The year 1714 is the pivotal starting point for the narrative of by V.E. Schwab, which explores the themes of memory, immortality, and doomed romance. The Deal and Its Consequences (1714)

: In exchange for her soul, she is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets as soon as she leaves their sight.

The primary romantic plot unfolds nearly 300 years later in New York City when Addie meets .

: Luc is the entity she made the deal with. Their relationship is described as a toxic "like-hate" dynamic that spans three centuries, as he appears annually to see if she is ready to surrender her soul. The Central Romantic Storyline (2014)

: For the first time since 1714, someone remembers Addie after she leaves. Henry, a young man working in a bookstore, utters the life-changing words: "I remember you".

In 1714, in the village of Villon, France, 23-year-old Adeline LaRue is desperate to avoid a forced, loveless marriage.

: Addie’s initial rejection of romance (the 1714 marriage) defines her journey as one where she chooses her own path, even at a devastating cost.

: Their romance is shadowed by the ticking clock of their respective deals and Luc’s continued interference as he tries to reclaim Addie's soul. Romantic Themes