8 Gothic Romantasy Books That Will Haunt Your Heart
Romantasy is having a moment, y’all, as we’ve seen across bestseller lists, specialized shelves in bookstores, and deep dives into what the genre means and is (or isn’t; your mileage may vary) doing for literature as a whole. Before the boom of romantasy, the genre was usually classified as romantic fantasy or fantasy romance, depending on what plot was more focused on. Even before that, there was the classic gothic romance.
But, dear reader, have you ever heard of the gothic romantasy? If you’re a romantasy fan, I’m sure you have, but let’s delve further.
Gothic romantasy is a subgenre of romantasy, and, I’d argue, it often overlaps with dark academia romance and fantasy tales. It’s a delightful genre, combining much of what I love about a good story: the speculative and a great romance, with gothic, often creepy elements. By creepy, I don’t necessarily mean the romance, though dark romance fans may disagree. By creepy, I mean the setting and/or a gothic plot that pairs well with the romance. Sometimes, the creepiness is more subtle, and other times, it takes the hand of the romance and walks step-for-step. In any case, it makes for great reading.
What is Gothic Romantasy, though?
Let’s get nitty gritty (if you’ve read any of my previous Book Riot posts, you know I like to do this). First, let’s take on the term “gothic” because I think it’s misused or misinterpreted at times. When you think gothic, there are a lot of aesthetics that come to mind, particularly in regard to gothic cathedrals and houses. You might also think the gothic is merely a form of creepy-ish horror, and you’re not entirely wrong. However, a very important aspect of the gothic has to do with the past. Namely, as Oxford Reference likes to describe it:
“…the literary tradition confusingly designated as ‘Gothic’ is a distinct modern development in which the characteristic theme is the stranglehold of the past upon the present…”
Oxford Referenc on “Gothic Fiction“
In most contemporary gothic fiction, there is an element that has to do with the past encroaching upon the present, the past getting its due, and, indeed, the past literally haunting the present. Therefore, gothic romantasy stories are romantasy where there is an element of the past haunting the present. So you can see how a lot of dark academia romantantasy stories overlap with this, as many dark academia stories are about researching an event, person, or a speculative element (ritual, spell, etc.) that happened in the past.
Therefore, the books that I am listing here are not merely creepy romantasies, but romantasies where the past plays a large role. You’re welcome to agree/disagree with my choices, but I wanted to stick with a tangible definition to make a cohesive list.
8 Gothic Romantasies That Will Haunt Your Heart
Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles
As one of my favorite reads of 2024, Midnight Rooms has it all: a romance with just the right amount of spice, a family with secrets, rituals, and animal-like tendencies—and it’s gothic AF.
Midnight Rooms follows Orabella Mumthrope in England in 1840, when she agrees to a hasty marriage to a handsome stranger, knowing prospects are slim, being the orphaned daughter of a white man and Black woman. Orabella is whisked off to the Korringhill Manor on the Blakersby family estate, where secrets run galore, where servants keep tight lips, and drinking a special tea makes events seem blurred and surreal. This is the perfect gothic novel, and I’d categorize it as gothic romantasy for those seeking romantasy that leans heavily—beautifully—on the gothic.
Immortal Dark (Immortal Dark Trilogy #1) by Tigest Girma
Vampires are a classic gothic trope. What better way for the past to be a constant presence than with immortal vampires? For Immortal Dark, it means orphan heiress Kidan Adane entering an arcane society from her family’s past while also planning revenge on the vampire she suspects killed her family. Obviously, the vampire she suspects, Susenyos Sagad, is alluring and magnetic.
Of course, nothing is as it seems when it comes to Susenyos, the society Uxlay University, or the past Kidan thought she was avenging.
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Honestly, Henderson’s whole oeuvre could likely fit on this list. Her debut, The Year of the Witching, and her latest, An Academy for Liars, are gothic masterpieces.
