Romantasy Trends in 2025:

“Trends come and go, but story is forever.”

If you’re a romantasy lover or writer like me, you’ve probably noticed that 2025 is already serving up some spicy, sparkly, and slightly-sword-stabby magic. But with the sheer amount of content being released, it’s getting harder to stand out — both for readers and writers.

Romantasy is thriving, yes, but it’s also maturing. Audiences are sharper. They know what they want — and more importantly, what they’re tired of seeing. As both a reader and a writer, I’ve been devouring new releases like Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros and comparing them to old favourites to track where the genre is heading.

So, what’s working right now in romantasy? And what’s feeling a little… overcooked?

Let’s break it down.

🔥 What’s Hot in 2025

1. Dual POV with Tension You Can Cut with a Dagger

Readers are obsessed with getting inside both lovers’ heads — and the angstier, the better. We want yearning, miscommunication, secret identities, and all the delicious drama. Bonus points if one is secretly plotting betrayal but falls first.

Just look at Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. Watching both Violet and Xaden unravel emotionally and psychologically, with trust issues, political secrets, and slow-burn chemistry, creates some of the most compelling romantic tension in recent memory.

2. Monster Boyfriends (Still Going Strong)

From winged fae warriors to morally grey demons, monster boyfriends are still trending — and let’s be honest, we’re not mad about it. Especially when they’re paired with soft domestic moments and moral dilemmas.

Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses remains the blueprint: a terrifying and powerful High Fae who also cooks breakfast and worships the ground Feyre walks on.

3. Trials and Tournaments

Whether it’s a battle to ascend to the throne or survive a deadly magic school, readers love a structured system of challenges. It gives the story urgency and room for romantic slow burn.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a classic example — with the assassin competition and Celaena’s forbidden feelings for both the prince and the guard, the tension practically sings.

4. Found Family

A trope that isn’t going anywhere. Especially when the broody assassin and sunshine healer slowly become siblings-in-arms. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black does this in a delightfully twisted way with unlikely alliances and bitter loyalty.

5. TikTok Tropes in Full Force

Think: “he falls first,” “only one bed,” and the ever-viral “knife to the throat but make it flirtatious.” These tropes still drive discovery and engagement — especially if they’re used with a twist or subverted entirely.

Books like Fourth Wing embrace these tropes and elevate them, making them feel fresh again through well-written character arcs and believable stakes.

💀 What’s Overdone (or on Thin Ice)

1. Generic Fae Courts with No Real Culture

We’ve had a lot of courts lately. But if your Winter Court is just icicles and arrogance, readers are getting bored. Worldbuilding matters — especially if you want your book to stand out in a crowded genre.

If your court doesn’t have customs, conflicts, food, or folklore, it might not be enough anymore. We need to feel like your realm existed before chapter one.

2. Insta-Love Disguised as Fated Mates

Just because their souls are cosmically bound doesn’t mean they shouldn’t work for it. Readers are craving connection and conflict.

When the fated mates meet and immediately start making out in the moonlight, it just doesn’t hit. ACOTAR flirted with this, but even that gave us tension, conflict, and choices.

3. The Emotionless Assassin Who Is Cured by Love

We get it — he kills for a living but her smile melts his cold heart. Unless you’re bringing something new to the trope (trauma-informed healing arcs, anyone?), it might be time to let him retire or evolve.

4. The Endless Info Dump (Especially in Prologues)

If I need to study a flowchart to understand your magic system in chapter one, I’m out. Sprinkle, don’t shovel. We want to experience the world, not be lectured about it.

Sarah J. Maas’s books are a good example of this done right — her worlds are layered, but she lets the reader discover them over time through action and emotion.

5. Unfinished Series Being Marketed Like Duologies

We’re all a little burnt out on being left hanging. If you’re not sure when the next book’s out, be honest with your readers. Cliffhangers are fine — false promises, not so much.

The romantasy genre is absolutely thriving, and 2025 is full of bold, imaginative takes. But with saturation comes the need for intention. If you’re writing romantasy this year, ask yourself: What am I adding to the trope? What emotional truth am I exploring?

As a reader, we’re spoiled. There’s more to read than ever — but I still get giddy when I find something that feels like it was crafted with care.

So whether you’re writing about soul-bonded knife fighters or cursed lovers trapped in magical trials, don’t just copy trends — make them mean something.

And maybe, just maybe, let’s retire the name Lucien for a while. Your dark and brooding anti-hero deserves something that doesn’t sound like every other morally grey prince on the shelf. 😉