What is Romantic Fantasy? What is a romantic fantasy?! Oh, my...if you haven't discovered romantic fantasy than allow me to introduce you to your new addiction.
These stories are filled with whimsical fantasy and magic. Bad-a heroines who can kick some serious evil tail and yet manage to be a lady in the same breath...or not (depending on her personality). These books can take you into an entirely new and different era, a new dimension...a whole new world (cue Aladdin).
If you'd like a taste of these delicious books, then here is a list to start you off with:
(ps~I don't discriminate between YA and adult...)
1. The Sevenwaters Series (Juliet Marillier)
Amazon Description
Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, and they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift-by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever. When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all...
"Mariner writes some of the best female characters in the fantasy genre. These fantasy books are good. Really, really good. With some intelligent, complex, and interesting female protagonists and some really well handled romance, this trilogy is a gift to all women -- and men. It's Celtic fantasy with a very strong romantic element, a lush, vivid world, and some really compelling characters -- especially the protagonist (a woman). This is romantic fantasy at it's best. Read!!"
Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, and they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift-by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever. When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all...
"Mariner writes some of the best female characters in the fantasy genre. These fantasy books are good. Really, really good. With some intelligent, complex, and interesting female protagonists and some really well handled romance, this trilogy is a gift to all women -- and men. It's Celtic fantasy with a very strong romantic element, a lush, vivid world, and some really compelling characters -- especially the protagonist (a woman). This is romantic fantasy at it's best. Read!!"
2. Poison Study (Maria Snyder)
3. Outlander Series (Diana Gabaldon)
Can have some graphic love scenes...BUT one of my all time favorites.
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Laini Taylor)
5. Graceling (Kristin Cashore)
6. Lament (Maggie Stiefvater)
7. Daughter of the Empire (Raymond E. Feist & Janny Wurts)
Most of these are part of a series, so I think you'll be good for awhile.
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