Books about falling in love have been captivating readers since the advent of storytelling. With their feel-good endings, it’s easy to see why romance is the best-selling genre. The modern romance novel has been selling well since its inception in the early twentieth century and is continuing to do so.
Are you ready to take on writing a romance but find you’re short on story ideas? First, make sure you understand the definition of a romance.
The focus of the story is a couple falling in love. It must end with a happily ever after or happy for now. A story ending with the couple parting is better defined as a love story, or maybe even a tragedy. Romance readers expect a happy ending; not giving them one will bring critical reviews and a loss of readership.
So you want to write a romance but you don’t know where to start? First, consider one of the many romance subgenres and see which one best fits you and your writing style.
Contemporary Romance Story Ideas
Set in modern times, contemporary romance stories focus on relationships in today’s world, often featuring relatable and realistic scenarios. The amount of spice can vary from none (sweet or clean) to very sexy (romantic or explicit).
No matter the level of sexual content you decide to include in your novel, the following prompts can inspire an engaging contemporary romance:
Forced Proximity
Placing your love interests together against their will can break down the barriers between characters, making them unable to escape their feelings. The following scenarios are worth considering:
- A holiday snowstorm traps two people in an airport.
- A housing mishap leaves two strangers or acquaintances sharing an apartment.
- A pair of ambitious chefs are forced to share a kitchen while trying to win a contest.
- Co-workers are assigned to a high-stakes project requiring long hours working together
Fake or Mistaken Identities
Sometimes a character wishes to keep their identity hidden, or they enter into a relationship under false pretenses. Here are some examples:
- Two people meet through an online dating app, each claiming to be something or someone they’re not.
- Identical twins switch places, fooling those around them, at least for a time.
- An heir or heiress disguises themselves as poor, looking for genuine love.
- A couple agrees to “fake date” to achieve a goal, such as an inheritance, a promotion, or to win a bet.
Chance Encounters
- Being in the right place at the right time can bring two soulmates together. The possibilities are endless.
- At the local bookstore, two people reach for the same book at the same moment.
- After switching places with another passenger, a woman finds herself seated next to a charming stranger.
- A benevolent mechanic stops to change a woman’s flat tire and sparks fly.
- Strangers who stop to help a stray dog find a mutual love for animals and a powerful attraction to each other.
Young Adult Romance Prompts
Young adult romance stories appeal to teens and young adult readers through relatable protagonists, coming-of-age themes, and the emotional intensity of first love and the rollercoaster of teenage emotions.
To capture issues related to adolescence, family dynamics, and the journey to adulthood, explore these ideas:
Rivalries
- The high school jock and the nerdy bookworm are assigned to tutor each other and find they have more in common than they expected.
- The rich girl buys coffee where the poor boy works; their attraction overcomes their economic differences.
- Athletes from rival schools meet at a competition and end up rooting for each other.
- Two students who are running for class president bridge their differences.
Long-Distance
- Athletes from different schools meet at a national competition and work on being together despite living far away from each other.
- Teens meet in an online app and fall in love.
- Sweethearts work to keep their romance going when one of them moves away.
- Gamers discover their mutual attraction and vow to meet at the annual convention.
Random Meet-Ups
- Two music fans meet at a concert and their common love of music draws them together.
- Teens meet at a summer camp where they share counseling duties and enjoy a memorable summer.
- A teen from another city takes part in an exchange program in a small town, falling for their host sibling as they face the challenges of fitting in.
- Students who’ve never met attend detention together and find themselves drawn to each other.
Historical Love Story Ideas
No matter the era you choose in which to set your story, there are many ways to get started. Here are some ideas to inspire your historical romance novel:
Societal Pressures
- The season’s top debutante and a moody viscount find their reputations threatened and, as they work together to clear their names, they fall in love.
- The daughter of a duke and the son of an earl are betrothed despite their objections, but soon find they are attracted to one another.
- A noblewoman falls for her kind butler, sparking scandal amongst her family and society friends.
- To resolve a feud, parents from rival families force their children to marry.
War-Based Relationships
- A nurse and a soldier meet in a war-torn city, finding love amidst the chaos.
- A boy from the North falls for his friend’s sister, a girl from the heart of Dixie, during America’s Civil War.
