Kidnapping, by definition, is the illegal taking, moving, and confining of a person against their will using force, threats, fraud and deception. Kidnapping and abduction are separated by the legal system in terms of force, intent, and victim age. Kidnapping is a long established and recurring romance trope, especially in historical bodice-ripper and dark romance contexts and the theme permeates best-seller lists.
Kidnapping scenarios are surprisingly common in romance novels. Sometimes the hero/heroine is abducted by a villain as a plot catalyst, or a rescue plot/reunion arc. Kidnapping is also used to isolate two characters so intimacy or revelation can occur which leads to forced proximity via abduction.
Other scenarios involve the hero/heroine, one kidnaps the other for their own good referred to as possession/abduction by a protector trope; a case of mistaken identity or ransom plots create danger and urgency; political/spy/mafioso setting where kidnapping advances the power dynamics or stakes.
Kidnapping is occasionally used as a past trauma that shapes a character’s behaviour and relationships.
Why kidnapping – it creates immediate external stakes and tension. It forces characters into intense emotional situations, often accelerating the development of relationships due to forced proximity. It reveals character traits like courage, resourcefulness and protectiveness. It provides plot structure for rescue, redemption or healing arcs.
In sheikh romances, a study found abduction or captivity in 70% of UK Modern Romance series from 2000 to 2009. In dark romance, kidnapping, captivity, abduction, and coercive plotlines are described as defining features of the subgenre.
Ethical, legal and consent concerns – kidnapping is real-world violence and its depiction in fictional novels can be triggering. Positioning the kidnapper as the romantic lead can romanticize coercion, blurring consent boundaries. Power imbalances like age, authority, captivity risk endorsing abusive dynamics if not handled critically. Readers may interpret forced proximity or ‘abduction for love’ as excusing control of violence.
How should kidnapping be portrayed – authors should be explicit about harm and consequences by not glamourizing or trivializing abduction. They should avoid treating the abduction as a quirky meet-cute or as an erotic fantasy with critique. They should show realistic legal/psychological consequences for perpetrators and survivors. They should focus on survivor agency giving the victims realistic choices, coping skills, and recovery time and use clear consent scenes after trauma only when the survivor is portrayed as capable of giving informed consent and depict consent as ongoing and enthusiastic.
Trigger warnings – look for content warnings, i.e., trigger warnings where appropriate, especially if you are reading a new author. Authors should consider perspective, by writing from the survivor’s point of view which invites empathy. If it’s from the kidnappers POV, ensure there is careful moral framing and critique.
Romance subgenres vary from suspense and darker romance which may include abduction more often. Contemporary/rom-com readers expect clear consent.
Escape and Enjoy!
– AJ
