SEP is my favorite author-- I just recently discovered her and have been savoring all of her books slowly.

I stayed up till 4 in the morning to read all of Ain't She Sweet. During the "big" scene my hands were shaking and my stomach was all in knots !!!!!!! I do not think I have ever been so emotionally invested into a book (her Dream a little dream of me is my 2nd fav)! She is a brilliant author--I wish she wrote faster and was younger so she could write forever!!

Since SEP cannot help but not meet my horribly selfish demands I need YOU DIE HARD FANS TO HELP me out! I WILL ONLY TRUST YOU!!

Who is another author that writes stories just as sweet, charming, funny, and touching as SEP?????????????

PLEASE HELP

I do not want to finish all of her books yet--cause then I would not have a secret pick me up from reading boredom.

I also like Jennifer Crusie, especially Bet Me and Faking It.  And Deborah Smith.  But you need to note that there are two Deborah Smiths.  One writes Southern romances like Sweet Hush, Charming Grace, and When Venus Fell.  The other writes Christian books. 

I think Jenny Crusie is similiar. Not exactly, and definitely not her collaborations with Bob Mayer.

You will LOVE her newest one-What I Did For Love.

And you should definitely visit her message board (susanelizabethphillips.com). She posts pretty often on there which is really cool. I always get excited when she responds.

I'd suggest Jennifer Crusie's stand alone work. She also has collaborations, but I don't like them as well.

You might also try Jane Graves, Rachel Gibson,  Erin McCarthy (I esp liked Heiress for Hire) or Susan Donovan altho I find them more breezy than SEP.

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has been raving about Jill Shalvis.  But she is still on my TBR stack.  So I can't say if she has the emotional depth of SEP.  And I third the suggestion of Jennifer Crusie's stand alone books rather than the ones with Bob Mayer.  Her earlier Mira reprints are also not as good. 

I've always been a historical romance fan and have only been reading contemporary romances on a steady basis for the last year or so so I don't have as much experience as others here so I'm keeping my eye on this thread, too. I've really enjoyed Elizabeth Bevarly's single titles. I followed her through her category days and was happy when she broke into the contemporaries.  Many of the category authors I liked are doing romantic suspense.  I've read most of Susan Wiggs, Kristin Hannah and Deborah Smith but their stories can sometimes cover much more serious topics. Mary McBride did some really cute books - MY HERO was especially enjoyable. Also Michelle Jerott/Michele Albert is good. I'm not sure about Sandra Hill, whether some of her books straight contemporaries or if some contain the Viking thing - I like her a lot but have only read the TT ones.  Oh, Susan Anderson, too. My favorite of hers is EXPOSURE. Excuse any typos, I'm doing this without my glasses.

I have a copy of Ain't She Sweet.....guess I should read it, eh?

Anne

I never enjoyed anything Jennifer Crusie wrote.  She gets bizarre mid-story and she spends too much time on secondary characters.  She's writes great wall bangers.

As for another great contemp author I really loved  was Rachel Gibson......but only her first 4 novels.  Her recent work is dull 

Try:   True Confessions, See Jane Score, Madly Truly Yours, and It Must Be Love.  Those were great, imo.

OK - my go-to authors for humorous contemporary romance like SEP (but not exactly like her) are Jennifer Crusie, Susan Andersen and Rachel Gibson. I think Crusie comes the closest in creating an off-kilter, funny world that seems to work, like SEP does, in Bet Me, Welcome To Temptation and Anyone But You.  I don't like everything by those 3 authors, but I like most of the ones I've read (which is almost every title). Although Gibson's See Jane Score is on the AAR Top 100 for 2007, it's not a favorite for me, but I loved her Author Friends series that starts with Sex, Lies and Online Dating.

I haven't read Erin McCarthy or Jane Graves or the others mentioned here yet. Of course, everyone's different so I always read more than one by an author before I decide if I like her style - I might have not read more of Rachel Gibson based on See Jane Score.

Good luck on your journey! I've read every single SEP multiple times - that's how I deal with it! (actually I have them all on audio book, and I'm doing a marathon re-listen now of the Chicago Stars series).

I haven't read any SEP yet-have a couple in MT TBR. But Marianne Stilings and Susan Mallery sound like they would compare.  MS writes comedic books with a good plot.  I just read the Sweet books by Susan Mallery and they were great.  Read them in order though-they are about 3 sisters who don't get along trying to repair their relationship and find love. 

