Ever found yourself yearning to be swept away into a world of magic and epic quests, where love can break even the darkest of curses? Steadily gaining more and more readers in recent years, romantasy holds a special place in every adventurous reader’s heart. If you’re a creative soul with a passion for vivid imagination and boundless daydreaming, romantasy is definitely the destination for you—and we’d love to take you on the journey!
As the name suggests, romantasy is a literary genre that mixes elements of romance and fantasy. A great romantasy novel is a one-way ticket to another universe, where mythical creatures use magical powers to fight for honor, valor, and—of course—love! It is a great mix of otherworldly settings and beings with strong human emotions and swoon-worthy romance. Whether cute and sweet or hot and steamy, fantasy romance is bound to submerge you in worlds that will fuel your imagination and warm your heart with love and passion. Once you’re in, you’ll never want to leave!
One of the main features of romantasy is intricate world-building; faraway lands with their own courts, kings and queens, and supernatural elements that will pluck you out of boring reality into an exciting adventure. Some of these worlds are so gripping and immersive that they really stay with you long after the last page, leaving a trail of fairy dust into your own reality.
Most of these novels focus on feisty heroines who are not afraid to fight their own battles, even when the whole world is against them. They are independent, and armed with unbreakable courage as they face multiple challenges and hardships on their journey to self-discovery. The typical male protagonist, on the other hand, is usually brooding and mysterious, often possessing supernatural powers and harboring dark secrets. This makes for a fiery—often straight-up antagonistic—dynamic that leads to scorching hot romance. After all, opposites attract, and we enemies-to-lovers enthusiasts know that better than anyone else!
But what makes romantasy so popular?
The genre features mainly Young Adult or New Adult series, which makes it specifically popular with the new generation of readers, building dedicated fanbases across social media and, of course, BookTok. BookTok creates a platform for fans to come together, find their own tribe, and share their own content, theories, reactions and art. The new era of reading is here, and romantasy is the genre leading the way, with its fantastical elements lending themselves to creative visual storytelling, elevating and adding to the experience of simply reading a book.
Before we get lost in our favorite Romantasy worlds, let’s first get under the skin to the very bones of the genre? What makes a good fantasy romance? Of course, each story is different, but there are a few tropes that seem to dominate the genre’s bestselling lists. Take out your reading glasses; it’s time to analyze.
A heroine with a sharp tongue, fierce spirit, and a habit of charging headfirst into trouble. She’s not just along for the ride—she’s here to break the rules and kick some serious butt.
When two characters start out trying to kill each other (sometimes literally) but end up falling hard instead. It’s all about fiery banter, sizzling tension, and realizing that maybe they’re not so different after all.
This is the kind of romance that makes you scream, “Just kiss already!” as the tension builds and builds until, finally, it explodes into a swoon-worthy moment that was totally worth the wait.
Love that’s totally off-limits, whether because of pesky rules, rival families, or, you know, the little problem of one of them being a prince and the other a rebel. It’s all the more delicious because they really shouldn’t be doing this—yet they can’t resist.
When the universe points its finger and says, “Yep, you’re the one who has to save the world.” Usually involves prophecies, special powers, and a whole lot of “Why me?” moments as our hero or heroine rises to the challenge.
Now that we know the ingredients to the recipe of the perfect fantasy romance book, let’s see these elements come to life with some book recommendations that are worth the hype and are bound to make it into your TBR list!
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: The Empyrean
Publication: 2023
Number of pages: 517
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Feisty Heroine
What if dragons were real characters, with feelings, thoughts, and snarky commentary to add to the story? Rebecca Yarros’ bestseller answers that question with the unique, sassy, stubborn—and at times adorable—dragons of Basgiath’s dragon riders. But Fourth Wing and its exciting sequel, Iron Flame, are more than an epic dragon story. If you love resilient female characters who fight for peace and justice and earth-shattering passion that defies all rules and logic, then you’re going to love Violet’s story. What are you waiting for? Put on your flight leathers, the riders’ quadrant is calling you!
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Publication: 2015
Number of pages: 419
Tropes: Love Triangle, Enemies to Lovers, Feisty Heroine, Fae Realm
In ACOTAR you will find a magical faerie land you’ll never want to leave—no that you could, of course, if you were stuck in Tamlin’s Spring Court. After she accidentally kills one of his own, the High Lord abducts human Feyre to live as a prisoner in the Fae lands. While there, she realizes things are not always as they seem, and there’s more to this cruel tyrant. As she unravels the curse that’s been festering within the Spring Court, she realizes she just might be the only one who can save them all. But how much can a mere mortal sacrifice in the face of true love?
