Earlier this year I published a post featuring 5 new romantasy books that you need to read in 2025. This list was made up of romantic fantasy books that I’d read that launched in early 2025.
Today I’m sharing a similar list, but this time it’s the ultimate list of what I believe are the best romantasy books available in to buy and read in 2025 – or at least based on what I’ve read! I have a WHOLE list of romantasies on my TBR, including a BookTok romantasy list made up of ones that I’ve seen people rave about on TikTok, so I’ll update this list whenever I read any that I think make the cut. So that means that there are likely a lot of romantasy books missing from this “best romantasy books” list, but I didn’t want to go making claims I couldn’t substantiate if I hadn’t read them yet! I’ve instead included a little romantasy TBR at the bottom of the ones that are on my list to try and get to by the end of the year.
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There’s some debate over the question “what is a romantasy book?” The easiest explanation is that it’s a book set in a fantasy world, usually with some magical elements – fae, dragons, spellcasting, vampires, shadow magic and so on – but also a romantic plot driver. Is it a fantasy romance or is it a romantic fantasy book? To be honest, the books I read are a mixture of the two, but I would say the difference is better explained through a couple of examples.
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I would say that Cursed in Love by Emily Colin is a primarily a romance novel with fantasy or supernatural elements woven in – there isn’t a lot of worldbuilding and it’s not driven by a fantasy plot, there’s no epic adventure, but there is a love interest, paranormal romance and fantasy elements that make it a fun new adult novel. I’d say it’s more likely to conclude with a happily ever after (I’ve just learned the acronym HEA means this!) with only low level risks throughout. These are often standalone romantasy novels.
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On the other hand, I’d also describe the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas as a romantic fantasy, as this one puts fantasy at the forefront, with the romance as part of the subplot. These novels build a strong fantasy world with a rich backstory, more high stakes plot lines and complex relationships. You’ll often feel more invested in these characters, but you’re also likely to get your heart ripped out when something happens to one of them. They’re often part of a larger, higher page count, epic series of novels, sometimes even with novellas and other series that touch on the same world or characters. They’re not usually high fantasy, but there are those (like When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker) that touch very closely to that type of complex world building.
Generally when people refer to the romantasy genre, I would say that they’re ones that are more of the epic variety but with a strong romantic arc, but I still think that ones like Cursed in Love still fit the romantasy genre too.
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This list isn’t going to discriminate between romantasy, romantic fantasy and fantasy romance – while it’s mainly a list of the classic romantasy series that you’d expect, I’ve thrown a few others to possibly broaden your reading lists in here too, best described as spells and spice I’d say!
NB: As per the territory of this genre, this list has spicy fantasy novels and spicy romantasies in it, so I’ll give you a spice rating in the description so you can make a decision whether they’re for you or not! The spice ratings are based on a maximum of 5 chillies, as is popular across the book world right now!
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
The Empyrean series, despite being as yet unfinished, has absolutely dominated the book world this year. The first book, Fourth Wing, was released in 2023, followed by Iron Flame, and finally Onyx Storm, which really did take BookTok by storm, earlier this year.
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These popular books follow a young woman, Violet Sorrengail, as she enters Basgiath War College, a brutal training ground to become a dragon rider, even though her body is considered far too fragile for combat. What follows is a deadly mix of magical trials, deadly politics, and simmering tension between Violet and Xaden Riorson, a brooding and powerful wingleader who’s got secrets of his own. The love story is slow burn and full of tension, but it’s integral to the main plot.
Trope Check: enemies to lovers, dragon riding, forced proximity, war college, powerful heroine, reluctant hero, shadow daddy.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I personally think ACOTAR is the best romantasy to start with if it’s your first time reading fantasy romance. If you don’t already know, A Court of Thorns and Roses is loosely based on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, but with dangerous fae. Feyre is a human girl who, after killing a fae disguised as a wolf, is dragged over the wall that divides her world from the fae, to the Spring Court where she is kept prisoner by strange masked fae. She comes to learn that there is a “blight” on the land, and its threat is growing to endanger the beast that she is coming to love.
