one of those, so I'll have something to say. Sorry. Ask me about biographies or historical fiction. Sci-fi as well.


message 8: by Angele (new)

Angele Lolita is a strange inclusion for this list--a serious anti-romance novel, a novel of "abnormal" sensual obsession and intrigue, once considered so shocking that it was banned. This is why I chose it.


message 9: by Anna (new)

Anna For the Roses is a really good book but its historical romance not contemporary.


message 10: by Mohammad (new)

Mohammad Khan.ch. dears,




Very nice books are my best friends and my soul as well. yours, khan.waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!peace to all.""


message 11: by Joseph (new)

Joseph "best EVER contemporary"? That seems like a big contradiction.


message 12: by Hazel (new)

Hazel Lolita? I don't think Nabokov would agree.


message 13: by Nisha (new)

Nisha I didn't read contemporary until I stumbled on Susan Elizabeth Phillip's books. She's currently my idol. There's just a lot of "Bestselling Authors" who can't write. By some god-forsaken reason, their editors let them publish it and the American public actually buys this. How embarrassing!


message 14: by Maree (new)

Maree Wow 12 Jennifer Crusie's. All time favorite!!!


message 15: by Fiona (new)

Fiona McGier My series of contemporary romances is called The Reyes Family Romances, dealing with the romances of the various members of a large Hispanic family. "Never Too Old For The Game Of Love", "Recipe For Love", and "Love By Design" are available now. My personal favorite, "Analysis of Love" will be published in February. I write about strong female characters who are not looking for love, but who can't resist a good-looking man who makes their toes curl. Sparks fly, and good sex leads to real romance. That's what I look for in contemporary romance.


message 16: by [deleted user] (new)

The Ocean Between, would fit into this list. With strong characters and a story that lingers in your heart long after you finished the last page, it's a suggested read.


message 17: by Mir (new)

Mir I think Kingdom of Dreams is a historical.


message 18: by Ceci (new)

Ceci Hi!!! We careful that are a few books in this list that are historical instead of contemporary. I don't know how the process to erase a book from a list is so i'm letting you know! :)


message 19: by [deleted user] (new)

Paul wrote: "I haven't read a romance novel in years. Having said that, my favorite romance/history book of all time was and still is "Gone With The Wind". IMO,it is a must read of anyone who like..."

Oh, I agree and didn't see it on this list, where is it? Most of the stuff here is drivel IMO.


message 20: by [deleted user] (new)

Angele wrote: "Lolita is a strange inclusion for this list--a serious anti-romance novel, a novel of "abnormal" sensual obsession and intrigue, once considered so shocking that it was banned. This is why I chose..."

You make me want to read it. I only saw the movie when I was 13.


message 21: by Mir (new)

Mir "Gone With The Wind". IMO,it is a must read of anyone who like..."

Oh, I agree and didn't see it on this list, where is it? Most of the stuff here is drivel IMO.


Gone With the Wind is not contemporary; it is set during the American Civil War.


message 22: by [deleted user] (new)

Miriam wrote: ""Gone With The Wind". IMO,it is a must read of anyone who like..."

Oh, I agree and didn't see it on this list, where is it? Most of the stuff here is drivel IMO.

Gone With the Wind is not contemp..."


I added it as Pride and Prejudice is also here and not contemporary and also The Thorn Birds. So why not Gone with the Wind? At least it is really good and very romantic.
You will have to go way down the list to vote for it tho since it is now at the bottom. I guess some people are intimated by the length?


message 24: by ValHallaGirl (new)

ValHallaGirl Some of these aren't contemporary.


✿ℎazℯℓ - thℯ ℛock Cℎick ℱairy✿ ^ sooo true. But thank you for the list guys.. i'm trying to read them, as they are recommended to be best ones. =)


message 26: by Ismail (new)

Ismail Sheikh Truly Madly Deeply by Faraaz Kazi


Michelle the Romance Witch theres quite of few on here that shouldnt be... paranormals and historicals alike


message 28: by Kuna (new)

Kuna Separate beds by LaVyrle Spencer and It had to be you by Susan Elizabeth Philips remain the all time favourites.


message 29: by Duchess Nicole (new)

Duchess Nicole I love this genre! To each his own. If you don't like it, don't comment (or vote). What's the point?

