When our kids were only four and eight, we took off on a six month trip through Southeast Asia. On arrival in Kuala Lumpur, our hotel was opposite a store that blasted red flashing lights and loudspeakers all night long. Unable to sleep, my husband and I lay in bed and wondered if we had made a huge mistake.
The next night in Singapore, life looked a lot better. We ate cheap and delicious food at a hawkers market and then retreated to our nice, quiet hotel where we ended up watching a truly bad movie called Carpool. Mercifully, I can remember nothing about Carpool except that much of it was filmed in our home of North Vancouver. We kept pointing out things we recognized—“Look, they’re on Lonsdale!” “Isn’t that the Dollarton Mall?” Sitting in a hotel room in a beautiful new country, what made us happy was reconnecting with our home 12,000 kilometers away. But that boost was all we needed to recharge for our adventures.
What is it about the familiar that is so comforting? Romances are already comforting with zero stress about how they will end. Yet there’s an extra layer of happiness for me if the romance is set in Canada. Maybe because our amazing culture has been slighted so much. Many movies are filmed here in Vancouver but the city has to pretend to be Chinatown in San Francisco, feudal Japan, or even the Bronx. It’s akin to Canadian authors who, in the past, had to set their stories in the States to gain more readership.
But not anymore. Thanks to Carley Fortune, people want to visit Barry’s Bay. And the CBC Radio does stories on Canada’s sexy representation in romance. Whew!
When I find a book set in Vancouver, I happily search for places I know. Please don’t get me started on B.C. books where it’s pretty clear the author has never set foot on the wet coast. Write what you know applies to settings too—I want to see your love for your own hometown.
There’s an element of nostalgia for me in Canadian settings. I grew up in Ontario, so I love reading books set there as well. I enjoy the exciting downtown Toronto of Lily Chu’s books since they remind me of my newlywed years exploring the city. Still in Toronto, I enjoy exploring Uzma Jalaluddin’s vibrant Muslim suburbs and Jackie Lau’s yummy food tours. And Jenny Holiday, Zoe York, and Rosanna Leo feature small town Ontario settings that remind me of my university days.
Another thing I enjoy is reading books that are set in places I’m visiting and that goes for my cross-Canada trips too. On a trip to Newfoundland, I found a souvenir shop with a display of Victoria Barbour romances, which is a marketing idea I can get behind. Thanks to Catherine and the Romance Authors of Canada Index, I can seek out geographically-appropriate authors for future trips.
Once on a girls trip to Montreal, I went on a food tour. (Delicious, and of course there were St-Viateur bagels!) There I met a mother and daughter from the States who had planned their Quebec trip as a pilgrimage to the books of Louise Penny. They visited the places that inspired her Inspector Gamache books. Fortunately, they experienced no murders during their Eastern Townships tour. Books inspiring Canadian tourism? Yes, please!
As an author, it’s always fun to do research into exciting settings but it’s even better to promote what’s fabulous in your own backyard. In my own books, I often write about my favourite places—cozy restaurants, beautiful parks, and delicious doughnut shops. I hope that they strike a familiar note for readers who know the Vancouver area. And yes, I’ve received the compliment of readers telling me they want to visit Vancouver and see the places I’ve written about. That makes me proud to be a Canadian romance author.
You can find out more about Melanie Ting and her books at www.melanieting.com. Her books are mainly set in Canada and feature the most Canadian sport of hockey. She is currently writing a Monarch College hockey series for Kobo Originals. The first book, Hockey 101, will be published in June 2025.
HEA Canada: A CanLit Romance Hub 