This post was originally published in 2021. It has been updated with the best contemporary romance books!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want to read all the cutest romance books. In this post, you’ll find 45 fluffy novels you have to pick up.
When I was younger, my mom used to call contemporary romance novels “fluff books” or “cotton candy books.” They’re made of light, sugary content that warms your heart. Now that I’m older, I still enjoy my fluffy reads – but I also like for some of them to have a touch of relatability and depth.
In this post, I’ve rounded up my all-time favorite adult romance books. Some of them are light and cheesy romcoms, some have more mature (or spicy) content, and others will pull on your heartstrings. What do they all have in common? They’re perfect to read when you’re craving a little bit of fluff.
related posts
How to Read More Books // The Best Stories That Include a Strong Female Lead // Bookish Phrases and Acronyms Everyone Should Know
45 Contemporary Romances to Read Right Away
Below each of the romance books listed, you’ll find an “add on StoryGraph” button which leads to the synopsis for each novel. Additionally, there are links to buy from your favorite retailer. Make sure to follow me on The StoryGraph to read my reviews and bookstagram to see my aesthetic photos of these and other titles. *I have starred the books that are part of a series!*
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coconut wax bookish candles (ESPRESSO10) | When in Rome | The Dating Playbook | In the Weeds | similar pillow | wooden cake tray | single-serve French press | cappuccino mug & saucer | blue light-blocking glasses | pine cones | sweaters | cinnamon sticks | cotton sprigs | similar hand mirror | plaid scarf | jute twine
Have you read any of these fluffy romance books?
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I’ve read a few of these books and I adored them! The Flat Share was my favourite read of last year, I also loved The Switch. I love Sophie Kinsella books ‘I Owe You One’ is a really good read x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
The Flatshare is one of my favorite contemporary romance books of all time. I listened to the audiobook a few years ago and fell in love. Tiffy and Leon are such an OTP! The Switch is also fantastic. So sweet. I’m glad you also like Sophie Kinsella. She’s got some really adorable books!
This is JUST the kind of book list I need right now to keep me out of my slump! I am especially intrigued by How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry…
Aww sorry you’re in a slump! I hope one of these might help 🙂 If you decide to read How to Find Love in a Bookshop, I highly recommend the audiobook. It’s really well-narrated!
Contemporary romance are so fun to read!! I’ve read the majority of the books you listed. And now I’m currently reading The Dating Plan. It recently came out and enjoying every bit of it!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
They are! I think they’re my second favorite genre to fantasy. They’re a good pick-me-up after reading lots of intense battles haha. I’m glad you’re enjoying The Dating Plan. I heard about that one recently!
What a fun list!! I loved Waiting for Tom Hanks and I still need to read the second book in that series! I love reading books like this, but I do love it when they have more than just a fluffy romance (though, those are fun too!)
Oh my gosh, Waiting for Tom Hanks is definitely at the top of my favorites list for contemporary romance. I love it! The sequel was fun but it’s a weird version of enemies-to-lovers and that’s my least favorite trope so I had a harder time connecting with it. But it was still cute and if you liked the first, you’ll probably still enjoy it. I love depth in my romance books. That’s why The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and The Flatshare are two of my favorites! They both deal with trickier subjects.
these are such good suggestions! I’ve only read the hating game and the flatshare and loved them both so i will have to add some of these to my TBR xx
mia // https://beautiful-inspiring-creative-life.com/
The Hating Game might have been the first adult contemporary romance book I ever read. It was right after it first came out and I thought it was so fun. To this day, it’s one of the only enemies-to-lovers books I like haha. The Flatshare is one of my favorites of all time! Good choices! 🙂
These all look so good! I have One Day in December waiting on my nightstand for me to read, I just need to go ahead and start! It looks like such a good book. Xx.
It’s a great book! I hope you do get to read it soon. And then if you like the writing style, definitely check out The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. I think that one by the same author is even better!
Aw these sound so cute! I love the sophie kinsella ones as ‘beach reads’, I always take one on vacation with me!
Sophie Kinsella is great for a beach read – but what’s funny is that I read her Christmas Shopaholic book first, so it was in the winter last year. Now I love her other books so much. They’re just so fun. But if you’re looking for a beach read… I’d consider literally reading “Beach Read” by Emily Henry 😉
I’ve read half of these books you mentioned here and I really love them! Now I’m currently reading In Five Years. I’m checking out the rest that is not in my TBR. Thank you for making this great list x
Oooh In Five Years was a great one! I listened to that audiobook in a little over a day last summer and it was magnificent. Definitely some fun magical realism that I wasn’t expecting!
