Smitten by Books

36 Replies to “What do you think of contemporary romance books?!”

1. I’ve always read both contemporaries and historicals. I started with Nora Roberts’ early category romances and then branched out to full-length novels. Some great contemporary writers are Judith McNaught, Julie James, Rachel Gibson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lisa Kleypas and the aforementioned Nora Roberts.

2. I have read a few contemporary novels. Some have been suspense and my friend will read contemporary. Then she would tell me to read it. I normally do cause she said it was good.

3. I read both contemporaries and historicals. Some of my favorite contemporary authors are Kristan Higgins, Julie James, Lori Wilde, Nora Roberts, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, and Robyn Carr.

4. My main read is historical, but I will read some contemporary and paranormal when the book looks like something I might like. Give me a Lora Leigh book and I am a happy girl. The breed series of course. I can’t wait to see what Beverley does with a contemporary book.

5. I usually read a lot of historical but there are some wonderful authors who write both contemp and historical. Lisa Kleypas does it beautifully and Victoria Dahl has romances in both genres that I love.

   One that I’ve gotten really into in contemp. is Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series that’s heavy on the romance with a dash of suspense thrown in (without vampires or goblins or anything paranormal). Oh, and Katie Lane’s Texas series is amazing as well.

   I would love to try out a contemp from Bev too 😛

6. I am an avid reader and read all types of books. I have read several contemporaries and enjoyed them. Sandra Brown, Susan Mallery and Fern Michaels are my favorite writers of contemporary romance.

7. I like to read contemporaries. Some of my favorite contemporary authors are Jill Shalvis, Lori Wilde, Carly Phillips, Jane Porter, Sherryl Woods, Rachel Gibson and Lauren Dane.

8. I read all fictional genres but horror. I love contemporaries.

9. So I thought I would pose the question to you readers. DO YOU OR WOULD YOU READ contemporaries? If you don’t read contemporaries what do you read? Comment and be entered to win an advance copy of WILLOW SPRINGS by Toni Blake.

   I actually read contemporaries over historicals, and I’ve only just started reading historicals over the last 4 or 5 months. I enjoy both. I don’t care for suspense, paranormal, killers, murder mysteries, fairies or what have you because I find it a bit distracting from the love story. I know there’s only so much you can wring out of the “boy meets girl” story line, but genre blending in not my thing. (I do like a good stand alone mystery, though.)

10. I’m a huge fan of contemporaries and especially Victoria Dahl, Julie James, Susan Andersen and Jill Shalvis.

11. I read both contemporaries and historicals, I like to mix it up some so I don’t get bored reading the same thing. Love Toni Blakes books so would love to win this one.

12. I’m with you. I love a good contemporary. I’m a big fan of Sherryl Woods, Emily March, Jill Shalvis and Robyn Carr. There are some writers who do vampires and werewolves well, but I’ll stick with my relationship based stories. Life has plenty of twists and turns without adding unicorns into the mix!

13. I read contemporary romance, historical romance, Rex Stout (Nero Wolfe series), Erle Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason series), and sometimes inspirational romance (Sharlene MacLaren). I like some mysteries (Kathy Reichs, Donna Andrews, Susan Kandel, M.C. Beaton, Sue Grafton), too.

14. I mostly read historical, paranormal and science fiction romance, but I do read contemporaries when the mood strikes, especially if there’s a mystery involved, some paranormal elements, etc. I’ve read several great contemporaries recently on my iPhone, it’s great for those times when I have to wait somewhere, like the doctor’s office, or car wash.

15. They are my fav to read so great hot stories wiht humor and sexy men whoo love toni’s books
    thanks

16. Contemporaries are my 2nd fav. genre next to historicals. Unfortunately I’m too chicken to write historicals so I’m trying my hand at contemporaries. I understand the need to move beyond the suspense subplot and that is why I love Jennifer Cruisie and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Both women know how to write some awesome contemporary.
    I’ve read Victoria Dahl (like), Jill Shalvis (like), Lisa Kleypas (like), Nora Roberts (iffy for me), Shannon Stacy (like), and Julie James. I’m a sucker for the story without the suspense, but it’s gotta be really good. No wacky misunderstandings and I want good character growth.

    Looking forward to Bev’s take on the entire thing. 🙂

17. I read contemporaries.

18. Fun to see the responses!
    I read contemporary, though it is near the bottom of my preference list. There have been some that I really enjoyed, but compared to a good historical? I will pick historical any day.

