Many of my books are set in beautiful New Zealand
Quite a few of my novels are set in the country I’m lucky enough to call home, spectacular New Zealand. And why not? With some of the most stunning scenery in the world, it’s the perfect place for a romantic comedy.
Here are some images of the places the characters in my novels spend time: living, playing, loving.
THE ‘CITY OF SAILS’ AND THE HAWKE’S BAY REGION
The Cozy Cottage Cafe series is set in the City of Sails, Auckland, so called for the large number of yachts sailing in its surrounding waters at any given time. In fact, Paige goes yachting in Auckland’s beautiful harbour in Two Last First Dates. Although the Cozy Cottage Café is fictitious, the area I set the stories in is not.
In Falling for Grace, Grace spends time there, too, although she doesn’t visit the Cozy Cottage (different series, you understand…)! Set on a sparkling blue harbour, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city.
Also in Falling for Grace, Grace spends a weekend in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region, the fruit bowl of New Zealand. It’s where Cassie, Marissa, Will, and the team from the Cozy Cottage Cafe series go for their team get together, too. The Hawke’s Bay landscape is dotted with orchards and vineyards, stretching for as far as the eye can see, with golden sand beaches and Te Mata Peak towering above the plains. It’s also where I live, so it turns up a bit in my novels!
Learn more about Auckland and the Hawke’s Bay region.
‘WELLYWOOD’ AND SUNNY NELSON
First off has to be Wellington (sometimes referred to as ‘Wellywood’, thanks to the film industry located in the city), the city at the very heart of the Wellywood Romantic Comedy Series. Reviewers have commented that Wellington feels like its own character in my books, and rightly so! It’s a small city full of character, snuggling into the hills around a perfect U-shaped harbour at the bottom of the North Island.
See where Jessica, Brooke, and Grace call home.
In Styling Wellywood, Jessica escapes her troubles in Wellington by heading to Nelson, a small city at the top of the South Island. It’s a picturesque spot, with rolling green hills and golden sand beaches like Tahunanui Beach, enjoying its own warm and sunny microclimate most of the year.
Learn more about Wellington and Nelson.
QUEENSTOWN AND ‘HOBBITON’
In Miss Perfect Meets Her Match, Brooke runs a seminar in the beautiful Queenstown Lakes District. Located in Otago in the South Island, it’s a major tourist destination for it’s skiing in winter and outdoor fun all year around. It’s home to the township of Queesntown, set on the shores of the deep blue waters of Lake Wakitipu, vineyards famous for their Pinot Noir, and Arrowtown, a quaint gold rush town that still retains its Nineteenth Century feel.
Also in Miss Perfect Meets Her Match, Logan is obsessed with all things Tolkein. He visits Hobbiton in the North Island, where scenes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were filmed.
Learn more about Queenstown and the Hobbiton movie set.