Fantasy Romance Novels: What We Love, And What We Don’t

Betty Bugle

Updated on:

a fantasy book surrounded by lights

Fantasy romance novels have enormous power to sweep us away on a journey we never imagined possible. Novelists have more license to create situations where love can shine, and can even play around with the concept itself. 

But, of course, it’s a hard balance to strike. While some fantasy romance novels are fantastic, others leave a lot to be desired. 

So, what do we love about fantasy romance novels, and what don’t we like and want to see less of from authors in this space? 

What We Love

Here’s a list of some of the things we love about fantasy romance novels

The Epic World-Building

Top of the list of things we love about fantasy romance novels has to be epic world-building. There’s nothing quite like it anywhere else in literature (other than perhaps gritty Russian novels set in places like Magnitogorsk). 

The world-building helps to set the scene for the romance to unfold. Readers almost feel as if they were there, sharing the environment with the characters and experiencing the plot first-hand. 

For example, Laini Taylor does a good job of this in her books as she constructs magical realms and experiments with new concepts that simply wouldn’t apply in the real world. 

Then there’s the ability of Sarah J. Maas to create intrigue in the court in her books. Embarking on a Throne of Glass tandem read is an exciting adventure when it comes to learning about the politics of human emotions and drama in a quasi-ethereal setting. 

The Themes Of Destiny

The themes of destiny are also something that comes across quite strongly in fantasy romance novels. It’s the idea that there’s some spiritual world backing everything up and explaining why things happen. 

This concept has fallen out of fashion in materialist writing but remains plausible in fantasy worlds. Destiny is the idea that two people are meant to be together, even if circumstances seem to be pushing them apart. It gives the novelist scope to create opportunities or chance events that might not occur in the real world. 

Fae romances and werewolf novels get this right in more ways than one. Often, lovers have a charm or fated bond that draws them closer and causes them to eventually be together, even if they are separated by pain, distance, family or even betrayal. 

The Complexity Of The Characters 

The complexity of the characters in fantasy romance novels, and the way they grow with time, is deeply interesting. Often, their evolution reminds the reader of people they know, making it even more compelling. 

Character complexities tend to come out best in the context of love. Because it is such a challenging emotion to navigate, many people find themselves succumbing to it, leading to all sorts of passions and behaviours that would never come out otherwise. 

Furthermore, fantasy settings give writers more scope to create situations where love develops or disappears. They have more tools in their toolbox than biographical writers, changing the narrative completely. 

The High Stakes

Fantasy novels can also turn love into a high-stakes activity in a way that isn’t possible in the modern world. Many writers introduce life-or-death struggles into their plots which revolve around love and resolution. 

High stakes can also come in the form of forbidden love, perhaps the most exciting of all. Often, the protagonist loves someone that they aren’t allowed to, leading to all sorts of challenges and risk of execution. 

Sometimes, there is also the idea of the hero’s journey in love, and saving the world together. Partners work with each other to fix problems and help other people avoid nasty fates. 

What We Don’t Like About Fantasy Romance Novels

pages of a book

Of course, no genre is perfect. While some authors do a better job than others, there are things we don’t like about fantasy romance novels. 

The Plot If It Is Too Thin

First, fantasy romance novels can sometimes have thin plots, especially if they are just about romance. These often fail to engage the reader and make it feel like a chore to read one chapter to the next. 

Fantasy love can sometimes feel decorative without depth. Writers sometimes assume that being in love is a straight line to happiness, while in reality, it is anything but. While this fits with the fantasy approach, it seems like a step too far and can detract from narrative richness. 

The Perfect Hero Or Heroine

The perfect hero or heroine is another trap many writers fall into. Fantasy novelists like the idea of the idealised archetype, forgetting to include their flaws and weaknesses. 

Because of this, many characters appear to lack depth. Because they are so perfect, they don’t feel relatable, preventing people from really feeling maximum engagement. 

Imperfections, by contrast, can sometimes improve the story. Characters who have a disturbed past or anti-hero tendencies are often more interesting and unique. 

The Instant Love

Another issue that sometimes crops up in fantasy novels is the idea of instant love. While this sort of thing can happen on movie screens, it’s rare in real life. Instant love often feels rushed or unearned and doesn’t do much to add to the story or make itself more interesting. 

Writers can improve their novels by focusing on the chemistry and little signals that indicate two people are interested in each other. They can also give the love a backstory to ensure it makes sense in the context of the rest of the plot. 

The Overdone Tropes

Finally, there are the overdone tropes that often make appearances in fantasy romance novels. Love triangles, cheating men, and bad boys are all par for the course and something that’s been done a thousand times. 

The trick to making an engaging fantasy romance story is to rethink or reimagine these tropes. Changing them can be an excellent way to make the novel unique and stand out on the shelf.

Fantasy can also glorify abuse or lack of consent, which is also something that comes up frequently. These toxic possessiveness associations don’t have to feature in these books

THE WHEEL OF TIME: Check Out 10 First-Look Photos for Season 3

Betty Bugle