Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Hi, can someone recommend a romance? I am hoping for something with intelligent or wise characters, people that I can like and admire. A bit hard in this genre I know. This is what I DON'T want: super handsome or beautiful, unrealistically good (ie saves baby seals), stupid relationship behavior (silly misunderstandings or over reacting). Any ideas?

Well, it's not only a romance, but Just Listen.

Thanks I'll try that

I like Ruthie Knox's stuff - but right now they are ebook only releases - she has a cute contemporary about doing a cycling trip across the US

Molly Harper is another author that I enjoy - I call her quirky contemp/paranormal

Erm...any other preferences? I have a few YA suggestions if you're interested but..

OK, just recommended SF&F romance series, and I still feel that such would work here.
Bujold (Lois McMasters) A civil campaign and the books that followed that. Also Sharing Knife has some romance in it.
Anne McCaffery has a reputation of combining SF/F and romance. You just have to get her first 4 books in the dragon series -- those start the whole thing and are some of the best.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller -- some of the Liaden universe is seriously romance in a SF setting.
Mecerdes Lackey has a romance theme in some of her stories.

Noty SF/F but Georgette Heyer writes romance, mostly good ones.

Great recommendations but too late! I've read all of Lois McMaster Bujold and LOVED IT ALL. Also already read all Anne McCaffrey and the Liaden books and Mercedes Lackey until it started sounding all the same! But Lois McMaster Bujold definitely fits the bill of a romance with intelligent characters that isn't full of tropes. It doesn't have to be SF&F, it can we real world romance, YA is okay but not paranormal or urban fantasy (nothing with demons vampires or angels).

Thanks heaps for your suggestions I'm checking them all out now.

Hi Dee, thanks for the Ruthie Knox suggestion - I would never have picked something with such a racy looking cover without your recommendation - but what the hey lets give it a try.

If you like Bujold's Vorkosigan series and the Liaden series, have you tried Georgette Heyer? She's a big inspiration for both of those authors.

She's written dozens of books, so two to start out with are The Grand Sophy and Sylvester

I read a lot of Georgette Heyer when I was young, but I'm looking for more realism right now.

Samantha The Escapist wrote: "Erm...any other preferences? I have a few YA suggestions if you're interested but.."

Hi Samantha - yes please I'd love some YA suggestions. As long as the characters don't make you roll your eyes or scream "you idiot" to the pages (scaring the other passengers in the bus) I would love your ideas please.

I've read everything recommended so far and it's all been stuff I would never have tried - so its been great. (thanks everyone)

Have you read any of Andre Norton's works? She writes a wide spectrum of works, everything from YA to sci-fi to historicals to romance to non-fiction.

Start with her Witch World books and go from there.

Here Abide Monsters is kind of a Bermuda Triangle type thing--only not in Bermuda. The characters fall from our Earth into a world that is kind of like Faery. And they are from all different ages-everything from medieval to modern.

Thanks Ana

Melanti wrote: "If you like Bujold's Vorkosigan series and the Liaden series, have you tried Georgette Heyer? She's a big inspiration for both of those authors.

She's written dozens of books, so two to start out ..."

Hi Melanti and Seanearlyaug, I originally resisted your idea of Georgette Heyer because I didn't have great memories of her books from my youth, but I read all the other recommendations so I gave her another go - what a fool I feel! I have just started The Grand Sophy and it's lovely. Thanks for the recommendation.

Wow, what's wrongs with saving baby seals...Anyways,
Try these:
Annie on My Mind
Let it Snow
Along for the Ride
Keeping You a Secret

Haha nothing wrong with saving baby seals, I just am in the mood for something a bit more real! How many "drop dead gorgeous sensitive sexy environmental crusaders who have been hurt in the past but are healed by the love of a good woman" can there really be?

I really like My Legendary Girlfriend. The main character is decidedly imperfect.

Fayley wrote: "How many "drop dead gorgeous sensitive sexy environmental crusaders who have been hurt in the past but are healed by the love of a good woman" can there really be?"

This made me choke on the water I was drinking! HILARIOUSLY TRUE!!!

*The Boy Next Door... they're both newspaper reporters (although technically he comes from a rich family, but he's legitimately making it on his own)
*Boy Meets Girl is good, too... she works for the same newspaper. He's a lawyer.
*Major Crush... YA. Rival band majors fall in love. Okay, this sounds super cheesy, but I swear it's good, if you're into band....
*The Dairy Queen series (Dairy Queen, The Off Season, Front and Center)... YA again. Freaking love those books. The audiobooks are fabulous.

Also, because I LOVE HER BOOKS, I have to recommend every single one of Julie James's books. I just read all of them and they're all amazing. But they DO have beautiful people in them. Mostly high-powered lawyers and FBI agents. I know, I know. But they're seriously awesome books. And not a single person saves a baby seal. Promise. The author used to BE a lawyer, so they're very intelligent, and the characters are very real. They just have very nice jobs.

You guys are great - thanks so much for your help!

Fair enough, fair enough.
If you want some good realistic character romances, you should also try LGBT reads by authors like Julie Anne Peters.