Nothing more contemporary than the present! 2023 has been and will continue to be the best contemporary romance novels year yet. 

Contemporary Romance has a special place in a lot of readers' hearts. It's taken off within the past few years. You can tell a contemporary romance novel immediately from the cover. They say don't judge a book by the cover, but with the best contemporary romance novels, you can! The covers will have fun, bright, illustrative images to invite a modern day approach to reading. It's not just about the “look” though. The books also reflect the modern day and age to be as relatable to current day as possible. So there may be dating app, dialogue written via text messages, pop culture references, etc. 

As one of the largest growing sub genres of romance, you should definitely hop on the bandwagon and enjoy one of these top selections of contemporary romance novels! 

2023 Best Contemporary Romance Novels

The Wishing Game

by Meg Shaffer

Make a wish. . . .

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it's like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher's aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

But be careful what you wish for. . . .

The Year of Second Chances

by Lara Avery

In this dazzling debut, Lara Avery crafts a story about one woman's uplifting journey of possibility, second chances, and falling in love again...with life--perfect for fans of P.S. I Love You.

Robin Lindstrom spent her first year as a young widow cocooned in the safe haven of the Minnesota farmhouse she'd once shared with Gabe, the love of her life--the man she thought she'd be with 'til the end. But her world is turned upside down when she receives an email informing her that her late husband has enrolled in something called "Bubbl"--a dating service. The app subscription lasts 12 months; use it!, Gabe's message-from-the-grave reads. I don't like the thought of you being alone. If you won't do it for yourself, do it as a favor to me. Please.

You've Been Served

by Kristen Alicia

It's the Magic 8 Ball's fault. All of it. One teeny little question, and suddenly Simone Alexander is chucking her whole life out the window. So long, being a chef in California-it's time for law school. In Michigan. Where there's actual winter. And law school's nothing like the romantic comedies said it was.

Simone is tragically underprepared. Hell, she's already behind before classes have even begun, and her hard-as-nails Contracts professor is giving her no mercy. Then there's Silas Whitman, her tall and annoyingly cute neighbor. Off campus, Silas is incredible. Kissable, even. In class, he is one thousand percent the obnoxious kiss-ass.

Bad Luck Charm

by Julie Johnson

From internationally bestselling author JULIE JOHNSON... a bewitching new standalone romantic comedy set in magical Salem, Massachusetts!

As owner of an occult shop in downtown Salem, Massachusetts Gwendolyn Good is accustomed to all things odd and otherworldly. But when a bloody animal sacrifice is left as a warning outside her place of business, the police seem to think Gwen might be the target of some truly evil-doers. Suddenly, her sunny existence is riddled with danger in the form of crazed pagans, rogue employees, and nefarious henchmen. And there's only one man who can protect her until the storm passes…

Dr. CEO

by Louise Bay

My life was simple until Vincent Cove, an (annoyingly hot) American billionaire, arrived. He wants to convert the stately home where I live and work it into a glitzy hotel. Over my dead body. I'm just a small-town girl, up against Vincent's goliath fortune, but I won't go down without a fight. I'm taking on this billionaire bulldozer. If I'd known his plans I definitely (maybe) wouldn't have slept with him. And I'm determined to ignore the chemistry growing between us. Except his charm is distracting, his persistence is irritating and his forearms, sharp jaw and devilish smile are downright infuriating.

Funny Guy

by Emma Barry

Sam can't escape the smash hit "Lost Boy" because, well, he is the lost boy. His pop-singer ex immortalized him in a song about his childish ways, and now his comedy career is on the line.

At least he still has Bree, his best friend and confidante. Bree has always been there for Sam, but she's never revealed her biggest secret: she's in love with him. To help herself move on, Bree applies for her dream job across the country--and doesn't say a thing to Sam. But as Sam tries to resuscitate his career, he turns to Bree for support--and maybe more.

The Gay Best Friend

by Nicolas Didomizio

Domenic Marino has become an expert at code-switching between the hypermasculine and ultrafeminine worlds of his two soon-to-be-wed best friends. But this summer--reeling from his own failed engagement and tasked with attending their bachelor and bachelorette parties--he's anxious over having to play both sides.

The pressure is on. The bride wants Dom to keep things clean. The groom wants Dom to "let loose" with the guys. And Dom just wants to get out of this whole mess with his friendships intact.

Kismet

by Becky Chalsen

A New York Public Library Summer Staff Pick

For as long as anyone can remember, it has been Amy, Jo, and Ben. Amy and Jo, the inseparable Sharp twins who couldn't be more different; and Ben, Amy's childhood sweetheart turned husband.

But as this year's Fourth of July weekend approaches, something feels off. Jo's whirlwind engagement and wedding ceremony now eclipses the twins' long-awaited thirtieth birthday. Recent arguments between Amy and Ben have left their marriage feeling more like make-believe than ever-after. And as the family beach town transforms for Jo's wedding weekend, Amy's trusted trio will be tested by the most unexpected hurdle yet: the arrival of a handsome, mysterious newcomer in a best man suit. 

Love Buzz

by Neely Tubati-Alexander

A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn't much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be.

UNTIL sparks fly with a handsome stranger, who--like her--is also from Seattle, at the ladies' last stop of the evening, a Bourbon Street bar. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short:

His name is Julian

He lives on Chamber Hill

He works at a tech company

He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana

Love, Holly

by Emily Stone

Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter-writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return.

