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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 101-150 of 196 (196 new)
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Cheyenne
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Aug 08, 2024 12:48AM
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..." Powerless by Lauren Roberts
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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..."This is kinda late, but I really liked The Hurricane Wars.
LJ AndrewsCurse of Shadows and Thornsঅচুপ্তা | acchupta wrote: "I was hoping for some fresh new recommendations that'd differ from the typical Sarah J. Mass/Rebecca Yarros YA romantasy format, but alas. I'm sure some of the books here are better written, hidden..."I highly recommend The Broken Kingdom and The Ever Seas series by LJ Andrews! TBK series is 9 books (sounds daunting but I FLEW through this series because it was addicting) and Ever Seas is the kids/next gen follow up series to TBK!
Claire wrote: "Not the copy and paste trope genre 😭"The covers are almost identical!
So excited to see Spark of the Everflame on this list!!! Such a great 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..."not on this list but 'Crimson Moth' by Kristen Ciccarelli is amazing!!!
I miss the days when GR helped me find books I hadn't heard of instead of a bunch of books that are everywhere already.
If you enjoyed ACOTAR, you should try Throne of Glass by the same author!
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 loved One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig and A Court this Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark.
Nora wrote: "Any less spicy recs ✨? Enjoyed ACOTAR but I’m not huge into the spicy scenes!"I haven't read the 2nd book yet, but Rachel Gillig's One Dark Window has pretty reserved sex scenes.
Tiffany wrote: "Also when is Sarah J. Maas going to finish the Court of Thorns and Roses series- it seems like she’s abandoning it for her Crescent City series…"Her next book is ACOTAR #6 :)
I have read 3 books off this list and I loved Fourth Wing and Iron Flame! Can't wait for book 3!There are a couple of books I'd like to read and hope to, soon.
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 loved Hurricane Wars; Very Star Wars meets Moana with a splash of Treasure Planet vibes. Def looking forward to the second one.
Claire wrote: "Not the copy and paste trope genre 😭"Oooh, tell me more! ^_^
I've been living under a rock for a long time now, as far as genre fiction is concerned, so the "romantasy" genre is beyond my ken. Are there any truly original standouts that you can recommend?
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..."A Fate Inked in Blood was great. I finished it an read all of the other books by this author as well. The second one doesn't come out until 2025.
Not mentioned in this list that I loved is The Road of Bones. The second one is out and I am currently reading it.
Claire wrote: "Not the copy and paste trope genre 😭"wow. Hating a genre just because it isn't your favourite trope?
Try not to add every book on this list challenge: Impossible
Everything by Ilona Andrews. I kinda stopped reading this genre when I finished her books and I had trouble finding anything even close to as good as her stuff. But I had a fun time with Fourth Wing, so I'll try out some of these recs!
After suffering through Fourth Wing, this is a genre better suited for YA/Romance novel folks than Fantasy. Perfect for some, just not me. Glad the genre was created though so it's easier to stay away from.
What's up with all the covers looking like low effort copycats of each other?
I loved the Kindred's Curse Saga ( Spark of the Everflame) so far. Havent been able to get the 4th book yet.
![Linnea :]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1742672976p1/163844124.jpg)
Let me guess, it's all straight? Would like SOME variation and representation but alright I guess.
অচুপ্তা | acchupta wrote: "I was hoping for some fresh new recommendations that'd differ from the typical Sarah J. Mass/Rebecca Yarros YA romantasy format, but alas. I'm sure some of the books here are better written, hidden..."Abso-fucking-lutely! I am so happy with this comment, I couldn't have said it better!
HIGHLY recommend LJ Andrew’s The Broken Kingdoms (9 books) followed by The Ever King (3 current books, 4 to come). It is SO GOOD! It has actually become my favorite over SJM.
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..."Its not on this list but since you enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses try the other series from the same author: House of Earth and Blood.
Tiffany wrote: "Also when is Sarah J. Maas going to finish the Court of Thorns and Roses series- it seems like she’s abandoning it for her Crescent City series…"she is doing the multiverse thing .... so I expect multiple crossovers as there are many loose threads in the stories...