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Folk of the Air
Publication: 2018
Number of pages: 370
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fae Realm, Feisty Heroine, Slow Burn Romance
Staying in the magical and treacherous world of the faeries, Jude, a mortal girl torn away from her home as a child, is now determined to earn her place among the deadly and beautiful fey. This world, however, is no playground for a mortal, especially one whom the faerie are determined to take out. To survive and thrive there, Jude must armor herself against deceit, betrayal, and the dangerous charms of the handsome Prince Cardan, whose cruelty knows no bounds. A secret alliance promises to give her that ammunition, but every deal comes at a cost, and the devious fey know that better than anyone.
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood and Ash
Publication: 2020
Number of pages: 622
Tropes: Chosen One, Feisty Heroine, Slow Burn Romance
Sheltered from the world under the strict rule of the Ascended, Poppy is determined to break rules and experience life to the fullest. However, the role of the Maiden is not an easy one. She is the chosen one, and must stay veiled and protected as she awaits her Ascension and the mysterious greater purpose that will follow. A secret rendezvous with a charming guard comes to shake her already rebellious spirit and awaken a lust for life that motivates her to question everything she’s known. As the threat of the Craven looms over the kingdom, Poppy starts to see the cracks in her reality and embraces her own power in finding herself.
Author: Stephanie Garber
Series: Once Upon a Broken Heart
Publication: 2021
Number of pages: 408
Tropes: Fairy Tale Elements, Star-Crossed Lovers, Enemies to Lovers
What happens when the hurt of a broken heart leads one to strike a deal with a charming yet dangerous prince? In a world where the almighty Fates control destiny, hopeless romantic Evangeline Fox seeks the help of the most cunning of all to stop the love of her life from marrying another. Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, agrees to help her but asks for her own heart in return. Three mysterious kisses promise to seal her fate—or change it altogether.
Author: Scarlett St. Clair
Series: Hades x Persephone Saga
Publication: 2019
Number of pages: 438
Tropes: Myth Retelling, Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love
In a dark, modern retelling of the ancient Greek myth, Hades and Persephone meet in New Athens and their electrifying chemistry leads to a dangerous gamble for the young goddess. As the Goddess of Spring, the sly and charming God challenges her to bring life to the Underworld in exchange for her freedom. However, Persephone’s barren powers are not her biggest problem, as the closer she gets to the God of Death, the more addicted she becomes to his poison.
Author: Lauren Roberts
Series: The Powerless Trilogy
Publication: 2023
Number of pages: 523
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Underdog
In a world where magic means power, she’s powerless. As an Ordinary, Paedyn has been trained to survive and go unnoticed by the Elite using her quick wit and unyielding courage. Courage, though, is the very thing that gets her in trouble when she saves the Prince of Ilya, a man specifically trained to eliminate threats like her. Can she protect her life—and more importantly, her heart—in this losing battle?
Author: Carissa Broadbent
Series: Crowns of Nyaxia
Publication: 2022
Number of pages: 504
Tropes: Vampires, Unexpected Ally, Feisty Heroine
Typically prey in a world ruled by vampires, Oraya fights for her place as the adopted daughter of the ruthless vampire king by joining the Kejari, a deadly tournament that only the strongest of vampires can survive. With the odds against her, she must use every ounce of her wit to come out victorious. To protect herself, she forms an alliance with Raihn, a cold-hearted vampire with a mission to destroy her and overthrow her father. Can the mortal girl trust the serpent in the garden when it’s her only lifeline?
Author: Carissa Broadbent
Series: The War of Lost Hearts
Publication: 2020
Number of pages: 520
Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Feisty Heroine
If you love a grumpy-sunshine dynamic in your romance, this story is the one for you. Having endured years of slavery under a brutal empire, Tisaanah is determined to fight for her and her people’s freedom. On her path to vengeance, she has to train with a rather reluctant mentor. Haunted by his own dark past, Max initially puts a damper on Tisaanah’s fiery spirit. As their bond grows stronger, new feelings comes to the surface, and the stakes keep getting higher for the young rebel.
