Looking for fantasy romance book recommendations, primarily aimed at adults. I just DNF'd the Fourth Wing sequel to escape the overuse of fanfiction tropes and poor plot development, so I'm in need of something else in the fantasy genre. I've heard a mix of things about A Court of Thorns and Roses, so preferably something other than that series. TIA!

bump for ya. 

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/adult-fantasy-romance

The Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas

The Serpent & The Wings of Night series by Carissa Broadbent

Blood & Ash Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Bonds That Tie series by J. Bree

These are all series I have heard about from others and have seen to be very popular! I also supplied a list from goodreads of popular adult fantasy romance books that you may find useful.

I have read the first book in the crescent city series (it was the only book written at that time) and I am on book 3 of the Bonds That Tie series. I am generally not one for romance so I have mixed feelings about them all xD

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas too! 

I just finished TOG and am on the second book, Crown of Midnight.

The first was a little slow to develop, but really picked up and didn't stop. 

Crown of Midnight has been non-stop action/adventure so far too. 

Throne of Glass has been sitting in my Amazon cart for about a week, so I'm thinking I'll finally pull the trigger! I also just flew through Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli in about two days, which I definitely recommend if you're a fan of witches. 

Thanks for that list, @Tragedy! I think Serpent & The Wings of Night is also one I've been eyeing.

The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. Starts out super bad-ass, and kinda morphs into more of a supernatural romancey fantasy kinda thing, which is not for me, so I stopped reading them.

BUT if you like that stuff, this is a fantastic series to get into! 

I've been stuck on Iron Flame since January LOL

I also second The Serpent & The Wings of Night. The current two books that are out are a finish duology, there's a little novella in the same world (Nyaxia), and the third book comes out in the fall! I also believe she has another book in the same universe.

I've heard great things about The Foxglove King/The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten and that's on the top of my TBR right now.

I will always stan One Dark Window/Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. It's a magic system that uses cards which was different and easy enough to follow. 

The Book of Azrael/The Throne of Broken Gods by Amber Nicole is still my current favorite romantasy series.

Hearless Hunter has been on my TBR since it was announced in the UK as The Crimson Moth and from what I've seen people really enjoy it, but it ends on a cliffhanger and I get that it keeps you reading, but I absolutely hate waiting for the next book lol

I shall come back once I've read more; I fell down a hockey romance hole for a few months, then the Duskwalker Brides series by Opal Reyne (which I also still reccomend if you're ok with the monster fantasy world romance), I'm still knee-deep in the Ice Planet Barbarians and then maybe I can get back to my regularly scheduled program LOL

I'm very far behind on updating it, but here's my goodreads if anyone else does that! :) Just let me know who you are! Lol

@lostcause, I don't know what the heck happened between Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. It's like the entire plot and character development just... disappeared. **Spoilers** Violet and Xaden are absolutely insufferable and the jealous, insecure girlfriend trope is so worn out, I had to put it away.

With Heartless Hunter, I really should have looked to see if there were more books because now I have to wait an entire year for the next one LOL. So I guess that means I'm rereading it in February 2025 just to remind myself of what's going on.

Sounds like Serpent & The Wings of Night is next on my TBR, followed by Throne of Glass.

Also to be the devil on someone's shoulder, B&N has their preorder sale going on right now which is 25% off, 30% if you're a member! I was just able to cancel 3 Amazon preorders because the B&N sale price was cheaper.

But yes I heard that about IF and like, cmon Violet. You get two dragons, you're basically married to a dude that's already shown he'll do anything for you why you gotta be like this LOL

TOG is also a good choice! I haven't bought the series yet so I haven't experienced it myself but I'm very immersed into booktok and know most of the premise. My friends and family who have read it definitely recommend tandem reading Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn. But I will say though, Assassins Blade was printed #3, but is the prequel to all the books and while I think SJM said to read in publish order I'm reading Assassins Blade first because of events there that are hinted at in TOG and COM. And I'm the type of person where I want to know ahead of time. And also because I've heard I'm going to end up ripping my heart out and I'd like to just rip the bandaid.

I loved ACOTAR but I went in already knowing it was more romance with fantasy vs fantasy with romance. ACOSF is my fav of the series and idgaf what anyone says Nesta is my favorite. I'm chomping at the bit for the next book because if one of the female characters doesn't end up with someone I will scream.

I couldn't get into A Court of Thorns and Roses, personally...but I've read half of Throne of Glass and enjoyed most of it. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig was very good and engaging -- some parts were slow but if you stick with it they'll iron out; I didn't finish it though as, close to the end, I got creeped out by the plot twist -- so dark, fantasy, romance is what I would characterize it as. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab is one of my recent favorite reads/recommendations; 

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson series) by Darynda Jones -- Darynda Jones is my go-to author for sarcasm & romance all in one

ACOTAR has very mixed reviews, but I FREAKING LOVED IT. I flew through it SO fast. You have to get through the first book, it really doesn't get interesting till the last quarter. The second book you really fall in love with the main characters, and then it just gets better and better. The last book is freaking phenomenal and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next one. I'm actually rereading it right now via audiobook. 

Blood and Ash. Takes a minute to get into it, but once you let yourself into it, you'll fly through it. The last book, not so much as it's kind of a different perspective of the first book. Took me almost a month to finish it, almost DNF. 

Same author of Blood and Ash, is the Flesh and Fire series which is on my list.

Fourth Wing and Iron Flame a lot of people don't like! But I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book.

The Crave Series by Tracy Wolff. It's more YA, very mellow (closed door) spice, but I really loved it. 

I just started Gild. It's the first in a series of I think 3 or 4? On the darker side, and very filthy right off the bat.... Might not be everyone's cup of tea... 

On my list is Serpent & the Wings of Night , Flesh and Fire, Powerless. 

I got a list from a friend, of more "spicy" series: Beasts of the Briar, What Lies Beyond the Veil, The Never King

Circling back to this thread.

I devoured the first three books of ACOTAR, but I am struggling with Frost & Starlight. One scene in particular just gave me the ick in a bad way and I'm having trouble picking it back up again.

I read the Sparknotes version of Silver Flames, and I'm still not on board with Nesta. I don't think she'll ever make me like her. And then I read Az's bonus chapter and am wondering what the heck he did to deserve that yeet backwards in characterization. Felt so very... unlike him, and unlike Rhys.

I literally read this post and thought hell naw I know you've read ACOTAR because we love the shadow daddy. Then breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the OP was in April. 😅

I will always read anything by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Larissa Ione, Lynsay Sands.  they are mostly Paranormal...but all soooo good.