Contemporary Romance
Love that’s modern, messy, and fabulous all at once.
Contemporary Romance
🔥🔥
Read-&-Rated Favorites (⭐ 3.5+)
-
Double Your Standards by Sarah Blue
⭐ 4.25
HOT, HEA
“Funny, endearing, spicy. Twins from the first two books who grow up and start looking for what they want. And Kate is a charming FMC who gets their nuttiness from the jump.” - Cardigan B
Twins, MFM, Redemption, Entrepreneurs, Professor, Dom/Sub, Grumpy/Sunshine, Overcoming Trauma, Divorce
-
Love, Utley by S.J. Tilly
⭐ 4.25
MEDIUM, HEA
“Be still my heart. What an adorable twist of fate this was. I still don't quite know how they ended up in a library banging after hours.” - Cardigan B
Age 30+ FMC, Age 30+ MMC, Breakup Due to Misunderstanding, Second Chance, Ex Pro-Athlete, Boss/Employee, Love Letter Lunacy, Hidden Relationship, Slow Burn, Witty Banter, Friends to Lovers, First Love Returns, Progresses Over Years, Story Told in Past and Present
-
Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
⭐ 4.25
MEDIUM, HEA
“Not enemies, but not friends. Just people thrown together, dealing with their emotional baggage. They realize there's something bright in the other person and seek out those lights. There's thought and consideration without too much internal dialogue.” - Cardigan B
Tennis, Grumpy/Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Food is Love, Slow Burn, Matchmaker, Healing Together, Sports
-
Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan
⭐ 4.25
MEDIUM, HEA
“Love Challenge Harriett. She's easy to root for. An FMC who evolves and truly grows-what a refreshing read! For a doctor, Ethan certainly is a block head. Thank all that's holy that he figures his shit out.” - Cardigan B
Doctor, MMC/FMC has a Cute Dog, Forced Roommates, Friends to Lovers, Abusive Parent(s), MC is a Twin, New York City, Holiday Matchmaking, Christmas Romance, FMC Falls First
-
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
⭐ 4.25
HOT, HEA
“I loved this book. It was fun, intriguing, had just the right amount of backstory, explained the character motivations, HAD SOME OF THE HOTTEST SPICE I'VE READ.” - Cardigan B
Mythology Retelling, Throne, Forbidden Love Interest, Grumpy/Sunshine, Independent FMC, Forced Proximity
-
The One Night by Meghan Quinn
⭐ 4.25
MEDIUM, NHEA
“GUTTED. So distraught I made an IG post about it HERE. She lifted me up and tore me down in just 82 pages. Love Meghan Quinn anyway. Ooo and the audio is Teddy Hamilton. deep sigh” - Cardigan B
Best Friend's Ex, One Night Stand, Separated/Divorcing/Divorced, MC has Matchmaking Parents, Family Business, Short/Novella, Christmas Romance, Holiday Matchmaking
-
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
⭐ 4.25
MEDIUM, HEA
“Intense, world-destroying YEARNING. Not as good as Bride, better than Deep End. There were so many endearing and heartbreaking moments, always juxtaposed with comic relief. “ - Cardigan B
Age 20+ FMC, Age Gap Romance, Slow Burn, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, STEM, Italy, Brother's Best Friend, Age 35+ MMC
-
Royally Not Ready by Meghan Quinn
⭐ 4.25
HOT, HEA
“Lilly was soo childish. I wanted to slap her most of the time. I don't like calling them man panties.” - Penelope Black (3.75/5)
“Stumbled upon this one for free on Kindle. The burn build is INTENSE and when they finally get together, it's memorable.” - Cardigan B (4.75/5)
Hidden Royalty, Opposites Attract, Grumpy/Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Only One Bed, Slow Burn, Bodyguard, Golden Retriever, Castle Life, Hidden Identity, Secret Identity, Forgiveness Arc, Witty Banter, Dirty Talker
-
Bridesmaid by Chance by Meghan Quinn
⭐ 4.0
HOT, HEA
“This one was way raunchier than I expected. Loved their banter, the slow burn of the book.” - Penelope Black
Age Gap, One Bed, Boss/Employee, Marriage of Convenience, Brother's Best Friend, Billionaire, Overcoming Past Trauma, Slow Burn, Dirty Talker
-
Enemies with Benefits by Roxie Noir
⭐ 4.0
MEDIUM, HEA
“Two childhood rivals reconnect after college. Everyone’s trying to play it cool, but they dig each other.” - Cardigan B
