Books Romantasy Report Curses, Kidnappings, and Quests: Romantasy Report for March and April 2026 This Spring, our favorite romantasy includes kidnapped brides, devastating curses, and sweet, sweet necromancy… By Natalie Zutter | Published on March 18, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share We’re conjuring spring in these 20 romantasies! There are a number of kidnapping brides slash forced-marriage tropes on this month’s Romantasy Report, which cannot be entirely coincidental considering that we are finally emerging into spring from an exceedingly long winter. No Persephone/Hades retellings, per se, but lots of bargains and loopholes—including in the romantasies not about nuptials—with warlocks and Elf Kings. The next two months are also full of devastating curses, sweet sweet necromancy, and burning it all down to rebuild from the ashes. Gimme Gimme Gimme: Prophecies & Curses The Last Starborn Seer by Venetia Constantine (Star Branded Chronicles #1—Aria; March 3, 2026) As Cassandra could tell you, prophecy is more curse than gift. Leilani Stellarion will do you one better: her Starborn soothsaying abilities are decaying her mind and get her blamed for the Sickening that is ravaging Arcelia’s citizens. As the last of her ruined bloodline, Leilani’s only option for the future is a loveless political marriage… unless she can fulfill, you guessed it, a prophecy involving an ancient sceptre. But a rival envoy may be out for the same relic, and their forbidden attraction could threaten not only her tenuous marital alliance but any chance of saving her own life. Black as Diamond by U.M. Agoawike (Bindery Books, March 3, 2026) Give me a more heartrending reason to get cursed than trying to rescue one’s brother! Asaru is an eresh keyel, a winged warrior who crosses enemy lines into the human realm to search for his lost brother’s squadron. Instead, Asaru encounters an unbreakable curse that could entirely wipe out the eresh keyel… unless he can track down the Chronicler, who may have an answer. Bound to healer Wren by a spell gone wrong, Asaru must decide if he will shatter the current world order—and force everyone to rebuild—to save his own people. The Witch Without Memory by Maithree Wijesekera (The Obsidian Throne #2—Harper Voyager; March 10, 2026) The sequel to Maithree Wijesekera’s debut The Prince Without Sorrow sees Prince Ashoka usurped by his cruel sister Aarya, who does not share his mercy for the mayakari, witches bound by a pacifist code. The witch of the title is Shakti, drugged by unknown captors and forced to commit a devastating curse. Ashoka and Shakti both want to eliminate this kingdom and start anew, but the cost may be far greater, if the land is stripped of its nature spirits and empress Aarya continues her path of vengeance and oppression unchecked. Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe (Ace; April 14, 2026) Never has a princess’ curse sounded so… life-affirming? While visiting the town of Little Pepperidge, Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar accidentally curses herself (please let it be via papercut) to live in a run-down bookshop until she discovers her heart’s desire. Oh no, anything but that! As Tanadelle settles into her cozy new start, she soon finds herself besieged by all manner of unwelcome guests—in the form of princes vying for the curse-breaking kiss, all sent by her worried parents. But is Tanadelle’s heart’s desire a brave royal match, or could it be a place rather than a person? Yearning For: Dark Matchmaking The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt (Guides to Villainy and Love #1—Scarlett Press; March 3, 2026) Kazimir Blackrose believes that marriage is between a dark lord and the proper obedient lady he kidnaps, and that she’ll eventually come around. But having grown up a prisoner in her father’s tower, Arabella has no interest in becoming another man’s property. Instead, she negotiates full reign of Kazimir’s fortress as his wife, and he will woo her the old-fashioned way. But as Kazimir’s rivals attack his stronghold, the dark lord and his dark lady will have to figure out how to make the most of their union if they both want to make it to their first anniversary. The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White (Del Rey; March 10, 2026) Anneke Van Helsing didn’t get along with her father Abraham while he was alive, due to his mad obsession with vampires, but when she discovers him murdered, she devotes all of her time and resources to tracking down the serial killer she glimpsed at the crime scene. Now, the fact that said supposed murderer is an ethereally gorgeous woman who haunts her nightmares, who sends her blood-soaked letters signed Diavola (that she does not turn over to her hired detectives)… that might have something to do with Anneke’s own obsession. But as this fox gets closer to finding her devil, Anneke will have to grapple with her dark pen pal’s true nature, and how it redefines her father’s life’s work. A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova (Del Rey; April 7, 2026) In the latest standalone romantasy from the Married to Magic series, humble herbalist Luella is plucked from her quiet village