I thoroughly enjoyed the range of short stories in this anthology. I loved the focused on romantasy which is fast becoming my favourite genre. There were several authors on the list that I was so pleased to see and they did not disappoint. Good Deeds and their Magical Punishments by Hannah Nicole Maehrer stood out as one of my favourites. It had the cute, adorable banter of Assistant to the Villain as well as an interesting premise with lots of plot points added to a quick snap shot of the protagonists lives. Eliza Chan's Bamboo, Ink, Paper, Clay was so enjoyable and straddles a line between myth and past loves. It was beautifully written and I was there for it all. I am also a big fan of Katherine Arden whose story, Rosebud was a beautiful blend of historical fiction with magical undertones. Whilst I enjoyed them all to varying levels my final story in my top selection was Designated Virgin Sacrifice by Kelley Armstrong. I loved the feel of the story which was reminiscent of the film Damsel but nothing like it in plot lines so no spoiler there. For anyone who loves Romantasy and would like some quick short stories to quench their thirst for the genre, I would highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGallery and Titan books, as well as these amazing authors for the ARC of this book.

Such a fun and flirty collection of Romantasy short stories! This would be a great recommendation for someone wanting to dip their toes in the genre and see if it’s for them.

I think this is being published at a perfect time, with many readers experiencing Romatasy fatigue from story threads and narratives being rehashed over and over again in some big releases over the past year - this collection shows the widespread variety the genre has to offer, and showcases the talent of 12 great writers. I was only familiar with a few before reading this, and I’m very excited to check more out (Eliza Chan’s prose was gorgeous!)

As with all anthologies, I enjoyed some much more than others.
My favourite was most definitely Until December. Time-travel and Academic Rivals to Lovers???? Say less!!!! I felt like a mouse led to the most delicious cheese.
The Larkspur was also a stand out for me. And I feel the need to shout out Designated Virgin Sacrifice as the FMC is named Marielle, which is my (government) name, and it felt really cool to see it in a book.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
What a treat this anthology was.. I spent a wonderful time with my favourite authors and met two new-also now my favourites.
They were not simply short stories (technically I may even call each a novella), they were each different worlds.
Olivie Blake was as usual, amazing. I love how she makes me imagine her actually talking. It was witty, full of humor-sarcasm combined and rich in descriptions.
Tasha Suri's story was dynamic, yet following the pace of other stories. As with Katherine Arden's, I thought they had an understanding as how fast things may go (I don't know how anthologies are planned)
Which was my favourite? As it depends on the mood I was while reading, I guess this time I enjoyed Second Class Magic by Kamilah Cole.
I cannot thank enough for the time I enjoyed while reading..Hope more compilations/anthologies are published.

Loved this! I don't typically do anthologies but the author list is absolutely stacked and I had to give it a try!

As with all anthologies, not every story was for me, however I did enjoy the majority of them. And of course I wished some of the stories were longer! All around, very well done. Loved it.

Alot of these were up and down for me, my favorites were by Kamilah Cole and Tasha Suri! Unless you are already an anthology fan I'm not sure this is for you.

"Enemies become lovers, rivalry turns to romance, and convenient marriages create true love in these 12 addictive Romantasy tales.

Featuring Olivie Blake, Kelley Armstrong, Katherine Arden, Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Tasha Suri, Melissa Marr and more.

Fall in love with these twelve gorgeous Romantasy stories from bestselling and beloved authors.

Lost lovers return for a second chance - but what are their motives? Academic rivals compete for a prestigious position, but their sizzling chemistry might get in the way. A monster slayer​ posing as an unwitting sacrifice meets an intriguingly moral prince.

From relationships caught in disparate timelines to ghostly ballrooms and dragons that need rescuing from princesses, this anthology gives you an inventive new spin on all your favorite tropes, and much more that you've never seen before.

FEATURING BRAND-NEW STORIES FROM:
Olivie Blake
A. G. Slatter
Tasha Suri
Katherine Arden
Kelley Armstrong
Hannah N. Maehrer
Melissa Marr
Megan Bannen
Kelly Andrew
Kamilah Cole
A. C. Wise
Eliza Chan"

Damn, that lineup! Just damn.

