Anne Mai Yee Jansen is a literature and ethnic studies professor and a lifelong story lover. She exists on a steady diet of books, hot chocolate, and dragon boating. After spending over a decade in the Midwest and the Appalachians, she returned to the sun and sandstone of California’s central coast where she currently resides with her partner, offspring, and feline companions. Find her on Instagram @dreaminginstories
Ripped from her homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. The night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life. Desperate to save the friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organization of magic Wielders in the world. To join, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome recluse who despises the Orders. Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war, but even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius.
Romantasy is a wonderful genre, even if nobody can quite agree on what counts as romantasy. Some people say it’s a high-fantasy world with a romance at the heart of the story, while others say it’s romance with fantasy elements. And, of course, everything in between.
Personally, I’m not picky about my romantasy. I agree that a romantic plot line is central to romantasy and that there needs to be prominent fantasy elements in the book. But after that, it could be cozy or chaotic, urban or otherworldly — I’m in it for the magical love story.
One of my favorite things about romantasy is that it merges two of my very favorite elements of romance and fantasy: love and magic.
Where love is concerned, the simplest way of thinking about romance novels is that they’re love stories. And as fellow Book Riot writer R. Nassor writes in their post featuring awesome romantasy series, for me, “a satisfying romantasy book has at least one central romance with a Happily Ever After/ Happy for Now (HEA/HFN).”
Similarly, anyone who reads fantasy knows that one of the most essential elements in fantasy is the magic. I appreciate Lyndsie Manusos’s succinct explanation of fantasy’s magic: “Fantasy cannot occur in our world” because it involves magic that is, “beyond our world’s natural order.”
Sadly, most fantasy readers have encountered magic that isn’t very compelling. Whether it’s flawed or unconvincing or simply unexciting, it’s a sad day when you pick up a fantasy book and the magic doesn’t captivate you.
Luckily, romantasy has really taken off in recent years. The result? There are some truly exceptional works out there that combine stirring love stories with compelling fantasy magic. Whether you’re looking for a full-on high fantasy love story or a magical twist on the contemporary world, there’s an HEA on this list for every reader.
The Hurricane Wars series by Thea Guanzon
Thea Guanzon’s worldbuilding skills are off the charts. A Monsoon Rising is the second book in the series (the first being The Hurricane Wars). It picks up where the first book left off, following Alaric and Talasyn as they navigate the political minefields of the warring nations they’re part of. It’s amazing how two characters with so much stacked against them can make for such a compelling couple, but it’s all due to the nuanced and well-imagined universe Guanzon has written into being. This is definitely among the ranks of high fantasy that delves into the perilous politics of the created world — it’s immersive in the best of ways, and it seems to me that the series is getting spicier
Mead Mishaps series by Kimberly Lemming
Kimberly Lemming’s Mead Mishaps series is a riotous romp through a chaotic fantasy world. One of the things I love the most about this series (of which That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human is the third book) is that it refuses to take itself too seriously. The characters are hilarious, and the storyworld is well-crafted. Each book can be read as a standalone and features a different couple and a different path to the desired HEA, and if you read all the books in the series, you’ll get to keep tabs on the characters from the earlier books.
Tomes & Tea quartet by Rebecca Thorne
I absolutely adore Kianthe and Reyna, the main characters of Rebecca Thorne’s cozy Tomes & Tea quartet. Kianthe is a loveably punny mage (the most powerful in the land) and Reyna is an extremely competent and dangerous Queensguard. Their decision to prioritize their love for one another by running away and opening a tea shop disrupts all kinds of professional and social expectations. With each new installment in the series, quirky new characters enter the scene, and the political landscape threatens to tear down everything they’ve worked so hard to build. It’s a low-spice sapphic romantasy with a well-developed fantasy world and multiple HEAs.
Wild Magic series by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Lightning in Her Hands is the second book in Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s interlinked (but optionally standalone) Wild Magic series. Just as the first book, Witch of Wild Things, follows Sage Flores from wayward daughter to HEA, this second installment follows Sage’s sister, Teal. The Flores women each have their own kind of magic, and Teal’s is lightning. After hovering on the sidelines throughout the first novel (which is also fantastic!), Teal gets her turn in the spotlight here with childhood friend Carter. It’s a fake marriage situation at its best, made even more enchanting because of the specifics of Teal’s magic. And happily, the third book in the series is slated for release this winter, so if you enjoy the first two, then there’s more on its way!
Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros
Even though there are still two books to go in the Empyrean series, I couldn’t leave it off of this list because the worldbuilding in this one is so strong! The ever-evolving romance between Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson is fraught with political tensions. Given that Violet is a cadet at Basgiath War College and Xaden’s father was a notorious traitor, it’s no surprise that their dynamic is full of sharp edges…but when the sparks fly with this pair, there’s more than just love on the line. The whole safety of the realm depends on them. Full disclosure: the magic in this one is vivid and immersive, but each book ends on a massive cliffhanger.
Assistant and the Villain series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
What can I say about the Assistant and the Villain series? It’s absolutely delightful. The fairytale setting immediately feels familiar, but Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s lively writing is infused with a wicked humor that creates a unique and unforgettable storyworld. Peppy and determined Evie Sage is the perfect balance to her super hot (and evil!) boss, The Villain. So what if he’s actually quite thoughtful and doesn’t seem as villainous as everyone’s sure he is? It’s just a job…until it isn’t. What starts out feeling like a funny fairy tale quickly turns into a remarkably crafted magical world populated by eccentric and lovable misfits. With one more book (and hopefully only one!) expected next summer, this series will have you ROFL the whole way to the (presumed) HEA.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
This standalone novel by the author who brought you The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is delightful. I’d consider it a cozy romantasy set in a magical facet of our world that only witches know about. Sera Swan lost her power as a teenager when she used her magic to bring her great-aunt back to life. Now she’s an adult witch with barely enough magic to warm the rooms of the enchanted bed and breakfast she lives in, along with her quirky found family. When someone from her magical past shows up, Sera may finally have a chance to get her magic back.
My Vampire series by Jenna Levine
The vampires in Jenna Levine’s contemporary vampire series offer a steamy take on contemporary vampire lore. While the first two books in the My Vampire series featured vampire-human HEAs, this one detours into new territory with Zelda — a witch who’s had quite enough of vampires in her life. But when an amnesiac vampire arrives with a letter from one of Zelda’s old (fanged) friends, the pair takes readers (and each other) for a ride. Each of the books in this series (which can be read individually) has a mystery at its center, which adds an intriguing dimension to the romantasy.
The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy by Roan Parrish
This incredibly sweet love story centers on Edgar Lovejoy, a man so anxious that he can’t even enjoy a night out with his friends. Of course, he’s got a pretty good reason to be nervous: he can see ghosts, and they’re terrifying. But when he falls for the alluring and charismatic Jamie Wendon-Dale, a trans man who designs haunted houses for a living and performs burlesque on the side, he has to face his fears or risk losing the love of his life. I loved how organic the characters’ investment in their mental health was, and how the characters around them changed and grew in sometimes unexpected ways. Jamie’s insistence on loving themself was empowering, and Edgar’s journey was so fun to witness.
More Swoon-Worthy Reads Await!
Hooked on romantasy? Me, too! After all that, there are still more amazing magical HEAs out there just waiting for you to read them. You’ll find plenty to love about the books on this list of YA romantasy reads and this list of cozy fantasy romances. Or, if you’re hoping to shake things up a bit, try out some of the books on this list of romantasy comics.
English (US) · 