Best Romantasy Books For Those Who Are New to the Genre

Last Updated on June 26, 2026 by DIYbunker

Best Romantasy Books For Those New to the Genre

If you’re getting back into reading or looking for a new genre to explore, entering the world of romantasy can feel a little overwhelming. But have no fear! There are so many great books to try out and see if this genre resonates with you. I personally got back into reading by picking up a romantasy book, despite refusing to even look at fantasy books in the past. Such a mistake on my part.

So what is romantasy?

A romantasy is, as you may have guessed, a genre that combines romance and fantasy. These two blended genres don’t necessarily blend perfectly 50/50, but that’s part of the fun! You can pick a book based on the level of each one you want in a story.

While this isn’t always the case, I have found romance-fantasy books to be more accessible, easy reads than pure fantasy books. This by no means implies they are for children; they can be quite spicy and feature powerful themes that adults appreciate.

I’ve rounded up a list of popular romantasy books you should pick up as an introduction to the genre, some of which you likely have heard of already (and for good reason).

Whimsical, Cozy & Historical Starters (Low Stakes, High Comfort)

If you love a lyrical, comfort-focused read where the world feels magical without drowning you in heavy military battles, these series focus heavily on emotional connections and rich atmospheres.

Once Upon a Broken Heart Series by Stephanie Garber

Key Tropes: Fairytale retellings, forced proximity, and a classic morally gray hero.
The Narrative: Evangeline Fox strikes a dangerous bargain with the chaotic, villainous Prince of Hearts to stop her true love’s wedding.
Why You Should Read: This completed trilogy reads like a vibrant storybook come to life, offering an excellent introduction to bickering, high-tension chemistry without explicit content.

Letters of Enchantment Duology by Rebecca Ross (Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows)

Key Tropes: Rivals-to-lovers, workplace romance, and magical communication.
The Narrative: Set during a brutal war fueled by ancient gods, two competing newspaper journalists unknowingly connect through a pair of magically linked typewriters.
Why You Should Read: Rebecca Ross writes beautifully smooth, accessible prose. It is a brilliant introduction to a slow-burn romance where the emotional stakes matter just as much as the plot.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross

Key Tropes: Forbidden love, fated connections, and dream-walking.
The Narrative: Set in the same universe as Divine Rivals hundreds of years earlier, this story follows Matilda, a young goddess with humble messenger magic, and Vincent, a mortal lord who has dreamed of her since his childhood.
Why You Should Read: It builds perfectly on the lyrical, mythic style of the author while introducing the popular forbidden romance between a mortal and a deity. I found this book to be a pleasant read for winding down at the end of the day.

Emily Wilde Series by Heather Fawcett

Key Tropes: Academic rivals, grumpy-meets-sunshine, and eerie folklore.
The Narrative: A brilliant, socially awkward professor travels to a remote Nordic village to study local fae lore, only for her glamorous, effortlessly charming academic rival to crash her research trip.
Why You Should Read: It frames magical elements through a unique, diary-style academic lens that makes the fantasy elements feel grounded, quirky, and incredibly cozy.

Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber (Caraval, Legendary, & Finale)

Key Tropes: Magical competition, sisterly bonds, enemies-to-lovers, and unreliable narrators.
The Narrative: To escape her abusive father, Scarlett Dragna secures an invitation to Caraval—a legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in a high-stakes game. But when her sister Donatella is kidnapped by the mastermind behind the show, Legend, the game becomes dangerously real.
Why You Should Read: It is a glittering, atmospheric masterpiece that feels like a fever dream in the best way possible. Garber creates a world so lush and whimsical that you can practically taste the magic, perfectly balancing a sweeping romance with a labyrinth of twists where nothing is ever quite what it seems.

High-Stakes Academy Drama & Urban Magic

If you prefer your magic systems set in modern cities, deadly training colleges, or school environments rather than traditional medieval kingdoms, these massive cultural hits are the ultimate entry points.

Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm)

Key Tropes: Deadly military academy, dragon riders, enemies-to-lovers, and forced proximity.
The Narrative: A fragile young woman is forced to enter a brutal military college where students train to ride dragons—and where graduation means survival, and failure means death. She must navigate lethal trials and her immediate attraction to her wing leader, Xaden.
Why You Should Read: This smash-hit series keeps readers glued to the page with a cinematic pace, high-stakes military action, and intense romantic tension that expands from school drama into a global war.

