My Top 5 Romantasy Books with Dragins Dominating BookTok in 2026
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Last weekend, during our New Year’s Eve game night, Marcus tried to calculate the exact probability of me actually winning at Uno “for once.” His conclusion: statistically impossible… right before Rebecca slammed down a wild card and destroyed us all. Matthew just sat there, quietly eating pizza and pretending not to have secretly stacked the deck in her favor.
Moments like that remind me why I adore sinking into romance novels—especially romantasy with dragons. I love stories where high stakes collide with big feelings, where characters fight monsters and their own fears, and where love feels like the bravest choice in a dangerous world. As a lifelong romance reader and editor, there’s nothing more satisfying than watching readers fall head over heels for complex characters, epic worlds, and swoony relationships that linger long after the last page. Dragon-heavy romantasy hits that sweet spot: the spectacle of fantasy, the intimacy of romance, and just enough fire (literal and figurative) to keep things deliciously intense. Today I’m sharing five dragon-filled romantasy books currently dominating BookTok in 2026—perfect if you want magic, mayhem, and heart-melting romance all in one.
$22.50
$19.69
4.53 out of 5 starsFear the Flames: A Novel
Product information
Product Review Score
Product links
Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling
Tagged As:
reluctant allies to lovers, exiled princess, dragon bonds, heist, found family crew, vengeance, epic fantasy romance, series starter, political intrigue, HEA-for-now
Plot Summary:
An exiled princess, Elowen Atarah, once soul-bonded to five dragons, has spent years imprisoned by the king who fears her power and controls her dragons. Now free but separated from her bonded creatures, she joins forces with Cayden, a man she should never trust, to pull off a high-stakes heist to liberate her dragons from an impenetrable fortress while war looms over the kingdom of Imirath. Dangerous quests, simmering tension, and dragon magic intertwine as Elowen’s thirst for vengeance clashes with a reluctant, scorching connection that might be her greatest risk yet.
Why I Love This Book:
This book feels like it was engineered in a lab for dragon-romantasy lovers: immersive world-building, a vengeance-fueled heroine, and a reluctant-ally love interest who keeps matching her stride for stride. The heist angle gives the story propulsive momentum, the crew has that chaotic found-family charm, and the dragon bonds add an emotional undercurrent that makes every victory and setback hit harder.
Who Will Like This Book:
Pick this up if you love morally driven heroines on a mission, slow-burn tension with a reluctant partner, and dragons that are fully woven into the political and magical fabric of the world. It’s especially great if you’re craving something that scratches a similar itch to sprawling, war-touched romantasy but with a sharper focus on revenge, heist vibes, and dragon-soul bonds.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate
$4.99
4.76 out of 5 starsTwilight of Embers (Dragons of Ember Hollow Book 1)
Product information
Product Review Score
Product links
Twilight of Embers by Tessa Hale
Tagged As:
why choose, fated mates, dragon shifters, college setting, reverse harem, hidden magic, protective heroes, found family vibes, paranormal romance, series
Plot Summary:
Hayden arrives at Evergreen University on a premed scholarship thinking her biggest challenge will be surviving chemistry lab, not a campus full of secrets and dragon shifters. When she crosses paths with Knox—golden-retriever energy in quarterback form—he instantly senses she’s different, and soon Hayden is drawn into a circle of powerful men who are as dangerous as they are magnetic, including a professor and a billionaire with agendas of their own. As Hayden uncovers the truth about her identity and the threats stalking Ember Hollow, she must decide whether to trust the dragon shifters who claim her as theirs.
Why I Love This Book:
This series-opening book reads like the cozy-chaotic love child of campus romance and paranormal dragon mayhem in the best way. The why-choose setup gives you multiple love interests with distinct personalities, the pacing stays brisk and bingeable, and the emotional beats—especially Hayden’s mix of vulnerability and growing confidence—make the romance feel extra satisfying.
