Contemporary romance is romance set in the present day, in a world that looks like ours: offices, group chats, family weddings and bad dates. It's the largest romance subgenre, and the hardest to browse because it covers everything from laugh-out-loud rom-coms to quiet, emotional stories. This list sorts fourteen well-reviewed picks by the mood you're in.
Book descriptions are paraphrased from the sources linked below. All picks are adult romance.
What counts as contemporary romance
Wikipedia defines contemporary romance as romance set around the time it was written, reflecting the norms of its period. It's the biggest slice of the genre. In a 2014 Romance Writers of America reader survey, it accounted for 41% of print and 44% of ebook romance sales compared with other subgenres.
Because the setting is familiar, contemporary romance leans on tropes and voice to stand out. The same office can hold a banter-filled rivalry or a slow, careful love story. Our romance tropes list explains the most common shapes.
Rivals and banter
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Two coworkers at a publishing company openly can't stand each other, and they're competing for the same promotion. The longer they fight, the less sure they are what the fighting is about. A go-to enemies to lovers workplace pick.
Take the Lead by Alexis Daria
A professional dancer on a competition show is paired with a reality star who doesn't want to be there. Their rivalry on the dance floor turns into chemistry.
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
Two rival dating-app founders spend one night together; one ghosts the other. Months later, he's back and wants more than a night.
Fake dating and arrangements
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
The son of a rock star needs a respectable fake boyfriend to clean up his tabloid image, so he recruits a very serious lawyer. Real feelings follow.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Alexa agrees to be a stranger's fake date to his ex's wedding. Afterward, they try to make something real work over a long distance.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The son of the U.S. president and a British prince are public rivals who have to fake a friendship for the cameras, and secretly fall for each other.
Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
An assistant and her Hollywood boss are rumored to be dating after a misread red-carpet moment. The rumor forces them to ask whether there's something real underneath.
Comfort reads with heart
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
After a near-death experience, Chloe writes a list of ways to live more boldly and recruits her neighbor to help. Getting to know him beyond his image changes the list.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Stella, a gifted mathematician who is autistic, hires an escort to help her practice relationships. The arrangement becomes something neither of them planned.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
A wealthy party girl is sent to the Pacific Northwest to help run her late father's bar with her sister, and clashes with a local sea captain.
Family, culture and expectations
Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo
A Nigerian woman promised her family she'd marry a Nigerian man. Then she falls for a man who isn't, and has to choose.
Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu
Tina travels from New York to Delhi for a cousin's wedding, where family pressure, an old flame and her own uncertain future collide.
Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho
Andrea, a successful thirty-something lawyer, is pressured to marry. Her family approves of one man, while her work rival might be the one she actually wants.
The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
Layla moves home under her father's watchful eye and has to share an office with a CEO, while a parade of potential matches competes for her attention.
How to choose your next contemporary romance
- Pick the trope first. Rivals, fake dating and second chance feel very different, even in the same city.
- Check the heat level. Contemporary romance runs from closed-door to explicit; reviews usually say.
- Try a series. Many contemporary authors write connected books about friends or siblings, so one favorite leads to several more.
Write your own contemporary romance
Three original prompts with adult characters, non-explicit:
- Two rival food-truck owners are assigned neighboring spots at a festival and must share one generator.
- A wedding planner's ex books her for his wedding, and his fiancée insists on her.
- Two strangers keep receiving each other's grocery deliveries and start leaving notes in the bags.
For more, see our slow burn prompts and the full romance books guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good contemporary romance to start with?
For banter and rivalry, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne; for something warm and funny, Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. Both are on the list above.
How is contemporary romance different from other romance subgenres?
It's set in the time it was written, so the world is familiar. Historical romance moves the story into the past, while fantasy and paranormal romance add magic or the supernatural.
Are contemporary romance books explicit?
It varies from closed-door to explicit. Reviews and author websites usually state the heat level.
Sources
- Contemporary romance — Wikipedia; definition and sales share; checked October 9, 2026.
- 16 of the Best Contemporary Romance Novels Since 2016 — Book Riot, Mariela Santos Muñiz, August 18, 2021; source for the book descriptions; checked October 9, 2026.
Related articles
Our editorial approach
Be My Story publishes these guides and selected industry news. We check factual claims against linked sources, attribute company statements, and label our analysis. Send corrections through Support.
Explore Be My Story
Discover romance and drama stories shaped by your words in the mobile app.