What a great list of romance books. You’re so right, now is the perfect time for these kind of books!
That’s what I thought! I mean – it is Love Month, so it’s totally the time for romance haha.
I’ve read almost all of these! So many great ones. Love your list.
No way! That’s so fun to hear. Contemporary romance is my second favorite genre to fantasy and it’s always enjoyable to share my favorites.
Really nice list of books. I’ve read twenties girl and I really enjoyed it. I’m going to come back to this post to check out books to read. Thanks for sharing.
Twenties Girl was such a cute book! I hope you get a chance to check out some of the others in this list 🙂
These are some great suggestions. I’ve always been a fan of Sophie Kinsella books. Another similar author is Lindsey Kelk, who writes really well too.
I’ve never heard of Lindsey Kelk! If she’s similar to Sophie Kinsella I might enjoy her work thoroughly though, so thanks for the suggestion!
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird sounds like a whirlwind of emotions, but it sounds so good! Definitely on my reading list, thanks for the suggestion!
It’s definitely a great one! Just one of many – clearly 😉 I love a good contemporary romance!
I’m not that much into romance usually but I really loved In Five Years by Rebecca Serle! Also The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and Beth O’Leary’s novels are in my wishlist so I hope to read them soon!
I totally understand that. It can be hit or miss, for sure. In Five Years was excellent. Such a great use of magical realism. And I just know you’ll enjoy Josie Silver and Beth O’Leary’s books if you read them. They’re some of my all-time favorites!
Sounds fantastic that’s a great way to spend Valentines weekend. I’m a big romance novel fan!
Reading a contemporary romance novel all Valentine’s weekend long? Yes PLEASE! That’s definitely my idea of a good weekend!
Definitely adding some of this books to my to-read list. I actually haven’t read many of these. You know how much I love romance books!
You’re the romance novel queen. I definitely don’t reach for “true” romance (pretty much ever) but I love a good contemporary romance/chick lit on occasion. They’re just so fun!
I love a fun “fluff book” always a good time! I need to check some of these out! Ps love that your mom called them cotton candy books!
Xo, Steph
With all of the fantasy that I read, it’s good to have a fluff novel thrown in here and there (though most of these have pretty great substance to them as well, which I sincerely appreciate). Isn’t my mom a cutie? She always has the funniest descriptions for things!
I read Waiting for Tom Hanks awhile ago. It was ok, definitely not my favorite. I don’t usually read contemporary books, but I’ve been branching out and trying more.
Aw I’m bummed you didn’t care for that one. It’s definitely one of my favorites – but I’m a HUGE sucker for 90’s chick flicks, so the constant nods to those throughout made me super happy. Plus it wasn’t enemies-to-lovers, which was a massive perk, since I really dislike that trope haha!
such a great roundup and so many great books that I have read and loved on this list!
Yes! Lots of winners, for sure. I know I’ll have even more to add by this time next year 🙂
Ooh I’m so glad some of my favorites made the list, especially Nina Hill! I just loved her story!
Oh my gosh, you KNOW I adore that one! It’s like Abbi Waxman literally wrote me into a book haha. Nina is definitely one of my forever favorites.
For some reason, I have never been much into romance until now, but I started broadening my horizon and just started The Falsthare after plenty of recommendations and loving it so far! Will add some more from your list for sure, thanks for sharing x
I definitely understand that! It took me a long time to really enjoy them, but now they’re fun in between all the fantasy novels I read. The Flatshare is probably in my top 3! I’m glad you’re liking it!
cotton candy books! i love it! Thanks for sharing this list girl.
xx reb // http://www.rebeccapiersol.me
Haha – such a fun description, right? She’s the cutest.
I’m not usually one for contemporary or romance novels, but these all look great! It’s the perfect time for these kinds of books though, so I will definitely be checking out a few. Thanks for sharing!
It took me a while to really get into them, but now I’m totally hooked! I hope you get a chance to check out one – or a few – of these titles 🙂
I’ve heard soo many good things about Tweet Cute, it’s already in my online basket. Love this take on Valentine’s Day, it’s much more up my street!
Rosie
It’s very cute! Definitely a cheesy and cheerful YA contemporary. And it made me crave grilled cheese haha!
