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. Time-travel romance stories may end with the characters together or not. One well-known example is A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, which is famous for not having a happy ending. These stories often involve at least one character being sent to a time period they are not familiar with. A common theme is the challenge of falling in love and deciding whether to stay in the new time or return to the original one.
Time-travel romance settings can vary. For example, a character from the present might be sent to the past, as in Binding Vows by Catherine Bybee. Alternatively, 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 time-travel romance, such as in the popular Outlander series. While the main focus is the love story between characters, some form of science fiction or magic is always used to enable time travel. Examples include enchanted stones, magical jewelry, or time machines. Authors who write in this genre 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 of the past than on romance. Examples include Portrait of Jennie and Time and Again. However, some definitions of timeslip romance do not require a romantic element.