Bromantasy

by Máire Roche

Two heroes. One brain cell.

BROMANTASY is a cozy, queer fantasy about the mortifying ordeal of being known by your totally platonic best friend and the epic quest that might force you to confront the truth.

Fellas, is it gay to kiss your bff while on a quest through the forest you’re unqualified for?

Juniper O'Reilly is good at only two things: demolishing a pint of mead and finding the perfect skincare routine. Everything else—taking care of the farm, bartering for goods, any sort of manual labor—falls to Juniper’s best friend, the absurdly capable, endlessly patient Mo Elmthorn.

But when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, he knows he’s finally gotten in over his head. Juniper hates camping, he hates the dark, and there’s no way all these foraged mushrooms are going to sit well in his stomach. One thing he doesn’t hate? How good Mo’s thighs look in his questing pants—he doesn’t have time to think about that, though, with a monster to hunt and their futures on the line.

But monsters come in all shapes and sizes. When Juniper and Mo realize that the terrifying beast they’ve sworn to kill is just a scared little girl torn from their family, they’re off to find not only the true villain of the story, but maybe even a happy ending.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Romantasy, Adult, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Máire Roche is a former teacher who now writes fantasy for all ages.

When she's not writing, Máire enjoys exploring new coffee shops, hiking, and teaching martial arts.

She also writes thrillers and contemporary romance as Mary E. Roach, where her recent & upcoming titles include Better Left Buried, Seven for a Secret, and We Are the Match.

Reviews

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple of twice-shy besties have spent a decade secretly pining for one another because men will literally hunt dragons before they discuss their feelings, which is a pithy, but faithful recap of this book. Juniper O’Reilly is a hedonist at his core, so his preferred modus vivendi includes ample mead, rowdy bar fights, cat cuddles, and bougie skincare. His roomie and object of his every affection, Morn Elmthorn, is a lumbersexual Aragorn with thick thighs, kind eyes, and endless patience, so the infatuation is unsurprising. Neither are thrilled when Juniper’s proclivity for folly lands them on a royal mission to the Gray Mountains, but at least they can pretend they’re not in love while on what the gossip scrolls are calling the Hottest Quest of the Season! They opt to camp along the journey as opposed to staying at local inns that never have enough sleeping arrangements because while they insist upon sharing a horse, these idiots refuse to share a bed. It’s down bad dimwits-to-lovers, chock full of lamentable yearning, dragon halflings, pants on fire, and locally sourced lard for moisturization. Legolas and Gimli walked so these queer DINKWAC’s could run. Let’s just hope they don’t run out of cheese.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know those spoof/parody movies, Not Another Teen Movie or Scary Movie etc? This feels like that in book form for romantasy.

If you enjoyed those movies or humor like it, you’ll probably have a great time with this book.

There is a quest, dragons, and two idiots (complimentary) totally in love with each other but pretending not to be.

Plenty of silly funny humor that pokes fun at modern slang, books in the genre, etc.

Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of those types of movies or that type of humor so this book was a kind of a miss for me. I did enjoy it enough that I wanted to find out what happened with the dragon, but this isn’t one I’ll read again and I’d only recommend it to ppl that really enjoy that parody/silly humor style.

I’ll also emphasize that this is two idiots in love and denying it for most of the book. This reads like miscommunication, so if you’re not a fan of that style of conflict this might be one to skip!

| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bromantasy is a cozy fantasy book about best friends who secretly love each other. There's also a baby dragon that may or may not be a little girl.
It's a sorcery and small magics meets the house in the cerulean sea.
It was very cute and a fun time, I'd recommend it if you like cozy fantasy.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC.

[nika · Rating 3 out of 5]

yes, it is gay

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bromantasy is a fun, cozy, campy read great for those looking for something in the vein of Legends & Lattes or The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Juniper and Mo's "friendship" is rife with stupidity and missed opportunities and poor communication, and while that would normally frustrate me to no end, I felt Máire Roche did a great job of instead portraying it as endearing and an understandable result of their histories, both shared and individual. I definitely enjoyed the pining and yearning weaved throughout, though I'll admit to wishing there had been slightly more of an on-page payoff in the romance department.

That aside, I enjoyed how much this book leaned into common fantasy and romance tropes (friends-to-lovers, only one bed, etc.) and didn't take itself too seriously. There were numerous contemporary references and phrases tied in to the fantasy setting, which added a lot of humor and helped maintain the lighthearted tone, even when Juniper and Mo's personal stakes were higher.

As someone who loves when a book puts me in an emotional chokehold, there were moments throughout, primarily related to Juniper and Mo's character and relationship development, when I wanted the author to dig a little deeper and really dive into the core of things. I can, however, accept that this book is about the vibes, and the vibes are meant to be silly and playful and tongue-in-cheek. I think, in that regard, it's important to go into this book with the appropriate expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 15%. Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for the arc but this book is far from ready for even arc readers let alone actual publishing.

For a book being marketed as adult and with characters about to be in their thirties, this book has a surprisingly limited and stilted use of vocabulary. That coupled with the juvenile sentence structure that's being repeated, I have a hard time believing that this should be in the older YA section even. The start is clunky, so much so that it took me 2 days to get past the first three chapters, the characters are introduced in such a way that they're instantly not interesting and the mostly thought train style of narration is exhausting to read.