House of Hunger is a delicious gothic tale following Marion Shaw, who lives a life of poverty in the city, until she sees an advertisement seeking a bloodmaid for a wealthy aristocrat. Soon, Marion is swept away into a world where the wealthy and powerful drink the blood of those in their service, and as the bloodmaid to the magnetic Countess Lisavet, Marion only wants to please her mistress. This queer, gothic romantasy hits all the notes.
Gothikana by RuNyx
Of all the books on this list, I want to point out that this one is definitely the spiciest. Like 5/5 ghost peppers.
After losing her mother, Corvina Clemm is adrift. Then she receives a mysterious acceptance letter to the University of Verenmore, which is, quite literally, an old castle. Older than the average freshman, Clemm is immediately drawn to part-time professor Vad Deverell. Vad knows more about Verenmore than anyone alive and is well aware of its secrets and power. Despite knowing their attraction is star-crossed, Corvina and Vad collide, all while uncovering a century-old secret and unearthly forces at work on the university grounds.
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
With a folklorist, romantic tension between academic rivals, and the uncovering of a professor’s secrets, A Dark and Drowning Tide is yet another dark academia tale that fits the bill of gothic romantasy (for me, at least).
Lorelei Kaskel is on an expedition with a group of nobles searching for a fabled spring. If successful, Lorelei, a folklorist, might become what she’s always dreamed of and will have free reign to travel to lands outside of the kingdom she’s never been. But then her mentor is murdered, and her fellow companions are the only suspects. Lorelei must team up with her academic rival, the beautiful Sylvia von Wolff, who is also the only person in their group who Lorelei knows is innocent. Together, with growing romantic tension, they must uncover the murderer, the secrets of their dead mentor’s past, and find the fabled spring.
Phantasma (Wicked Games #1) by Kaylie Smith
I was blown away by how delightful this book was. Admittedly, I adore books that really nail the arena/competition plot, be it riddles or combat, and Phantasma plays with this concept in glorious ways.
When Ophelia and her sister discover their mother murdered, Ophelia must inherit the family’s death magic. To discover more about who murdered her, their family’s past, and to keep their finances intact, Ophelia’s sister enters into a macabre competition in a house that appeared suddenly in the heart of New Orleans: Phantasma. A manor full of secrets, ghosts, terrors, and tasks. The winner of these tasks will be granted a wish. With the temptation of a ghost who promises to protect her and her death magic at hand, Ophelia must survive Phantasma, find her sister, and win.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
This cover continues to make me want to do grabby hands at this book, and the story within is equally amazing.
Sciona has spent her whole life learning magic. As the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry, Sciona must prove herself daily, and her classmates will do everything in their power to see her fail, including pairing her with a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.
But the janitor is not what he seems. Thomil was a nomadic hunter outside of the kingdom of Tiran’s magical barriers. The crossing killed his family, and he, too, is devoting his life to a greater cause. Together, they uncover a secret that will either change the course of magic forever or get them killed.
For The Throne (Wilderwood #2) by Hannah Whitten
Don’t get me wrong, the first book in this duology has gothic elements that would fit with this list, and I adore it, but I think the second book really embraced the gothic more. It has a past rogue king helping the present heir in a land of shadows where buried old kings are trying to take over the world.
After the events of the first book, following the second daughter, Red, the second book centers on Neve, the first daughter. Neve finds herself in the Shadowlands, a netherworld, inverted kingdom where legends and gods reign. Neve has one ally in this world, and that is the rogue king Solmir. They have to travel across the shadow landscape, uncovering the world’s secrets and coming to terms with the land’s history in order to escape and save those they love. Also, while becoming more and more attracted to each other.
More Gothic, More Romantasy, More Gothic Romantasy
Whatever your genre preference, I hope you find a title that captivates you as much as the characters captivate each other! If you’re seeking more recommendations that lean more gothic, more romantasy, or both, check out these other Book Riot articles:
