Perfect books are rarities, and that’s especially true when it comes to the romantasy genre. After all, novels in this category are tasked with juggling two important pieces: an engaging fantasy narrative and a compelling romance arc. It’s difficult to deliver a 10/10 story on one of those fronts, much less on both.

This makes 10/10 romantasy novels hard to come by, but there are many great books in the category that almost get there. These novels are well worth your time, as they get nearly everything right. They might have minor shortcomings, but even these don’t stop them from being incredible reads.

8

Fourth Wing

By Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing is one of the most popular books on BookTok for a reason, and there’s no denying that it’s a gripping and fun romantasy novel. Rebecca Yarros creates a fully immersive world on par with hits like ACOTAR, and she wastes no time throwing readers into it. Fourth Wing establishes its stakes and pacing from the jump, driving home why it deserves a spot on your TBR.

Related

8 Harsh Realities Of Re-Reading Fourth Wing After Iron Flame & Onyx Storm

Reading Fourth Wing for the first time was an exciting introduction to a unique fantasy world, but coming back to it, some issues appear upon re-read.

These aren’t the only things to love about Fourth Wing, either. The book’s romance may move a little quickly, but the connection between Violet and Xaden is at its best as they’re figuring out whether they’re enemies, allies, or something more. The dragon lore also feels fresh and exciting, and the twists during Fourth Wing‘s ending elevate the book to greatness.

There’s very little holding Fourth Wing back from being a 10/10 romantasy book, but it does have some minor shortcomings. For one, the setup of its world — particularly regarding Navarre’s military and its recruitment — doesn’t make a ton of sense. The romance being sold as enemies-to-lovers also hurts the novel, as Xaden and Violet never really feel that way.

7

A Court Of Mist & Fury

By Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist & Fury is one of the best — if not the best — Court of Thorns & Roses books, and it nearly reaches a 10/10 status. ACOMAF does an impressive job of subverting reader expectations, shifting Feyre’s love interest from Tamlin to Rhysand. It also handles her toxic and abusive falling out with Tamlin with an admirable amount of care.

Related

10 Harsh Realities Of Reading The Original Court Of Thorns & Roses Trilogy

A Court of Thorns and Roses was originally going to be a trilogy, leading to some problems with some plot details in the context of the wider series.

In addition to doing Feyre’s journey justice on the heels of everything she endures in book 1, A Court of Mist & Fury also manages to ramp up the stakes of the overall series. While A Court of Wings & Ruin doesn’t necessarily do enough with that setup, ACOMAF leaves readers feeling like the story is on an upward trajectory.

The main thing holding A Court of Mist & Fury back from being a 10/10 book is that Maas has a bad habit of having important things happen off the page, then telling readers about them rather than showing them. The book’s villain is also a bit underwhelming compared to Amarantha, though this could be chalked up to him being mysterious at this point of the story.

6

Faebound

By Saara El-Arifi

Faebound is a massively underrated romantasy book that deserves more love, as it puts a memorable spin on Elven and Fae lore. The novel does a great job developing its heroines over the course of 300+ pages, and their sisterly bond is a highlight of the story. The fantasy elements are also masterfully crafted, with the unique drum-magic being a particular standout.

Faebound also benefits from fast pacing and some well-placed twists, helping the book get close to a 10/10 status. Sadly, the romance is what prevents the book from reaching it. Yeeran’s enemies-to-lovers relationship unravels a bit too quickly to fully get readers on board, which is a shame, given how great the characters are separately and how much potential they have together.

Related

12 Finished Romantasy Book Series That Won’t Leave You Desperate For A Sequel

The long windows between romantasy book releases can be brutal, and if you don’t want to be left waiting, there are several series that are finished.

Saara El-Arifi’s 2024 romantasy novel is one of the rare books that would benefit from being a bit longer. This would give the romance more room to breathe, and it would give the author more time to sell readers on it.

5

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia Of Faeries

By Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a fantastic cozy fantasy book, and its focus on romance allows it to straddle the line between fantasy and romantasy. However you categorize it, Heather Fawcett’s novel is well worth picking up. It has a relatable and well-developed heroine, a charming love interest, and a unique approach to faerie lore.