My first endeavour into romantasy. What fun!! Kelley Armstrong stories are a no-brainer. Kudos to the rest

This was such a delight to read, and I had the hardest time choosing a favourite among such incredible writers. Short stories always deeply impress me as it can be so hard to establish a truly good story in such a short amount of time. While I don't think every story in this collection wowed me, a few of them absolutely did and would get me to recommend this book to others based on them alone.

My ultimate favourite was The King's Witch by Tasha Suri. I adore her writing already, but the story she was able to weave so quickly and complexly really captured my attention and my heart. I love how much detail was put into the world building and the relationship feels very fleshed out. There was so much love between Lark and Silver that I was aching for more by the end.

A few of my other faves: Kelley Armstrong's Designated Virgin Sacrifice, I've never read anything by this author (criminal, I know) and I loved the twists and mystery element to her story. I wasn't expecting it and it made for a very fun read. Slay the Princess, Free the Dragon by AC Wise and The Larkspur by Megan Bannen were both so fun to read and some of my favourite relationships in the collection.

I don't think a single story disappointed me at all, even the ones that weren't necessarily my favourites were still so well written and captivating. This is a very solid collection of stories and I'll definitely be telling people to check it out.

This was a really strong selection of stories, though I do feel it was bookended by the two of the weaker stories.

The Fall Guy by Olivie Blake - I liked the concept of this story from the world (especially with magic being written) and the romance/dynamic between Mer and Lilari. I think what didn't work for me was the writing style, which makes sense as personal preference since I've never been drawn to this author's work. 3/5

The Dubious Ladies of Mirador by Melissa Marr - this was one of two stories in this collection where I've read some of the author's work before. I absolutely loved this one (not least because it was sapphic) because of the world created and the characters of Alwen and Mirador. I was so drawn in by the convent Alwen came from. And I loved the dark humour of Mirador's family with the mentions of her parents trapped in a ravine. I also loved the play on ideas of vampirism with bonded partner's gaining the longevity of Mirador's bloodline, and with Alwen achieving her mission of containing Mirador through that bond. 5/5

Until December by Kelly Andrew - this wasn't a story I'd tend to pick up but it sucked me in, I was absolutely engrossed. I loved the grounded word building with the addition of drifting powers. I also adored the dynamic that Georgina and Orson had - they're long-term academic rivals, they've got feelings for each other, Orson accepts that Georgina may kill him again and again but is still determined to try and break that loop. Just wow, I loved it. 5/5

The King's Witch by Tasha Suri - the whole reason I read this book, I am enamored by Tasha Suri's writing and knew I had to read this. I absolutely loved the world that was created in this story - the way king's are made by killing all their rivals when the previous king passes, the way descendants of a goddess are heirs to magic and raised in monasteries. I also loved the depth given to Lark and Silver's romance through the foray's into the last, into the sixth months at the monastery. I could just devour more from this world, and of these characters. I loved how Lark became king so no one could separate her and Silver again. I loved how everything they both did was raw with the hurt and love that made their relationship. Just phenomenal. 5/5

Designated Virgin Sacrifice by Kelley Armstrong - this one was just really fun, I loved how twisty it was with not quite knowing who the love interest would be and then the reveal of Marielle and Volkir (the 'monster') working together to rid places of cruel, corrupt leadership. Just such a fun twist on classic story tropes. 5/5

Second Class Magic by Kamilah Cole - I loved the simpler style of this story and the lack of grand adventuring within it. It was such a wonderful version of a quieter fantasy story, of two woman seeking an opportunity to study under a great magic user. I loved the dynamic between Margot and Jesy, especially how even when they fell for each other they still knew they were academic rivals, both of the wanting the opportunity for themselves (but now knowing they wouldn't be defined by it). 4/5

Bamboo, Ink, Paper, Clay by Eliza Chan - i really loved the use of a story within a story in this one, of the tale where at first it seems the characters of Meiyu and Weifeng were the girl and her lover only for the story to unfold and reveal a different truth. I also LOVED the magic of the world - of creation being pulled from flesh and Meiyu learning that she can still create and exist without tearing reams of paper from herself, without giving all of herself. And the way she realised that being in a relationship also wouldn't mean losing herself. 4/5

