I have been reading Paranormal Romance for years and now I'm ready to get back to regular "human" romance books. What is the best romance book you have ever read? Suggestions greatly appreciated :)

I'd suggest

The Bride by Julie Garwood My all time favorite.

 Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught.

ha! ONE book are you serious??

what kind do you like? funny , serious, full of nookie, historical, contemporary, suspenseful..THEN we MIGHT be able to narrow suggestions down to about 50 each with some serious thinking..

hmm..For light/funny I like Christie Craig, Marianne Stillings

more serious and continuing ongoing drama - the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr, esp the first 3.

Linda Howard's mackenzie series(silhouette), ALl the Queen's men, Open Season

Jayne Ann Krentz and her pseudonyms..if you like paranormal you may like her futuristic Ghost Hunters or the ARcane Society that goes back and forth between historical and contemporary and now I think she's bringing in futuristic. both series have humans with some abilities indealing with energies, etc.

hmm drawing a blank now..

eta: Creekers' right on with Julie Garwood - I've read 3 of hers The Secret, Ransom, and Shadow Music and all were good and related characters.

eta again - I also liked some of Susan Andersen's  Head over heels, getting lucky, Baby I'm Yours...Susan Donovan has some good ones too

Its so difficult to pick one but if forced to do so it would likely be Laura Kinsale's - Flowers from the Storm

Wow hard question.  My favorites (that aren't paranormal) are almost all historical, and if I had to pick my most favorite I'd say   Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase.   

Other nonparanormal Highlights from my keeper shelf include:

• Loretta Chase's The Last Hellion,  and her Carsington books especially Lord Perfect and Mr Impossible
• Secrets of the Night by Jo Beverly (and her other Malloren Books)
• Julia Quinn's first 4 Bridgerton Books: The Duke and I, The Viscount who Loved Me , An Offer From a Gentleman and Romancing Mr Bridgerton
• Mary Jo Putney's Fallen Angels series especially One Perfect Rose and Dancing on the Wind
• Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas and her Wallflowers series especially The Devil in Winter
• That Scandalous Evening by Christina Dodd
• Nobody's Angel by Karen Robards
• Match Me if You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips ( a rare contemporary keeper for me)
• Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts (the only Nora Roberts books I keep hanging onto)

1.  Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

2.   Match Me if You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

3.   Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter

4.   Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase

ETA:   Marsha Canham's Dante Pirates book 1 and book 2

ETA:   I just got a LP copy of Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.  OMG.  I forgot how really wonderful this book is.

Thanks for the suggestions ladies. It seems like I lean towards contemporary romance. I like my books to have alot of humor, romantic sex, and a great ending. That's not too much to ask for is it? :)

I have read Jennifer Crusie, Janet Evanovich and Susan Andersen in the past and enjoyed them. I have some Lori Foster and Galen Foley in my TBR pile. Any other suggestions?

I second the Christie Craig. Susan Donovan, Susan E Phillips, Susan Anderson. Also Kristan Higgins - Catch of the Day. Although all of her is very good, that one is my most fav.

I think if you like Jennifer Crusie and Susan Andersen, you'll like Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson. Both have series and stand-alones, both do sports stars as well as other types of heros/heroines, both are contemporary, humorous, romantic and great endings (um, IMHO). Reading their backlists will keep you busy for a long time!

I'm afraid asking everyone to list their opinion of the one best ever isn't necessarily going to get you books you like!! I started a "quest" of best ever books by attempting to read every book on the All About Romance 100 Top Romances from 2007 and many of those books didn't make my 3-star list! But I did discover new authors, new sub-genres, new likes and dislikes. And I only have about 10 more of that 100 to read, if I ever get around to it!

good luck!

 For contemporary authors I enjoy Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, LuAnne McLane, Robin Kaye.  If you like a little Romantic suspense I like Tara Janzen, Suzanne Brockman, Stephanie Tyler and Lucy Monroe.

I'm not a big contemporary fan, but I have enjoyed books by Susan Andersen, Kathy Love, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Erin McCarthy and Lisa Kleypas's contemporaries which mostly seem to fit the sexy and sometimes funny bill.