Oh Phyllis  her Dream a Little Dream is on my bedstand, and definitely one of my all time favorites.  Love that book.  I don't know of anyone who writes just like her, but maybe I could get close.

Try Kathleen Kane  she writes Historical - paranormals(aka Maureen Child) contemporaries. Humorous and heart warming.

Sharon Sala (aka Dinah McCall) for the deep heart wrenching emotional involvement.  I Love her books.

Jane Graves, Marianne Stillings - great reads.

Sandra Hill  can do no wrong.  She has wonderful plots and is incredibly funny.  I don't read vikings, but trust me I read anything she writes and laugh out loud while doing it.

Catherine Anderson - her older books, the later ones I can't get into as readily.  Try Keegan's Lady or Cherish.  These are historical westerns.

I met Susan & had her autograph my books.  I would get another copy of Dream a Little Dream (cause it is falling apart for too much reading), but it is signed to me.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for all your help! I cannot wait to try out som new authors.

Lori--

I do love the book "Dream A Little Dream of Me." I was struck through the heart every time Edward/Chip said, "Are we going to die now, mama?"

I hope SEP writes a romance with Chip and Rosie--so cute!

I love Jill Shalvis, but ive never read SEP so I can't compare. I wouldn't call them very emotional though.

SEP is head and shoulders above the other contemp-romance writers (check her reviews at All About Romance)http://www.likesbooks.com

...but as for  runner-ups I agree with J. Cruisie and R. Gibson.

I know exactly what you mean about her writings...  I had been reading suspense novels until I picked  up Match Me if You Can... It was laugh out loud funny and sweet and I was hooked on SEP... I looked all over for more of her books and have read them all now...  some I am keeping to re-read.  I really like Susan Anderson and Sandra Hills Cajun men series...   Jennifer Cruise is good... I really liked Bet Me...   Susan Donovan is good - liked He loves Lucy, and Knock Me off my Feet..    Christina Dodd is good too. I am reading the first of her 3 series Almost like being in Love,  Just the way you are and Close to you..  She writes very nice stories with romance... not all sex like some of the authors..    Lori Foster books are good  Say  no to joe,  wild. too much temptation, the winston boys,  when bruce met cyn, and that series.. Murphy's law, just a hint clint....   Rachel Gibson's Daisy's back in Town, See Jane Score, The Trouble with Valentines Day, Not Another Bad Date,  True Confessions are really cute...  Cathie Linz's Good Girls' do...   Deidre Martin has a series about hockey players that is really cute. Body Check, Fair Play, Total Rush, Penalty Box and Chasing Stanley..   Susan Mallery has really good romatic, funny stories - Delicious, Delirious, Sizzling, ....Charly Phillips The Playboy, Hot Stuff The Hot Zone, Hot property are really good.......Christina Skye is good too.   Good Reading!!!

Thanks Sue for the great long list! I cannot wait to dive in!

Cheers and thank you to everyone!

Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux. To me, these are the only that are in the same class as SEP.

LISA!! LOL! Those are my top three authors before I found SEP.

Whoa.  None of Lisa's three authors do it for me.  Guess SEP covers a wide spread of tastes.

Thanks for your suggestions! I really liked Catherine Anderson!

I don't think there's anyone else quite like SEP. You will probably like some of the authors mentioned, but they are distant seconds to SEP at her best.

Her New one What I Did For Love is reallllyy steaming hot!

I just picked her last one up at my library's used bookstore for 2.50!!!!! I just kept thinking "WOW!!! This just came out in FEB!"

I agree with many of you about "close seconds" to Susan, but I don't think anyone can quite touch her except Suzanne Brockmann.  However, Brockmann writes such a different story that not all fans of SEP would enjoy Brockmann.

I LOVE: Catherine Anderson's contemporaries, Rachel Gibson, Jennifer Cruisie, Susan Wiggs,  Christina Dodd's contemporaries,  Deidre Martin, Susan Mallery's new stand-alone titles, Janet Evanovich's reprints of her romance novels, Vickie Lewis Thompson, LuAnn McLane, and Lori Foster.

I just read my first Jill Shalvis and she is ranking highly. I am about to request more of them.

I am digging Charlotte Hughes new series.

I don't care for Elizabeth Beverly and Christina Skye is okay. I've read Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux but would not rank them near SEP.

I think Smart Women and Welcome to Temptation are equal to SEP, IMHO.  I kind of read them all at the same time and kept thinking, this author is great.