Enemies to Lovers, Workplace Romance, Small Town , Friends with Benefits, Forced Proximity, Hate to Love You, Slow Burn
-
Hero by Lauren Rowe
⭐ 4.0
MEDIUM, HEA
“I teared up in the first 11 pages. This is such a good read. Our first Lauren Rowe, but it won’t be our last.” - Cardigan B
Loss of Spouse/Partner (Death), FMC is a Single Mom, Firefighter, MC has a Tragic Past
-
Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly
⭐ 4.0 & ⭐ 2.5
MEDIUM, HEA
“This book was adorable. I always love when a broody MMC encounters a sunny, sweet FMC and she changes him!” - Penelope Black (4.0/5)
“There is no way the guys in the shed didn't hear them banging in the shelves.” - Cardigan B (2.5/5)
Lumberjack vibes, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Small Town, Age Gap, Grumpy/Sunshine, Reclusive MC, FMC in a Male Profession, Innkeeper/Hotel/Concierge, Down on Her Luck FMC
-
Repeat by Kylie Scott
⭐ 4.0
MEDIUM, HEA
“I really liked this one. I liked how he would ask her what she was thinking and she would just say it. I wish more people were like that. It's refreshing. This one also had a bit of a mystery which was fun.” - Penelope Black
Amnesia, Second Chance, Body Modifications/Piercings/Tattoos, Forced Proximity, Cute Dog, Loss of Time, Loss of Parent, Medical Condition, Rehabilitation, Forgiveness Arc, Tattoo Artist, Overcoming Past Trauma, PTSD, Slow Burn
-
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
⭐ 4.0
MILD, HEA
“Adorable. Surprisingly honest about the pressure for romance during the holidiays. A true second chance HEA.” - Cardigan B
Return to Hometown, Second Chance, Holiday Matchmaking, Christmas Romance, Small Town, Love Letter Lunacy, First Love, MC has Interfering Family, Novella
-
The Words by A. Jade
⭐ 4.0
MEDIUM, HEA
“I reaaally liked this story. It has a "Baby Cakes" plot that's reminiscent of Rickey Lake in the 90s.” - Cardigan B
Rockstar, Betrayal & Secrets, Cutting Disorder, Plus-Size FMC, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Sick Parent, Concert Tour, Tour Bus, Morally Grey (MMC), Dyslexia, Revenge, Second Chance, Babysitter to Celebrity
-
The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary
⭐ 4.0
MEDIUM, HEA
“The best definition of enemies to lovers I've read. They aren't even rivals, they're just souls who don't get along. Until they do.” - Cardigan B
Eating Disorder, 35+ FMC, Medical, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Cheerleader Kink, Curvier FMC, Tall MMC/Short FMC, Workplace Rivals, Grumpy/Sunshine
-
Dear Rosie by S.J. Tilly
⭐ 3.75
MEDIUM, HEA
“This is a great story. The only criticism I have is how deep her love was for the MMC at the tender age of 8. Nope.” - Cardigan B
Second Chance, Chef, Childhood Trauma, American Football, Childhood Friends, 35+ FMC, Abusive Parent(s)
-
The Kings of Kearny by Navessa Allen
⭐ 3.75
HOT, HEA
“Maybe I watched too much Sons of Anarchy for this one. I hope there is another one.” - Penelope Black
“I'm a sucker for a well-written older woman. Krista knows herself and has her wits about her.” - Cardigan B
40+ FMC, Military, Possessive MMC, Veteran, Touch her and die, MMC rides a motorcycle, Alpha MMC, Disabled MMC/FMC, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Grumpy/Sunshine, Motorcycle Club, Protective MMC, Small Town, Tall MMC, Witty Banter, Bartender FMC
-
Latte Darling by S.J. Tilly
⭐ 3.75
HOT, HEA
“Aw, this was precious. She goes on a blind date only to meet her date's dad instead. Instant sparks and they just live for each other. I loved that there wasn't any age shaming. The pineapple flavored condoms sounded nasty.” - Cardigan B
Age 30+ FMC, Age 50+ MMC, Age Gap Romance, Blind Dating, Breakup Due to Misunderstanding, Interfering Family, Single Dad, Hot Dad, Possessive MMC, Grumpy/Sunshine, Curvier FMC
-
Overruled by Lana Ferguson
⭐ 3.75
HOT, HEA
“I want the life of two retired lawyers who throw booze-soaked garden parties. Ezra was adorable. Dani was a pill, but grew a lot.” - Cardigan B
Enemies to Lovers, Lawyer, Family Business, MC has Interfering Family, Healing Together, MC has Strained Relationship with Parent, Age 30+ FMC, Age 30+ MMC, MMC/FMC has a Cute Cat
