Why Aotearoa New Zealand makes the perfect romantic escape

Most of us can't jump on a plane whenever we need a break from everyday life. That's one reason I love writing romance set in New Zealand. Every book becomes a virtual vacation, both for the reader and for me, as I get to research beautiful places to stay!

When I moved to the Bay of Islands, I felt as if I'd stepped into Jurassic Park. The forests were full of palms and ferns, the sea sparkled turquoise blue, and the air smelled different. I remember thinking that if I was going to write romance novels anywhere, this would be the place.
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Ferns in the NZ Bush

A Country of Contrasts

One of New Zealand’s biggest selling points is arguably its wide range of landscapes. Whatever your romantic fantasy looks like, New Zealand almost certainly has a backdrop for it.

Love the idea of remote desert islands? We have so many here! One I’ve featured in my stories is Waiheke Island near Auckland in my Midnight Club series, which has gorgeous beaches as well as many vineyards, and is a luxury destination for many who come to visit the City of Sails. Of course, the main area I write about is the Bay of Islands, which consists of 144 individual islands. I set Obsession Under the Southern Stars here, because I loved the romantic notion of Zoe and Joel being stranded on a desert island together, in a remote log cabin during a storm.

If luxury food and drink is more your idea of a great vacation, we have so many wonderful vineyards, which often have exclusive restaurants and cellar doors. I love writing about couples flirting across the dinner table, and feature scenes like this in One Night with the Billionaire Boss.
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Luxury dining in an NZ vineyard

Maybe you prefer the idea of exploring the volcanic landscape of the central North Island. In The Valentine Billionaire, Lucas and Alex attend a wedding near the town of Rotorua with its geothermal activity and Māori culture, while the characters in Kiss & Make Up go to Lake Taupo, which sits inside the massive, water-filled caldera of a supervolcano.

Maybe you find the notion of snow-capped mountains and snuggling under the covers to keep warm more romantic? The Southern Alps run down the South Island, and I’ve set several stories here, including Faking Love with the Billionaire Boss, where Titus and Heidi attend a wedding at Lake Tekapo in the mountains, and float in hot pools as they look up at the stars, because there’s no light pollution in our Dark Sky Reserve.
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Want to read more about ‘Godzone’ country? Check out my New Zealand Romance Books page, which features lots more gorgeous photos.
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Lake Taupo and Lake Rotoaira

Space to Breathe

I joked earlier how it’s funny that so many log cabins have only one bed 😏. But we all love forced proximity romances, because romance needs intimacy. So many settings in New Zealand lend themselves to situations where characters become isolated and have to interact.

Our population is less than five million, in a country the same size as the UK with its sixty-seven million people, so although our cities are busy and bustling, we have so many wide-open spaces that give you room to breathe.

It’s quite common to go to the beach at the height of summer and discover only a couple of other people walking along the sand. Take a look at my Doubtless Bay series if you love beach romances, and the idea of warm days, golden sand, and long, romantic walks.

In my Ashford Legacy series, Marcus drives his new wife to the family’s farm that lies in the Waikato, near the town of Cambridge. This area is full of open, rolling hills and the winding Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand. You might have seen this area in The Lord of the Rings movie, because Hobbiton was built near the town of Matamata, and Marcus and Wren visit there and take a tour.

Hobbiton, in Matamata

The South Island features even more breathtaking scenery reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, from the plains of the Canterbury region to the snowy mountains of the Southern Alps. There’s a sense of adventure in the South Island, and a feeling that you could drive all day and never see another car. In My Wicked Billionaire, Clio and Ryan take a road trip in the South Island to Dunedin before attending a wedding at Larnach Castle.

But if you can’t make the journey, you can always take a virtual vacation with me! Maybe start with Seduction Under the Southern Stars, because Linc and Elora travel from Wellington to Queenstown, then take a luxury cruise all the way around the South Island to the amazing fjords of Milford Sound. It’s such a romantic journey - you’re bound to fall in love with both Linc and the country by the end!
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Adventure and Luxury

My books aren’t just about breathtaking landscapes, though. I combine Wanderlust Romance (also called Destination Romance) with Luxury Romance when I take you to exclusive places right across the country.

For example, in The Perfect Gift, Brock falls for single mum Erin, and he takes her to a remote luxury hotel in the Bay of Islands as a gift to spoil her. For a mum who’s struggling for money and exhausted from looking after her sick son, she enjoys eating gorgeous food, soaking in a hot tub, and, of course, falling in love at the same time 😍

What’s the most romantic way to travel, do you think? By private jet? (So many of my heroes have their own planes! It’s not particularly eco-friendly but it is romantic, LOL.) By helicopter? (Huxley flies Elizabeth to a luxury villa on Waiheke Island in One Night with the Billionaire Boss.) Or by boat? In this same story, Huxley and Elizabeth join other characters for the wedding of Mack and Sidnie from book 1, and they all go on a luxury cruise around the Bay of Islands.

But if you prefer not to be too isolated, I’ll also take you to some of our gorgeous cities and small towns. Like in The Secret Billionaire, for example. Jacob Prince is a secret food critic, and he visits the new tapas bar that Immi runs in Queenstown. Queenstown's dramatic mountain setting, food scene, and adventurous spirit make it one of the most romantic destinations in the country. 

New Zealand does luxury differently, and if you’re in the mood for romance, there’s no better place to visit - physically or virtually. Check out my Luxury Romance page for more photos.
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Queenstown centre

Why I Love Setting Romance Here

I came to New Zealand twenty years ago and totally fell in love with its beautiful and varied landscapes. When I started writing romance novels, I didn’t think much about the romantic nature of the country - I just wrote about where I lived. But gradually, readers began writing to me saying they felt New Zealand was a character itself in my stories. Many have mentioned they feel as if they’re coming on a virtual vacation with me as they read, and I’ve had so many readers say they’ve decided to book a “real” vacation here as a result. I can’t think of a bigger compliment than that.
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New Zealand makes the perfect romantic escape because it's a place where adventure and tranquillity sit side by side. Where you can spend the morning sailing through turquoise waters and the evening watching the stars from a mountain lodge. And for romance readers, that's the perfect backdrop for falling in love.