What's funny is that I was genuinely going to push through and finish it just for the sake of the review and the fact that I got it as an arc but then I read the word, "unalivement" and knew I couldn't go on. It's so ridiculous too because the author had the word beheaded in the VERY NEXT LINE. We can't say execution but we can use beheaded?? So silly

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

This was such a fun and lighthearted book about two definitely platonic best friends who are sent on a quest to find a dragon. It was cozy and campy with a good
mix of humor and some more serious moments.
Juniper and Mo were the somewhat stereotypical main characters of this genre of book. Juniper was the well intentioned bumbling idiot who keeps getting himself in trouble and Mo was the quieter, serious character who gets them out of trouble. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it works. They played off each other really well and I loved their incredibly codependent friendship. They very much acted like an old married couple while trying their hardest to pretend they didn’t have actual feelings for each other.
The quest was fun and interesting and I liked all the side characters and the way they drove the story forward. There’s not a lot of world building or set up to this book - you’re kind of just thrown into the story. I personally don’t mind that, I found that the book gave me enough information to know what was going on but if you’re the kind of person who needs to know every detail of the setting or the magic system, just know that you don’t really get that.

This book is perfect for fans of:
-cozy fantasy
-quests
-found family
-shapeshifting dragons
-friends/idiots to lovers

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fellas, is it gay to wanna kiss your bff while on a quest you kinda sorta got yourself stuck in? Yes? Well, that's the premise of this laugh-out-loud, gorgeous romantasy by Maire Roche. Juniper and Mo are best friends who live together, because of course they are. Juniper is really not the questing type. Or the camping type. Or the outdoors type at all. But after an absolutely stunning gaffe, he finds himself with the only solution being going on a quest to kill a fearsome monster, and of course he enlists Mo to help. But is the fearsome monster actually a monster at all? And will Juniper and Mo finally realize they've been in love with each other for literal years? Find out in this wild ride.

First of all, these two are absolute idiots (affectionately). Their feelings for each other are so obvious from page 1 and they dance around it again and again. But Roche makes it feel super endearing, and weaves in a lot of the classic romance tropes to produce a really fun ride! Also, the fearsome monster play was really effective, and provided a reasonable source of conflict without making anything feel too out of character. Plus, as I already stated, idiots in love (TM). What's not to like? Thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the E-ARC.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads give me half stars please - this would be a 3.5 if I could! It delivered on the silly cozy queer vibes but I just didn't feel like the core romance itself was terribly strong.

I liked the narrative tone, which makes a lot of jokes about the genre and fits modern references into an old-timey fantasy setting (felt a bit like Shrek's tone to me, which I mean as a compliment!).

It felt like we lost the romance thread a bit amongst the questing - we're in Juniper's POV and as the story went on there just wasn't enough of that delicious tension of him not seeing Mo's reciprocal feelings that we can clearly see as readers for my taste in an oblivious friends-to-lovers romance. The ending also felt a little abrupt but overall I had a silly goofy good time reading this book!

Thanks to Putnam and Netgalley for the ARC ✌️

[Amanda Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bromantasy is a cozy, completely unserious vibe. While it’s not there to poke fun at Romantasy, it does highlight and turn many of the tropes into something to laugh at & feeling very campy. I enjoyed myself for the first few acts, but noticed it becoming repetitive in its jokes. For all of that in-book talk about one bed, we never did get a scene with the MCs doing what usually happens in one bed. All you find is a kiss inside with brief mentions of more making this a mild read.

Overall it had its moments and the quest was interesting. Out of the “two heroes, one brain cell”, Juniper stood out. His lack of brain cell made the bulk of the ridiculousness and hilarity come directly from him. He gets it right when it counts and that made the resolve all the better. This is for those who enjoy a light & silly PG-13 romcom, but make it a queer fantasy. I think I’m finding cozy isn’t my jam, but I’d still recommend it for those who are looking for that!

***Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review***

[Morgan Rohbock · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
G🌶️

This was silly but also cozy and happy and right now the world is kind of a scary place, so this book is exactly what I needed right now. If you're in search of some comfort and escapism, this book delivers it in spades.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book I probably should have quit early on. The need for further editing is apparent in the first few pages so I waffled about continuing with the story or stopping. About a third of the way through, the story became more compelling and I continued to read until the end. While I can confidently say this book is a vibe, I can also confidently say that I do not believe this book is ready for publishing yet.

A book cannot thrive on vibes alone, not even cozy fantasy. It cannot exist as quips and basic bitch personality while wrapped in modern parlance. While the story has a beginning/middle/end and a murky catalyst for the quest, it does not flesh out the world or the story.

The MMC is a walking contradiction named Juniper. He is abhorrently self involved, an egotist, and as petulant as a child. His main qualities are that he likes cheese, skincare, Mo, and himself. This book felt like a court ordered thoughts and feelings journal from a contradictory guy who liked to fight and knit in equal measures. It was a lot. His character was a lot.

And by the blurb, I expected more himbo action… two guys, one brain cell does not really describe this book, even though I think it makes a fantastic hook.

