Pamela Clare is my go-to for romance, she used to be an investigative journalist so she knows her stuff and does her research which I love. I've learned more about modern issues she's covered (like the complicated drug trade with Mexico and Native American issues that they're fighting for) as well as the French and Indian War than I've ever remembered from high school! She's written both historical and modern day romances, so pick whichever you like best! Ride the Fire is the third in her historical series but it's my favorite, and doesn't require reading the others to understand it.
The same is true of her two modern day romance series, you can read them in whatever order you like though they do mention past characters if that's something you enjoy! The I-Team series is modern romantic suspense and begins with Extreme Exposure though the second and third books in the series are my favorites, and the Colorado High Country series (which starts with Barely Breathing which is actually on sale right now) is more straightforward romance.