The Rise of Romantasy: Love in Enchanted Worlds

It is not many authors that walk into a New York City bookstore to be greeted by screaming fans. But that’s exactly what happened with romantasy author Sarah J Maas in February 2024. Just before midnight she surprised fans waiting for the imminent publication of latest novel, House of Flame and Shadow, who began screaming when they realized she was in the house. Maas’s books have sold up to 40m copies worldwide in 38 languages – the figures are mind-boggling.

Romantasy has taken the book world by storm in recent years. Despite the term being new, however, romantasy has been around previously. But let’s take a step back: just what is romantasy?

What is romantasy?

The word itself is a portmanteau of fantasy and romance, which tells you what you’re getting: a romance set in a fantasy world. Romance is at the heart of these novels – with all the tropes you would expect – but it’s set in a fantastical world. Think dragons and faeries, mythical creatures and otherworldly realms. The balance of romance and fantasy can vary, with some novels leaning more heavily into the romance aspect while others focus on the world-building and adventure.

In romantasy, the romance usually isn’t just a subplot; it’s deeply integrated into the character arcs and often intertwined with the stakes of the fantasy world. The heroes and heroines of romantasy are frequently involved in high-stakes quests where their romantic relationships play a pivotal role in the resolution of the main plot. A typical romantasy novel might feature a love story between characters from different magical factions or even between a human and a mythical creature. It thrives on tension and conflict, as you would expect from fiction. Romantasy can take place in either a high fantasy world or a low fantasy setting. Read our suggestions on creating a high fantasy world.

Some of the best-selling romantasy authors include Maas, mentioned above, as well as Rebecca Yarros. As Sarah Wendell  in the Washington Post reports:

‘Iron Flame [by Yarros] broke a preorder record, arrived on Nov. 7 2023 and shot to the top of bestseller lists worldwide.’

It’s a hot genre – in more ways than one, many romantasy novels feature steamy sex scenes – with sales having increased from 42 percent from 2022 to 2023, as reported by the Washington Post. Writing good sex scenes is an essential to this genre, and you may want to read up on how to do so.

The covers of romantasy novels are also something to behold! Real works of art, they often feature intricate designs, bold and big fonts, and beautiful depictions of characters in fantastical worlds.

The popularity of romantasy has been driven by social media, too, especially through TikTok, especially through its BookTok community, which has been a game-changer for romantasy. #BookTok, a viral hashtag for book recommendations, reviews, and reactions, has become one of the most influential spaces for readers to discover new books. For instance, Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses (referred to by fans as ACOTAR) was popular with readers, but its visibility on #BookTok catapulted it into the stratosphere.

At its essence, the genre appeals to those who want to read strong love stories, set in other worlds. In these books readers are offered all the tropes of the romantic drama – including that happy ending – but the story is infused with fantasy elements that take readers far away from realistic settings.

Briefly, the history

But while the term is new, romantasy has been around a long, long time. Authors Jodi McAlister and Kate Cuthbert, writing in The Conversation express it succinctly:

‘To be clear: romance and fantasy are not new bedfellows – they have had a long and healthy relationship. The two genres have been in conversation since Guinevere first saw Lancelot.’

They go on to list other authors who explored ‘romantic tropes in fantasy fiction, or fantastical elements’ such as Anne Rice with her Vampire Chronicles and Anne McCaffrey whose first book Dragonflight was published in 1967, and features a strong romantic plot between two dragonriders (a person whose mount is a dragon).

Writers at the top of the romantasy game

Here are some of the top romantasy writers at the forefront of this genre which you might like to try. Of course, there’s Maas. She is known for weaving intricate, emotional love stories into the fabric of rich, immersive fantasy worlds. Her Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses series are excellent examples of romantasy. These books combine high-stakes action with complex characters, magical kingdoms, and deeply passionate relationships. Maas is particularly noted for her strong female protagonists and intricate romantic subplots that are just as important as the epic fantasy elements.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is another major figure in romantasy. She best known for her Blood and Ash series. These books blend romance, fantasy, and action, centering on characters with complex relationships in a high-fantasy world.

New Zealand writer Juliette Marillier is praised for her intricate and historical settings, although she takes liberties with the facts of history to showcase her fantasy worlds. Her Sevenwaters series is a blend of folklore, mythology, and romance, featuring strong female protagonists and a focus on love, family, and magic.

Yarros, is known for the Empyrean series (2023–present), about Violet, whose mother forces her to go to war college. This is soon to be adapted into a television series with Amazon. Fourth Wing was published in 2023 and blends romance and action with magical elements.

5 tips for writing romantasy

If you’re considering writing romantasy, remember that with any fiction, you’re going to need to keep the plot moving and create interesting characters that your readers are invested in. Here are 5 tips to start creating your own romantasy novels.

1. Balance romance and fantasy

As the name suggests, this genre is a blend of two elements: fantasy and romance. Therefore you need to trike the right balance between the two. You need to be careful to ensure that both elements are woven into your story, without one being overly dominant, there might be a slight dominance of one over the other. The love story is vital – and will drive the plot – but you need to create a believable fantasy world that readers can escape into. Make sure the romance isn’t just a subplot, but part of the main story.

2. Create a rich fantasy world

Have fun with this! World-building is key to fantasy. Create a unique setting with distinct rules of magic, politics and culture. Go wild with crafting an alternative world, but make sure that this world shapes and challenges the characters’ relationship, making it a critical part of the story. Magic could be a source of conflict, a way to bring the couple closer, or even a barrier that keeps them apart. Let the rules of your fantasy world influence the relationship. Brush up on how to create a fantasy world.

3. Build complex, relatable characters

A no-brainer really, but worth repeating. Your protagonists should have personal struggles, desires and flaws that make them relatable. Their personal growth should be influenced by both their romance and their role in the fantasy world. Readers should be invested in both the emotional and magical journey of the characters. Read our blog on how to create fantasy character types. 

4. Use romantic tropes creatively

Romantasy often plays with popular romance tropes like enemies-to-lovers, fated mates or forbidden love. Use these tropes creatively within your fantasy setting to give them new life and make them feel fresh. It’s important to keep readers hooked by building tension in the romance part of your story (as in any ‘traditional’ romance novel). Use slow-burn relationships, misunderstandings or external conflicts to delay gratification and heighten the emotional impact when the characters finally come together.

5. Pacing: alternate action and emotion

Part of the fun, and the challenge, of writing a romantasy lies in balancing action and emotion. Keep the pacing dynamic by alternating between action-packed fantasy scenes and emotionally charged romantic moments. As with a crime novel, in which there is a love interest, the romantic scenes in that genre serve as a pause to the fast-paced action of solving a crime. Here too the romance part of the novel slows the action and introduces a vital ‘pause’ from the intensity of the plot of the fantasy world’s danger.

If you’re wanting to write in this genre, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with writing romance as well as well as fantasy. Read our complete guide to writing romance as well as our guide to writing fantasy.