Lastly, I read a lot of m/m romance, and am no stranger to sex talk. With that being said, the sexy talk in the last 3% of this book was stilted and uncomfortable. The intimacy either needed to come way earlier in the story (one kiss a decade ago does not count as romance) or not at all.

I wish the author good luck. I do believe with a lot of tweaking and streamlining the base of the story could be something that the masses like.

Things I enjoyed: Mo, Bear, the fact that Juniper hated Bill and did not realize that he and Bill were basically the same person, and the cat named Mumford.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A humorous and fun spoof of classic quest based fantasy.

This is such a vibes read. It was lighthearted, a little stupid and an overall good time. I saw another review compare the tone and vibe to Shrek (complimentary), and I totally agree with that comparison!

Juniper & Mo are lifelong bros in a “purely platonic” relationship. They have built a comfortable and cozy life together on their farm, which Juniper wouldn’t trade for anything. Winter is approaching and he senses Mo’s restlessness for adventure.
The two take up a king’s quest (not totally willingly) and anything that could go awry does. Along the way, these two bros have to face royalty, dragons, and worst of all: their not so platonic feelings for each other.

Have you ever picked a bar fight just so you can feel the body heat of your buddy behind you or his hands around your waist while he holds you back? No?? Then you’re not yearning anywhere near Juniper’s level.

The yearning and tension in the beginning was so insane, I ate it up. Unfortunately, some of this was lost through the rest of the story as Juniper’s thoughts turned toward self loathing and it became really clear he was projecting his abandonment issues onto Mo.

Juniper is an incredible emotionally detached character. He has a traumatic past that we got glimpses into, but didn’t get more than the surface level of his abandonment issues. It helped explain some of the dynamic between him & Mo, but I wish we got more. At every turn, Juniper shoved any relevant memory or emotion down. He had a great moment of character growth at the end, but I was so emotionally detached from his character, it wasn’t very hard hitting.

I wish this was dual POV. Juniper & Mo are very different, and I think it would have been nice to have Mo’s POV in there to balance out Juniper’s chaos and self deprecation. It also would’ve added more to their relationship and to the tension to have both of their POVs included.

There was great buildup and decent tension for the romance, the payoff was sweet but a little underwhelming. Listen, not every romance book has to have spice, I get it. Romantasy is a genre overrun with unessecary on-page sex scenes. Spoofing the genre and not including any spice seems like a funny silly idea in theory, but as a reader I do feel a little bamboozled. I don’t think it’s farfetched to have expected these dudes to at least smooch a little more. Maybe my expectations were wrong here, but I was disappointed and felt the romantic pay off was lacking. Spice (or lackthereof) aside, I also feel like the love confessions were also lacking in depth or emotion.

I thought the adventure quest was incredibly fun!! There was chaos at every turn, and I feel like I flew through this because I was having such a good time. It pokes fun at classic fantasy / romantasy tropes (some jokes were a bit overdone, like ‘only one bed at the inn’) but it never felt like it was taking itself too seriously while also not being too camp or feeling like it was trying too hard.
There are modern references / slang thrown into a classic fantasy style world (unalive, rizz, locking in, doom scrolling). Some of these things were woven in so cleverly it worked surprisngly well (doom scrolling had me laughing out loud).

This was just such a good vibes read. I definitely recommend if you’re looking for something lighthearted and fun or a palette cleanser book!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. This is my honest review.

🗡️🧀🐉

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stupid (affectionate)

Rtc

———-

Juniper O’Reilly loves three things: creature comforts, tavern brawls, and his best friend and roommate Mo Elmthron (wait what was that? Surely he’s not IN LOVE with Mo, just because he would do literally anything for him and thinks constantly about the way his butt looks in his pants). Unfortunately for him, he conks the wrong guy on the head and is suddenly forced to go on a quest to hunt a dragon. Mo, of course, goes with him, and the two certainly bring new meaning to the phrase “blaze of glory.”

I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect stupid book. BROMANTASY might be it. It’s so important that a silly book with a silly premise commit to that premise, and stay unserious. With lines such as a bystander pointing to Juniper and going, “Why is that man crying as he runs”, BROMANTASY certainly walks that line. I can’t say this is like, a good book, but I don’t think that’s the point. It’s a FUN book, and THAT’s the point. Juniper accidentally kicked his pants into a forest fire and then had to walk around without them for a while, Mo’s butt is so big it literally gets stuck in a cave they’re hiding in, there is a plot significant obsession with fine cheeses and every tavern has Only One Bed. Men will literally go on a life or death quest instead of talking about their feelings!!

If you want to let some fun into your life, BROMANTASY is out May 26, 2026. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Erin Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty predictable goofy adventure with silly idiot boys in love. And a dragon!

Our main character is a very high maintenance guy who pines after his best friend, a strong quiet type who obviously to everyone but him, loves him back. What keeps them apart and is a main driver of their eventual relationship development is a decade of miscommunication, my least favorite trope. The two main characters and their dynamic are very similar to the main characters of Yield Under Great Persuasion, in which I was also perpetually annoyed with the whiny goblin of a main character.

The humor of this book is like This Will Be Fun, kind of cheesy adventure parody with modern humor and slang (e.g. down bad, unalive, multi-step tallow skincare routine). It's exactly what you would expect with a title like Bromantasy! The book is written well with a little uneven pacing, but it's quick and easy to get through and the side characters were compelling by the end. I wish there was more dragon, which was my favorite part.

