If your TBR wasn’t already overflowing, July is about to make things even worse—in the best possible way. From dark academia and enemies-to-lovers to Viking-inspired fantasy and cozy magical adventures, these are the ten July 2026 romantasy books I’m most excited to add to my shelves.
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1. Prince of Swords by Elise Kova
(Arcana Academy, #2)
Why I’m Excited:
Elise Kova never disappoints when it comes to magical worlds and addictive romance. Prince of Swords looks like another epic fantasy packed with political intrigue, dark academia vibes, and swoon-worthy romance.
Perfect for readers who love:
- Tarot magic
- Enemy-to-lover
- Slow Burn Romance
- High Stakes
PUBLICATION DATE: July 21, 2026
Official book description (Amazon):
Welcome back to Arcana Academy. Tarot magic, forbidden desire, battle, and betrayal collide for the power to change the world in the thrilling second book of this New York Times bestselling fantasy romance series.
I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara’s fate. If she dares to trust them.
But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she’s already deeply ensnared within: Prince Kaelis.
Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can’t escape—maybe she doesn’t want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot . . . and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.
Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger’s edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.
To change the world, Clara must risk everything—her power, her beliefs, and her heart.
Book Two in The Arcana Academy Series
2. A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan
(The Artisan Trilogy, #2)
Why I’m Excited:
This sequel promises even bigger stakes, ancient prophecies, dangerous magic, and emotional character growth. This sequel looks ready to deliver.
Expect:
- Romance woven into the adventure
- Epic fantasy
- Found family
- Ancient magic
PUBLICATION DATE: July 21, 2026
Official Book Description (Amazon):
In a world of high-class magic and gangster grit, a star-crossed couple must decide where their loyalties lie in the sizzling romantasy follow-up to BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s New York Times bestseller A Forbidden Alchemy.
In Belavere Trench, the Artisans and the Craftsmen are at war. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known earth Charmer, have been captured by the Artisans, putting Patrick’s rebel union in a precarious position.
Though he hasn’t forgiven Nina her betrayals, Patrick has other things to worry about. He is finally reunited with his father, a prisoner of the Artisans, and the group lands a narrow escape only with the help of Nina’s first love, Theo. Decoding an ancient prophecy, they set off in search of an infinite supply of idium that will determine the course of the war, should it prove more than a myth. Fleeing across Craftsman towns on the brink, they will encounter old friends—and enemies—in search of answers.
3. The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
(Dearly Beloathed, #2)
Why you’ll love it:
Honestly…the title alone sold me.
Enemies-to-lovers is already one of my favorite tropes, but adding witty banter, fantasy politics, and magical rivals? Count me in.
Tropes
- Fantasy romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced partnership
- Slow burn
PUBLICATION DATE: July 7, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
The stakes are high, the love is forbidden, and the slow burn turns steamy in this swoony, witty, and heart-stoppingly romantic sequel to instant New York Times bestseller The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy.
Osric is a member of the Fyren Order, a guild of assassins who gleefully murder for money. Aurienne is a Haelan, a scholar-healer whose Order’s motto is Harm to none. Clear-cut absolutes separate them: good and bad, right and wrong, light and dark . . .
Until they don’t.
When Osric first bribed Aurienne to heal him, he never imagined those lines would begin to blur. But every healing session draws them closer together. He finds himself developing unwanted feelings for Aurienne as her capable hands heal his body—and his heart.
Aurienne’s perfect life has been flung into chaos in the form of a devastatingly handsome assassin. She should be in her research lab, not illicitly healing a Fyren every full moon—nor wrestling an attraction to him that threatens to slip into something else.
Things go superbly sideways when Osric and Aurienne discover more about the deadly Pox deliberately unleashed through the Tīendoms. The plague may be the work of another Order—an Order far nastier than either of them can handle.
As the lines between Osric and Aurienne continue to blur, the balance between peace and war, and love and hate, trembles, shifts, and hinges on a heartbeat.
4. Daybreak by Autumn Wood
(Sorrowsong University, #2)
Why you’ll love it:
After the success of Nightshade, I’m incredibly curious to see where this story goes next.
Everything about the gothic aesthetic, university setting, and emotional romance screams “one-sitting read.”
