As a child, I loved fantasy–The Chronicles of Prydain, The Dark is Rising Sequence, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Wrinkle in Time Quintet–these were books I read repeatedly, happily losing myself in a world of someone else’s extraordinary imagination. In high school, I began to read science fiction as well but, in college, I abandoned made up worlds for books firmly rooted in our physical world.
Then, in 1991, I had my first child and, as I created a library for him and his siblings, I filled the shelves with fantastical children’s books. I loved Sendak, Seuss, Prelutsky who, along with so many other wonderful writers, filled their books with magic and myth. In 1995 my best friend’s sister, a children’s librarian, sent my friend an advanced copy of The Golden Compass. I thought–and still think–the book was astonishing. (She also, in 1997, recommend a book that was selling like hotcakes in the U.K.–Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It sounded so fabulous I ordered one from England!)
A good fantasy is wildly, believably imaginative–one could say that about the best of all fiction. I’ve read a lot of fantasy in the past few years, some of it marvelous, some mundane. One reason for this is that, in fantasy, an author can create whatever world she chooses, escaping our contentious culture dialog about who gets to tell what stories. Another is that there are days when living vicariously in words other than our own is a welcome respite.
As I thought about this, I asked myself, is the most imaginative romance I’ve ever read? Who knows? I can’t recall every romance I’ve read–I suspect the number is easily approaching four digits. That said, a few come to mind. R. Lee Smith’s The Last Hour of Gann is one. Megan Crane’s Edge series is another as is Bec McMaster’s London Steampunk set. How about you? What’s the most imaginative romance you’ve ever read?
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I’m late to the party because I needed a bit of time to come up with some ideas. I’ve certainly used the word “imaginative” to describe:
Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series (PNR)
Hailey Turner’s Soulbound series (UF – mostly set in NYC)
C.S Poe’s Magic & Steam series (Steampunk)
Meghan Maslow’s Starfig Investigations (Fantasy)
I’m currently enjoying Anna Butler’s Lancaster’s Luck series (in audio) which is set in 1899 – 1900 England and Egypt. The worldbuilding is terrific. (also Steampunk)
Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series (PNR/RS)
Dabney already mentioned Bec McMasters’ London Steampunk series; I’d add Kristen Callihan’s Darkest London series, too.
Second many of these mentions…Ilona Andrews’ Innkeeper Chronicles; Michelle Diener’s Class 5, Verdant String and Rising Wave series; and all of Bec McMaster’s series.
Also in the SFF space, a shout-out to Regine Abel…not only is her world-building great, but she’s a graphic designer too…many of her stories include illustrations of the aliens within her stories at the end of the book (Prime Mating Agency, Xian Warriors). Super cool. Appreciate the themes of universal love and inclusivity within her stories. :)
Jayne Ann Krentz – Lost Colony series (Sweet Starfire, Crystal Flame, Shield’s Lady). The original SFRs.
C.L. Wilson’s Fading Lands/Tairen Soul series. Some of the best and most thorough worldbuilding I’ve ever read in fantasy romance.
Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changelings series
Christine Feehan’s Ghostwalkers series
Milla Vane’s Gathering of Dragons series
Sue Lynn Tan’s Celestial Kingdom duology
Transcendence by Shay Savage
I’d add T.J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea to the list of imaginative romances. Not just the romantic couple but the children are a treat – they most definitely are not mere plot moppets. But then what else can you expect when one hero is a case worker in the Department in charge of Magical Youth, the other is the headmaster of an orphanage, and the children are the forenamed Magical Youth. Highly recommended.
Oh, yes, this was lovely!
Others have mentioned a number of good titles, and I’d add (in no particular order):
Michelle Diener’s Class 5 series
Kelly Armstrong’s Bitten
Patricia Brigg’s Cry Wolf (including prequel short story)
Irregulars edited by Josh Lanyon (4 different stories by 4 different writers but set in the same world with demons, etc.)
A second thumbs up from me for Bujold’s Shards of Honor + Barrayar
I keep hearing about Diener’s Class 5 series and I wonder why I’ve never tried them! Thank you for bringing them to my attention again.
Brigg’s has some great worldbuilding in her interconnecting Cry Wolf and Mercy Thompson series. I also love the imaginative world of her YA fantasy romance novel, The Hob’s Bargain.
Carrie I think you’d enjoy at least the first book or two in the series. I’ll be honest, the series began to feel a bit repetitive at books 3 and 4, but then 5 came roaring back with much to think about.
I love Briggs early YA work too. I assume you’ve read Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood as well? (Not romances but lovely.)
First, thank you for the recommendation about the Diener books. I’m off to get the Dark Horse. And, yes, I’ve read Brigg’s YA books, but it’s been years (over a decade?) ago! :-) The Hob’s Bargain is the one that I loved enough to reread, but I enjoyed them all.
I had to think about this for a while because I don’t read much fantasy/paranormal romance. However, the monster romances from C.M. Nascosta are wonderfully detailed, depicting a world where humans co-exist with mythological creatures (minotaurs, werewolves, elves, orcs, etc.) and anthropomorphic animals (particularly insects). I love how she presents this universe, where a human female might begin a relationship with a minotaur or a “good girl” elf might fall for a “bad boy” orc who also has fae blood. In addition to excellent world-building, the books are very, very hot. My favorites are MORNING GLORY MILKING FARM, MOON BLOODED BREEDING CLINIC, and the ongoing Girls’ Weekend series.
