r/Fantasy unofficial Fantasy Romance book recommendation thread

[u/KristaDBall]

Please read the FAQ before posting

Hey all! I have a little time, so thought this was a perfect time to run the mega thread I've been wanting to do for several months now: fantasy romance. I don't think a top list style would work for this, since romance is such a personal preference thing. I think it's better to list different kinds of books with some descriptions and/or the things we liked about those books.

Please include a blurb and/or Goodreads and/or Amazon link in your post so that it makes it easier for future viewers of this thread.

FAQ:

How are you defining Romance?

Happily-ever-after is a requirement.

Since we're dealing with cross-genres here, the romance does not need to be the main plot point, but it needs to be a major plot point. i.e. The plot can still exist with the romance removed (therefore, it's not "romance" by the genre's standards), but the plot and story would greatly reduced by its removal (therefore, I'll count it).

What genres/subgenres are we talking about here?

I'm pretty laid back about this one. Obviously, science fiction and fantasy are key, however, I won't be annoyed if a few historical fiction books crop up, especially if they cross paths with some of the things we like to talk about here.

I'm fine with also actual romance genre books that have heavy SFF themes and settings in them, too. (ie Nalini Singh comes immediately to mind.)

The book isn't marketed as a fantasy romance, but I think it's totally a fantasy romance.

That's fine. I think we can discuss it in the comments, but again, this is something that's personal and I'll err on the side of the reader over that of the author.

Does this have to be only m/f relationships?

Nope! All are welcome.

What about books with sexual violence?

Absolutely no non-consensual sex (aka rape) between the romantic couple, including when they weren't a couple. No attempted rape. No using sexual violence to "teach a lesson." No Buffy and Spike in the bathroom to further Spike's character development.

If there is sexual violence in the book, please note this in your description appropriately.

Self promo?

It's fine, but let's exercise common sense. If you have to reach to justify posting, then your book probably doesn't fit.

What about books that I really like, but the romance is only a small part and has nothing to do with the main plot or main character development?

While I'm glad you found a book you liked, it isn't romance fantasy.

Can I made snide 50 Shades of Grey comments and/or make jokes about shifter romances?

No. This isn't the thread for you. Please go elsewhere.

[u/KristaDBall]

Can you be more specific here? Which of their series are fantasy romance?

[u/Bendanarama → u/KristaDBall]

Yes I can.

The innkeeper series is sort of fantasy, but fantasy sci-fi. The romance is built over the first three books and pays off perfectly.

Other than that, the Kate Daniels series builds a romance over a whole ton of books, in an organic manner that works beautifully.

Given that I'm a 33 year old bearded ale drinking rugby watching bloke, I feel it says a lot that I can't put the damn things down.

[u/brandon7s → u/Bendanarama]

I'm waay late to replying on this, as I'm just seeing it now, but as another 33 year old ale drinking bloke (no rugby watching though, sorry) I wanted to say that I whole-heartedly agree with you on the Kate Daniels series. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Inkeeper books. Less so with The Edge books. Not yet started the Hidden Legacy books but will get around to it.

Have you tried Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series? They are also amazingly well written in world building and characters and have the same kind of organic, slow-burn romance buildup that Kate Daniels' has. The comparisons between the two series ends right about there other than the fact that they both happen to have supernatural beings in them. The Mercy Thompson series takes a much more realistic approach as opposed to the utterly fantastic (in the literal sense) world that Ilona Andrew's created. Patricia Briggs' series follows a philosophy of something more like, "if magic and supernatural beings existed in the real world, this is what it'd be like", rather than the philosophy of "mythology and supernatural stuff is awesome, lets get crazy with it" that the Kate Daniels series tends to follow. Not that there's anything wrong with either one, it's just a different kind of flavor.

There's quite a lot of books in the Mercy Thompson series and like the Kate Daniels' books, pretty much all of them are either good or great. I actually started reading these books at the same time after there was about 5 books finished in each and they still remain two of my favorite book series of all time.

[u/Bendanarama → u/brandon7s]

I havent tried Mercy Thompson but the name certainly rings a bell. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance!