Romantasy Red Flags (We Love Them Anyway)
This type of male character growls when upset, confused, happy, or thinking too hard.
What is the morally grey love interest?
This heroine agrees to help a dangerously charming fae prince—because refusing him would’ve gone even worse.
Who is Arwen?
Arwen’s journey begins when she is taken prisoner to ensure peace—proving this trope is alive and thriving.
What is captor-to-lover?
According to romantasy biology, this involuntary sound—most common in broody male love interests—has a 98% correlation with imminent kissing or violence.
What is a possessive growl?
In this book, the female lead’s “I’m not flirting, I’m negotiating for my life” energy pairs beautifully with the male lead’s “I’m terrifying but also weirdly polite about it.”
What is Dawn of Onyx?
In Crimson Moth and Onyx Storm, this is how you know he likes you:
What is he threatens to kill someone else.
In Crimson Moth Series this rebel disguises their identities using this signature red insect motif.
Who is Rune Winters
The gods of this world wake up angry and immediately choose violence, dragging mortals into a war over this powerful force.
What is faith or devotion?
Researchers have discovered that when a love interest says “stay close,” this part of the body is about to be grabbed very dramatically.
What is the waist or arm? (or anything)
In this book, a typewriter is basically the third main character and witnesses more flirting-in-denial than any piece of office equipment should legally endure.
What is Divine Rivals?
In multiple books this year, THIS obvious conversation could’ve prevented 300 pages of angst.
What is “talking about your feelings”?
Iris unknowingly writes love letters to this rival reporter through a magical wardrobe portal.
Who is Roman Kitt?
Nearly every book you read this year used this traditional fantasy element to foreshadow chaos.
What is a prophecy?
In scientifically verified romantasy experiments, when two rivals stand within six inches of each other and whisper threats, this measurable phenomenon occurs.
What is weaponized sexual tension?
In this story, illusion magic results in at least one moment where a character questions their life choices because nothing they touch is ever quite what it seems—including their love interest.
What is Phantasma?
In romantasy, a man refusing to call you by your name and using cryptic nicknames instead means THIS.
What is “he’s in love”?
In Serpent & the Wings of Night, Oraya survives the Kejari using her brain, her speed, and occasionally… this morally gray vampire.
Who is Raihn?
his classic romantasy setup involves two characters insisting they hate each other… right up until they literally cannot share the same blanket without combusting.
What is only one bed?
Research shows that in romantasy worlds, blushing is most activated when the grumpy love interest uses THIS.
What is a vaguely threatening pet name?
This book gives us the legendary scene where a bird has more attitude than most villains, yet somehow still judges the main couple harder than anyone else.
What is Shield of Sparrows?
Your party read many books where the love interests absolutely should not be trusted. That’s why this trope keeps winning.
What is enemies-to-lovers?
In Shield of Sparrows, This magical creature (character) plays a key role as both a guardian and a symbol, proving birds are not just for dramatic entrances.
Who is Ransom Wolfe ?
This trope occurs at the end of nearly every romantasy book: they finally confess their feelings, kiss dramatically… and then the universe immediately tries to kill them.
What is the romantic cliffhanger?
In multiple books this year, the strongest sign of chemistry is when weapons practice transforms into THIS.
What is barely-contained yearning disguised as training? (aka foreplay)
Name the book where the main characters should probably be writing “I am NOT attracted to my enemy” 100 times on a chalkboard but instead end up in 12 death-defying situations together.
What is all Romantasy books ever?