7 Signs Your Small Town Romance Was Written by Someone Who Grew Up There (Or Is Still Processing It)

Some books feel credible from the jump, and you know you’re in strong hands. While some never quite ring true. Small town romance is much loved, but often faked. Here’s how to judge the small town cred of your next read.

1. The Town Has a Long Memory and a Short Fuse

Something happened in sophomore year.

Everyone remembers.

Everyone still brings it up.

It was seventeen years ago.

It will never die.

2. The Hero Left—and Is Mildly Traumatized About It

He didn’t “move away.”

He escaped.

And yet. He misses the river. He misses Mrs. Kowalski’s cookies. He misses the drafty hockey arena.

It’s complicated. Emotionally. Like the town.

3. Family Trees Are Basically Spiderwebs

Everyone is related. Or dated. Or almost dated. Or dated someone who dated someone.

The heroine’s best friend once kissed the hero’s cousin’s ex-wife’s brother.

No one is surprised.

4. There Is One Location That Carries Emotional Weight

The old brick high school. The quarry. The shuttered mill. The railroad trestle.

Something bad happened there.

Something good happened there.

Probably both.

5. The Book Quietly Hates “That Family”

You know who.

“Oh. Them.”

Enough said. No explanation needed.

6. Every Adult Is Either Overinvolved or Missing

Parents are:

• Way too in everyone’s business

• Or emotionally absent since 1998

No middle ground.

There is always one mom who runs half the town by accident.

7. Leaving Isn’t Victory—Staying Isn’t Failure

The hero/heroine knows that both are hard choices. With trade-offs.

8. Nobody Ever Orders a Pizza For Delivery, Or Gets an Uber

Bitch please. Cook your own meal or starve. (Or visit the restaurant, but not on Mondays, it will be closed.) And you’re either driving or walking.

9. There can’t be a flower shop and a cupcake shop and an all night diner.

You might have ONE of these things, but then people will drive in from the next three towns to enjoy it.