Time-travel romance is a type of romantic story that is part of the paranormal romance category. These stories focus on love and include a time-travel element. Some time-travel romance stories end happily, while others do not. One well-known example is A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, which is famous for not having a happy ending. In these stories, at least one character travels to a time period they are not familiar with. A common theme is the challenge of falling in love and then deciding whether to stay in the new time or return to their original time.
Time-travel romance stories can take place in many settings. For example, a character from the present might be sent to the past, as in Binding Vows by Catherine Bybee, or a character from the past might be sent to the future, as seen in some books from the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning. Scotland is a common setting in these stories, such as in the popular Outlander series. While the main focus is the love story between characters, there is always a science fiction or magical element that allows time travel. Examples of this include enchanted stones, magical jewelry, or time machines. Authors who write time-travel romance include Diana Gabaldon, Catherine Bybee, Karen Marie Moning, and Susanna Kearsley.
The term "timeslip romance" is sometimes used to describe a similar type of story. These stories may focus more on memories than romance. Examples include Portrait of Jennie and Time and Again. However, some definitions of timeslip romance do not require a romantic element.