10 can’t miss romantasy books releasing in May 2025

Release date: May 6, 2025

Psychic powers? Check. Ruthless enemies? Check. Major forbidden attraction to the enemy commander who's supposed to hate you? Big, messy check. Wren Darlington has survived by sticking to three rules: trust no one, lie to everyone, and absolutely do not fall for your enemy. But when one mistake forces her into an elite training program crawling with people who'd kill her if they knew the truth, Wren realizes staying alive might just be the easy part. Surviving Cross Redden's intense stare? That's a whole different war.

Why it's a must read:

If you're obsessed with dystopian romances packed with enemies to lovers angst, secret powers, and deadly training montages, Silver Elite is about to own your entire May. Plus, who doesn't love a morally questionable, infuriatingly hot commander who pushes all the wrong (and right) buttons?

Release date: May 6, 2025

Kneel to the gods. Obey the king. Marry the stranger. Yeah, no thanks. As a forgotten princess shackled by duty, she was never meant to fight back, until a monster hunter, a cursed land, and a life-ruining prince flip her entire world upside down. Now, she's crossing dangerous realms, bound to a future she never asked for, with a grumpy warrior who would love to toss her off a cliff. Good thing she's finally learning that being underestimated is her greatest weapon.

Why it's a must read:

If you live for slow burn romantasy with enemies to reluctant allies (and maybe more), ancient monsters, cursed kingdoms, and heroines who finally decide "no actually, I'll be the problem", Shield of Sparrows is calling your name. Think epic journeys, sizzling tension, and a princess who is absolutely done with playing nice.

Release date: May 13, 2025

Saving a kingdom? Been there, done that. Now she's stuck in a nightmare prison because she knows the location of a world altering grimoire and everyone wants it. Including the dangerously gorgeous stranger who shows up with a wicked smile and even worse intentions. He's not here to rescue her. He's here to use her. But when survival means teaming up with someone you absolutely, definitely should not trust, things are bound to get complicated. Especially when he's hiding secrets that could tear everything apart.

Why it's a must read:

If you love dark fantasy vibes, enemies to allies chaos, secret ancient powers, and deliciously shady characters who might betray you or kiss you (sometimes both), This Vicious Dream is about to wreck your TBR in the best way. Prepare for high stakes tension, ruthless plotting, and a romance so sharp it might cut you.

Release date: May 13, 2025

Freya's divine powers could save her people or destroy them. No pressure, right? With prophecy breathing down her neck, enemies closing in, and the one man who shattered her heart and betrayed her still tied to her by blood oaths, Freya is running out of time and patience. As old wars reignite and alliances blur, she'll have to decide if she's a shield, a curse, or something far more dangerous. Either way, the gods better buckle up.

Why it's a must read:

If you're craving Norse-inspired fantasy, second chance betrayals, slow burn, high stakes, and heroines who say "actually, I'll be choosing myself today," you cannot miss A Curse Carved in Bone. It's the epic, emotional, soul-punching conclusion to A Fate Inked in Blood and it promises heartbreak, healing, and the kind of war only god-touched girls can win.

Series reading order:

1. A Fate Inked in Blood
2. A Curse Carved in Bone

Release date: May 13, 2025

Bartering your soul to an unhinged fae queen? Bold move. Getting banished to Tartarus to survive deadly trials without your magic? Even bolder. Armed with nothing but stubbornness, a past full of secrets, and a desperate love for the mate she swore to save, our girl is ready to face whatever the gods and monsters throw her way. Snake crowns, rivers of the dead, ancient darkness? Bring it on.

Why it's a must read:

If you're addicted to dark romantasy full of deadly bargains, epic love, brutal trials, and heroines who say "fine, I'll burn the whole underworld down myself," you need What Sleeps Within the Cove immediately. Expect danger, devotion, and the kind of high stakes survival story that will claw at your soul (in the best way).