Such a fun list! I loveee Sophie Kinsella books! The shopoholic series is my fave but I’ve read almost all of her books lol!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
They’re adorable! The first one I read by her was Christmas Shopaholic and I was hooked immediately! It makes me so happy that you enjoy them as well!
Thank you for sharing these books ! I am not usually a fan of any romance books but I am inspired to check out one or two !
I’ll admit, I don’t like strictly romance books. I find them too hot and heavy! But contemporary romance is usually lighter and cuter and just makes me happy!
The holiday definitely brings out our cute romantic sides. What an extensive and well-made list of your favorites. I am going to have to check some of them out for sure. Let me go add some of them to my cart while I am thinking about it.
That’s a good point! Love Month certainly makes people want to read (and watch) more romance!
Thanks for sharing! This isn’t usually my genre but I do love a contemporary romance every now and again! x
I think it’s fun to branch out every now and again. If you’re ever looking for contemporary romance, now you know where to find suggestions haha!
To All The Boys is one of our favorite book series.
I adored The Flat Share and have The Switch sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to read just haven’t got around to it yet. I’ve definitely been in the mood for some fluff lately so I think it might have to move up the list. Great recommendations here – quite a few I haven’t heard of before. Thanks!
I am a sucker for cutesy contemporary romance novels! Such a great list, definitely adding some of these to my ever-growing list.
The Flat Share is on my TBR because everyone seems to be raving about it! And then Beach Read sounds great too – so this TBR of mine is taking the shape of a castle, but what can I do?!
Oh gosh! So many books here to pick from, this is a great resource. I don’t generally like this type of book but when I just want something easy to read (I usually like heavy stuff!), then they are great books to switch off to!
Corinne x
I love these titles! Will be definitely checking a few of them! Thank you so much for sharing, Stephanie. x Penny / whatdidshetype.com
Ooh fab list here! I love a good romance, it’s always such a mood lifter. I love TATB, Instructions For Dancing and Opposite Of Always – there’re all up there with my faves – and I’ve added Beach Read and Tweet Cute to my tbr now. Thank you so much for sharing some amazing recommendations x
I’ve read so many of these Stephanie and they were all entertaining! Thanks for sharing this list.
This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time! I was literally looking for books this morning so I will definitely be adding some of these to the list and hopefully reading some! X
I’m really not a romance fan usually, but every now and then it’s fun to add a fluff book into the rotation! Especially for a nice beach vacation or during a stressful time 🙂
Ooh you’ve listed some great ones! I really liked One Day in December as one of my favorite romance reads!
This post couldn’t come at a better time! I have been in total need of some romance fluff and found some that I have already read and fit in this list so well! People we meet on vacation and One last stop have been favourites from last year and should we even say something about The flatshare? totally loved them! x
“Cotton Candy books” lol! I love that 🙂 I absolutely love Sophie Kinsella books but old Nicholas Sparks books warm my heart. What can I say, I’m a romantic? 😉
Lizzie
lizzieinlace.com
This is the perfect list for me! I’m going to have to save this so I can come back to it. There are so many books I’ve read and loved on this list (like Tweet Cute) and quite a few I have on my tbr!
I love a good fluffy read every now and again. You’ve included some great suggestions, none of which I’ve read before.
I know I’ve already commented on this but just wanted to say that I went to the library yesterday and picked up One Last Stop. Can’t wait to read that!
Ah this is a lovely list! I’m a sucker for great fluffy romances so this is the perfect post for me. I loved Tweet Cute, Tokyo Ever After and Opposite of Always was so lovely. I need to read You Should See Me in a Crown sometime! 🙂
I’ve been meaning to read outside my comfort zone of SFF, so this list is definitely handy for me when it comes to a genre I’ve never entertained before. But it’s a good way to learn the craft, so thanks for this list!
Oh, what a great list! I will definitely still check if you have some reviews for some of those!
I have also read a few of these which is great because usually with those lists I don’t find anything that I know.
All of my reviews can be found on my StoryGraph account, but if you’re looking for reviews on any particular books, please feel free to ask and I can send them your way 🙂
I’m getting more and more into romance books, so this list was definitely what I needed! (And I know you shouldn’t judge books by their covers, but all of these books are GORGEOUS!)
I love hearing that so much! And HAHA I absolutely judge books by their covers 😉 But I think we all subconsciously do it and it’s totally fine. You’re right, they’re all so gorgeous!
Great picks Stephanie! I’ve read most of these and loved them all. Now to check out the rest of them ☺️
Love hearing that! I hope you enjoy all of the ones you haven’t read yet 🙂