Romantasy
Romantasy (romance + fantasy) exploded on BookTok 2020-2023 as the dominant genre, blending high fantasy worldbuilding with explicit romance. Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (ACOTAR, 2015) became the genre’s Bible, spawning thousands of imitators.
Genre Characteristics
Romantasy features fae/vampires/shifters, chosen one heroines, enemies-to-lovers romance, found family, court intrigue, and explicit sex scenes (often labeled “spicy”). The genre prioritized romance over plot, with 600-800 page books featuring extensive makeout sessions and minimal worldbuilding depth.
BookTok Dominance
Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “From Blood and Ash” (2020), Rebecca Yarros’s “Fourth Wing” (2023), and Raven Kennedy’s “Gild” (2020) became multi-million sellers. Publishers rushed to acquire romantasy, often from Wattpad or self-published authors. Critics derided repetitive tropes (shadow daddies, bat boys, morally gray love interests), but readers couldn’t get enough.
By 2023, romantasy dominated BookTok, romance bestsellers, and publishing acquisitions—the genre’s commercial dominance was absolute.
Sources: https://www.publishersweekly.com/