Slay the Princess, Save the Dragon by A.C. Wise - this definitely had the most YA feel to it in terms of the characters (not a bad thing, just some of these stories were more adult). I think it was a fun idea merging fantasy and modernity and the way Ev and Carissa's relationship developed was sweet. 4/5

Can't Marten's Book of Mild Melancholy by A.G. Slatter - I loved Millicent Broad so much as a character! I would follow her through many a story. I thought the way the side characters were fleshed out and how their behaviours impacting the plot was so well done, especially with the like's of Pandora (who is so well named). I also loved the way the story twisted as Millicent's family last was revealed, and I loved how both she and Augustus fully rejecting any ideas of claiming the throne. 5/5

Good Deeds and Their Magical Punishments by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - this was a typical sort of Fae LI with a normal mortal woman kind of story. Not my favourite but nice enough. 3/5

The Larkspur by Megan Bannen - I very much loved this story, I thought Sterling was such a fun and miserable character to follow. I think he was wonderfully characterised with his absolute inability to realise his wife may love him and not just have been with him because he thought he was going to die soon. And I am an absolute sucker for the trope where the woman is the wanted criminal/vigilante and her pathetic partner is the one accused. Just Bernadette was wonderful and I adore her so much. 5/5

Rosebud by Katherine Arden - I loved the romance of this being that between Susan and Arthur. I didn't really feel it was much of a fantasy story though (perhaps more gothic?) with the only element being the ghostly ballroom dances. Alice was an increasingly awful character who was deeply cruel to Arthur and whose dissapearance I honestly couldn't care much for. 3/5

This is a book of 12 romantic fantasies, including some written by my favorite authors. It's also an excellent resource for readers who want to try out new-to-them fantasy authors - I found several more writers I intend to follow. My favorite stories were Rosebud, Until December, and The Dubious Ladies of Mirador.

I received an e-arc from the publisher Titan Books, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

What a delightful read this was. I truly believe that anyone could find something to love in this anthology. The stories cover a wide variety of plots, themes, and overall vibes all within the romantasy/fantasy romance genres. For me, the clear standout stories were “Slay the Princess, Free the Dragon”, “Designated Virgin Sacrifice”, and “Until December”, but each story I think offered something for a different type of fantasy/romance reader.

I will say I felt that about 50% of the stories would have been so much more successful as a full length, but nothing felt incomplete … I just simply wanted more! A number of these authors were new to me and I will definitely be exploring more of their works.

The Fall Guy - Olivie Blake
Complicated, lots of backstory and names but not enough time to fully explore it so it felt more like an info dump.
Felt like a novel squished into a short story rather than a short story in itself
2.5 stars

The Dubious Ladies of Mirador - Melissa Marr
Adorable and sexy.
Makes me want to know more about this world.
A lovely contained little story about a secret convent of women trained to fight monsters and a badass vampire that falls in love with the hunter sent to kill her.
5 stars

Until December - Kelly Andrew
Loved the Sci fi vibes
Hot!
Again, would love to see a longer novel set in this world - drifting has so much potential!
5 stars

The King’s Witch - Tasha Suri
Badass and romantic.
Loved the idea of witch and king pairings, felt very game of thrones mixed with Lirael.
5 stars

Designated Virgin Sacrifice - Kelley Armstrong
Adorable, reminded me of Damsel but even better - feminist twist and fun concept.
5 stars

Second Class Magic - Kamilah Cole
Very sweet, maybe a little too short? Competing magical academics who fall for each other is one of my favourite tropes though.
4 stars

Bamboo, ink, paper, clay - Eliza Chan
Very poetic, I loved the concept of removing parts of yourself to make your livelihood - you always sell some part of yourself, whether it’s your body or your mind.
5 stars

Slay the princess, save the dragon - A C Wise
Cute, easy read, maybe a little on the simple side? Not much about the dragon even though it’s in the title. I liked the idea of how a modern world that started off as the classic medieval fantasy world would work. Companies taking advantage of the magical creatures and selling them for parts makes so much sense in a capitalist society.
4 stars

