Fantasy Romance Books for Readers Who Want Adventure Too

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Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

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Bound as one: to love, honor... or burn.

Louise le Blanc, a rogue witch, has spent two years hiding from her coven, surviving in the city of Cesarine by abandoning her magic and stealing to get by. But in Cesarine, witches like Lou are hunted, feared—and burned.

Reid Diggory is a devout huntsman for the Church, bound by a single commandment: witches must not live. When a daring stunt lands Lou and Reid in an impossible bind—marriage—her carefully hidden identity and his beliefs clash in an explosive twist.

Now, caught between her past and the perilous attraction growing between them, Lou faces an agonizing choice. With forbidden love brewing, can she resist the pull... or will her secrets bring them both to ruin?

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Every dawn, a new bride is taken—and executed by the ruthless young Caliph, Khalid.

When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid, no one understands why. But Shahrzad has a plan: survive each dawn and avenge her best friend, one of Khalid’s countless victims.

Armed with her wit and a burning desire for revenge, Shahrzad begins her game of survival. But as she unravels the mysteries within the palace walls, she realizes Khalid may not be the monster she thought. His secrets are dark, twisted, and wrapped around a curse that haunts them both.

Caught between vengeance and an unexpected love, Shahrzad faces an impossible choice: will she break the cycle of death, or lose her heart to the man she once vowed to destroy?

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WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2021 BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST, AND THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

A ruthless princess and a powerful priestess come together to rewrite the fate of an empire in this “fiercely and unapologetically feminist tale of endurance and revolution set against a gorgeous, unique magical world” (S. A. Chakraborty, author of the The City of Brass).

Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin.

The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household and cleaning Malini’s chambers.

When Malini witnesses Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a ruthless princess seeking to steal a throne. The other a powerful priestess desperate to save her family. Together, they will set an empire ablaze.

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The first in a gripping fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction—from debut author Roseanne A. Brown. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Renée Ahdieh, and Sabaa Tahir.

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

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The #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Red Queen, by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard, is a sweeping tale of power, intrigue, and betrayal, perfect for fans of Lauren Robert's Powerless and George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series.

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction.

One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

Discover more wonders in the world of Red Queen with Broken Throne: A Red Queen Collection, a companion novel with stories from fan favorites and new voices, featuring never-before-seen maps, flags, bonus scenes, journal entries, and much more exclusive content!

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A truth can save a world—or destroy it.

On a continent divided by war and bound by magic, Safiya and Iseult are inseparable friends with powers that make them priceless and dangerous. Safi, a Truthwitch, can sense every lie, a gift that nations would kill to control. Iseult, a Threadwitch, sees the ties that bind people together—and the fractures that can tear them apart.

When a truce between empires collapses, the two are hunted across land and sea by soldiers, princes, and a vengeful Bloodwitch who can track their every move. Survival means trusting their bond more than fate itself.

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard, Truthwitch begins a sweeping fantasy of friendship, loyalty, and power tested by war.

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Two bold young women defy the gods and mortals, living and dead, in this darkly mythical, Finnish folklore-inspired fantasy duology for readers of T. Kingfisher's Nettle & Bone, Danielle L. Jensen, Thea Guanzon, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.

“A romantic, adventure-filled tale that will enrapture readers with a transportive saga of love, friendship, and magic.” —Adrienne Young, New York Times-and USA Today-bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow

In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer’s fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear.

Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive.

In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina’s every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness, Aina learns the truth of her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart—as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most.

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Welcome to Phantasma, a deadly contest where the rules are simple: stay alive, and don’t fall in love.

When Ophelia’s sister vanishes, her only chance to save her is to enter Phantasma—a twisted maze of haunted halls, lurking demons, and nine treacherous challenges. With a single wish as the prize, Ophelia must navigate the mansion’s horrors while fending off ruthless rivals who will do anything to win.

As she teeters on the edge of fear and despair, a stranger named Blackwell offers her a dangerous deal: his guidance through the trials in exchange for ten years of her life. Arrogant, charming, and maddeningly attractive, Blackwell is as tempting as he is mysterious.

But in a place where danger and desire intertwine, will trusting him be her salvation—or her downfall?

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I was born to kill the emperor, but first, I must marry him.

I trained as an assassin while my twin sister trained to be the empress. My life will be forfeit once I murder the most powerful man on the continent, but I have no choice. If I fail, the Imperium will consume our nation and anyone who rises against them.

Too soon, we walk into the glittering imperial court, each step taking us closer to the dangerous man on the black throne, my sister’s future husband, the newly crowned Emperor of the Southern Imperium. Emperor Tallu has more spies than fish in the sea. He poisoned his own father to secure the golden crown.

When his sharp eyes skim over us, they don’t catch on my sister. They land on me, his killer.

“I choose you, Prince Airón of the Northern Kingdom. You will be my consort.” Tallu’s smile is mirthless. “Or I will reduce your entire nation to ashes.”

Betrothed to the Emperor ends with more story to tell, but the characters end on a HFN.

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Elara has lived under the curse of prophecy all her life: she will fall in love with a Star, and it will destroy them both. When Ariete, the Star of Wrath, War, and Chaos, descends on her kingdom, she flees the Kingdom of Night to seek refuge in the Kingdom of Light.

Instead, she collides with Prince Lorenzo. Reluctant allies, they forge an uneasy truce as he trains her to fight back against the Stars. But shadows gather even in Helios, and secrets from Lorenzo’s past intertwine with the ancient magic Elara can barely control.

