STEAMPUNK FAR BEYOND LONDON:
Steampunk Romance in America, Australia,
& China
Victorian London may be steampunk’s best-known setting, but these romances break away and send readers on an adventure aroudn the globe. Explore an alternate-history Boston of 1890 filled with political intrigue and supernatural secrets. Just down the train tracks in New Haven, Connecticut, cryptozoological conspiracies unravel during the Bone Wars. Climb aboard a dirigible bound for Australia and brave the wilds where rebels and sea monsters roam. Or head to the Deep South, but be careful. Everyone’s talking about the Jack the Ripper-style murders and pointing fingers. Unless you’d rather journey to an alternate Qing Dynasty China in 1850, where the struggle for liberation from the might of the British Empire is unfolding.
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
In A Whisper of Bone by Anne Renwick, cryptobiologist Ryan Nolan investigates a murder linked to missing artifacts, leading him back to his past love, Charlotte Reid. Together, they uncover a cryptozoological conspiracy involving strange neighbors and groundhog invasions, all while rekindling their feelings for each other. The story is set in 1885 during the days of the Bone Wars (the Great Dinosaur Rush). Amazon | Kobo | Google Books |Apple Books | Barnes & Noble
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
In Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets by Madeleine Holly-Rosing, ex-Pinkerton detective Samuel Hunter and his wife Elizabeth Weldsmore navigate an alternate-history Boston of 1890, where political intrigue and supernatural elements intertwine. Elizabeth’s hidden psychic abilities add a layer of complexity to their lives, forcing them to contend with treachery, political maneuvering, and the looming threat of the supernatural. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Barnes & Noble
AUSTRALIA
Zenobia Fox flees to the dangerous, steampunk wilds of Australia, only to be ambushed by rebels. To save herself and rescue her kidnapped brother, she forms a high-stakes alliance with Ariq, the formidable, heavily scarred governor of Krakentown. As they battle sea monsters and political conspiracies across the continent, their pragmatic partnership deepens into an intense, passionate romance. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble
MOBILE, ALABAMA
Set in an alternate 1890s Deep South, Steam Me Up, Rawley follows society reporter Adele de la Pointe as she covers Jack the Ripper-style murders for the newspaper to avoid a conventional marriage. Dr. Phillip Rawley, arriving in America by hot air balloon, proposes a marriage of convenience. Their contrasting personalities and the threat of a serial killer in Mobile, Alabama, lead them on a journey of danger, self-discovery, and the possibility of true love. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books |Apple Books | Barnes & Noble
CHINA
Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin is a steampunk fantasy set in China in 1850. The protagonist, Jin Soling, seeks to protect her family but is abducted by imperial agents interested in a mysterious locked box her father invented. Forced into a mission to track down a rebel with a powerful formula, Soling navigates political intrigue and court conspiracies. This thrilling adventure explores historical tensions and the epic landscape of Qing-Dynasty China. Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Steampunk Romance Beyond London at a Glance
| Setting | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| New Haven, Connecticut (1885) | A Whisper of Bone | Anne Renwick |
| Boston, Massachusetts (Alternate 1890) | Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets | Madeleine Holly-Rosing |
| Australia | The Kraken King | Meljean Brook |
| Mobile, Alabama (Alternate 1890s) | Steam Me Up, Rawley | Angela Quarles |
| Qing Dynasty China (1850) | Gunpowder Alchemy | Jeannie Lin |
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While Victorian London remains the most iconic steampunk setting, these novels prove the genre travels well. From alternate-history America to Australia and Qing Dynasty China, these stories combine adventure, romance, and imaginative worldbuilding in settings that offer a fresh perspective on steampunk.