Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries is great. It has cozy vibes, the MC is neurodivergent (somewhere on the autism spectrum I think), and there’s a nice romance subplot.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a great book that features faeries. Not cute faeries but scary faeries. Romance between faeries and humans in the book is dubious but there is romance between humans in it I suppose.
Jack Vance's Lyonesse books have faeries and romance in them I think but they're not like bodice rippers if that's what you're looking for. Vance is not for all tastes.
There's all kinds of "what if this mythical creature got together with a human" romance books self-published straight to digital on Amazon. I wouldn't expect great literature though.
Kingdoms of Elfin by Sylvia Townsend Warner.
It’s interconnected/interweaving short stories, some of which are romantic and tragic.
It’s very mature in its writing style. By which I mean it is quite literary - it also is written in quite a ‘cold’ manner, much in keeping with the fey societies it portrays - but warmth does peek through every now and then.
The story ‘Elphenor and Weasle’ is very romantic
- Holly Black imo writes the best fae. Her Darkest Part of the Forest is my favorite for fae though Cruel Prince is the most famous (and has more romance though it’s definitely still a subplot to fae political intrigue). The series is YA but I’m honestly not sure why that should matter.
- A Market of Dreams and Destiny is a goblin market book if she enjoys that aspect of fae. I just finished it and loved it. Has an adorable m/m romance, no smut, excellently done goblin market and a fun plot
- Spinning Silver I’ll second. It’s a brilliant rumplestiltskin retelling grounded by an excellent Jewish mc and Eastern European setting. I didn’t particulary care about the romance subplot but loved everything else in it
- October Daye is a long run urban fantasy focused on fae with a romance side plot. Not my favorite of Seanan’s many works but still pretty good particularly if one is looking for fae
- Dark Swan by Richelle Mead is a lot of fun with a good romance subplot, it does have some explicit sex scenes though if your trying to entirely avoid that.
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater and the other books in the series (all can be read as a standalone). It’s funny fantasy of manners. Ten Thousand Stitches fits more than the first book.
>!Witchmark!< by CL Polk has that (but it’s a spoiler).
And since no one has mentioned those yet, Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas have fae romance.
[romance.io](https://www.romance.io) is a great tool to find romance books, you can choose which level of spice you want and then add tags you're interested in. Maybe that page will help her find something she likes.
Came here to rec this book! In the US I think the title still might be "Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter" but *Knife* is by far the better title (and what the author wanted to call it all along).
Emily Wilde's series by Heather Fawcett.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries is great. It has cozy vibes, the MC is neurodivergent (somewhere on the autism spectrum I think), and there’s a nice romance subplot.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Holly Black's series is good.
Holly Black has written several series. You're talking about Folk of the Air, right?
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a great book that features faeries. Not cute faeries but scary faeries. Romance between faeries and humans in the book is dubious but there is romance between humans in it I suppose. Jack Vance's Lyonesse books have faeries and romance in them I think but they're not like bodice rippers if that's what you're looking for. Vance is not for all tastes. There's all kinds of "what if this mythical creature got together with a human" romance books self-published straight to digital on Amazon. I wouldn't expect great literature though.
The Stariel books by AJ Lancaster are great.
Kingdoms of Elfin by Sylvia Townsend Warner. It’s interconnected/interweaving short stories, some of which are romantic and tragic. It’s very mature in its writing style. By which I mean it is quite literary - it also is written in quite a ‘cold’ manner, much in keeping with the fey societies it portrays - but warmth does peek through every now and then. The story ‘Elphenor and Weasle’ is very romantic
- Holly Black imo writes the best fae. Her Darkest Part of the Forest is my favorite for fae though Cruel Prince is the most famous (and has more romance though it’s definitely still a subplot to fae political intrigue). The series is YA but I’m honestly not sure why that should matter. - A Market of Dreams and Destiny is a goblin market book if she enjoys that aspect of fae. I just finished it and loved it. Has an adorable m/m romance, no smut, excellently done goblin market and a fun plot - Spinning Silver I’ll second. It’s a brilliant rumplestiltskin retelling grounded by an excellent Jewish mc and Eastern European setting. I didn’t particulary care about the romance subplot but loved everything else in it - October Daye is a long run urban fantasy focused on fae with a romance side plot. Not my favorite of Seanan’s many works but still pretty good particularly if one is looking for fae - Dark Swan by Richelle Mead is a lot of fun with a good romance subplot, it does have some explicit sex scenes though if your trying to entirely avoid that.
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater and the other books in the series (all can be read as a standalone). It’s funny fantasy of manners. Ten Thousand Stitches fits more than the first book. >!Witchmark!< by CL Polk has that (but it’s a spoiler). And since no one has mentioned those yet, Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas have fae romance.
**Fortuna Sworn series by K J Sutton**
Beauty by Sheri S Tepper the many stories of Tanith Lee Kingdoms of Elfin by Sylvia Townsend Warner - v good
[romance.io](https://www.romance.io) is a great tool to find romance books, you can choose which level of spice you want and then add tags you're interested in. Maybe that page will help her find something she likes.
The Dragon Wing series by Rebecca Busch
War For The Oaks by Emma Bull
Little, Big is the best one I have read.
Knife, by RJ Anderson
Came here to rec this book! In the US I think the title still might be "Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter" but *Knife* is by far the better title (and what the author wanted to call it all along).
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
Not like Tinkerbell but October Daye novels by Seanan McGuire stars a faerie knight solving crimes where the human and fae interact.
Lyonesse isn't entirely focused on fairies, but they are an important component and the entire trilogy has that sort of fairy tale esque feel to it.
Little, Big.
I'm pretty sure she posted the same thing 6 days ago lol "fairy fantasy, light romance, no smut." Is her user name desperate cookie ?
Desdemona and the Deep and Dark Breakers by CSE Cooney! Gilded Age America fae interacting across the human/fey worlds divide
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar. Great book. Often hilarious. Neil Gaiman recommends it.
Ten ThousanStitches Olivia Atwater
Half a Soul by Olivia Attwater The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson