Romantasy: What It Is and the Best Series to Read
April 6, 2026
Romantasy is the genre that broke BookTok. The word barely existed before 2020; now it’s the fastest-growing category in fiction publishing, responsible for some of the biggest bestsellers of the past five years. But what actually is it, and where do you start?
What Is Romantasy?
Romantasy sits at the intersection of epic fantasy and romance. Unlike “fantasy romance” — which tends to mean romance novels with a fantasy backdrop — romantasy gives roughly equal weight to both elements. The world-building matters. The magic system matters. The romantic relationship also matters, often centrally, often with considerable heat.
The distinction from traditional fantasy: the romantic arc is not a subplot. It’s structural. The relationship between the main characters drives the plot as much as the external conflict.
The distinction from romance: the fantasy elements aren’t decorative. You can’t strip out the magic and fae courts and dragon-riding and still have the same story.
The BookTok Effect
BookTok — TikTok’s book community — didn’t invent romantasy, but it turbocharged it. Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses had been out for six years when BookTok sent it back to the top of the bestseller lists in 2021. Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing (2023) sold over a million copies in its first week partly on BookTok momentum. The genre now has its own section in most major bookshops.
The Essential Series
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) — Sarah J. Maas
The series that launched a thousand BookTok videos. ACOTAR follows Feyre, a mortal huntress who is taken to the faerie realm. It begins as a Beauty and the Beast retelling and becomes something considerably more complex.
A Court of Mist and Fury (Book 2) is widely considered the series peak and one of the most-discussed romantasy novels on BookTok. If the first book doesn’t immediately grip you, Book 2 is where the series reaches full power.
Complete ACOTAR reading order →
Fourth Wing / The Empyrean Series — Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing (2023) and its sequel Iron Flame (2023) follow Violet Sorrengail, who enters a war college for dragon riders. The series has a military academy setting, morally complex love interests, and dragons. It became the fastest-selling debut romantasy in publishing history.
Complete Empyrean reading order →
From Blood and Ash — Jennifer L. Armentrout
From Blood and Ash predates the BookTok boom but benefited enormously from it. A Chosen woman and her guard, a forbidden relationship, a world of gods and dark magic. More explicit than ACOTAR; equally addictive.
Full Blood and Ash reading order →
The Cruel Prince / The Folk of the Air — Holly Black
Holly Black’s Folk of the Air trilogy predates the “romantasy” label but fits it perfectly: fae politics, a mortal protagonist out of her depth, and one of romantasy’s best enemies-to-lovers arcs.
Crowns of Nyaxia — Carissa Broadbent
Dark romantasy set in a vampire world with political intrigue and an enemies-to-lovers romance. More gothic than ACOTAR but hits the same emotional beats.
Moonfall — Sarah A. Parker
A newer series picking up significant BookTok attention for hitting similar notes to ACOTAR: fae world, slow burn, emotionally intense.
Romantasy vs Fantasy Romance: What’s the Difference?
Fantasy Romance is a romance novel that happens to be set in a fantasy world. The HEA (happily ever after) or HFN (happy for now) ending is guaranteed by genre convention. The romance is primary; the fantasy is setting.
Romantasy balances both. The ending isn’t guaranteed in the same way. Main characters can die. The fantasy plot — war, political intrigue, magic — carries genuine stakes.
In practice the line blurs constantly. Most readers don’t care. The key question is: do you want dragons and epic stakes alongside your love story? If yes, you’re in the right genre.
Where to Start
New to the genre: Start with A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR Book 1). It’s the most widely read and has the largest community around it.
Prefer a standalone-ish entry: Try The Cruel Prince — it’s the shortest and fastest of the major series.
Want maximum drama immediately: Go straight to Fourth Wing. It drops you into the action faster than ACOTAR and the dragons help.