Surrey


<p>Fuelled by TikTok, hunky men and an insatiable desire for fairy smut, the romantasy genre is hot, hot, hot. In the past year it has exploded in popularity, with authors getting screaming rockstar-style receptions at book readings. In March, <em>Onyx Storm</em>, the third instalment in Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean Series sold a whopping 2.7 million copies in its first week alone. That makes it the fastest-selling adult novel in the UK in the past 20 years. </p>



<p>A romance-fantasy fusion, readers can’t get enough of the fierce heroines, complex love interests, battles, brooding and betrayals. And, well, yeah, there are also <em>those</em> sizzling scenes. Naughty. Whether slow-burn, forbidden love, or enemies-to-lovers does it for you, they guarantee to keep the pages turning way into the night. Here’s our beginners&#8217; guide to fiery romantasy series&#8217; that will have you in a reading chokehold.</p>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-fourth-wing.jpg" alt="Rebecca Yarros book - Fourth Wing" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Fourth Wing </h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Rebecca Yarros</strong><br />The romantasy book that quite literally altered my brain chemistry. Step into the world of Basgiath War College where survival is anything but guaranteed. The series follows Violet Sorrengail, a dragon rider who enters the brutal college against her General mother’s wishes and quickly proves she’s not to be underestimated. Expect heart-racing battles, scorching romance (yes, we’re looking at you, Xaden), and jaw-dropping twists in this first book of five (the first three are out FYI). If there’s anything that will kick off your romantasy addiction, it’s this. I’m obsessed.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-court-of-thornes.jpg" alt="A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">A Court of Thorns and Roses</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Sarah J Maas</strong><br />If you haven’t heard of <em>A Court of Thorns and Roses</em>, where have you been hiding? It’s practically the series that ignited the romantasy revolution, stacked to the rafters with hot fairies, sexual tension, and secrets. Feyre is our leading lady who after killing a wolf that turns out to be a fae in disguise (oops), is dragged across the fae wall to pay the price. The first of five books that are currently out, the series quickly spirals into a sweeping saga of political intrigue, war, magical powers, and an all-star cast of dangerously loveable characters.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-serpant.jpg" alt="The Serpent &amp; the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Serpent &amp; the Wings of Night</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Carissa Broadbent</strong><br />I’m currently in the middle of this series and am absolutely drinking it up. The Crowns of Nyaxia series is comprised of three duologies and two novellas, with the first book being <em>The Serpents &amp; the Wings of Night</em>. One word: vampires. The squeamish may want to hide. Naturally, there’s a lot of blood. But the best way it can be described is a blood-sucking version of <em>The Hunger Games</em> which sees Oraya, the vampire king’s adopted human daughter, joining a savage game of survival to win a gift from the goddess. Pitted against vampires, it’s a scorcher filled with tension and a slow-burn romance.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-moon-hatched.jpg" alt="When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">When the Moon Hatched</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Sarah A. Parker</strong><br />A spicy romantasy full of deadly gods, ancient prophecies, and a stubborn heroine who absolutely did not ask for this level of chaos, <em>When the Moon Hatched</em> is a beautifully written novel that knows how to bring the heat. There’s dragons (enough said), there’s ridiculous amounts of sexual tension, and yes, you will be shouting “OH MY GOD” into the void at 2am. The second book is set to release next February and my preorder is already in.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-bride.jpg" alt="Bride by Ali Hazelwood" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Bride</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Ali Hazelwood</strong><br />Cue the tension, the secrets, the slow burn, and yes – the spice. Think favourite grumpy-sunshine rom-com gets bitten by a vampire and raised by werewolves and you’ve got <em>Bride</em>. It’s an absolute global and TikTok sensation loved for Ali Hazelwood’s trademark wit, plus sarcastic, steamy, and surprisingly emotional story. It’s cosy and creepy in equal measure, following vampire heroine Misery Lark who agrees to marriage with a powerful alpha werewolf to keep the peace.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-sword-catcher.jpg" alt="Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare." /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Sword Catcher</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Cassandra Clare</strong><br />Is there anything Cassandra Clare can’t do? Answer: no. <em>Sword Catcher</em> is like <em>The Prince and the Pauper</em> collided with <em>Game of Thrones</em> and added a touch of romantic yearning. There’s a city full of masked assassins, ancient secrets, morally gray criminals, and a poor boy suddenly living in a palace pretending to be a prince – but without any of the perks. In fact, as a body double and protector for Prince Conor, Kel’s job is literally to get stabbed instead of the royal heir. The political scheming and world building is just brilliant.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-emily-wilde.jpg" alt="Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Heather Fawcett</strong><br />Cosy, cute and whimsical, this is a great option for those looking for something a little less high stakes and blood-thirsty, but still epic. The novel follows brilliant but socially-awkward scholar Emily who is determined to complete the world’s first comprehensive guide to fae creatures. It’s set in a snowy Scandinavian-inspired village full of hidden magic and prickly townsfolk, and is the ultimate cottagecore fantasy. The perfect book for curling up with a hot choc and escaping for a little while.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-quicksilver.jpg" alt="Quicksilver by Callie Hart" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Quicksilver</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Callie Hart</strong><br />Kingfisher, the dashingly handsome Fae warrior, is quite frankly everyone’s book boyfriend right now. Even though he is literally regarded as Death himself, it doesn’t seem to put Saeris Fane off, who lands herself in some pretty hot trouble, aka a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed, plus mistakenly binding herself to Kingfisher. Oops. This is a serious rollercoaster of a book that’s equal parts heart-thumping, soul-crushing, and can’t-look-away addictive. Perfect timing for the second book release in November.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-throne-of-glass.jpg" alt="Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Throne of Glass</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Sarah J Maas</strong><br />Erring more on the high fantasy than romance side of things (although there is still plenty of that too), it would be a crime not to put <em>Throne of Glass</em> into the mix. It’s my absolute favourite series of all time. Celaena Sardothien is one of the greatest female protagonists to exist – a world-famous assassin who after being dragged out of prison, is forced to compete in a deadly tournament to become the king’s champion and potentially win her freedom. The first of eight books in a multi-POV epic that will literally change your life. Read. It.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/08/book-one-dark-window.jpg" alt="One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">One Dark Window</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>By Rachel Gillig</strong><br />If you love your romantasy dark, dreamy, and dripping with gothic vibes, <em>One Dark Window</em> is basically your new favorite obsession. Elspeth Spindle lives in a mist-shrouded kingdom where magic is dangerous and outlawed – which is a bit of a problem, since she’s hiding a terrifying power inside her head. When fate throws her together with a mysterious highwayman and a rebellion against the crown, Elspeth must decide who to trust… including the ancient, shadowy voice that may be her greatest weapon – or her undoing. This is a complete series comprised of two books.</p><p></p></div></div></div></div>



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<p><strong>Looking for more literary inspiration?</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/books/50-books-to-read/"><em>Here are 50 fabulous books to add to your reading list</em></a></p>



<p><strong>Bookmark this!</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/books/best-independent-bookshops-in-surrey/"><em>The seven best independent bookshops in Surrey</em></a></p>


Fairies, dragons, magic… and sex! 10 romantasy books to read now

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