San’t Martin’s book of mild melancholy - A G Slatter
The setup of the demon possession and royal infighting is good but needed a longer book to do it justice, the ending felt rushed, but I liked the world building.
4 stars

Good deeds and their magical punishments - Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Weird, felt like reading a fanfic. I’m not sure a short story is the place to try and change a man’s worldview and opinion on humanity in a couple of days - felt very rushed.
2 stars

The Larkspur - Megan Bannen
Nice, interesting world. Makes me want to check out her other books too. Not sure it stood out to me in this short story collection though.
3 stars

Rosebud - Katherine Arden
Wow, dreamy and beautiful. I loved the spooky edge to the haunted ballroom and I hope the two dancers were able to find some way to stay together in limbo
5 stars

The Secret Romantic's Book of Magic is a fun anthology of romantasy short stories. Some stories shone, like the King’s Witch, however, several stories fell flat for me. I have read works by some authors, but not all of them. I liked getting a taste of those authors I hadn’t read before, and appreciated the mix of f/f and f/m relationships.

Thank you, NetGalley and Titan Books, for the ARC!

The buzziest names writing in fantasy right now decided to show us love in all its wonderful, weirdest, inclusive forms!

THE FALL GUY BY OLIVIE BLAKE

Mer’s split-second decision to intervene in Lady Lilari’s kidnapping is so hopeless and stupid it ruins him for life.
Two extreme characters who are dealt lots in life they want more from.

<b>Imagine if he said that. If he got down on his knees and said Lilari, fuck the empire and their promises of sorcery and power, I’ll die with you in poverty and treason if that’s what you ask. Can you imagine? If he said I’ll die for you, how could she say anything short of okay cool, then die?
</b>

THE DUBIOUS LADIES OF MIRADOR BY MARISSA MEYER

A convent sister trained in combat and seduction, make-up and manners is sent to deal with Christabel, Lady of Mirador who may or not be a vampire.
This is sapphic, wild, and fun.
<b>
Beautiful and deadly? She was exactly my type.

“I don’t love you.”
“Yet.”
“I was sent to kill you,” Alwen pointed out.
“I will give you a little death as often as you want. Will that satisfy this obsession with killing?” Mirador’s eyes glittered at this short distance.
</b>

UNTIL DECEMBER BY KELLY ANDREW
Magical university rivals caught in a deadly countdown.
Major The Atlas Six Vibes, perhaps that is why it stood out to me. Plus, academic rivals is always a beloved troupe.

<b>“You make it sound like my soul was searching for yours,” she says. “That’s not science, Orson. That’s poetry.”
</b>

THE KING’s WISH BY TASHA SURI
I was let down by this one :(

The new King chooses Silver as his new bride who is still grieving an old friend, lover, flame.
If you have read Suri before, this is definitely HER. Her style, longing, twists.

<b>I do not know how this wolf of a woman can look at me with such hunger, such avarice, as if I am as silver as my name.
</b>

DESIGNATED VIRGIN SACRIFICE BY KELLY ARMSTRONG
My FAVOURITE of the collection.
This is literally what I wrote my dissertation on: the supervision of fairytale and narrative troupes. I loved it.


SECOND CLASS MAGIC BY KAMILAH COLE
Another magical academic rivals story competing for a position of a professional assistant. Sadly, because of repetition, I wanted something completely new.

<b>If Jesy Bellchant was a tornado, then Margot was a wooden shack on the plains. There was no escaping the devastating force of her.
</b>

BAMBOO, INK, PAPER, CLAY BY ELIZA CHAN
Sadly, my least favourite of the collection. I just found it so boring. It’s basically a story about setting expectations about the greatest living story.

<b>She was tired of being told what her future looked like. By the father who did not want her to want, and yet laid the burden of his sacrifice upon her back. By the ex-lover who sought to mould her in an image not of her own choosing. And even now, by the man she loved, who wanted to make promises for a future that was not certain.
</b>

SLAY THE PRINCESS, SAVE THE PRINCESS BY A. C. WISE
Possibly one of my other favourites.
Another case of subversion where a girl decides to tutor the school’s princess in order to steal her dragon.