-
Southern Charmer by Jessica Peterson
⭐ 3.75
MEDIUM, HEA
“I really liked the dynamics between Eli and Olivia. It's refreshing to see a book character fail at something. And then have to work to get through it. I loved the Charleston charm. One of my favorite places in the states and now I want to go back and find a hot chef.” - Penelope Black
Runaway Fiancé(e)/Bride/Groom, Southern Charm, Romance Writer, Neighbors, Chef, Body Modifications/Piercings/Tattoos, Tall MMC, "Smart, Strong, Independent FMC", 30+ FMC
-
Triple-Duty Bodyguards by Lily Gold
⭐ 3.75
HOT, HEA
“Found this for free on Audible. She’s a celebrity with a stalker. They’re the bodyguards she hires to protect her. They give her peace of mind and…comfort. -wink wink-” - Cardigan B
Why Choose, Celebrity, Bodyguard, Stalker/Stalking, Only One Bed, Protective MMC
-
Can I Tell You Something by Holly June Smith
⭐ 3.5
HOT, HEA
“It’s hot, sweet, a little unbelievable, but a cute story and a short read.” - Cardigan B
MMC is a smut narrator, Best Friend's Sister, French Alps, Brother's Best Friend, English FMC, Christmas Romance, Witty Banter, Exploring Fantasies, Down on Her Luck FMC, International Romance, Submissive FMC, Dominant MMC, Dirty Talker
-
Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan
⭐ 3.5
HOT, HEA
“Contrary to the rating, I liked this one. I was frustrated with the sister story and how coddled she was, which led to this entire situation. But the dynamics between Delilah and Saint were genuine.” - Cardigan B
Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, MC likes Sister's Boyfriend, Slow Burn, Sweet & Spicy Banter, Redemption, Second Chance, Childhood Friends Reunion
-
Hyde and Seek by Layla Frost
⭐ 3.5
HOT, HEA
“I genuinely liked this story and the writing. It was sweet, spicy, hopeful. HOWEVER, the stalker storyline seemed to come out of nowhere and the culprit was too much of a twist. No breadcrumbs just BOOM it's this guy.” - Cardigan B
Age Gap Romance, Alpha MMC, Witty Banter, Opposites Attract, Found Family
-
My Dark Prince by L.J. Shen & Parker S. Huntington
⭐ 3.5
MEDIUM, HEA
“This book was way too long. It was really slow to start.” - Penelope Black
30+ FMC, 30+ MMC, Cute Dog, Betrayal & Secrets, False Pretenses, Hidden Past, Forgotten Past/Loss of Time, Shunned FMC, Amnesia, Rehabilitation, Redemption, Golden Retriever, First Love Returns, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Engagement, Progresses Over Years, Forced Proximity, Royalty, Witty Banter
-
Pretty Please Me by Jere Anthony
⭐ 3.5
MEDIUM, HEA
“An air mattress on a rooftop? Wouldn't stay put. A romantic thought that was completely illogical. And he described her orgasm scream as "a pitch only dogs can hear" and that really fucking sucks. Really liked our FMC Magnolia.” - Cardigan B
Sex Education/Learning Intimacy, High School Reunion, Friends to Lovers, Female Friendship Group, Dom/Sub
-
Room for Two by Lana Ferguson
⭐ 3.5
MEDIUM, HEA
“This is a cute story. It’s not deep, but it’s sweet.” - Cardigan B
Short/Novella, Friends to Lovers, Overcoming past breakups, Summer Fling
-
Unbind by Elodie Hart
⭐ 3.5
HOT, HEA
“He used to bully her brother. She hated him until she saw the good in him. The brother lost an eye and they called him ‘Winky’ - so rude.” - Cardigan B
Age Gap Romance, MC is a Bully (at the start), Golden Retriever, Billionaire, Forgiveness Arc, MMC has been to Prison, Sex Club, Hate to Love You, Loss of Sibling (Death), Down on Her Luck FMC, Second Chance, Redemption
-
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
⭐ 3.5
MEDIUM, HEA
“Adorable plot. Adorable plot devices like the dog Lt. Dan and the love notes they wrote one another. BUT the fake dating went on too long and Briana just can’t get a clue. It was frustrating.” - Cardigan B
Fake Dating, MMC has Social Anxiety, Enemies-to-Lovers, Workplace Romance
@35CARDIGANS @BLACKCAT100
Find us on The StoryGraph
Join The StoryGraph, our romance book tracking app of choice. Scope out our TBRs, see which titles we’ve read, and watch us rate in real time. Just more proof that we’re humans.
