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Our Romantasy Primer for Genre Newbies (and Dedicated Fans)
Some say love is the most powerful thing in the world. Some say dragons. We say: Why not both?
Romantasy is the emerging consensus term for a certain style of hybrid novel that combines elements of both the fantasy and romance genres. As with all genre designations, the lines can get a little blurry. But there’s no doubt that, in the last few years, the romantasy aisle has been an increasingly buzzy one on Goodreads. One cool thing about that? Quite a lot of romantasy authors have gotten their start as independent and self-published authors, with grassroots support helping a number of them break out into the larger book world. What we're saying is: Nice work, readers.
For the romantasy newcomer—or for avid readers who've been following along since the Jacqueline Carey days and are looking for fresh new leads—we've assembled a primer on the current state of the field, presented below. Up top, we’ve gathered novels from four genre mainstay authors who have blazed their own trails into the realms of romantasy. These are essentially the most popular romantasy authors on Goodreads since the late 2010s, according to reader ratings, reviews, and Want to Read shelves.
After that, we’ve compiled a list of newly noteworthy novels that have explored and expanded the genre and exploded it in popularity in the last few years. Finally, we offer you the new and upcoming romantasies publishing in 2024 to help you stock your WTR shelf.
Click on the book cover images for more details about each title. If you find any promising leads, add them to your Want to Read shelf.
Genre Mainstays
These are the authors (and their most popular books) you've seen all over Goodreads for years!
Sarah J. Maas
For those who've encountered the acronym ACOTAR in the wild, those letters stand for A Court of Thorns and Roses, author Sarah J. Maas' megahit series featuring a steamy love story set in the realm of faerie. Maas is also the author of the Throne of Glass YA books and the Crescent City adult fantasy series.
Jennifer L. Armentrout
West Virginia author Jennifer L. Armentrout has earned a loyal romantasy readership with her Blood and Ash series and subsequent spinoffs. If you're wondering why so many romantasy book titles are some variation of A Blank of Blank and Blank, Armentrout's (and Maas') books might have something to do with it…
Scarlett St. Clair
With an eye to agency, inclusivity, and sex-positive storylines, author Scarlett St. Clair excavates the steamier bits of Greek mythology in her Hades x Persephone Saga. St. Clair's other series include the Adrian x Isolde books (sexy vampires!) and her Fairy Tale Retellings novellas.
Danielle L. Jensen
Prolific Canadian author Danielle L. Jensen specializes in seductive fantasy for adult readers (The Bridge Kingdom and Saga of the Unfated series) and YA readers (the Dark Shores and Malediction Trilogy series). For a sense of the relative spiciness of each series, check out Jensen’s helpful FAQ page. This year, her latest book has broken out in a big way, introducing her to a whole swath of new readers.
The Dragon Book That Could
Unless you've been living under a rock (have you? That's okay; a nice nap under a rock sounds good to us right now too), you've likely heard of the book that took the reading world by storm last year. Set at a battle college of dragonriders, Fourth Wing and its sequel Iron Flame have supercharged interest in the romantasy genre. Fans won't have to wait long for the next installment of the series, which publishes next January.
New Notables
Dedicated romantasy readers have been swapping recommendations for these titles in recent years, and with the success of Fourth Wing, many of these books are now finding a wider audience. As the saying goes: a rising tide lifts all ships.
Discover 2024's Romantasy Reads
Don't miss this year's new and upcoming standalone and series continuation romantasy titles!
Are you an avid romantasy fan or a relative genre newbie? Which romantasy titles do you recommend to your fellow readers? Drop them in the comments below!
Comments Showing 51-100 of 196 (196 new)
message 51:
by
Candace
(new)
Aug 05, 2024 06:34PM
Thanks for the list. I read most of the ones toward the top but haven’t read hardly any towards the bottom so I’m excited to give them a go!
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Astra wrote: "Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book..."I would second Hurricane Wars
olgieshmolgie wrote: "Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book..."I also really loved Serpent and the Wings of Night
Grace Draven is definitely worth checking out. She's been writing in this genre before it was called romantasy.
Kathleen wrote: "No thanks to all of it. WHERE ARE THE MM FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS!"Someone’s speaking my language🤣
Unzila wrote: "LMFAOO I read somewhere that the new books try to build their plots around troupes instead of integrating them into their writing… couldn’t have said it better"
I was starting to think that was only me😂😂
Randy wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "No thanks to all of it. WHERE ARE THE MM FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS!"Jessamyn Kingley’s D’vaire series
Macy Blake’s The Chosen One universe
[auth..."
you’re the real MVP
Fourth Wing was kinda porno tbh i wish they toned it down
I recommend The Dagger and the Forbidden Heir by Emilia Jae. It's is a five-star read for me. The world, strong FMC and romance with witty banter is amazing. I'd honestly recommend it over A Court of Thorns and Roses if I had to choose only one Romantasy with Fae.
Another series book that I want to read and would fit on this list is An Echo of Fire by Amber Lynn Natusch.
I wish indie authors would get more love on list like these. I know some released their books independently at first and were later published traditionally, but I mean authors that are still indie at the time of the post to help up their visibility.
Good article! Is there a reason I can add "Romantasy" as a genre in my recommendations tab? I can add "Fantasy Romance" are they effectively the same? Or is there some difference?
