I like fantasy. I like romance. But I am not a young adult. I am not interested in one more teenage girl with dead parents going to magic school, faerie court or dragon training. Of the 20 “Romantasy” nominees on the Goodreads Choice Awards, I’ve read “A Dawn of Onyx” and “The Hanging City,” the only grown-up books on that list. I Dnf’d “Fourth Wing,” because FOMO, but not my jam.
What possible distinction is there between “Romantasy” and “YA Fantasy?” Who is writing for us olds?
If you’re looking for Romantasy with older lead characters, T Kingfisher’s World of the White Rat books - specifically the Paladin novels - are absolutely spot on. Tender, sweet, funny and very real.
ETA: this is quite a common request over on r/Romantasy so there are some good threads with lots of recommendations.
I’ve never been a big fantasy reader, nor do I like romance, but there’s something about those books that is just perfection. I love the writing, the plots, the characters - just everything about them. The Clockwork Boys and the Wonder Engine are good too, but I agree that the Paladin trilogy is better