Rowena: Over the past couple of days, I’ve been reading a lot of posts from other bloggers who are just as worried about the lack of contemporary romance novels around these days as I’ve been. I’ve been itching to read a good, solid romance novel about two people falling in love. Not a human and a vampire, not a human and a werewolf, were-parrot, were-ninja, just two humans falling in love. No paranormal effects, nobody trying to kill them, no mystery to solve, just straight up romance novel stuff between two people that are alive and kicking, falling in love with each other and making me laugh my pants off.
Jane, over at Dear Author poses the question, where have all the good contemporary authors gone? I would like to know the answer to that question as well. She mentions in her post that Publishers say that contemporary novels don’t sell so they’re not buying any contemporary romances. Why the eff not? I buy contemporary novels all the time, I love them. I love authors like Jennifer Crusie, Rachel Gibson and Susan Elizabeth Phillips because they write romance novels for our time. They make me laugh and their heroes are always Alpha and macho and smexy. They write about issues we face today and can relate to, so I guess I want to know, am I the only person out there buying contemporary novels?
Holly: No, Ween, you aren’t the only person buying them – I am too. I love contemps. Absolutely adore them. There’s nothing more appealing to me than a straight up romance – no suspense plot, no paranormal element. Just two people living their lives and falling in love.
Recently I’ve come across some fabulous contemporary romances. Sourcebooks is largely responsible for this. Their fall lineup is chock full of great contemps and I couldn’t be happier about it.
I’ve also seen some that look interesting from Forever and Harlequin, but the sad fact is, they’re few and far between right now. The majority of contemporary novels being released right now are either PNR or RS, excluding category romances (and thank goodness for those!).
Our question to you guys is this:
Do you guys read contemporary novels? Why or why not? What are some of your favorite contemporary authors? What are some of your favorite contemporary novels? Do you want to see more contemporary novels published, or are you ok with PNR and RS being the main attraction?
We also have a poll up on the sidebar. Feel free to vote there as well as leaving us comment.
Best contemporary novel of the year is Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas.
Also, it was reviewed her, Dating da Vinci by Lott and I read it and adores it!
I gotta be honest- I have a difficult time with contemps here of late. The few I pick up- straight contemps, no stalkers or vamps, I find uninspired and boring.
There are a few I’ll follow, SEP is one of them, but too many don’t even blip my radar. I’d rather read lit/fiction before a contemp romance anymore …
I love a good contemporary and try to read one at least once a week with all the other paranormal and historical books that I try to stick in there as well. You’re right, they’re getting harder and harder to find and I think that’s just wrong!
I haven’t had a chance to read much of late. I do like Judy Christenberry, but she’s a category author for the books I’ve found. But since I haven’t been reading as much, I just haven’t had a chance to see the shortage. It’s not the first time I’ve heard it though.
I love contemps and it saddens me that good ones are getting so hard to find. I’m a reader who reads a little bit of everything, but when I get in the mood to just read a plain old contemporary romance it seems I have to hunt to the ends of the earth to find one that I like. Most of the time I get recommendations for some chick litty book, while good its not what I’m looking for.
Some of my favorite contemporary authors are SEP,Jennier Cruise and Rachel Gibson. I’ve added Susan Donovan to the list but after her next release I believe she’ll no longer be writing comtemps 🙁
Sweet,
SD isn’t going to be writing contemps anymore??? How sad!!! Do you know why?
I read contemps, and I do find that lately, when I am in the mood for just a straight romance, they are hard to find. But, I am okay on the book front, since I love PNR and I am so happy that they are finally getting a place in the market.
Unfortunately, I find that those that write the best contemps are usually my auto buys anyway. So, if they are not out with anything new, the chik lit stuff is what is recommended, and I totally dislike Chick Lit. It’s total fluff. I find a lot of those books barely scratch the surface of what a good relationship book is all about.
I tend to read SEP, I FREAKING LOVE HER! She writes such funny, sweet characters that I find it hard to compare. Rachel Gibson is another one that I love, but her last 2 books about the authors did nothing for me, especially the last one. I was mad I bought the stupid thing.
Jill Shalvis also writes good contemps though I haven’t read a lot of her.
And while I adore Lisa Kleypas, and I truly wanted to love her contemps… they were just not my thing. I hated Sugar Daddy, and Blue Eyed Devil was only a teensy tiny itty bitty bit better. I think she shld stick to Regency, but that’s just me.
Hmm…. must think of other contemp authors
Holly,
I may be wrong but something she wrote on her blog a while ago led me to believe after Girl Most Likely To, her next release she’ll be going in a different direction. I want to say romantic suspense or something like that. Thats the vibe I got from the post. I know its very disappointing if it’s true. 🙁
This is totally off topic but did you have a post yet about your forced seduction poll. I’ve gotten so used to seeing that poll on your blog, and I’m dying to see what everyone thinks about the topic.
Sweet,
I really hope that’s not true. There aren’t enough contemp authors left as it is..we don’t need the few good ones out there to make a jump. 🙁
As for the Forced Seduction Poll: I need to email the results to Meljean Brook and ask her to do a graph for us. I’ll try to get that done this week.
Thanks for reminding me! 😉
I miss contemps. I like the PNR and RS, but sometimes all I really need is the traditional love story. Thank God for the authors who do write them, and I was very pleased with both contemps by Lisa Kleypas.
Speaking for the epub market, contemp romances don’t sell as well as paranormals. Not to mention less authors seem to be writing and submitting them.
