The Best Contemporary Romance Books Of The 2020s

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The romance genre kicked off the 2020s in fighting form, accounting for nearly a quarter of all fiction sold in the US (a statistic that will surprise absolutely no one who's ever tried to get their hands on the latest Emily Henry rom-com book before it sells out), Within this vast, often underestimated category, contemporary romance remains the beating heart. In a 2014 survey of readers, it represented over 40% of both print and eBook sales. So, what defines this seemingly all-encompassing genre? The label sounds broad, but it has a character all of its own.

Contemporary romance strips away the fantasy trappings (no crumbling gothic estates, no misunderstood aristocrats, no time travel, no secrets in the attic) — and roots its stakes in the real world. Rental deposits, shared calendars, WiFi passwords, and late-night texts all feature heavily in these stories. And yet, the genre is anything but mundane. Since the 1970s, when authors like Kathleen Woodiwiss and Judith McNaught began slipping love stories into recognizably present worlds, contemporary romance has captured the emotional texture of its time.

The digital boom brought a surge of indie voices and digital publishing to contemporary romance, giving shape to love stories that felt immediate and often subversive. By the 2010s, the form had embraced inclusivity and humor with a knowing wink. These were novels that engaged cultural tension, emotional labor, queer longing, and the realities of modern relationships. The best contemporary romance books of the 2020s carry that legacy forward — capturing the highs and heartbreaks of love today (as well as introducing you to some of the best book boyfriends of the decade).

Of course, any conversation about contemporary romance in the 2020s inevitably circles back to Emily Henry, a writer whose name has become nearly synonymous with the genre's current golden age. Her 2024 release, "Funny Story," has earned a devoted readership, and with over one million Goodreads ratings and a glowing 4.20-star average, it's one of her most cherished novels to date.

The setup is classic Henry. Daphne seems to have it all. That is, until her fiancé abruptly leaves her for her childhood best friend, Petra. Reeling and newly single in a town where she knows no one, Daphne finds herself sharing a home with Petra's equally jilted ex, the delightfully offbeat Miles. Their reluctant living arrangement quickly becomes a pact to make their exes jealous. But love, we know, can sneak in sideways. Somewhere between the performative partying and passive-aggressive brunches, a real connection starts to form — and this shows Emily Henry at her best. For readers still riding the high of "Great Big Beautiful Life," the highest-rated romance pick from Reese's Book Club, this is another standout that will leave you feeling hopeful.

It's difficult to single out just one title from Abby Jimenez's oeuvre — a body of work that has in no uncertain terms reshaped the landscape of contemporary fiction. Still, "Just for the Summer" seems to edge ahead. Boasting over 925,000 Goodreads ratings and a 4.36-star average, it's both the highest-rated and most-reviewed novel in Jimenez's already-impressive catalogue. Which is to say: if you're looking for a place to start with Abby Jimenez's iconic rom-com books, this is it.

Justin and Emma, both seemingly hexed in love, meet and hatch a plan to temporarily break each other's unlucky streaks with one no-strings-attached summer. They'll date each other briefly, stage a graceful exit, and part ways just in time to meet their true soulmates. But life, of course, has other plans, and reality proves less cooperative. "The chemistry is something I could almost reach my hand out and FEEL radiating off the page," one user on Goodreads wrote. "The honesty, and communication was so refreshing to see." It's the perfect storm. And, as one of the authors to try if you love Emily Henry's books, Jimenez knows exactly how to steer that low-level spice storm.

If "Gilmore Girls" fans grow up and start craving a little more heat with their small-town charm, Dream Harbor might feel like the natural next stop. They graduate from plaid skirts to pumpkin spice, trade brooding diner owners for brooding farmers — and once they've arrived, they're not leaving. In "The Pumpkin Spice Café," Laurie Gilmore sets the tone for the Dream Harbor series.