Nora wrote: "Any less spicy recs ✨? Enjoyed ACOTAR but I’m not huge into the spicy scenes!"The Poison Healer series!! No spice and sooo good!
Caraval series and Once Upon a Broken Heart (they’re connected but I read OUABH first and was fine, no spice at all)
One Dark Window
The Kiss of Deception
Red Queen (I don’t think, it’s been awhile)
Heartless Hunter/The Crimson Moth (I don’t remember there being a lot of scenes specifically??)
Honestly, Powerless
Nea wrote: "Let me guess, it's all straight? Would like SOME variation and representation but alright I guess."Very nearly. There are a couple of M/M recs and one seemingly M/F/M rec though.
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..."Trial of the Sun Queen and its sequels
Claire wrote: "Not the copy and paste trope genre 😭"Well, at least it makes for a pretty bookshelf of coordinated cookie cutter covers (insert eyeroll here).
Surprised the Lauren Roberts, Powerless series didn’t make it into the list.
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..."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..."
If you liked the Court of Thorns and Roses, you could check out the two other series by Sarah J. Maas. The Throne of Glass and Crescent City series are both pretty good. I like Maas cause she writes great action scenes as well.
I love romantasy, but I really don't like how so many in this genre have to be such long series (ACOTAR as a prime example). It's too much of a commitment for me, and I get bored after the MCs fall in love. I find a lot of the subsequent books are entirely angst-driven and I don't need to read about the break-ups and getting back together.If it is a series, I prefer independent books in one world that can each stand alone, instead of cliffhangers (anthology series rather than dynamic).
That being said, for trilogies, I recommend the Karma series, A Darker Shade of Magic series, the Jackaby series, and the The Bone Witch series.
I much prefer duologies & standalones. Some recs:
Duologies: Daughter of the Pirate King, Crown Duel, Magic of Blood and Sea, Dance of Thieves
Standalones: Kiss of the Royal, To Kill a Kingdom, Sorcery of Thorns, Warrior of the Wild, Cruel Beauty, The Golem and the Jinni (I see this has a sequel now, but it's not needed), Promise of Shadows, Crimson Bound, Illusions of Fate, An Enchantment of Ravens (although not as much as Sorcery of Thorns), The Shadows Between Us (very leery about there being a sequel coming out to this)
Would love any recs based on the above :)
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..."Maybe try SJM's other series Throne of Glass and Crescent City? Maybe you like her writing style more that the genre itself.
Keramia wrote: "Any solid WLW recs?"The Honey Witch & Blood on the Tide. Both FF and both fabulous!
Kathleen wrote: "No thanks to all of it. WHERE ARE THE MM FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS!"
Right? So many fantastic MM options and ignored.
Right? So many fantastic MM options and ignored.
Kathleen wrote: "No thanks to all of it. WHERE ARE THE MM FANTASY RECOMMENDATIONS!"So This is Ever After and Carry On are sooooo good!!
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..."É sublime! Eu amei.
i really want to get into the romantasy hype but i'm searching for books that have a f/f couple, can someone recommend me wlw/sapphic romantasies pls?
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 the books by Jennifer L. Armentrout next. She wrote the Blood and Ash series. I share the feedback you gave, I also really liked the Lightlark series (Alex Aster), Throne of Glass series (Sarah Maas), and the Scarlett St. Clair series listed above.
I read 22 books on the list. Amazing. A few are on my to read list and now I have a few more to maybe add for later. Thanks.
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..."have you read kingdom of the wicked?
A Fate of Wrath and Flame. A Fate of Wrath and Flame!!!!! This romantasy novel is so underrated! K.A. Tucker is brilliant. If you liked ACOTAR, you'll love this book. Do not fret if you don't understand what's happening in the first few chapters. The fmc doesn't know what's going on either, and you'll figure it out with her! It's a ride.
Why do all romantasy books have the same title and the same cover?
I've read 18 of these books and the ones I haven't are on my TBR already. I think I have a favorite genre.. lol
this one needs to be added to the new and upcoming!
If you like adventure and romance, Serpent and the Wings of Night and its companion books are amazing.