If you like this kind of corny humor and appreciate miscommunication driven yearning, you'll really enjoy this book! Neither of which, unfortunately, were for me but I had a decent enough time.

Thank you, Putnam, for the arc!

[Freefall (semi-ia, find me on discord)]

i like gay things :)

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! This is so funny and very heartwarming. I loved the pacing, and felt like the plot was exciting. I could barely put it down. Can’t wait to be able to recommend this to people.

[danie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, thank you Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC!

This one was fun! Juniper and Mo was great, Bear was adorable, and the plot was good. I honestly could see this being turned into a little animated short/show, I think it would be an adorable show. It did take me a bit to get into it, but I enjoyed reading!

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC review:

This hurts to write!! I had big hopes for this book and truly thought I would enjoy it, but overall I found it difficult to follow and ultimately a slog. It read like a book that could be enjoyed by a Very Online crowd, but that also dates it so completely that I can't imagine it will be relevant for very long. I think it will probably age like milk, and I wish more had been done to make it feel timeless -- or at least less immediate to the past, like, year.

What really disappointed me is that author clearly has some comedic chops, but at times the flow of the book felt like scaffolding for a punch list of jokes they wanted to tell, plot be damned. It made the pacing, dialogue, and even action feel strange and disjointed.

[CaitGreens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lighthearted, laugh-out-loud, and campy read about two best friends who (reluctantly) go on a quest to find a dragon. I say reluctantly because one would rather stay home with his homemade preserves and cheese, which... relatable. It's giving Bilbo when he says "I miss my books... and my garden." in the best way.

It's a will they won't they story of if they admit their feeling for one another, lest their friendship change.

This was the perfect book for a fun laugh, a little love in found family, and some much needed escapism.

Some tropes and what to expect:
~ Cozy fantasy with a touch of spice (a sprinkle)
~ Quests
~ Found family
~ Baby dragons
~ Friends to lovers

Someone said Legolas and Gimli walked so these two idiots could run and I cannot stop laughing at the truth to that statement. Hahaha

Readalikes:
Legends & Lattes
The House in the Cerulean Sea
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

A big thank you to Putnam for the advanced digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun! I’m glad these idiots finally talked together in the end!

[holli chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

first of all, the writing of bromantasy is superb. there’s a perfect balance of dialogue to narration, a gradual revealing of more of the characters’ backgrounds as you continue reading, and the metaphors/similes/analogies always tie into the world as the protagonist sees it in what’s probably the best example of that i think i’ve ever seen. the beats seem to hit at all the right places, the prose is the exact amount of flowy and great imagery without being purple, and you can tell this is an experienced writer who was destined to become an author.

some quick info for what to expect: the story is told in single, third-person pov, following juniper’s character, and i know a lot of romance readers prefer dual pov but i think single works better in this particular book. juniper’s definitely the himbo the author claims him to be, while mo has more of a quiet, introspective nature that i think, in contrast to juniper’s (lovable) silliness, might’ve taken away from not only the story, but the humor consistently peppered in. it was also fun to see juniper’s take on things, not knowing what mo’s was, so we got to find out along with juniper. sometimes that works in a story, sometimes it doesn’t, but bromantasy is definitely the former. one other quick other thing: i saw some reviews saying this isn’t really a romance, but i’d have to respectfully disagree. it’s 100% a slow burn, don’t get me wrong, and it’s a fantasy so the adventure part takes precedence, but it is just as the title suggests: a bromance romantasy. still, there’s no lack of mention of how juniper sees his bff, or wondering about the way mo sometimes looks @ him and what it might mean. for those who don’t like the miscommunication/lack of communication trope, just be warned you will find that in this book—all with an hea, however.

there’re only a couple things keeping me from giving this book a full 5 stars, and those have everything to do with the storyline rather than the truly stellar writing. one, there were a couple of dropped plots, for example: during the quest, there’s a fair amount of talk of the guys having to trek through the snowy mountains in order to resolve something, and then that was suddenly forgotten about, a decision made without any kind of conversation about it. it was also never explained where mo went or what he did 10 winters ago, a subject that came up often enough for me to expect to eventually find out. that said, i did read an arc, an uncorrected copy, so take this with a grain of salt as some of this may absolutely be fixed prior to the book being published.

i also got a little bit uncomfortable with—trying to avoid spoilers, so bear with my vagueness here—how, when one of the most vulnerable characters is captured, there doesn’t seem to be as much of a rush to rescue them by the other characters as i would’ve thought. and yes, there were some extenuating circumstances—ie, injuries, having to dodge the bad guys themselves so they still had the chance to rescue the kidnapped character, but it still… like, if i thought about it too much it felt darker than i think the author intended?

however, i will say that, while the blurb and title and tagline (“two heroes, one brain cell,” which might easily be the best tagline ever) make this book seem like a lighthearted romcom, there are also most definitely some traumas for juniper that run pretty deep. that’s something i appreciated about the story, because it made for quite well-rounded characters and a deeper glimpse into their backgrounds. (along those lines, know there’s a *tw* for flashbacks to childhood neglect for the protagonist, to a pretty extreme point—no direct physical abuse, but again, dark. just fyi.) yet the author does a fantastic job of leveling out some of these sadder experiences with hilarious sentences, lines, and quips throughout the entire book; i found myself tearing up from empathy then immediately tearing up from laughter on the same page. legitimately my favorite kind of book.