Also, I would suggest looking towards the AA authors/publishers, as much of what they publish is often straight contemporary romance.
I like all kinds of romance – contemporary, historical, suspense, paranormal. Suspense is probably my least favorite. I have had to actively look for non-paranormal contemporaries lately; I’m not seeing a lot of new authors. Try Susan Mallery, & Nora Roberts’ longer books. For some kind of homey feeling contemporaries, check out Robin Carr and Curtiss Ann Matlock (the latter might be in general fiction). And defying sub-categorization, check out Deborah Smith. More details at Alpha Heroes, but I lurrve her stuff to death. You could also check out Jo Davis (Trial by Fire), whom Shannon is raving about over on What Women Read.
I am a big fan of contemporary. I like that the relationship is the focus. I enjoy RS and PRN too, but I like to throw in a contemp every now and again too. I like to mix it up! I have noticed that there are few and far between being published today. Maybe this will change in the future.
I am a big fan of contemporary. I like that the relationship is the focus. I enjoy RS and PRN too, but I like to throw in a contemp every now and again too. I like to mix it up! I have noticed that there are few and far between being published today. Maybe this will change in the future.
Contemps have never been my first choice but I love Kristan Higgins Just One of the Guys, and I am going to run out and buy her Rita winning Catch of the Day next. I had just about given up on contemps but this one made me laugh out loud!
Oh, I also loved Jo Davis Trial By Fire too. Can’t wait for the next one!
“I totally dislike Chick Lit”
Word.
Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of the comtemporary straight romance. I’ve always been more interested in romantic suspense. Although I’ll read anything as long as it engages me and tells a good story.
I really love the Paranormal romances that are out now, although I feel a lot of … not so good paranormals are being published just because they’re paranormal. And I think that some of these could NOT be published for good contemporaries.
I’m a big fan of Rachel Gibson. I’ve read most of her books. And also Jill Shalvis.
I wish there were a lot of more contemporary out.
I haven’t read many contemporaries but I love SEP and Lisa Kleypas like a fat kid loves cake. I just finished a football romance from Sourcebooks (line of scrimmage by marie force)that was wonderful. I’m not so interested in the shiek’s secret baby or the tycoon’s virgin mistress. (there ain’t no mystery in heroes like that when you went to school with them and know what they’re *really* like. Gag me.) But I certainly don’t want publishers to stop publishing them. I would go out of my mind with boredom if I only read one subgenre. I want more of everything!
I love Susan Donovan! One of my favorite contempories is He Loves Lucy. I also like the one w/ the ugly dog. That is such sad news.
I miss contemporaries. These days it seems like everything is either romantic suspense or paranormal. Don’t get me wrong, I love both of those but sometimes I just miss the straight contemporary.
I think my favorite contemporary author is SEP. I just lurve her. I always feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I re-read her books.
Gaby,
I read Sugar Daddy, but haven’t read the other one. I can’t get past the 1st person. Shallow of me, isn’t it?
Casee,
We shld start a club b/c that is one of the reasons I loathed the book. Other than the idea of changing heros like tissues, yuck.
I only tolerated BED b/c I was intrigued by a heroine who had been abused. And while I liked that she did that so well, I just think her voice is extremely strong her “usual” writing.
I used to have a really hard time reading contemporaries and sometimes I still do. I adored Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa K, and this week I’ve been reading an ARC of Lori Wilde’s Addicted to Love that I’m really liking. Lately I haven’t wanted to read the paranormal romance, but regular, everyday people who just fall in love.
I’ve never been into contempories, only historicals and paranormals. When I read I want to escape my life for a few hours. I want a dose of fantasy. Anything smacking of reality is a real turn off…I mean, that’s what I’m trying to escape.
Contemporary is mostly what I read; it’s my favorite romance genre. When I read, I usually like my stories to be based in reality, so I often choose contemporary.
Some of my favorite contemporary authors are: Toni Blake, Janelle Denison, Lori Foster, Kristan Higgins, Leslie Kelly, Alison Kent, Erin McCarthy, and Jill Shalvis. I’d recommend any books by them.
I would love, love, love to see more contemporary novels published.
Diana
I don’t read chick lit books for the romance because the main focus is not on the romance between the hero and heroine, the focus is mainly on the main character and how that person gets from Point A to Point B in their lives.
The adventure is in reading how they grow as characters from beginning to end and its usually a fun ride..but I wouldn’t even call chick lit books, romance because the stories are about a main character with romantic elements whereas a romance is about the romance between two people.
And I guess I’m just about fed up with paranormals right now, there’s SO many that I’m plummed tired of getting sucked into so many different series and worlds that it would be nice to just relax with a simple contemporary and see how Jane met John and fell madly in love with each other without worrying about Jack trying to kill Jane and John trying to find Jack and his vampire brother Mick who wants to zuck Jane’s blood because her blood is what he needs to take over the world.
*sigh*
Ooh and it would be awesome if John was an athlete of some sort because I’m really feeling the athletes right now, really. =)
I love a good contemporary. I have several authors that I like for that genre…
Julie Garwood, kasey Michaels, SEP, Tara Janzen, Sandra Hill, VIcky Lewis Thompson, Nora Roberts, MAry Janice Davidson (her royals series is my fave of hers)
I write contemporary romance when I ‘m not teaching or grading papers or some other thing associated with school.
I read any type of romance. Some of my favorite contemporary authors are:
Deirdre Martin, Carly Phillips, Lori Foster, Jane Graves, Cindy Kirk, Susan Mallery and Kathryn Shay.