Honestly astounds me that you don’t have millions of subscribers. Astounds me.

@yelizavetas3915

Жыл бұрын

YET

@cynthiajackson7602

Жыл бұрын

But she has the most subs than majority of booktubers.

@melissar.7802

Жыл бұрын

Why?

In the opposite direction to you, I read Beach Read a couple months after my dad died, so the incredibly heavy emotional aspect of a parent's death comingling with a romantic relationship made it my favorite romance book ever. But I totally see how it would take away from the romance if that's mainly all you're reading it for!

@hannahckirk

Жыл бұрын

Yeah same here! I love Emily Henry’s books for the way that they are more than just romances & how they combine heavier topics with fun romance. I am always surprised when people don’t like her stuff because I love it so much! But I do get it when people want a more lighthearted read. I also feel like there’s 2 camps of people who like either People We Meet on Vacation & dislike Beach Read + Book Lovers, or Vice versa. And those who want just romance tend to prefer PWMOV over the other 2. Personally, I am a Beach Read/Book Lovers girl!!

The funniest thing about The Love Hypothesis (as someone who is actually in science academia) is that the faking dating was set up as a way to SAVE Adam’s job but in all actuality, it would’ve gotten him FIRED!

I read beach reads a few months after my father passed, and Emily Henry nailed the grief aspect of the story so perfectly, it was impossible for me not to fall in love with it. This book just means so much to me!

I agree with your thoughts about Book Lovers! In my opinion, Emily Henry (and Colleen Hoover) aren’t really ~romance~ but more like romantic literary fiction…. if that makes sense? They don’t read the way true romance does. Not saying they aren’t good books, but I feel as though their “romance” is more targeted for people who are just getting started in the romance genre.

I’d agree with the assessment of Beach Read as not *just* a romance novel- and honestly I think that’s why I loved it so much when I read it??? While the romance plot line takes center stage, it really sort of leans more into character exploration/growth and I think it’d be more accurately labeled as contemporary fiction

Thank you for making such a comprehensive video! I always want to send friends who are just getting into romance a video to acquaint them with some really good entry points into the genre. Now I finally have that video! :) So many of my faves on this list!!

One that I feel should be added is The Bodyguard by Katherine Center… honestly my new fave it was soooo goood!!!

@BrookeAnne312

Жыл бұрын

It was so good! It was my first by Center and I was so surprised!!

I've read all of the books in this video and liked most of them, but my favourite contemporary romance is All Rhodes Lead Here. If there is one book I could read again for the first time, it's that one.

i would love to see how this top 10 compares to your top 10 contemp romances! or if you also mentioned some standouts from the submissions that didn’t get a lot of submissions but interested you! I recommended kiss an angel by SEP but i was clearly decades off LOL

Great video. Top ten of all time !! Loving this.

I think this is the first ever chandler video where I’ve read every single book! And I honestly agreed with most of these rankings (at least in relation to each other, even if this isn’t my personal top 10 lol). I’m going to direct anyone who asks me for some solid contemporary recs to this video!

I desperately needed this video 😩🙌🏾

Rwarb felt like a hug, genuinely it made me cry so much and when I finished it I just felt a void open in my chest.

My favorite on this list is definitely Love and Other Words. But as a huge fan of Beach Read too, I’ll never stop being shocked that you didn’t love it. 😅

I love that I’ve read most of these books and most I feel pretty positively about (aside from beach read). People we meet on vacation is my favourite book of the year as of now so seeing that others love it as much as I do makes me happy!

I wish that I watched this video earlier but now it's night time so as soon as I get up, I neeeeeedddd to go to the library and find as many of these as I can!

I was surprised that there was only one on the list that I haven’t read, which was Eve Brown! I just downloaded it from my library ❤️

My favorite contemporary romance (that is a straight-up romance) is probably Lucy Parker's Brit rom-com _Act Like It_ - not too frothy, but definitely on the amusing, light-hearted side. The hero fits the traditional grumpy trope, but rather than having the heroine play the 'perky sunshine' counterpart, I thought Parker wrote her really enjoyably wry and down-to-earth; it took me a couple chapters to get into it, but the interplay between them soon took over and was so fantastic! If you're in the mood for a great women's fiction read which is only partly romance - just as much about friendship and grief, albeit with the romance taking up more space as the story progresses - I can't recommend Mhairi McFarlane's _Just Last Night_ highly enough. I would suggest going into it blind. Despite the subject matter of having to deal with sudden death, I didn't find it depressing at all. Another British romance recommendation, and McFarlane is just such a sharp, sparkling writer. Heads up: for those who want smut, there's some very mild steaminess but that's about it. The other two contemporaries I really, really enjoyed (which aren't included up there) - although not quite on the same level as the first two I mentioned - were Jill Shalvis's _Hot Winter Nights_ and Ruthie Knox's _Ride With Me._ Both really benefit from their smaller scale: one's a small-town, caper-solving installment in a long series; the other is a short and sweet standalone about a cross-country biking trip; both have a nice amount of steam and managed to get me completely invested in the central pair's dynamic.