to be claimed as the Elf King’s bride. It’s part of a tenuous treaty between the human realm and magical Midscape: the elves come for war or wives. But as the Human Queen, Luella is no random sacrifice; Midscape is dying, and she possesses the knowledge and ability to help save it. Will she barter her freedom for restoring Midscape… or will she find herself tempted to stay wed to the mysterious Elf King? Death Meets Cute by J. Penner (Poisoned Pen Press; April 28, 2026) Iris Weyward wants to live up to the family reputation by being as terrifying a villain as her sisters. So, she decides to strike out on her own, claiming the quiet town of Fraywell as her new domain. Though she initially strikes some fear—or at least curious trepidation—in the hearts of her new neighbors, Iris is thrown for a loop when her new (reanimated) orc bodyguard Talon turns out to be a bit of a softie. A villain must order around her henchman; she can’t be delighting in his baked goods and wishing that instead of fighting her enemies he’d turn that gentle touch on her. She really can’t be daydreaming about introducing him to her family… especially when her sisters show up desperate to figure out why their magic is fading, with Iris and Talon the only ones who can help. Gimme Gimme Gimme: Readalikes Sing the Night by Megan Jauregui Eccles (Grand Central Publishing; March 10, 2026) Magical Phantom of the Opera?! A sweeter sound I never did hear. Our ingenue is Selene, but instead of the coveted solo she wants—needs—the role of King’s Mage, the role her father held before he descended into madness and left her orphaned. But Selene’s chances of winning L’Opéra du Magician are scuttled when a competitor steals her song. Except… whose voice is coming from a mirror deep in the opera house? A dark sorcerer is trapped in the mirror, eager to take Selene under his wing… but at a cost. She’s not the only one obsessed with ambition, power, and the perfect song. West of Wicked by Nikki St. Crowe (The Great and Terrible Land #1—Bramble; April 14, 2026) Yes, the echoes of Wicked: For Good are still ringing in our ears, but if you were looking for a bit more spice from the “As Long As You’re Mine” scene, check out Nikki St. Crowe’s dark romantasy take on The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy Gale’s first lesson in Oz is that the Yellow Brick Road is not safe, so she had better find some traveling companions. Rook is a man she saves from being beaten and tied to a pole in a cornfield, but he seems so comfortable with her in a way that belies his missing memories. When the two come across the axe-throwing Tinman, who I’m seeing described as a “shadow daddy,” which means we have quite the love triangle on our hands in addition to Dorothy figuring out her way home. The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire by India Holton (Love’s Academic #3—Berkley Books; April 21, 2026) I’m getting The Mummy vibes from India Holton’s latest historical fantasy rom-com—maybe not so much the Egyptian adventure part, but I’m seeing Evie O’Connell in magical-antique expert Amelia Tarrant. Though she has long been best friends (only friends, sigh) with fellow antiquarian Caleb Starling, their reputations as colleagues would suffer if anyone realized just how close they (platonically, for now) are. So they pretend to be academic rivals, one-upping each other on the search for magical artifacts… until they’re so convincing that their faculty head sends them on the same job to Cumbria to repair their reputations. It’s no pharaoh’s tomb, but the old manor house they’re sent to investigate is still full of career-making artifacts and rampaging ghosts—the perfect recipe for Amelia and Caleb to finally excavate their mutual unrequited feelings. Yearning For: Epic and Cozy Quests This Will Be Interesting by E.B. Asher (Avon; March 24, 2026) E.B. Asher is the pen name wielded by a trio of authors (Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka) specializing in found-family quest stories set in a Shrek-like fantasy world. This Will Be Fun reunited a fellowship of legends ten years after their famous quest that low-key ruined their lives, with the loss of their comrade Galwell the Great. This Will Be Interesting picks up shortly after, as Galwell has been unceremoniously resurrected by his friends but feels like there isn’t a place for him in the world. As various factions—including an assassin and a scribesheet reporter—descend upon his impossible return, Galwell is thrust into a quest where he’s more damsel, winding up in a potential love triangle with his (newly-married) queen ex and an alluring criminal. Good thing Galwell declared no romance on this quest! This sounds delightful. Starside by Alex Aster (Avon; March 31, 2026) On a darker, more epic scale, Alex Aster’s (Lightlark series) adult debut focuses on the divide between the immortal, magic-wielding Starside and the mortal, magic-scavenging Stormside. Every fifty years the gates between both realms open, with fifty challengers competing to reach the pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Well, first the Stormsiders must survive the Culling for the mere chance to enter Starside. Fueled by vengeance