my other major issue—and again, uncorrected proof, so this could easily change by the time it’s published—is how both the cover & the blurb show or mention things that never happen in the story. quick disclaimer: i am obsessed with the cover, the cover art, how gorgeous and detailed and bright, fun, & intriguing it is, so this is not at all a knock on the talented artist or the cover design itself. instead, most glaringly, my point of contention is how the two main characters never once end up on horseback throughout the entire book, even though @ one point there is mention of another crew they run into that does have an extra horse riding along with them. i assumed that’d come up again, so perhaps there’s a scene that got cut from this arc version that’ll end up back in the final version. i also don’t recall mention of the rolling pin that mo appears to be holding on the cover, but 1) i may just have forgotten they’d brought one along, or 2) it’s called something else in their world and i didn’t catch on to the term. they also don’t actually ever see the royal castle in the background of the cover in person. with the cute orange cat seen in the grass, who is very much a large part of mo’s and juniper’s lives, i expected him (crazy cat lady as i am) to have gone on the quest with them—hoping he’d pop out of one of their packs at some point like “hey! i’m here!” but he stayed safely at home with the neighbor farmer looking after him. “cats are friends, not food” is a laugh-out-loud line mentioned a couple times in regard to him, though. (don’t worry, no one eats him).

the blurb, as it stands as i’m writing this, mentions that juniper’s not good at taking care of his and mo’s farm, but i got the opposite impression—he loves his farm, their animals, spending time outside with his bff. he’s also well-built enough to enjoy brawling when he and mo go down to the tavern, and can hold his own, which tells me the manual labor he does on the farm is no slouch in comparison to mo’s. there’s also a bit in the blurb about eating mushrooms which i don’t recall happening (again, i could’ve just forgotten), when really the blurb should focus somewhat on juniper’s quite admirable attachment to and love for cheese, which frankly felt like a third main character throughout the story which i absolutely loved the consistency of.

overall, this really is a fantastic book/story, written by a truly talented author with a gift for penning tales. the world-building was definitely well-thought-out, though some bits felt like they were mentioned without there really being a point/follow-up to them. i loved how no one cared who dated/married who in the sense of gender, species, etc.; it was all just the norm so zero homophobia, racism, etc., with the exception of the royal family’s hatred of dragons (rude).

anyway, the writing of bromantasy is a solid 5, probably 10 stars, and i will not hesitate to pick up more books from this author under either of her pen names, especially with her unique brand of humor that often showed up unexpectedly, which for whatever reason always makes jokes that much better/funnier. it’s just the contradictions of the cover/blurb and a couple dropped plots that have me rating this 4 stars, though honestly it was such a fun, engaging read that it’s probably more like 4.25 for me—and i do believe some of the inconsistencies i mentioned are likely being fixed even as i write this.

thank you so much to the author, publisher, and netgalley for this arc in exchange for a voluntary review.

[eesee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book when I was on a little “try the first chapter of 3 arcs and read the one you like best” challenge with myself and immediately knew this book would AT LEAST be a three-point-five star read as soon as I finished that first chapter. By the end of that chapter, we’re already introduced to the two main characters’ personal traits, their dynamics, and most importantly, the angst - the type of angst that’s light and not too much on the surface, but with enough unasked questions and unresolved feelings that you know when the time comes to have that conversation, it’s going to punch you deep in the heart.

Which.. sort of didn’t happen, but we’ll get to it.


First off, I gave this story four stars, but it’s not a book I can confidently recommend to everybody. The reason is that, it’s written in a very specific way — a Gen-Z (coming from one) tiktok-y (I mean no harm) way — intended for a very specific demographic — one that uses “unalivement” and “rizz” in a book unironically who also has multiple ao3 tabs open. And I love ao3! I spend way too much time reading fics of my favorite ship on that website when I could’ve been reading some more books that are on my shelf. But even to someone like me, it sometimes took me out of the story when it got too campy, too “this could only come from a person who regularly frequents tiktok and ao3.” On good days, I’d defend this type of usage of online speak in books, by saying this is exactly how languages evolve; by adopting and subconsciously registering the trendy vocabulary of the masses, all languages have arrived to where they are now. And I read this on a good day. So, 4 stars.

I also wanted a bit more of the emotions, the building up of it, the bursting of it, the suffocation and vastness of feelings bottled in for ten years. I don’t think I fully got it, and the breezy YA-ish tone of the story didn’t really help the case either. But, there were some good lines, there were some moments that made my heart squeeze, and when a book, especially a romance, manages to get a physical reaction out of me, I consider it a success.

I loved our two main characters and their little dragon girl; everyone’s so lovable and soft and warm. I found a soul family in Juniper with his skincare-loving, homebody self with their cozy little farm and warm hearths and a wide array of farm animals. That is the type of life I aspire to build and in his reluctance to leave it and desperation to return to it, I felt so seen.

