By Sharon Bryant
A snow-covered or icy landscape makes a great setting for a romance novel. It affords the opportunity for isolation, danger, action adventure, joy in simple pleasures, and of course, for falling in love. The contrast such settings pose to the everyday experiences of many readers, makes them a perfect place to escape from daily life.
A Christmas Abduction by Madeline Hunter
Adam Prescott, Baron Thornhill, is kidnapped while travelling to visit his cousin for Christmas. One of his abductors, Caroline Dunham, is determined to restore her sister Amelia’s honour by forcing Adam to marry her. Her plan becomes increasingly difficult to execute in the face of Adam and Caroline’s strong and growing mutual attraction. Set near Carlisle, England during winter, this regency novella is a delight to read.
Frigid (Frigid Series Book 1) by Jennifer J Armentrout
Sydney Bell has been in love with her best friend Kyler Quinn for years, but he is always with a new woman. She knows he will never love her the way she loves him. Kyler looks out for Sydney. He thinks she attracts the wrong sorts of men; men like him. They travel to Kyler’s mother’s ski house for their annual group holiday, however a massive snow storm leaves them isolated at the lodge. Their strong mutual attraction explodes with fiery passion, then someone shoots at the window, and the power is cut.
The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber
Shy Jenna Campbell quits her job to find love. She’s in love with her boss, handsome, wealthy Brad Fulton, but he only notices her as his executive secretary. Jenna wants marriage and children. She met safe, caring Dalton Gray in an online poetry chatroom, so she flies to Alaska, hoping to marry him, and escape her “mundane, predictable life”. Jenna confides her intentions to her bush-pilot, Reid Jamison. Reid thinks Dalton is “lower than a swamp-crawling snake”. He seduced Reid’s sister. Reid is sworn-off women for himself, but abducts Jenna for her own good. He flies her to the remote township of Snowbound, determined to keep her there until she can talk to his sister and learn the truth about Dalton.
Have you read any romance novels with a snow and ice setting? Which book was your favourite?
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Hi Sharon, Because I don't live in a snow and ice landscape, and rarely visit, I do live vicariously when I read books in that setting! Not sure I want to live there, to be honest, but I do enjoy visiting when I read. There are a few I've read that are stand outs to me. The first is Ice, by Linda Howard, and another by her called Prey. They both pit the hero and heroine against villains, and also the weather. Terrifying scenes! A favourite author is Karen Robards, and her book Darkness is set on an island in the Arctic Cirle. Exciting stuff, a chase and hunt thriller/chiller. Two Alone is a classic by Sandra Brown, still great to read even though it was published years ago. How a H&H survive a plane crash in the Canadian winter. Fabulous stuff. For a change of pace, Melt by Lisa Walker is tremendous fun. Set in Antarctica, it's the story of someone faking their way alongside climate scientists. Some very funny scenes. I think extreme weather always makes for a fabulous story - it's like the weather is a character in itself. Adds to the general thrill of it all. Thanks, Sharon!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of these suggestions, Miranda. I’ll definitely add some of these titles to my tbr pile. I agree with you about the weather almost becoming a character in some novels. It can become such an integral part of the story.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, I'm a huge fan of any romance with a snow setting. There's something about snow that just gives me the warm fuzzies (probably not most peoples reaction but I kid you not, it's mine :)
ReplyDeleteI read The Snow Bride last Christmas and enjoyed it. I'll have to add the other two to my TBR pile. I may need to escape to a snowed in chalet with a suitcase filled with books just to get through my pile atm!
Jayne x
Hi Jayne, like you, I enjoy novels with ice and snowy settings. A snowed in chalet, with a log fire and a suitcase filled with books sounds like a fabulous place to escape and relax.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon. I will admit that winter settings, especially with snow and blizzards, are my favourite romances. I love it when the weather isolates the hero and heroine and they spend time alone struggling against the weather and whatever plot issues there are. Have to say that winter romances are often an auto buy for me.
ReplyDeleteHi Enisa, winter settings with snow and blizzards offer so much to romance novels, don’t they? Such novels certainly make great reading.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon! I could have done with a bit of snow and ice last weekend, that's for sure, even if it was experienced between the covers of a good book. Thanks for these recommendations.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marilyn. I agree, vicariously experiencing snow and ice is exactly what we need when the mercury edges towards the 40s or well over 100 on the old scale.
ReplyDeleteI love this list of novels, Sharon, and I do think of cozy fires in the winter being such a perfect setting for a romance! Thanks for the article!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alyssa. Cozy fires are very romantic, aren’t they.
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