I am looking for a really good love story. (not vampires) Any suggestions???

I've noticed a lot of people recommending the classics-- and the classics are beautiful reads! But if you're not feeling literary, and just want a fun, sweet romantic read, my suggestion is Ella Enchanted. I read this book in ninth grade, and before that I wasn't really interested in romance at all, but I found myself really getting into Ella's story.

It's another Cinderella story in a way, if you're unfamiliar with the movie (the book is much better, of course, as usual). When she was a baby she was cursed (or according to the fairy who cursed her, "gifted") with absolute obedience. If anyone gave her an order, then she had to obey it. But despite this, Ella grows into a precocious and defiant child and meets Prince Charmont, who first becomes her friend, and later her first love.

It doesn't have any vampires, but it does exist in the fairy tale realm. Unfortunately, I still don't read many straight-romance books. But I would actually recommend against Romeo and Juliet. It's one of Shakespeare's worst plays and, tragically, is also his most famous. If you want to read a Shakespearean love story, my recommendation would be Much Ado About Nothing. It's a much more interesting plot with (two!) much more believable romances.

As for classic romance, I would second the Gone With the Wind recommendation. It's a fabulously intricate story about a driven women torn between the two loves of her lives-- Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler. She's married to Rhett, but Ashley is married to Melanie and, for some reason, Scarlet can't help but constantly pursue him, which changes all her relationships.

Well, I'm not really that much about romance novels without a bit of fantasy or something else like a historical angle. But here are my suggestions anyway:
'The Birth of Venus' and 'In the Company of the Courtesan' by Sarah Dunant (takes place in Renaissance Italy)
'The Dark Queen', 'The Courtesan' and 'The Silver Rose' by Susan Carroll (these are with a small part of fantasy)
'Hija de la Fortuna' by Isabel Allende (I don't know the correct English title, but it means The Daughter of Luck and takes place in Chile and California)
'The Year the Horses Came' by Mary Mackey
'The Girl Who Played Go' by Shan Sa
'Brief Candles' by Alan E. Fisher (Takes place in Skt. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution)
'Les Miserables' by Victor Hugo (I can't believe that nobody else suggested it)
'Doctor Zivago' by Boris Pasternak
'The Other Boleyn Girl' by Philipa Gregory (the book is better than the movie!)
And even if you don't like Fantasy I strongly recommend all books by Tamora Pierce and Lian Hearn.

Hope I have been of some help :)

Um, I would recommend "Romeo and Juliet", if you haven't read it. No vampires, last time I checked.

Well, if you want a classic than I would suggest - Wuthering Heights
- Sense and Sensibility; and
- Pride and Prejudice.
Which are all Favourites of mine. Oh, and there is always 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' but that is not your classic Romance novel... is rather sad!

If your after something a bit more recent, than I enjoyed 'The Time Travelers Wife' though it is a bit like a fantasy it is still a really different Romance.
Theres:
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Summer of Roses by Luanne Rice
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Um, yeah hope that helped a little if you still looking for a Romance novel and if you have not read them :D :D

Together: Friday Nights At The Roxy by Majeedah Thomas the best love story I ever read!

You should read Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell and The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough!!!
as for me, these are two greatest love stories ever!!!!
also Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is awesome!
you could also try some of Jane Austen novels!
no fantasy, no vampires, just love =)

If you like love stories, and still a bit of supernatural. start with kelley armstrong's saga 'the women of the other world', first one is called bitten

I loved "The Morning Gift" by Eva Ibbotson it's a beautiful book, though it is YA fiction by the way.

I love classics, and the ones the others mentioned are great!! but I read a book a couple of years ago and I just felt in love with it.. it´s ¨By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept¨ by Paulo Coelho... I read it in spanish but it´s also in english... It´s really beautiful book
Hope you like it too!!

