The Ultimate Guide to the Most Iconic Romantasy Tropes
Romantasy has taken the book world (and soon the streaming world) by storm. BookTok turned romantasy tropes into a whole subculture of people more invested in fictional relationships than their own. Who needs therapy when you’ve got BookTok’s spicy quotes to get you through the day?
“You don’t beg very prettily. Shall I teach you?”
And with that, slowly but surely, romantasy tropes have ruined our romantic expectations forever.
But what is it about them that keeps us coming back for more?
In this post, we’ll explore 14 popular romantasy tropes and why they resonate deeply with readers. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a writer looking for inspiration, this deep dive will unveil the secrets of fantasy romance.
What Is Romantasy?
Romantasy is a hybrid genre that combines the emotional intensity of romance with a fantasy setting. Common genre tropes include fated mates, forbidden love, and epic quests. Aimed primarily at a female audience, romantasy leans toward elements of high fantasy rather than low fantasy.
Why Do We Love Fantasy Romance?
Fantasy romance captivates readers because it effectively blends escapism with emotional depth. It offers thrilling adventures, magical worlds, and intense romance, and thus fulfills the readers’ preference for both excitement and heartfelt connection.
Romantasy Tropes List
Here is the list of the most popular tropes of fantasy romance:
Let’s look into each one in detail.
1. Fated Mates
Because Destiny Said So
This romantasy trope asserts that love is not a choice but a magical mandate. Whether it’s a soul bond, ancient prophecy, or cosmic interference, the two characters are bound together for life. Naturally, one (or both) will fight it, leading to angsty tension, longing stares, and eventual surrender to fate.
Why we love it: Built-in drama, epic stakes, and the undeniable thrill of soulmate-level devotion.
Iconic examples: Rhysand & Feyre (ACOTAR) and Aelin & Rowan (Throne of Glass).
2. Forced Proximity
From Reluctance to Romance
Nothing fuels romantasy tension like two characters trapped in close quarters, whether it’s one bed, one horse, or a life-or-death quest. They hate it… until they don’t. The unintentional intimacy of shared space breeds moments of vulnerability, and before long, the line between hate and love becomes delightfully blurry.
Bonus points if one gets injured and the other has to tend to their wounds.
Why we love it: The inevitable “I can’t stand you, but also, your hair looks really good today” moment sparks instant tension and makes the resulting intimacy feel both irresistible and justified.
Iconic examples: Lou & Reid (Serpent & Dove) and Poppy & Casteel (From Blood and Ash).
3. Enemies to Lovers
From Battle to Besotted
The Enemies-to-Lovers trope is one of the best-selling tropes in romance, but even more so in romantasy. Unlike Friends to Lovers, it creates a stronger foundation for tension, stakes, and a compelling arc. When two characters start on opposite sides, sparks (and usually swords) fly.
Why we love it: Built-in tension, epic banter, slow-burn intensity, and a love that feels earned. They don’t just fall — they fight for it.
Iconic examples: Lou & Reid (Serpent & Dove) and Bryce & Hunt (Crescent City)
4. “Who Did This to You?”
From Concern to Carnage
Nothing unlocks feral romantasy energy quite like the “Who did this to you?” moment. One character — usually the emotionally guarded, brooding type — sees their love interest being hurt or just slightly inconvenienced and immediately loses their mind.
Why we love it: This trope delivers instant vulnerability, undeniable devotion, and raw intensity. It’s the moment where feelings can’t be denied because love isn’t spoken but it’s acted on with furious protectiveness.
Iconic examples: Rhysand & Feyre (A Court of Mist and Fury), Cassian & Nesta (A Court of Silver Flames), and Casteel & Poppy (From Blood and Ash).
5. The Secretly Soft Villain
A Monster to the World, a Softie to You
Like Enemies to Lovers, the Secretly Soft Villain trope taps into the female hero myth of “taming a beast” — the idea that love can tame even the most dangerous of men. Nothing is more seductive than watching a feared villain fall to their knees — not in defeat, but in devotion.
Power paired with vulnerability is simply irresistible.
Why we love it: There’s nothing more intoxicating than power bending for love. It’s the ultimate fantasy — transforming a villain into a protector, not by changing him, but by revealing the one part of him that was never cruel.
Iconic examples: Cardan Greenbriar (The Cruel Prince), Wrath (Kingdom of the Wicked), Dorian Havilliard (Throne of Glass).
6. “Touch Her and You Die”
From Protective to Predatory
While Secretly Soft Villain is a gradual reveal, Touch Her and You Die is a single, explosive moment of pure, possessive rage. The love interest — whether a villain, warrior, or brooding hero — sees their beloved in danger and immediately goes feral.
A Secretly Soft Villain can have a “Touch Her and You Die” moment, but not every character with a feral protective instinct is a Secretly Soft Villain. One is an arc, the other is a scene-stealing moment of intensity.
Why we love it: Few tropes deliver this level of pure, possessive devotion. There’s something thrilling about watching a ruthless fighter lose all restraint the moment their person is in danger. It’s not just about protection — it’s about claiming, about proving that nothing and no one will come between them.
Iconic Examples: Rhysand destroying anyone who threatens Feyre (A Court of Thorns and Roses), Hawke going full bloodthirsty when Poppy is harmed (From Blood and Ash), Wrath’s dangerously possessive rage over Emilia (Kingdom of the Wicked).
7. Captor / Captive
From Hostage to Heartache
There’s nothing quite like forced proximity with a side of power imbalance to create unbearable tension. In the Captor/Captive trope, one character is kidnapped, imprisoned, or otherwise at the mercy of another. But instead of pure hatred, two characters find themselves in a dangerous game of power, defiance, and undeniable attraction.
