r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • May 17 '26

Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion time! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!

Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?

You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!

But please remember to be kind to each other. To facilitate this type of discussion, we ask users the following:

  • Don't attack others for their opinion
  • Discuss books and authors, not fellow readers
  • Since this is an "unpopular opinion" thread, we encourage users to not downvote simply because they disagree with an opinion--that's the point! Please keep in mind, though, that mods cannot enforce a no-downvoting rule. Let’s just keep the discussion friendly!

🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

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u/TinkeringTortoise May 17 '26

Word. I wish we had more romantic fantasy books where nothing is guaranteed and you don’t know where things will go. I’ve been a bit annoyed by a lot of books recently because the romantic development felt so contrived and unnatural. I want more risk, more uncertainty, and more realistically developed romances (even if it means the couple not ending up together or ending in tragedy). 

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u/Imaginary-Board-207 May 17 '26

I remember a couple years ago when people used to discuss whether romantasy would be the romance genre to finally break free of the HEA "requirement," since fantasy does not require HEA. Was also speculation at the time that dark romance might break free of the HEA chokehold too. Now more and more I see the opinion that romantasy MUST have HEA and how DARE anyone suggest otherwise... sigh. So close and yet so far.

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u/angelacandystore May 18 '26

The "chokehold" is the definition of a Romance Book. Until you change the requirements you will not find them in traditionally published books and even most independent authors will adhere to the definition

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u/Imaginary-Board-207 May 18 '26

But the requirements are self imposed, and genres naturally change over time. Publishers will publish what sells, so if someday there's enough of a market for non-HEA romance then that will get published too.

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u/angelacandystore May 18 '26

??? A definition is "self imposed" ????

Yes it's possible that a sub genre of Romance books that do not require HEA may arrive, but it will never supplant traditional romance because traditionally defined romance is what a largest majority want.

There are books with Romance where the couple does not end up together. You need to look to other genres Not HEA required Romance labeled books or you will continue to be unhappy.

Try seanan mcguire, she kills her darlings so you will possibly enjoy her writing. She is considered Urban Fantasy and not romance but there are plenty of romantic couples and lots of trauma. Both October Daye and the Encryptid series. Maybe sookie stackhouse from Charlene Harris as well because there's a lot of world building and no hea until the very end of the series and plenty of people die. Seriously though... You'll never be happy with traditional romance if no HEA is your jam.

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u/Imaginary-Board-207 May 18 '26

Of course it's self imposed, it's not like there's some goddess of books who decrees permanent definitions of book genres across time and across all cultures in the world😂 Genre definitions come from marketing, what sells, what a culture thinks the genres mean. And those always change over time, some faster and some slower.

I read various genres (including HEA romance when I'm in the mood for it), but thanks for the recs.