From dark fae courts and morally grey kings to dragon riders, vampire wars, and enemies-to-lovers that burn for entire series, these are the best fantasy romance series of the 21st century.

Some are spicy.

Some are devastating.

Some will emotionally ruin you in the best possible way.

Whether you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fourth Wing, or Twilight, this guide will help you find the perfect series to binge next.

🖤 Dark & Spicy Fantasy Romance Series

The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop

Tropes: Dark fantasy, morally grey characters, powerful heroine, possessive love interest

If you love your fantasy romance truly dark, emotionally intense, and unapologetically powerful, this is the series that set the standard long before romantasy was trending on BookTok.

Set in a brutal magical world ruled by blood power and dangerous courts, The Black Jewels Trilogy follows a heroine prophesied to become the most powerful queen in centuries, and the dangerously devoted, morally grey male who would burn kingdoms for her.

This is not light fantasy romance. It’s raw. It’s dark. It’s obsessive. And it’s legendary for a reason.

Perfect for readers who love dominant heroes, high-stakes magic, and emotionally consuming romance.

Start the Black Jewels Trilogy here

Blood and Ash Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, chosen one, forbidden love, spicy slow burn

If you loved ACOTAR and want something even more addictive and spicy, From Blood and Ash is your next obsession.

Poppy has been chosen for a destiny she never asked for, isolated, controlled, and forbidden from living. When a mysterious guard with dangerous secrets enters her life, everything begins to unravel… including the rules she’s sworn to follow.

The tension? Unbearable.
The chemistry? Explosive.
The plot twists? You won’t see them coming.

This series blends epic fantasy world-building with high-heat romance and one of the most binge-worthy relationships in modern romantasy.

Perfect for readers who crave slow-burn tension that turns deliciously intense.

Get the first book in the Blood and Ash series here Check the price on Kindle Get the complete series

Crowns of Nyaxia by Carissa Broadbent

Tropes: Vampire fantasy, deadly trials, enemies to lovers, dark devotion

If you’re looking for vampire romantasy with dangerous trials and a romance that simmers with tension, Crowns of Nyaxia delivers everything.

In a world ruled by vampires, a human heroine enters a brutal tournament where survival means forming alliances, even with the very creature she was raised to fear. What starts as strategy becomes something far more complicated.

Dark.
Atmospheric.
Addictive.

Fans of slow-burn enemies-to-lovers and morally complex heroes will devour this series.

It’s one of the strongest modern vampire romantasy series right now; and it only gets better with each book.

Get the Crowns of Nyaxia series here Start with the first book Start with KindleUnlimited

Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Tropes: Bully romance, enemies to lovers, fated mates, elemental magic, academy setting, morally grey heroes

If you love brutal magical academies, ruthless fae heirs, and romance that burns through pure hatred before turning obsessive, Zodiac Academy is chaos in the best way.

Twin sisters discover they’re Fae royalty and are thrown into Zodiac Academy, a magical school ruled by four dangerously powerful heirs who absolutely do not want them there. What follows is power games, humiliation, revenge, and tension so sharp it practically bleeds off the page.

Start the Zodiac Academy series here Start with KindleUnlimited

The Bargainer Series by Laura Thalassa

Tropes: Fae king, debt collector, slow burn, dark obsession

If you love powerful fae males who collect debts and never forget a bargain, The Bargainer Series is dangerously addictive.

Callie has been making deals with a mysterious fae king since she was a teenager. Years later, he returns to collect, and the tension between them is anything but simple.

This series blends romance, suspense, and dark fae magic into something that feels intimate and emotionally intense.

The relationship builds across years of shared secrets and unresolved desire.

Perfect for readers who crave possessive fae heroes, slow-burn longing, and romance built on dangerous promises.

Start The Bargainer series here Start with KindleUnlimited

✨ Looking for more dark fantasy romance with morally grey heroes?

