Jessica Pryde is a member of that rare breed that grew up in Washington, DC, but is happily enjoying the warmer weather of the desert Southwest. While she is still working on what she wants to be when she grows up, she’s enjoying dabbling in librarianship and writing all the things. She's the editor of Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters, and her fiction has been published by Generous Press. She can be found drowning in her ever-growing TBR and exclaiming about romance on When in Romance, as well as on social media. Find her exclamations about books and internet ridiculousness on BlueSky (JessIsReading) and instagram/threads (jess_is_reading).
For romance readers in the US (and honestly, probably a lot of readers elsewhere), the majority of what we read takes place in a familiar environment—majority white, English-speaking nations of the commonwealth. The majority of contemporary romance published in the US takes place in the US or Canada, and the majority of historical romance takes place in Great Britain (not just England, but Scotland too). In recent years, we’ve been exposed to an uptick of authors from Australia and New Zealand, but for the most part, we’ve got English-speaking North American and British writers bringing their stories to American readers.
But what about books set elsewhere? Decolonizing our reading also means thinking about people who were impacted by the imperial powers of Europe and the United States. And while books centering Americans and Brits traveling to other places for vacation, work, or some combination of both have been popular for decades, we still have to dig deep in the United States for books by people outside of those confines using their lived experiences to write romances set in their own environments. Some of that is influenced by exposure and translation—there are books that are incredibly popular in other countries that have just not reached us here, or even been translated into English. But it’s also in part due to our own reading habits in the US—many English-speaking white readers don’t even want to read diversely about people in their own country, let alone adjust their worldview to how people live on other continents.
Since this list is of books published in the United States, I have included a few books by authors who are either American or live in North America. One is actually about that thing that I mentioned above—an American on a vacation—but I think it works well for this list for other reasons. In general, though, this list is full of gems set all over the world, by people who live in those places.
The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo
Debut author Morillo brings us to Venezuela in this rom-com about a lifestyle columnist who’s just lost both her job and her boyfriend and then lands a job as a personal assistant to Simón Arreaza, the singer of her favorite indie band. When Simón discovers the list of “romantic experiments” Marianto has designed to get her boyfriend back, he offers to help her, and well. We all know how that goes.
Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal
While this is slightly older in romance years, Unmarriageable is a Pride and Prejudice retelling that shouldn’t be missed. Set in contemporary Pakistan, it tells the story of Alys Binat and her family. Alys despairs of the girls she teaches all dropping out of school to marry, and teaches them about Jane Austen and other women to look up to. When she meets Valentine Darsee at a wedding and things go…as well as can be expected, the two clash throughout the wedding festivities.
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The Dating Countdown by NG Peltier
Maxine and Remi grew up together in Trinidad, but their friendship ended when they were teenagers. Now that Maxine is divorced and back on the island, Remi is determined to get her girl. Maxine has only recently started exploring her sexuality beyond her previous relationship, and whatever this is she has with Remi can’t distract her from the other things she has to deal with, including being a newly single parent and starting a new job. This one is the third in a series, and you’d probably benefit from reading the other two, but this is my favorite of the three.
Behind Five Willows by June Hur (May 26)
This is technically YA, but when the setting is Joseon dynasty Korea and the characters are all marriageable age, that line blurs a bit. We have yet another story inspired by Pride and Prejudice, this time featuring two young people who must be chaperones to their courting friends, who start out with the worst of impressions but, well, you know how that goes. With the growth of K-Pop and K-Dramas, there has been a recent increase in American romances set primarily or entirely in Korea, but they tend to be contemporary, so it’s nice to see a historical one!
Compromised into a Scandalous Marriage by Lydia San Andres
The first in a series of historicals set in the Caribbean, Compromised into a Scandalous Marriage is all the best tropes with an island spin. After a family row that leaves her desperate and trapped during a storm, Paulina Despradel takes shelter with Sebastian, her new neighbor. Unfortunately, even though nothing happens, they’re coerced into getting married by Paulina’s brother. But hey, might as well try out this being married thing, right?
Sweet on You by Carla De Guzman
It doesn’t need to be the Christmas season to pick up this book set in the Philippines! The inspiration for the new CW movie Recipe for Romance, this book features two rival bakers with tons of chemistry and all of the food and baked goods they’re surrounded by thanks to the combination of their work and the holidays. Don’t read this one on an empty stomach,or if you do, make sure you’ve got some Filipino food on speed dial. If you enjoy this one, there is a whole category of romance set in the Philippines, including but not limited to the authors who are part of Romance Class.
But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo
I actually have no idea where this story might be set, because it’s in some liminal space between historical fantasy and magical realism, but the author is Argentine-Brazilian and the bits and pieces have something of South America to them. This is a gothic monster romance featuring a young woman who works in the household of Lady Anatema and the lady herself, who has just killed the woman whose place Dália has taken. It’s a combination mystery, courtship story, and gothic horror, and if you don’t like spiders…this one is not for you.
Single Dads Club by Therese Beharrie
When Rowan, who has been coparenting with a one-night-stand, suddenly becomes a single dad, he moves to a small coastal town in South Africa, hoping for a familial connection and support from his grandmother. What he gets is a support group of single dads and the friendship of Delilah, a waitress and former heiress (it’s a long story) who is trying to get her life back in order. It’s a quiet, slow build, much like the town in which it’s set.
The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor
This is a romance centering a closeted gay man in Mumbai from just a few years ago, which means it has a very different landscape than one set in the US or England, even if it features Muslim Indian characters. That’s because in Mumbai in 2018, when this book takes place, it was literally illegal to be gay. So while the social stigma that we might see in contemporary stories set in the US/UK and the whiter imperial commonwealth nations (I know none of them are commonwealth anymore) might still make it harder for a closeted gay character, this has led to a nearly impossible situation. But Ved, the main character whose arranged wedding is underway, is ready to step out of that shadow when he meets an American on vacation.
10 DANCE 1 by Satoh Inoue
Fans of Heated Rivalry might enjoy this story of two Japanese ballroom dancers—one skilled in standard and the other in Latin—who partner up to learn each other’s styles in order to compete in the 10 Dance Competition. Their chemistry sizzles over several volumes, and the series is ongoing, but I’m pretty sure we have a promised HEA. While the entirety of the romantic manga subgenre out of Japan can fall under this category, 10Dance is having a moment right now, thanks in part to the new Netflix adaptation.
Bonus: Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
This is that vacation romance that was inspired by the author’s own tour of Việt Nam, but the vibes lean more towards the cultural experience of the previous books. Evie has just lost her job and her aunt, who has left her a beautiful home in San Francisco. But there’s a caveat to inheriting: she has to go on a matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. It’s there she meets Adam, a Vietnamese man working as a marketing director for his sister, the owner of the company giving the tour. They’re very much opposites, but the time they spend together exploring the ins and outs of the country proves that they might be just right for each other.
Looking for more to explore? Check out this list of the best new romantic manga, manhwa, and webtoons coming out this year. And if you’re looking for more Austen-inspired stories, check out this list!
English (US) · 