There’s nothing quite like the cozy chaos of romantasy, especially when the romance is queer, the magic is unpredictable, and the protagonists are delightfully extra.
Whether you’re here for slow burns that set your soul on fire or chaotic fae who flirt like they’re plotting your demise (they probably are), this list is your next obsession waiting to happen. Based on Goodreads ratings and thoroughly vetted for swoony tension, magical nonsense, and queer excellence, here are 10 queer romantasy books that absolutely deserve your TBR, and your tears.
1. Silverweaver: an Ilia Archives Novella by Cameron Montague Taylor
This novella may be short, but it spins a world so rich and silky it might as well come with its own candle line. Taylor crafts an evocative tale of courtly intrigue, elemental magic, and queer longing that reads like a dream you don’t want to wake up from. It’s Ilia Archives meets high fashion meets emotional devastation, and yes, I mean that in the best way.
What makes Silverweaver shimmer is its attention to subtle power dynamics and the tender ache of duty versus desire. Threads of fate are literal strands of shimmering magic, woven with care into both politics and personal heartbreak. It’s a story that knows when to whisper and when to scream, usually with devastating elegance.
Why we recommend it: For lovers of immersive novellas that pack a punch, Silverweaver delivers big feelings in a bite-sized format. A lush, tragic treat for fans of delicate tension, enchanted threadwork, and fashionably doomed gays.
2. Herald of the Witch’s Mark by Kellen Graves
Graves doesn’t just write queer romantasy, she builds witchy empires out of shadow and sass. Herald of the Witch’s Mark continues the gothic, gloriously gay drama of the Rowan Blood series, where magical tattoos are the least scandalous thing happening on page. Our heroes are wounded, wary, and weirdly hot for one another, and honestly, who can blame them?
With plot twists sharp enough to draw blood and dialogue that crackles like cursed parchment, this book walks the line between dark fantasy and delightful camp. Think: if Guillermo del Toro directed The Craft but added a tender slow-burn between enemies who kind of want to hex each other, and also maybe kiss.
Why we recommend it: Dark academia lovers, morally ambiguous witches, and fans of gloriously intense vibes, this one’s for you. A wild, witchy ride best enjoyed with dramatic lighting and a cursed mirror nearby.
3. A Rake of His Own by A.J. Lancaster
Yes, this is the fifth book in the Stariel series, and yes, you need to read the others. But A Rake of His Own steals the show with its charming rogue of a protagonist and a tender m/m romance that feels like a well-earned exhale after a long magical sprint. It’s flirty, funny, and a little bit tragic; in other words, perfection.
Lancaster continues to prove that worldbuilding doesn’t have to be dull and doom-filled. Here, the magic is whimsical but grounded, the relationships are queer but complicated (because of course they are), and the prose flows like a very posh cocktail you sip in a haunted conservatory.
Why we recommend it: Charming chaos? Emotional depth? A rake with feelings? If you like your romance witty, magical, and just a little bit wounded, don’t skip this one. Ideal for readers who like their heartbreak served with champagne and scandal.
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4. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Yes, Cerulean Sea is practically a household name by now, but it’s earned every ounce of its fame. This is a hug in book form. It’s soft, it’s queer, it’s wildly whimsical, and under the surface, it asks serious questions about chosen family, bureaucracy, and who gets to be seen as “dangerous”.
Klune’s world is full of oddball children with world-ending powers and adults trying their best not to mess them up further. The romance is slow, careful, and deeply kind, an aromantic’s dream of emotional intimacy that still manages to make you feel all the things. And yes, you will cry (but in a good way).
Why we recommend it: Perfect for readers who want to believe the world can be kinder, and that love, in all its forms, is worth the wait. Also ideal for tea drinkers and soft cardigan enthusiasts.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter5. Fire Spells Between Friends by Sarah Wallace & S.O. Callahan
Wallace and Callahan’s sequel brings even more banter, bisexual fae nonsense, and chaotic good flirting to the table. Fire Spells Between Friends is as cozy as it is fiery, mixing spellwork and sapphic yearning with an academic enemies-to-lovers trope that hits just right.