If you enjoy:
- Grumpy X Grumpy
- Dark academia
- Murder Mystery
- He falls first
PUBLICATION DATE: July, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
Maxton Hall meets RuNyx in the stunning conclusion to the Nightshade duology, a dark academia romance brimming with snarky banter and sizzling tension, in which Alex and Ophelia must fight through betrayal, heartbreak, and deadly new threats.
Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.
When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.
With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?
5. In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy
(The Siren Mage, #2)
Why you’ll love it:
Dark fantasy lovers, this one’s for you.
- Beautiful cover? ✔️
- Haunting atmosphere? ✔️
- Morally gray characters? ✔️
This sequel looks darker, bigger, and even more emotional than book one.
PUBLICATION DATE: July 7, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
A powerful Siren must face the monster threatening her home, even if it means risking everything—including the king she’s grown to love—in this dark and romantic follow-up to In the Veins of the Drowning.
The realm has a new queen … and a new monster.
Imogen Nel, a powerful Siren, can no longer hide her monstrous abilities. She has claimed her ancestral crown and new grotesque magic, and now the corrupted bond she shares with the ancient deity Eusia is stronger than ever. Though Imogen is determined to sever it, doing so is no easy feat. The threat of war looms. Shifting alliances, a hunger for magic, and her feelings for Theodore, King of Varya, attempt to thwart her at every turn.
Meanwhile, Theodore is battling the strain of his own crown and commitments. When Imogen suddenly appears on his ship, every dutiful resolution he’s ever made threatens to snap. As they draw nearer to ending Eusia, lurking dangers and their perilous desire for one another prove nearly insurmountable.
Will the chaos, ruin, and death that Imogen was prophesied to usher into the realm be the end of all things, or the beginning?
6. Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
(The Spellshop, #3)
Why you’ll love it:
Sometimes we all need a cozy fantasy to balance out the heartbreak.
Sarah Beth Durst has mastered magical comfort reads, and Sea of Charms looks like another enchanting escape full of charming characters, beautiful world-building, and a touch of romance.
- Standalone romance
- Friends to lovers
- Magical creatures
- Swimming lessons
PUBLICATION DATE: July 28, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst brings cozy fantasy romance to the high seas in Sea of Charms, the third magical adventure in the Spellshop series!
Marin had always belonged on the great blue sea. When the man she thought was the love of her life schemed to ruin her parents’ business, she did what her heart knew best: she fled to the sea.
Now working as a supply runner on her own boat, Marin sails from island to island, delivering a varied array of goods: letters, flour, stories, and even the occasional enchanted statue. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers. Besides, she’s got the company of Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub. They’re the best crew she could ask for.
On one of her routine trips to the capital of the Crescent Islands Empire, Alyssium, Marin finds the city on fire and a revolution underway—so she offers transportation to Dax, a composer friend who refuses to leave behind his instruments. What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a (temporary) member of her crew if he becomes her pretend boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.
Against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.
Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself.
Read in whatever order your heart desires, but don’t miss The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse.
7. Ruinous Ends by I. V. Marie
(The Souls of Blackwood Academy, #1)
Why you’ll love it:
One of the prettiest covers releasing this summer.
The blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance immediately caught my attention, and early buzz has been incredibly positive.
I’m especially looking forward to seeing how the romance develops alongside the larger fantasy plot.
PUBLICATION DATE: July 28, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick!
The future of Blackwood Academy—and the entire afterlife—is at stake in the must-read sequel to the viral dark fantasy sensation Immortal Consequences.
The Decennial is over, but for the students of Blackwood Academy, the fight for the afterlife has just begun.
The infamous school was hiding more secrets—and lies—than any of the Decennial’s participants could have imagined. And there’s still so much that remains buried beneath its ancient foundations. Now the future of the academy, and all the souls within it, rests in the hands of six former pupils:
The charmer and the golden boy . . .
The traitor and the girl desperate to save her . . .
The Chosen One and the one who would choose her over and over again . . .
Any of them could be the hero the afterlife needs . . . or the villain who will destroy it for good. Because the truth is, Blackwood’s biggest secret has yet to come to light—and when it does, it will shake the institution to its core.
