If you’re not on the ACOTAR train, WHAT are you doing with your life? I’m kidding. Kind of. I discovered the ACOTAR series on BookTok in late 2022, and it has jump-started my fiction reading like no other book in the past has. Typically, I’m more into the business, entrepreneurship, and self-help genres, but let me tell you, if you’re looking for an escape, fantasy romance is where it’s at. I’ve drastically decreased my scrolling in favor of picking up my Kindle, and that’s a huge win in itself. So, without further ado, here are my recommendations.
I won’t go into huge plot synopses for these novels because they are all relatively similar in that they all contain strong female main characters, enemies to lovers, action-packed plots, fantasy elements, and some spice. Trust me, if they’re on this list, they are GOOD. I have read countless articles to try and piece together which fantasy romance novels I should read, and this is my definitive list after reading them!
1. The ACOTAR Series
Technically this is four books and a novella, so buckle up. It will get you very acquainted with the fantasy romance genre, and the world building is second to none. The love story is one for the ages. Plus, it’s being turned into a Hulu series!
2. From Blood and Ash Series
This is the perfect series to curb your ACOTAR hangover. It even has a glowing review from ACOTAR’s author, Sarah J. Maas, herself. It’s an epic love story to say the least! There are currently four books available, with two more (at least) being published this year.
3. The Serpent and the Wings of Night
This is a standalone book, so if you’re looking to delve into fantasy without the big commitment that ACOTAR or FBAA require, this is a great start. The writing is beautiful, the love story is epic, and there is SO much action. Book 2 is being released in April, because there’s a lot left to unpack here!
4. Crescent City Series
There are currently 2 books in this Sarah J. Maas series, and I cannot wait for CC3 to hopefully make its way into our hands this year! This book is set in modern times and there is a major information dump at the beginning, but everything comes together pretty quickly. If you know SJM, you know that there is going to be some incredible world-building, a world-shaking romance, and lots of juicy plot twists.
5. The Bridge Kingdom
OK, so I would call this fantasy-adjacent, because we’re not dealing with fae or vampires or anything like that, but it’s the perfect series for lovers of the aforementioned books, so I’d be remiss not to recommend it here. This is a great enemies to lovers book, with tons and tons of action. There are currently 3 books in the series, and if you become super invested, the author even has a 6-chapter e-book to catch up on what has been occurring with the book’s two initial main characters after book 3 switches to follow the love story of two subordinate (but equally as epic) characters.