I loved the Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, The Bride Test, The Love Quotient, The Love Hypothesis, and Act Your Age Eve Brown. I am looking forward to Happy Place by Emily Henry.

Great list!

The none romantic elements of Beach Read are what I liked about it.I felt nothing for the romance.I'm ridiculously happy to see The Kiss Quotient so high.I read it a few years ago but I loved it so much I still remember it vividly.I also really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis because of the trope heavy fun feel of it.

i'm loving the people we meet on vacation appreciation. i feel like everyone online says it's the worst emily henry book but it's my favorite of hers

@helloimaila

Жыл бұрын

SAME

One of my favourite romances ever are: archer's voice, the kiss quotient and love and other words

'I would love to watch a list of "Oldies But Goodies" romances. Those that have been written 3+ years ago.

RW&B is on another dimension for me. The passion was straight up out of a historical fiction story. The references to historical homosexuality. The discovery of being Bi. The description of explication from the perspective of someone who has experienced loss and Unhealed grief. The MC is hilarious! The Harry Potter references! The fact that Alex has his own goals and career and life outside of the love interest. It’s phenomenal!

People we meet on vacation in its rightful spot yessssssss. I think you deserve each other belongs on this list

I’ve liked Emily Henry’s 2nd and 3rd adult romances. But, Beach Read was strange to me. It had an odd subplot that took away from the romance imo

I loved Michael in Kiss Quotient.

Your videos can literally do no wrong!

I have read all of these books and my fav is Love and other words.

Honestly surprised the unhoneymooners wasn’t on here!

oooo this was fun!

I really want to know if you've read Still Beating and what you thought of it. If you haven't, a reading vlog on it would be amazing! It is one of the best dark romance books I have ever read! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a go

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

i've read it, didn't totally love it though. think i gave it 2 or 3 stars

With an exception of two, every book I've read before from this list is one I didn't enjoy 😂 Which is sort of funny but also interesting; hearing why other people enjoyed books I didn't enjoy is something I do enjoy at times, especially when it's more detailed than just "this is perfection the best book ever etc etc" that you usually get from TikTok. Out of the ones I haven't gotten to yet, most of them are on my TBR so I'm excited to see how I'd ultimately feel about it As for recommendations, I have a queer ones since there wasn't much representation here: Dedicated by Neve Wilder is a friends to lovers, fake dating romance in a music/band mates setting, and it's a glorious pining, sexy, angsty delight.

Would you consider doing a queer version of this video? I love all of these but have lately been looking for a top 10 queer romances list

I discovered this podcast and hoped I would be introduced to books that would peak my interest. Sadly when the plot points of these books were described I was unimpressed. These books seem to appeal to a much younger reader than myself. I 'll keep looking!

I read beach read and didnf really like it, I got so close to DNFing it but then I decided to read people we meet in vacation and oh my God it was spectacular, but then I read book lovers and I was disappointed, now I'm defo reading the 4th book but honestly scared.

Hook, Line and Sinker was pretty good as well.

@stephanyparker554

Жыл бұрын

I liked it better than IHOS! I could relate so much more with Hannah than Piper.

if u ever see this, can u recomend me a realllllyyyyy goood fanticy ya romace book for someone who doesnt read fanticy, doesnt matter if its dark or not pleaseeeeeee

I've not enjoyed a single Emily Henry book so I absolutely do not understand the hype either.

Me watching this the same day I finished People we meet on Vacation :D

I read it happened one summer because of you and I freaking LOVED it. Especially the scene where he just so willingly takes her shopping because he loves her for who she is😩 I was big time swooning. I didn’t enjoy red white and royal blue very much because it felt very? Ugh. Pushy a little with the authors political views. But the romance was adorable nonetheless. 🥰

As someone that really wants romance romance I wasn't into RW&RB. Also, totally irrelevant, I love how you paired your jewelry, makeup, hair and top!

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

thanks!

i absolutely hate act your age eve brown, didn’t like the hating game and the love hypothesis, but i really enjoyed beach read and PWMOV and i loooove RWRB. excited to read the others!

Lol I thought I was the only one who didn’t love Beach Read.

I just finished The Bride Test a week or so ago but the miscommunication on Esme's part ruined the book for me. I just couldn't get passed it.

@linoletta

Жыл бұрын

I was so annoyed with Esme! I hated that Esme insisted on Khai verbally saying „i love you“ and misunderstanding him even though she knew he had difficulties expressing his emotions. It was so frustrating and also ruined an otherwise cute book for me :/

@brennasullivan8273

Жыл бұрын

@@linoletta I agree! After Khia told her about his autism she never tried to understand what it was. I felt like the side characters had to "fix" their miscommunication than Esme and Khia actually asking each other what was wrong.

@linoletta

Жыл бұрын

@@brennasullivan8273 Absolutely! They never overcame their conflict by themselves! It just seemed so petty and childish to let a small misunderstanding like this endanger the whole relationship. Esme didn‘t even try to understand him

@brennasullivan8273

Жыл бұрын

@@linoletta Agree 100%!