The books get progressively spicier as the series goes on I’d say, so while the first has very little spice compared to others in the genre, the last one, which focuses on a different main character, has a lot more, and more explicit scenes too.
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I haven’t listed Sarah J. Maas’s other series in this section as I’m not finished with Throne of Glass (but it just doesn’t live up to the hype for me yet, I’m sorry!) and Crescent City is still on my TBR (the third in the series, House of Flame and Shadow, has just been released), so I’m yet to decide if that makes the cut for best romantasy books for 2025.
Trope Check: fae courts, enemies to lovers, Beauty and the Beast retelling, found family, winged male leads, fated mates.
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair (Hades x Persephone Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
This book is a more modern retelling of the Persephone myth. Greek mythology romantasies and mythical fantasies are quickly becoming a popular subgenre, and this is among the best in my opinion. I’ll admit, being dropped into a modern version of Persephone’s world did throw me off just a little, as someone who studied the myth as part of my dissertation, but I loved it.
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In this version, Persephone, the goddess of spring, is a student in New Athens, and Hades, while still a god, is a nightclub owner who spends his time making bets and bargains with humans. Persephone accidentally falls prey to one of these and agrees to spend time in the underworld creating life. She uses this to her advantage, investigating the god of the underworld for a her job, but their forbidden romance blossoms nevertheless.
Trope Check: Hades x Persephone retelling, forced bargain, forbidden romance, modern mythology, gods in the real world, slow burn enemies to lovers.
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova (Arcana Academy Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Clara Graysword is locked up in Halazar for illegally inking tarot cards so powerful they’ve become the stuff of underground legend in Eclipse City. That kind of dark magic is strictly reserved for trained Arcanists, and Clara is very much not one of them. But when she makes a bold escape, she’s given a shot at freedom and a new life: enrol at the elite Arcana Academy…under the condition she enters into a fake arranged marriage with the academy’s mysterious headmaster, Prince Kaelis. She’s thrown into a world of dangerous arcane study, deadly secrets, and magical deadly trials that could quite literally kill her before she even earns the right to stay.
You can read my full review of Arcana Academy here.
This is another unfinshed series (in fact, this book isn’t published until 22nd July – I read an ARC), but it’s my shout for best new romantasy series of 2025. Other early readers agree, and it has all the hallmarks of an epic romantasy series, on with the second book I say!
Trope Check: arranged marriage, magical academy, hidden powers, deadly trials, morally grey love interest, enemies to lovers, dark academia.
A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark (Kingdom of Lies Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
After ACOTAR left a gaping hole in my life, I decide I’d try picking up another book that started with a “A Court…”, and luckily this strategy didn’t fail me as this book quickly made its way into my favourite romantasies list!
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This series is full of betrayal, hidden truths, and a love interest who is as dangerous as he is irresistible. The worldbuilding is rich, the spice is decent, and the romance is tense and angsty in all the right ways. It leans into dark fantasy vibes with a powerful, slow-burn romance at the core.
Trope Check: enemies to lovers, cursed prince, forbidden magic, found family, secret royalty.
The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti (Zodiac Academy Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
This series is absolutely chaotic, magical and totally addictive, and very much NOT for the faint of heart. It’s set in a magical academy and follows a girl and her twin sister who find out they’re fae royalty and are thrown into a deadly competition for their rightful throne.
It’s full of bullying, betrayal, heartbreak and spice. If you enjoy morally grey characters, brutal fae, and a rollercoaster of emotions, this might just be your next obsession.
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Personally, I’m on the fence with the bullying trope, but I want in on the chats I see everywhere about this series, so I’m soon to start on the next book and I’ll see where it takes me.
Trope Check: fae academy, bully romance, twin sisters, enemies to lovers, elemental magic.
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli (Crimson Moth Duology)
🌶️🌶️/5
The main character is a witch living in hiding in a kingdom where magic is outlawed and witch hunters are everywhere. It’s got dystopian vibes, rebellion energy, and a forbidden romance that’s surprisingly tender. A great option if you’re after something a little lighter on the heat but still packed with danger and feels. It’s also a New York Times bestseller, which says a lot about it! The next installment, The Rebel Witch, launched earlier this year – I’m yet to get to that one, but I’m excited to do so.
