Romance is wide-ranging, and many authors have carved out a niche, be it historical romance, romantic comedies, or romantasy. But sometimes, those writers will venture into something new and exciting for themselves and their listeners. These fresh arrivals always bring something new to the genre, whether it’s a shift in perspective or a signature way of telling a story.
Most of these authors are already established in the romance world, while others started out in YA. Whatever their origins and whichever path toward romantasy they've taken, these writers have clearly mastered every possible corner of romance storytelling. Here are just a few of the best romantasy books by authors whose names might be quite familiar if you’re a contemporary or historical romance listener.
In 2023, Rebecca Yarros introduced us to a new series that was a definite detour from her usual contemporary romances. In this new adult fantasy, we are introduced to protagonist Violet as she’s preparing to enter the next phase of her life. For those of us here in the real world, that would be college, and Violet is definitely going to a new school. But instead of early morning classes in statistics and art history, she’s going to be learning how to be a dragon rider; a warrior; a protector of the realm. And of course, there’s a hot guy who she just can’t stand, and she’s stuck seeing him all the time. The audiobook, narrated by Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton, is nothing short of perfection, but if you’d prefer a more immersive experience, check out the dramatized adaptations.
More dragons! Sophie Jordan has been writing speculative romance in YA fiction for a while, but is best known to romance fans for her historical settings. Her multiple Regency-era series have inspired swoons and sighs while also offering fierce protagonists, and A Fire in the Sky promises to continue that legacy. Tamsyn’s role in the royal family is to be punished. When things go wrong, she takes the brunt instead of any of the princesses. So when a brutal invader comes to the kingdom demanding to marry one of the princesses, Tamsyn is disguised and offered up instead.
With Pucking Around, Emily Rath became a household name in contemporary “Why Choose” romance. She also has a solid catalog of polyamorous historical romances for your listening pleasure. But fans screamed across the globe when North Is the Night was announced. Emily Lawrence and Khaya Fraites narrate the first book of this forthcoming fantasy series that will include multiple romantic arcs and a quest powered by a lifelong friendship.
Melissa de la Cruz has written young adult novels for well over a decade and has also penned some successful contemporary romances. While her YA work has been dipping into fantasy worlds for a long time, she’s only recently entered the adult romantasy game. Her upcoming 2025 release, Rings of Fate, promises to be a fun romp through a new fantasy world, with tropes and themes including class differences, fake engagements, and a magical antagonist.
Okay, so this technically falls under contemporary romance, as we are introduced to witch Evelyn in the modern world. But alas, she falls into a portal, escaping a murderous vampire, and ends up in a more traditional fantasy world, edging this one into romantasy. Evelyn is taken in by the Cŵn Annwn, a group of pirates set with the task of protecting the world between worlds. At their center is Bowen, who just can’t help being attracted to Evelyn.
Invoking the history and legends of her Korean heritage, Jayci Lee introduces us to a Gumiho (nine-tailed fox) in this series opener. The nine-tailed fox has a long and vast history in Korean folklore, and protagonist Sunny Cho works hard to make sure nobody connects her with any of it. As a fox spirit, she has the ability to traverse the worlds of man and gods. When an old friend seeks her out to help find his brother’s murderer, the pair set off on the adventure of a lifetime. But if Sunny succumbs to love, the world as she knows it will be changed forever.
Ali Hazelwood is known for her contemporary rom-coms with protagonists in STEM. In Bride, she ditches academia for a world in which Vampyres and Weres rule rival factions. Misery Lark doesn’t particularly want to be married off as a pawn, but what choice does she have? It helps that her new husband, Were alpha Lowe Moreland, is easy on the eyes and relatively kind. But he already has a mate—and it’s not her. Also, Misery definitely has an ulterior motive for accepting this arrangement, and the secret might put her in even more danger than moving into enemy territory ever did. And as usual, Thérèse Plummer's narration will absolutely destroy you in the most wonderful way.
Many of Piper J. Drake’s romantic suspense novels feature canine sidekicks. And while we don’t get any adorable K-9 Unit friends in this new contemporary fantasy series, we are treated instead to a bright world of magic inspired by Drake’s own Thai heritage. Bennet and Peeraphan meet in Seattle, where Peeraphan is hiding her magical nature and Bennet is saving people from themselves. When Peeraphan puts on the cursed Red Shoes, Bennet is surprised to find that they don’t seem to harm her. Worryingly, though, they won’t come off. Peeraphan and Bennet are sent on the hunt for answers—before it’s too late.
Patrick and Quinn have been married for a little under a year. Their relationship is suffering a bit due to the mundanities of life, but that all changes when one of them accidentally takes out Santa Claus and must step into Saint Nick’s shoes. When the pair are corralled up to the North Pole after finishing off the Christmas Eve deliveries, they put their heads together to figure out how to make everything work, leading to some honest conversations and new insight into each other. Frequent Janovsky collaborator Mark Sanderlin is joined here by the equally talented Zach Barela, making for a truly merry listening experience.
If you’ve read Therese Beharrie’s category romances, you know that she can pack a punch in a small number of pages. When she brings that talent over to a feature-length novel with magical elements, she really lets loose. Gaia is an author with a bonus special power: Anything she dreams at night is magically written into her bestselling novels. But one thing she didn’t expect was to share her dreams with her longtime crush—including some pretty interesting fantasies.
Alexis Hall is best known for their queer contemporary romances but has also written historical and steampunk romances. Hall's newest venture is a series of magical historical romance—it's all the fun of Regency romance with the added bonus of “angry gods and vindictive magic.” In this first installment, a young woman has to deal with a curse just as she’s preparing to enter polite society. When all of her efforts prove null, she seeks out the help of a rumored witch, nicknamed the "Duke of Annadale" thanks to a suspicion that she murdered her father and brothers to inherit the title. The book is full of Hall’s familiar dry wit and irreverent characterization, narrated fantastically by Nneka Okoye.
