Which HR books hit the same tropes as Susan Elizabeth Phillips in CR?
This is my first post asking for recommendations, even though this sub has kept me well-fed in terms of the Kindle previews and library loans I've managed to source. Thank you all!
My favorite contemporary romance author is Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I've read almost every book of hers. Some tropes/features I love in her books:
- a privileged, spoiled FMC gets brought down to absolute poverty and has to work her way up with sheer tenacity (this might be tough in HR since social mobility was very different back then)
- alpha asshole MMC finds her plain but attractive but also annoying: very witty and sparkling banter ensues
- forced proximity/fake relationship/other circumstances keep them together long enough to recognize attraction
- they might start having sex early on, but it's definitely both of them just getting a convenient release/physical
- steam/spice level is open door
- FMC realizes she's emotionally involved first
- FMC is sexually traumatized or inexperienced, but MMC thinks she's experienced/promiscuous and acts like that towards her
- if it's enemies to lovers, it's genuine hatred and not just "he's annoying but hot" for 40 pages
- usually lacking in Other Woman Drama: if the MMC has an ex, she is revealed to me a cool lady who becomes friends with the heroine
- lots of interesting side characters and occasionally a secondary romance between two unusual people finding romance together, often a smalltown setting
Things that feature in her novels but aren't necessarily my favorite/things I'm neutral on: MMC is a jock but also a fiercely intelligent college graduate, this is very important to her I guess, lol. Sometimes she spends so much time fleshing out the FMC that the MMC is a little lacking in layers. There's a lot of Americana in her novels that won't translate to historical romance which is more UKcentric, but that's fine.
Can anyone think of recommendations based on these features? Not all of them, but some of them, maybe? I absolutely love the sparkling dialogue, well-fleshed out, flawed but hardworking heroines, the emotionally cold MMCs who act jealous but don't realize their feelings until late in the game. Steam level can be open door to explicit and plentiful, I'll happily enjoy very horny books.
And in case it comes up, I have read her only historical romance Just Imagine and it wasn't my favorite. Contemporary is definitely more her genre.
Posted Jun 30, 2025, 3:23 AM UTC