Great list! I'm trying to work my way around it one way or the other. I just started reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and was pleasantly surprised.


message 30: by Carol Chan (new)

Carol Chan HOW CAN ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS NOT BE ON HERE?! sorry


message 31: by cflynn (new)

cflynn "Best Ever" has to be the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, hands down.:D


message 32: by cflynn (new)

cflynn I also love most anything by Lora Leigh.:D


message 33: by Julie (new)

Julie There are tons of historical romances listed here, isn't there some way to remove them?


message 34: by Hanae (new)

Hanae I'm on it.


message 35: by Jessica (new)

Jessica I'm a huge sucker for contemporary romance novels!


message 36: by Khate (new)

Khate hi..i need help..

i am looking for a specific book, and it was so stupid of me to forget the title and the name of the author, and i hope someone here could help me..

--the plot goes something like this: a man is searching for a mother for his somewhat unwanted child(someone he will not fall in love with) and his secretary seems to be the perfect candidate. they both agreed that the secretary will take care of the child and will stop from working. (the father is so unattached to the child because the child's birthmother(child is born from a one-night-stand incident) is so messed up and killed herself in an accident after revealing that she is not sure as to whether he is really the child's father or not)<--with this issue, the secretary/wife tries her best to soften the heart of the man towards the child..

..well, the ending: they fell inlove with each other, found out that the man is indeed the real father of the child/daughter..and that the man and the secretary are having a child of their own.


--sorry ,i'm not really good at this..but i hope someone here has read the book and would be able to help me find the tittle or the author.. :D


message 37: by Kimberly (new)

Kimberly Many of my favorite authors are represented here. Want a great contempo romantic series with memorable characters? Read Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, in order if possible. Outstanding!


message 38: by Akriti (new)

Akriti Miriam wrote: "I think Kingdom of Dreams is a historical." it is...


message 39: by bookworm (new)

bookworm I am trying to figure out the name of a book hope someone can help. I first read this book in late 2006 early 2007 and don't think it was new then. It was about a married couple who has three young children and somehow one of them dies, The mom was a nurse at a hospital and something happens to her daughter and her husband can't get a hold of mom and brings daughter to the ER. It seems to me that it was an accident in the yard or house. The couple divorces. Later when the children are grown the couple reunites. The husband owns or runs a book store or a coffee shop. I don't remember the cover I think when the couple reunited it was during the Christmas season.


message 40: by Agatha (new)

Agatha Ruth Cardello "Maid for a Billionaire" is a great book or audio-book.


message 41: by Fem Escape (new)

Fem Escape Ok, why does like the entire first page of this book list have like 'contemporary' books that were written like 10 years ago? Where's the more modern stuff?!


message 42: by Judy (new)

Judy I liked Vivian Sinclair's recent book "Lost in Wyoming". It is a nice romance with a surprise ending.


message 43: by Margaret (new)

Margaret Carmel Evanovich doesn't belong on this list....


message 44: by Leanne (new)

Leanne Where are the rest of the Mackenzie books? They ALL deserve to be on this list! And how can this list not include at least one title by Lindsay McKenna? She is a groundbreaking author in so many ways in contemporary fiction (military fiction and strong female military role model officers) and she certainly should be on this list!!


message 45: by Layla (new)

Layla The Hating Game should be on this list. Sally Thorne


Charlotte Igelkott Removed for not being novels:
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
Accessible Love Stories (short stories)
Hard Wired: A Crash Course in Small College Football
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
My Two Wives and Three Husbands
Laura Meets Jeffrey: Both Sides of an Erotic Memoir
Screw It, Let's Do It: Lessons In Life
Bliss: An Anthology of Novellas
The Masculine Mind: Alpha Male Life Lessons on Careers, Money, Relationships & Women
Whatever Happened To Romance?: A Modern Girls Quest For True Love, One Learning Experience At A Time
A Little Chorus of Love (short stories)
Sexy Bastards Anthology: A Collection of Bad Boy, Biker and Alpha Romance Stories
The Dating Game: Short Stories About the Search for Mr. Right
Finding Your Colors: Fine Art Adult Coloring Book
Beyonce's Heart: Songs Inspired by Beyonce Contribution to Music and Society
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
Sand & Snow: A Novella
Threads of Awen: An Inspired Anthology
Used People - An Unconventional Widow's Story; Embracing Life After Loss of Spouse (not full-length)
Sexy in the City (short stories)
Winter Brides: A Year of Weddings Novella Collection
Royals & Rogues Anthology
Tuesdays with Morrie
White Women, The Sex Black Men Love: Why White Women Is the Choice for Cheating Black Men
The Secret
A Christmas Proposal (not full-length)
Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
A Year of Weddings: Twelve Love Stories