SAINT MARTEN’S BOOK OF MILD MELANCHOLY BY A. G. SLATTER
Necromancy, royal intrigue, assassins, and demons.
This was probably my second FAVOURITE. A very satisfying story with great characters in such a short span.


GOOD DEEDS AND THEIR MAGICAL PUNISHMENT BY HANNAH NICOLE MAHRER
Portal fantasy with a done-with-everyone’s-BS waitress and a fae prince who doesn’t believe in human kindness.
I thought it was quirky, but it was very predictable and I was kinda bored.


THE LARKSPUR BY MEGAN BANNEN
‘The Larkspur’ is set in the same world as my novel The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, but you don’t have to have read that for this.
I love how Bannen writes chaotic, misunderstood and misunderstanding characters.
A loose reimagining The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery.


ROSEBUD BY KATHERINE ARDEN
Very similar in tone to The Warm Hands of Ghosts. Another story surrounding war and lost love. Another bitter ending.


Overall, a great collection and the time flew past as I read it. Most of these were good four stars.

Arc gifted by Titan Books.

This anthology is a great introduction to romantasy, showing a lot of different facets of the genre. Like all anthologies, some stories were more to my taste than others, but I universally enjoyed the disparate characters and refreshing perspectives explored.

Standouts for me were Kelley Armstrong's 'Designated Virgin Sacrifice', which looks at the traditional trope of sending young women off to appease magical beasts, AC Wise's 'Slay the Princess, Save the Dragon', exploring how life might work if dragons were real now, and AG Slatter's 'San't Marten's Book of Mild Melancholy', a story of demons and mediums and powerful books, told through the eyes of the indefatigable Millie.

The twelve stories were well balanced and lent themselves to reading each in a sitting, and would be good for readers wanting to read in short but immersive chunks.

Thank you to Titan and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this title.

Table of contents:
The Fall Guy - Olivie Blake
The Dubious Ladies of Mirador - Melissa Marr
Until December - Kellie Andrew
The King's Witch - Tasha Suri
Designated Virgin Sacrifice - Kelley Armstrong
Second Class Magic - Kamilah Cole
Bamboo, Ink, Paper, Clay - Eliza Chan
Slay the Princess, Save the Dragon - A. C. Wise
San't Marten's Book of Mild Melancholy - A. G. Slatter
Good Deeds and their Magical Punishments - Hannah Nicole Maehrer
The Larkspur - Megan Bannon
Rosebud - Katherine Arden

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As romantasy continue to grow exponentially and I find myself tiring of the copy-and-paste books coming out in this genre, the opportunity to read a book of short stories around this was interesting. Because, despite its popularity and my subsequent jaded approach to it, romantasy in theory combines my two great loves: fantasy and romance. I knew from the author names I recognised on the list, this was not the mainstream romantasy being churned out. I knew this would be different.

And I was spot on. Each story was unique, subversive in some way, and combined the elements of fantasy and romance delectably. Yes, some were stronger than others, but overall, the quality in this collection was strong and the enjoyment I got was HIGH. I’ve not much been one for short stories before, but I thoroughly enjoyed leaping from each tale, discovering new worlds, spells, curses, and kingdoms. I think my honourable mention has to go to ‘Until December’, because it was pure perfection and scratches my brain juuuust right.

Overall, a wonderful collection of wildly different stories that centre love, fantastical realms, and adventure in a way that, for me, is what romantasy should be about.

4.5/5 🌟

***

And if you’re interested, below are my quick fire thoughts from each story after I read them:

The Fall Guy:
As usual, Olivie Blake’s writing is everything. Funny, razor sharp, and utterly engaging. This short story was fun, twisty, and classic Olivie Blake. I fear recently reading ‘Januaries’ has raised my expectations to impossible levels, and this story didn’t reach the heights of those found in that book. Still, I had a great time with it. 4/5

The Dubious Ladies of Mirador:
Look, all I need to hear is sapphic vampires and I’m in. This was a delicious little story that I wanted more of. Having never read the author before, I’m now interested in exploring her back catalogue. This was super fun, but the ending was a little abrupt. 4/5

Until December:
Okay, this was just sublime. Academic rivals to lovers and timey wimey plot? I’m in heaven. I love stories that confuse me, that scramble the brain a little, and this was wonderfully befuddling. Our two main characters had excellent chemistry and in a short time, I was fully on board with their relationship. Honestly, this was excellent. 5/5

