Romantasy: Why This Genre Is So Beloved (and What’s Behind the Hype!)
Romantasy has cast a spell on readers everywhere and become the hit genre of the moment.
Very soon, the hashtag #romantasy on TikTok will cross the one-billion mark — which says a lot about how massively popular these books have become.
So let’s take a closer look at why this genre captivates everyone. (Me included!) 💘
What Is Romantasy?
Romantasy is a book genre — a hybrid between fantasy and romance. Compared to classic fantasy, the genre often appeals to a mostly female readership, and there’s always a strong romantic attraction between characters, with at least one of them possessing magical powers.
The stories take place in fantasy worlds, so you’ll often find fae, unicorns, dragons, goblins, or other magical beings — usually rooted in high fantasy.
And, very importantly: the books come with a good amount of spice — what TikTokers also call smut — meaning explicit scenes, romantic drama, and more.
Within Romantasy, certain terms have developed around these romantic storylines, such as the book boyfriend (also common in other romance genres) or the shadow daddy archetype.
What you need to know about Romantasy
What’s the Difference Between “Fantasy Romance” and “Romantic Fantasy”?
In other, such as German-speaking book communities, “Romantasy” is often used as a catch-all term for both. In the English-speaking world, the distinction is a bit stricter.
It mainly depends on which element dominates:
Fantasy Romance
Here, the romantic storyline is front and center — it’s primarily a romance book, just set in a fantasy world or featuring fantasy elements. And just like most romance, it typically requires a HEA — a happy ending where the couple ends up together.
Romantic Fantasy
In this case, the core is a fantasy novel, but a significant subplot involves a romance. There are usually major plot threads beyond the love story, and the narrative isn’t driven solely by the couple.
Technically, you’d need to analyze each book and decide which part outweighs the other — but nobody does that. And even though English-speaking authors and reviewers sometimes argue about these definitions, most casual readers don’t care.
Issues only arise when reader expectations aren’t met — for example, when someone expects epic fantasy but gets (mostly) a love story instead.
Article recommendation: The 17 Best Romantasy Books & Romantic Fantasy Series
Which Tropes and Subplots Are Especially Popular in Romantasy?
The undisputed classic trope in Romantasy is enemies to lovers — meaning the protagonist and their love interest start off on opposing sides.
(Here’s an overview of common BookTok abbreviations.)
But that’s far from the only one. In many books, larger forces keep the couple apart, or their love is tested in dramatic ways.
Who Are the Most Well-Known Romantasy Authors?
Some of the biggest names in the genre include:
Rebecca Yarros (Fourth Wing)
Sarah J. Maas (ACOTAR – A Court of Thorns and Roses)
Marie Lu
Lauren Roberts (Powerless)
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Tracy Wolff
Why Has Romantasy Become So Popular?
Fantasy itself isn’t new.
But there have always been waves of extreme popularity — think Harry Potter, Twilight, or The Hunger Games.
What is new is how strongly Romantasy has taken over bookstores in recent years.
And there are a lot of theories about why it’s exploding right now.
Mainstream attention really peaked between 2022 and 2025 — especially in early 2025, when the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing series came out. Suddenly even the last traditional media outlets realized: There’s a massive movement happening here.
Okay, But Why the Hype?
A huge part of the boom is thanks to TikTok and Instagram. During the pandemic, BookTok exploded with recommendations.
The BookTok community feels like an entire ecosystem of its own — with Romantasy clearly being one of its biggest branches. Popular titles include not just Throne of Glass and ACOTAR, but also books by Rebecca Yarros, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and many others.
Many analyses highlight the powerful combination of:
Escapism — disappearing into another world
Strong female protagonists — tough, resilient women who grow, fight, and claim their power
Even when stories are set in traditionally structured worlds (there’s even a trope called “woman in a man’s world”), themes like training, empowerment, and personal agency repeat again and again.
Romance + Fantasy Are Already Mega-Genres
Romance and fantasy are two of the most successful genres in literature.
Depending on the statistics you look at, romance is #1 and fantasy is #2 or #4. Romantasy merges the top two bestselling genres into one package — and can appeal to both audiences (at least in theory).
Not all romance readers like fantasy and vice versa — but Romantasy offers an entry point for both.
The genre has also pushed fantasy forward in new ways. Explicit scenes, for example, used to be far less common in fantasy — especially from the perspective of female characters, since epic fantasy was historically dominated by male authors.
Through the romance component, these elements now have more space and visibility.
Some epic-fantasy readers complain that publishers are focusing too heavily on Romantasy — but honestly, YouTube comments are usually full of people saying: “Relax. There’s room for every subgenre. Let them live.”
And they’re right. Romantasy is simply a hugely popular subgenre, and of course publishers want to support that.
Entire new publishing houses are popping up dedicated specifically to Romantasy. In the US, names such as Bramble recently launched as a new imprint. More are joining all the time.
Criticism of Romantasy
There are YouTubers and social media creators who argue that Romantasy is “pushing out true fantasy,” often citing The Lord of the Rings as the prime example of what fantasy “should” be.
But comment sections make it clear that nobody wins that argument. Blaming a popular subgenre for changing a broader genre simply doesn’t make sense.
Fantasy has always evolved. The Lord of the Rings saw a major resurgence through the films. Twilight launched a vampire-fiction boom. And now Romantasy is the dominant trend of 2022–?.
(In my opinion, it is NOT a trend. It is a genre that will mature and exist forever from now on.) :-)
Plot-Driven vs. Character-Driven: Romantasy Always Includes Romance
Readers of epic high fantasy sometimes complain that Romantasy is “too character-driven” and lacks complex, large-scale plots.
If you’re used to epic fantasy, it’s important to know that Romantasy works differently.
But there are books that combine both exceptionally well — and personally, I find it exciting to see where the genre can evolve. Every existing subgenre of romance and fantasy can theoretically be blended into Romantasy:
Victorian Romantasy
Urban Romantasy
Viking Romantasy
The list is endless.
Spice: How Much Is the Right Amount?
Spice — explicit scenes — appears in many Romantasy books, sometimes in large quantities. Some readers love it. Others say, “No thanks, that’s too much for me!”
So of course, tastes vary.
Many authors and publishers have started clearly labeling spice levels, sometimes using chili-pepper emojis, or classifying books as 18+ Romantasy or Dark Romantasy (which usually refers to the setting, not the romance itself).
Fun fact: Videos rating books by spice level — from “zero spice” to “extra spicy” — are incredibly popular on YouTube. :-)
You can see that Romantasy fits perfectly into the cultural moment. It offers something for everyone — and new subgenres keep emerging.