Dragons and damsels: Inside the world of romantasy, a publishing phenomenon in Ireland and beyond
Catherine Doyle and Clair Wright are among the Irish authors who are writing books in the hugely-popular romantasy genre.
It's hard to imagine that a genre that did not exist – or, at least, did not have a name – a decade ago is now one of the key drivers of sales in publishing and bookshops worldwide. Welcome to the age of romantasy, a blend of fantasy and romance which shows no sign of slowing down, and it has the power of social media to thank in part for its success.
Content creators on BookTok, a subgenre of TikTok, have been passionately championing romantasy reads, particularly since 2020. Think damsels in distress who save themselves, forbidden love in a dragon-riding academy, magic powers that spice up intimate encounters. A quick scroll through the app shows romantasy is undoubtedly the genre of the moment, including for Irish readers.
"TikTok has become a key space where Irish readers discover books, exchange recommendations, and build momentum around genres like romantasy,” says Rebecca O’Keeffe of TikTok Ireland.
“That engagement is translating beyond the platform, supporting authors and driving real-world discovery in bookshops across Ireland.” And bookshops are welcoming this renewed interest in reading. Sara Phelan of Chapters Bookstore in Dublin says TikTok “acts as a modern version of word-of-mouth, which has always been a key driver in bookselling” and credits BookTok with creating a new community of readers, both online and off.
“Over the past year, we’ve hosted a variety of romantasy events, where it’s been great to see real friendships being formed,” she says. “Beyond the books themselves, it’s the community that makes romantasy so special. Seeing readers connect, share recommendations, and form friendships, both online and in-store, is incredibly rewarding."
Irish writers are finding success in the genre too. Catherine Doyle, author of and its sequel says it’s no surprise to her that we are drawn to the epic worlds within these books and the magic of escapism.
“Romantasy is the ultimate escape. It offers swoon-worthy romance, high stakes, and epic worldbuilding, which makes for an irresistible combination. And typically, we see some version of good triumphing over evil, which I think, in today’s world, is more needed than ever,” she says.
“I think women are drawn to it for the same reasons romance has always been popular: the appeal of yearning, of love, of impossible odds. It’s a concept as old as time, but romantasy dresses it up more elaborately. It elevates the fairytales we were drawn to as children. In a way, it offers a more grown-up counterpart to the magic we loved as young readers.”
Doyle believes TikTok is a useful tool to interact directly with readers of her own books, but notes it is also influencing what books get published.
“BookTok is huge, particularly in the realm of romantasy. Because we’re all so chronically online, it’s one of the fastest ways to reach readers and build enthusiastic communities of people looking for the same kind of stories.
“TikTok doesn’t just influence what readers pick up, it shapes trends publishers pay attention to as well, and can even launch entirely new authors, like Lauren Roberts, the internationally bestselling author of the Powerless Series, who came up on TikTok.”
Fellow Irish writer Claire Wright also links her books’ success with social media, particularly as an indie author, and she sees TikTok as “the leading book discovery engine” today.
“We don't have publishers or marketers behind us to support us. It's me and my phone and TikTok taking on the industry,” Wright says. “It's so hugely important for all authors, but I think in particular, indie authors, because we connect straight away to our readers, there's no barrier, like there used to be. Now, TikTok has made it so much easier for us to reach readers who want our books.”
Romantasy is very popular with female readers and Wright says she thinks women are drawn to the strong characters in these worlds.
“I think it's so important for women to read about heroines who want something – she goes after it, she gets it, and she doesn't have to choose between power and love,” she says.
“These books are probably known for the romance side of things, but they are very much political. I think that's why readers, especially women, love them.”
Wright is the author of the adult fantasy series, which is based on Irish mythology, something she says she is passionate about reclaiming as an Irish writer.
“There have been a lot of books out there that are inspired by Irish mythology, but not necessarily written by an Irish author. I think that's what lacked in the genre,” she says. “It's important to have the authenticity of real Irish characters and stay as true to Irish mythology as you can. There's definitely an argument around being ‘inspired by’ and then retelling it yourself, and I wanted to close the gap.”
Two popular international writers who use Irish myths and language in their romantasy works are Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J Mass. author Yarros released the third book in her Empereon series in January 2025, and sold more than 2.7 million copies within the first week, becoming the fastest-selling adult novel since BookScan began tracking print sales 20 years, according to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, by 2024 (commonly shortened to Acotar), and author Mass had sold more than 75 million copies of her books.
However, despite its undeniable popularity, romantasy is not without its critics. A TikTok user went viral in recent months with a since-deleted video where she described romantasy readers as “not the brightest sparks”, sparking outcry among readers of all genres. It’s a sentiment that is dismissed by Cork BookTok creator Emma O’Connell, who says reading fiction helps people to develop skills like empathy.
“I think when you read, you read for different perspectives and it's why I always say to people, you grow more empathy reading fiction than you do non-fiction because you're in so many different shoes,” O'Connell says. “Empathy is so important. I think TikTok books as a category have been given this negative connotation. But you could say the Bible is a TikTok book – it literally just means it's being talked about online.”
O’Connell points out that political systems are central to most romantasy plots and are often reflective of current political realities and fears and a way to process what’s happening in real life.
“All these books do have political systems, and I think you don't need an English degree to be able to read between the lines as to how you can map that to the real world.”
She says cynics who dismiss the genre as ‘not real fantasy’ do not understand the similarities. “This is a valid genre. We've just combined two things that everyone universally loved and have created a plot-driven romance book set in a fantasy world. That's it.”
O’Connell is quick to dismiss anyone who looks down on reading for pleasure. “The magic and that feeling of reading a book while you're walking because you don't want to put it down, and having your like Beauty the Beast Belle moment, is what you want.”
Catherine Doyle, Claire Wright and Emma O’Connell recommend dipping into the 'Maasverse' with the first in the Acotar series, which is a retelling that follows the journey of Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian.
The Cork author’s story of a schoolgirl who is on a train when she slips into another dimension, passing from the height of Irish summer into the chill of an alien winter is one Emma O’Connell recommends. “It's set between Cork and Dublin in purgatory, which is technically Mallow.”
O’Connell says “the prose are absolutely to die for” in this book, which transports readers into a world filled with magic, dragons and a love that blazes through the ages.
Catherine Doyle recommends this retelling of which she says is “a brilliant example of why the genre can be both exciting and comforting at the same time” and is perfect for anyone who loved fairytales growing up.
Claire Wright says her most recent romantasy read was , the tale of a prophetess who is forced on an impossible quest with a devilishly handsome knight. “I'm obsessed. I was 10 chapters in and constantly thinking ‘when is the next time I can read it?’
