If you’re a reader, or a new again reader, you have probably heard of romantasy. What is romantasy and how can you tell if a book fits this genre? Here is our simple definition to help clarify it for you.
What book genre has gained tremendous popularity in the last few years? The answer is romantasy! The romantasy genre has technically always been around, but in recent years it has been more explicitly defined. It has been rebranded as romantasy, a name used to describe a story that blends romance and fantasy.
With more and more people finding their way back to reading, discovering new authors and series that they love, this newly coined genre continues to grow in popularity!
As more and more books are published that blur the lines of the romance and fantasy genres, it becomes increasingly difficult to decipher what is considered “romantic fantasy” (true romantasy) and what is “fantasy romance.”
Here is our quick guide to identifying romantasy books!
This post is all about identifying the romantasy genre, and the difference between “romantic fantasy” and “fantasy romance.“
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What Does “Romantasy” Mean?
First, you may be wondering what exactly is romantasy? To put it plainly, it is a combination of romance and fantasy. “Romantasy” means “romantic fantasy.” This implies that the story is a fantasy story that features a romance subplot, as opposed to “fantasy romance” which is a romance story that features fantasy elements. There are many definitions floating around out there, and it can get murky as you closely dissect and analyze stories, plots, tropes, etc. In fact, most times, it seems that any fantasy books that include romance are categorized as fantasy romance. In our opinion, a romantasy story is any fantasy story that prominently features romance. A fantasy romance is a romance story that may have magical or paranormal elements, but is mainly a romance story and does not necessarily have to take place in a fantasy setting or rely on fantasy elements to carry the story.
“Romantic Fantasy” vs. “Fantasy Romance”
To further illustrate the difference between romantic fantasy (romantasy) and fantasy romance, here is an example of each.
Romantic Fantasy
Bride by Ali Hazelwood is her debut novel in the romantasy genre. This book is about a Vampyre bride who must marry an Alpha Werewolf in order to uphold a peacekeeping alliance between the two feuding sides. The main focus of this paranormal romance is on the high stakes romance in a fantasy world. The overarching plot is about the two warring sides and what must be done to establish and maintain peace between them. At its core, this is a fantasy story with a romance plot that occurs in tandem. However, without the fantasy plot, there would be no romance plot.
Fantasy Romance
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston is a perfect example of a fantasy romance. This book is about a book publicist who decides to stay in her late aunt’s very special apartment. Here, she finds herself temporary roommates with a man whom she ends up falling in love with. The twist? This story has an element of magical realism, and the man she falls in love with is actually living in a timeline 7 years in the past. The focus of this book is on the romance between the main characters. The magical element enhances the romance story.
This post was all about defining romantasy, and the difference between “romantic fantasy” and “fantasy romance.”
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