Last of all, I’m pretty strict when it comes to cozy fantasy. It’s a trendy genre with releases popping off like mushrooms in recent years, but one I never really found an appeal for. Most of the releases have been boring, trying too hard to build a vibe that the plot becomes paper-thin and nothing notable or interesting ever happens. I understand why people would pick it up in our current climate that’s so chaotic, but it’s not the first thing I’d grab off of a shelf. I’ve only read a handful of books where I had an interesting and a fun time despite it being intended to be cozy, and I’d say this was one of them. And that is why I’m happy and confident in my decision of a four-star rating.



— thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for providing this eARC in return of an honest review.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all kinds of queer romantasy but there's a special place in my heart for silly romantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously. If a fantasy romance can make me laugh as well as swoon while I get wrapped up in an epic adventure, then I'm almost certain to have a great time. So, the second I heard of Bromantasy, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.

Juniper and Mo are life-long (and totally platonic!!) friends who have lived together on a small farm for ten years. Every year, once they've harvested the farm's crops for the season, Mo starts feeling blue and longs to go on a quest during the long and dull Winter. Juniper hates the idea of being left behind by his best friend, so he suggests the two go into town for a distraction; he absolutely does not intend to sign them both up to go on a quest to slay a dragon, but too much mead does have its consequences.

Juniper is the funniest of the two characters, but he has enough depth that he never feels like only comedic relief. He had a rough childhood with a neglectful father. Juniper is also sensitive and still holds some hurt from an argument with Mo that briefly fractured their friendship years ago. Mo is quiet, strong, supportive, and steady. He clearly loves his "Junebug," but it takes some time before we see his version of their story.

The romance is delightful. It's obvious from early in the book that these two love each other very deeply. There are several small scenes of one doing something for the other, just to make them happy, that made me swoon. As the story progresses and their relationship grows deeper and more complicated, I found myself both crying over them and cheering for them.

I thought this was going to be a simple story about two friends who are in love but in denial, for whatever reason, but there's so much more to their dynamic than that. There are some intense emotions that these two have to work through before they can get their happy ending. Juniper and Mo are one of my new favorite fictional pairings; I adore them together so, so much!

The plot is a fast-paced, fun-filled, and heartfelt adventure quest. I loved the surprising directions the story took; like with the romance, it seems like it's going to be a straightforward narrative, but there's more to it than a simple monster-hunting quest. There were multiple times when I cried and then laughed two sentences later. I was expecting to laugh while reading this, but the genuine emotion the story pulled from me definitely surprised me!

I'm having an excellent reading year in 2026; I've found several new books that I now consider all-time favorites, and this one is certainly near the top of that list. It was the exact blend of humor, romance, and fantasy I was hoping for, and I ended up loving it even more than I imagined I would.

I recommend this to any readers of queer fantasy romance, but especially to fans of books like Alexandra Rowland's Yield Under Great Persuasion and This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher. Readers who adore the Idiots to Lovers and Friends to Lovers tropes will seriously eat this up!

[Sarah Wahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first saw this title on Netgalley, I knew that I needed to get my hands on it as soon as possible. The cover art, the title, and the synopsis all drew me in, wanting to read more about a "bromantasy." This is the first time that I have read anything by this author, so I had no expectations going in; however, now I want to read some more of Roche's work.

Overall, I had a fun time with this book! It was a great read to help me destress from my finals, as I was able to transport myself to a world with dragon shifters and inns that only ever have one bed. Speaking of such, I love how Roche played with the typical fantasy and romance/romantasy tropes! My personal favorite was the fact that the inns only ever have one bed, even advertising itself with that fact. That trope is a staple in romance novels and it never gets old to me, so I love that small quips were said by the characters about these rooms with only one bed! I also really enjoyed the found family aspect of this novel, especially when Bear was introduced (love her to pieces!!). Juniper was more hesitant at first in regards to Bear, his feelings about Mo were abundantly clear lol, but soon the switch flipped and Bear became a part of their family. I love how she immediately started using Mo's nickname for Juniper - Junebug. Bear had just lost her mother, leaving Mo and Juniper to fill that hole. The fact that she picked up on the nickname and felt comfortable to use it for Juniper as well just made me heart happy.

The thing that really kept me reading was the relationship between Mo and Juniper. Regardless of the romance, the dynamic between the two of them just worked so well. They built a home together, a safe space that seems so warm and inviting, which just shows how much they understand each other. Both characters also felt very nuanced to me, with clear background of why they both act a certain way, such as Juniper's awful dad making Juniper grow up to fear Mo would leave. The romance between Mo and Juniper is also very sweet. It's one of those where I just wind up yelling at the book saying, "JUST TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL ALREADY!!" I did feel that the romance felt a bit rushed though. It might just be because the confession happened in an awkward time, but by the end of the book it was just kind of mutually decided they would get married. I wish there was a bit more conversation between the characters regarding their feelings. I understand that they have both been in love with each other for quite some time, but it just seemed like there wasn't a true "moment." I think in this case, a dual POV could have been used so that the reader could see how both Mo and Juniper dealt with these emotions. I think the confession might have been more impactful if we got both perspectives.

This book was such a fun, light-hearted read, and I can't wait for the publication date! I will definitely be purchasing this book for myself when it comes out because I could see myself reading this again :) Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I read a book, and then I read other people's reviews, and I wonder if we read the same book or if I'm being punk'd. Such is this experience.