Why we love it: When done well, this trope delivers powerful character development and some of the most unforgettable slow burns in romantasy.
Iconic examples: Persephone & Hades (mythology & retellings), Elena & Wrath (Kingdom of the Wicked), and Poppy & Casteel (From Blood and Ash).
8. The Chosen One & Their Broody Protector
From Duty to Desire
The Chosen One trope pairs a hero destined for greatness with a broody, morally grey protector who bears a tortured past. Their love story is one of sacrifice, tension, and angst, where the protector slowly falls for the person they’ve sworn to protect. Even if it means risking everything.
Why we love it: The protector’s duty to guard them comes with deep emotional conflict and hidden feelings. The contrast between the Chosen One’s light and the protector’s shadow makes for a compelling, slow-burn romance.
Iconic examples: Feyre & Rhysand (ACOTAR), Kali & Zane (The Serpent & the Wings of Night), Bryce & Hunt (Crescent City).
9. The Fake Marriage / Bond
A Faked Vow, A Real Romance
This romantasy trope centers on two characters forced into a fake union, whether through political alliances, magical bargains, or mere survival instincts. It begins as a formality, but between shared chambers, reluctant touches, and increasingly blurred lines, feelings become impossible to ignore.
Why we love it: This trope creates the perfect setup for a slow burn. The forced proximity and public displays of affection start to feel a bit too real. And when it’s time to part, the inevitable heartache adds layers of irresistible romantic tension.
Iconic examples: Jude & Cardan (The Queen of Nothing), Thalía & Alaric (Bride of the Shadow King), Poppy & Casteel (From Blood and Ash).
10. Morally Grey Character
The Best Kind of Bad Decision
The Morally Grey Character exists in the space between right and wrong. He makes questionable decisions for the right causes. Though it’s more of a character archetype than a plot device, this trope heavily influences relationship dynamics. Especially those built on power struggles, tension, and redemption arcs.
Why we love it: The Morally Grey Characters add complexity to the romance. Unlike a classic hero, they don’t always do the right thing, but that’s what makes them more intriguing.
Iconic examples: The Darkling (Shadow and Bone), Azriel (ACOTAR), Zaden (The Serpent & the Wings of Night)
11. Found Family
The Quest for Belonging
Found Family is a huge romantasy trope, even though it’s more of a subplot than a central romance device. It thrives in fantasy settings where characters are torn from their homes, forced into dangerous quests, or isolated by their powers, leading them to build a family of their own.
This trope does more than just add emotional depth — it shapes the romance itself. Love interests often prove themselves through loyalty to the group, and the family dynamic heightens tension, adds humor, and raises the stakes.
Why we love it: Nothing makes a love story hit harder than a character who’s never had a home finally finding one. Not just in their partner, but in the people around them
Iconic examples: The Inner Circle (ACOTAR), The Crows (Six of Crows), The House of Wind gang (Crescent City).
12. Forbidden Love
Sneaking Around Never Felt So Romantic
Forbidden Love thrives on the tension of two characters who, for one reason or another, are not meant to be together. Whether it’s due to social boundaries, family rivalries, or magical rules, their love is prohibited, and the very act of falling for each other only deepens the stakes.
Why we love it: Forbidden love brings the ultimate thrill — the heart-pounding rush of wanting something you’re not supposed to have. The fear of consequences deepens the emotional connection, and the clash of desire and danger makes every moment more intense.
Iconic examples: Kerrigan & Kellan (The Cursebreaker Trilogy), Lena & Ethan (Beautiful Creatures), Feyre & Tamlin (ACOTAR).
13. Grumpy and Sunshine
From Sarcasm to Sweetness
The Grumpy and Sunshine is the ultimate clash of personalities, where the cheerful, optimistic “sunshine” character collides with the brooding, sarcastic “grumpy” character, who is a master at hiding their softer side.
Why we love it: The contrast between their personalities creates instant chemistry. The banter is usually hilariously entertaining, and the romance develops as both characters teach each other valuable lessons: the sunshine character brings warmth to the grumpy one’s dark world, while the grumpy one teaches the sunshine character about realism and balance.
Iconic examples: Lena & Lachlan (The Rebel King), Aelin & Rowan (Throne of Glass), Nina & Matthias (Six of Crows).
14. Love Triangle (or Square… or Hexagon)
The Love Triangle is all about competing desires and tough choices against the background of magic, prophecies, and conflicting loyalties. It’s not just about choosing between two people. It often includes choosing between worlds, responsibilities, or even identities.
Why we love it: The tension of deciding who is truly “the one” keeps readers on edge, with jealousy and heartache adding layers to the romance. When the protagonist finally chooses, the payoff is always satisfying.
Iconic examples: Clary, Jace, & Simon (The Mortal Instruments), Bella, Edward, & Jacob (Twilight), Arya, Gendry, & Jon Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire).
Conclusion
Romantasy has the magical power to whisk us away to worlds where love conquers all, even if it’s battling dragons, magic, or destiny’s terrible timing. Whether you’re a writer seeking inspiration or a reader diving into your next adventure, it’s clear that the allure of romantasy tropes is undeniable.
As you can see, most of the romantasy tropes create a perfect setup for slow burn and escapism where impossible becomes possible. It’s the ultimate escape, where we can dream about tall, chiseled-jawed men who kneel in the name of love, and completely lose their cool to protect it.
And with that, our dating standards are forever ruined.
Here’s to a lifetime of impossibly high expectations and ruined love lives!
See Also
10 Bingeworthy Fae Romance Series You Haven’t Heard About
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