There’s something irresistible about magical bureaucracy and fae rites of passage wrapped around scenes of stolen glances and magical mishaps. Plus, the co-authors balance serious emotional beats with laugh-out-loud moments, because sometimes, queer joy is the revolution.
Why we recommend it: Want a sapphic magic school with chaotic bisexual leads who duel with spells and snark? This is your serotonin hit. Best enjoyed with a cup of enchanted tea and a sworn enemy turned lover.
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6. Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
What if a snarky queer romance met royal drama in a magical realm with absolutely zero chill? Go Luck Yourself is exactly as chaotic-fabulous as the title promises. There are magical reality shows, outrageous disguises, and a love interest who is basically what would happen if Prince Harry got trapped in a spellbook.
The romance sizzles with chemistry that feels delightfully unhinged, and the worldbuilding adds layers of absurd charm to every interaction. Raasch nails the fine line between heartfelt and hilarious, with characters who know exactly when to throw shade and when to throw themselves into the void (emotionally speaking).
Why we recommend it: If you love reality TV, chaotic bisexual royals, and romantic antics with actual stakes, this one’s going to ruin you (in the best way). For drama queens and spell-slinging divas.
7. Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
This is the kind of book that makes you believe in small gods and smaller rebellions. Doocy’s debut brings lyrical prose, queer tenderness, and a folkloric sense of mystery to the romantasy scene. It’s quiet but powerful.
The romance simmers gently beneath a world of elemental magic, old bargains, and truths buried in song. Characters wrestle with identity and belonging in ways that feel deeply resonant, especially if you’ve ever felt like you were holding your breath in someone else’s story.
Why we recommend it: For dreamers, forest-dwellers, and fans of gentle queer yearning with a mythic edge. Think Studio Ghibli meets The Night Circus but with more moss and melancholy.
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8. Flight of Magpies by K.J. Charles
If you’ve never read K.J. Charles, you’re missing out on queer historical fantasy that’s as sharp as it is swoon-worthy. Flight of Magpies is the third in a Victorian paranormal series full of ghosts, grudges, and glorious amounts of unresolved sexual tension, until it gets very resolved.
Think corsets, curses, and complicated men who love each other very badly, and then slowly figure out how to do it less badly. Charles writes with wit, bite, and tenderness, crafting romances that don’t flinch away from emotional mess, even while conjuring magical mayhem in the background.
Why we recommend it: Perfect if you love historical fiction with supernatural spice, brooding magicians, and extremely repressed Englishmen finally making out. Bring lace gloves and emotional baggage.
9. The Fox and the Dryad by Kellen Graves
Yes, Graves is back on this list, and no, we’re not sorry. The Fox and the Dryad is an atmospheric standalone that reads like stepping into a moss-draped fairytale you shouldn’t trust. The romance here is subtle and strange, unfolding between a shapeshifter and a forest spirit in prose that feels like poetry on the edge of a knife.
There’s beauty in the uncanny, and Graves leans into that with lush descriptions, ambiguous loyalties, and the kind of queer tenderness that feels earned. This is not a story of loud declarations but of small gestures, of trust forged in silence and magic.
Why we recommend it: For readers who like their romantasy a little spooky, a little sapphic, and a lot emotionally complex. Best read alone in the woods. At dusk.
10. Out of Time, Into You by Jay Bell
Jay Bell is no stranger to queer time travel shenanigans, but this one brings the emotional gut punches with extra sparkle. Out of Time, Into You blends romantic angst with sci-fi sensibilities in a way that feels intimate and huge all at once. The stakes? Time. The cost? Probably your tears.
The romance is bittersweet and beautiful, unfolding across timelines like a pop song stuck on repeat, except each replay hurts a little more. Bell has a gift for writing queer love stories that feel inevitable and impossible at the same time. Bring tissues. And maybe therapy.
Why we recommend it: For fans of They Both Die at the End, time loops, and tender boys with too much heart. Queer sci-fi romantasy? Yes, please. Ideal for hopeless romantics with a thing for paradoxes.
Whether you’re here for fae chaos, tender forest gays, or just want to watch emotionally constipated mages finally kiss, this list has a little (or a lot) of everything. Queer romantasy is not just a subgenre, it’s a vibe, a movement, a lifestyle.
