15 Best Contemporary Romance Books for Every Kind of Reader

How to Find the Right Contemporary Romance for You

Because contemporary romance is such a broad category, the easiest way to narrow your next read is by trope, mood, setting, and heat level.

Start with the relationship dynamic you already know you enjoy, whether that’s enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating, or second chance romance. Then think about the experience you want from the book. A romantic comedy gives you a very different reading mood from a darker or more emotionally intense contemporary romance, even when both use the same trope.

Setting can narrow things further. College campuses, workplaces, small towns, restaurants, professional sports teams, and big-city careers all create different kinds of pressure around the relationship. If competition, teammates, travel, and athletic careers are part of the appeal, our sports romance books go much deeper into that side of contemporary romance.

Heat level is worth checking too, because the contemporary label tells you almost nothing about how much sexual content appears on the page. These books can range from low heat and closed door to highly explicit. Our Romance Heat Levels Guide explains the scale we use across Apropos Books so you can tell what you’re getting before you start reading.

Contemporary Romance FAQ

What makes a book contemporary romance?

A contemporary romance is set in the modern world and places the developing romantic relationship at the center of the story. The characters may also be dealing with careers, family, friendships, money, sports, social expectations, or other present-day pressures, but the love story remains central.

Is contemporary romance the same as romantic comedy?

No. Romantic comedy is one type of contemporary romance when it takes place in a modern setting, but contemporary romance can also be serious, emotional, suspenseful, angsty, or dark. Readers specifically looking for humor, banter, and lighter romantic chaos can browse our romantic comedy books.

Can sports romance also be contemporary romance?

Yes. Most sports romances set in the present day can also be considered contemporary romance. Contemporary describes the time period and overall setting, while sports romance describes the role athletics, competition, team dynamics, or an athletic career plays in the story. Our sports romance guide has more recommendations across hockey, football, basketball, boxing, rugby, and other sports.

Are contemporary romance books always realistic?

They’re generally grounded in a recognizable modern world, but that doesn’t mean every situation has to feel ordinary. Billionaires, celebrities, professional athletes, fake relationships, dramatic family businesses, and highly convenient roommate arrangements can all fit comfortably inside contemporary romance.

Are contemporary romance books always spicy?

No. Contemporary romance covers the full range of heat levels. Some books keep sexual intimacy entirely off-page, while others include detailed and frequent scenes. If that matters when you’re choosing a book, see our Romance Heat Levels Guide for the five-level system we use at Apropos Books.

Find More Romance Books

Contemporary romance is broad enough to hold almost any kind of modern love story, so the best place to start is with the reading mood, relationship dynamic, or setting you’re craving right now. Maybe that’s a slow burn, fake dating, college football, longtime pining, workplace tension, or enemies who are becoming suspiciously interested in each other.

Explore more romance book recommendations from Apropos Books, including trope and subgenre guides designed to make narrowing your next read easier.

You can also sign up for Apropos Books eBook deals to get discounted books matched to the genres you actually read.