{"id":13054,"date":"2020-11-30T15:41:14","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T20:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jennytrout.com\/?p=13054"},"modified":"2020-11-30T15:41:14","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T20:41:14","slug":"my-favorite-adult-high-fantasy-romances-high-fantasy-with-romantic-elements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/?p=13054","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite Adult High Fantasy Romances\/High Fantasy With Romantic Elements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over on Patreon, I’m running a Jealous Patrons Book Club feature where you can subscribe to recaps or discussion posts for\u00a0A Court of Thorns and Roses<\/em> by Sarah J. Maas. I will refrain from putting my opinion on the book here, as that’s not what this post is about.<\/p>\n

Instead, this post is about amazing High-Fantasy Romances or High-Fantasy with strong romantic elements that I have read and loved. There are titles on here you might recognize, but overall I feel like these books didn’t get the attention they deserved. You’re gonna see one and go, “Jenny, come on. You\u00a0really<\/em> think\u00a0that one<\/em> didn’t get\u00a0enough<\/em> attention?”<\/p>\n

Yes. I think that even the most popular of these should be far more celebrated than they are, even if the only thing left is to declare an international day of appreciation and\/or building a statue beneath which the author’s heart and brain will be entombed upon their death, that we may all be grateful to be so close to their most important parts.<\/p>\n

That got grim.<\/p>\n

Anyway, jam these in your eye holes or your earholes or the tips of your fingers. Which ever way you choose to read (though I’m not sure which formats all of these books are available in, to be perfectly frank). Oh, and I’ve excluded YA High Fantasy from the list because honestly, my list would be like, SUSAN DENNARD OKAY THAT’S ALL YOU NEED LOCK YOURSELF IN A ROOM AND READ EVERYTHING SHE’S WRITTEN, COOL?<\/p>\n

These might also seem old, in terms of release. All but one of them are, indeed, decades old. But High Fantasy Romance has been something of a disappointment for me for the past few years. There was such a huge boom in the 00’s in the subgenre, but it feels like its’ petered out a bit. There was also a substantial rise in YA Paranormal Romance\/Urban Fantasy\/High Fantasy, so it did feel for a while like publishers went, “And the girly elf books go over here!” and I kind of wandered away from the genre and into books about WWII because congratulations, I’m your dad! But I’m always taking recommendations. Send them my way (and the way of everyone else) in the comments.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/em>The<\/em> Dr<\/em>eam<\/em> Thief,<\/em>\u00a0Shannon Ab\u00e9.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the remote hills of northern England lives a powerful clan with a centuries-old secret. They are the\u00a0dr\u00e1kon<\/i>, shape-shifters who possess the ability to Turn\u2014changing from human to smoke to dragon. And from the very stones of the earth, they hear hypnotic songs of beauty and wonder. But there is one stone they fear.<\/p>\n

Buried deep within the bowels of the Carpathian Mountains lies the legendary dreaming diamond known as\u00a0Draumr<\/i>, the only gem with the power to enslave the\u00a0dr\u00e1kon<\/i>. Since childhood, Lady Amalia Langford, daughter of the clan’s Alpha, has heard its haunting ballad but kept it secret, along with another rare Gift…Lia can hear the future, much in the way she hears the call of\u00a0Draumr<\/i>. And in that future, she realizes that the diamond\u2014along with the fate of the\u00a0dr\u00e1kon<\/i>\u2014rests in the hands of a human man, one who straddles two worlds.<\/p>\n

Ruthlessly clever, Zane has risen through London’s criminal underworld to become its ruler. Once a street urchin saved by Lia’s mother, Zane is also privy to the secrets of the clan\u2014and is the only human they trust to bring them\u00a0Draumr<\/i>. But he does nothing selflessly.<\/p>\n

Zane’s hunt for the gem takes him to Hungary, where he is shocked to encounter a bold, beautiful young noblewoman: Lia. She has broken every rule of the\u00a0dr\u00e1kon<\/i>\u00a0to join him, driven by the urgent song of\u00a0Draumr<\/i>\u2014and her visions of Zane. In one future, he is her ally. In another, her overlord. In both, he is her lover. Now, to protect her tribe, Lia must tie her fate to Zane’s, to the one man capable of stealing her future\u2014and destroying her heart.<\/p>\n

\n

The Dream Thief<\/em> is technically the second book in Ab\u00e9’s\u00a0Drakon<\/em> series, but it was my favorite. They’re all amazing; the world-building is top-notch, the details are meticulously consistent, and the characters don’t develop so much as they feel incredibly real the moment they’re introduced and we then watch these people that we already feel we know learn and grow from there. The romance was so compelling, I finished this book on two flights. And they weren’t even exceptionally long flights. I just sucked up this book as fast and hard as I could.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"AThe Queen of Ieflari<\/span><\/em>a, Effie Calvin<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Princess Esofi of Rhodia and Crown Prince Albion of Ieflaria have been betrothed since they were children but have never met. At age seventeen, Esofi\u2019s journey to Ieflaria is not for the wedding she always expected but instead to offer condolences on the death of her would-be husband.<\/p>\n

But Ieflaria is desperately in need of help from Rhodia for their dragon problem, so Esofi is offered a new betrothal to Prince Albion\u2019s younger sister, the new Crown Princess Adale. But Adale has no plans of taking the throne, leaving Esofi with more to battle than fire-breathing beasts.<\/p>\n

\n

Did you watch\u00a0Game of Thrones<\/em> and think to yourself, “Eh. Could be gayer?” Do you long for a fantasy world that dares to imagine what it would be like if queerness wasn’t stigmatized all to hell?<\/p>\n

