As a hardcore introvert, I often find it difficult to open up to others, especially new people. But somehow, it’s easier to do so when traveling or at least out of my normal routine. So it’s no surprise that I gravitate to stories that feature characters traveling and forming bonds of friendship and romance while on the road. Add some magic to the mix, and I’m almost definitely hooked!
A magic-torn world.Mages, held captive since magic first manifested in the world, seek to break their chains. Sentinels, warriors with an unnatural immunity to magic, are oathbound to keep the magic-users prisoner - at any cost.
Two hearts, shattered by grief, bound together by fate. Kali, a mage fleeing her painful past, travels to a healer in Whitewater City, hoping to mend more than her broken heart. One of her sentinel escorts is Stonewall, a man left with only his faith after the death of his brother. But when monstrous bandits destroy Kali's other escorts, Kali and Stonewall must join forces to survive the demonic creatures…and a dangerous magic never seen before. Two hearts. One destiny.
Shinn is a master of crafting compelling, powerful female characters who battle the world around them while dealing with their own traumas. (Which I can relate to, all too well.) The magic system in this world is breathtaking, and the main character, Senneth, is one of my all-time favorite heroes. This book features her traveling with a band of misfits, one of whom she shares a romance with, and their relationship develops as they journey. Senneth’s bonds with the others in her group also deepen into a beautiful found family. Plus, there are lots of cozy campfire scenes! (The best part of travel through Fantasyland.)
Gillengaria seethes with unrest. In the south, hostility toward magic and its users has risen to a dangerous level, though King Baryn has ordered that such mystics are to be tolerated. It is whispered that he issued the decree because his new wife used her magic powers to ensnare him…
The King knows there are those in the noble Twelve Houses who could use this growing dissent to overthrow him. So he dispatches the mystic Senneth to assess the threat throughout the realm. Accompanying her is a motley band of magic-users and warriors including Tayse, first among the King’s Riders—who…
This is the first T. Kingfisher book I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. The main characters, Halla and Sarkis, hooked me right from the start. Halla, in particular, drew me in because she’s not the usual heroine for a fantasy romance; she’s a widow in her thirties, a little sheltered, but brimming with curiosity about the world she’s never really seen. But because she’s not a child, she’s got a good head on her shoulders and a wonderful perspective. Her relationship with Sarkis, a warrior trapped in a magic sword, is delightful, and their time together on the road brings them deliciously close. Harrowing travels make for fabulous romance!
Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws… and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.
Although this book does feature some heavy themes (CW for mentions of rape), it’s a powerful story about dealing with trauma – and moving on from it, to the life one wants to live. Draven’s characters simply breathe. They feel fleshed-out and real, with all the contradictions of real people. Although the book is part of a series, the story feels complete on its own; the worldbuilding is lush and interesting. I love books that feature travel because being on the road is a great way for characters to connect with each other, as they must rely on one another for safety and survival. Phoenix Unbound features two very different characters who come together in a way that feels real – and beautiful.
In this USA Today bestselling novel, a woman with power over fire and illusion and the enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy.
Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.
Okay, so this one isn’t quite as “fantasy” as the others I’ve recommended, but since it features travel through dimensional space, I’m including it. The pseudo-science isn’t too heavy, so if you’re into hard science, I might give this one a pass. But if, like me, you want to swoon over romance that spans not just a planet, but multiple dimensions, Gray has got you covered. There’s something so powerful about finding love that can stand through not only different realities but different iterations of the people involved… It just hits me square in the chest. Gray’s writing is also gorgeous; I’m a big fan of her work in general.
Cloud Atlas meets Orphan Black in this epic dimension-bending trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a girl who must chase her father's killer through multiple dimensions. Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes-and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer-her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul-escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him. Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through…
Y’all, I’m a sucker for mages & anti-mage warriors trapped together on a perilous mission and fighting their budding romantic feelings for one another. So how could I not love this book? Add the fact that Honfleur’s writing is lush and vivid, the magic system is beyond cool, and the antagonist is exactly the kind of villain I love to hate, and ding ding ding! We have a winner! I was immediately hooked with the setup and the main character, Rielle. For me, Rielle is the perfect blend of badass warrior-mage and vulnerable person with a traumatic past. I also appreciate how we get more points of view than just Rielle and Jon (her love interest), which isn’t common in a lot of fantasy romance.
Heart-pounding romance and thrilling action meet deep world-building in Blade & Rose, a sexy and addictive romantic epic fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass and Danielle L. Jensen’s The Bridge Kingdom.
She’s bound to a monster. He’s bound to his oaths. Their bonds will break. And so will they…
An elemental mage who just wants her freedom, twenty-two-year-old Rielle is driven by one inevitability: she will destroy the impending arranged marriage to her cruel werewolf fiancé. Then she can happily spend her life independently, working as a mage on missions.
Guaritori awakens from a coma to find that he's lost twenty years--and his entire world.
Fiancée, family, and friends are all missing, perhaps dead. Technology has failed, and magic has risen, leaving society in ruins. Most survivors are at the mercy of anyone who has strong enough magic. Guaritori has none. He finds a protector, but his troubles are far from over.
The new society in which he finds himself is superficially friendly but surrounded by enemies and full of secrets. Guaritori doesn't know it yet, but the biggest secret is his. If his protector knew who he truly was, she would kill him.
Coming out of a coma after twenty years, Guaritori--Garth to his friends--discovers that the world he knew no longer exists.
Advanced technology has failed. Magic, which he didn't know even existed, has become much more powerful. Supernatural groups battle for supremacy, forcing human beings to seek shelter wherever they can find it. Garth's only hope for survival lies with a varied group including a shape-shifter, an alchemist, a tarot card reader, a blacksmith with a flaming sword, and others. But a prophecy foretells that he will bring about the downfall of their leader, the mysterious Ms. M.
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