Fae-Bulous BIPOC and/or Queer Romantasies

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Romantasy has kind of always been a thing, but there was just something about officially putting the portmanteau together that really made the subgenre take off in the last few years. And I mean really take off—some of the most popular and bestselling books are romantasies, and books that cater to this popularity are being released left and right. Which is great! Romantasy has a very dedicated following, both online and off, but it does feel at times like the genre suffers from what many other genres suffer from: a lack of diversity.

Scrolling through the latest #romantasy books on BookTok, you’ll find plenty of delicious enemies-to-lovers or grumpy-sunshine pairings, but if you are hoping to find something with a different mythological basis for the magic system, or queer love interests, things can get a little tricky, which is why task #9 of the 2026 Read Harder Challenge is “Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character.” These diverse romantasies have magical heists, Chinese and Hindu mythology-inspired magic systems, and much more.

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao

The Legend of Meneka uses Hindu mythology to reimagine a famous celestial dancer whose allure comes with a side of danger. Meneka begrudgingly carries out her duty as an enchanting apsara who seduces according to the king of heaven’s will. But she may finally meet her match in one particular mark. Kaushika is as captivating as he is empathetic and passionate, and despite the deal Meneka made to seduce him for Lord Indra and gain her freedom, she finds herself sucked into Kaushika’s orbit instead. —Erica Ezeifedi

The Feywild Job by C. L. Polk

Saeldian is a thief who made a magical oath to never fall in love. Kell is a charming bard and also Saeldian’s ex. Now, the two are forced to team up for a lucrative job to steal a gem called “The Kiss of Enduring Love.” Seems straightforward enough, and they’ll be able to part ways again soon without ever thinking of this awkward mission again. But it turns out their chemistry hasn’t cooled over the years, and the job isn’t nearly as simple as they thought. There are some very powerful players interested in the fey gem, and it may take more than couple’s therapy to make it out of this mission with the objective and their lives. —Rachel Brittain

All access members continue below for more BIPOC and/or queer romantasies.

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon

This was written at the request of Jester Lavorre of Critical Role, a DnD web series. It follows Guinevere, the daughter of now-wealthy merchants, who is on her way somewhere important when her camp is attacked by rogues. Her guards are killed, and her oxen set free, and when it looks like the book will close on her permanently, she’s saved by a half-orc she comes to know as Oskar. Oskar is on his way to someplace important, too, and doesn’t have time to accommodate a princess and her trunks of trinkets. Except she is rather pretty, and she does seem to mean well…even if she’s hiding a huge secret. —Erica Ezeifedi

A Prince Among Pirates by Katie Abdou

To dodge an arranged marriage and the House of Lords, Kit Davenport mistakenly joins the crew of the Deliverance. Captain Reggie Sharpe is charismatic, handsome, and a pirate. Kit must decide where he and his heart truly belong in this swashbuckling adventure romance. —Courtney Rodgers

Dominion by Jean Kwok (July 14, 2026)

Rubi Morningtail has scant power, no homeland, and a bleak future as an Azure refugee ribbon dancer. Then she wounds a battle tyger, attracting the attention of the leader of the royal tyger warriors and supreme metal mage, Blake Axefire. For wounding the creature, Rubi is sentenced to the Bonding: a trial where tygers select their riders and the unselected die. Against all odds, she survives and becomes part of Blake’s team, resealing the demon realm. Now she has to discover the truth behind her magic and avoid her attraction to Blake before power or love destroys her life. I cannot wait to be enthralled by Kwok’s Chinese-inspired romantasy. —R. Nassor

Bromantasy by Máire Roche (May 26, 2026)

Two platonic himbos fall in love while questing in this cozy queer romantasy. Juniper O’Reilly does a great job of maintaining his beauty, his friendships, and not much else; that is all left to his far more competent best friend, Mo Elmthorn. So, when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both to kill a monster they do not have the training or talent to defeat, Mo agrees to go with him, giving them both a chance to fall for each other along the way. But when the monster turns out to be a scared little girl, Mo and Juniper will have to do their best to be the kind of heroes who can save her. —R. Nassor

A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez

This romantasy debut has everything from deadly tarot to enemies-to-lovers to dangerous allegiances. We have Rune, who has lost everything because of the Immortals. This year, she’s determined to get her get back, so she makes certain she’s chosen to participate in the trek to the Immortal realm humans must make every year. But now she’s got to survive the Forge, the dastardly college for the Immortal druids’ tricky tarot magic. Thing is, our girl Rune has a rare form of magic that makes her both a precious commodity and a target to take out. The only other person with her kind of magic is Prince Draven, who she goes to live with. But the Prince isn’t trustworthy. And his tutelage comes at a cost… —Erica Ezeifedi

Deadly Ever After by Brittany Johnson

This YA romantasy starts off on a terrible note. Two very different princesses—the quiet, obedient Amala, and the brash warrior Kha’dasia—both die. The former on her wedding night, and the latter while on a quest. They both wake up in a forest where a god offers them a second chance: if they can find their true love and kiss them, they can live again. The catch is, if they kiss the wrong person, they go back to being dead. This sends the girls on a journey to reckon with the reality of their lives and their deaths. And of course, they can’t help but grow closer…—Erica Ezeifedi

If you want even more romantasy, here is a beginner’s guide.