As a reader, I have always been partial to fantasy—the sweeping worlds, the heroics, the adventures, and the characters. I grew up immersed in fantasy, and as I began my writing journey, I remained immersed in it. I love being transported to another world and escaping the mundane of life, exchanging it, if only briefly, for a life of excitement and magic. I am a fantasy romance writer at heart, and my writing personifies my love affair with both fantasy and romance. To me, romance is just as tantalizing as world-building. My books consist of powerful romances that weave perfectly with the magical world in which they bloom.
Richard and Kahlan—a match made in fantasy and perfected in adversity.
If there is one book where the romance kept me reading as much as the world-building, it was each book in The Sword of Truth Series and the Richard and Kahlan novels that followed the series.
Wizard’s First Rule pairs the characters after unexpected circumstances. Danger and adventure face them as they venture through a fantasy world that is jaw-dropping in its breadth. As their journey progresses, the challenges they face become more daunting, and with them, the romance blossoms until we can’t imagine Richard without Kahlan by his side.
Terry Goodkind does a phenomenal job pulling our heartstrings, making us gasp and sometimes cringe as the couple’s relationship progresses. This love story is not for the faint of heart, but it is definitely worth the investment.
A beloved fantasy classic and the beginning of one of the most breathtaking adventure stories of all time
One man, Richard Cypher, holds the key to the fate of three nations and of humanity. But until he learns the Wizard's First Rule his chances of succeeding in his task are slim. And his biggest problem is admitting that magic exists at all ...
A novel of incomparable scope and brimming with atmospheric detail: in a world where heart hounds stalk the boundaries for unwary human prey, blood-sucking flies hunt on behalf of their underworld masters, and where artists can draw…
I read a mix of adult fantasy and YA fantasy, and the Goddess series from Josephine Angelini is by far my favorite in the YA fantasy genre.
Set in the modern day, Starcrossed is a Greek mythology-inspired story involving descendants of the gods, or demi-gods. Angelini weaves a fantasy tale of Scion Houses, gods, and fated love that draws you in from the opening of the book.
The romance between Helen and Lucas is a stormy one. They begin as enemies, then fight an undeniable attraction to one another while facing epic obstacles that repeatedly separate them. The balance between fantasy and romance is perfection.
Angelini leads us through the Underworld and back, leaves us on the edge of our seats, and has us rooting for Helen and Lucas to break the cycle that haunts their houses.
When shy, awkward Helen Hamilton sees Lucas Delos for the first time she thinks two things: the first, that he is the most ridiculously beautiful boy she has seen in her life; the second, that she wants to kill him with her bare hands.
With an ancient curse making them loathe one another, Lucas and Helen have to keep their distance. But sometimes love is stronger than hate, and not even the gods themselves can prevent what will happen . . .
The first book in Josephine Angelini's thrilling series, Starcrossed is a passionate love story that began thousands of…
In 2126, society finally has its quick fix. ReInception is a machine used for modifying human behaviors, everything from taming unruly children to reprogramming terrorists.
Columbia student Leandrea Justus is passively anti-ReInception. But when she and her boyfriend are separated during a bombing at an anti-ReInception rally, Ward — not…
I don’t typically read fairytale-inspired books, but this one was so beautifully crafted that I couldn’t put it down. The fantasy world-building is reminiscent of a Tim Burton film with vivid imagery and characters.
Alyssa is the great-great-great granddaughter of Alice. She worries her fate will leave her in an institution like others in her family until she finds herself in Wonderland.
This series has two romances—one between Alyssa and Jeb, and one between Alyssa and Morpheus. Jeb is her love in the human world, but Morpheus offers his own temptation. As the series progresses, she is torn between the two men and their two worlds, both feeding different sides of her.
There is no shortage of fantasy creatures and happenings in this series, nor is there a shortage of romantic sparks.
A descendant of Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 16-year-old Alyssa Gardner fears she is mentally ill like her mother and predecessors until she discovers that Wonderland is real and, if she passes a series of tests to fix Alice's mistakes, she may be able to save her family from their age-old curse.
A more recent read for me was The Wicked Woods Chronicles by Indie author L. V. Russell.
Russell weaves a tale of faeries and love in this dark fantasy that is wickedly satisfying. Teya stumbles into the forest of the faerie and finds herself entangled with creatures ranging from monstrous to beautiful.
When she meets Laphaniel, it is not love at first sight, but as her journey into the land of the faeries continues, love blooms in unexpected ways. This love story is set in a world that is mystical and enchanting while horrifying at the same time.
The romance is prevalent throughout the series, beckoning us to read further to discover Teya and Laphaniel’s fate.
The woods are dark and wicked, and perhaps some things would be better off staying lost…
Teya Jenkins is ten years old when her sister is taken. Niven is never found, because no one knows where to look. No one but Teya that is, who heard the whispers of the trees and saw the beautiful creatures that dwelled in the shadows.
It is only after another tragedy, years later, that Teya finally dares to enter the forest that haunts her dreams, determined to bring home her sister and mend the fractured remains of her family.
I must note that I read Mirror Sight almost ten years ago and never had a chance to complete the series. The final books are still on my TBR.
Even though I’ll need to re-read the series to re-immerse myself, the romance and world-building of this fifth book stayed with me. Through the first books, Karigan loves the king, Zachary, from afar. Bound to the crown, Zachary must marry royalty, and there is no possibility of anything more between them than Rider and King.
In Mirror Sight, circumstances rip Karigan from her life and thrust her into the future, where she meets and falls in love with Cade. The love affair between the two is gripping, and one I wanted to continue not just for Karigan, who was finally getting the love she deserved, but for Cade as well.
The ending of this book was gut-wrenching, and at one point, I even remember dropping it and gasping in reaction. Regardless, for true fantasy romance lovers, it’s worth reading and navigating the waters with these star-crossed lovers.
Magic, danger, and adventure abound for messenger Karigan G'ladheon in the fifth book in Kristen Britain's New York Times-bestselling Green Rider fantasy series
Karigan G'ladheon is a Green Rider-a seasoned member of the elite messenger corps of King Zachary of Sacoridia. King Zachary sends Karigan and a contingent of Sacoridians beyond the edges of his nation, into the mysterious Blackveil Forest, which has been tainted with dark magic by a twisted immortal spirit named Mornhavon the Black.
In a magical confrontation against Mornhavon, Karigan is jolted out of Blackveil Forest and wakes in darkness. She's lying on smooth, cold stone,…
Adrift is the sixth book in my Unbound Prophecy series. The series follows Violissa and Sinow, two powerful immortals with opposing powers. This is an enemies-to-lovers saga. Sinow is a Dark magic prince ascending to his throne while Violissa, a Light magic princess, is ascending to hers.
The two have been tied by a prophecy written by the Fates long before they were born. One that says they will marry and unite their realms which have been at war for eons. Violissa, however, is not ready to marry and convinces Sinow to wait. The Fates, seeing this as a blight, punish them. Each book is a punishment the two must face from the Fates, with Adrift being the final test of their obedience and love.
My book is fantastical historical fiction about two characters who're wrestling with the monstrosity of their grief.
It takes you into London high society, where Ambrose tries to forget about how much he misses Bennett and how much he dreads becoming as cold as their Grandfather. It takes you to…
Historical fiction inspired by the story of Mary Leakey, who carved her own path to become one of the world's most distinguished paleoanthropologists.
It's 1983 and seventeen-year-old Grace Clark has just lost her mother when she begrudgingly accompanies her estranged father to an archeological dig at Olduvai Gorge on the…
