The AI Shelf · UK · Week 41, 2026
Romantasy novels
The books ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini recommended this week when asked for romantasy novels: 72 answers to 12 questions worded the way readers ask.
Ranked by the share of all answers that recommend each book. An arrow means its share really moved since last week; – means steady.
- 1–32%23 of 72 answers
- 2–25%18 of 72 answers
- 3–21%15 of 72 answers
- 4–18%13 of 72 answers
- 5–13%9 of 72 answers
- 6–11%8 of 72 answers
- 6–11%8 of 72 answers
- 6–11%8 of 72 answers
- 9–10%7 of 72 answers
- 9–
The EmpyreanSeries
10%7 of 72 answers - 9–
The Folk of the AirSeries
10%7 of 72 answers - 12–8%6 of 72 answers
- 12–8%6 of 72 answers
- 12–8%6 of 72 answers
- 15–7%5 of 72 answers
- 15–7%5 of 72 answers
- 15–7%5 of 72 answers
- 15–7%5 of 72 answers
- 15–7%5 of 72 answers
- 20–
The BargainerSeries
6%4 of 72 answers - 20–6%4 of 72 answers
- 20–
The Plated PrisonerSeries
6%4 of 72 answers - 20–6%4 of 72 answers
- 20–6%4 of 72 answers
- 20–6%4 of 72 answers
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The sites the assistants read for this list
Cited by ChatGPT and Claude while they answered. Sites marked Publisher list only their own books; the rest are lists, reviewers and press a book can be pitched to.
- goodreads.comCataloguein 13 answers
- penguin.co.ukPublisherin 13 answers
- penguinrandomhouse.comPublisherin 10 answers
- hachette.co.ukPublisherin 10 answers
- panmacmillan.comPublisherin 8 answers
- bloomsbury.comPublisherin 7 answers
- en.wikipedia.orgReferencein 6 answers
- read.macmillan.comPublisherin 6 answers
- us.macmillan.comPublisherin 5 answers
- amazon.comShopin 4 answers
- hachettebookgroup.comPublisherin 4 answers
- screenrant.comWebsitein 3 answers
How this list is made
Every week we ask the same 12 questions, 2 times each, of ChatGPT and Claude (both searching the web live) and Gemini (answering from what it knows; Google's terms don't let tools like ours analyse its web-search answers). The questions are worded the way readers really ask. We read which books each answer recommends, count each book once however it is spelled, leave out any book or author the question itself named, and rank by the share of answers that name it. A list is published only when every assistant answered.
This week: 72 answers (48 live, 24 from memory). Question set uk-1, run 5 October 2026.
- “What are the best romantasy books ever written? I'm after proper swoony fantasy romance with great world building.”
- “I've never read romantasy before but keep seeing it everywhere on BookTok. Where should I start?”
- “What are the best romantasy books that have come out in the last year or so? I've read loads of the older stuff and need something new.”
- “Are there any underrated romantasy books that don't get talked about much? I'm sick of seeing the same five on every list.”
- “My mum loves cosy fantasy and Bridgerton-style romance for her birthday, what romantasy book should I get her?”
- “Can you recommend a romantasy to curl up with on a rainy weekend? Something I can get completely lost in.”
- “What are the best enemies to lovers romantasy books with a slow burn and no big cliffhanger ending?”
- “I absolutely loved A Court of Thorns and Roses, what other books are like it?”
- “I've read everything by Sarah J. Maas and I'm desperate for more, who should I read next?”
- “Which romantasy would be a good book club pick for our group? We want something people will argue about over a glass of wine.”
- “Who are the best British romantasy authors? I'd love to read something written by someone from the UK.”
- “Which romantasy series is worth starting? I want a complete series so I'm not waiting years for the next book.”
A list shows what the assistants said that week. It is not a ranking of quality or of sales, and nobody pays to be on it.