The Importance of Place in Romance Novels: From Cozy Cafés to Far-Away Destinations
If there is one thing I will always love in a romance book, it’s an intriguing setting. Romance novels with unique settings are the ones I enjoy reading most, and that’s why my books take place in destinations like the Maldives, the Irish countryside, and the California desert. If someone can say, “The setting is almost like a character in the book,” then count me in!
Take one of my favorite books with a wilderness setting, The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker. Our main character, Calla, steps off a rickety bush plane and finds herself in the wild, untamed beauty of Alaska. She’s met with crisp air, looming mountains, and a palpable sense of adventure. Amidst the rugged landscape, the surroundings deeply intertwine with the love story that unfolds. The setting isn’t just a backdrop or an afterthought—it’s a character in its own right, shaping the narrative and the people within it.
Why Place and Setting Matter in Romance Novels
A romance novel’s setting has the power to do more than merely paint a pretty picture; it can influence the characters’ development. In a small-town romance like It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, everyone knows each other’s business. This close-knit environment makes for deep, meaningful connections, but it also heightens tensions and misunderstandings. The main character, Piper, doesn’t go to this small Pacific northwest town and just meet the love interest—the setting requires her to do some serious soul-searching and to grow as a person.
Setting provides some juicy external conflict to make a book more exciting, too. In Fake-ish by Winter Renshaw, our main characters re-meet on a family’s private island, bumping up the sexual tension and creating some forced proximity where they can’t escape each other. There’s also the drama that traveling to a new destination entails, like culture shock or navigating customs, such as the Scottish setting for Kilt Trip by Alexandria Kiley. Or there are simply the challenges of getting from Point A to Point B, like we see on the sailing trip in Float Plan by Trish Doller.
The setting of a romance book also influences the tone. Whiteout by Adriana Anders takes place in Antarctica, and the isolation of the place combined with the danger the main characters find themselves in will get your heart racing. It’s peak romantic suspense. The setting acts as an emotional canvas, painting the mood and atmosphere that define the love story.
The Familiar or the Far-Flung?
Contemporary romance novels with interesting, memorable settings can fall into two categories. There are ones with a bubble of a fictional environment or ones that are aspirational, far-away destinations (and, yes! they can be both—I’ll get to that in a minute). A small-town romance will differ from a vacation romance, but at their heart, both rely on the setting to cultivate conflict.
The Cozy Comfort Zone. There’s something inherently charming about romance blossoming in familiar, everyday places. Think of a quaint little café or a cozy bookstore in a small town. These intimate, ordinary settings create a sense of warmth and authenticity, making the love story feel real and attainable. Elsie Silver is the queen of small-town romances set in places that are ordinary but incredibly extraordinary at the same time.
The Exotic Escape. For those seeking adventure, romance novels set in far-flung destinations provide a thrilling getaway. Romance novels with exotic settings hand you a plane ticket to whatever the destination may be, but you can enjoy the scenery from the comfort of your own Kindle. Trish Doller’s Beck Sister books are great examples of this!
I’m personally a fan of both or either, both from a reader and writer perspective. My Maldives-set novella definitely falls into the Exotic Escape romance category—after all, who wouldn’t like to take a vacation to the Maldives with their brother’s best friend? My other books, The Half of It and In a Desert Daze, are a mix, though; they possess that familiar small-town setting but take place in dreamy destinations, like Ireland and the Mojave Desert.
The Enduring Magic of a Destination in Romance Books
Setting has the ability to shape the story of a romance novel and the characters within it. Vivid descriptions and sensory details immerse us in the world an author has created, enhancing the emotional impact of the romance. Whether or not the location is fictional, the book itself exists in our minds as this special place where the story happened, and when done well, it will find a permanent place in our hearts, too. Whether you’re cozying up in a charming café or embarking on an exciting adventure, let the magic of the setting sweep you away into a world where love knows no bounds.