Like all the other responses, all the classics are brilliant, and alongside the Brontes and Jane Austen I would definitely recommend Mrs Gaskell's 'North and South' or 'Mary Barton'. Also, although it is YA fiction, another good love story is 'Soul Love', by Lynda Waterhouse. Finally, if you are willing to read a saga, there is the 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon, starting with 'Cross Stitch'. Each book tells of the epic (and time-travelling) love story between a 1940s nurse and an 18th Century Scotsman, set in the Scottish Highlnds. (A little warning - these books made me cry!)

Have you read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte,A Beggar at the Gate by Thalassa Ali or Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.

The Noughts & crosses series are all great reads by Malorie Blackman. And as everyone else has said the classics and also a great series I love, a Japanese love story beginning with Across The Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. The Time Travelers Wife is great too by Audrey Niffenegger. Or even Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden has a love story within it :)

Jack Weyland's books are pretty good, like Charly, Sam, Brittany, Kimberly, Jake.... he's written lots and they're all great love stories, no fantasy, just fiction.

Sarah Dessen has really good books. My favorite is this lulaby and just listen. also Bloom and Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott are really good too. Oh and Beastly by Alex Filnn is a amazing romance story. its like a modern Beauty and the beast.

I loved reading this book, based on a true story and even though you know whats gonna happen the author does a fantastic job in making it as if you dont know what is gonna happen around the corner.

The story is told through Helen's POV :)


Im also reading a new book i found in my HUGE bookshelf lol....Cross Stitch (1991)by Diana Gabaldon...here's the link check it out :)
link
LOVE IT!!! IM HOOKED LOL

my friend said kissed by anf angel was really good

You should really try some of Nicholas Sparks books, they are so sweet and romantic. Try "Message in a Bottle" "The Notebook" "The Wedding" and "A walk to remember".. There has been made a movie of "The Notebook" and "A walk to remember", and they are really great to:)

you should really read "This Lullaby" by Sarah Dessen, or any book by her all of them are really good love stories, they will make you laugh, and maybe even cry.

Starcrossed‎
by Mark Schreiber is really good.
here's the storyline: How can Christy Marlowe--a wise-cracking horoscope junkie--be in love with Ben, a well-mannered college freshman? Their fateful first meeting takes place at a plastic surgeon's office, where both plan to erase unwanted tattoos along with painful memories. Burying the past isn't easy, and soon their romance is ensnared in secrets and lies. Starcrossed or starmates, can Christy and Ben find their way back to truth and trust?

Persuasion by Jane Austen still my fave to this day!

Jane Austen is, in my mind, the goddess of romances! So anything by her would be great.

Also, (not so classic though) "A Victorian Christmas Cottage" by Jeri Odell, Catherine Palmer, Debra White Smith and Peggy Stoks is great. It's four different stories in the same book. I read it last Christmas, and loved it!

And finally, you can never go wrong with "The Princess Bride"! XD That was originally written by S. Morgenstern, but I recommend reading the abridged version by William Goldman.

No vampires, no "fantasy". Just true love!

This author that I really enjoy is new and is great, its not vamps more grim reapers and its a love story but not all mushy lots of things going on, me and my friends really like it. You can read the first 45 pages on the site too! :) It's called Wingless

link

If you want something light and still in the supernatural theme (but without vampires), I'd recommend Meg Cabot's mediator series. It's six short books, but you'll devour them quickly. When I was a tween I read them over and over.

all of sarah dessen's books are romantic & maggie stiefvater... not vamps, just werewolves in heres! :D

So Lyrical by Trish Cook or This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. both r rly good.

try link go to fantasy and there you will find the hotest books, and you have categories like weres, vampires and so on. read the description of the books, see the reviews

I recommened Dead Generation

what about Wuthering Heights?
Have you read it?
I love it..so sad..tear-jerking story

all by Jane Austen, Gone with the Wind, War and Peace, North and South, Coming Home (Rosamunde Pilcher)...

