Romantasy is a popular subgenre that you’ve probably seen all over BookTok. It blends fantasy settings with an emphasis on romantic relationships. It usually features magical world-building, intense plots, and fun romantic tropes like enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers. Romantasy can range from mild to very spicy.
If you’re new to the genre, it can be a little overwhelming to know what to read first. But you don’t need to read everything, and you don’t have to read whatever everyone else is reading. Just start with what is interesting to you. One of the easiest ways to dive in is by choosing the magical world you’re most drawn to.
So, here are some beginner-friendly romantasy options that I’ve organized by magical creatures. Some are light and cozy, while others are darker and more intense. No matter what you’re interested in, hopefully, this can help you get started in the genre!
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Books by Magical Creature
Witches & Magic Users
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli (2024)
This young adult fantasy follows Rune, a secret witch vigilante (known as the Crimson Moth) posing as a vapid socialite. She is looking for a suitor in a high position of power, someone who will be able to (unknowingly) feed her crucial information used to save witches. Enter Gideon Sharpe, the Republic’s most notorious witch hunter, who begins to suspect that she may be involved in the Crimson Moth’s escapades. Though enemies, the two begin courting each other, both to serve their own means.
If you love the enemies-to-lovers trope, pretty dresses and parties, or political intrigue, this one may be for you. Because it is technically young adult literature, it is very accessible and a fairly quick read.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (2011)
Diana Bishop, a reluctant witch and historian, uncovers a secret and highly sought-after manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, believed to hold the secret origins of witches, vampires, and demons. She teams up with Matthew, a vampire geneticist, in the hopes of unlocking the book’s secrets. The two begin a forbidden romance while also being pursued by the Congregation, a governing body of creatures that bans inter-species relationships.
If you’re a fan of dark academia, are a little bit of a history nerd, or love the forbidden romance trope, you will love A Discovery of Witches. This was one of the first books that got me into the genre, and I have read it several times since. The show is also really good!
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields (2024)
This novel is a cozy, queer fantasy that follows Marigold, an outcast who embraces her destiny as the Honey Witch, a magical healer who uses bees to perform her magic. The catch? The Honey Witch is bound by a curse that prevents anyone from falling in love with her. She meets Lottie, who challenges her to prove that magic is real, just as some sort of dark magic begins to threaten her home and those she loves.
If you love cottagecore vibes, sapphic romance, and a cozy atmosphere, try this whimsical read. It is very sweet and has very little intense action.
Faeries & Fae
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015)
I can’t, in good conscience, NOT recommend this series. The story follows Feyre, a poor girl who is forced into the magical land of Prythian after killing a faerie wolf. Eventually, she falls for her captor, Tamlin, and learns about a dark force threatening his court. She risks it all to save the people she loves, and she will do anything to ensure their survival.
This is one of the best entry-level books on this list if you love a little spice and completely enthralling characters. I can’t recommend it enough.
Pro tip: Give this series a chance, even if you aren’t a huge fan of the first book. Some of the characters that you meet in later books will sweep you off your feet.
A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene (2024)
Loosely inspired by the Swan Lake fairytale, A Feather So Black is a dark, Celtic-inspired fantasy in The Fair Folk series. It follows a changeling, Fia, who operates as a spy for her human kingdom. She is sent on a quest to rescue the cursed princess Eala from the Fae realm, only to encounter a dark Fae lord intent on stopping her.
If you love the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers trope, a little bit of a love triangle, forbidden love, and questions of identity, then you might enjoy this novel.
Quicksilver by Callie Hart (2024)
This novel follows Saeris Fane, a thief who discovers she has magical powers related to the element Quicksilver. She is pulled into the Fae realm and right into the middle of a conflict between Fae and vampires. At the same time, she is navigating an enemies-to-lovers romance with Kingfisher, a famous Fae warrior, as she learns to control her magic and navigate the political intrigue of her new home.
This one got me out of a months-long reading slump, and I devoured it in a day. You will love Kingfisher and Saeris’s relationship as well as all of the fun supporting characters.
Dragons
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2023)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Fourth Wing, which follows Violet, a frail girl who is forced to train as a dragon rider at Basgiath War College. She faces dangerous, deadly challenges and an intense relationship with the ruthless Wingleader, Xaden. Despite all of this, she must try to survive the brutal training and competition, all while a war brews in the kingdom.
If you love a high-stakes fantasy, a “chosen one” trope, and talking dragons, this is a highly addictive novel. Violet is the quintessential underdog who defies all odds, and you can’t help but root for her as she battles through Basgiath.
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker (2024)
This novel follows Raeve, a badass assassin in a rebel group, as she is captured and sentenced to death after a mission goes wrong. A mysterious dragon-riding king, Kaan Vaegor, eventually saves her for unknown reasons. They embark on a quest to unlock her past and uncover why dragons are falling from the sky. This is a gritty, high-fantasy world that features three types of dragons and elemental magic, which allows individuals to hear and command the songs of the five gods.
This one is for you if you love immaculate world-building, a heavy emphasis on a slow-burn romance and sexual tension, and high-stakes action.
Fairytales
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten (2021)
Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood serve as inspiration for this dark fantasy novel. It follows the story of Red, a young woman sacrificed to an infamous Wolf in a magical forest. Her sacrifice is supposed to save her kingdom, but she quickly discovers that the legends are completely untrue. She has to learn to control her magic to save both worlds.
If you love themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the dangerous nature of legends, then this book about sacrificial love might be for you.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik (2015)
This fantasy novel, inspired by Polish folklore, follows a young woman, Agnieszka, who is chosen by a wizard (the Dragon) to serve him for ten years in exchange for the protection of her valley from a sinister, corrupted Wood. She begins to discover her own powerful magic while battling dark forces that are brewing in her kingdom.
If you’re looking for a fairytale-esque story with a unique magic system, look no further. The story features a grumpy wizard (the Dragon) and an unassuming underdog who develop a very complex relationship as the story progresses.
Vampires
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (2022)
This novel follows Oraya, a human adopted by a Nightborn Vampire king, as she enters a series of fierce trials known as the Kejari. She is the ultimate underdog (she is the only human among some seriously scary vampires), and she must ally with a rival vampire, Raihn, to survive. The two develop a forbidden attraction that threatens to challenge the forces in power.
If you love political intrigue, enemies-to-lovers, dark magic, and themes of survival, then this could be one for you. It’s kind of like The Hunger Games, but with spicy vampires.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (2020)
This novel follows a Maiden, Poppy, who is chosen from birth to live a solitary life. She is in for a surprise when she meets Hawke, a guard who challenges all she once thought about duty. Their forbidden romance blurs the lines between duty and desire. At the same time, a fallen kingdom is threatening to rise again.
If you want a steamy romance full of tension, this intense read might be for you.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this list can give you a starting point for really diving into the romantasy genre. There are so many different options that you can’t go wrong with, so just pick one that speaks to you!