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."I just finished A Fate of Wrath & Fury earlier today and genuinely enjoyed it. I've already got the next 2 books on hold at my library
I've never heard of the neologism "Romantasy" before. I've always called this genre "Rofan", the way it is known in the webtoon/manwha/asian light novels online comunities.
I suppose it's just two different ways to call the same thing. The internet has always loved to create new labels in order to find fitting recommendetions. :)
Not a fan of the genre, but Iron Fey from Julie Kagawa was amazing
Nora wrote: "Any less spicy recs ✨? Enjoyed ACOTAR but I’m not huge into the spicy scenes!"for that reason i enjoyed the Throne of Glass series, much more plot and adventure, character depth. Its my fav SJM series
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."Check Danielle L. Jensen Bridge Kingdom, the story is interesting and the series is finished.
Currently reading Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert. I'm usually not into romantasy, but this one has me hooked :) Just a heads-up: SUPER spicy!!
The Absinthe Underground is a great YA sapphic romantasy
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."The Bridge Kingdom might be up your alley! I think it's somewhat comparable to Sarah J. Mass's writing and the action starts from page one. I have similar opinions on Fourth Wing and acotar so I hope this helps!!
Has ditt my toe in romantisk. Read Ironflame but it wasten for me. But leta see wath happends.
Having read One Dark Window and Heavenbreaker, I don't understand how they're considered "romantasy." Heavenbreaker is science fiction, and One Dark Window is a dark fantasy with a romantic subplot.
Clairey wrote: "MM?"MM stands for Male/Male, as in a romance between two men!
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."Dawn of Onyx
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..." I highly recommend The Book of Azrael (Gods and Monsters Series) by Amber Nicole! It's the only series that I've read that comes close to ACOTAR as far as found family and layered plot goes. :)
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."I've read 10 or so from this list - I really enjoyed One Dark Window or Serpent and the Wings of Night!
Don't see it on the list, but need to hype The Broken Kingdom series by L.J. Andrews. Every few books focus on a different kingdom and a different set of main characters but still call back to the previous MCs. You never get bored!The Ever Seas spins off of that.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I’ve read so many on here and so many are already on my tbr and the ones I’ve read are all 🤌🏼🤌🏼
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."Try "From Blood and Ash", "The Veiled Kingdom"
Nora wrote: "Any less spicy recs ✨? Enjoyed ACOTAR but I’m not huge into the spicy scenes!"Not from this list, but no spice
Divine Rivals and Ruthless Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro...""The serpent of the wings of night" by Carissa Broadbent. I loved it ans the sequel ! (I was disappointed by "Fourth wing" too )
Claire wrote: "Not the copy and paste trope genre 😭"frr, they rlly be recycling the same plot a million times
The Melissa K. Roehrich books should also be on this list
SMJ readArmentrout, I letf it at first book didn't like it
St.clair, its ok series I haven't read the last book yet,
Jensen, bridge kingdom okay, others are in my tbr
Yarros, read
New Notables 11 read, 7 on my tbr.
Rest of the books on the list? I just put most on my tbr list.. oops :D
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."I've read some of the books, and in my opinion putting "One dark window" on this list is a big disservice to the book - it's actually very good! And the sequel is even better. It's decent fantasy with just a touch of romance.
I'd love to see the booktok brainrot of tropy heteronormative weirdly neoliberal "romantasy" that reads worse than a common Harry Potter Fanfiction turn into a more diverse, more non-tropy actual romance and fantasy traits including books. I don't think an edgy copy paste love interest being horny is romance, and I also don't think 50 plot holes in worldbuilding make a good fantasy part.
I have read some incredible Romantasy books from indie authors this year! And they are debuts and the first in their series! Songbird of the Sorrows by Braidee Otto
Null & Void by R. Moody
Null & Void by R Moody and Songbird of the Sorrows by Braidee Otto are some of the best romantasy I have ever read!!
Can you recommend me a book to read….Splintered by A. G. Howard. Not on this list but one of my favorites.
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."ZODIAC ACADEMYYYY!!
Kathleen wrote: "No thanks to all of it. WHERE ARE THE MM FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS!"KJ Charles' CHARM OF THE MAGPIES series
Lily Mayne's MONSTROUS series
Ariana Nash's SILK & STEEL series and her PRINCE'S ASSASSIN series
CS Pacat's CAPTIVE PRINCE series
I’ve read many on this list ( Everflame series is prob my fav here) but there are so many amazing options NOT listed here. Some of these I wouldn’t truly consider romantasy. Just off the top of my head, highly recommend Olivia’s Kingdom of Crows series or any of Ella Fields romantasies !!
Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book to read fro..."I can give you a few that are not on this list actually. Ones you should definitely read!!
Flame & Sparrow duo logy by S.M. Gaither for instance
The Blood Kingdom by Kate Cunningham
Madly Jane wrote: "Law wrote: "I read four books on this list. Assistant to the Villain was okay. Both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame were disappointing. I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses. Can you recommend me a book..."The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent was really fun!
Bull Moon Rising sounds like it might be amusing. Actually found more than i usually find interesting on this list than previous lists
I get my romantasy suggestions from one of my favorite booktubers, Rachel. If you haven't already, you should check her channel out. You can't go wrong with her reccos
So sad, too many books are part of a series and I have been too disappointed by starting a series and they just go downhill that my new role is no more series
¿¿¿Por qué casi todas las portadas lucen iguales???
Clairey wrote: "MM?"Male-Male romance most likely.
