July is packed with clean fantasy book releases! Whether you’re craving enemies forced into alliances, or pirate captains with marriage contracts, this list of new, no spice fantasy romance books are full of heart, magic, and meaningful romance you can look forward to releasing this month.
If you’re anything like me, you love a swoony romance set in a magical world—but without the spice. July is delivering a treasure trove of new, no spice fantasy romance books that focus on emotional connection, slow-burn chemistry, and rich storytelling, without crossing into steamy territory.
I’ve pulled together both indie gems and traditionally published standouts releasing this month with key tropes, spice levels, and summaries to help you find your next favorite no-spice fantasy romance. Let’s dive into the magic!
Echoes of Destruction by W.K. Gorbet
- 📅 July 1 | Indie debut!
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (action-emotional)
- ❄ Tropes: Found family, reluctant hero + pacifist companion, quest, redemption
- Summary: IKARI, first a slave, then a thief, finally accepts that he is alone in the world. But when he sustains a life-threatening injury, he is saved by a kind old man. In return, Ikari sets off on a journey to find the power of the Phoenix in order to pay back the debt. Begrudgingly, he allows a determined pacifist to accompany him, representing everything he is not. Back in Faydria, HIKOSHI, Ikari’s old mentor, is firmly under the thumb of ALPHA, an occult leader of a fractured nation. Dangling the bait of vengeance and the safety of his remaining friends, Alpha sends Hikoshi across the world to find ancient relics of the past, but his plans are revealed to be much more sinister than Hikoshi imagined.
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
- 📅 July 8 | Traditionally Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (dark enemies-to-lovers)
- ❄ Tropes: Enemies‑to‑lovers, captive princess, power-stripping, dark court intrigue
- Summary: After her brother’s death and kingdom’s downfall, Princess Briony is sold to a ruthless heir and stripped of magic and status. As she fights internally and externally for survival and identity, sparks ignite between captor and captive.
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
- 📅 July 8 | Indie Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: Low‑spice (implied)
- ❄ Tropes: Enemies‑to‑lovers, assassin + healer, fake alliance, wry banter
- Blurb: Loyalties are tested in this slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy following an assassin and a healer forced to work together to cure a fatal disease, all while resisting the urge to kill each other—or, worse, fall in love.
Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier
- 📅 July 8 | Indie Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: Low‑spice (*see special note)
- ❄ Tropes: Marriage of convenience, cursed magic, pirate crew, quest for healing
- Blurb: With their freedom on the line, a young woman and a rakish pirate take their fate into their own hands as they attempt to find a lost mythical isle with the power to save their entire world.
- *Special note: the reviews are mixed on the spice rating at the time of writing this post. So, I’d recommend waiting until after release day to get a clear idea of what to expect inside.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
- 📅 July 15 | Traditionally Published (Berkley)
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (cozy slow‑burn)
- ❄ Tropes: Witch in hiding, magical inn, found family, rekindled magic, quiet romance
- Blurb: A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track.
In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy
- 📅 July 15 | Traditioanlly Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice
- ❄ Tropes: Siren-human alliance, blood-bond, atmospheric enemies-to-allies, found identity
- Blurb: An “atmospheric and evocative” romantasy about a threatened Siren who forges a bond with a brooding, self-righteous king in order to flee the king who raised her.
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
- 📅 July 22 | Traditionally Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (slow enemies-to-lovers)
- ❄ Tropes: Dark academia, fake engagement, magical school, secret identities, reluctant royalty
- Blurb: A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series.
Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo
- 📅 July 29 | Traditionally Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (lyrical and cultural)
- ❄ Tropes: Mythic quest, cultural reclamation, magic, missing kin, Caribbean magic realism
- Summary: A freed mestiza sets sail during Carnaval to find her missing twin on Isla Bestia. Her journey weaves spirit magic, ancestral power, and heartbreaking beauty, entwining family, tradition, and identity.
A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury
- 📅 July 29 | Traditionally Published
- 🌶 Spice Level: No‑spice (emotional emphasis)
- ❄ Tropes: Monsters-as-people, found family, supernatural dangers, emotional romantic thread
- Blurb: Ninth House meets Legendborn in this “bold and bloody” first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother—even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re in the mood for cozy inns, pirate adventures, magical schools, or emotional enemies-to-lovers journeys, July’s no spice fantasy romance books offer something for every clean-romance lover. It’s encouraging to see such a wide range of stories—from lush traditional releases to heartfelt indie gems—carving out space for romance built on emotional depth, slow burns, and satisfying connection.
If you’re looking to escape into worlds of wonder without the spice, these stories prove you don’t have to sacrifice tension, chemistry, or magic.
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