Caught between destiny and desire, Elara must decide whether to fight the prophecy or surrender to it.

Because sometimes the most dangerous fate is the one written in the stars.

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Irina has been promised to a monster. In her cursed Transylvanian village, every generation offers a bride to the vampire who stalks their borders. She accepts her fate willingly, but not for mercy. Her sister’s soul is trapped in the underworld, and Irina will do anything to bring her back. Even if it means wedding the dead.

Her new husband, Stefan, agrees to guide her through the realm of shadows in exchange for her blood. Their journey twists through haunted landscapes and monstrous realms, where love is as dangerous as death itself.

But every step brings them closer to a truth that could destroy them both. In a land ruled by the dead, Irina must decide what’s worth saving, her sister, her heart, or her humanity.

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She was sent to marry her enemy. Instead, she became his greatest deception.

Valla Sunstar was supposed to be a peace offering, a golden princess traded to the Storm King to end a bloody war. But when fate buries her escort in an avalanche, she seizes her freedom and arrives at the icy fortress disguised as her own servant.

Rodrick Fjallgard never wanted this union, but when his bride-to-be pretends to be a maid, he decides to play her game. Their deception ignites something neither expected, a slow-burning attraction in the heart of winter.

As passion melts pride and loyalty clashes with desire, truth becomes the most dangerous secret of all. Readers praise this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance for its emotional depth and wicked heat, with 4.2 stars on Amazon and more than 1,000 Goodreads ratings.

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A sleeping curse. A fallen court. A secret twin.

Hidden for years from the sorceress who destroyed their kingdom, twins Calla and Briar have lived divided by fate. Briar was born to save their people through marriage and alliance. Calla was meant to stay in the shadows, a secret heir who would never rule. But when Briar falls under a deadly curse, Calla must step into the light to save her sister and the Golden Court.

Disguised among humans and haunted by forbidden feelings for her sister’s betrothed, Calla’s journey across treacherous Wolf kingdoms will test the limits of courage, love, and identity.

An Editors’ Pick for Science Fiction and Fantasy, A River of Golden Bones holds 4.0 stars on Amazon and 3.6 on Goodreads, from bestselling author A. K. Mulford.

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When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers

Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations

About the book

He helped destroy her family. Now he wants to protect her. Dare she trust him?

For generations, magical sky shields have defended the Garden Kingdom from dragons and their savage riders. Now, the shield protecting the capital has been sabotaged, the castle destroyed, and all except the youngest member of the royal family slain.

A healer with a love for books, antiques, and avoiding family gatherings, Princess Syla never thought the future of the kingdom would rely upon her—or that assassins would be hunting her down. With only an aged bodyguard with bad knees to protect her, she’s in way over her head.

Then he shows up.

The powerful and deadly dragon rider Captain Vorik claims to be from a faction that wants peace, not war, and who opposed the attack. Supposedly, he and his dragon ally were sent to protect Syla.

With threats coming from all directions, she has no choice but to accept his help, but she doesn’t trust him—or her attraction to him.

Why is he really there? To kill her? To spy on her? To seduce her?

All Syla knows for certain is that she must get the best of Vorik before he can get the best of her. Her kingdom and her life depend on it.

Warning: Sky Shielder contains sex, violence, and arrogant and opinionated dragons.

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After twenty years of fighting for an empire that owns him, Damon finally earns his freedom—and an unwanted gift that could destroy it. Among his spoils is a scarred, silent man meant as an insult, a living reminder of everything Damon despises about war. But refusing the gift would mean his death at his brother’s jealous hands.

Rumors about Damon’s forbidden desires have haunted him for years, and in the ruthless Azurian Empire, loving another man is a crime punishable by exile or worse. Yet every glance from his captive stirs the hunger he’s spent a lifetime denying.

As secrets buried in blood and scars begin to surface, Damon must choose between safety and the one forbidden thing that could set him free.

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18-year-old Lillian is dying. But she is not going down without a fight. Sheltered by her father her whole life, Lillian’s greatest wish has always been to join the rebel group he leads, to leave a mark on the world she is soon to leave.

In the aftermath of a tragedy, Lillian decides to seek revenge by killing the King of Orios. Against the wishes of her lover, Eli, she joins the dangerous King's Guard Trials to get close to the King, where she soon learns death is the only alternative to success.

While fighting her way through a deadly maze filled with dark magic, and scaling a treacherous mountain inhabited by mythical creatures, she discovers the greatest threat may really lie with her fellow participants, who won’t hesitate to kill for a spot in the guard.

Despite her determination to pursue the mission alone, Lillian finds close friendship with eternally cheerful Finn and Astrid, another rebel infiltrating the guard. She also fights a strange connection with her handsome, but mysterious, commander who appears adamant to save her life.

But as whispers of the Valkyries searching for their long lost heir emerge, and dragons return to Orios, Lillian begins to question everything she thought she knew. No one around her appears to be who they say they are. And what are the rebels and Eli hiding from her?

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The gripping first installment in global bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s epic, romantic Shatter Me series.

One touch is all it takes. One touch, and Juliette Ferrars can leave a fully grown man gasping for air. One touch, and she can kill.

No one knows why Juliette has such incredible power. It feels like a curse, a burden that one person alone could never bear. But The Reestablishment sees it as a gift, sees her as an opportunity. An opportunity for a deadly weapon.

Juliette has never fought for herself before. But when she’s reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, she finds a strength she never knew she had.

Includes a special sneak peek of This Woven Kingdom, the first book in Tahereh Mafi’s bestselling fantasy series inspired by Persian folklore!