The King’s Witch:
Oh, this was great. Having read Tasha Suri before, I knew I would be in for a treat. A witch chosen to wed the king? A devastating tragic and sapphic backstory? Will there be a happy ending? No spoilers, but this was truly delightful. 4.5/5

Designated Virgin Sacrifice:
Another fun little story about slaying monsters and sacrificing virgins. The premise was solid and the twists were unexpected. I really enjoyed the journey and learning all about the true monsters among us… 4/5

Second Class Magic:
This was pretty cute, sapphic rivals to lovers, which I eat up every time. Predictable, but enjoyable. Ultimately, though, nothing groundbreaking. 3.5/5

Bamboo, Ink, Paper, Clay:
I think this had great potential, with a wonderful and unique concept. I enjoyed the writing wholeheartedly, but I felt the ending was a little rushed. 3.5/5

Slay the Princess, Save the Dragon:
This was a sweet, if predictable, little tale. The setting was a bit jarring, with the modern aspects not quite blending fully with the fantasy. I definitely felt the potential here, but it lacked some emotional depth. 3.5/5

San’t Marten’s Book of Mild Melancholy:
Okay, this slapped. A really engaging main character with the kind of no nonsense attitude I love. The world building was excellent and the story paced well. A nice twist and perfectly ambiguous ending. 4.5/5

Good Deeds and their Magical Punishments:
I think this was a great little tale of kindness, grief, and second chances. Although the ending was predictable, I was grinning. The story was funny and had heart, and I had a great time. 4/5

The Larkspur:
Excellent world-building, good plot, and a main character destined to die. I enjoyed this one a lot, although I did guess the twist immediately, I still had a fun time. The romance fell a little flat, but overall, it was a good little story. 3.5/5

Rosebud:
I truly did not know where this was going, and initially I was sceptical but good grief, this was great. The bright lights and music swept me away, and I was completely spellbound as the story progressed. Ultimately, an eerie ending that tied this together beautifully. 4.5/5

As with any anthology, The Secret Romantic’s Book of Magic is a bit of a mixed bag—but in the best way possible. With twelve romantasy stories by a wide range of authors, from well-known names like Olivie Blake and Tasha Suri to emerging voices, there’s something here for every flavor of fantasy romance fan.

Some stories completely drew me in with their worldbuilding and emotional pull, especially those that played with unusual tropes or added a darker edge to the romance. A few tales felt a bit rushed or didn’t click with me personally, which is expected in a short story collection. That said, the quality of writing across the board is high, and several stories left me wanting to read full-length novels set in those worlds.

If you’re a romantasy reader looking to dip your toes into new authors or just craving quick, magical love stories, this is a satisfying and charming read. Not every story will be a perfect fit, but the hits make it well worth the time.

Thank you to Net Galley and Titan Books for this ARC.

I had never read anthologies before, and although I knew a few of the authors in this one, I’d only ever read Hannah Nicole Maehrer, so I was very much going in blind.

Each of these short stories was a joy to read. Naturally there were some that I didn’t enjoy as much as others, as you would expect with an anthology, but each of them used tropes that I adore and they were pleasant enough. It was also brilliant to discover some new authors, and I’ve already ordered a book by Kelly Andrew after loving her short story.

I’m always a little 50/50 whenever a book classes itself as ‘Romantasy’ as in my experience they will either be perfect, or cliché stories that make you cringe. Happily in this case, I found this book to be perfect!

An entertaining anthology of romantasy stories. As always some are better than others but all were enjoyable.

Mirador - A lovely love story between a (female) vampire and a nun!
Until December - Probably my favourite: a gorgeous couple and completely mind bending. Really wish it was a full length book
The King's Witch - Totally absorbing, another one I wish was a book
Designated Virgin Sacrifice - Lots of fun
Bamboo, Ink, Paper, Clay - Very puzzling but also enchanting
Good Deeds - Wonderful, a great story
Rosebud - A lovely story

i was so hyped for this when I saw Olivie Blake and it was definitely up to the hype I found. 4 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.