Related

10 Must-Read Cozy Fantasy Books To Snuggle Up With

These cozy fantasy books are the perfect reads to snuggle up with, boasting low stakes, heartwarming character moments, and plenty of humor.

Fawcett does a brilliant job of bringing all these things together, weaving a narrative where hardly anything feels out of place. The writing itself is also incredible, fully immersing readers in the world; indeed, you can almost taste Fawcett’s descriptions of food.

But while Fawcett’s story comes together well, it lulls a little too much at times — even for a cozy book, which should be more slowly paced. The urgency picks up at the end, but its too-slow moments in the middle prevent it from achieving perfection.

4

Heartless Hunter

By Kristen Ciccarelli

If you love witches and magic, Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is a must-read romantasy book. It puts a fresh and interesting spin on blood magic, and it does so through the lens of a badass and likable heroine. Rune’s mission throughout the novel is admirable, and it’s easy to fall into her POV. Strangely enough, it’s just as easy to fall into Gideon’s.

Despite Gideon being a witch hunter, he’s a surprisingly understandable love interest. Heartless Hunter does a masterful job at creating an enemies-to-lovers dynamic that doesn’t feel toxic; given Rune’s and Gideon’s experiences in the past, readers can sympathize with both of them.

The book also has plenty of action and a few key twists, along with a tragic ending. Heartless Hunter is another nearly perfect romantasy book that deserves more attention. The only thing preventing it from being 10/10 is that it doesn’t go as deep into the lore of witchcraft and blood magic as it should.

3

Five Broken Blades

By Mai Corland

Five Broken Blades is another hugely underrated romantasy book, and it makes a great Six of Crows replacement with its twisty heist narrative and cast of morally dubious characters. Even with six different POVs to follow, Five Broken Blades ensures each of its main characters is interesting and sympathetic in their own ways.

Related

10 Fantasy Books With Morally Dubious Characters We Can’t Help But Love

These fantasy books may have casts full of morally dubious characters, but readers will find themselves rooting for these figures anyway.

The story also plows forward at a breakneck pace, making it an easy novel to read in just one sitting. The twists and turns are all well-crafted, and Five Broken Blades’ ending is one most readers won’t see coming. The book is a standout in the romantasy category, though it doesn’t quite reach a 10/10.

As the first installment in the series, there’s a lot of setup happening in this book, and it feels like the characters are constantly moving without much happening. That could be overlooked, given how intriguing the characters are, but Five Broken Blades also moves its relationships a bit too quickly. Fortunately, its sequels just get closer and closer to perfection.

2

Powerless

By Lauren Roberts

Lauren Roberts’ Powerless is a book that gets a lot of attention on TikTok, and it’s a fun addition to the romantasy genre. The two leads have great chemistry, their banter is top-tier, and both Paedyn and Kai are likable characters in their own right. Paedyn’s circumstances as she enters the Purging Trials also set high stakes, and the book delivers on those.

Powerless takes readers on an action-packed ride, and it packs an emotional punch at the very end. Its fast-pacing and engaging world bring it close to achieving a 10/10 status, but unfortunately, the novel doesn’t bring anything new or unique to the genre. It’s entertaining all the way through, but it doesn’t stand out, and that prevents it from being a perfect read.

1

Divine Rivals

By Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals took BookTok by storm in 2023, and it’s easy to understand why Rebecca Ross’ romantasy book was such a hit. It’s charming and atmospheric, and its focus on two characters who work at a newspaper feels both unique and fun. The fact that the narrative revolves around magic typewriters also makes the novel unique, and that’s not all it has going for it.

The rivalry and romance between Iris and Roman is well done, even if it develops a little quickly, and both of them being on the war front raises the stakes significantly. Sadly, while the romance doesn’t leave much on the table, Divine Rivals would benefit from a bit more world-building and a greater focus on the fantasy aspects of the story.

Related

10 Great Romantasy Books That Hooked Us From Start To Finish

There are many great romantasy books out there, but some of them capitalize on high stakes, character dynamics, and action to keep readers engaged.

It’s this that prevents the romantasy book from being a 10/10, even though it’s an otherwise spotless read. Fortunately, Ross does get to expand on the world and lore in the sequel — and the author also has a spinoff coming out later this year.