- While guarding a prisoner-of-war, the daughter of an army officer falls for the captive.
- Shipwrecked after a naval battle sinks both their ships, a couple from opposing factions falls in love.
European Hook-ups
- In Victorian-era London, a wealthy heiress and a private investigator team up to solve a mysterious disappearance, their relationship turning romantic as they face danger.
- A gladiator and a senator’s daughter find love as they navigate the political intrigue and dangers of ancient Rome.
- A Mediterranean pirate captain and a captured noblewoman find romance on the high seas.
- An adventurer exploring the uncharted lands of feudal France encounters a beautiful heiress.
Religious Romance Story Prompts
Stories of love found in faith can be inspiring. Consider these prompt ideas to write a religious romance:
Restoring Faith
- After facing many challenges, a down-on-his-luck farmer finds his faith restored after falling in love with the new pastor’s daughter.
- A couple with a passion for preserving history team up to restore an old church, reviving their dormant faith and sparking a romance.
- Two volunteers from different backgrounds meet on a mission trip to help a community in need, forming a deep connection and deepening their faith.
- Travelers on a spiritual pilgrimage searching for lost faith meet and develop a deep spiritual and romantic bond.
Mutual Faith
- Two choir members collaborate to discover harmony that deepens their faith and leads to love.
- Childhood sweethearts reunite at a religious retreat, rediscovering their connection
- Despite facing personal and spiritual challenges, a couple find strength in each other and their faith as they fall in love.
- A pair of entrepreneurs start a faith-based business together, their shared commitment to their faith sparking romance between them.
Comedic Romance Book Ideas
Rom-coms never go out of style. Here are some prompts for creating stories that evoke laughter and swoons:
Clashing Personalities
- Coworkers playing pranks on each other continue raising the stakes in their antics to include love.
- A cynical divorce attorney butts heads with a romantic wedding planner, softening his perceptions of love.
- A straitlaced CPA crosses paths with a free-spirited salon owner who challenges his thinking, leading to love.
- An ambitious executive falls for his quirky and carefree assistant.
Misadventures
- An expat and a local who speak different languages experience humorous moments as they attempt to overcome their cultural barriers, leading to romance.
- A disastrous blind date leads two people to love, despite their calamitous beginning.
- A misdirected text message leads two neighbors to believe they are dating each other, and when the truth comes out, the awkwardness evolves into love.
- A busybody matchmaker fails when she falls in love with one of her clients.
Paranormal Romantic Writing Prompts
Who says love is only for the living? Dive into these prompts to spark your paranormal romance:
Ghost Stories
- When a woman moves into an abandoned mansion, she discovers it’s haunted by a charming ghost.
- A woman communicates with a ghost trapped in a mirror. As they work together to break the curse, they fall in love.
- A marine biologist finds the ghost of a sailor in a sunken ship, their bond growing as they work together to uncover the mystery of the shipwreck.
- A ghost hunter, hired by a small town to eradicate the spirits, falls for the ghost of a local.
Vampire/Werewolf Tales
- A vampire hunter falls in love with a vampire prince who is sworn to protect humans.
- A lone werewolf moves to a small town where he meets a human with a secret connection to the supernatural world. They fall in love as they work together to protect the town.
- A vampire searches for a mate in the dark places of the big city, hoping to find eternal love.
- A vampire and a werewolf must overcome their inherent differences to protect their love.
Mortals and Magic
- A shape-shifter hiding in a human society falls for a writer who is investigating mysterious events in their town.
- Two souls cursed by a powerful sorcerer must find a way to break the curse to be together.
- An angel and a demon on opposing missions find love that defies the rules of heaven and hell.
- A human accidentally enters the faerie realm and falls for a faerie princess.
Dystopian Love Story Prompts
Even when the world around them is falling apart, lovers find a way. Consider these thought-provoking prompts to inspire your dystopian romance novel:
Different Backgrounds
- A soldier from an oppressive government falls in love with a member of the resistance, testing their loyalties.
- After an environmental disaster, two survivors from different backgrounds join forces to navigate the new landscape, becoming a beacon of hope for the new world.
