Swords & Smooches: 8 High Fantasy Romance Novels

This breathtaking debut is taking the world by storm, and for good reason! It’s a brilliant enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, and whew is it an exquisite slow burn. Talasyn is the last lightweaver with the ability to wield light magic, though she still has much to learn about her powers and her past. Growing up an orphan, she now fights against the tyrannical Night Empire’s rule. Prince Alaric, son of the Night Emperor and adept at shadow magic, finds Talaysn on the battlefield. They always survive each other’s wrath, and that wrath gives way to curiosity, especially with how their powers react to each other. As the Hurricane Wars wage on, with its mounting death toll and political machinations, Alaric and Talasyn must contend with the growing tension between them, both on and off the battlefield.

This is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time, gorgeous and all-encompassing. Based on Polish folklore, it follows Agnieszka, who is unexpectedly selected by the local wizard, the Dragon, for her magical powers. Together, they try to find a way to battle the Wood, where darkness lurks and seeks to take over the land. This isn’t so much enemies-to-lovers as being supremely annoyed at first with each other. The Dragon is less than impressed with what powers she has, and Agnieszka obviously blames him for upending her entire life. As they get to know each other while also battling the mysteries and secrets of the Wood, their affection slowly blooms. Agnieszka must figure out how to keep her family and best friend safe while also discovering how to wield her magic.

This is a case where I wanted to include everything C.L. Polk writes because every book is amazing. Witchmark was my first foray into Polk’s writing, so I will always have a fondness for it. This heart-wrenching queer love story follows Miles Singer, who faked his own death at the warfront so he could escape his destiny. Miles is marked by magic, either to be enslaved by his family or committed to a witch’s asylum. Now, Miles hides in plain sight as a doctor helping other soldiers cope with their physical and emotional war scars. There, Miles meets the most beautiful man he’s ever met, Tristan, and together, they have to solve the murder of one of Mile’s patients. It is a tender love story, full of kindness, which feels so right in a world haunted by a global war, not unlike our own.

Oh my gosh, this book. A *chef’s kiss* tale of enemies to lovers. This is a book of overcoming oppression, of healing and growing in the face of tyranny, and the love we find during the darkest of times. Évike is the only woman in her village without powers and is therefore an outcast. When the Holy Order of Woodsmen comes to claim a blood sacrifice for the king, Évike is betrayed by her village and surrenders. Gáspár, a woodsman, is no ordinary woodsman but a disgraced prince, the son of a foreign queen. Together, Évike and Gáspár must decide whose side they’re on despite their growing affection and whether they should save a nation that has always shunned them.