The other night, I had to explain what smutty romantasy books are to my older sister, and it might have been more painful than coming out to my parents. As I stumbled through phrases like enemies-to-lovers, mating bonds, and “one bed in the inn,” she grew increasingly appalled. But it doesn’t matter, because I fucking love romantasy books. There, I said it.
Ernst Hemingway is cool, Sally Rooney writes characters for Paul Mescal well, and Jane Austen knew how to build tension in petticoats, but I’d give them all up for my smutty, filthy romantasy books. I want it all: the wing kinks, the “oh-I’m-so-average-but-I-save-the-world” heroine, the growling, the smirking, the blood play, and so much more. To help you join me in the best genre on Earth (and every other realm), here are the spiciest, filthiest, naughtiest, dirtiest, sexiest romantasy books. You and your sex life are very, very welcome.
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A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
Okay, let’s be real: we’d all time travel to bang a Viking? Right? Like, it can’t just be me. While we wait for that time machine, we can read this Norse-inspired fantasy romance. Trapped in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish and dreaming of ways to kill the bastard (you and me both, honey). In an unexpected twist of events, she is bound to the jarl’s son, Bjorn, and Freya must learn to fight and control her magic. But her most challenging test will be resisting the sexy Viking hunk Bjorn. I would have lost by the second chapter, I’ll tell you that much.
Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
Callypso Lillis is a siren (iconic) wearing a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she once received. Only death or repayment will rid her of these favors the Bargainer gave, and he hasn’t come to collect — until now. When she finds this sexy favor-giver in her room one day, she knows her time is up. He needs her help, and she needs to try and deny this insatiable horniness between them. What a conundrum, oh no! I hope she manages to resist his advances and twinkling eyes and fucking fit body!!! Let’s hope!!!
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Controversial opinion: Fourth Wing is not overhyped. It is hyped, yes, but it is also very worthy of that hype. Rebecca Yarros has crafted an incredible world and dragon-riding society in a story centered upon disability representation and brains versus brawns. Fantasy novels in an academic setting just hit different (maybe because I remember how frustrated I was back then). What I love most about this series is the diversity. A character is deaf, and others consider it embarrassing not to know sign language. They don’t discuss characters as being queer or straight, everyone seems to be bi or open to it (THE DREAM). Also, dragons aren’t just horses to be ridden. They have their own minds, hierarchical structures, and sassy comments. But okay, you want to know about the smut. Violet gets some, I’ll tell you that. Violet gets some, and it is electrifying. You’ll be in good hands, just like she is.
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana
Like most book girlies, I was well acquainted with my school’s library and librarians — Ruth, bestie, I hope you’re still alive and reading this! So, a sexy fantasy novel with a deadly enchanted library? I’ll take the lot!! Twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison thanks to the ruthless Fae running things. Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord to catalog the enchanted library (weird, but I’m in) in exchange for magic of her own. Oh, and of course, there’s another Fae male involved!!! Sexy, sexy, sexy things are coming.
Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall
This book was described to me as ACOTAR if Feyre went to the Night Court and her love interest turned out to be bad. Sold, take all my money! Emelin is a human caught wielding forbidden magic by the empire’s deadliest Fae murderer. But instead of killing her, the Silent Death flies them away on his velvet wings (HOT) to the treacherous Crimson Court. He wants to overthrow the current ruler, but he needs her help to do that. The real question is will she be able to resist fucking this sexy, sexy Fae male for even a third of the book? Read to find out!
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
Aside from my love (fetish) for romantasy books, I get real hard for Greek myth retellings. So imagine my delight in finding this steamy little piece by Scarlett St. Clair. Persephone is the Goddess of Spring… but ever since she was little, flowers have shriveled at her touch. I know the feeling. She moves to New Athens to lead an unassuming life as a mortal journalist.
Hades is the God of the Dead and has built a gambling empire (stick with me, pls). The two have an unlikely encounter, and Persephone ends up in a contract to create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. Big yikes!! But even more yikes is that she is falling in love with the God of the Dead and wants to shag him and have undead babies!! Ruh roh…
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
I don’t care if it’s a cliche; I love Sarah J Maas!!! She got me into romantasy, and I will always be so grateful for that. A friend told me that I could read her Azriel fanfiction if I read the first two A Court of Thorns and Roses books. Safe to say, I read the entire series, everything else written by Sarah J Maas, and every other romantasy book I could get my grubby little hands on. Oh, and the 10,000-word Azriel fanfiction? It was excellent.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, and the sequel is a Hades and Persephone retelling. It’s got your run-of-the-mill human girl who describes herself as ordinary-looking and proceeds to be desired by every single Fae male in the kingdom. Feyre Archeron is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian after killing a Fae (oopsie, my b). Oh, and of course, there is some SEXY TIME. Book two is definitely more salacious (she knows Thesaurus.com) than book one and includes arousal through wing touch and oral on a kitchen table. But book five is when it really gets five chili peppers of spice. You’ll need a cold glass of milk after some of those scenes, as well as your trusty vibe.