Crescent City Series by Sarah J. Maas

Key Tropes: Urban fantasy, murder mystery, opposites attract, and a protective bodyguard dynamic.
The Narrative: Instead of medieval castles, this series takes place in a bustling, modern metropolis filled with angels, shifters, and demons. Bryce Quinlan is a party girl trying to solve her best friend’s murder, paired with Hunt Athalar, a lethal fallen angel assigned to guard her.
Why You Should Read: It perfectly blends a gripping detective noir mystery with a deep, slow-building romance, showing beginners how fantasy can seamlessly blend with the modern world.

Zodiac Academy Series by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Key Tropes: Magic school, bully romance (enemies-to-lovers), and fated mates.
The Narrative: Twin sisters living on the human streets find out they are the long-lost heirs to a magical throne and are sent to a brutal academy where the current ruling heirs try to break their spirit.
Why You Should Read: Think Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl but with astrology-based magic. Its soap-opera pacing and constant cliffhangers make it an incredibly addictive, easy read.

The Folk of the Air Series by Holly Black (The Cruel Prince trilogy)

Key Tropes: Fae politics, enemies-to-lovers, human in a magical world, and a morally gray hero.
The Narrative: Jude, a human girl stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie, must trick, scheme, and fight her way into political power to protect her family, clashing constantly with the cruel, arrogant prince, Cardan.
Why You Should Read: This is the definitive series for introducing the classic, cutthroat Fae court aesthetic without overwhelming beginners with high-intensity magic rules.

Epic Fantasy & Royal Fae Courts

These are the foundational staples of traditional romantasy. They feature grand high-fantasy worldbuilding, royal political schemes, and deep, passionate romances.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas (Number One Pick!)

Key Tropes: Fae courts, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and fated bonds.
The Narrative: After killing a magical wolf in the woods, a human huntress is dragged into a treacherous, glittering faerie realm as punishment, only to discover the land is harboring a dark curse.
Why You Should Read: Widely considered the modern blueprint for the entire genre, this series perfectly balances classic fairytale structures with a sweeping romance. If I were to pick a book for a new romantasy reader, this would definitely be the one. Many people recommend ACOTAR for a reason! It introduces you to a lot of what the genre has to offer and is an approachable read. Book two is a common favorite, but mine has to be book four!

Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

Key Tropes: Lethal assassins, royal tournaments, lost royalty, and secret magic.
The Narrative: A notorious eighteen-year-old female assassin is dragged out of a brutal prison camp to compete in a deadly tournament to become the king’s personal champion, hiding a deep, magical heritage.
Why You Should Read: A slower-burn romance that leans heavily into traditional epic fantasy worldbuilding, making it ideal for standard fantasy fans looking to get into romance.

Blood and Ash Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Key Tropes: Forbidden love, hidden identities, and the “chosen one” paired with a protective bodyguard.
The Narrative: Poppy is a sheltered “Maiden” destined for a godly ritual, never allowed to be touched or looked at. Her world unravels when Hawke, a handsome new royal guard, arrives and pushes her to question her entire destiny.
Why You Should Read: This series is a masterclass in the forbidden romance trope. The writing style is highly conversational and contemporary, making the high-fantasy lore incredibly easy to digest as the mystery unravels.

Crowns of Nyaxia Series by Carissa Broadbent (The Serpent and the Wings of Night)

Key Tropes: Deadly tournaments, vampire lore, enemies-to-lovers, and alliance-turned-romance.
The Narrative: Oraya, a human adopted by a powerful vampire king, enters a legendary, brutal tournament run by the Goddess of Death to win a wish for survival, forcing her to ally with a dangerous rival vampire.
Why You Should Read: It introduces classic vampire romance tropes into a fast-paced, action-oriented fantasy world that reads like The Hunger Games with fangs.

The War of Lost Hearts Series by Carissa Broadbent (Daughter of No Worlds)

Key Tropes: Grumpy mentor, escaping captivity, and a slow-burn emotional connection.
The Narrative: Tasaan, a former slave who escaped her captivity, seeks out a reclusive, war-torn former soldier to train her in her rare magical abilities so she can return home to free her people.
Why You Should Read: Highly praised for its deep emotional maturity and beautifully written romance that prioritizes healing and mutual respect.

