Love & Magic: What’s the Difference Between Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, and Romantasy?

Let's get some clarification (with examples)

If you’ve ever fallen in love with a brooding shadow daddy mid-battle or found yourself more emotionally attached to a slow-burn magical kiss than the fate of an entire kingdom, then welcome. You, my friend, are a fan of stories where love and fantasy collide — and you’ve probably seen terms like romantic fantasy, fantasy romance, and the ever-trendy romantasy floating around your feed.

But what’s the difference between them? Are they just different ways to say “swoony fantasy book”? Or do they actually mean different things?

Let’s unpack it. (And yes, there will be feelings involved.)

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Fantasy Romance: It’s All About the Love

In a fantasy romance, the romance is the main event. The magic? The dragons? The cursed bloodlines? All amazing — but they’re really there to support the love story.

Think of it as a romance novel wearing a crown and wielding a sword. You’re here for the tension, the banter, the kiss-that-saves-the-world kind of energy. If you stripped away the fantasy elements, you’d still have a swoon-worthy romance front and center.

Examples:

• Radiance by Grace Draven

• The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

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Romantic Fantasy: Magic First, But Love Sneaks In

Now romance fantasy flips the script a bit. The story starts with a fantasy plot — maybe there’s a war brewing, a crown at stake, or some dark magic threatening to destroy everything — and somewhere along the way, our main characters start to fall in love.

The romance is important (and usually makes us scream into pillows), but it’s not always the focus. It’s one thread in a much bigger tapestry — a delicious thread, but still one of many.

Examples:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (especially from ACOMAF onward)

• The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

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Romantasy: The Best of Both Worlds

And now we get to romantasy — the beautiful chaos-child born on TikTok that’s quickly taken over our bookshelves and our hearts.

Romantasy isn’t just fantasy with romance. It’s not just romance with a little magic. It’s both — equal parts swoon and sword-fight. It’s the kind of story where the world is epic, the stakes are sky-high, and the love story feels like the emotional core of everything.

It’s the genre where the kingdom's fate might depend on whether or not they finally admit they’re in love.

Examples:

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

• From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

• Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

• (And maybe... A Kingdom of Fire & Rain? 👀)

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Why The Difference Between Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Romance & Romantasy Matters (aka, Why We Care So Much)

Understanding the difference between romantic fantasy, fantasy romance, and romantasy helps us find what we really want to read. Some of us crave guaranteed happily-ever-afters with a touch of fae magic. Some of us want gritty fantasy plots where love is messy, inconvenient, and often heartbreaking. And some of us want it all — the love, the war, the magic, the betrayal, the banter, the angst, the everything.

That’s the beauty of romantasy. It gives us room to fall in love and burn the world down.

So, next time someone asks what you’re reading, you can smile and say, “Oh, it’s just a little romantasy.”(And then proceed to passionately explain the difference for 20 minutes because you can’t help yourself.)