Mark your calendars: November 17 is shaping up to be one of the biggest single days in romantasy this year. Two of the genre's most beloved authors — Rebecca Yarros and Nora Roberts — are releasing new books on the exact same date. If your to-be-read pile has a romantasy section (and let's be honest, it probably does), this is the week to clear some space.
Rebecca Yarros, Peculiar Stars
The author behind the Fourth Wing phenomenon returns with a slow-burn romance about Callista Moran, whose carefully laid engagement plans get upended when a sailing trip goes catastrophically wrong. If you came to Yarros for the dragons and stayed for the emotional gut-punches, this one's for you.
Nora Roberts, Birth of the Witch
Roberts kicks off a brand-new trilogy following Neve McShane, a young witch who finds herself pulled into a fight against a rising darkness alongside her coven. For readers who grew up on Roberts's genre-blending fantasy-romance, this is a fresh start with all the atmosphere and heart she's known for.
Why This Matters Beyond the Shelf
Romantasy isn't just having a moment — it's had a few years running now, and BookTok has a lot to do with it. TikTok recently rolled out a dedicated BookTok bestseller chart built from point-of-sale data and hashtag activity, and its inaugural list was dominated top to bottom by romance and romantasy titles from authors like Yarros, Sarah J. Maas, and Chloe Walsh. Two major releases from genre leaders landing on the same day isn't a coincidence so much as a sign of just how much appetite there is for this kind of book right now.
For us, that means one thing: our romantasy shelf needs some extra attention this month.
Find Peculiar Stars and Birth of the Witch side by side on our New Release shelf starting on 11/17. It just so happens, if you look up from our New Release shelf, you are greeted by all the romantasy. Why not grab a new release and a new shelf trophy at the same time?
Which One Are You Grabbing First?
Tell us on social media or in the shop: Team Yarros, Team Roberts, or both? Come by on release day to grab your copy and enter our (very unscientific) in-store poll on which book wins the week.
Happy Reading (and Sipping!),
The Book Lounge Crew
