“Romantasy” is a relatively new subgenre denoting romance novels that contain strong fantasy plot lines and unique settings. While references to the term date back decades, the “romantasy” category boomed in the 2020s, partially due to the proliferation of book-themed social media communities like BookTok on TikTok and Bookstagram on Instagram.

Romantasy novels are distinct from other romance subgenres because by definition, they always feature a magical or fantastic element—although this factor is secondary to the romance aspects of the plot. Generally, these novels take place in alternative worlds, unlike the subgenre of paranormal romance, which injects fantastical elements into real-world settings. Romantasy novels often involve significant world-building, and considerable attention is paid to exploring the functionality of magical systems.

Aside from these details, the most significant difference between romantasy and other romance subgenres is their approach to seriality. While authors specializing in other romance subgenres do frequently develop series, these stories most commonly feature different central love interests for each installment in the series. For example, Julia Quinn’s historical romance series Bridgerton consists of eight novels, with each focusing on a different member of the titular family. In series such as these, each installment typically has the requisite “happily ever after” ending, as this is the primary constraint of the romance genre, and deviation from this standard is rare in non-romantasy romance.

Romantasy series, by contrast, will often have several installments focused on one romantic relationship; the love interests may or may not be in a happy relationship at the end of each installment, even though the terms of the genre still dictate that they find happiness together by the series’ end. Some romantasy novels may dedicate entire novels to incidental romantic relationships that are not the final relationship for a protagonist. Others, such as Lexi Ryan’s These Hollow Vows, deal with lengthy love triangles. Still other series may present a happy ending for one set of romantic leads before shifting the focus of the series to a new couple; this pattern appears in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Silver Flames.