- During the deadly epidemic, a scientist working on a cure falls for a patient.
- In a post-apocalyptic society divided by a strict class system, a wealthy elite and an impoverished worker face challenges when they fall in love.
- A human and an advanced AI droid form an unexpected bond, challenging the boundaries of what it means to love and be human.
Love vs. Big Brother
- In a society where expressing emotions is forbidden, two people discover the power of love, sparking a revolution against the regime.
- In a future where relationships are controlled by an algorithm, two people fall in love while the system works to keep them apart.
- Despite living in a surveillance state where privacy is non-existent, two lovers stay connected through coded messages and secret meetings.
- When the government erases memories to maintain order, two people fight to recall their past love for each other, putting them in conflict with the regime.
Fantasy Romance Writing Prompts
A magical world comes to life when love prevails. Use these prompts to spark romantic fantasies:
Unlikely Alliances
- Two royals from rival kingdoms fall in love as they work together to prevent a great evil from rising.
- A fire maker meets a water spirit and while their opposing natures create conflict, their passion ignites a romance.
- A sorcerer teams up with a humble healer to cure a mysterious ailment, their journey sparking a romantic bond.
- A brave warrior and a cursed dragon join forces to save their realms, discovering that love can break even the most ancient of curses.
Overcoming Destiny
- A witch and a witch hunter discover they are bound by a prophecy. They reconcile their differences and learn the truth about their destinies, forging a bond as they get to know each other.
- A warrior with amnesia is found by an enchantress who helps him discover his past, revealing a love story entwined with destiny and magic.
- A human and a guardian spirit must protect a sacred grove from prophetic danger, their love deepening as they defend the magic of their world.
- Two adventurers use their gifts of foresight and strength to find a legendary artifact to protect their land, finding romance along the way.
Prompts from Tropes
Romance tropes, those tried-and-true story lines used in all stories, can spark ideas for your romance stories. Put your own spin on them, or try combining them:
- Opposites attract: Two people with polar opposite personalities
- Love at first sight: The first glance they exchange evokes powerful feelings
- Fake relationship: The couple pair up to achieve a goal and then fall in love
- Road trip: Love blossoms while the pair travel
- May-December (age difference) romance: Cougar and young stud; silver fox and young woman
- Second chance at love: A couple who had love in the past rekindle their feelings
- Everlasting love: Love that makes it over the long haul
- Matchmaker: While trying to set others up, the matchmaker falls in love
- Everyone else can see it: A couple who are in denial about their feelings
- Loving the bad boy/girl: Falling for the one who lives on the wild side
- Childhood sweethearts: A love that started when they were kids
- Maid/nanny/domestic staff: Falling in love with someone who works in the household
- Friends to lovers: Best friends suddenly see each other in a new light
- Dysfunctional/evil family: The object of their desire comes from a family that’s bad news
- Redemption: Love brings redemption to a lost soul
- Cross-cultural/interracial: Love across religious, racial, or cultural boundaries
- On the run: Falling in love while escaping
- Politics: The effect of literal politics or family dynamics on relationships
- Reverse harem: A woman finds herself entangled with multiple eligible men
- Ego out of control: One or both of the love interests think way too much of themselves
- Secret baby: Woman reveals she had a baby well after the fact
- Protagonist in peril: Also called damsel in distress. The protagonist needs rescuing from a person or situation
- Marriage of convenience: Two people marry for phony reasons but fall in love
- No one thinks it will work: Their friends and family think they’re totally wrong for each other, but they know better
- Boy/girl next door: Falling in love with the neighbor, who may be a longtime friend
- Nursing back to health: Love ensues when one character cares for another who is injured or sick
- Misunderstanding: One of the pair gets the wrong idea about the other
- Jilted bride/groom: Left at the altar, the jilted party is ripe for a rebound
- Hero/heroine in hiding: The love interest needs to hide out for their safety
- Secret/lost heir/heiress: The heir/heiress has been hiding or was unaware of their fortune
- Time travel: One or both parties travel through time and meet the love interest
- Love triangle: The protagonist is involved with/can’t decide between two potential love interests
- Wrong side of the tracks: One character comes from an impoverished background
- Ugly duckling: The protagonist undergoes a transformation and blossoms physically and/or emotionally
- Professions: Characters in law, medicine, technology, arts, etc.
