Star-Crossed Lovers & Soulmates Through Time: Fantasy Book Recommendations
Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate, LTK Creator, Shopmy programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books & you can read our affiliate disclosure here.
There’s something about a star-crossed lovers / soulmates-through-time story that hits differently.
The idea that love can survive lifetimes, curses, wars, and literal time loops? It gets me every single time.
On this week’s episode of the What to Read Next Podcast, my friend Anastasia and I talked about books where fate refuses to be ignored—where two people are destined to find each other again and again, even when the odds are stacked against them. Most of these picks lean fantasy (YA and adult), but romance is always at the heart of the story.
If you love doomed love, love letters, rivals-to-lovers, or “we’ll find each other in every lifetime” energy, start here.
Listen to the Podcast
In Our Infinite Fate by Laura Steven
This YA fantasy is pure star-crossed lovers angst—in the best way.
Evelyn and Arden are destined to fall in love in every lifetime… and they’re also cursed to destroy each other before Evelyn turns eighteen. What makes this lifetime different is that Evelyn remembers their past lives—and this time, her sister is dying. She’s determined to survive long enough to break the curse and save her.
I love how this book balances romance with urgency and grief. It’s emotional, romantic, and genuinely gripping, especially as the story jumps between lifetimes and shows how fate keeps pulling these two souls together.
Read this if you love: doomed soulmates, reincarnation, emotional YA fantasy, “we can break the curse this time.”
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
This one is for readers who love lyrical writing and unconventional love stories.
Told almost entirely through letters, this sci-fi novella follows Red and Blue—agents on opposite sides of a war fought across time. What starts as taunts and challenges slowly turns into something intimate, forbidden, and devastating.
This is a short book, but it lingers. The romance unfolds quietly and beautifully, and the audiobook is especially immersive if you want to be completely swept away.
Read this if you love: love letters, poetic prose, rivals-to-lovers, short but powerful reads.
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
If you haven’t read Divine Rivals yet, this is your sign.
Set against the backdrop of a world at war between gods, this story follows two rival journalists competing for the same job. Through magical typewriters, they begin exchanging anonymous letters—slowly falling for each other without realizing who’s on the other end.
This book is tender, romantic, and quietly devastating. The fantasy elements are there, but the love story is the heart of it all. If you like romance that builds through letters, longing, and emotional restraint, this one is unforgettable.
Read this if you love: rivals-to-lovers, epistolary romance, soft fantasy, emotional slow burns.
Watch our Author Interview with Rebecca Ross
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
This is whimsical fantasy with sharp edges—and one of the most bingeable trilogies I’ve read.
Evangeline Fox makes a deal with the Prince of Broken Hearts after the love of her life marries someone else. The bargain? Three kisses… at times of his choosing. What follows is a fast-paced, fairytale-inspired story full of twists, cliffhangers, and morally gray characters.
If you like your romance dramatic, your fantasy magical, and your chapters ending with “okay, fine, one more,” this series will absolutely pull you in.
Read this if you love: fairytale vibes, morally gray love interests, fast-paced fantasy, dramatic romance.
Why I Love This Trope
There’s something deeply comforting about stories where love survives everything.
Across lifetimes. Across timelines. Across impossible odds.
These books remind me why I keep coming back to fantasy romance—it lets us explore hope, destiny, and connection in ways that feel bigger than real life, while still grounding everything in emotion.
If you’re in the mood for a sweeping love story that feels fated, these are all excellent places to start.
Want more recommendations like this?
This list came from a recent episode of the What to Read Next Podcast, where I talk books with fellow readers—not just authors—and share honest, vibe-based recommendations.
If you love trope-driven recs, library-friendly reads, and cozy conversations about what to read next, you’re in the right place.
the Book Rec Newsletter
Subscribe for weekly book recommendations perfect for a Mood Reading TBR , and update you on new blog posts!