If you’re looking for a list of the most anticipated romantasy books of 2026, you’ve come to exactly the right place! In preparation for launching What God Has Ordained, our first upcoming romantasy novel in The Legacy of Chandar series, I wanted to take a look at the eight upcoming, most-talked-about romantasy books around the web in a genre that has grown exponentially in the last decade.
The genre’s meteoric rise has been fueled by a perfect storm of factors. In fact, it has been so profitable that even traditional publishing houses have bought in, and in a big way. As a genre, romantasy can offer readers an escape into immersive worlds while also addressing themes of identity, personal empowerment, and love. In uncertain times, as these are, romantasy novels provide comfort and inspiration, making them particularly appealing to a broad audience. The readership range, especially for indie romantasy, has expanded from women aged 35-54 in 2013, to 18-54 today. That is incredible growth!
Romantasy is not just a trend; it is reshaping the publishing landscape, with many titles becoming bestsellers and driving profits for indie authors and traditional publishers alike. The Guardian says that fantasy romance book sales have gone up by an estimated 40% year-over-year. And according to Bloomberg, there are no signs of that slowing down. Bloomberg estimates that in 2024, Romantasy books achieved $610 million in sales, up from $454 million in 2023!
But if you reached this point and are asking “what is romantasy, anyway?” then let me fill you in. The most obvious explanation is also the most complete: romantasy is a combination of “romance” and “fantasy.” As such, it’s a subgenre which uses romantic relationships, not to mention their emotional pay-offs, as the central plot in a fantasy setting. It’s similar to “epic fantasy romance,” which includes elements and themes that broaden the significance of the love story into “a love that can affect the fate of nations, or even worlds.” And is it ever HOT right now! That mix of “fantasy” and “romance” catalyzes both genres, offering readers an escape into immersive worlds with powerful heroines and emotionally resonant love stories.
So, without further ado read on for some of the best romantasy coming in 2026!
The Most Anticipated Romantasy Books of 2026
The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig
The final installment in The Stonewater Kingdom duology, following the #1 New York Times bestseller The Knight and the Moth. Ava Reid called the series “a dazzlingly transportive tale of love, salvation, and freedom,” and Tasha Suri praised it as “that rare fantasy gem: both a thrilling quest and an exquisite love story.” This one picks up with Aisling Cathedral in ruins and the king freshly married to Sybil Delling — who’s determined to bring him down, with unexpected help from a knave with no name and no memory. Release date: September 1, 2026.
The Last Thorn by Talia Hibbert
Talia Hibbert’s fantasy debut sparked a fifteen-publisher bidding war before Tor UK won it — that’s how much buzz a beloved romance author crossing into romantasy generates. The Last Thorn is a spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling set in Albion, an alternate post-civil-war Britain with a secret society of magic users, where a cursed hero must soul-bond with his enemy’s exiled daughter or lose himself to the monster inside him. Book Riot called it the return readers have been waiting five years for. Release date: Summer 2026.
The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent
Book five in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, and the start of a new duet. Ten years into a war between humans and vampires, bounty hunter Kyrene strikes a deal with vampire prince Septimus to help her take on the gods themselves. Early reviewers are calling the pairing one of the series’ best yet — “emotionally relentless,” one 4.25-star review called it, praising the constant momentum and a romance that builds gradually under real pressure. Release date: August 24, 2026.
A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan
The sequel to NYT bestseller A Forbidden Alchemy — and by most accounts the stronger book. Reviewers say Alchemy walked so Prophecy could fly, with the world, story, and characters finally coming fully into their own. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the earth Charmer, navigate betrayal and war between the Artisans and Craftsmen in a world of high-class magic and gangster grit. Pacing that reviewers call relentless in the best way — though the ending’s already been flagged as one that’ll frustrate anyone who hates waiting for book three. Release date: July 14–21, 2026.
The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde
This is is the third book in the Oak & Holly Cycle series. Kierse McKenna battles an unbreakable curse binding her to a man she hates, seeking freedom with the relentless help of Graves, her winter god. Release date: June 16, 2026. Update: this one’s out now, and it delivered! K.A. Linde wraps up the Oak & Holly Cycle’s third installment with — per Goodreads’ 1,700+ ratings (4.20 average) — “a rollercoaster of emotions”: action, curses, monsters, heists, and what one reviewer called the best group chat in the genre. Kierse McKenna finally lets her found family in, and the ending’s cliffhanger has readers reaching for both swear words and book four. Released June 16, 2026 — go grab it.
Fae & Alchemy Book 3 by Callie Hart
The as-yet-untitled conclusion to Callie Hart’s Fae & Alchemy trilogy, wrapping up Saeris and Fisher’s story after Quicksilver and Brimstone. “The rules have all been broken. Everything has changed,” the publisher’s copy teases — can these two god-bound warriors save their kingdom, or is it already too late? Given how beloved the first two books are, expect this to be one of the most-preordered romantasy titles of the back half of the year. Release date: November 10, 2026.
In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy
Imogen, a Siren queen, confronts a new monster while grappling with her bond to King Theodore and the challenges of her ancestral crown. Released July 7, 2026. Update: also out now, and readers say it’s even better than book one. #1 NYT bestseller Kerri Maniscalco called it “dark, addictive, and brimming with romantic tension,” and Cassidy “a fierce new voice in the genre.” Siren queen Imogen keeps confronting new monsters while wrestling with her bond to King Theodore — reviewers are calling the sequel darker, sharper, and more character-driven than book one.
ACOTAR Books 6, 7 & 8 by Sarah J. Maas
No list would be complete without a mention, at least, of the romantasy blockbuster series in the room. In a March 2026 announcement, Maas revealed that the story she’d been writing grew so massive — well over 1,000 pages — that it had to be split across three volumes. Book 6 releases October 27, 2026 (Part 1), Book 7 on January 12, 2027 (Parts 2 & 3), and Book 8 (Part 4) is still being written with no release date yet. “It’s meant to be read ideally as one massive, massive story,” she said.
Why 2026 Is a Great Year for Romantasy Readers
I’m sizing up 2026 as the best year for romantasy yet! There are many new upcoming romantasy releases in 2026 (including ours!) and several highly anticipated sequels, full of magic, monsters, and mayhem. From what I’ve read so far, this year’s selection of upcoming romantasy novels features powerful, relatable heroines, strange yet captivating storylines, and relationships that put the fate of entire worlds at risk. What’s not to love?
While you’re waiting for these titles to be published, you can read the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of What God Has Ordained, the first book in The Legacy of Chandar series, absolutely free! Download it from BookFunnel today!
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In a way, I like the re-branding of both the Romance and Fantasy genres into Romantasy. Having been a voracious reader from a very young age, I know that most Fantasy can also be dove-tailed into Romance if you expand the definition of what is romantic. Most people romanticize the Old West or the Gangster era of 1930s America.
The blending of the two genres serves to bring both into the light, which is a good thing. I will definitely have to start looking at authors who are new to me (all on this list, for example) and see about diving back into my old reading habits. 🙂
I wish the term “romantasy” had been in more common use when Michael and I wrote the Raven & Iris books in 2013 – 2015. I remember how we struggled to fit them into the pre-existing categories of either romance or fantasy. And I remember the anxiety that caused, because no matter which we chose, it never seemed “right.”
Fortunately, things change. 😄 As a romantasy author, I’m looking forward to expanding my reading into the genre a bit more widely. I’m thinking “The Lion and the Deathless Dark” may well be my next read. The third Fae & Alchemy book looks tasty too, but I’m not sure where I’d find time to read the first two.
How about you? What’s intriguing you in that list?