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Series: Saga of the Unfated
Publication: 432
Number of pages: 2024
Tropes: Norse Mythology, Vikings, Chosen One, Feisty Heroine
Freya is much more than just your typical feisty heroine. More than a fierce warrior, the Shieldmaiden must hide her origins and the magic forces that protect her. That is, until an ancient prophecy reveals her destiny; she is the chosen one who will save or destroy the world. If you love Norse mythology and a heroine that takes fate into her own hands, you won’t be able to put this book down!
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series: Kingdom of the Wicked
Publication: 2020
Number of pages: 372
Tropes: Witches, Enemies to Lovers, Dark Romance
Two sisters bound by blood, torn by murder. Emilia and Vittoria are witches hiding among humans. After Vittoria’s brutal death, her brokenhearted sister sets out on a desperate quest to avenge her. When she crosses paths with Wrath, one of the princes of Hell, she knows danger looms in his shadow. Can she accept his help and turn the odds in her favor, or will this deal with the devil himself cost her her very soul?
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Crescent City
Publication: 2020
Number of pages: 803
Tropes: Demons, Angels, Urban Fantasy, Feisty Heroine
In Crescent City, the queen of romantasy seamlessly blends urban fantasy with high-stakes drama and delicious, slow-burn romance. Bryce is a half-fae, half-human party girl whose carefree life in the bustling, magical city of Lunathion is shattered when her best friend and her pack are brutally murdered. Grieving and determined to find the killer, she is thrust into an investigation that leads her into the darkest corners of the city, and into an unexpected partnership with Hunt Athalar, a brooding fallen angel with a dangerous past.
Author: Alex Aster
Series: Lightlark
Publication: 2022
Number of pages: 416
Tropes: Magic, Love Triangle, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity
On the mysterious island of Lightlark, the rulers of six cursed realms fight for survival in the Centennial, a deadly tournament held every hundred years. The victor can break the curse and bring prosperity to their realm. Enter Isla, the young and cunning leader of the Wildlings, a people feared for their ability to kill anyone they fall in love with. Hiding her true abilities and intentions, Isla must use the curse in her favor in order to break it.
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Series: The Bridge Kingdom
Publication: 2018
Number of pages: 448
Tropes: Secret Identity, Feisty Heroine, Enemies to Lover
Lara has been trained from birth to be the perfect weapon, a cunning, deadly spy destined to destroy the kingdom of Ithicana from within. When she is sent to marry Aren, the King of Ithicana, she knows her mission; gain his trust, learn his secrets, and bring his kingdom to its knees. However, a weapon this sharp can only be dulled by one indestructible force; love.
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass
Publication: 2012
Number of pages: 406
Tropes: Feisty Heroine, Fae Court, Love Triangle
After a year in the brutal salt mines of Endovier, Celaena is given a chance at freedom, but it comes with a deadly twist. To earn her liberty, Celaena must outwit and outfight the kingdom’s deadliest criminals in a high-stakes competition to become the King’s Champion. But as dark forces start lurking in the castle, Celaena realizes winning might just be the least of her worries.
As we safely return to our own reality, we hope you’ve enjoyed this magical journey through enchanted lands and stories of once-in-a-lifetime love.
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Considered by many the queen of romantasy, Sarah J. Maas is a bestselling author in the genre of fantasy romance. Her books have shaped the very fabric of the genre and are usually readers’ first addictive taste of its unique characters and tropes.
‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’—or simply ACOTAR to fans—has garnered immense popularity on TikTok for its blend of fantasy, romance, and complex characters. Every romantasy fan knows the seven Courts of Prythian like the back of their hand, as this BookTok phenomenon has sparked constant conversation online, including fanart, fan theories, fancasts and more creative content.
The ideal length for a romantasy book can vary depending on the complexity of the story, world-building, and character development, but the best books of the genre usually range anywhere from 300 to 500 pages.
Eirini is a passionate book nerd with a keen penchant for the whimsical and the witty. She holds a degree in English Literature - because what's better than reading books for homework? - and delights in dissecting the subtleties of storytelling. When it comes to fiction analysis, she is determined to turn every stone and go through every theory of the stories that excite her. Known for her playful approach and keen observations, her contribution offers readers a delightful exploration of literary themes that resonate with enthusiasts and casual readers alike.