Who Will Like This Book:
Perfect if you love reverse harem stories with protective heroes, a heroine discovering hidden power, and college settings where “study sessions” are regularly interrupted by supernatural chaos. If your ideal dragon romantasy leans more character-driven, steamy, and emotionally soft than politically dense, this will be catnip.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️Mild
4.45 out of 5 starsFourth Wing (Standard Edition) (The Empyrean, 1)
Product information
Product Review Score
Product links
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Tagged As:
dragon rider academy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, military training, high stakes, found family, morally gray hero, disability rep, series, cliffhanger
Plot Summary:
Violet Sorrengail is forced by her commanding general mother into Basgiath War College’s brutal riders quadrant, where most cadets die before they ever bond with a dragon. The dragons of Navarre want only the strongest, and Violet—small, bookish, and managing chronic pain—must survive deadly training, rigged challenges, and the lethal attention of Xaden Riorson, a powerful, enigmatic wingleader whose past is entwined with her family’s darkest secrets. As conspiracies unravel and the truth about the war emerges, Violet’s bond with her dragons and with Xaden pushes her to decide what, and who, she’s truly willing to fight for.
Why I Love This Book:
This is one of those rare hype beasts that actually earns its status: the combination of snarky inner monologue, razor-edged tension, and dragon rider trials is wildly addictive. Violet’s vulnerability and resilience make her easy to root for, the dragons themselves have unforgettable personalities, and the central romance delivers all the enemies-to-lovers angst and chemistry a romantasy reader could want.
Who Will Like This Book:
Ideal if you’re drawn to academy settings, ruthless trials, and a romance that simmers under life-or-death stakes. If you love sarcastic banter, morally gray rebels, and dragons who steal every scene they’re in, this belongs on your shelf—preferably near the tissues.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate
$32.00
$25.60
4.41 out of 5 starsWhen the Moon Hatched
Product information
Product Review Score
Product links
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
Tagged As:
epic romantasy, celestial dragons, fated connection, slow burn, fae politics, rebellion, found family, reincarnation vibes, high stakes, series
Plot Summary:
Set in a world shaped by fallen celestial dragons, this story weaves together ancient magic, warring factions, and a romance that stretches across lives. Dragon-born power and cosmic mythology drive the conflict as a heroine becomes entangled with a brooding, battle-scarred figure whose fate is bound to the dragons’ long-ago fall and the empire’s fragile future. As rebellions flare and secrets surface, their connection becomes the key to either saving their world or burning it down.
Why I Love This Book:
The dragon lore here feels expansive and mythic, almost like reading a celestial history text that someone accidentally set on fire with feelings. The slow-burn romance is intense and emotional, the world-building rewards patient readers, and the way dragon magic is entwined with identity, destiny, and grief makes the whole story feel sweeping and unforgettable.
Who Will Like This Book:
Reach for this if you love dense, richly built worlds, slow-burn tension, and romances that feel fated but hard-earned. It’s a perfect match for readers who enjoy dragons that function as cosmic forces rather than just mounts, and who don’t mind a little heartache on the way to the hope.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️Mild
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Tagged As:
YA romantasy, forbidden romance, dragon shifter heritage, secret identity, small-town high school, first love, coming of age, family duty, series, emotional
Plot Summary:
Jacinda is a rare fire-breathing draki forced to hide among humans after a close call with dragon hunters. Struggling to suppress her true nature in a new town and high school, she falls for Will, the one boy whose family legacy makes him the most dangerous person she could possibly love. Their connection becomes a lifeline and a liability as Jacinda risks exposure, her people’s wrath, and her own safety for a chance at a different future.
Why I Love This Book:
If you grew up on paranormal YA, this feels like a warm, angsty throwback—only with dragon shifters instead of the usual suspects. The tension between Jacinda’s duty to her draki pride and her hunger to be truly seen by someone who shouldn’t want her gives the romance a beautifully bittersweet edge.
Who Will Like This Book:
Great for readers who prefer lower spice, high emotion, and that classic forbidden-romance ache. If you love stories about teens navigating identity, family expectations, and dangerous first love—with dragon fire simmering under the surface—this is a perfect pick.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️Mild