Read the best new steamy fantasy romance novels for adults and ya readers. Explore dark romance novels, magical adventures, and the most anticipated new romance books of 2022.
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New Steamy & Dark Fantasy Romance Books To Read In 2022
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If you’re looking for some of the most epic romance fantasy books for young adults and adult readers then you’re at the right place. We collected some of the most anticipated best romance fantasy books for adults who love epic adventures, dark tales, myths, gods, witches, vampires, and grand adventures about wars for kingdoms.
Some of these romance fantasy novels will take you around the world and some will introduce you to magical and otherworldly places. Thanks to these sweeping feel-good books with romance you’ll get to go through heaven, hell, and beyond this year.
RELATED: Best Romance Fantasy Books Of All Time
We also included some romance fantasy books with a modern and urban fantasy flare as well as brilliant new LGBTQ+ fantasy romance book series and novels you won’t be able to put down.
If you’re into adventure romance books then get ready because these new books will take your breath away and make your heart pound faster while also making you think and learn about important social issues as well as myths and legends from around the world.
20| Bow Before the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #1) by J.M. Kearl
Synopsis:
In hiding all her life, Layala prepares for the day the wicked High Elf King Thane will come to steal her— his powerful mate. She trains to take her revenge for the wrongful execution of her parents, who died for her freedom.
Now that day has come, forcing her to come face-to-face with what she’s hidden from: a dangerous, dark-haired, warrior king determined to marry her.
After she’s shoved into a black carriage pulled by six ominous steeds, Layala makes plans to take her captors’ lives and free herself…
…but Thane has a secret that makes it impossible for Layala to slay him. She has an even darker truth that makes loving her forbidden, no matter how much Thane wants to touch.
If you’re looking for dark and steamy new elf books for adults then make sure you check out this enchanting but mysteries-filled tale.
Bow Before the Elf Queen is one of the most enchanting new fantasy romance books with a whimsical and deeply romantic story inspired by Hades & Persephone, The Lord of the Rings, and a sprinkle of Norse mythology
19| House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas
Synopsis:
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.
In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.
House of Sky and Breath is one of the most popular and highest-rated new fantasy romance books with an immersive and unforgettable story.
18| The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1) by Susan Dennard
Synopsis:
The Luminaries is one of the darkest new fantasy romance books for horror fans who love haunting romance stories filled with secrets and mysteries.
17| The Choice (The Dragon Heart Legacy #3) by Nora Roberts
Synopsis:
Talamh is a land of green hills, high mountains, deep forests, and seas, where magicks thrive. But portals allow for passage in and out–and ultimately, each must choose their place, and choose between good and evil, war and peace, life and death…
Breen Siobhan Kelly grew up in the world of Man and was once unaware of her true nature. Now she is in Talamh, trying to heal after a terrible battle and heartbreaking losses. Her grandfather, the dark god Odran, has been defeated in his attempt to rule over Talamh, and over Breen–for now.
With the enemy cast out and the portal sealed, this is a time to rest and to prepare. Breen spreads her wings and realizes a power she’s never experienced before. It’s also a time for celebrations–of her first Christmas in both Talamh and Ireland, of solstice and weddings and births–and daring to find joy again in the wake of sorrow. She rededicates herself to writing her stories, and when his duties as taoiseach permit, she is together with Keegan, who has trained her as a warrior and whom she has grown to love.
It’s Keegan who’s at her side when the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in her sleep, practicing black magick, sacrificing the innocent, and plotting a brutal destruction for Breen. And soon, united with him and with all of Talamh, she will seek out those in desperate need of rescue, and confront the darkness with every weapon she has: her sword, her magicks–and her courage…
The Choice is one of the most thrilling new fantasy romance books for adults who love epic fantasy tales with fae, dragons, and immersive romance stories.
16| The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber
Synopsis:
Not every love is meant to be.
After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.
But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.
Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can…
The Ballad of Never After is one of the best new fantasy romance books with vampires, magic, mysteries, and heartbreak.
