#bromantasy

Trying something different this year and breaking up by genre, so if you’re looking for SFF/H, Crime Fiction, or Graphic Novels, just keep scrolling! (Yes, some of those distinctions are a little fuzzy. I did my best.) Romance will still be getting its own post, though, so do keep an eye out for that in the coming days! Literary/Upmarket Fiction Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin (January…

Official Summary:

Two heroes. One brain cell. Fellas, is it gay to kiss your bff while on a quest through the forest you’re unqualified for? Juniper O'Reilly is good at only two things: demolishing a pint of mead and finding the perfect skincare routine. Everything else—taking care of the farm, bartering for goods, any sort of manual labor—falls to Juniper’s best friend, the absurdly capable, endlessly patient Mo Elmthorn. But when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, he knows he’s finally gotten in over his head. Juniper hates camping, he hates the dark, and there’s no way all these foraged mushrooms are going to sit well in his stomach. One thing he doesn’t hate? How good Mo’s thighs look in his questing pants—he doesn’t have time to think about that, though, with a monster to hunt and their futures on the line. But monsters come in all shapes and sizes. When Juniper and Mo realize that the terrifying beast they’ve sworn to kill is just a scared little girl torn from her family, they’re off to find not only the true villain of the story, but maybe even a happy ending.

My Thoughts:

I love all kinds of queer romantasy but there's a special place in my heart for silly romantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously. If a fantasy romance can make me laugh as well as swoon while I get wrapped up in an epic adventure, then I'm almost certain to have a great time. So, the second I heard of Bromantasy, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.

Juniper and Mo are life-long (and totally platonic!!) friends who have lived together on a small farm for ten years. Every year, once they've harvested the farm's crops for the season, Mo starts feeling blue and longs to go on a quest during the long and dull Winter. Juniper hates the idea of being left behind by his best friend, so he suggests the two go into town for a distraction; he absolutely does not intend to sign them both up to go on a quest to slay a dragon, but too much mead does have its consequences.

Juniper is the funniest of the two characters, but he has enough depth that he never feels like only comedic relief. He had a rough childhood with a neglectful father. Juniper is also sensitive and still holds some hurt from an argument with Mo that briefly fractured their friendship years ago. Mo is quiet, strong, supportive, and steady. He clearly loves his "Junebug," but it takes some time before we see his version of their story.

The romance is delightful. It's obvious from early in the book that these two love each other very deeply. There are several small scenes of one doing something for the other, just to make them happy, that made me swoon. As the story progresses and their relationship grows deeper and more complicated, I found myself both crying over them and cheering for them.

I thought this was going to be a simple story about two friends who are in love but in denial, for whatever reason, but there's so much more to their dynamic than that. There are some intense emotions that these two have to work through before they can get their happy ending. Juniper and Mo are one of my new favorite fictional pairings; I adore them together so, so much!

The plot is a fast-paced, fun-filled, and heartfelt adventure quest. I loved the surprising directions the story took; like with the romance, it seems like it's going to be a straightforward narrative, but there's more to it than a simple monster-hunting quest. There were multiple times when I cried and then laughed two sentences later. I was expecting to laugh while reading this, but the genuine emotion the story pulled from me definitely surprised me!

I'm having an excellent reading year in 2026; I've found several new books that I now consider all-time favorites, and this one is certainly near the top of that list. It was the exact blend of humor, romance, and fantasy I was hoping for, and I ended up loving it even more than I imagined I would.

I recommend this to any readers of queer fantasy romance, but especially to fans of books like Alexandra Rowland's Yield Under Great Persuasion and This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher. Readers who adore the Idiots to Lovers and Friends to Lovers tropes will seriously eat this up!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 352 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Queer, Achillean, Rom-Com, Romantasy, Idiots to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Quest/Adventure Fantasy, There's Only One Bed

Contains Depictions Of: Mild Violence, Abusive & Alcoholic Parent, Injuries

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | MaryERoach.com

Bromantasy will be released on May 26, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to Netgalley, Putnam, and Penguin. The above are my honest feelings about the provided book.

The Divine Gardener’s Handbook by Eli Snow Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous by Autumn K. England How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva Into the Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum Bromantasy by Máire Roche Bonus: These are all Adult, but for YA, check out The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens 

I've been keeping an up-to-date list of queer fantasy coming out in 2026 here, but one newly announced book feels like it needs more attention. This sounds like something Tumblr might be very interested in:

Two heroes. One brain cell.

BROMANTASY is a cozy, queer fantasy about the mortifying ordeal of being known by your totally platonic best friend and the epic quest that might force you to confront the truth.

Fellas, is it gay to kiss your bff while on a quest through the forest you’re unqualified for?

Juniper O'Reilly is good at only two things: demolishing a pint of mead and finding the perfect skincare routine. Everything else—taking care of the farm, bartering for goods, any sort of manual labor—falls to Juniper’s best friend, the absurdly capable, endlessly patient Mo Elmthorn.

But when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, he knows he’s finally gotten in over his head. Juniper hates camping, he hates the dark, and there’s no way all these foraged mushrooms are going to sit well in his stomach. One thing he doesn’t hate? How good Mo’s thighs look in his questing pants—he doesn’t have time to think about that, though, with a monster to hunt and their futures on the line.

But monsters come in all shapes and sizes. When Juniper and Mo realize that the terrifying beast they’ve sworn to kill is just a scared little girl torn from their family, they’re off to find not only the true villain of the story, but maybe even a happy ending.

Read 5/8-5/8

Five Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not always in the mood for cozy fantasy but sometimes the stars align and it's exactly what I need. Juniper has spent the last several years living and working with his best friend, Mo. Some might describe his life as quiet but he loves working on their farm, going out to the pub (maybe picking a fight or two), and settling down for the night by the fire knitting and telling stories with Mo. When Juniper picks a fight with the wrong person he and Mo are unexpectedly forced into a quest to slay a dragon on behalf of the king.

Over the last few years of reading I'm discovering some things about my preferences and one of those is becoming very clear, I will always love a character that is a little shit. A little whiny, a little selfish, a little stupid, someone who would be more closely aligned with chaotic neutral. There is just something about these types of characters that I find so amusing and I love being in their heads. Juniper happily strolls into this category. This man would never survive a day outside were it not for Mo. Mo, full name Morningthall, occasionally Morn, is the hyper-competent man of all of our dreams. Mo keeps Juniper alive and helps point his moral compass in the correct direction.