If you’ve ever spent time scrolling through BookTok, you might already be familiar with the ‘spicy’ book genre that’s been taking the world by storm: romantasy. 

The term was first logged in the Urban Dictionary in 2008, and it sees romantic tropes (enemies to lovers is a popular one) mixed with lore and fantasy creatures such as dragons, fairies and shapeshifters. However, it was BookTok that helped to consolidate this once-niche sub-genre as the mainstream multi-million dollar machine it has become today, with over 84 million posts on the topic. 

Sarah J Maas is credited as the pivotal figure in the rise of romantasy after her five-book series, A Court Of Thorns And Roses, found viral success on the platform. Across all of her titles, Mass has sold over 38 million copies of her books to date. 

ACOTAR (as it’s known online) follows a young huntress, Feyre, who is dragged into the faerie realm after she kills a wolf. She must navigate the turbulent politics of the faerie courts as she uncovers dark secrets about the immortal fae. Though the first book was published in 2015, it’s only in the last five years that this has become a cultural phenomenon, predominantly among women. 

Within the genre, there’s a common trajectory: a young woman who feels powerless in her expansive world meets a powerful male figure who nurtures and encourages her to step into her potential. 

Ciara Finan, literary agent at Curtis Brown, says: “Romantasy provides the ultimate form of escapism, where strong female characters can ‘have it all’ – from steamy romance to saving the world and riding a dragon.

“Given how politically, socially and economically unstable the world feels right now, people are finding immense comfort in books that allow them to step outside their lives for a few hours.”

Following closely on Maas’s heels is Rebecca Yarros with her Empyrean series. The third instalment in the bestselling series, Onyx Storm, was released this week and was celebrated with national book events and midnight openings – many of which were sold out. The series follows a young dragon rider, Violet, who must navigate the perils of a war college as she falls for the rebellious rider Xaden Riorson.

Within a genre that is also bolstered by renowned authors such as Sabaa Tahir and Carissa Broadbent, there’s almost always an element of danger for these strong female protagonists, and that makes for an electrifying read. Invariably, they will fall for the resident bad boy who will wield a dark or deadly power (Xaden, for example, is a shadow wielder). 

Sparks will fly, and our heroine will spar with the brooding anti-hero, first in a battle of wits, before things later become physical. Yet, all of the action takes place inside the confines of a female-constructed fictional world, which emboldens its heroines – and the reader – to pursue their desires and assert their autonomy. 

The romantasy community appeals to readers who were raised on Twilight, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and devoured Fifty Shades Of Grey, blending the two genres to offer a more adult examination of the power play in human (and supernatural) relationships, but through a female lens, something which has often been missing in high fantasy like The Lord Of The Rings.

Finan suggests that the “bleak” state of the dating scene may have also impacted women’s growing appetite for erotic romance, where “men can be hot, powerful and respect a woman’s autonomy and choices (imagine that!). The ‘spice’ element of these books is also a large part of the appeal. 

“I think these books create a safe and open space for readers to explore their innermost fantasies,” Finan adds.

Not only are readers empowered by the sexual honesty of the heroine’s desires – even if some instances do involve superhuman elements – but the erotic charge of these books is often built through the vulnerability shown in the romantic relationships, as women reclaim or step into their power – without a man threatening to take it from them. 

Grace Mills was keen to start reading more in 2023, when she spotted A Court Of Thorns And Roses in the ‘TikTok recommends’ section of her local Waterstones. 

“I flicked through the pages of ACOTAR and the first page started with a woman aiming her bow and arrow at a wolf,” she recalls, “I’m a fan of fantasy and A Game Of Thrones, so I thought this could be a good introduction to my reading journey, and I ended up falling in love with it.

“Ultimately, I think romantasy is appealing because it’s the women who are often empowered to be strong and independent,” Mills adds. “There’s a fierceness to them, and I think it’s important to read about women fighting and feeling strong because, in so many instances in real life, we often feel incredibly vulnerable.” 

Mills says the misconception that romantasy is simply “faerie smut” diminishes these narratives as, at their core, the stories are about women being valued for being multifaceted. 

“These women are powerful in their own right, but their dark romance also is very fraught with yearning, intimacy and vulnerability, and it’s empowering to see them do both,” she continues. 

“We’ve also grown up in a world where we only really see male climax and gratification in TV, films and porn. If we’re boiling it down to the sex scenes, to read and experience sexual relationships where a woman is at the centre of this pleasure is probably unlocking a lot of feelings for women.” 

The resurgence in the mass appeal for romantasy is something that Finan predicts will “plateau” eventually, but only as the genre evolves beyond the tropes it currently survives on. 

“Romantasy has opened up the wider fantasy genre (which has historically been very male-focused) to a new generation of readers,” she adds, “Moving forward, I think we may see a shift away from overused romantasy storylines and certain tropes, with hopefully more unique and distinctive characters and worlds emerging.” 

With two more Empyrean books to go and a Maas crossover universe on the horizon, it seems that this addictive and collective obsession with this genre is far from over. 

Images: Getty