Don’t miss the next series on this list…

🧚 Fae & Magical Courts

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Tropes: Fae courts, enemies to lovers, slow burn, morally grey hero, found family

If you’ve read fantasy romance in the last decade, you’ve felt the impact of ACOTAR.

What begins as a Beauty and the Beast–inspired tale quickly evolves into a sweeping fae court saga filled with political intrigue, devastating betrayals, and one of the most iconic romantic arcs in modern romantasy.

The tension.
The slow burn.
The emotional payoff.

This series doesn’t just deliver romance, it builds obsession.

Perfect for readers who love powerful heroines, morally grey fae males, and romance that gets darker and spicier as the series progresses.

Start the ACOTAR series here I want it all! I want the pretty one

The Folk of the Air by Holly Black

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, cruel fae prince, political manipulation, slow burn

If you prefer your fae darker, sharper, and politically ruthless, this trilogy is for you.

Jude is mortal in a world of immortal fae, and she refuses to be powerless. What follows is a twisted game of strategy, deception, and simmering hatred that slowly transforms into something far more dangerous.

The romance here is not soft.
It’s biting.
It’s strategic.
It’s earned.

Cardan remains one of the most beloved morally grey fae princes for a reason.

Perfect for readers who love tension-heavy enemies-to-lovers with sharp dialogue and court politics.

Start The Folk of the Air trilogy here I want the entire serie

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Tropes: Hidden fae world, fated bonds, dark fae courts, forbidden attraction

Before romantasy exploded on TikTok, Wicked Lovely was already giving readers dangerous fae romance.

Set in a modern world layered with invisible fae courts, this series blends urban fantasy with seductive court politics and ancient magical bonds.

The atmosphere is dreamy and dark, with romance that feels both inevitable and forbidden.

If you love the idea of seeing the fae world hidden just beneath ours, and falling for a dangerous immortal along the way, this one is worth rediscovering.

Perfect for readers who enjoy nostalgic fae romance with darker undertones.

Begin the Wicked Lovely series here I want the entire serie

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Tropes: Demon prince, enemies to lovers, dark magic, forbidden attraction

If you love seductive princes from Hell, dangerous bargains, and tension that simmers on every page, Kingdom of the Wicked is pure dark romantasy indulgence.

When Emilia’s twin sister is murdered, she makes a reckless alliance with Wrath, one of the Wicked, a demon prince sworn to rule Hell. What begins as a hunt for revenge quickly becomes something far more dangerous.

The chemistry is sharp.
The banter is addictive.

And the romance grows darker and spicier as the series unfolds.

Perfect for readers who loved morally grey fae princes in ACOTAR but want something more demonic and atmospheric.

Start the Kingdom of the Wicked series here Get the complete series

Lightlark by Alex Aster
Tropes: Deadly curses, magical rulers, competition, slow-burn romance

If you love high-stakes trials and cursed rulers forced into proximity, Lightlark delivers a dramatic, fast-paced fae fantasy with romantic tension at its core.

Every hundred years, the rulers of six cursed realms gather to break their deadly curses, but only one can win.

Secrets stack on secrets. Alliances shift. And romance becomes the most dangerous risk of all.

This series leans into dramatic twists, powerful magic, and romantic tension that keeps you guessing.

Perfect for readers who enjoy fantasy competitions with slow-burning romantic stakes.

Start the Lightlark series here Get the box set I want the pretty one

The Shepherd King by Rachel Gillig

Tropes: Gothic fantasy, dark magic, cursed king, slow-burn romance

If you crave something more atmospheric and haunting, The Shepherd King duology is a gothic fae-tinged fantasy romance filled with shadowed forests and cursed magic.

The writing is lush and immersive, with a romance that builds quietly beneath layers of prophecy and danger.

It feels older. Darker. More fairy-tale twisted.

This is romantasy for readers who prefer mood and tension over flashy spectacle, but still want that satisfying emotional payoff.

Perfect for fans of slow, eerie fantasy with restrained but powerful romantic development.

Start The Shepherd King duology here Get the box set

✨ Not sure which fae series to start with?

