Romantasy (romance + fantasy) conquered publishing as the 2020s dominant genre, making Sarah J. Maas the bestselling author in America and proving readers wanted epic fantasy plots with satisfying romance.
The Pioneer
Sarah J. Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (ACOTAR, 2015) crystallized the romantasy formula: high fantasy world-building, strong female protagonist, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, explicit sex scenes, found family, morally gray love interests, multi-book character arcs.
ACOTAR was good. “A Court of Mist and Fury” (ACOMAF, 2016) was transcendent. The Rhysand reveal—switching from abusive Tamlin to perfect Rhys—created the modern romantasy template. Readers screamed “Feysand” across social media.
Maas dominated: “Throne of Glass” series, “Crescent City” series. By 2023, she’d sold 38+ million books, outselling Stephen King and James Patterson combined in some months.
The Formula
Romantasy’s key ingredients:
- Epic fantasy stakes (war, magic, courts, prophecies)
- Romance as central plot driver, not subplot
- Multiple love interests (triangles optional but common)
- Explicit sex scenes (publishing called it “spicy”)
- Banter and wit alongside darkness
- Found family dynamics
- Strong female leads who grow in power
- At least 400 pages, ideally 500-700
- Series, not standalone
Rebecca Yarros’ “Fourth Wing” (2023) perfected the formula: dragon riders, enemies-to-lovers, military academy, explicit content. It sold 4+ million copies in months, crashed BookTok, inspired thousands of dragon tattoos.
The Explosion
By 2022-2023, romantasy dominated bestseller lists. Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “From Blood and Ash” series, Rebecca Ross’ “Divine Rivals,” Scarlett St. Clair’s Hades/Persephone retellings, Jennifer Saint’s Greek mythology romance—romantasy was everywhere.
Publishers scrambled to acquire anything with fantasy + romance. Advances skyrocketed. Cover aesthetics crystallized: illustrated art, romantic couples, magical elements, rich colors.
Traditional fantasy readers complained romantasy diluted fantasy. Romance purists argued it wasn’t “real romance.” Romantasy readers didn’t care—they wanted both, explicit, in 600-page hardcovers.
The Business
Romantasy became publishing’s most profitable category. Print sales boomed despite ebooks. Special editions sold out instantly. Authors couldn’t write fast enough. BookTok drove discovery—#Romantasy hit 500M+ views.
By 2023, romantasy WAS mainstream publishing for under-40 readers. It made fantasy accessible to romance readers and added steam to fantasy. The genre merger created a commercial juggernaut.
Source: NPD BookScan data, Publishers Weekly, Sarah J. Maas sales figures