Contemporary romance is a type of romance novel that was written after World War II and is set in the same time period as when it was written. It is the largest category of romance novels and often shows the customs and values of the time it was written. Before 1970, many stories had heroines who stopped working after getting married or having children. After 1970, more stories showed heroines who kept their jobs. As these novels have become more complex and characters more realistic, the differences between this category and women's fiction have become less clear.
Most contemporary romance novels include details that show when they were written. Over time, many of these books become outdated and are no longer read. Some books, like those by Jane Austen, stay popular and are later considered historical romances. In a 2014 survey, contemporary romance made up 41% of print sales and 44% of eBook sales compared to other romance categories.
Subgenres
Contemporary romance novels can be divided into different types, which may combine with other main types of romance novels.
- General contemporary romance
- Contemporary romantic suspense
- Christian romance
- Contemporary fantasy romance
- Contemporary paranormal romance
- Medical romance
- Cowboy contemporary romance
- Glamour and jet set
- Humorous contemporary romance
- International lovers
- Love in the workplace
- Vacation love
- Lesbian romance
- Male/Male romance
- Amnesia, which is memory loss, often includes a past relationship
- "Bonkbusters," a type of commercial romance novel from the 1970s and 1980s
The subgenre of contemporary romantic suspense includes stories that mix romance with mystery or excitement.
This subgenre is also called inspirational romance and often includes themes and characters related to the Christian faith.
The subgenre of contemporary paranormal romance includes stories that mix romance with supernatural elements.
Medical romance novels are a type of contemporary romance and also part of medical fiction. They have their own settings and characters, but these can still be varied. The setting is often a medical workplace, such as an emergency department, but may also include airborne medicine, family medicine, or obstetrics and gynecology.
The main male characters are usually doctors, such as emergency physicians, primary care doctors, or surgeons. Female characters are often doctors, but may also be nurses working in areas like primary care, obstetrics/neonatology, training programs, surgery, anesthesiology, or emergency medicine. Doctors are often described as intelligent, with tall and strong appearances, while nurses are portrayed as caring and strong.
Patients can create interesting storylines. Most patients recover fully, no matter how serious their condition is. Most stories do not include romantic relationships between healthcare workers and patients because it is against professional guidelines.
The plot often includes pregnancy or children.
This subgenre is an important part of literature and has been popular since the mid-1700s. The lesbian romance genre is often a type of broader genres such as BDSM romance, paranormal romance, coming-of-age romance, fantasy romance, and inspirational romance.
Critical reception
Modern romance books have been picked twice by Kelly Ripa to be included in her book club called Reading with Ripa.