(Yea, we also use goodreads…but so do our families. Who we’re connected to).
Sizzle Scale
HOT
(Blazing & Explicit): This is the full five-alarm fire. Bedroom doors are flung wide open, and the scenes are DETAILED, EXPLICIT, and SCORCHING HOT.
MEDIUM
(Simmering & Steamy): Expect passionate kisses that don't always fade to black. Could be graphic, but probably one scene that goes full throttle.
MILD
(Sweet & Tender): Expect sweet sighs, maybe a stolen, chaste kiss or two, and plenty of heartwarming moments that make you go "awww." If things get more intimate, the bedroom door gently clicks shut (fade-to-black).
FLOUR
(Platonic, if anything): Rare to find around here. This is a book that has…no romance at all. We probably read this by accident.
FAQs
-
A guide to romance novels of all heats and sizes. We’re recommending books we’ve read (we’ve read 1,000s) and telling you what to expect. We’ll help you do your research - your time and money will be happy.
-
‘Happily Ever After’ - nearly every book you find on The Velvet Pages has an ‘HEA’. It means that the story reached a satisfying conclusion. It might say “To Be Continued” which means there’s probably an HEA in the series, but that particular title didn’t resolve the relationship.
-
This is how sexual or sexy a book is. There’s a range: Hot, Medium, Mild, and Flour.
Hot is ‘“holy Hell I’m sweating.”
Medium is steamy.
Mild is tender and sweet.
Flour means there’s nothing romantic here.
We label each book so you know what to expect and you can choose what you’re comfortable reading.
-
We rate each book out of 5. Cardigan B and Penelope Black can rate a book the same score on occasion, but usually the rating you see is an average of their scores.
The ratings are pretty subjective, but include things like:
Did the story make sense?
How did the characters measure up?
Was the writing literate?
Was the premise or were the plot points memorable?
Were the mysteries solved? Did the questions get answered? Did you leave me on ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER, ONYX STORM?
Did the book make us feel something?
Was there a cute cat?
-
We recommend starting with Historical Romance, Fantasy Romance, or Sports Romance. They’re the most popular and you’ll find recognizable tropes.
Start with Mild to Medium heat and definitely choose an HEA.
If you’re still stuck, email us and we can give you some recs!
Heyyyvelvetpages@gmail.com
-
We’ll read pretty much anything. Each month, Penelope and Cardigan select a list of about 20 books to read together. There’s at least one book from each genre and some popular titles that have been recently released.
-
We sure do! It’s called ‘The Velvet Edit’. You can sign up at the top or on the ‘Contact Us’ page. We send out a themed list of recommendations each month and a ‘Quickie’ (a single title spotlight) two weeks later. We won’t spam you.
-
That’s the section of the site where we share what we’re reading this month for our book club. You can check out our other reading lists from the past few months of 2025, too.
-
Nope, not even close. The books on the site are generally the ones we enjoyed the most. Or hit on different trends we see coming up.
-
They are! If you buy from a button click on the site, we might earn a commission. You’re not paying more for the product, though. We’re all about ‘pay less for smut’ around here.
-
We use Storygraph. It has a friendly app interface and has every book we’ve read. It also shows your reading stats, which is unique.
We have separate Goodreads accounts, but they’re connected to our friends and family and…I don’t want them to see that I read the first and second book in a series about a merman with two dicks.
-
MMC is Male Main Character. FMC is female main character.
There are typically one of each, but there can be multiple in genres like Omegaverse or Reverse Harem.
Or, like in the case of Court of Thorns and Roses, the MMC could be one person in one book and another person in another book.
Don’t come at me about ‘spoilers’ - these books were published in 2015.
Email us
Looking for a book recommendation? Want to give us a recommendation you’ve read? Need to yell into the void?