In recent years, romantasy — a blend of romance and fantasy — has surged from niche curiosity to dominant genre. From TikTok trends to bestseller lists, this hybrid of high-stakes love stories and immersive worldbuilding has found its moment. But its popularity goes beyond hype. Romantasy reflects deeper shifts in what readers crave from fiction today: emotional truth, character depth, and a desire to see love and danger co-exist on the page.

As someone who’s worked as an editor on some very different books published at Cybirdy (and as a reader who loves being swept away by a good story), I’ve come to appreciate the layered storytelling that can emerge when a narrative leans into either rich worldbuilding or deep characters. Romantasy, when it works, manages to bring both into perfect balance.

And the numbers don’t lie. Romantasy isn’t just popular, it’s wildly successful.

Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (2023), the first book in the Empyrean series, quickly became a sensation, sparking a wave of excitement that only grew with its sequel, Iron Flame, released in November 2023. By early 2025, the third instalment, Onyx Storm, made history as the fastest-selling adult novel in two decades, selling over 150,000 copies in its first week in the UK alone.

Similarly, Alex Aster’s Lightlark gained momentum through BookTok virality, blending deadly competitions with romantic intrigue. Its sequel Nightbane proved the story’s staying power, showing that romantasy can sustain a long-term fandom. And beyond the blockbuster successes, other titles are carving out loyal audiences. Beyond the major successes, other titles are cultivating dedicated audiences. Lauren Roberts’ Powerless and Kat Delacorte’s With Fire in Their Blood (a personal favourite of mine for its eerie setting and slow-burning, gothic tension) speak to a growing appetite for stories that combine sweeping settings with emotional depth.

So, what is it about this genre that pulls readers in so completely? Part of its appeal lies in its emotional immediacy. Romantasy brings together two seemingly distinct desires: the thrill of a dangerous, expansive world and the vulnerability of falling in love. The genre leans unapologetically into beloved tropes — enemies to lovers, forbidden attraction, found family — but grounds them in protagonists who feel raw, real, and relatable.

Readers aren’t just following epic quests or looming wars; they’re also witnessing intensely personal decisions. This dual focus gives romantasy its edge: we care about the fate of the world because we care about the people trying to survive it, together.

Of course, the genre isn’t perfect. Its rapid rise has drawn in a huge fanbase, but also some growing pains. One common criticism is that in some books, the romance takes centre stage while the fantasy elements fall flat. Magic systems can feel underdeveloped, and political stakes might shift just to fit the love story. Without strong worldbuilding, even the most emotional moments can lose impact.

Another concern is the predictability of certain tropes. While familiar themes like “enemies to lovers” can be comforting, overreliance on these can lead to formulaic storytelling. Readers have expressed a desire for more originality and complexity in plot development. And sometimes, characters seem to make choices mainly for the romance, rather than for their own growth or the bigger story.

That said, many authors are aware of these issues and are already pushing the genre forward by building richer worlds, playing with fresh tropes, and making sure their characters stay true to themselves. Romantasy is still evolving, and readers are ready for what’s next.

Working behind the scenes as an editor and proofreader has given me a unique perspective on how much depth is possible when writers commit to emotional truth, whether or not romance is at the heart of the plot.

Take Cameron Kirk’s The Beautiful Harpies, for example: a grimdark fantasy set in the city of Dysael, where missing women, dead husbands, and clashing investigations hint at a slow-creeping dread. Sister Kempson, accompanied by her bodyguard Garth, enters a city teetering on the brink of hysteria. While there’s no central romance, one pair’s loyalty and quiet devotion bring an emotional undercurrent to the story. More broadly, the narrative is saturated with tension — emotional, moral, and existential. Even without a love story at the forefront, the characters’ bonds and the cost of survival reflect the genre’s emotional depth.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Vasilena Spasova’s Letters to You, To Her, To No One, a deeply personal novel told through letters from a girl in a Bulgarian orphanage to her imagined mother. Themes of friendship, loss, and hope unfold across years of intimate correspondence. While this title contains no fantasy elements, its emotional vulnerability and female perspective resonate deeply with the core of romantasy. It, too, tells a story about resilience, longing, and the power of connection, just in a quieter, more grounded way.

In working on both of these titles, I’ve seen how powerful stories can be when they choose to explore either a richly constructed world or a character’s interior life. Romantasy dares to do both. It gives us swords and softness, dragons and declarations of love, enchanted realms and emotional wounds that feel all too human.

So why now? Why is this genre capturing so many hearts, especially amongst women and young adults?

Romantasy champions characters who are bold, flawed, and fully human — even when they aren’t literally human. These protagonists don’t just react to magical events; they

drive them. They grapple with impossible choices, embrace their complexity, and pursue both love and purpose.

But beyond the dragons and destinies, what’s striking is how the genre blends scale with sensitivity. Romantasy lets readers have it all: sprawling worlds, sweeping stakes, and emotions that hit close to home. It delivers the thrill of fantasy with the intimacy of character-driven storytelling.

That’s why calling it “just romance with magic” misses the point. Its rise reflects a wider appetite for fiction that values emotional truth alongside adventure. Readers aren’t choosing between escapism and depth, they’re demanding both.

As someone who’s edited stories at both ends of the spectrum — from the shadowy streets of Dysael to the soft letters written in ink — I’m excited by what romantasy is doing. It proves that emotional stakes are just as gripping as magical ones, and that tenderness can drive a plot as powerfully as peril. Vulnerability is no longer a weakness; it’s part of the magic. There’s space in fiction for both sword fights and softness, epic quests and quiet moments.

Whether it’s star-crossed lovers or unbreakable bonds, what stays with readers isn’t only the fantasy, it’s the emotional core. That’s why romantasy isn’t a passing trend. It reflects a growing appetite for stories that balance wonder with heart, and its impact appears to be only gaining momentum.

Afaf Shour, Editor and Story Enthusiast