If you are anything like me, you absolutely love when an author combines a fantastical world of magic with a beautiful, slow-burn romance. However, it's hard to find books in this specific genre (romantic fantasy/fantasy romance) that don't have sex scenes (or spice, as it's sometimes called). Luckily, I have read a lot of novels in the last two years and have curated a list of well-written fantasy stories with plenty of romance but no sex scenes or inappropriate content. I'll be listing the genres, tropes, and warnings for each book, as well as what I liked about them. Enjoy!
(About me, so you know who is giving you these recommendations: My name is Jaysee Jewel. I am an author and book reviewer. I specialize in fantasy, horror, soft science fiction, and romance.)
1. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
My Rating: S Tier (10/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Fae / Royalty / Magic / Forbidden Love
A seamstress falls in love with a fae prince, even though they both know it's forbidden.
An Enchantment of Ravens wasn't the first book I read by this author but it was the first one I fell in love with. It's got tons of humor (the little girls the MC takes care of are adorable) and the romance between the two main leads, while rushed, still feels charming. This was a great, quick read (less than 80,000 words) and I got through it super fast.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Enchantment-Ravens-Margaret-Rogerson-ebook/dp/B06ZXWGVDC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=an+enchantment+of+ravens&qid=1671575738&s=digital-text&sr=1-1
2. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
My Rating: B Tier (7/10) but my sister adored it
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Historical / Scientist / Dragons / Marriage
A female scientist sets off on a journey to study her passion: dragons.
I generally don't dive into historical fantasy but if this is your preferred genre, you will love this one. It combines a more analytical view of dragons with a late 1800s setting and a hint of romance. (I've been told the later entries have an even better courtship, but I've only read the first book so far). This book has a unique charm, blended with a more logical, mature female lead.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-History-Dragons-Memoir-Trent-ebook/dp/B00AEC8P2Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1671576073&sr=1-1
3. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
My Rating: A Tier (8/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Carnivals / Magic / Mystery / Gods and Goddesses (Fates) / Destiny
To protect her sister, a young woman enters a magical competition in a dangerous carnival to save her life.
While I can't wholeheartedly recommend her other books (they're admittedly been hit or miss for me), this individual book can be recommended wholeheartedly. Caraval has as dreamlike quality to it and the romantic relationship matches it. It feels like you're riding on a rollercoaster, both in terms of plotting and love.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Caraval-Novel-Stephanie-Garber-ebook/dp/B01EROYPQE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GZMSDH337AF7&keywords=caraval&qid=1671576467&s=digital-text&sprefix=caraval%2Cdigital-text%2C138&sr=1-1
4. Chains of Stone by Jaysee Jewel
(Full disclosure that this book has been written by myself, so I will forego a rating and direct you to the goodreads page so you can see other people's reviews instead: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63359608-chains-of-stone )
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Magic / Royalty / Forbidden Love / Enemies to Lovers / Mystery
A rich heiress falls in love with the slave leading a rebellion against her family.
The story leans toward dark fantasy (dealing with mature concepts such as abuse and slavery) but nothing is explicitly described. The romance combines a slow burn tragedy with "enemies to friends to lovers".
Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMLW2CNT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
5. Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford
My Rating: A Tier (8/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Magic / Royalty / Forbidden Love / Love Triangle
To prevent her sister from marrying a man she doesn't love, the female lead enters the arranged marriage instead. However, the man she is set to marry is a psychopath and his brother is the one she really loves.
The story fell into a few tropes (especially near the end) but this was a fast-paced read and I still enjoyed it immensely. The magic system is fascinating too, based around water and pearls.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Coral-Pearl-Mara-Rutherford-ebook/dp/B07HCJYLMD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YN21KBU7YDTL&keywords=Crown+of+Coral+and+Pearl&qid=1671577103&s=digital-text&sprefix=caraval%2Cdigital-text%2C116&sr=1-1
6. Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
My Rating: A Tier (9/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Magic / Royalty / Villain Love Interest / Rebellion
A girl set on rebelling against her crumbling kingdom suddenly discovers that the rebel she has trusted with her life is actually the very person she hates the most (the king's brother).
Another fast read with some heart pounding moments. This one combined rebellions with a strong 'enemies to lovers' premise. I didn't love the ending but the characters and pacing made up for it.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Defy-Night-Brigid-Kemmerer-ebook/dp/B08X218Z4J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JL1XQ7R93LLX&keywords=defy+the+night&qid=1671577299&s=digital-text&sprefix=defy+the+nigh%2Cdigital-text%2C121&sr=1-1
I hope you give these books a try and let me know if you enjoyed them. It can feel difficult to find clean, spice free novels out there nowadays but trust me, they exist. Keep an eye out for future parts in this series (as well as other genres like horror, scifi, and general fantasy) so you can find even more quality reads.
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About Jaysee Jewel: Jaysee is both an avid reader and dedicated writer. She specializes in fantasy and horror with romance mixed in. If you're looking for stories that are clean but aren't afraid to dive into dark topics or concepts, take a look at her website and see what's available. You can also get an exclusive peek into her upcoming projects or apply to become a beta reader. Her books can be found on Amazon.
