Fantasy books that are free from the tropes of insta-love or badly written love triangles, books where the story is mainly about friendship, family ties, and self discovery while romance takes a backseat. Now don’t get me wrong: I’ve got no issues with romance in fantasy books and other genres. I’m down for the slow-burn romance or enemies-to-lovers trope. But sometimes, I’d rather the books just focused mostly on the friendships, family ties, and other bonds formed in the story. I’m not alone in this, as I’ve gotten similar sentiments from other bookworms. Maybe because a lot of what we read or watch in mainstream media have instances where the romance just felt forced and unnecessary, or it feels added in as an after thought to keep readers engaged. So if you’re also on the look out for fantasy books like this, here’s a list of fantasy books I’ve found so far that contain no romance whatsoever, or a little romance that’s more in the background than the main focus of the story. This is in no way an exhaustive list, as it turns out finding a diverse range of fantasy books with little to no romance isn’t that easy. If you’re looking for more books with little or no romance, here’s a list of YA books from different genres you might be interested in. If you like books with monsters, magic, and no romance, this just might be for you. As you can guess, dealing with hostile gods in a deserted city doesn’t really leave time for romance, so there’s barely any romance in this novel, just a hint of one between side characters. Misaki struggles to forget her past and tries her best to be a good mother, but with the looming danger and her husbands indifference, she just might have to pick up her sword again, as internal strife and threats of an invasion blossom. The spell backfires horribly, causing her entire family to disappear. She has to venture into Los Lagos, a realm where the dead wait for what is to come next, to save her family. This book about witches and magic has a splash of romance but focuses more on family ties and discovering oneself. Miles away, Awa, a young sorcerer, tries to find her way in the world. As the world falls apart around them, Djola and Awa just might hold the key to stopping the madness.
