Books Like A Court of Thorns and Roses: The Best Romantasy to Read Right Now

The Post-ACOTAR Void Is Real

You finished A Court of Silver Flames. You stared at the ceiling. You probably considered rereading the entire series immediately.

We get it.

The good news: ACOTAR 6 drops October 27, 2026, with ACOTAR 7 following on January 12, 2027. The better news: there are phenomenal books that scratch the same itch while you wait. We're not just talking "also has fae in it." We mean books that nail the things that made ACOTAR hit different — the slow burn tension, the court politics, the found family that wrecked you emotionally, the romance that consumed you.

We organized this list by trope so you can find exactly what you're craving. Because let's be honest — not everyone is here for the same reason.

If You Lived for the Enemies-to-Lovers

The tension. The banter. The moment it shifts. These books understand the assignment.

1. The Cruel Prince — Holly Black (The Folk of the Air series)

Jude is a mortal girl raised in a fae court that despises her, and Prince Cardan is the cruelest of them all. The enemies-to-lovers arc in this series is one of the best in the genre — sharp, political, and deeply satisfying. Holly Black's faerie world is genuinely dangerous; nothing is glamorous and everything has teeth. If you loved the Night Court politics in ACOTAR, this will consume you.

2. Riftborne — Bree Grenwich (2026)

An instant Sunday Times bestseller and one of the biggest romantasy debuts of 2026. Fia harbors a secret, explosive power on the Isle of Sidhe, and when it erupts, she's given a choice by the elusive General Laryk Ashford: join the guard or face execution. Slow burn, true enemies-to-lovers, high stakes, and political intrigue. If you're looking for something fresh that carries ACOTAR energy, this is it.

3. Rose in Chains — Julie Soto (The Evermore Trilogy, 2026)

A #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. The war is over, the dark forces have won, and a captured princess is sold to the scion of a cruel magical family — who also happens to be her long-time infatuation. Stephanie Garber called it "a dark fever dream of a fairytale." Dark, spicy, and utterly consuming.

If You Loved the Fae Courts & World-Building

The lush, dangerous beauty of Prythian is hard to leave behind. These books build worlds just as immersive.

4. Throne of Glass — Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass series)

The most natural next step if you want more Maas. Celaena is an assassin pulled from prison to compete for the role of royal champion. The series starts as a fantasy adventure and grows into something epic — the kind of long-form obsession where you realize 200 pages in that you're never leaving. If you haven't read this yet, now is the time.

5. House of Earth and Blood — Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City series)

If what you want is more of Sarah J. Maas specifically, Crescent City delivers her voice in a different, more modern-feeling fantasy setting. Bryce and Hunt's story hits harder as the series progresses, especially once threads start connecting across the entire Maasverse. Start here if you're not ready to read another author yet.

6. The Serpent and the Wings of Night — Carissa Broadbent (The Crowns of Nyaxia series)

A human girl raised by the vampire king enters a deadly tournament to prove herself. The world-building is rich, the stakes are real, and the romance between Oraya and Raihn is the kind of slow burn that keeps you reading until 3 AM. Think ACOTAR's Under the Mountain arc stretched into a full, stunning novel.

If You're Here for the Slow Burn

The yearning. The tension that builds across chapters (and books) until it finally, finally breaks. These are for the patient readers who know the payoff is worth it.

7. Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean series)

The biggest romantasy crossover of the last few years, and for good reason. Violet enters a brutal war college for dragon riders where the dropout rate is death. Xaden is dangerous, infuriating, and absolutely magnetic. This scratches the ACOTAR itch in a completely different world — less fae courts, more dragons and military academy — but the binge energy is identical.

8. Divine Rivals — Rebecca Ross (Letters of Enchantment series)

Two rival journalists in a world on the brink of war begin writing letters to each other through magical wardrobe doors — without knowing the other's identity. This is a softer romantasy than ACOTAR, but the slow burn is exquisite and the emotional payoff is devastating. If you loved Feyre and Rhysand's letters, start here.

9. Enchanting the Fae Queen — Stephanie Burgis (Queens of Villainy series, 2026)

A seductive fae queen kidnaps the enemy empire's most virtuous general. They're opposites in every way, but when they're swept into a deadly fae tournament together, all their hidden truths come out. Sparkling, irreverent, swoony, and full of glitter — literally. A lighter, more playful romantasy that's pure joy.

If You Want Something Darker

ACOTAR has its dark moments — Under the Mountain, Nesta's spiral — but these books live in that darkness full-time.

10. Gild — Raven Kennedy (The Plated Prisoner series)

King Midas keeps Auren as his prized possession — gilded, caged, and displayed. When she's taken by an enemy army commander, everything she thought she knew about her gilded cage starts to crack. This series is darker, spicier, and more morally complex than ACOTAR. The slow burn across the series is legendary.

11. The Priory of the Orange Tree — Samantha Shannon

An epic standalone fantasy with a sapphic romance, dragons, and a world on the brink of destruction. This is for readers who loved ACOTAR's scale but want something that feels more like a literary epic. At 800+ pages, it's an investment — but a stunning one.

12. A Curse So Dark and Lonely — Brigid Kemmerer (Cursebreakers series)

A Beauty and the Beast retelling set in a cursed fantasy kingdom. The heroine has cerebral palsy and is fierce, resourceful, and entirely unbothered by a brooding prince. Darker than it sounds, with political intrigue and escalating stakes across the trilogy.

What About ACOTAR 6 and 7?

If you're counting down:

• ACOTAR 6 releases October 27, 2026

• ACOTAR 7 releases January 12, 2027

Sarah J. Maas has confirmed both dates. That gives you time to work through this entire list — or reread the series from the beginning. (No judgment. We've done it twice.)

Build Your Romantasy Shelf

Every title on this list deserves the hardcover treatment — sprayed edges, exclusive covers, and all the bookish goodies that make a shelf feel curated. At Inkwell & Ivy, we carry ACOTAR box sets and a growing collection of romantasy titles for readers who want their books to look as dreamy as they read.

Browse our Books — they make a stunning gift for the BookTok reader in your life.

FAQ

What is romantasy?

Romantasy is a blend of romance and fantasy — stories where the love story is just as central as the magical world-building. Think fae courts, enemies-to-lovers, and slow burn tension set against epic fantasy stakes. A Court of Thorns and Roses is often credited with popularizing the term.

What order should I read ACOTAR in?

Publication order: A Court of Thorns and Roses → A Court of Mist and Fury → A Court of Wings and Ruin → A Court of Frost and Starlight → A Court of Silver Flames. Then ACOTAR 6 (October 2026) and ACOTAR 7 (January 2027).

What books are similar to ACOTAR but spicier?

Gild by Raven Kennedy and Rose in Chains by Julie Soto both deliver higher heat levels with the same romantic fantasy foundation. The Plated Prisoner series is the most commonly recommended "spicier ACOTAR" read.