If you love high spice → start with ACOTAR.

If you love enemies-to-lovers tension → start with The Folk of the Air.

If you want gothic atmosphere → start with The Shepherd King.

🐉 Dragons & Epic Fantasy Romance

The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros

(Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, etc.)

Tropes: Dragon riders, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, high stakes

If you want dragon riders, deadly training academies, and a romance that feels like a spark waiting to explode, this is it.

Violet enters a brutal war college where survival isn’t guaranteed and dragons don’t bond with the weak. What she doesn’t expect? A dangerously intense connection with the one man she absolutely should not trust.

The tension is immediate.
The chemistry is electric.
The stakes are life or death.

This series blends epic fantasy warfare with deeply emotional, high-heat romance, and it’s one of the most binge-worthy romantasy series of the decade.

Perfect for readers who loved ACOTAR but wanted more dragons, more danger, and more emotional damage.

Start The Empyrean series here I want the pretty one!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Tropes: Assassin heroine, slow-burn romance, found family, epic war

If you want a fantasy romance that grows darker, deeper, and more emotionally devastating with every book, Throne of Glass delivers one of the most satisfying long-arc romances in modern fantasy.

What begins as the story of a deadly assassin competing for freedom slowly transforms into a sweeping, continent-spanning epic filled with ancient magic, political intrigue, and unforgettable love stories.

The romance here is earned. Painful. Transformative.

And by the end? You’ll feel like you survived a war alongside them.

Perfect for readers who love epic fantasy scale with powerful romantic payoffs.

Begin the Throne of Glass series here I want all the books!

✨ Want even more dragon rider romance?

Don’t miss our full list of Dragon Fantasy Romance Series to Binge.

Vampires & Supernatural Romance

The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Tropes: Vampire romance, forbidden love, fated mates, love triangle

Before romantasy dominated BookTok, Twilight defined an entire generation of fantasy romance readers. A human girl. A dangerously restrained vampire. A love that feels both forbidden and inevitable.

The intensity of first love, the longing, the obsession, this series captures emotional vulnerability in a way that still resonates decades later.

It’s dramatic.
It’s angsty.
It’s iconic.

And whether you’re revisiting it or discovering it for the first time, Twilight remains one of the most influential vampire romance series ever written.

Perfect for readers who love emotional intensity, protective heroes, and addictive slow-burn longing.

Start the Twilight Saga here Get the complete serie Get the white collection

Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris

(True blood)

Tropes: Vampire society, adult heroine, multiple love interests, supernatural politics

If you want your vampire romance darker, sassier, and more adult, the Sookie Stackhouse series delivers.

Set in a world where vampires have revealed themselves to humans, this series blends mystery, political intrigue, and seductive supernatural tension.

Sookie is independent, sharp, and constantly pulled into dangerous relationships with powerful immortals.

The romance is messy. Complicated. Intensely addictive.

Perfect for readers who want mature supernatural romance with humor, bite, and long-running relationship drama.

Begin the True Blood series here Check prize on Kindle

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Tropes: Vampire boarding school, forbidden romance, protector bond, slow burn

If you love academy settings with dangerous supernatural stakes, Vampire Academy is a must.

Set in a hidden world of royal vampires and their sworn guardians, the series follows a fierce heroine training to protect her best friend, while navigating a forbidden attraction that could cost them everything.

The tension builds slowly.
The emotional payoff hits hard.
And the romantic arc stretches beautifully across the series.

Perfect for readers who love academy fantasy, protective heroes, and long-term romantic tension.

Start the Vampire Academy series here Check prize on Kindle Get the complete series

✨ Craving darker vampire romantasy?

Don’t miss Crowns of Nyaxia in our Dark & Spicy section above.

Royal Intrigue & Political Fantasy Romance

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, hidden identity, deadly trials, morally grey prince

If you love high-stakes fantasy romance where the tension is just as deadly as the trials, Powerless delivers pure addictive angst. All though this is not fae, this series is takes place in a court setting.