8. Stolen by Shadows by Elizabeth Helen
(Beasts of the Briar, #6)
Why you’ll love it:
The Beasts of the Briar series continues, and if you’re a fan, you already know what to expect:
- addictive romance
- dangerous fae
- emotional tension
- plenty of spice
PUBLICATION DATE: July 21, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
Once upon a time, I used to look upon the sun. Now, there is only darkness.
And the Prince of Thorns.
I am his captive, his thrall. Caspian, the man he used to be, is nothing but a memory. And if the Prince of Thorns gets his way, all of the Enchanted Vale―and the four other princes bound to my heart―will fall to ruin.
As I navigate the treacherous Below, my mates risk everything to reach me. But the Green Flame is spreading across the realms, corrupting all it touches. If they can’t fight it, Caspian won’t be the only one consumed by its power.
It’s now or never. Either we defeat the god who seeks to tear our world apart…or we die together, becoming nothing but shadow.
But I’ve learned something down here. Beautiful things can grow in the dark. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my home and family…and bring Caspian back to me.
9. Dominion by Jean Kwok
(The Silk and Iron Trilogy, #1)
Why you’ll love it:
One of the more unique fantasy releases this month.
Blending mythology, political intrigue, and fantasy romance, Dominion has one of the most intriguing premises on my July TBR and feels like it could become one of the surprise hits of the summer.
PUBLICATION DATE: July 14, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
In a world divided into four rival dominions, power is everything—and Rubi Morningtail has almost none. Three years after the Annihilation destroyed her homeland and shattered her memories, she lives as an Azure refugee in the Dominion of the Silver Tyger, scraping by as a ribbon dancer and hiding her little bit of singing magic. When she wounds a massive battle tyger on her doorstep, she draws the notice of Blake Axefire—supreme metal mage, leader of the royal Tyger Warriors, and the last man an Azure should trust. His sentence? Cast her into the Bonding, a brutal trial where tygers choose their riders and slaughter the rest. Surviving is unthinkable.
But survive she does. Now she’s stuck on Blake’s elite team racing to reseal the Anchors to the Demon Realm. With rebels striking, demons rising, and the dominions at each other’s throats, Rubi must unlock the truth of her magic and her past…while resisting her dangerous attraction to the ruthless warrior who could be her redemption—or her ruin.
10. A Single Captive Spark by Emberly Ash
(Rise of the Firebird, #1)
Why you’ll love it:
If you’re looking for a dark fantasy romance with genuine enemies-to-lovers tension, A Single Captive Spark should be on your radar. The combination of high-stakes fantasy, slow-burn romance, and morally gray characters makes this one of the July releases I’m most eager to read.
PUBLICATION DATE: July 1, 2026
Official description (Amazon):
In the brutal aftermath of a human-changeling war, a twist of fate throws two enemies together to fight for their love and survival in a sweeping dark fantasy of betrayal, magic, and romance.
In the centuries-long battle between humans and changelings, those who are taken by the changelings do not live. They do not return. They are simply gone. And for the humans left behind, there is only the brutal reign of the Irskan king.
Having spent her life in the castle, Fionna has protected herself and her younger sister by securing a position as a servant. But when the rebels mistake Fionna for the Irskan princess, she becomes a hostage of Helio, the cruel changeling leader whose mismatched eyes haunt her dreams. Drawn to Helio even as she attempts to escape the rebels, Fionna finds herself questioning everything she once believed about his cause.
For Helio, undying loyalty to the rebels saved him from the ravages of war. But his hostage blunder has put his people in peril. He may possess secret magic, but even he is not immune to Fionna’s charms. Uncovering what she knows about the castle may prove to be his most dangerous mission yet.
In this sweeping dark fantasy, a dangerous game of love, loyalty, and betrayal will decide the fate of a nation.
Final Thoughts
July 2026 is shaping up to be an incredible month for romantasy readers. Whether you’re looking for dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, cozy fantasy, or epic magical adventures, there’s something here for every fantasy romance fan.
Which July release are you most excited to read? Let me know in the comments—I’m always looking to add even more books to my TBR!
Interested in the best Romantasy released in 2025, read this post: Top 10 Romantasy Released in 2025 You Need to Read – The Library of Magical Discoveries.