Authors' Notes: Elle McNicoll recommends the best contemporary romance novels to read now
The bestselling and award-winning novelist discusses what makes a great contemporary romance and shares six of her favourites.
When drafting Unapologetic Love Story, I was determined to write a fresh, fun romance that was undeniably contemporary. Yes, the characters are aware of social media. No, they don’t speak in bone-chilling slang and constantly reference pop-culture in a bid to appeal to the modern lens. I think one of the most important things for me was to embrace modernity without sacrificing taste.
Raina and Tom’s love story aims to be timeless. As an author who loved reading romance long before writing it, I read across lots of subgenres. I wanted to take the character-driven stakes of a historical romance, the chemistry of a romantasy and the sharp focus of a piece of modern fiction. No slapstick, no humiliating the heroine just for the hell of it. I hope I succeeded. Because I think those factors all make up brilliant contemporary romance.
Here are some authors who definitely did manage to achieve that!
And Now, Back to You
by B.K. Borison
Nora Ephron is the godmother of great romance writing. I believe that to be true and if you’re the same, you’ll love BK Borison’s latest series. Each title is inspired by an iconic Nora picture: And Now, Back to You is Borison’s ode to When Harry Met Sally. It also contains shades of Broadcast News by James L Brooks, I feel! Jackson (weather boy) meets Delilah (weather girl) in a rivals-to-lovers contemporary and it has all of Borison’s renowned charm. His grumpiness and her sunniness make for compelling back and forth chemistry. If you smile every time Meg Ryan (as Sally) says, 'Basically I’m a happy person!' then you’ll love And Now, Back to You!
Ride With Me
by Simone Soltani
Sports romance is massive at the moment, and deservedly so. Heated Rivalry, along with hundreds of other brilliant stories, has elevated the subgenre into one of the most popular spots for romance readers. Ride with Me is a beautiful slow-burn love story, set amongst the busy noise of Formula 1 racing. Do I know anything about that world? No. Did I fall in love with this novel regardless? Of course! Because Soltani is masterful at her craft. Stella has been left at the altar and Thomas wants to give his F1 career a shot in the arm. When they wake up next to one another in Vegas, neither is what the other expected. But their spontaneous marriage might be the change in the road that they both need. If you love marriage-of-convenience and fizzing chemistry, you’ll love Ride with Me.
Behind Frenemy Lines
by Zen Cho
I love workplace romances and this is a fab one! Kriya and Charles are professional enemies but when they’re forced to share an office space at the law firm they both work for, sparks start to fly. And when they agree on a fake dating plan so Kriya can escape her boss’s advances, both realise that there really is a thin line between frenemies and lovers. This is a classic rivals-to-lovers workplace romance with fake dating to boot. It’s fun and fast and I loved Charles as a male main character.
The Pairing
by Casey McQuiston
Described as ;two bisexual exes, one unforgettably hot summer', The Pairing is a really welcome addition to the contemporary romance genre. Nominated for the New Adult Book Prize in the UK, it explores love, heartbreak and second-chance romance as Kit and Theo (two exes) both realise that they’re booked onto the same food and wine tasting tour in Europe. It’s sexy and sophisticated and pulls off exes-to-lovers and second chance romance with great finesse.
Problematic Summer Romance
by Ali Hazelwood
An absolute master of contemporary romance, this particular morsel dropped last spring with very little fanfare. But that didn’t stop Ali Hazelwood zealots (like me) from pre-ordering and reading it in a few hours. It’s an age-gap romance between Maya and Conor, two former friends who had a massive, romantically complicated falling out but are now stuck together at a beautiful wedding in Sicily. It’s complex and beautifully drawn, showing just how well Hazelwood has matured as a writer. The age gap is treated as a plot point and something to be considered and explored within the novel. And the yearning is, as it always is with a Hazelwood contemporary, unbelievably good!
Romantic Comedy
by Curtis Sittenfeld
My favourite book of all time, Romantic Comedy is about a comedic writer at The Night Owls (basically Saturday Night Live) in New York. When Sally has to write sketches for celebrity host Noah, she finds herself slightly distracted and defensive because of his charisma. What follows is a devastatingly beautiful romance between two people who need each other, in a world where inauthenticity is currency and people like to treat love like a hierarchical pyramid of who is worthy and who is not. Sittenfeld has one toe in literary fiction, another in the analysis of the romantic comedy genre, and more than excels in both.
Elle McNicoll is the author of Unapologetic Love Story
Unapologetic Love Story
by Elle McNicoll
Raina Lewis is the ultimate It Girl: cool, interesting, a bit of mystique, and beloved for her smash-hit podcast spotlighting autistic women. ‘King of Cancel Culture’ Tom Branimir, however, remains to be convinced. Certain there must be something else going on behind the scenes, Tom is determined to work out what it is. He just needs to make sure not to fall in love with Raina in the process.
