Before the rise of romantasy books, paranormal romance was that girl

June 14, 2026

Before the Rise of Romantasy, Paranormal Romance Was That Girl

While Romantasy is the darling of the Romance genre right now, there was a time when the girlies were feral for a different subgenre: Paranormal Romance. Those mass-market paperbacks, oftentimes with shirtless men gracing the cover, paved the way for the Romantasy genre we know today.

In PR's heyday, Romantasy as a subgenre didn't exist. If you wanted fantasy and romance, you would find it in the Paranormal Romance or YA Fantasy sections. But many agree that Paranormal Romance, while having a lot of cross-over with Romantasy, is distinct in one way. The story's setting exists in this world, though oftentimes as an alternate reality or version. I will note, there are exceptions to that rule, making it difficult to pin down the subgenres' true differences.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
An emotionless Psy and a passionate Changeling clash as they navigate danger, desire, and a deadly conspiracy.
The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter
An emotionally charged paranormal romance following two cursed souls whose love could challenge the gods themselves.

The idea of mixing Fantasy with Romance (or god forbid High Fantasy with Romance) was unheard of in traditional publishing at the time. And while the differences between these two genres are paperthin, there is a clear vibe difference that can be impossible to put into words, but true fans of both recognize while reading.

So how did Romantasy become what it is now? It wasn't until books by authors like Sarah J. Maas, which were originally shelved as YA Fantasy, grew in popularity alongside the explosion of Booktok which resulted in indie authors—who were bending genres to their preferences—suddenly had the power to change the publishing industry in a way they never had before. With that wave, the the term "Romantasy" was coined. And what followed is the insatiable thirst we know and love today.

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
A sorceress kidnaps an enemy demon king to free herself and her sister, but both of their well-laid plans are thrown for a loop by the chemistry simmering between them.
Drink of Me by Jacquelyn Frank
A telepathic warrior discovers a battered runaway with amnesia and a mysterious connection to his shunned people.

But where does that leave Paranormal Romance? PR of the past has been left in the dust. Even the "new releases" section on Goodreads couldn't fill out the full space available, which made me more emotional than I'd care to admit! But that doesn't mean those beloved authors and titles can't be celebrated today. It doesn't mean authors can't write in the genre today, though I think we'll have to rely on indie authors for that movement as traditional publishing seems determined to put PR to bed.

One author doing a great job of bringing PR titles to today's audience is Kresley Cole with her PR series, Immortals After Dark. Another shocking one for me was Drink of Me by Jacquelyn Frank. I distinctly remember as a teen discovering this title in the Paranormal Romance section (and loved it!). It's now being marketed as Romantasy and has a new cover/book size! This is the perfect example that there are no hard and fast differences between the two genres. Way back when, Drink of Me was marketed as Paranormal Romance and now it’s labeled Romantasy, and both are accurate.

To find similar success as the Romantasy books on the market, PR titles will need to borrow from their sister subgenre. A great start is setting aside the mass-market paperback covers we remember. Revamped covers appeal to the existing audience and draws in new eyes, as we’ve seen with Cole’s IAD series. And I hate to say it as a lover of mass-market paperbacks, but a better choice would be trad paperback sizing. From a strictly business standpoint, larger sized paperbacks sell better to today's readers.

And of course, as a special edition bookshop ourselves, we have to recommend leaning into the sprayed edges craze. The books have already proven they sell so investing in foiled cover artwork, endpage character art, etc., is an easy decision. My hope is that more prolific authors like Kresley Cole will see the value in repackaging their beloved titles so that new audiences can discover them today.