I haven't read anything in a long time now, but my favourite genre is fantasy. Scifi is fine too. I stopped reading because it had become too hard to find books i enjoyed.
I can't enjoy a book that is ridiculously far fetched. Maybe it sounds silly coming from a person who loves fantasy, but unless the world the story takes place in seems to my mind like it could actually exist, like, it could be real if different energies existed, etc... I just can't get into it at all.
I like Game of Thrones. Not much in romance but lots of politics. It is well grounded and doesn't go too into the fantastic.
Peril's Gate. Janny Wurts. Just read it, it's intense.
The whole Michael Moorcock books might please you. It's "far fetched" (given his heroes sometimes go to war against the gods and such), but his universe is really coherent. The Elric and Corum cycles are really good, but you also have "The War Hound and the World's Pain" (a german knight that stumbles upon lucifer and is somehow forced to strike a deal with him to save them both and a girl). And "The Dancers at the End of Time" is a good blend of Fantasy and Scifi. It tells the stories of people who have access to eternal life and unlimited power, who are bored and trying to entertain themselves before the universe finally collapses.
Seconding the recommendation by >>2.
I'd also recommend Death of the Necromancer, although it too is thin on overt romance -- the male and female protagonist are already married, IIRC. The prose is excellent, and while there is some magic in the steampunk setting, it's used sparingly. The protagonist is actually a criminal mastermind, and one of his foils is a lot like Sherlock Holmes.
thanks for the suggestions everyone. Some of those sounds good :)