Fantasy romance (aka Romantasy) has always been a staple on my bookshelves, but sometimes reading an entire series can be daunting, especially when sequels are yet to be published.
As much as I love long series, standalone books are such a breath of fresh air in between. Here are seven wonderful standalone fantasy romances full of magic.
If You Prefer Standalone Novels, Here Are Some Fantasy Romance (Romantasy) Ones To Read
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Target Audience: Adult
Publication: 2023
June Farrow thinks she might be losing her mind when she starts to hear and see things that aren’t there—voices, wind chimes, and a mysterious door.
Haunted by her mother’s disappearance, June starts to uncover cryptic clues that just don’t add up. But the next time she sees the door, she learns that it is not a hallucination—she can open it and cross the threshold to step back in time.
There was a great balance of tension, mystery, and magic, along with the sacrifices the characters make for those they love.
This was certainly one of my favorite reads last year. Rich with intrigue in its magical realism and a darling romance with twists and turns, this book puts family at its center.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Target Audience: YA
Publication: 2022
In a mystical retelling of the Korean folk tale The Tale of Shim Cheong, Mina sacrifices herself to the ocean to become the Sea God’s bride in a desperate attempt to save her village and her brother’s beloved.
Swept into the Spirit Realm, Mina must find a way to wake the Sea God. But as a human, she cannot stay for long in the Spirit Realm, so she races against time to stop the storms that flood her home.
With deep characters and a slow-burn romance, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is perfect for lovers of East Asian mythology and fans of Studio Ghibli, especially those who love Spirited Away.
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
Target Audience: YA
Publication: 2024
Niamh is a seamstress whose magic can elicit whatever emotion she chooses to imbue into her garments. When she gets invited to dress the royal wedding in the Kingdom of Avaland, she must work with Prince Kit, the rude, cranky, and unfortunately very handsome groom who has a loose handle on his own magic. Their biggest threat? When a gossip columnist starts buzz about their relationship, Niamh finds her entire future at risk.
This book is SO. CUTE. It had me squealing and kicking my feet the whole time. On top of a swoony romance, there is also a chronic illness representation that does not see a magical cure by the end.
A Fragile Enchantment is great for readers who love Bridgerton and Gossip Girl and for those who go feral for the grumpy/sunshine trope.
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
Target Audience: YA
Publication: 2023
Featuring a trans-masc, nonbinary main character named Mar who has the ability to manipulate fire and ice, this story is the pirate fantasy of your dreams.
When El Diablo comes to collect a payment, Mar must make a deal with the devil to save their father’s life.
After Mar makes unlikely alliances, they might just muster enough courage to use their magic for a chance at redemption.
Full of wonderful imagery, dark curses, and demonios, The Wicked Bargain takes the reader on an epic seafaring adventure in the Caribbean with a sweet romance and found family.
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
Target Audience: Adult
Publication: 2024
Marigold Claude is training to become the next Honey Witch, but her magic comes with a price: no one can fall in love with a Honey Witch.
Enter grumpy skeptic Lottie Burke, who doesn’t believe in magic. Marigold wants to prove that magic is real, but as she begins to fall for her, a darker magic awakens.
This whimsical novel is another great read for Studio Ghibli fans with Howl’s Moving Castle vibes. With a unique magic system and a sapphic regency romance, this is perfect for those who want to curl up with a cozy book!
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
Target Audience: YA
Publication: 2024
Dania finds herself in prison after being framed for a crime she did not commit. She ends up teaming up with a fellow prisoner to search for a stolen djinn treasure that will allow her to exact her revenge on the boy who put her there: Mazin, the boy she once loved.
Dania’s revenge won’t come easy in this game of cat and mouse, as she risks losing everything, including her heart.
In this romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, this fast-paced fantasy embodies feminine rage through an intelligent and strong main character set in a Pakistani-inspired world.
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
Target Audience: Adult
Publication: 2024
Lucy Undying is inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula and gives voice to Stoker’s character, Lucy Westenra, as she recounts her experiences through time as a vampire, from her romantic highs to her desperate lows.
In alternating POVs, we also follow Iris Godalming in the year 2024 as she desperately tries to escape the clutches of her mother’s Multi-Level Marketing empire.
When Iris and Lucy cross paths, they begin to uncover heavy secrets from the past that might free them both.
If you’re craving beautiful prose, strong character development, sapphic romance, and a hysterically accurate metaphor for the vampiric nature of MLM’s, this is the perfect book to sink your teeth into.
Want to read more books in this genre? Join the waitlist for OwlCrate’s new quarterly Romantasy subscription, coming in Spring 2025!
Every 3 months, subscribers will get an OwlCrate exclusive edition of a signed, newly released hardcover Romantasy novel with incredible design elements. Plus, as a subscriber, you will get first access to beautiful limited editions of popular Romantasy books.
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