17 books like Regency Faerie Tales

Alexis Hall is the most well-known author on this list, and this sapphic Regency fantasy will not disappoint readers who like a Byronic love interest.

I loved the way the novel is narrated by the very opinionated Robin Goodfellow (aka “Puck”), who has been kicked out of the fairy court. Robin describes how Maelys Mitchelmore’s social life becomes complicated when an unknown ill-wisher curses her.

A chance encounter introduces her to the dark, brooding, and attractive Lady Georgianna Landrake, who helps Maelys discover and defeat her adversary. But Lady Georgianna suffers from her own family curse, and magical forces nearly tear the two lovers apart.

It takes courage, wisdom, and the help of Maelys’ friends to free Lady Georgianna and allow love to triumph. 

Fans of monster romance should check out this low-heat novella, which begins when protagonist Mary Clegg runs away from home to escape an unwanted marriage.

A detour through the forest gets her thoroughly lost, but not to worry: she conveniently encounters a handsome young centaur. He’s supposed to be surveying the land, but he’s just as lost as Mary, and the forest seems to be working magic of some sort to keep them together overnight. In addition to the forced proximity trope, there’s a bit of class difference at play, because centaurs are not considered genteel.

Quenby Olson’s gift for a witty turn-of-phrase is on point here, and I loved that the book was short enough to enjoy in a single setting.

This is the second of Stephanie Burgis’s Regency Dragons books, but in my opinion, it can stand on its own.

The protagonist and viewpoint character, Rose Tregarth, is slowly emerging out of a fog of depression caused by the loss of her parents. She now lives with loving and somewhat eccentric cousins in Wales. Part of the charm of the book comes from the diverse cast of secondary characters, which includes a sapphic couple, a young girl with an anxiety disorder, and a young woman of color.

As an autistic reader, I very much appreciate that Rose’s love interest, a renowned dragon scholar, is coded as autistic, because it’s difficult to find good autistic representation in historical romance. Dragon fans take note: the book abounds with adorable miniature dragons with magical powers! 

I love the verve and charm of this story, told through a series of letters between two young Regency women who are best friends. Though the magical elements add mystery and keep the plot moving, I especially enjoyed experiencing the narrative through their correspondence with each other.

The letters add nuance to the characters, making me imagine that I am involved in the events of their lives—even though it takes days for the post to carry the letters to their destination. A side note that makes me love the book even more is the story of how it came to be: a fan met an author, and they collaborated to create this project.

An unexpected detour lands Alyssa, the daughter of a woodcutter, in the royal family’s household. By accepting a position as companion to the king and queen’s rambunctious young daughters, she joins the family’s circle of trust.

When Alyssa witnesses a traitorous plot to overtake the kingdom, she’s forced to face her growing feelings for Max, the crown prince—which he reciprocates. But Max is duty-bound to marry for alliance instead of love.

With only mild fantasy elements, the story is driven by its romantic plot and the idea that true nobility resides in a person’s heart more than their bloodline. If you’re looking for a reimagined fairy tale that’s lighter on the fantasy elements, Melanie Cellier’s sweet retelling of The Princess and the Pea is the perfect choice.

Wolves and Roses is a fun and snarky start to a big series in which humans exist in a modern world alongside shifters, witches, and fairies. Sounds fun, right?

Bryar Rose is expected to follow the Sleeping Beauty story template for her life. Unfortunately, something glitched in her personality, because no part of that story appeals to who she truly is, or what she wants out of life. When Bryar meets Knox, a powerful werewolf shifter in the midst of his own identity crisis, sparks fly.

If you enjoy strong, rebellious female leads and bad-boy heroes (yes, please!), this book has all those vibes, plus intrigue, witty banter (my fave), and action. Fans of alternate-history fantasy, paranormal romance, and modern-set fairy tale retellings should add this book to their TBR.

Splintered is an Alice in Wonderland-based story.

I don’t typically read fairytale-inspired books, but this one was so beautifully crafted that I couldn’t put it down. The fantasy world-building is reminiscent of a Tim Burton film with vivid imagery and characters.

Alyssa is the great-great-great granddaughter of Alice. She worries her fate will leave her in an institution like others in her family until she finds herself in Wonderland.

This series has two romances—one between Alyssa and Jeb, and one between Alyssa and Morpheus. Jeb is her love in the human world, but Morpheus offers his own temptation. As the series progresses, she is torn between the two men and their two worlds, both feeding different sides of her.

There is no shortage of fantasy creatures and happenings in this series, nor is there a shortage of romantic sparks.

I’ve enjoyed all of Helen Harper’s books that I’ve read (they are all quite humorous) but I especially loved her Lazy Girl’s Guide. Slouch Witch introduces us to a powerful witch who was kicked out of magic school due to being blamed for someone else’s mistake. Now she’s dedicated to being as lazy and shiftless as possible to stay out of trouble and keep herself away from using her magic. Oh, and she has a cat who may or may not know everything that is going on, and communicates in one-word pronouncements that all cat owners can relate to. There’s a cute romance and fun book-by-book adventures to follow.

The Tasmanian setting and more subtle, understated snark of the protagonist threw me for a loop for the first part of this book, but it had been highly recommended to me so I stuck with it (plus I loved the premise and characters of this urban fantasy romp). By the end of it and into the second and third books in the series I was head-over-heels in love with the series, the author’s voice, and her wonderfully unique Aussie sense of humor. We all know that the first book can be a bit rough, and I promise you that by the end of the series I was so blown away by the excellent story-smithing and craftsmanship of Ms. Gingell that this series is one of my top favorite.

The main character in this book is a badass, snarky, strong female lead and I fell in love with her immediately. But I also loved the humour in this book.

Annette Marie is particularly good at creating humourous dialogue and she did it so well in this book. There is also a reverse harem type of feel with several mages all of whom are kind of competing for the attention of the lead character.

However, unlike some reverse harem series on the market, this one is very clean with light romance – the plot is more focused around mystery-solving and action, my favourite combination! I tore through the entire series in a few weeks. Highly addictive reading!