I'm loving all these If You Like posts, how about y'all? But I have to admit that I like the ones about contemporary romances just a teeny-tiny bit more because I'm ALWAYS in the market for new go-to contemporaries! Today, Jamie Farrell, one of my critique partners and all around hilarious contemporary romance author, is here to give us her recs. Go, Jamie!
Jennifer Crusie made me fall in love with romance novels. I was in my early twenties when I found her books, and once I read Tell Me Lies, I couldn’t go through the rest of her backlist fast enough. Or wait patiently enough for her next books to come out. Bet Me is one of my all-time favorite romance novels. I loved the smart heroines, the inherent sexiness, the colorful secondary characters, the fun plot lines, and the depth of the stories. She was one of my early inspirations to start writing romance myself.
When I ran out of Jennifer Crusie books, I went hunting for more books like hers. Over the years, these are some of the authors I’ve discovered.
Susan writes fast-paced, sexy contemporaries. One of my favorites is Baby I’m Yours (and not just for the infamous typo). The book was fun, with a feisty heroine and a tough but lovable hero. I also adored Susan’s Marine series. You can’t beat big, strong guys with even bigger hearts.
Tawna’s books feature smart heroines in off-beat situations, and she pulls it off with flair. When I heard her book, Making Waves, featured a motley modern-day pirate crew, I had to read it. And it was hilarious! Her second novel, Believe It Or Not, was just as funny, with just as great a cast of characters. Tawna’s Twitter feed is just as quirky as her books.
Speaking of books full of humor and quirky characters, Penny Reid is someone you should know. Her debut, Neanderthal Seeks Human, has a super-smart heroine and a super-hunky hero, and it’s chock full of laughs. She recently released the third book in the Knitting in the City series, Love Hacked, and it’s eagerly awaiting me on my Kindle.
Sarah is an author I’d heard great things about, and when I finally had the time to sit down and read Her Favorite Temptation, I was hooked. Wonderful characters, family conflict, and beautiful writing. It was smart and deep and fulfilled that all-around-great-story craving. I’m slowly savoring Sarah’s backlist.
Jamie Farrell
Jamie Farrell is the author of the fun contemporary romances Southern Fried Blues. She believes love and laughter are two of the most powerful forces in the universe.
A native Midwesterner, Jamie has lived in the South the majority of her adult life. When she’s not writing, she and her military hero husband are busy raising three hilariously unpredictable children. You can find Jamie on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