I have been looking forward to this book since I saw that cover and read that silly blurb. In general, when I'm reviewing a book, I try not to take bad marketing choices into account, but this blurb is a pretty egregious lie. How are you gonna tell me that is a bros-to-lovers story when they are literally in love the whole time? They kissed ten years before the start of the book. They have lived together for nine of those ten years and have been been aware of the unresolved romantic tension.

I'm also struggling with the "Two Heroes, One Braincell" blurb because that doesn't feel accurate to me. I hear that, and I expect himbo behavior. I think with some light editing to perhaps fifteen sentences scattered throughout the book, this could have been a middle grade novel. These do not real like two inept adult men. (They're, like, 30?) They read like comically incompetent preteens. This was compounded by the limited vocabulary used throughout the book, the level of humor, and the complete and total lack of worldbuilding. The villains were slapping and pinching one another and shouting in all caps. How am I supposed to be afraid of these noodles? In place of worldbuilding, there were an abundance of real-world references, similar to those found in "This Will Be Fun," but at least in the latter, the characters had some level of complexity. Juniper has approximately three personality traits: he's worried about skincare, he has never forgiven Mo for going on one vacation without him a decade ago (red flag, honestly), and he really likes cheese. Only cheese, basically. I love cheese a more than average amount, but there are only so many times that cheese can be a punchline before I want some level of deeper character development.

For a book that's almost 400 pages long, surprisingly little happens, and the few chaotic actions scenes are interspersed with lengthy, repetitive backstory infodumps. As much as I love cozy fantasy, I get frustrated with how many books in this subgenre rely on no-stakes or jokey storylines without doing anything interesting with the characters. Juniper's arc is linear. He makes the obvious mistakes for the obvious reasons and then immediately reaches the obvious conclusions. There was nothing surprising or unexpected about the narrative or the world.

This feels like an awfully long sh**post for a book I didn't actually hate. I think that, with a few minor revisions, it would be a perfectly serviceable middle grade or even early YA novel, but the notion that these characters are 30 and behaving in this way was deeply frustrating, obviously. Thank you to NetGallay and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC; sorry that it awakened the wrong kind of something in me. Other people have clearly had a much better reading experience than I did, so I am clearly an outlier here.

[Tr. Avery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay. So on paper, as it were, this does have a lot going for it. It is in theory a comedic fantasy story about two guys who are totally just bros, but also they are secretly in love, and they can only talk about their feelings once they are risking their lives on a quest. Based on that description (and the title! It's great) I thought this would be right up my alley.

A lot of those elements are there: It is often at least a little bit funny, and these two bros sure do love each other. But gosh, as it stands this book feels...not quite fleshed out.

Some pros:
- Juniper O'Reilly is a fun protagonist. He will rub some people the wrong way, because he is self-absorbed and shallow and lusting after his best friend without saying/doing anything about it, but I have no problem with that. Some of my favorite protagonists are chaotic bisexuals, and I really mean that.
- There is a very sweet "found family" element that pays off nicely.
- The author does a few fun things with tropes that did make me laugh. (The one bed thing is funny, but see below re: repeating jokes.)
- Towards the end of the story there is a tough lady who enjoys cracking skulls; I really enjoyed her.

Some cons:
- It was unclear to me who this book is for. The main characters are around 30, but they act like they are teenagers. (For example: They live together but don't tell each other how they feel for 10 YEARS.) And it was jarring to read a book that felt pretty YA until the final 10 pages, when suddenly there is talk of "thickening cocks" or some such. Like, whoa!
- There are a few jokes that are repeated MANY times. We get it, Juniper likes cheese. The jokes would land harder if they had some variety.
- For a story that takes place in a fantasy world of quests and dragons and taverns, and features two guys who travel by foot across this fantasy land, I didn't get a great sense of what anything looked like.
- Allow me to get into the weeds for a second: Besides the main thrust of the story, which is these bros going on a quest, there is virtually NO other plot. They don't make any stops or interact with any people that don't prove to be useful in some way later down the line. At one point Juniper meets a stranger who randomly introduces herself, and because there are basically no other side characters in the story, I was immediately like, "Okay, so I guess this person will come back later." Guess what: They did.

Anyway, I'm not here to do a developmental edit. I'm genuinely glad I got to read this. I think it has great potential and would love to see if it undergoes any tweaks between now and publication that could bump it up in my estimation. Huge thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Stina Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fun surprise and honestly, exactly what my reading mood needed. Most of the books I pick up tend to be heavy, emotional, or dark, and while I love those, sometimes your soul just needs something light, cozy, and genuinely funny. Bromantasy delivered that perfectly. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately, and this book absolutely helped unstick me.

At the heart of the story are Juniper and Mo, two best friends who share a home, a life, and though they don’t quite realize it yet a whole lot of feelings for each other. After Juniper makes a truly spectacular mistake, he accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to slay a fearsome monster. The problem? Juniper is not exactly hero material. He’s not the questing type, the camping type, or really the outdoors type at all. His greatest talents involve enjoying a good pint of mead and maintaining a flawless skincare routine. Meanwhile, Mo is the capable, patient one who usually handles…well, everything.

