Why Small Town Romances Hit Different
Deciding on which romance trope is best for your next read? Here’s 5 reasons why small town romances are some of our favorites!
Forced Proximity – a lot of romances have to invent ways to get their main characters together. Some are more successful than others. Sports leagues, schools, offices (though those can be problematic…), and of course small towns are natural ways in which two characters are stuck in close proximity with one another. This allows tensions to build and a natural-feeling chemistry to unfold through the pages… and that’s why we’re reading these, right?
Other Characters – small towns are fun because they’re usually filled with several quirky characters, who, well, like gossip. Think Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls, half of what makes this idyllic town so fun are all the interesting side characters: Taylor, Kirk, Miss Patty, Babette… and having outside opinions on your characters makes the romance feel fun and interesting and it also makes you want to spend time in this town.
Real World Suspension – this is fiction after all, and make believe small towns can help pull you out of… well everything you’re trying to escape by diving into the pages of your book. Just like in a Hallmark movie, having a fictitious small town as an element to your next romance is a fun plot device that helps create a whole new world where you as the reader can be more accepting of what’s to come.
A Different Way of Life – reading helps pull you into different worlds and while some can be as fantastic as Tolkien’s Rivendell others can be as mundane as well… your real life home city? Small towns let you imagine life as you know it with a different flavor. What’s it like to live on a ranch? In a cottage? In a barn? It’s fun to imagine the differences and small town romances can transport you some place almost as exotic as Rivendell… maybe more akin to the shire, if you will.
The Option to Leave – why do your characters chose to stay in their small town? What does that say about their upbringing? Have they ever left? Have they come back? Why? What’s their opinion on the outside world? All of these questions provide so much added depth and give setting an additional layer that’s often overlooked. We’re a sucker for a dreamy setting and small town romances seem to be the perfect bridge between fantasy and reality.
So, have we convinced you yet? If not, take a closer look at 100 Promises and see if a small town romance is right for you!