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks
If you like your bad boys, roll up your sleeves and dive into The Witch Collector. It has the same vibes as ACOTAR but a completely different story. Our main girlie, Raina Bloodgood, has sworn vengeance on the Witch Collector for stealing her sister for the Frost King. But when her chance arises, she has to team up with him to save the empire and her sister. But soon enough, she struggles to discern whether the Witch Collector is the villain or a future fuck. Get ready for spice scenes that span multiple pages.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Considering that this book series revolves around “The Maiden,” who is never to be touched or even looked upon, this book is HOT. This might just be the spiciest romantasy book on this list or in this world and every other one. It takes vampires to a whole new level and manages to cover the plot and detailed worldbuilding in about 20% of the book, leaving the other 80% for detailed, sultry sex scenes. Shoutout to the threesome scene; you’re the real GOAT of this list.
Poppy was chosen from birth to usher in a new era as “The Maiden” who will Ascend and please the gods. But when a new mysterious guard, Hawke, is assigned to protect her, everything she knows is suddenly more complicated and dangerous, and she must risk it all for this undeniable chemistry.
Is this the best book ever written? No. Is it a good warmup for taking care of yourself? Certainly, just make sure to have some honeydew in-house (you’ll get it soon enough).
The Unseelie Prince by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Spice isn’t always about his throbbing member or her “core exploding” (translation: the big O). Sometimes, the best sexy romantasy books come from the build-up to those moments. Who would’ve thought abstinence could be so fucking sexy? Not this girlie, I’ll tell you that. But Kathryn Ann Kingsley manages to weave foreplay into this dark romance novel about an evil prince looking for a bride so he can ascend his throne and his human captive who is fighting to survive. But be warned, this shit gets dark. This isn’t, oh, he’s a bad boy level; this is he is EVIL level. Not complaining, though.
Gild by Raven Kennedy
Remember how Greek mythology gets me hot to go? Well, it is no surprise that I have decided to include the Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy on this list, which is a reimagining of the myth of King Midas. Our main girlie is called Aura, and she is a favorite of King Midas, who he has gilded. She is kept isolated in a luxurious golden cage, and it seems like a good life; I mean, everything is gold, and she doesn’t have to live in the slums anymore. But then Aura is kidnapped, and everything changes. I’ll tell you what is golden in this series: the smut. You can expect slow-burn enemies to lovers, a dark, brooding hero, and an orgy.
Throne in the Dark by A.K. Caggiano
Grumpy and sunshine, but make it fantasy. Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne (subtle name) is literally the most evil dude out there. He has a demon for a father. Imagine Thanksgiving with that father-in-law, yikes. But then there is Amma, a tiny yet troublesome blonde thief, who ends up chained to his side through magic. Forced proximity trope activated! A thorn in his side and a wrinkle in his plans. The only question is which one will end up getting their way (or getting on top).
Crescent City by Sarah J Maas
ACOTAR is great, don’t get me wrong, but people are SLEEPING on Sarah’s other works. I’d love to recommend Throne of Glass on this list, but it doesn’t reach the spice factor (the only fault I have with it), but Crescent City does. You could describe it as Zootopia fanfiction, and you wouldn’t be wrong.
My favorite thing about this series is Bryce Quinlan as a FMC. She is bold, unapologetic, curvy, and sexually confident. She’s a half-human, half-Fae who attempts to avenge her friends’ murders and protect her city. It’s like a whodunnit but with vampires, Fae, angels (not the Christmas tree kind), and shapeshifters. And don’t even get me started on Ruhn Danaan, Crown Prince of the Valbaren Fae (cue the music). There are three books out that wrap up Bryce’s storyline — “House of Flame and Shadow” came out this year – with the potential of more to come.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are witches secretly living among humans until Vittoria goes missing and is found dead. Emilia is determined to find her sister’s killer and exact revenge at any cost, including using the dark magic she’s been forbidden from touching for so long. Then she meets Wrath (subtle name as always), one of the princes of Hell she’s been warned against for as long as she can remember. He claims to be on her side, tasked with solving the murders happening on the island. But everything is not as it seemed, and Emilia might be losing herself in a new mystery, the mystery of getting into his pants. Whodunnit + sexy energy = happy girlie. Book 2 will be more adult than the first, so expect a lot more spice.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Okay, we’re back with some more vampire smut, only this time, our human main character was raised among them and, therefore, knows how to hold her own. In fact, Oraya is the adopted daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, and she is entering the Kejari, a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. If she wins, she can use the prize wish to become more than prey. But to win, she’ll need to beat the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses and make an alliance with Raihn, a mysterious rival. You guessed it, she and Raihn are going to shag, and it is going to be great. You’ve had enemies to lovers, so how about enemies to lovers to enemies… and maybe to lovers again? We’ll see…
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Louise le Blanc has spent the last two years hiding in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. Witches like her are hunted, feared, and burned. In the same town, Reid Diggory is sworn to the Church as a Chasseur and basically has the life mission to hunt all witches. But a wicked stunt forces them into holy matrimony. Yep, the witch and witch hunter are married — talk about a honeymoon. Prepare for the classic one-bed trope, adorable side characters, and a badass witchy main girl.
