Whether you just defeated Cazador or are currently avoiding confronting your controlling father-in-law, here is a list to remedy your discomfort.

Yes, Astarion will always hold a special place in your heart, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying all the dark, handsome men’s stories have to offer. In fact, there is a whole four-course menu of these spectacular men hidden between the pages of stories as compelling as our beloved Baldur’s Gate 3.

If you are already familiar with romatasy (romance + fantasy), you might recognize a few of these titles. If you haven’t touched a book since grade school, this list hosts several beginner-friendly romatasy reads. So, no matter your comfort with the genre, these books have been selected for you.

So, here is a list of 5 stories that will surely satiate the hunger your favorite vampire spawn has inspired.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Summary

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.

Shared Interest In One Sentence:
With great power, comes greater decisions.

Swoonable Quote:
Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.
– Rhysand

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Summary

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

Shared Interest In One Sentence:
You are probably the worst person to be stuck with, but at least you have useful perks.

Swoonable Quote:
I would rather lose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I’ll do it. You gave me your heart, and I’m keeping it.
– Xaden Riorson

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Summary

“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.”

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

Shared Interest In One Sentence:
I will do whatever it takes; that was until you messed everything up.

Swoonable Quote:
I want a life with you, Alessandra, one without the shadows between us. And I don’t care about being vulnerable.
– Kallias

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

Summary

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

Shared Interest In One Sentence:
I am here for the power and nothing can get in the way, not even you!

Swoonable Quote:
I’ve lived through some injustices in the last couple of centuries. Seen some fucking travesties. But one of the biggest, Oraya, is that anyone taught you that you should become anything other than exactly what you are.
– Raihn

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Summary

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Shared Interest In One Sentence:
I didn’t ask for this life.

Swoonable Quote:
“Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?” Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment.

“No” I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. “Tell me.”

“I can’t.”

Conclusion

From the fae allure of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas to the thrilling dragon-riders saga in “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, each story invites readers into a realm where passion and peril entwine. Tricia Levenseller’s “The Shadows Between Us” introduces a cunning protagonist with a plan to woo, marry, and dethrone a king, while Carissa Broadbent’s “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” takes us into a deadly vampire tournament where alliances are forged amidst the shadows of war. Finally, Holly Black’s “The Cruel Prince” delves into the complexities of belonging in the treacherous High Court of Faerie.

Whether you are a seasoned romatasy enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, this curated list explores the romantasy genre’s dark, handsome men and the enthralling worlds they inhabit. These stories, filled with swoon-worthy quotes and gripping narratives, beckon readers to immerse themselves in the realms of fantasy, where love is a powerful force, and choices shape destinies.

Which of these romatasy novels intrigued you the most, and why? Are there other romatasy titles you recommend? Which character would you romance? Let us know!


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