Usually, the letters go unanswered. That's the point--the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes that she might actually be able to find the letter's author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, with whom Emma is desperate to reconnect.

Will They or Won't They

by Ava Wilder

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love--at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, Lilah and Shane spent years pining for each other onscreen . . . until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a movie star. With no such luck, she's back to film the much-hyped ninth and final season, in which Lilah and Shane's characters will get together at last.

But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of season one, the two of them have despised each other.

Tom Lake

by Ann Patchett

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

In the spring of 2020, Lara's three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Stars in Your Eyes

by Kacen Callender

The National Book Award-winning author of Felix Ever After delivers a beautifully tender story of two grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating actors navigating their love story both on and offscreen--perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall.

Logan Gray is Hollywood's bad boy--a talented but troubled actor who the public loves to hate. Mattie Cole is an up-and-coming golden boy, adored by all but plagued by insecurities. When Logan and Mattie are cast as leads in a new romantic film, Logan claims that Matt has "zero talent," sending the film's publicity into a nosedive. To create positive buzz, the two are persuaded into a fake-dating scheme--but as the two actors get to know their new characters, real feelings start to develop.

Mom Com

by Adriana Mather

#1 New York Times bestselling author Adriana Mather

Maddi DeLuca is coming home for the holidays with her nine-year-old son, only it's not the triumphant return she might have hoped for. She recently broke down on a reality TV baking show, letting the entire country know she feels like a colossal failure, and she can be certain her mother will remind her of all the ways she hasn't lived up to expectations over the years.

Ten years ago, all Maddi dreamed of was running her father's beloved bakery in their tiny coastal town of Haverberry Cove, Massachusetts. Her best friend, Wilder Buenaventura, had his own dream--a life with Maddi. 

Single Dads Club

by Therese Beharrie

Rowan Quinn knows fatherhood is a role he doesn't want to take on--until he unexpectedly finds himself a single dad. He uproots his perfectly constructed life to move to a tight-knit coastal community in South Africa where, with the help of his grandmother, Rowan has a shot at giving his son the family he never had.

Once footloose and fancy-free, former heiress Delilah Huntington is now a waitress in Sugarbush Bay determined to build a better life and a better self. So when she meets introverted Rowan, she makes it her personal mission to induct him into the town's circle of single dads to give him the support he needs.

A Shot in the Dark

by Victoria Lee

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A passionate and powerful romance featuring a transgender man and an ex-Orthodox woman who find each other through their devotion to art, and fall in love despite all odds, from bestselling author Victoria Lee

Elisheva Cohen has just returned to New York after almost a decade away. The wounds of her past haven't fully healed, but four years of sobriety and a scholarship to study photography with art legend Wyatt Cole are signs of good things to come, right? They could be, as long as Ely resists self-sabotage. She's lucky enough to hit it off with a handsome himbo her first night out in the city. But the morning after their mind-blowing hookup, reality comes knocking. When Wyatt Cole walks into the classroom, Ely realizes the man she just spent the night with, the man whose name she couldn't hear over the loud club music, is her teacher.

Pine River

by Tijan

Scout Raiden. Tall. Lean. Tattooed. Mesmerizing. He was a golden god with dark and piercing eyes-looking like he wanted to eat me up. The feeling was mutual, and that was a problem. It was lust-want-must have-loathing-hate all at once. I was affected. And I couldn't have that. No way. Not after what I'd just left in Cedra Valley. I didn't care how much money his uncle had. I didn't care that it seemed every girl wanted him. I didn't care about his reputation as an up-and-coming fighter. Or the promise of how those hands would make me feel. What I did care about was staying as far away from Scout as possible because the promise of his presence, the heat that was going to turn the light back on in my world wasn't a promise at all.

It was a threat.

I wasn't going to survive Scout Raiden.

The Nanny

by Lana Ferguson

Suddenly unemployed and on the brink of eviction, Cassie Evans is left with two choices: get a new job (and fast) or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But the job market is terrible, and as for OnlyFans. . . . Well, there are reasons she can't go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position seems like the solution to all her problems. It's almost too perfect--until she meets her would-be employer.

Sammy Espinoza's Last Review

by Tehlor Kay Mejia

ONE OF THE BEST ROMANCE NOVELS OF 2023: Cosmopolitan, USA Today

Sammy Espinoza's life is a raging dumpster fire. Her desperate attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend has landed her in hot water at work, and she has one last chance before her editor cuts her column. Luckily, Sammy has a plan to redeem herself, but it won't be easy.

Rumor has it that Max Ryan, the former rock god, is secretly recording his first-ever solo album years after he dramatically quit performing. And it just so happens that he and Sammy have history: Right before Max got his big break, he and Sammy spent an unforgettable night together.

Not the Plan

by Gia de Cadenet

After nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she'll soon be managing her boss's successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference.

Once More with Feeling

by Elissa Sussman

One of the Best Romance Novels of Spring 2023
 

Then. Katee Rose is living the dream as America's number one pop star, caught in a whirlwind of sold-out concerts, screaming fans, and constant tabloid coverage. Everyone wants to know everything about her and her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, the hottest member of adored boy band CrushZone. 

Now. Kathleen Rosenberg is okay with her ordinary existence and leaving her pop star image in the past. That is, until Cal Kirby shows up with the opportunity of her dreams--a starring role in the Broadway show he's directing and a chance to perform, the way she's always wanted. The two haven't spoken since the joint destruction of their careers, and each of them blames the other, making their reunion a tense battle of wits and egos.