Romancing the Fantasy: What’s Next in the Bestselling Romantasy Market?
Romantasy, fantasy romance, romantic fantasy—whatever you call it, the hot new fantasy sub-genre is here to stay. While there are slightly different genre expectations for romantic fantasy versus fantasy romance,…
Romantasy, fantasy romance, romantic fantasy—whatever you call it, the hot new fantasy sub-genre is here to stay. While there are slightly different genre expectations for romantic fantasy versus fantasy romance, where they overlap is key to understanding what’s driving sales in the market.
These are primarily books written with the female gaze in mind, featuring female-driven stories with romance as either the primary plot line or a significant secondary one. In these books, female characters pick up swords, go questing, and kiss their enemies. They’re as likely to be the ones doing the saving as their love interests, these authors spend as much time describing a ball gown as body armor, and readers can’t get enough of it.
Fantasy books with female characters aren’t exactly new, but there are some clear delineators from their predecessors. Romantasy usually features first-person POVs or present tense to immerse the reader instantly in the world, the characters skew younger (think coming of age), and there’s often a certain modern feel to the world (characters curse, flip each other off, and keep a running commentary in their head).
But with the explosive sales, there are already grumblings about oversaturation. In reality, I expect we’ll see romantasy start spinning off in new and exciting ways. Here’s where I predict we’re heading.
- More LGBTQIA+ content. If we look back a little over a decade ago to when the billionaire romance trend, spawned by books like Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You, mainstreamed high-heat novels from spinning racks at the grocery store to front tables at the bookstore, one of the first offshoots was a rise in gay romance. Publishers and authors soon realized there was a huge readership in both the queer and cis communities. Indie authors like Ruby Roe are already doing the same in romantasy, and there have been several notable publishing deals announced for upcoming books featuring queer leading characters. It makes sense. Romance readers like love stories in every form.
- More niche genres. We’ve already seen the popularity of cozy fantasy where magic is real but the stakes are less life-and-death. Expect to see cozy romantic fantasy increasing in visibility and sales. Readers are people, and people are more stressed out than ever. Sometimes you want to read about a magical enclave where a nosy old crone is brewing up love potions for unsuspecting villagers while tending her dragon eggs. I predict we’ll also see a rise in full-blown fantasy rom-coms, super-dark romantasy, dystopian romance, and, dare I say, authors will figure out how to blend the immensely popular sports romance genre with fantasy.
- Older heroines and main characters. Much of the most popular romantasy on the market also falls into the new-adult category. That means the characters are usually in their late teens or early twenties (although there’s frequently a centuries-old love interest), and their stories tend to center around finding their way in the world as…new adults. As more romantasy books hit the market, expect to start seeing older characters take the page with a clear idea of who they are in the world, facing the challenges of adulthood: cynicism, healing from trauma, paying the bills…even magic has its limits, right?
- New creatures and races—other than fae. To be clear, fae aren’t going anywhere. They are a romantasy staple, largely due to the overwhelming impact of Sarah J. Maas’s books on the market. But both readers and editors have expressed wanting to see something new or new takes on traditional fantasy races. Dragons, another fantasy staple, are quickly approaching the same market saturation following the success of Rebecca Yarros’s books. I suspect a new fantasy creature or race will soar to the top of the bestseller list sooner rather than later.
- More starter romantasy, particularly urban romantasy. As the popularity of the genre increases, new readers wanting to dip their toes into romantasy can feel a little overwhelmed when confronted with starting 600+-page books set in series and multiverses. Enter urban romantasy, which blends the world we know with magic and often features epic, world-shattering plots. My current series, Filthy Rich Fae, has all the hallmarks of romantasy: fae, magic, bargains, and prophecies, but the fae court is located in modern New Orleans and its gun-toting prince feels more like John Wick than a fairy-tale creature. Urban romantasy eases readers into world building and larger-than-life fantasy arcs.
These are just predictions…for now. But wherever romantasy heads next, it’s certain to keep growing.
Check out Geneva Lee's Filthy Rich Fae: Fallen Court here:
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Geneva Lee is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of over 30 novels. Her bestselling Royals Saga has sold nearly four million copies worldwide. She's shamelessly addicted to recovering alpha males, headstrong heroines, and drop-your-jaw plot twists. People magazine calls Geneva's books "convincing with fluid writing that's full of drama." When she isn't writing or reading, you might find her on another adventure with her real-life hero and their three kids. For more information, visit genevalee.com.