Melinda- I seem to have read about 60 from that list.  I got a kick out of it.  Some I absolutely agree with and others bleh.  It goes to show how greatly tastes vary.  For instance, I am in the minority who cannot get into a Laura Kinsale book no matter how hard I try.  I get inspired by reviews to try again, and it's always an epic fail for me.

I really like Nora Roberts, am particularly fond of her current wedding series, guaranteed a HEA ending and strong heroines.  I am also a big regency fan and really like Stephanie Laurens and have just discovered Emma Wildes' Notorious Bachelors series.

Karen - that's funny, how you feel about Kinsale is exactly how I am about Lisa Kleypas - I slogged my way through 6 or 7 of her historicals and after each one thought, why does everyone else love this author when I find her style, at best, passible?? but I have discovered I  do like Kleypas's contemporaries. And wouldn't you know, right now I'm thinking maybe I'll try her Hathaway series! It's like I just don't learn - I haven't liked her historicals yet, why am I being persuaded to try again? LOL! Peer pressure!

Tracy, I can't wait to hear which authors you decide you like now!

I love Kleypas historicals, but don't care much for her contemporaries, same goes for Judith McNaught.  Odd.

Lisa Kleypas!

Oh you must read Susan Elizabeth Phillips!!! The entire Chicago Football Series is fantastic and I adore all her stand alones. Match me if you Can is hysterical. Rachel Gibson is similar.

Tracey I just found Julie James.  She is hysterical with everything you've stated that you want in a contemp.  I just bought her latest....The Sexiest Man Alive. 

Wow Ladies....I'm loving all the suggestions! I just finished reading Susan Andersen's "Baby I'm Yours" and really enjoyed it. It was a funny, light read, just what I needed. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other authors!

One of my absolute favorites, non paranormal is Lone Rider by Lauren Bach. I LOVED it! I really liked Slow Hands by the same author also. Their both more along the lines of romantic suspense. They were keepers for me! Im gonna keep an eye on this thread though so I can get some more ideas also!

If you liked Baby I'm Yours try Christie Craig and Marianne Stillings they're funny and have a cute romance. 3 of Craig's are related and I'd read them in order just to keep the characters/spouses in order- the stories aren't related. Stillings has related characters but the stories are independent as well. the one with the woman doctor and the latest were probably myleast favorite of hers but they were still good - I liked Satisfaction something where s he's a tv cook .. and midnight in the garden of good and evie but the guys get stories of their own and show up book to book in some.

Bet Me By Jennifer Crusie  I think this is my "all time"  favorite.

This Heart Of Mine By Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Start Me Up and Talk Me Down  By Victoria Dahl

Just about anything Jill Shalvis

I'm a contemporary junkie! I love too many to pick one fave, but these are off the top of my head

forgot about Bet Me! that was a cute one. I also liked susan elizabeth phillips' Nobody's Baby But Mine!

Geez...one?  That's like quantifing(sp?) my favorite children.....lol....

But here are some favorites that haven't been mentioned yet....

These get taken out and read when I need a lift from a favorite....

Susan Elizabeth Phillips-It Had to Be You-this is my to-be-buried-with book.  I laugh and I cry many times when I read this one.

Nora Roberts Quinn series-If I could bring one hero to life, it would probably be the still-waters-run-deep Ethan Quinn

Rest are historicals

-Mary Jo Putney's Silk Trilogy;

Carla Kelly's-anything and everything-but Ladyship's Companion and Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand are favorites;

Patricia Veryan-Dedicated Villian

Joanna Bourne-Lady and the Spymaster-but Forbidden Rose is right up there too

There's more....if desired.....

how you feel about Kinsale is exactly how I am about Lisa Kleypas

Exactly how I feel about Kleypas.  I have never been able to slog through even one of her books.

Carla Kelly's-anything and everything

The one book by her that I struggled to keep interest in was "Miss Milton Speaks Her Mind".  Usually I devour her books, but I actually put this one down several times b/c it just didn't work for me.  I finished it but IMO it's not up to par with her other books.