against the goddess who torched her village, blacksmith’s apprentice Aris claims a legendary sword that carries her through the Culling but also makes her a target. And the only person she can trust is Harlan Raker, the king’s guard who betrayed her long ago. Gimme Gimme Gimme: That Sweet Necromancy Ruinous Creatures by Jessi Cole Jackson (Atria Books; March 10, 2026) There’s also some Mummy vibes in this standalone debut, set in a magical creatures sanctuary hidden deep in a valley. Adele’s calling is to prepare animal skulls to be matched to their wearers, which in turn sustains the valley. But when she discovers two phoenix skulls, she can’t resist awakening them (Evie O’Connell would be proud) and unleashing their power. Rather than be matched to intended magic-users, the skulls bond to Adele and novitiate Kian—who in turn is secretly plotting to destroy the skulls’ magic, even if it endangers the entire valley. Innamorata by Ava Reid (House of Teeth Duology #1—Del Rey; March 17, 2026) Ava Reid’s new duology is gothic intrigue by way of a necromantic game of thrones. The eponymous House of Teeth is the last of the seven noble necromantic houses, the last guardians of eldritch magic after the other six houses were extinguished by the conquerors. But Lady Agnes has a plan: marry off her cousin (and House heiress) Marozia to Liuprand, the conqueror’s heir, in order to access their forbidden library. There Agnes can put her hidden powers to use and restore the Houses. But what could ruin everything—her vengeance, continued peace—is Agnes’ surprising attraction to Liuprand himself. A Widow’s Charm by Caitlyn Paxson (Del Rey; March 31, 2026) Love a fantasy romance that delves into the tricky business of where a lord’s death leaves his manor—including his widow, Lady Hildegarde Croft, who was a mere maidservant before she married Lord Thorgoode Croft. Without his protection, she and the rest of the residents of Croftholde are terribly vulnerable. But when Hilde discovers necromancer Lord Elmwood hiding out at a nearby estate, she blackmails him into resurrecting Thorgoode. Except that Elmwood swore never to use his dark Charm again… and Hilde may be falling for the necromancer instead of for her dearly departed husband. Yearning For: Deals & Bargains & Inheritances The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray (Requited; April 7, 2026) A mermaid who has shed her scales enters a deadly deal with a warlock to find the mystical heart that will heal him and in turn free her from death. Zephyra of the Syl has been on the run for so long that she hardly remembers her former life, but warlock Arion Stone still recognizes her as one of the supposedly evil merrow. But when he discovers that the heart of the God of Death—the only artifact that can heal the consequences of his dark powers—is submerged in an underwater kingdom, he decides that his captured merrow is the perfect one to go get it. But there’s a wicked reason that Zephyra traded her tail for legs… The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty (Orbit Books; April 7, 2026) Poppy Hill is a former changeling who channels her century of imprisonment in the land of the fae into an adult career back in the human realms, searching for loopholes in faerie bargains. But even someone with her experience can make a mistake—she’s only human, after all—and now Poppy must return to the fae to save this bargain from disaster. A hundred years is a lot of history for her to encounter, including a pesky ex-boyfriend…! Really digging this premise. Thistlemarch by Moorea Corrigan (Berkley Books; April 21, 2026) A familiar inheritance-slash-house-repair plot gets a wicked sparkle of Faerie magic when Mouse Dunne receives the shocking news that her uncle has left her the dilapidated estate of Thistlemarch. Having given up her dreams of becoming a Faerie anthropologist to care for her veteran brother, permanently altered by The Great War, Mouse jumps at the chance—but ah, there’s a catch. If she doesn’t restore Thistlemarch in one month, she’ll lose her inheritance and in turn any ability to get her brother treatment for his debilitating shell shock. So Mouse strikes a bargain with an arrogant Faerie for his help fixing up the estate, while trying to guess at why he’s so invested in restoring Thistlemarch to its former glory. An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J. Shields (Redhook; April 28, 2026) A dark academia that opens on a dangerous bargain: Claudia Jolicoeur trades a piece of her soul for admission to celestial Cygnus University. The studies aren’t just for her benefit; she must help free Dorian, a devilish stranger from her nightmares, from a prison of stars. He’s the one who holds the piece of her soul as collateral. But when Claudia enrolls at Cygnus, she discovers that she took the spot of another witch, Odette Dufort, who has been brutally murdered. Needing to clear her name and free Dorian from his prison, Claudia delves into Cygnus’ dark history, becoming less and less starry-eyed with her new academy as she learns more about its foundations.[end-mark] The post Curses, Kidnappings, and Quests: Romantasy Report for March and April 2026 appeared first on Reactor.