100% agree with this. CM Nascosta’s world building is flawless and her characters are so fully developed. You can use the human prejudice against other species as an allegory against any other “real life” group or minority. They are also just wildly entertaining. It’s the intersection of very hot meets very Hallmark movie adorable.
That’s if Hallmark movies weren’t simple and exclusive. The joy of Cambric Creek is its inclusivity and modern thinking. LOVE
I would also give a shout out to Cara McKenna for taking the most unnerving (to a lot of people) setting as a psychiatric hospital and setting an amazing and realistic romance there. Don’t worry- no patients are are part of the couple and there is no doctor/nurse impropriety. I highly recommend it to anyone.
AFTER HOURS is the title of the Cara McKenna book. I second your recommendation. One of my all-time favorite romances.
I cannot believe I forgot to put the title! Thank you!!
It’s a DIK here. I need to reread it.
I’m so happy it has DIK status here. It absolutely deserves it!
There’s also imaginative in our world–the story of the Cachés is so intricately wrought and reverberates so wonderfully throughout her Spymaster series. Carolyn Crane’s The Associates series is also wonderfully imagined.
Absolutely.
I have started out on Scarlet Pimpernel ages ago, loved Roberta Gellis’s books set there, and Mary Jo Putney’s Thunder and Roses, and and… I’ve always loved that books set around the French Revolution, so it was just not that extraordinary to me to have another exceptional series in that sphere.
And I am not so much into super soldier / super spy stories, so a lot of stuff in that sphere just leave me tepid, so I cannot speak to them.
But of course, you are right. I just find it easier to think of imaginative = settings & problems that are outside of the places I often see, not as in “doing places I often see superlatively and throwing in very good surprises “. Though both are impressive feats of imagination.
Just thought of one
Rope Dancer by Roberta Gellis: a medieval with no nobles, a lot of realism, but still a very lovely – not depressed- romance.
T. Kingfisher’s Paladin’s Grace in a fantasy medieval setting. Love the humor. A perfumer and a knight who knits to relax due to PTSD.
R. Cooper’s Suitable Consort, also fantasy medieval, about two King’s wanting to marry a third guy to form a triad. Love the feels.
Imaginative was the key word, both very unusual for me, Kingfisher’s more in tone, and worldbuilding, Cooper more in the romance, and worldbuilding. Both in making a setting in which our standard assumptions about societal roles are not relevant, so the romantic development is different. They truly address that, not just modern sensibilities in different costumes.
I would recommend all the fantasy romance novels done by Ilona Andrews which would be:
The Edge Chronicles (m/f, first book On the Edge) Each book in this series gives an HEA ending to their unique couples.
Innkeeper Series (m/f first book Clean Sweep) literally one of the most imaginative fantasy series I have ever read. An Innkeeper in Texas who can perform powerful magic and consorts with werewolves and vampires. In this series, the heroine takes three books to find her hero but it is a romance, and it was simply a question of picking between the werewolf and the vampire).
Hidden Legacy (m/f first book Burn for Me) In a universe where powerful magical families rule the world, the Baylor sisters discover that there is a secret hidden in their blood which just might make them the most powerful of all. These are fantastic reads, each sister gets three books where she partners with her hero to fight crime and get an HEA.
Andrews does write a fantasy series but while containing some romance the books are urban fantasy, not romance.
The one that immediately came to my mind is The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen, which is a romance but with elements of sci-fi/fantasy and Western as well. It’s a mix that shouldn’t work but totally does!
AJ Demas’ Sword Dance Trilogy is set in an imaginary ancient Eastern Mediterranean world and has a MC who is a eunuch sword-dancer. It’s romantic and gentle, even though there is quite a lot of murder!
A second vote for KJ Charles’ A Charm of Magpies series.
Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly is a very different romance, involving a character with PTSD. His slowly revealed backstory is so well done. It’s gentle and beautiful and full of characters I’d like to spend time with.
Envy by Sandra Brown is a very clever romantic suspense with a book-within-a-book plot. Even better on audio.
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold is an unusual love story that sets up the wonderful Vorkosigan series. It’s a true enemies to lovers story.
The “A Charm of Magpies” series by K.J. Charles is a clever mix of romance in an alt-history fantasy setting that is vividly imagined.
I love most of Linnea Sinclair’s books, with Finder’s Keepers and Games of Command being at the top. She has a wonderful blend of sci-fi world building and romance.
Lastly I’ll say C.S. Poe’s Momento Mori series ahs one of the most unusual and interesting characters I’ve ever encountered. The characters and the mysteries are so well written.
I second the Linnea Sinclair recommendation. In fact, I was just thinking the other day that she’s one of the authors I needed to catch up on. Gabriel’s Ghost by her blew my mind because it’s a romance in first person and I loved it. I usually stay far far away from first person except for the random mystery.
Every couple of years I reread her books and bemoan the fact that she stopped writing. Clever worldbuilding and great romances make for a wonderful reading experience.
Do you mean only genre romances or are you including F&SF with a romance as a major part of the story?
The Practice Effect by David Brin could be viewed as SF or Fantasy or Romance, and it depicts a reality I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else.
Also, do you include multi-volume stories?
Dabney included the London Steampunk series, which is both a set and a fantasy, and the Edge series, so I took that to mean anything we’d consider any romance or romantic series. I immediately thought of fantasy and sci-fi romances. I haven’t heard of the one you mentioned, but I’m going to look it up. thanks!
There are no rules! But, I was looking for romances, not novels with romantic elements. That said, a rec for a great book is always welcome.