15| The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Synopsis:
A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family–and a new love–changes the course of her life.
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….
The very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is one of the most feel-good new fantasy romance books with a wholesome story and hilarious characters.
14| Frost (Frost and Nectar #1) by C.N. Crawford
Synopsis:
On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.
Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.
When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.
And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are one the line.
Frost is one of the most popular new romance fantasy books with a sexy fae king and a hilarious female lead.
13| Court of Ravens and Ruin (The Shadow Bound Queen #1) by Eliza Raine
Synopsis:
A defiant human woman. A dark fae Prince. Two enemies bound to a marriage that could destroy their world.
Reyna was born a valuable slave to the Gold Court, imprisoned her whole life in a glittering palace by sadistic, greedy fae.
When the palace is raided, she takes her opportunity to escape. But the raid is led by her worst nightmare. The Prince of the most feared fae of all; the Shadow Court. And he wants one thing.
Her. The copper-haired, rune-marked human.
Reyna doesn’t know why the Prince has kidnapped her. But when he announces her as his betrothed, she knows that she must escape before she is eternally bound to the monster behind the mask.
Only, when he takes the mask off, he isn’t what she expects. He’s lethal, beautiful and exudes sin. And he needs her.
Drawn into a deadly world shrouded in secrets, and desperate to keep her own hidden, Reyna must find a way out. If she doesn’t, she risks more than just death. She risks giving everything to her intoxicating captor.
Court of Ravens and Ruin is one of the most exciting new fantasy romance books inspired by Norse mythology and Vikings. It is set in a darkly atmospheric world and has sexy fae Vikings and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers story and is filled with magic, myth, and delicious tension.
12| Blood Orange (The Dracula Duet #1) by Karina Halle
From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a dark and delicious Dracula retelling filled with secrets and lies, dangerous liaisons and a forbidden, student-teacher, second chance love story with a twist.
“My heart will always find yours.”
Dahlia Abernathy has only known revenge. When her parents were killed at an early age by vampires, Dahlia spent the rest of her life under the thumb of the Witch’s Guild being trained to kill them. Her latest mission sends her undercover to a prestigious music academy in Venice, Italy. Her goal? To kill Professor Valtu Aminoff, her teacher and the notorious vampire who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
But getting close to a dangerous vampire like Professor Aminoff is one thing. Falling for him is another. With Dahlia’s appearance disguised under a glamor spell, Valtu has no idea that the woman who has become his new dark obsession is actually the reincarnation of the woman he loved and lost twice before.
And Dahlia doesn’t remember that the very man she has been sent to kill is the love of her life.
Will their love come through and transcend time once again? Or are the fated lovers destined to let history repeat itself?
Blood Orange is one of the best new gothic romance books inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula and is a spicy and dark vampire romance story for adults.
11| A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
Synopsis:
An illness cursing the land forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.
If magic lives anywhere, it’s in the stars…
Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But after her mother dies, and Vega sees the fabled twin stars in the sky, it’s an omen she can no longer ignore, forcing her to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. But the outside world turns out to be much more terrifying than Vega could have imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives.
What Vega keeps to herself is that she is the Last Astronomer—a title carried from generation to generation—and she is the only one who carries the knowledge of the stars. Knowledge that could hold the key to the cure. And so when locals spot the tattoo on Vega’s neck in the shape of a constellation—the mark of an astronomer—chaos erupts as the threats her mother warned her about become all too real.
Fearing for her life, Vega is rescued by a girl named Cricket who leads her to Noah, a boy marked by his own mysterious tattoos. On the run from the men who are hunting her, Vega, Cricket, and Noah set out across the plains in search of the cure the stars speak of. But as the lines between friend and protector begin to blur, Vega must decide whether to safeguard the sacred knowledge of the astronomer. Or if she will risk everything to try to save them all.
A Wilderness of Stars is one of the highest-rated new fantasy romance books with a unique and immersive story about a teenage astronomer and the secrets of the stars.
10| Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked #3) by Kerri Maniscalco – Dark Fantasy Romance Book Series, September 2022
This steamy dark romance novel is the last one in Kerri Maniscalco’s #1 New York Timesbestselling fantasy romance series Kingdom of The Wicked trilogy. This spooky and thrilling story has everything including curses, a mysterious prophecy, a riveting ending, and of course a love story that’s more powerful than fate itself.
If you’re new to the series you should skip reading the blurb because big twists are revealed and could ruin your experience. This trilogy is definitely binge-worthy thanks to its unique story, great characters, and surprising twists and turns.
The story follows Emilia’s story as she tries to find a way to avenge her sisters even if she has to go through hell to do so.
If you’re looking for steamy new dark romance books with a lush and atmospheric world then don’t miss this brilliant dark romance fantasy series.
If you love dark fantasy books with romance then Kingdom of The Feared should be on your TBR.
464 Pages
9| This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi – Romance, Mythology, Fantasy Book, February 2022
Tahereh Mafi is back after her best-selling Shatter Me series with an exciting and sweeping fantasy romance book series. This Woven Kingdom is the first of the This Woven Kingdom trilogy and is one of the most anticipated romance books of 2022.
This stunning series is inspired by Persian mythology and introduces its readers to an exciting world. The story is about Alizeh, a servant girl, and Kamran, the crown prince, whose lives are affected by the same prophecy. If you’re looking for one of the best new fantasy books of 2022 then you should put this epic fantasy romance book on your list.
This Woven Kingdom is a thought-provoking and adventurous romance fantasy book with bewitching characters.
512 Pages
8| Only a Monster by Vanessa Len -YA Dark Fantasy Book, February 2022
Only a Monster is the first book of an enchanting and dark YA fantasy romance trilogy. Its protagonist is Joan who spends her summer in London with her late mother’s family. While she finds the family a bit odd, nothing really strange happens at first.
She even gets a great job at the Holland House and gets invited to a date by her new and very handsome colleague, Nick. All in all, Joan enjoys her life. However, she can only do that for a short time since soon it turns out that her new kind of weird family is actually a whole lot weird and that they are actually a pack of monsters, and Nick – her new boo- has to slay them. It’s a thrilling and fun book and is a fantastic choice for those who enjoy reading dark fantasy books for adults.
Only a Monster is a fun and dark YA romance fantasy book set in London.
416 Pages
7| Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen -YA Fantasy Book July 2022
Fantasy romance book lovers already raving about this enchanting new novel by Gina Chen. This beautiful debut novel is promising to be one of 2022’s most beloved romance novels.
Violet is a prophet who doesn’t necessarily mind giving false predictions to keep her position safe in the royal court. She’s witty and determined who easily outsmarts even her superiors. However, when Cyrus, the soon-to-be crowned prince wants to remove her from her position she has to step up her game.
When you think things can’t get any worse Violet unleashes a terrible curse that can destroy their whole world.
If you’re craving an epic fantasy romance novel with interesting characters, a mind-blowing magical world, and unlikely romance then pick up Violet Made of Thornes.
368 Pages
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6| Heavenly Bodies (Heavenly Bodies #1) by Imani Erriu – Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance Novel, January 2022
Are you into sci-fi as much as fantasy? Then Heavenly Bodies might be the right choice for you. It’s a sweeping romance story in a world where merciless gods watch over the world. The protagonist is Elara who has been cursed by fate. The prophecy says that one day she’ll fall for a Star and their love will kill them both.
One day Elara is forced to flee her own Kingdom and can find no other safe place than her enemy in the neighboring country. There she finally is able to learn more about her own magic, the stars that seem to forge their lives, the country she is taking refuge in, and of course, about the enemy prince forced to train her into a weapon.
Heavenly Bodies is one of the most anticipated new fantasy romance books of 2022 that’s a great choice for adults and YA readers.
