This week at The Romantasy: June 16–June 22, 2025

From Tamlin’s unraveling to Fourth Wing audio reactions, twisted tropes, the debut of The Spice Rack and Dear Cauldron, and the week’s most-read Romantasy titles—here’s everything we explored.

Tara Green

and

The Romantasy

Jun 22, 2025

What you might have missed at The Romantasy

This is a look back at what we’ve been stirring up this past week—where familiar tropes took unexpected turns, old love stories were reexamined, and upcoming releases gave us plenty to anticipate. If you missed a post—or just want to relive the magic—you’re in the right place.

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We explored how romantasy twists the stories we crave, revisited Tamlin’s place in the narrative, and previewed July’s fiercest upcoming releases. The latest Top 15 rankings are in—and our Summer Solstice Sale is live: 40% off a full year, but only through today.

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Last Week at The Romantasy

We unpacked how tropes get twisted in romantasy, revisited Tamlin’s doomed love story, and previewed July’s most explosive new releases. Plus: the latest Top 15 rankings are in—and our Summer Solstice Sale is live (but today’s the last day!)

If you’re catching up, start here.

🎧 Audio Notes: Companion to “Come for the Trope, Stay for the Twist”
A brief audio companion unpacking how twisty romantasy works—and why it hurts so good.
[Listen here →]

Come for the Trope, Stay for the Twist
Romantasy gives us the stories we crave—until it doesn’t. How the genre turns familiar tropes into emotional knives.
[Read the post →]

Tamlin and the Illusion of a Happy Ending
What Feyre’s first love offered—and why it could never last.
[Read the post →]

Coming in Hot: The Romantasy Releases to Watch in July 2025
Enemies become lovers, sirens rewrite fate, and magic schools spiral out of control—these are the titles to watch.
[Read the post →]

Top 15 Most-Read Romantasy Books: Week of June 16
A quiet shift, one new arrival, and a clear mood: readers are gravitating toward slow-burn fantasy and elemental magic.
[See the rankings →]

The Summer Solstice Sale is Live
Get 40% off an annual membership to The Romantasy. This is our biggest discount of the year—and it ends today.
[Join now →]

🎧 Read With Me: an audio reaction series

We’re continuing our Read With Me audio reaction series featuring Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros—and I’d love you to join us for this five part series. This five-part reaction series dives into one of the most iconic romantasy books of the last few years: the dragons, the enemies-to-lovers, the danger, the tension.

You can listen to the intro episode now, and starting next week, we’ll begin dropping full episodes. It’s the perfect launch point for this new series—and a great excuse to revisit or finally pick up a true romantasy cornerstone.

This week also brought several new features—and a look at what’s coming soon:

Dear Cauldron
Our new monthly Q&A column for subscribers. Have a burning question about a character arc, a trope that won’t leave you alone, or a theory you can’t stop thinking about? Dear Cauldron is where we unpack the messy, the magical, and the morally gray.

Subscribers can submit questions each month—and we’ll select a few to explore in a deep-dive post that blends analysis, commentary, and fandom confessional.
The Cauldron is listening. Go ahead. Stir it.

The Spice Rack (launching this week)
Our newest series pairs each romantasy book with a specific “spice”—not just steam level, but the emotional flavor of the romance. Is it obsessive longing, feral devotion, or poisoned trust? We break it down with a named spice, tension type, chili rating, and commentary on what makes it hit just right. This isn’t about tabbing steamy scenes—it’s about the feeling that lingers.

Coming in July: Our next Featured Book Club
We’re returning with The Romantasy's Featured Book Club, spotlighting a well-known romantasy title—perfect for rediscovering or reading anew. Subscribers will be invited to read along, join the discussion, and explore exclusive commentary.

Author Interviews Incoming
We have three exclusive interviews lined up:

Sable Sorensen, author of Direbound
Samantha Sotto Yambao, author of Water Moon
Laura Thalassa, author of The Curse That Binds

We’re diving into their tropes, inspiration, worldbuilding—and what makes each of these romantasy titles hit so deeply.

And of course Cassian, our new 4½-month-old mascot, has been busy leaving his mark on Lunareth (the totally fictional world we’ve created). He’s already prowled the fae battlefield, left a black pawprint where shadows fall 🖤🐾, and recently checked in from The Gilded Tail, watching the skyline for a little midnight mischief.

You’ll spot him in our “Notes” section throughout the week—he tends to show up when things get interesting.

💬 What caught your attention this week—Tamlin’s arc, the new releases, or one of the tropes we unraveled? I’d love to know what you’re reading, what you’re loving, or which romantasy moments you keep thinking about. Let’s talk.