- Amnesia: A character loses their memory because of an accident or trauma, leading to love
- Ticking time bomb: One or both of the characters need to accomplish something important by a deadline
- Bet/wager: One character makes a bet involving the love interest, usually an unwise decision
- Fling/onetime event: A one-night stand turns into love
- Hidden identity: One character keeps their true name/occupation/status a secret
- Festive setting (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc.): Love blooms in a holiday setting
- Mistaken identity: One character gets the wrong idea of who the other is
- The con/deception: One character is pulling a scam but falls in love in the process
- Fish out of water: Being in a situation they are unqualified for or uncomfortable in
- Royalty: Falling in love with a member of royalty
- Casanova/playboy (or woman): The main character plays the field but is tamed by the love interest
- The Loner: A social wallflower is transformed by love
- Billionaire boss: The wealthy boss woos their subordinate
- Surprise pregnancy: An unexpected result to a liaison
Prompts From Images
Looking at romantic pictures can inspire stories. Imagine these:
- A photograph of a starry night sky
- A pair of chairs on a secluded beach
- Two people sharing an umbrella on a rainy day
- The Eiffel Tower in springtime
- A table in a candlelit restaurant
- A couple holding hands as they stroll down a small town sidewalk
- A box of chocolates, a vase of red roses, and a valentine
- The sun setting on a couple in an embrace
Prompts from Songs, Books, and Films
Lines from your favorite songs, books and films can be imaginative sources for your romance stories. Which of these lights your fire?
- “Here’s looking at you, kid.” (Casablanca)
- “You had me at hello.” (Jerry McGuire)
- “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” (Love Story by Erich Segal)
- “You’re my exception.” (He’s Just Not That into You)
- “You complete me.” (Jerry McGuire)
- “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me.” (The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks)
- “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
- “You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.” (Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell)
- “You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.” (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green)
- “I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.” (A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens)
- “To me, you are perfect.” (Love, Actually)
“I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” (When Harry Met Sally) - “You make me want to be a better man.” (As Good as It Gets)
- “This is true love. You think this happens every day?” (The Princess Bride)
- “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.” (“Ain’t No Sunshine,” written and performed by Bill Withers)
- “But of all these friends and lovers, there is no one compares with you.” (“In My Life,” The Beatles; written by John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
- “How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world.” (“Your Song,” written and performed by Elton John)
- “I just called to say I love you.” (“I Just Called to Say I Love You,” written and performed by Stevie Wonder)
- “So, even in a different life, you still would’ve been mine.” (“Timeless,” written and performed by Taylor Swift)
- “At long last, love has arrived. And I thank God I’m alive.” (“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” Frankie Valli; written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio)
- “I’d walk through fire for you. Just let me adore you.” (“Adore You,” performed by Harry Styles; written by Harry Styles, Amy Allen, Kid Harpoon, and Tyler Johnson)
- “Something in the way she moves…attracts me like no other lover.” (“Something,” The Beatles; written by George Harrison)
- “From this moment, as long as I live, I will love you.” (“From This Moment,” written and performed by Shania Twain)
Tapping into Real-Life for Romance Story Ideas
No matter the subgenre of romance you decide, you can draw upon real-life experiences to generate ideas.
- Interview couples—friends and relatives, or even strangers—about how they met and how their love story unfolded. To change things up, try setting their story in a different time or place.
- Read newspaper articles about your ancestors to see if there are any clues about the origins of their coupling, or the secret of their enduring relationship.
- Recall the details of your first crush and imagine if it had turned out to be true love (assuming it wasn’t).
- Insert yourself into your favorite movie or TV show and write about your new life opposite the love interest.
- Picture yourself as the protagonist in your favorite book and how you might transform the story with your backstory and personality.
- Imagine your favorite celebrity as your real life love.
There is no limit to the stories you can write in the romance genre. Ponder these prompts. Mash up tropes. Mix in some real-life experiences or create the craziest rom-com you can imagine.
Build an entertaining story with compelling characters. Cap it off with a happy ending, and you’ve got an excellent chance at winning a legion of fans who love reading about love.