It’s this series.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Kushiel’s Dart<\/em>, Ja<\/a>cqueline Carey<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The land of Terre d’Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good… and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.<\/p>\n

Ph\u00e8dre n\u00f3 Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission… and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel’s Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.<\/p>\n

Ph\u00e8dre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Ph\u00e8dre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair… and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Ph\u00e8dre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.<\/p>\n

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel’s Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.<\/p>\n

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Content Warning: sexual sadism, rape\/coerced consent, child grooming.<\/p>\n

Even though this\u00a0ultimate<\/em>\u00a0BDSM-flavored High-Fantasy, this absolutely sprawling tale of loves lost and gained and political alliances sealed behind closed doors is an international bestseller, it has not gotten the attention it deserves among the pantheon of High-Fantasy fiction. While some of the world-building feels dated (particularly a race of people clearly inspired by the Roma, who are not painted in the most flattering light), it tends to face harsher criticism than more problematic series in the genre.<\/p>\n

Gee. I wonder what could make this series so different from\u00a0A Song of Ice and Fire<\/em> or\u00a0Wheel of Time.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Night’s Rose,<\/em> Annaliese Evans\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Beauty was not awakened by a kiss.\u00a0<\/i>For nearly one hundred years, Rosemarie Edenberg has worked tirelessly to wipe the dreaded ogre tribe from the earth. Now the tribe has gathered in London to work a spell that will destroy the scourge of their kind, the woman they call the Briar Rose.<\/p>\n

Two magnetic men will unite to aid Rose–her mysterious Fey advisor, Ambrose, and the vampire, Lord Shenley, an Earl of scandalous reputation and even more scandalous appetites. One will save her, one will betray her, and both will challenge her to face the past that haunts her.<\/p>\n

Once upon a time, she was ensnared in the mists of enchantment, cursed to sleep one hundred years. But this beauty wasn\u2019t awakened with a kiss, and has never known happily ever after.<\/p>\n

With the help of her handsome allies, Rose may yet find it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

If you’re familiar with the original tale of\u00a0Sleeping Beauty<\/em>, then you know there’s a big ole content warning for rape on this one (although if memory serves, it’s just referenced instead of on the page. I’ve never met a heroine like Briar Rose, and the addition of vampires and ogres and basically any fantasy creature you’re into makes this like…I guess the port-wine-dark-chocolate-bonbon of High Fantasy for me. It is\u00a0intensely<\/em> rich.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\u00a0Jewel of Atlantis,\u00a0<\/em>Gena Showalter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

All Atlantis seeks the Jewel of Dunamis, which legend claims can overcome any enemy. Grayson James, human agent of the ultra-secret Otherworld Bureau of Investigation, has orders to keep it from the wrong hands — or destroy it. What he doesn’t know is that Jewel is a woman, not a stone! But once he meets this precious gem, destroying her is the last thing on his mind . . .<\/p>\n

Jewel, part goddess, part prophet, is a pawn in Atlantis’s constant power struggles. She needs Gray’s help to win freedom and uncover the secrets of her mysterious origins. Gray needs her wisdom to navigate monster-ridden Atlantis. But need blossoms into passionate love as they fight demons, dragons, vampires-and a prophecy that says the bond between them could destroy them both.<\/p>\n

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This is one of those books that gets classified as Paranormal Romance just because vampires exist in the universe or because a character from the “real” world is involved. This is also another book where I’m recommending the second in a series, but you won’t be lost if you picked this one up first. This book is like\u00a0Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom<\/em> but with a much more competent, less-insulting, non-shrieking heroine. I really think Gena Showalter doesn’t get the recognition as the titan she is because she’s published by Harlequin. Atlantis is a distinct fantasy realm with intriguing world-building and the pace of this book is Chiquita bananas; I tore through it in an afternoon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Last, but not least:<\/p>\n

Goddess of the Rose,<\/em> P.C. Cast\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Empousai family roses have bloomed for centuries, thanks to the drops of blood their women sacrifice for their gardens. But Mikki would rather forget this family quirk and lead a normal life. Until she unwittingly performs a ritual, ending up in the strangely familiar Realm of the Rose. As its goddess Hecate reveals, Mikki is a priestess\u2014and the Realm’s been waiting for her…<\/p>\n

Long ago, an enraged Hecate cursed her guardian beast and the entire Realm with a slumber only a priestess can undo\u2014and she’s counting on Mikki to set things right. The beast at first terrifies Mikki, but soon intrigues her more than any man ever has. Now, the only way he and the Realm can be saved is for Mikki to sacrifice her life-giving blood\u2014and herself…<\/p>\n

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Again, not the first in a series. This is actually the\u00a0fourth<\/em> installment in Cast’s\u00a0Goddess Summoning<\/em> series but again, this could easily stand alone. It won’t, once you read this one; all of the Goddess Summoning<\/em> books have the same level of emotion and high-stakes conflict both inside and outside of the central romance. It’s also one of the rare\u00a0Beauty and the Beast<\/em> retellings where the author actually has the backbone to…go there. You know what I mean.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What are your favorites? Leave a comment letting us know. Also, if you read some of these, come back and tell me what you thought!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over on Patreon, I’m running a Jealous Patrons Book Club feature where you can subscribe to recaps or discussion posts for\u00a0A Court of Thorns and<\/p>\n

Read moreMy Favorite Adult High Fantasy Romances\/High Fantasy With Romantic Elements<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13054"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13063,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13054\/revisions\/13063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jennytrout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}