If you are looking for REALLY GOOD romance without fantasy, the author I'd recommend the most would be Jane Austen. She is known for her romance, and she's written quite a few. I'd start with maybe Pride and Prejudice? (Not the one with zombies XD)

i would hav to say shiver by maggie stiefvater
its fantasy but i think you will like it =)
its really good

~sammy~

"Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It is fantasy but not vampires.

Did you try Eric Segul's LOVE STORY?

A TOUCH OF FATE OR MESSAGE FROM NAM OR NO GREATOR LOVE

U should read fortunes journey. it the greatest love story ever!!!

I recommend you the ageless "Love Story" by Erich Segal. You'll love it, like millions before you!
LuvAlwaiz-Jj9

All American Teenager by Meg Cabot. And it's sequel Ready Or Not.

why not read mills and boons

read the book, THE WEDDING, and there's the book, MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE. I loved them both! THE LAST SONG is good too.

Why not check out I, Coriander and The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner? The second one that I mentioned is part of a two book series that ends with a book called The Silver Blade. My fave teen review site, www.YABookShelf.com, reviewed the first two, and I'm hoping that it will review The Silver Blade as well in the coming weeks. :)

NO ONE !! read "Pride & Prejudice" and DIDN'T fall in love with it!!

the summer i turned pretty by jenny han is AMAZING...one of my favorite books EVER...i cried, laughed, and everything in between...beautifully written and i couldnt put it down

jane eyre
pride and prejudice
cyrano de bergerac edmund rostand
wuthering heights

I read Hush Hush and got really hooked with it I belive it's a good book maybe you'll like it :) Fallen angels really are kewl in my opinon xD

link

the summing, the awakening, and the rekaning by the same auther( i cant spell if it were 2 save my life)

Pride and Prejudice. ♥ Mr. Darcy

um i have several one is called Hush, Hush it is so good its about angels which is way better then vampires :D hah the guy is so awesome and um theres one book called "The Truth about Forever" and another one called "Along for the Ride" and there both by the author Sarah Dessen there both awesome hope this helps :]

well i mostly read fantasy but a really good adventure love story is graceling. its about this girl whos "graced" with kiling and works as her uncle the kings thug. then she meets this prince when she's out on a mission and she leaves him unconsios instead of killing him. she sees him again and they work together to find out the mystery of who kidnapped his grandfather.

Fire is the sequel and its just as good as the first one!

The Notebook or A walk to remember....

ok i think u would tottaly love the mortal instruments by cassandra clare there are 3 books n they re sooo fuckin cool i always recomend them

anything by rachel hawthorne, if u look up her she has like 4 books about werewolfs the rest r about love n have nothing 2 do w/ werewolfs

ELLA ENCHANTED. It has a sort of cinderella feel to it but in my opinion so much better. I also liked The Virgin's Secret.

'one summer of happiness' by per olof ekstrom

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Robin McKinley's Rose daughter, and the blue sword, are really good. And Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte is the best.

Nightshade by Andrea Creamer, it's really good! No vampires at all,it's really refreshing. :)

well, its not really a love story, but firegirl is a good book.its reall more a friendshhip story.i am sad to say its a realistic fiction story. its about a girl that was burned and every one was afraid of her. its sad but you should read it.

let me see... Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë. The best romantic story ever!!

... and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the story is simply beautiful :)

well i LOVE Peeta and The Hunger Games, and a good book is I heart u, u haunt me, even thou her bf dies(it says that in the summary)its still bout love and its sad and good i cried in lik the first 25 pages. Even thou its bout vamps but the House of Night series is VERY GOOD! its my 2nd fav book then there's hunger games which is 1st...

Angelique

On one winter day in school, Lisa asked me what I wanted to do that Friday evening. I thought for awhile and I responded, “Lets go to the Catholic Church at 9:00 pm and get married.” She looked at me with surprise. I don’t know what she was feeling at the moment, but she responded with an “OK”. It was as casual to her, as if I had just asked her to the movie. I loved her so much, but I didn’t tell her in my heart, that I really was marrying her. The feelings that I was going to pledge to her that night would be eternal. I was so happy. I didn’t show her that either, because I didn’t want her to know how important it was to me.