This cozy, slow-burning romance introduces readers to Jeanie, newly liberated from a dull city job, who inherits her aunt's beloved café. She sees it as the perfect excuse to start over. Dream Harbor, of course, has something up its sleeve — most notably in the form of Logan, a reserved local farmer with little patience for gossip and newcomers from the big city. Naturally, he's drawn to Jeanie against his better judgment.

Gilmore leans into all the expected tropes, but still delivers a romance that feels freshly brewed. She sprinkles Jeanie and Logan's grumpy-sunshine, will-they-won't-they dynamic with cinnamon and small-town love. The result is warm, full-bodied romance with extra foam on top. And if one café isn't enough, readers can return to Dream Harbor for "The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore," "The Christmas Tree Farm," "The Strawberry Patch Pancake House" (listed among the best March 2025 releases to pick for your book club), and "The Gingerbread Bakery." This is a universe best read curled up under a blanket, with something warm in your mug, and nowhere else to be.

Curtis Sittenfeld is one of literary fiction's sharpest observers of American ambition and emotional misdirection. Just look at "Prep," her exacting 2005 debut, and one of our favorite nostalgic reads for the summer. But "Romantic Comedy" may be her most playful experiment yet. Selected as a romantic read by Reese's Book Club, the novel infuses the high-speed backdrop of late-night comedy with a knowing pop culture satire.

The story begins in 2018, with Sally, a 30-something sketch writer for "The Night Owls," which is a thinly veiled fictional stand-in for "Saturday Night Live." Monday pitch meetings, midweek rewrites, sleepless table reeds, and late-night afterparties leave little room to rectify her status as a disillusioned divorcée. That is, until the week's celebrity guest host, pop sensation Noah Brewster, starts flirting with her. Sally, ever the skeptic, second-guesses every glance. After all, she's just written a sketch about this exact phenomenon: why beautiful women date average men, but never the other way around. This toying threatens the entire premise!

"Romantic Comedy" is for those interested in the social codes and cultural tropes of chemistry. Sittenfeld writes with her usual precision, letting the satire breathe even as she draws something genuine from the absurd. Smart enough to realize that even cynics want to believe, occasionally, in a well-timed kiss, this is a romance for the thinking woman.

"The Wedding Date" remains Jasmine Guillory's highest-rated novel on Goodreads, and for good reason. It's the book that launched a bestselling series, brought a refreshing jolt of joy to the contemporary romance shelves, and helped consolidate Guillory as one of the genre's most reliable, sexy voices.

A meet-cute thrusts Alexa Monroe together with Drew Nichols, as the pair finds themselves unexpectedly stuck in an elevator. Alexa is a savvy political chief of staff in Berkeley, and Drew, a pediatric surgeon visiting from Los Angeles.  Drew needs a date to his ex's wedding, and Alexa (whilst fully aware this was a crazy idea) agrees to play the part for the weekend. Guillory gives her heroine layers; Alexa is confident, but also self-questioning in ways that feel grounded and specific. Drew, meanwhile, plays the charming card to great effect. Their chemistry is real, and their banter doesn't shy away from the nuances of dating across racial and professional lines.

On Goodreads, Roxane Gay — a voice we can trust when it comes to smart, satisfying fiction — called it "a charming, warm, sexy gem of a novel." She's right: it's all of those things. In fact, "The Wedding Date" earned its spot on our roundup of the best spicy novels (because life's too short to read boring stuff). And if you're ready for more, "The Proposal," the next in the series, brings the same heat and heart, as well as a Reese's Book Club seal of approval.

To choose the books on this list, we paid close attention to momentum. Here, you'll find books from authors who have inspired an increasing number of readers. These titles have all received love amongst social media circles and keep cropping up in reading roundups. As we sifted through reviews for extraordinary praise, audience response also played a major role in our decision-making. We compared each author's books with their own work to see which ones came out as the fan favorites. We also looked for properly developed characters and strong plots, and if a book made us feel like we'd fallen for someone real, we knew it belonged here.