Charlotte Igelkott Removed for not being full-length contemporary romance novels:
Almost Summer
A Dance Through Time
Small Town Christmas
Under the Mistletoe
The Baby Clause
Kiro's Emily
Divorced, Desperate and Dangerous
Be Witched
Fearless: The Heroic Story of One Navy SEAL's Sacrifice in the Hunt for Osama Bin Laden and the Unwavering Devotion of the Woman Who Loved Him
Endless Possibility
Merry Christmas, Baby
Baby, I'm Yours
Fatal Destiny
One Bed for Christmas
The Bronze Horseman
The Summer Garden
A MacKenzie Christmas
Three: Monogamy Multiplied
Christmas in Quincy
12 Daves Of Christmas
Blackbird
Getting Yours
Lovestruck at Christmas
Happily Ever After
Reese - All Along
Honeymoon Angel
Everlasting Love
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Sweetly Smitten: Three Small-Town Love Stories
The Secret Keeper
Dear Bella
Beauty and the Best Man
Her Forever Hero
Love Blooms
Cooking with Passion
The Temporary Wife
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Bliss
Three Weeks With My Brother
For the Love of Armin
Front Row Center's Passion in the Kitchen
Cross My Heart
About That...
Early Dawn
An Indecent Proposition
The Diary of Brad De Luca
SEALed Fate
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Indigo Blue
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Graceling
Almost Broken Up
His Judas Bride
New Year's Eve
Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest
The Hotel New Hampshire
The Wife Between Us
The Secret
In 9 Days
The Party
Mistress Suffragette
Another Woman’s Man
Comanche Magic
Hart's Desire
The Casual Vacancy
Night of the Gypsies
Hiding Places
The Storm
Parent Teacher Association
At the Deep End
Hills View
The Haunted Vagina
The Windflower
An On Dublin Street Christmas
Drunk Text
Across Time
Like a Lily
The Silk Weaver's Daughter
The Girl from the Train
Mai dire amore
Room Number 5
Bronxland
Rubinrot
My Cup of Tea: Summer of Love
Until Fountain Bridge
All Fired Up
Beethoven's Immortal
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Go Set a Watchman
Amore ti odio
Two Kinds of Truth
Laundry Day


Charlotte Igelkott It seems to me that contemporary romance and paranormal romance are not necessarily mutually exclusive, so trying to follow the list creator's intentions as stated in the description will always be an attempt to exercise good judgment rather than a 100% objective process.
That said, if a book has "paranormal", "fantasy" or "science fiction" listed as one of the main genres/most common tags on the book page but not "contemporary" or "contemporary romance" I think we can safely assume it doesn't belong on the list as the description is written.

Hence, I'm removing the following books:
Blood Promise
A Job From Hell
Hush, Hush
Revealing Eden
Twilight
Wicked Appetite
Arielle Immortal Passion
The Academy
I Want You To Want Me
Vampire, Interrupted
The Darkest Kiss
Bloodlines
Sleeping with the Fishes
The Darkest Whisper
The Book Waitress
Ecstasy in Darkness
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
The Elite
Eternal Eden
Trinity
Spirit Bound
City of Lost Souls
Divine Blood
A Love Beyond Time
Bridal Pact
The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor
Kiss of Pride
Collier
Pleasure Unbound
Legacy
Tall, Dark & Hungry
Forever and Always
The Werewolf Whisperer
Wuthering Frights
Wither
Werewolf Love Story: Part Two


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