If Sea of Ruin doesn’t make it on the top dark romance list for Chandler to read, I’m gonna be SO disappointed

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

i have it checked out from the library rn 😎

@ashtonreads

Жыл бұрын

@@chandlerainsley Yesssss 🙌🏼

I always disagree with your favs but you're so entertaining I am subscribed anyway.

Ugh I l0ve The Bride Test 🥰

🔥🔥🔥

My only problem with the hating game is that it's so generic, ik ik contemporary romance isn't really supposed to be rocket science and maybe I might be a bit biased since I read this and the love hypothesis back to back (love hypothesis before) but it was just so basic and I found myself getting bored and like i had such high expectations

Red, White and Royal Blue was such a good book and I am so excited for the movie. do you think you are going to watch the movie when it comes out?

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

yes!

what does it say about me that i hate People We Meet on Vacation...

I DNFed "The Hating Game" and "People We Meet On Vacation". I don't get the hype of these books. Just not for me.

anyone has any recommendation for poly romances? and i don't mean threesomes, i mean poly xD preferably when it's a "getting together" story and not an already established poly relationship. the amount of sex or lack there of doesn't matter. i want it for the poly dynamic. please and thank you

@salomeshelise33

Жыл бұрын

I got you!!!! “Faking With Benefits” is a really good book. It’s about this girl (I never remember names lol) that lives across from 3 guys in an apartment. These guys are the creator of a love podcast about three single guys who have no right to give love advice giving love advice. They basically convince her to fake date them so they can teach her how to date since she has no luck. Then I would recommend “Hate” by Tate James. I literally have no idea how to explain this book at all but it is very similar to the last in the way that there is 1 girl being pursued by 3 men. It’s more of like a gang or mafia romance instead of a lighthearted read that I mentioned before. I don’t know if this is exactly what you’re looking for as the men are not involved with each other but yea :)

@Angela41541

Жыл бұрын

@@salomeshelise33 ooh, thanks

❤️❤️❤️

I can't believe The Bride Test seemed real to you. I felt you could only enjoy that book if you could totally suspend any thoughts of this ever actually happening in real life. In fact, that was my major complaint about the book. Once I read the author's note at the end of the book, I understood better what caused the issue. I think the author was attempting to do 2 things within the same book and didn't really succeed. She was trying to mesh a very serious issue and plight of Vietnamese refugees coming to US and a light-hearted rom-com story and that caused each of the two to be compromised.

The fact that Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall didn't make this list is an absolute travesty.

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

that's a fun one! it got a couple of votes

Its funny to me that „people we meet on vacation“ is at the top of the list. I didn‘t like this book at all, I thought it was so boring and uneventful, especially the flashbacks to their previous vacations. I was deeply bored till the end. For the life of me I don‘t understand why people like it so much.

@cyn_marie_reads

Жыл бұрын

I'm in the same boat. The only thing I liked about the book was Alex. And I didn't like that it was just a millenial book version of When Harry Met Sally, which is just a better story in my opinion.

RomCom-lovers should check out Lauren Layne 😊

I literally just finished the beach read. It’s an absolute terrible read. Her writing is terrible. Idk how she can be a published and highly rated book. I also have read every other book you mentioned and agree with all those!!

Chandler, i’ve really loves your channel. And i miss your vlog soo much. Tbh i’m not even watching it yet, but i just needed to comment. Much love, from indonesia🤍

PWMOV ALEX NILSEN SUPREMACY YESSS

I just DON'T get the lave that Hating Game gets. It's such an average and even silly story. I just don't get it. My theory is that it was massively promoted (I had no idea whether it actually was) so many people who typically don't read romance books did read it and thus discovered romance genre and as this was their first book, they love it. Plus the number of times we got to read that he is such a HUGE tall muscular manly man and she is this tiny petite feminine small little girly woman made my cry in frustration. Ugh...

Only wish seven days of June was on here

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

love that one!!

I'm going to hope your "smang" comment is a Turquoise Jeep reference because yes.

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

IT IS!!!!!

@gardeningoutsidethebox

Жыл бұрын

@@chandlerainsley My favorite rapper used to describe my favorite book. Ideal. The Love Quotient made my little autistic heart happy. I teared up at moments in it purely because representation felt good. I'm going to read the next two in the series soon.

My bf is also quite swoon-worthy, hehe!😉

I'm shocked that there's no Colleen Hoover

@chandlerainsley

Жыл бұрын

my subs got taste 😎

people we meet on vacation is THE worst book I read last year. such insipid characters. I just don't get it I really don't.

I DNF’d Beach Read. I just didn’t like it.

@sofiad8128

Жыл бұрын

Me too! I just stopped reading one day and suddenly it's been months without going back to it & i don't miss the book a bit 🫣

I didn't like the Hating Game. There was a scene felt like a sexual assault

I love Emily Henry for how her books are more than just romances but still have the fun banter & chemistry & rom-com energy of full on romance books. I get why people find them weighed down by the heavier subplots though. I’ve found that Emily Henry resonates with a lot of us girlies with parental grief ❤️‍🩹 lol (but obvi not everyone).