If you’re craving a fantasy romance where sparks fly between enemies, angels clash with demons, and the world is anything but peaceful — you’re in the right place.
This list features books filled with epic tension, forbidden romance, and dark, dystopian settings. Whether you love celestial wars, morally gray characters, or slow-burn enemies-to-lovers plots, these books deliver the drama and the fantasy you’re looking for.
📘 Deal in Divinity by Chely Penn
Themes: Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Angels, Demons, Dystopia, Queer Romance
One of the standout reads in this genre is Deal in Divinity by Chely Penn. Set in a world where angels are bound by divine laws and demons lurk in the shadows of a crumbling society, this book delivers an emotionally charged enemies-to-lovers romance between two powerful men on opposite sides of a celestial divide. With lush world-building and sharp banter, it’s the kind of story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go.
🔥 Angelfall by Susan Ee
Themes: Angels, Post-Apocalyptic, Found Family, Slow-Burn Romance
After angels of the apocalypse bring destruction to Earth, a teenage girl must team up with a wingless angel to survive and rescue her sister. The uneasy partnership between Penryn and Raffe turns into a layered, emotional bond. This is a gritty, fast-paced series perfect for readers who like their angels fierce and their world on fire.
Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days)
It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with Raffe, an injured enemy angel. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco, where Penryn will risk everything to rescue her sister and Raffe will put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.
😈 The Demon Queen Trials by C.N. Crawford
Themes: Enemies to Lovers, Demons, Trials, Spicy Romance
In this spicy fantasy series, a mortal woman finds herself entangled in the politics of a demon realm, forced to compete in deadly trials while catching the eye of a dangerously charming demon prince. If you like your romances slow-burn and your fantasy worlds filled with tension, this series will hit the spot.
The Demon Queen Trials Complete Trilogy
“I never thought I’d be singing happy birthday to myself in a dungeon. And yet when a sinfully sexy demon crashes happy hour, that’s exactly what happens. He’s known as the Lord of Chaos, and he’s mistaken me for my succubus doppelgänger.
🕊️ Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Themes: Angel Bloodlines, Destiny, Love Triangle, YA Romance
Clara is part angel, destined for a divine purpose she doesn’t fully understand. When she begins to fall for someone who seems tied to her celestial path, everything she thought she knew is called into question. It’s a coming-of-age story with deep emotional stakes and a layered romantic arc.
Unearthly (Unearthly, 1)
When Clara Gardner learns she’s part angel, her entire life changes.
🩸 Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Themes: Dystopia, Magic, Betrayal, Enemies to Lovers Vibes
In a world divided by blood—red for the powerless, silver for the elite—Mare Barrow discovers a deadly power within herself. As she’s forced into the royal court and tangled in a web of lies and rebellion, her relationships with the two princes in her orbit become deliciously complicated. Not strictly angels and demons, but the enemies-to-lovers tension is 🔥.
Red Queen (Red Queen, 1)
Red Queen, by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard, is a sweeping tale of power, intrigue, and betrayal, perfect for fans of Lauren Robert’s Powerless and George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series.
🌓 The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
Themes: Demons, Queer Protagonist, Magical Bargains, Found Family
If you love stories about striking dangerous deals with dark forces, this pirate fantasy blends Caribbean folklore, nonbinary representation, and demonic bargains. It offers a fresh take on what it means to hold power in a world that wants to control you.
The Wicked Bargain
On Mar León-de la Rosa’s 16th birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn’t enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar’s father and the entire crew of their ship.
🔮 The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Themes: Villain Romance, Court Intrigue, Enemies to Lovers
This one flips the script: Alessandra has a plan to woo the Shadow King, marry him, and then… kill him to take the throne. But the king is not what he seems, and their dance of deception turns into something far more complicated. If you’re into morally gray romance with a dark fairytale vibe, this one is a must-read.
The Shadows Between Us
“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.”
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
Conclusion
Whether it’s forbidden love between celestial enemies, high-stakes power struggles, or magical bargains with deadly consequences, these books deliver all the tension and emotional payoff that fans of fantasy romance and dystopian drama crave — even if you’re exploring these themes for the first time.
