Dragons and Sex Are Now a $610 Million Business Sweeping Publishing
Romantasy authors Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros have garnered cult followings for writing about empowered female protagonists who go on quests in magical lands, and find love.
Dragons, faeries and happily-ever-after love stories are having a moment.
Sales of romantasy novels—a genre that blends fantasy’s epic quests and mystical characters with romance’s swooning gestures and spicy sex scenes—are projected to jump to $610 million this year, after hitting a record $454 million in 2023, according to industry analyst Circana. The number of books sold reached 11 million in the first five months of 2024, almost double the same period last year. And while Circana anticipates the books hitting a saturation point in 2025, their empowered female protagonists and cult followings make them likely to find permanent shelf space in stores.