I’ve been thinking about starting this series for a long time now but wasn’t sure whether to actually go ahead with it as it could be really similar to my ‘sweet & swoonworthy romances’ series. Anyway, I’ve decided to go for it anyway as that post series is mostly filled with contemporary romances and often I don’t find all romantasy books fit into either ‘sweet’ or ‘swoonworthy’. Sometimes they’re a little brutal but that’s why we like them.
Anyway, this will become a fairly regular series as at one point all I was reading were romantasy books, so I have quite a few to talk about.
There are multiple new series coming in my ‘best of’ category, some that you’d wonder why I haven’t done sooner. These will be spread out over the next couple of months. Hint: new tropes and genres.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
I’ve still only read book one in this series when I tell you I’m obsessed with Eva and Jacks. The angst, the will-they-won’t-they. Oh god, it may be the end of me. There has been basically no romance between them yet other than some joke flirtations but I’m literally obsessed with them. When I first read Legendary (Caraval book two) I really wanted Jacks and Tella to get together but no more, Evangeline is the only woman for him in my eyes.
Somehow I’ve managed to avoid spoilers for the rest of this series so I have no idea if they will even get together. However, the slowburn will-they-won’t-they vibes are enough for me to include this in my list of the best romantasy books.
I want to make it my mission to continue this series before the end of the year. I want to blame my delay with it on the fact that I don’t pick up physical books very often. But I actually have the whole series on my Kindle so I’m a liar.
Synopsis: How far would you go for happily ever after?
For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings… until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.
Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.
But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy…
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
This series is THE ultimate romantasy, in my opinion. You don’t get better than Jude and Cardan. I love a pairing that literally tries to kill each other on numerous occasions. Also, Cardan is such a sad lover boy and I love it. He never really tries to hide how infatuated with Jude he is. She obviously doesn’t see this for what it actually is. She thinks he’s either making fun of her or trying to get a rise out of her. Oh god, I need to re-read this series.
Don’t go into this series expecting it to be all romance, all the time. Because that’s not what you’re going to get. Yes, this is a romantasy book, but it has a lot of intricate politics and can be pretty violent at times. I don’t feel like you read a romantasy book because you’re looking for fluffy romance.
Synopsis: Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: To Be Watched: August 2025