In a kingdom where only the powerful survive, Paedyn is hiding the most dangerous secret of all, she has no powers. When she’s forced to compete in brutal trials meant for the elite, she finds herself entangled with Kai, the prince trained to eliminate people like her.

What starts as suspicion turns into electric tension.

What feels like rivalry slowly becomes something far more dangerous.

Start the Powerless series here Get the collection

The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, spy heroine, political tension

If you love high-stakes enemies-to-lovers where trust is a weapon, this series is addictive from page one.

Lara is trained to destroy the king she’s forced to marry. But when loyalty begins to blur with attraction, every choice becomes dangerous.

The tension isn’t just romantic, it’s political.
Every conversation feels like a duel.
Every touch feels like betrayal.

The slow burn here is intense, layered, and deeply satisfying.

Perfect for readers who crave strategic heroines, morally complex kings, and romance built on dangerous secrets.

Start The Bridge Kingdom series here Check prize on Kindle Get the 5-book collection

The Plated Prisoner by Raven Kennedy

Tropes: Dark retelling, captive heroine, morally grey ruler, slow-burn transformation

If you prefer darker political fantasy with emotional trauma and intense character evolution, this series is one of the most talked-about dark romantasy arcs in recent years.

Inspired loosely by the myth of King Midas, this story follows a heroine trapped in a gilded cage, until she begins to reclaim her power.

The romance builds slowly, shifting from survival to something far more consuming.

It’s dark. Emotional.
Transformational.

Perfect for readers who enjoy healing arcs, morally grey kings, and romance that develops through growth and resilience.

Start The Plated Prisoner series here Read with KindleUnlimited Get the complete 5-book collection

Gods & Monsters by Amber V. Nicole

(The Book of Azrael)

Tropes: Immortal enemies, god-level power, forced alliance, dark devotion

If you love powerful immortal beings forced to work together, this series delivers epic-scale tension with a romance that feels dangerous from the start.

The hero is ancient. Ruthless. Feared.
The heroine is just as formidable.

Their connection isn’t soft, it’s explosive.

The world-building leans darker, with divine conflict and morally complex motivations driving the relationship forward.

Perfect for readers who want powerful leads, intense chemistry, and epic fantasy romance with darker edges.

Start the Gods & Monsters series here Get the 3-books collection

👑 If you love strategic enemies-to-lovers with high emotional stakes, start with The Bridge Kingdom.

Prefer darker, morally grey rulers? Go with The Plated Prisoner.

Want epic god-level power romance? Try Gods & Monsters.

💫 Not Sure Where to Start? Read This First.

There are 20 fantasy romance series on this list, but not all of them are the same.

Instead of overwhelming you, here’s exactly where to start based on what you’re craving right now:

🧚 If You Love Fae Courts & Morally Grey Princes

Start with:

A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Folk of the Air
The Shepherd King

Expect political tension, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, and dangerously seductive fae rulers.

🐉 If You Want Dragons & High-Stakes Training Academies

Start with:

The Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing)
Throne of Glass

You’ll get war, loyalty, intense romantic chemistry, and emotional devastation.

🩸 If You Crave Vampires & Obsessive Love

Start with:

Twilight (for emotional nostalgia)
True Blood (for adult supernatural drama)
Crowns of Nyaxia (for dark vampire romantasy)

Expect forbidden attraction, immortals, and addictive tension.

👑 If You Love Political Intrigue & Arranged Marriage Tropes

Start with:

The Bridge Kingdom
The Plated Prisoner
Gods & Monsters

You’ll get betrayal, strategic alliances, and slow-burn passion built on dangerous secrets.

🔥 If You Want Dark & Spicy Fantasy Romance

Start with:

Blood and Ash
The Black Jewels Trilogy
Crowns of Nyaxia

These lean darker, more intense, and emotionally consuming.

Book Reviews & Lists

20 Best Fantasy Romance Series of the 21st Century (2000–2026)