19. I read many romance sub-genres, including contemporaries. Some of my favorite authors who write contemporaries are Julie James, Lisa Kleypas, Kristan Higgins, Carly Phillips and Jill Shalvis.

20. I love romance and its sub genres. I like to mix it up, just so I don’t get tired on one type. I like the HEA. When I want just a plain old contemporary I’ll pick up a Harlequin or Erin McCarthy, Jill Shalvia, Maya Banks, Sandra Brown or tops Nora Roberts.

21. Wow, I’m really looking forward to a contemporary romance by Beverely! I love her historicals and I think she’d be great at contemporaries too!

    I love reading contemporary romances. I read them before I ever read historicals. Now I love reading both!

22. I read most genre except horror and most erotica. My preference is historical romance but I enjoy contemporary, suspense, and paranormal books. I like there to be a bit more to the story than just a relationship. I want more than just the romance from a story. I want to learn something and escape from the everyday world I live in. I can watch my neighbors, friends, and children if I want to see sweet romance and heartbreak. Hopefully, the vampire and shapeshifter won’t live next door and neither will the undercover operative or serial killer. I can meet them in books and that is the only way I want to encounter most of them. Reading romance is an pleasant escape, so it doesn’t have to be everyday real. That isn’t to say I don’t enjoy a normal contemporary romance story. I do and have enjoyed many of them. Different books for different moods.

    Thanks for the giveaway. It will make someone happy.

23. I like contemporaries. I don’t read them as much as historicals, but enjoy mixing it up every once in a while. Sometimes you just need to get away from the ball rooms and titles and rules and relate to something in the now.

24. I’ve read 1 contemporary romance novel in the past year — it was the collaboration between Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan: A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man.

    I think contemporaries have their own appeal — but the escapist in me really enjoys historical novels more. ^_^

25. I read a variety of genres. I think I read historical romance the most but I read contemporaries too. I like to read settings from around the country which feels a bit like a road trip.

26. I am not exactly into contemporaries, but I did read a couple of Jennifer Crusie books and appreciated them. I usually read classic historicals, especially set in the regency and victorian periods. I also read some romantic suspence by Amanda Quick now and then.

27. I ONLY READ CONTEMPORARIES. Occasionally I will read a general fiction or western historical. But yes authors, keep writing those contemporaries.

    I love Toni’s books, so this is a wonderful giveaway.

28. I read almost everything. I don’t have a preference. It depends on what kind of mood I’m in what I’ll read, it could be a contemporary, historical, mystery, western, inspirational. For contemporary authors, I have read and liked Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl, Jill Shalvis and Carly Phillips.

29. I prefer and primarily read historical romances mostly set in the 19th century. I do like the recent interest by authors to write more set in the early 20th century too. If I read a contemporary book, it will probably be mystery/suspense/thriller with romantic elements. That’s not to say I won’t read other things. In fact, right now I’m reading ‘Dancing Naked in Dixie’ by Lauren Clark, a women’s fiction book….so far it’s pretty good. I recently received a free copy of Lauren’s first book ‘Stay Tuned’ that also looks pretty good. So, it is a change up for me and I am enjoying dangling my toe in the water.

30. I usually read historical romances but I enjoy Marie Force and her contemporary romance books

31. I enjoy them but have always felt like they have to work harder to really grab me. It’s rare for a contemporary to be a 5 or even 4 star read for me. Perhaps it’s because the stakes aren’t generally as high and they don’t generate the level of drama I enjoy.

32. Please do not enter me. I don’t read contemporaries because I don’t like them at all. I like to go back in time to escape the real world; that’s why I read historicals.

33. I enjoy historicals and contemporaries. However recently there were fewer and fewer contemps to pick from. Everyone was switching to writing paranormals and suspense books ie:Elizabeth Lowell, Sandra Brown, Heather Graham, VLT, Lyndsay Sands…

    Favs: Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs,Jill Shalvis,,SEP,Lisa Kleypas, Rachel Gibson, Sheryl Woods,Diana Palmer

34. I don’t gravitate towards Contemporaries because i

35. I don’t gravitate towards Contemporaries because I love Historical reads. But I do love reading Contemporaries by Carly Phillips, Lisa Kleypas,Toni Blake,Cynthia Eden.Susan Wiggs and Debbie Macomber.
    Carol L.
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

36. I only read historicals, because they allow me to escape to a a more beautiful gentile way of living, if you were wealthy and titled of course! I love Lisa Kleypas historical romances so I intend to try her contemporaries sometime, but I never seem to get around to it!

Comments are closed.