Series reading order:

1. What Lies Beyond the Veil
2. What Hunts Inside the Shadows
3. What Lurks Between the Fates
4. What Sleeps Within the Cove

Release date: May 20, 2025

Prophecies? Nightmares? Gods playing cosmic chess with your life? Welcome to Traum. Sybil Delling has spent nine years serving the cathedral, dreaming of disasters she can't stop, but when Diviners start vanishing, she's forced to team up with the last man she should trust: a rude, heretical, devilishly handsome knight who somehow breaks all the rules, including the ones that govern fate. Solving the mystery might save her sisters if it doesn't destroy everything first.

Why it's a must read:

If you're craving gothic vibes, misty moors, prickly girl x heretical bad boy knight energy, and a slow burn that will haunt your soul, The Knight and the Moth needs a spot on your May reading list. This is the kind of romantasy that feels like wandering into a cursed fairytale. Dreamy, dangerous, and absolutely irresistible.

Release date: May 20, 2025

Fighting demons for a living is messy enough without accidentally fake engaging your rival on the battlefield. But when powerful exorcist Selene and battle hardened orphan Jules are forced into a fake relationship to investigate a string of brutal attacks, their simmering enemies to lovers tension gets a whole lot harder to ignore. Secrets, betrayals, and forbidden feelings collide as they uncover a truth that could burn their world, and their hearts, to the ground.

Why it's a must read:

If you can't resist enemies who bicker, banter, and accidentally fall hard while trying to save the world, Cruel is the Light is about to own you. Expect slow burn romance, fake dating chaos, demon hunting drama, and a high stakes battle between love and loyalty that will rip your soul apart (and you'll love every second).

Release date: May 20, 2025

An arranged marriage gone wrong is one thing. An arranged marriage where your brand new husband gets turned into a horse on your wedding night? Yeah, that's a whole different level of chaos. Bianca didn't sign up for cursed grooms, assassination attempts, or being framed for murder, but now she's stuck with a prince who's a horse by day, a dangerously attractive man by night, and a whole lot of problems in between. Love was not part of the plan, but sometimes fate has other ideas (and hooves).

Why it's a must read:

If you're craving a cozy, slow burn romantasy with magical curses, witty banter, accidental horse husbandry, and two stubborn hearts learning to trust, Behooved is about to sweep you off your feet. This one promises enchantment, laughs, and just the right amount of romantic chaos.

Release date: May 27, 2025

Travel to Atlantis, dodge deadly monsters, survive a gods' power struggle, and try not to fall dangerously in love with your battle partner? Bellanca's got her hands more than full. With her magic burning brighter (and deadlier) every day, and Carver vowing to guard her with his life, the fate of Olympus hangs on their shoulders and their hearts. But in a world where betrayal is currency and even gods lie, surviving this mission might cost them everything they are.

Why it's a must read:

If you love fierce heroines, loyal warriors, high stakes quests, forbidden longing, and mythology inspired worlds where danger and desire walk hand in hand, Beneath the Burning Sea needs a top spot on your May TBR. Bonus points for sizzling slow burn tension and deadly gods playing very messy games.

Series reading order:

1. A Promise of Fire
2. Breath of Fire
3. Heart on Fire
4. A Curse of Queens
5. Beneath the Burning Sea

Release date: May 27, 2025

Steal the throne. Bond the dragon. Burn the patriarchy to the ground. Aemyra was this close to reclaiming her birthright, until politics, betrayal, and one infuriatingly hot dragon riding prince got in her way. Now, with the kingdom rotting from the inside out, she's stuck in an uneasy alliance with her biggest enemy and falling for him was definitely not part of the plan. Good thing a little fire never scared her.

Why it's a must read:

If you're obsessed with Celtic inspired worlds, fierce heroines with magic in their blood, slow burn enemies to lovers, and dragons stirring up royal chaos, A Fate Forged in Fire is about to set your TBR ablaze. Expect court intrigue, sizzling tension, and a heroine who's done playing nice.