Trope Check: witch hunter x witch, forbidden romance, secret rebellion, YA romantasy, hidden magic.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig (The Shepherd King Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
If you love gothic fantasy and a touch of eerie darkness, this is the one for you. The main character Elspeth shares her mind with a spirit born of dark magic, giving her dangerous power in a kingdom where magic is tied to cursed tarot cards.
It’s moody, lyrical and perfect for autumn reading, and the romance is swoonworthy but slow burn, with plenty of tension and emotional depth. Definitely one for fans of darker, atmospheric fantasy.
Trope Check: cursed magic, slow burn romance, tarot card magic, dark secret powers, enemies to lovers.
Quicksilver by Callie Hart (Fae & Alchemy Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
This one blends fae mythology with gritty alchemy and a heroine who doesn’t back down from a fight. There’s a dark, gothic atmosphere throughout, with dangerous deals, secret identities, and a slow-burn romance that simmers with tension. Perfect if you love lush worldbuilding and a strong female lead tangled in power plays and politics.
Trope Check: fated mates, enemies to lovers, found family, shadow daddy, forced proximity, fae, vampires & witches.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Folk of the Air Series)
🌶️/5
A classic YA romantasy that still holds up, and if you somehow haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for? (Don’t worry, I still have the rest of the series to finish!) Along with her twin sister, Jude is a human girl spirited away to be raised in the world of the fae, where she’s constantly battling for power and respect in a world that doesn’t want her.
This one leans heavily into royal court politics, fae trickery, and a love interest who is both cruel and captivating. Less spice, more sass, and plenty of twists to keep you turning pages.
Trope Check: enemies to lovers, fae royalty, mortal girl in fae world, court intrigue, political fantasy.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber (Once Upon a Broken Heart Series)
🌶️/5
Whimsical, romantic, and full of fairytale vibes, this is a perfect romantasy for young readers or anyone looking for something lighter on the spice but heavy on the feels. It follows Evangeline Fox, a hopeless romantic who makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts to stop the boy she loves from marrying someone else. Of course, making a bargain with a Fate comes with a cost, and a lot more chaos than she bargained for.
Trope Check: enemies to lovers, slow burn, tension, cosy fantasy, morally grey MMC, fairytale, deals with fate, cursed love, vampires.
Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee (Filthy Rich Fae Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Yes, the title is what you think it is, and yes, it absolutely delivers. This is a steamy romantasy full of fae drama, spicy encounters, and lavish magical high society. It’s like Gossip Girl meets ACOTAR but darker, and with a medley of fun side characters.
Cate works at a New Orleans hospital when her brother is rushed in—alongside a stranger with suspiciously pointy ears. To save her brother, she strikes a fae bargain with Lachlan Gage, a man from a rival family she’s been warned against her whole life. The price is nights spent in the Otherworld, a realm of secrets and danger, until the deal is broken. If you’re here for morally grey fae princes and all the tension, this one goes on the list.
Trope Check: fae elite, rich & powerful love interests, steamy magic, forbidden romance, royal secrets.
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
🌶️/5
Who says graphic novels can’t fit the romantasy genre too? This has a low spice level and the romance is very touching and sweet. While it does take place in an epic world outside of our own, I’d say this is closer to a young adult fantasy romance than a full on romantasy. I love the representation of queer characters in this, and also a non-verbal character too.
There aren’t any true magical abilities in this one, but it is set on a spaceship and in a magic boarding school in space, maybe more YA sci-fi, but it’s great.
Trope Check: sapphic romance, found family, space academy, soft love story, queer rep.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab
🌶️🌶️/5
This is among the few standalone romantasy novels in this list – and if you’re looking for something a bit quieter, moodier, and poetic, this is a gorgeous option. It blends folklore, magic, and love into a beautifully haunting story about grief, memory, and connection. It’s definitely more literary in tone than most of the other books listed here, but the romantic arc still packs an emotional punch.