599 Pages
5| City of Ruin (The Witch Walker Trilogy #2) by Charissa Weaks – Fantasy Romance Novel, August 2022
The much anticipated second book of The Witch Walker trilogy is finally arriving in 2022. City of Ruin promises to be one of the most exciting fantasy romance books of the year.
This epic fantasy story is filled with exciting twists and adventures, powerful witches, and of course a gripping love story.
Raina Bloodgood’s life has changed when her village was razed and was forced into a war. She soon learns that her powers are far more mighty than she thought and has to find a way to use them for good.
City of Ruin is one of the best fantasy romance books for adults with witches and an epic war story.
400 Pages
4| Soul Taken (Mercy Thompson #13) by Patricia Briggs – New Vampire Fantasy Romance Book Series, June 2022
Mercy Thompson series has delighted fans for many years now and her newest adventure promises to be just as deadly and fun as the previous ones. In Soul Taken Mercy has to clear the name of the Tri-Cities werewolves pack after Wulfe (a vampire) goes missing.
If she fails the peaceful alliance between vampires and werewolves ends. Mercy soon realizes that this is about more than just one vampire missing when her investigation uncovers a mysterious criminal who has been taking people and supernaturals from all over town.
Soul Taken is an entertaining urban-fantasy romance novel series for the fans of vampire and werewolves stories.
352 Pages
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3| A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft – Witchy YA Romance Fantasy Book March 2022
Are you into fairy tales and myths? Then this atmospheric love story with witches, mythical creatures, alchemy, and an epic love story is the right choice for you.
Along with Margaret and Wes, you’ll go on a mythical hunt for the last living mythical creature. The story’s fierce protagonist is Margaret who must win the Halfmoon Hunt to finally be able to bring her mother home.
The problem is she doesn’t have an alchemist yet which she desperately needs if she wants to win the mythical hunt. She knows she has to work together with Wes, a traveling alchemist-to-be, who just arrived at the Welty Manor she’s working at. The two agree to team up to hunt down the mythical beast together. If you’ve been looking for new books about witches then pick up this magical read.
A Far Wilder Magic is an enchanting magical-realism romance novel for young adults and adults who love myths, legends, and slow-burn love stories.
384 Pages
2| Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White – YA Dark Fantasy Romance Book, June 2022
This brilliant YA fantasy story is about Benji a sixteen-year-old trans boy who is on the run from the cult that raised him. The ruthless fundamentalist cult has unleashed Armageddon and decimated the population all around the world. Now Benji has to find a safe place where the cult can’t use the bioweapons they infected him with.
Soon Benji is saved by a group from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center. Only Nick, the group’s super handsome leader knows Benji’s secret and how it could wipe out humanity if it gets in the wrong hands. Despite everything, Nick offers a safe shelter for Benji among the other queer teens as long as Benji works on controlling the monster inside him and uses it to defend their group. Benji agrees but soon discovers secrets that might just change his decision.
Hell Followed With Us is a brilliantly entertaining LGBTQ+ fantasy story about finding your path and using your powers for good with a pinch of romance.
416 Pages
1| Castles in Their Bones (Castles in their Bones #1) by Laura Sebastian – New Fantasy Romance Book, 2022
Looking for a sweeping classic-feel fantasy romance book to read? Then pick up Castles in Their Bones and get lost in its spellbinding story of three princesses, seduction, and conquest.
Princess Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are now, age sixteen, and they each must leave their homeland and marry the princes their father Empress Margaraux has chosen for them when they were born.
The triplets are everything a prince would be looking for in a bride, beautiful, smart, and demure. Margaraux is counting on that the new husbands will underestimate the girls since her daughters are far from innocent. The girls have trained since their birth and learned the arts of deception, seduction, and violence. They also have only one goal, to bring down monarchies and their marriages are the first step on the road to victory.
Castles in Their Bones is an enchanting and empowering fantasy romance book series that’s a great choice for anyone who loves epic tales with a classic style.
514 Pages
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