Reading Guide
Romantasy Books with Training Arcs and Academies
1 sections - Updated June 2026
If you love the training arc more than the actual battle, these romantasy academy books are for you. War colleges, deadly trials, and romance that blooms under pressure.
The academies
Fourth Wing
Fourth Wing2023
Basgiath War College. Bond a dragon or die trying. The academy romantasy that started the wave.
Powerless
Powerless2023
The Purging Trials. If you fail, you die. Forbidden romance between classes.
Zodiac Academy
Zodiac Academy2019
Fae academy with brutal hazing. 8 books, massive fandom, enemies-to-lovers.
An Ember in the Ashes
An Ember in the Ashes2015
Military academy in a brutal empire. Resistance, forbidden love, and impossible choices.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
A fantasy romance set in a school, military academy, or training program. Characters learn magic or combat while falling in love. Fourth Wing and Zodiac Academy are the biggest examples.
Contains affiliate linksUpdated June 2026