It may not have won “Word of the Year,” but romantasy is still the reigning champion of many readers' hearts. Alex Belanger shares her romantasy recommendations with more than 16,000 followers on TikTok. Because the 31-year-old Kentuckian grew up in a sheltered religious sect, she's always been drawn to “Rapunzel” stories.
Fairytales about broadening worldviews and unexplored places were a childhood comfort. During the pandemic, she stumbled into romantasy books on TikTok, and found they both reminded her of her youth and reflected her interests as an adult. Belanger is just one of the many readers steering one of publishing's prized horses – the genre's sales increased 42% from 2022 to 2023, according to Circana.
What is romantasy? A portmanteau of the words “romance” and “fantasy,” romantasy blends two beloved genres. Readers get all the best parts of swoony love story tropes, magical world-building and high-stakes adventure. Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist Many romantasy books include fae or fairies, dragons, elves and other mythical creatures.
Popular series “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas is a “Beauty and the Beast” retelling set in a divided realm of humans and faeries. “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, another romantasy favorite, follows a young girl training to become a dragon rider.
The world-building is more expansive than many other romance subgenres. In paranormal romance, for example, magical charact.
