J. Elle is the author of the House of Marionne series and Against the Tide, a prequel novel tie-in to The Little Mermaid live-action film. Here, she reflects on the overlapping appeal of Bridgerton and YA romantasy, and the need for more diverse representation within the romance genre.
Dearest romantasy reader,
I’m sure you, like millions of us, are still reeling from season three of Bridgerton, utterly satiated at the way Shonda Rhimes has upended an entire genre. After the amuse bouche of episodes one through four, I re-indulged in previous seasons and found them as delicious as before. (Yes, I sobbed at Queen Charlotte again!) Lovers of the genre, and its loathers alike, have found themselves curled up under blankets, fisting popcorn, and binging Bridgerton. But what makes this rendition of a genre we don’t see much of anymore so refreshing and universally relatable?
The same thing driving the current romantasy obsession.
Romantasy has young adult readers, adult readers, and publishers in a chokehold. Everyone seems eager to crack the code. Authors who have only thought of romance plot threads as an afterthought are reevaluating. Consumers are foaming at the mouth for more. Multiple imprints for the romance genre specifically have been launched, including the recently announced Saturday Books, a new imprint of Macmillan that will focus on New Adult, an age category that is historically associated with indie romance. Tables at bookstores are dedicated to romantasy. The hashtag on TikTok has billions of views. Why is this genre so intensely desired? Why now? And how does one “crack the code?” The answers, I suspect, are quite simple. And it has everything to do with the brilliance of Shonda Rhimes’s Bridgerton.
First, romantic love is magic, and the make-believe has enraptured audiences since the beginning of time. Love is a bit mysterious. It can consume us quite suddenly and without conscious clarity. It’s part feeling, part something else that words don’t seem to fully capture. Love is a connection that grows roots deeper and faster than we realize, anchoring us into the life of another. It can be intoxicating and irresistible. It doesn’t follow the rules, carving its own path. It forces down walls and erects them. Love delights, like a tickle to the secret parts of our heart. Only love can warm the coldest soul or sprout blossoms in a razed field. In love we often find purpose, joy, and hope. Magic is real—it is love! The fantasy genre captures this like nothing else.
Romantasy uniquely weaves love into circumstances that appear to transcend reality, knitting together untouchable rulers, bitter villains, reluctant heroes, shapeshifting werewolves. Love in fantasy topples kingdoms and builds new ones, which underscores the idea that love is universal. Whether a cruel faerie prince or an emotionally stunted wingleader, something in all of us desires love. And through its frequently provocative or impossible pairings, romantasy obliterates the notion that there are those deserving of love and those who are not. While Bridgerton is squarely realistic, the way it presents an alternate version of Regency history, full of diversity, feels speculative. The core of Bridgerton’s widespread appeal is the core of our romantasy obsession.
Love is universal. And diverse. And we crave seeing it truthfully portrayed that way. However, perusing bookstore shelves, you’ll find that the bestselling genre remains largely racially homogenous. This was an almost defeating thought in 2020, as I grappled with pivoting from social justice-oriented YA fantasy to romantasy before the term became buzzy. Frankly, I was tired of talking about the racially driven trauma of my characters. I wanted to talk about them kissing! Just them kissing. (And maybe threatening to stab each other, ha!) It was a freeing decision that unearthed my romantasy trilogy House of Marionne, published by Penguin Teen, which centers a Black-biracial main character and a biracial love interest alongside a cast with a wide range of representation. I was very fortunate to have strong support from the top down to launch the series into the stratosphere. But that isn’t the case for most romantasy authors taking a hammer to glass, like Shonda. This author would love to see more publishers taking broader, bolder strides to meet the widely diverse appetites of romantasy readers.
As for the “why now” question: the romantasy shift, as I see it, was born out of the combination of a global pandemic and American politics. The severely heightened stress of living through that time with its constant consumption of the 24-hour news cycle, overworking, job security fears, led to months of triggering, overwhelming, stressful content. Honestly, endless adjectives could be inserted here. If you’re reading this, you lived through it and likely experienced it as many of us did. It was a hard few years and, spoiler alert, it is again an election year. As consumers, our trauma brain cells are frayed. We desperately want (need?) an escape.
What is more attractive than drowning ourselves in magical, universal, powerfully transformative love? In such a divided world, what is a better bridge to hope, than love? It’s a language we all speak, which is why romantasy is here to stay. But, readers will eventually tire of more of the same as they did in the vampire and dystopian era in the early 2000s. The longevity of this cathartic escapism lies in the magic of Bridgerton. Shonda breathed life into historical fiction on the screen. She cracked a key part of the code! Because she understood something indie authors too have long understood: the breadth given to a genre unlocks its wings to really soar. Readers are hungry for romantasy that includes everyone. That’s what Shonda gave us and a large reason why millions from all intersections of diversity turn on their screens to see what she’s put together. We are ready for more romantasy. But new romantasy is the key to keeping the era going. There are so many love stories that haven’t yet been explored. This author hopes to see more publishers charting new courses and trailblazing with the confidence of Shonda Rhimes.
For those thirsting for their next escape, below are some of my favorite YA fantasies, old, new, and forthcoming, with delicious diverse romance in them or at their center. Enjoy!
Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis. Page Street, $18.99 May 2025 ISBN 979-8-890-03229-4
For the Team Jacob Twilight stans.
A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya. Joy Revolution, $19.99 Dec. 2024 ISBN 978-0-593-64337-2
Did someone say vampires?
Heir by Sabaa Tahir. Penguin Teen, $21.99 Oct. 2024 ISBN 978-0-593-61694-9
A riveting, epic fantasy with a dash of spice.
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole. Little, Brown, $19.99 Jan. 2024 ISBN 978-0-316-53463-5
There isn’t one way to love. And dragons!
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood. Wednesday, $18.99 2021 ISBN 978-1-250-78710-1
Romance with a taste of horror.
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh. Penguin Teen, $12.99 2016 ISBN 978-0-14-751385-4
A masterpiece of angst, longing, and razor-sharp stakes.