This is a paragraph from the non fiction book, "Something that was meant to happen." It can be found at... www.blueforest.name

Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler is an amazing book. The only fantasy in it is angels (though I personally believe in angels). I think you would LOVE it! :D But be warned: it's really long at about 700 pages (but who really cares? It's so amazing I'd read it no matter how long it is!!!).

A Matter of Class

Red riding hood by sarah blakley cartwright, was awesome.
delirium by lauren oliver
beautiful malice by rebecca james(this book was quite sad:(
Embrace by jessica shirvington(i think i spelled that wrong) was really really good:)
and all books by alison noel:)

definetly HUSH HUSH by becca fitzpatrick or fallen from lauren kate both sre bout angels nd'll make yu cry

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl (there's Incubuses and Succubuses, somewhat like vampires, but it's not revolved around them), Lament by Maggie Stiefvater (Faeries), Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ( a half wolf trying to find the cure for his changing into a wolf whenever it gets cold (really good)), Remember Me by Christopher Pike is good (not so much a love story at first, but it progresses throughout the book), and Christy and Julie, both by Catherine Marshall are good books. Sorry, most are fantasy, but Julie,Christy, and Remember Me(somewhat) aren't fantasy.

Here's a few suggestions:
-Pride and Prejudice, by the famous, classic Jane Austin. It's a tough read, because the language is older, but it's a timeless love story!
-The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's filled with romance, but it's not mushy. It's a dark book, and there is a lot of violence. But it's really very good!

Perfect chemistry by simone elkeles is the best !.

Well there's a beautiful love story filled with romance, killings, blood, gore, and a fight to the death.

The Hunger Games, it's a MUST read.

sharon shinn,has archangel which is fantasy romance and the twelve houses which is about shapeshifters and other mystics with powers and a real escape from the real world if thats what your looking for

hey try angels!!!!! it doesnt have vamps in it and its truly romantic ull enjoy it i hope!!!!!!

I actually enjoyed Beastly by Alex Flinn, even though it was just a modern spin off of Beauty and the Beast; it was interesting to see the Beast's point of view.
What else? I've heard of Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell is sort of like the Hunger Games, but it focuses mostly on the romance.
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. Angel love story with mystery thrown into the batter (who doesn't love mystery?)
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (aliens!)
And the classics: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice.

It seems you are in luck. At the moment, I am writing the first installment of the Eden Chronicles. It is called A Little Bit More Than Love. Even though it is fantasy, it has the elements of a good, mushy love story. In it, two dragons, with the bond of true love between them, must stop a crazed demon from destroying their world. I'll post a full synopsis in the Chroniscles of Eden club.

Beautiful Creatures Series

Try I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend. It's an awesome love story.

I'd say Harry Potter, it is full of action, but there is quite a bit of romance to it too!

"The Lost Phoebe" by Theodore Dreiser is a love story (in short story form) told about an elderly man who searches for his true love: his deceased wife. The ending is one of my favorites in all literature.

My all time favourite love story is A Crack in Forever
by Jeannie Brewer! A tear jerker 2 clear out the sinuses!

You can be the judge -- link

s i need real love storys

Follow this link!
link
My friend recommended it to me..
Its nice!

Read Chars Dickens...

The Fallen Star Series by Jessica Sorenson (very good read)

Edenbrooke by Julliane Donaldson. I'm a big romance reader and I've read almost all of them out there, but this one was so cute and clean. loved it!

"one day" by david nicholls is one of my all time favorites, #1 international bestseller from 2009

Please try Sharing Sam by Katherine Applegate. It's an awesome love story! Basically two best friends are in love with the same guy -- only one of the friends is dying. Awesome book -- sad, as you might expect but a beautiful story about the love between a guy and a gal and also the love that friends have for each other and the sacrifices that come with love.