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This could be a classic vampire novel, were it not for the world of 2019 as the situation for one of the stories. The very different tales of three women turned vampire entwine to weave an enthralling tale of female lust, anger, love and hunger.
Trope Check: standalone romantasy, lyrical prose, grief and love, female rage, toxic lesbian vampires.
On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn (Bloodwing Academy Series)
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I read this as an ARC, and I believe I said something along the lines of “I hope this gets the attention it deserves”, and fortunately, that is the case! Medra Pendragon is the last of the dragon riders and falls (quite literally!) into a world where she is forced to attend a magical school full of stuck up and dangerous vampires, but the catch is that there are no dragons left. Then there’s Blake, the male main character, a vampire prince, and a slow burn enemies to lover romance.
Trope Check: dark academia, bullying, he falls first, dragons, forced betrothal, Draco Malfoy energy.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
🌶️/5
This cosy romantasy is such a bookish comfort read. It’s one of very few standalones in this list! It follows a librarian who smuggles illegal magical books off a war-torn island and opens a secret bookshop to keep them safe. It’s got soft romance, quiet rebellion, and a love letter to stories and magic. Low stakes, low spice, high charm, ideal if you’re after a gentle escape with a bit of heart.
Trope Check: cosy fantasy, magical bookshop, grumpy x sunshine, slow burn, found family, magical creatures.
My Romantasy TBR (2025)
Okay so even though I said I wouldn’t list books I haven’t read, let’s pop these in as placeholders as I’ve been told they are among the best romantasy books to read in 2025, and will shortly be making their way from my TBR to my read list – and hopefully my favourite romantasy books too!
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (Crowns of Nyaxia Series)
The adopted human daughter of a vampire king enters a deadly tournament designed for vampires to earn the gods’ favour, and survival means outsmarting not just the monsters around her, but the charming, dangerous competitor who keeps catching her eye. Apparently it’s Hunger Games vibes but darker, bloodier, and with more slow-burn vampire tension.
The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole (Gods & Monsters Series)
A thousand-year-old war rages between gods and mortals, and at the centre of it all is Dianna, a soul-weary immortal who’s forced into an uneasy alliance with a mysterious, morally grey villain. Epic stakes, forbidden romance, and magic that could unravel the very fabric of the world.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (The Roots of Chaos Series)
Dragons, queens, assassins, and ancient prophecy collide in this sweeping, high-fantasy romantasy with incredible worldbuilding and a sapphic romance at its heart. Political intrigue, multiple POVs, and a rich magic system, apparently it’s worth every page. The author of the Priory of the Orange Tree is a New York Times bestseller and a Sunday Times beselling author too, so I’m excited to see what the hype is about!
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen (The Bridge Kingdom Series)
Lara has been trained her whole life to be the perfect spy, and now she’s sent as a bride to the enemy kingdom to bring it down from the inside. But of course, things get complicated when politics, betrayal, and a reluctant romance start to blur the lines between duty and desire.
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City Series)
Bryce Quinlan is a party girl turned reluctant heroine after a brutal murder shakes her city. Now she’s paired with a fallen angel to uncover the truth, while facing grief, ancient power, and secrets that threaten to destroy everything. Urban fantasy meets epic romantasy with serious emotional weight and a slow-burn romance. Once I’m through the rest of the Throne of Glass series, I’ll be onto this one!
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (Wicked Games Series)
When Ophelia’s sister disappears, she’s pulled into a hidden world of monsters, magic, and secrets where nothing is what it seems. Dangerous alliances, a shadowy academy, and a twisty plot packed with dark fantasy vibes and a central mystery to unravel.
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig (The Stonewater Kingdom Series)
This is a yet unfinished series by the same author as the One Dark Window duology – which I think already says a lot about it! It’s a new release with a gothic romantic fantasy, a prophetess and a knight, slow burn and an epic quest. It sounds incredible!
I could go on forever adding to this list – I have a spreadsheet with hundreds of books I want to read listed, and the majority are romantasies! So I’ll stop there for now and leave a chance for you to tell me in the comments what you would add to this list. I can predict that will grow my spreadsheet even further!
