Forget ACOTAR: NYT Bestselling Cozy Romantasy Series Finally Returns This Month

Published Jul 13, 2026, 5:03 PM EDT

Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.

Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses.

They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer.

In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.

Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.

With cozy romantasy, readers can enjoy swoonworthy romances and magic without the mental fatigue of doom-and-gloom stories. Instead of epic wars, we get couples running away to open coffee and tea shops. Instead of romances between hostile enemy species, we get a half-orc journeying to find forbidden magic, only to find love with an elven blacksmith.

Luckily, the genre continues to grow every day, with new books releasing regularly and sequels to our favorite cozy romantasies hitting the shelves. One of the most exciting upcoming releases in the genre is Sea of Charms: A Spellshop Novel by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst, which has a July 28th release date. Whether you’ve already read The Spellshop books or you’re just discovering them for the first time, Sea of Charms is a perfect next read because each entry in the series is a standalone, set within a shared cozy universe.

What To Expect In Sea Of Charms

MacMillan/Bramble

Durst has taken us far across the unnamed archipelago empire with the previous books. The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse are set on separate islands far from the imperial capital of Alysium. Now, Sea of Charms is bridging the gap between the two locations and Alysium with a love story on the high seas.

The new romantasy book follows a sailor named Marin, who works as a supply runner for the islands, alongside her crewmates Ree, the sailor shrub, and Perri, the sea serpent. Now, she’s bringing a new crew member aboard: her friend Dax. He flees Alyssium as a revolution starts and makes a deal with Marin. He can stay on her boat if he pretends to be her boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival in her hometown. As they find a way to co-exist, Marin finds herself drawn to Dax in a way she hadn’t before. Can she let herself find love again after being burned by romance?

So far, everything is looking good for Sea of Charms. With 391 early reviews on Storygraph, the book has 4.38 stars out of 10. It has been dubbed medium-to-fast-paced, hopeful, and funny. This aligns with the previous books in the series.

*START OF TROPE DISCUSSION*

Many of the tropes that appear in Sea of Charms are already known. Based on the official description, the story is a friends-to-lovers standalone romance with magical creatures and swimming lessons. Additionally, reviews confirm that the book includes a grumpy-and-sunshine couple, soft man/prickly woman, fake dating, and only one bed. He falls first.

*END OF TROPE DISCUSSION*

The Enchanted Greenhouse included small cameos by familiar characters from the titular first book, so it’s likely the third novel will do the same. The chances seem even higher this time around since Marin’s job takes her to different islands. However, as with the second book, new readers can understand the story without knowing who those characters are. Instead, their presence is a nod to fans of the series and a throughline to further cement the shared fantasy universe.

If the Sea of Charms is anything like the last two books, Sarah Beth Durst’s writing will fully absorb readers into the magical world, making it feel tangible and real. What’s more, the story won’t be one cozy fantasy fans will want to miss.