Romantasy is a hybrid genre where fantasy worldbuilding and a romantic relationship share equal narrative weight. Unlike fantasy with a romance subplot or romance with a fantasy setting, romantasy treats both elements as essential. The love story can't be removed without collapsing the fantasy plot, and vice versa. The term exploded on BookTok and has become one of the fastest-growing categories in publishing.
Romantasy is dominating bestseller lists and social media right now. If you're writing fantasy with a strong romantic arc, understanding this label helps you position your work for the audience that's actively looking for it. It also represents how reader-driven genre labels are reshaping publishing categories.
The series that launched the romantasy boom, blending fae courts with a central romance that drives the overarching plot.
Paranormal worldbuilding interlocked with an enemies-to-lovers arc that readers couldn't separate from the fantasy stakes.
Chinese mythology-inspired fantasy where the romance and the quest for the protagonist's mother are inextricable.
In romantasy, the romance needs its own arc with beats, obstacles, and growth. It should be structurally equal to the fantasy plot.
The fantasy elements need to remain compelling and coherent even during romantic scenes. Don't let worldbuilding quality drop during relationship beats.