What Is Romantasy?
Romantasy is fantasy fiction where the romantic relationship is a central pillar of the plot — not a side note. It sits at the intersection of epic world-building and genuine romantic tension: slow burns, enemies-to-lovers, morally grey heroes, and stakes that are both world-ending and deeply personal. The genre exploded after Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series, and reached peak mainstream awareness when Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing became the fastest-selling adult debut in history. What makes romantasy stick where other genres don't: the reader is invested in both the world and the relationship simultaneously. If either fails, the book fails. The best ones deliver both.
The Definitive Tier
Books that defined the genre — essential reading whether you're new to romantasy or a veteran.
01
A Court of Mist and Fury
Sarah J. Maas · 2016
Start Here
The second ACOTAR book and the series peak. Feyre escapes a traumatic relationship and finds herself in the Night Court — and the enemies-to-lovers slow burn between her and Rhysand is one of the most satisfying romantic arcs in modern fantasy. Read ACOTAR first, but this is where the series becomes unmissable.
02
Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros · 2023
Dragon Rider Academy
The book that proved romantasy could sell at record-breaking literary scale. Violet Sorrengail enters the war college that kills a third of its students, fights for survival, and falls for the morally grey commander's son who wants to see her fail. The tension is relentless. Xaden Riorson is one of the genre's best love interests.
03
From Blood and Ash
Jennifer L. Armentrout · 2020
Blood and Ash Series
The self-published phenomenon that became one of the genre's foundational texts. Poppy is a Maiden — sacred, sheltered, forbidden — and Hawke is her guard who is definitely not what he seems. The forbidden element hits harder here than almost anywhere else in the genre.
04
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas · 2015
ACOTAR Series
The book that launched a thousand reading lists. A Beauty and the Beast retelling set in a fae world with real teeth — Feyre is taken to Prythian, falls in love with a dangerous fae lord, and discovers the world is more complicated and more dangerous than she knew. The gateway drug for the entire genre.
Essential Reads
The core of any romantasy shelf — books every fan of the genre should read.
05
Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas · 2012
Throne of Glass Series
Maas's first series — and the origin point for the SJM empire. Celaena Sardothien is the kingdom's greatest assassin, sent to compete for her freedom. The romance deepens across 8 books as Celaena's true identity and power are revealed. Slow start, extraordinary payoff.
06
Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo · 2015
Grishaverse
The heist romantasy. Six morally grey criminals attempt an impossible job in a fantasy Amsterdam — and the slow-burn romance between Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa is one of the most beloved in the genre, built on tension so charged it becomes physical. The romance is quieter than most on this list; the craft is higher.
07
An Ember in the Ashes
Sabaa Tahir · 2015
Ember Quartet
Ancient Rome-inspired world, dual POVs, and a forbidden romance between a Scholar slave and an Empire soldier that makes the stakes personal from page one. Sabaa Tahir writes with a precision and moral seriousness that elevates this above the genre average — Laia and Elias are unforgettable.
08
House of Earth and Blood
Sarah J. Maas · 2020
Crescent City Series
Maas's most ambitious world — urban fantasy meets high fantasy in a modern city filled with fae, angels, shifters, and demons. Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar circle each other across 800 pages in a slow burn that pays off enormously. Best read after ACOTAR for the shared universe moments.
09
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black · 2018
The Folk of the Air
Holly Black's love of morally corrupted fae reaches its peak here. Jude Duarte grew up in Faerie as a human among cruel fae, and her relationship with Prince Cardan — the most powerful and most vicious of his brothers — is a masterclass in enemies-to-lovers tension. Sharp, clever, with a political plot that actually delivers.
Underrated & Next Reads
Beyond the biggest names — excellent romantasy that deserves more readers.
10
A Shadow in the Ember
Jennifer L. Armentrout · 2021
Flesh and Fire Series
The Blood and Ash prequel series — and arguably better than the original in terms of craft. Sera is chosen by the gods and falls for the soldier sent to guard her until her death. More mythology, more world-building depth, and Nyktos is one of Armentrout's best love interests.
11
Kingdom of the Wicked
Kerri Maniscalco · 2020
Kingdom of the Wicked Series
Victorian Sicily, demonic princes, and a girl who makes a deal with the devil to avenge her murdered twin. The romance with the demon Wrath — who is not what he seems — builds across the series with real patience. Maniscalco's world is lush and morally complicated in the best way.
12
Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Sue Lynn Tan · 2022
Celestial Kingdom Duology
Chinese mythology meets romantasy in the most lyrical entry on this list. Xingyin seeks the cure for her mother Chang'e's curse in the Celestial Kingdom — and the romance with the Crown Prince Liwei, and later with another, is handled with a delicacy and emotional intelligence rare in the genre. Beautiful prose.
13
The Bridge Kingdom
Danielle L. Jensen · 2019
Bridge Kingdom Series
A princess sent as a spy to infiltrate the kingdom she's meant to marry into — and the king who may know exactly what she is. The tension between Lara and Aren is slow-building, suspicious, and devastating when it finally breaks. One of the most underrated slow burns in the entire genre.
14
Red Rising
Pierce Brown · 2014
Red Rising Saga
Technically sci-fi, practically romantasy-adjacent — the Roman Empire in space, stratified society, a hero who infiltrates the ruling class. The romance threads through all six books and carries enormous weight. Included here because every romantasy reader who branches out eventually lands here and considers it a revelation.
15
Onyx Storm
Rebecca Yarros · 2025
The Empyrean Series
The third Empyrean book — the most ambitious in the series and the one that proves Yarros is building toward something genuinely epic. The war stakes expand dramatically, the romantic dynamics become more complicated, and the ending will keep you up at night. Read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame first.
Romantasy FAQ
What's the difference between romantasy and fantasy romance?
The terms are often used interchangeably. If there's a distinction, "fantasy romance" sometimes implies the romance follows the romance genre's structural conventions (HEA/HFN required), while "romantasy" has become a catch-all for fantasy with significant romantic elements regardless of structure. In practice: don't worry about the distinction. If fantasy with romantic tension appeals to you, you're in the right genre.
Where should a new romantasy reader start?
Start with ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) or Fourth Wing — they're the most widely read entry points and set reader expectations for the genre well. If you want something with slightly more literary ambition, start with An Ember in the Ashes or Six of Crows. If you want pure addictive romance energy, From Blood and Ash.
Is romantasy appropriate for teen readers?
It depends on the book. YA romantasy (Throne of Glass, The Cruel Prince, Six of Crows) is written for teenage readers. Adult romantasy (ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, From Blood and Ash, Crescent City) contains explicit sexual content and is intended for adult readers. Always check the age rating before buying for younger readers — most adult romantasy is quite explicit.
Do I need to read Sarah J. Maas's series in a specific order?
Within each series: yes, read in order. Between series: Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, and Crescent City are set in different worlds, so you can start with any of them. However, Crescent City later connects to both ACOTAR and Throne of Glass in plot-significant ways, so reading those first means the connections land with more impact. Recommended order for the full SJM experience: Throne of Glass → ACOTAR → Crescent City.