Artifacts of Ouranan Series by Sarah A. Parker (When the Moon Hatched)

Key Tropes: Grief and memory loss, ancient dragons, and fated connections.
The Narrative: An elite, hard-edged assassin mourning a massive loss is dragged into a complex world of fallen moons and creators, crossing paths with a mysterious, powerful man who seems to know everything about her forgotten past.
Why You Should Read: A gorgeous, immersive read that showcases the newer, poetic trend sweeping through modern romantasy.

Dark Myths, Vampires & Paranormal Romance

For readers who love a walk on the darker side, these series introduce monsters, classic mythological retellings, and gothic fairy tales paired with high-tension romance.

The Quicksilver Series by Callie Hart

Key Tropes: Fae realms, captive-to-companion, and sharp, sarcastic enemies-to-lovers dialogue.
The Narrative: A mortal thief accidentally triggers a portal to a dangerous, long-hidden Fae realm. Stranded in a hostile land, she is forced to rely on a ruthless, dark warrior to survive.
Why You Should Read: Highly addictive, fast-paced, and filled with the sharp, witty banter that modern romantasy readers love.

The Shepherd King Duology by Rachel Gillig (One Dark Window & Two Twisted Crowns)

Key Tropes: Gothic atmosphere, magic cards, voice in the head, and a brooding captain of the guard.
The Narrative: Elspeth lives in a mist-shrouded, gothic kingdom with a dark monster trapped inside her mind. To cure her land, she joins forces with the king’s nephew to collect a set of magical tarot cards, hiding her internal monster the entire time.
Why You Should Read: A brilliant introduction to darker, eerie fantasy settings that uses a unique and highly scannable magic system.

Action-Packed Adventures & Dangerous Games

These selections are perfect for readers who love high-stakes action, seafaring voyages, political betrayals, and fast-moving plots where characters are constantly on the run.

Metal Slinger Series by Rachel Schneider

Key Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a seafaring adventure.
The Narrative: Brynn, a guard raised by an exiled sea community, accidentally breaks a peace treaty and ends up on the run with Acker, a metal-wielding enemy soldier.
Why You Should Read: This book takes classic romance setups—like the “only one bed” or “stuck on a boat” scenarios—and drops them into a fast-moving world that reads incredibly fast and ends on a major cliffhanger.

Powerless Trilogy by Lauren Roberts

Key Tropes: Hunger Games-style tournament, ordinary human among elites, and enemies-to-lovers.
The Narrative: Paedrin is an ordinary human pretending to have magical abilities to survive in a kingdom where the powerless are banished. She is accidentally thrown into a deadly elite tournament, crossing paths with the king’s lethal prince and executioner.
Why You Should Read: An incredibly popular BookTok favorite that uses familiar dystopian tropes to deliver non-stop banter and immediate romantic chemistry.

Bridge Kingdom Series by Danielle L. Jensen

Key Tropes: Assassin bride, political marriages, enemies-to-lovers, and deep betrayal.
The Narrative: Lara is a princess trained from childhood to be a deadly spy and assassin, sent under the guise of an arranged marriage to marry the king of a rival nation and bring his kingdom down from the inside.
Why You Should Read: Highly cinematic and action-focused, this series reads like a high-stakes political thriller set in a tropical fantasy world.

Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo

Key Tropes: Heist crews, found family, criminal underworlds, and multiple romantic pairings.
The Narrative: A brilliant, scarred young criminal mastermind recruits a crew of six dangerous outcasts to pull off an impossible, deadly prison heist for a massive payout.
Why You Should Read: Though it sits closer to traditional fantasy, it is highly searched because it introduces the absolute gold standard for the “found family” and “slow-burn criminal romance” tropes.

The Golden Line Series by Danielle L. Jensen (A Fate Inked in Blood)

Key Tropes: Norse mythology, shield maidens, fated bonds, and forbidden romance.
The Narrative: Freya discovers she possesses a rare magic blessed by the Norse gods that protects her in battle, forcing her into a political alliance with a powerful Jarl and a forbidden, high-tension romance with his dangerous son.
Why You Should Read: A fast-paced, action-heavy story that introduces beginners to Viking-inspired fantasy settings and shield-maiden tropes.