So naturally, dragging Mo along on a dangerous monster-hunting quest seems like a great idea.

Watching these two bumble their way through the journey is pure comedy gold. They are, quite frankly, absolute idiots (said with the deepest affection). Their feelings for each other are painfully obvious from page one, yet they dance around them again and again. It’s the kind of slow, oblivious pining that makes you want to shake them while also hugging them at the same time. Máire Roche leans into classic romance tropes in the best way possible, turning their ridiculousness into something incredibly endearing.

The dynamic between Juniper and Mo is really the heart of the story. Their friendship is warm and full of genuine love, which makes the romantic tension even sweeter. There’s something so comforting about watching two people who already care so deeply for each other slowly stumble toward realizing that maybe just maybe they’ve been in love for years.

And the adventure itself adds a great twist. When the “fearsome monster” they’re supposed to defeat turns out to be something very different than expected, the story takes a thoughtful turn while still keeping the humor and charm that make the book shine.

At its core, Bromantasy is a cozy, queer fantasy about friendship, love, and the absolutely mortifying ordeal of being truly known by your best friend. It’s warm, hilarious, and full of heart.

Also, let’s be honest: two heroes, one brain cell.

What’s not to love?

⭐ Five stars. This one made me laugh, made me smile, and reminded me how refreshing a joyful, heartfelt story can be.

[Rynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC.

3.75 stars

Oh man, let me tell you, the blurb for Bromantasy sold it to me so much that I was willing to skip past my other ARCs just to read this one. Bromantasy is cozy, queer, and honestly full of some pretty great tongue and cheek humor. After all, these quests tend to have only one bed don't they?

From the get go, whether you've read the blurb or not, Maire Roche makes it abundantly clear that Juniper is head over heels in love with his roommate/best friend, but in denial due to trauma. Every winter, Mo gets the adventuring blues which makes Juniper very anxious that Mo will leave never to return. After ten years of this, Juniper's anxiety is at an all time high when he promises Mo that they will go to look at the quests available. Unfortunately due to some of Juniper's terrible decision making they are then saddled with the responsibility of hunting for a dragon.

Juniper's personality is best described as messy, because oh boy does he make the worst decision possible in every scenario. Although I enjoyed Roche's humor and turnabout phrasing, I have to say Juniper's personality is more than a little frustrating to read. First of all, his drunken brawl is the whole reason for this mess. He has no ability to sit down and plan out his actions beyond what he wants to do in the moment. It sure doesn't help that Mo is the avoidant type who point blank refuses to talk to Juniper about any plans. I am quite surprised that these two managed to live ten long years together with this confounding level of communication.

The crux of the story occurs when Mo cuts off Juniper's attempts to formulate a plan beyond "use a net" or "attack". Personally, I can understand what motivated Juniper to make THE worst plan in the whole novel... who wouldn't if your trusted companion refuses to talk to you? However, the naivete of Juniper will make the reader want to throttle him. Anyone with more than a few functioning braincells would have made a better plan than what our main character ends up creating.

Despite all my complaints, overall Bromantasy for sure has an audience that will absolutely adore it. As for me, I am looking forward to more cozy fantasies from Roche. This is the type of cozy I'm looking for and I hope Roche continues to write more in this vein.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bromantasy by Máire Roche was an instant hit for me, and honestly, a big part of that is because it never once pretends to be anything it’s not.

This is a campy, chaotic, low(ish)-angst, queer romantasy that fully commits to the bit. It’s a parody, it’s a rom-com, it’s a quest story with dragons and ridiculous circumstances, and it knows it is. That self-awareness is what makes it work so well. It leans into the absurdity, pokes fun at the genre, and still manages to deliver a genuinely sweet, satisfying HEA.

Juniper and Mo are lifelong “just bros” in the most unconvincing way possible. They’ve built a soft, cozy life together, and the second you meet them, you know exactly where this is headed (even if they don’t yet). Watching them stumble through a royal quest while aggressively ignoring their feelings is equal parts hilarious and endearing.

And the yearning?? Incredible. The early tension had me completely locked in - every look, every almost moment, every excuse to be a little too close. It’s that kind of “I would absolutely start a bar fight just to feel his hands on me” level of unspoken nonsense, and I ate it up.

The humor is very much parody-style. It’s playful, a little over-the-top, and full of jabs at fantasy and romantasy tropes. There’s only one bed jokes, quest chaos, and modern slang woven into a classic fantasy setting in a way that somehow works more often than it should. It never takes itself too seriously, and that’s part of the charm.

Juniper as a narrator is messy in a very human way (emotionally avoidant, a little self-destructive, and clearly carrying more than he wants to admit). We get glimpses of his past and his abandonment issues, and while he keeps a lot buried, it adds an interesting layer to how he interacts with Mo.

The romance payoff leans soft and sweet rather than intense, which actually fits the tone of the book perfectly. It’s not trying to be a high-angst, high-heat story; it’s a romantic comedy at heart, and the resolution reflects that. Warm, a little silly, and genuinely satisfying.

And the adventure itself? So much fun. Everything that can go wrong does and the whole journey has this underlying sense of “we’ll figure it out (probably badly).”

If you go in expecting a campy, queer romantasy that delivers humor, heart, and a happily ever after without taking itself too seriously, it nails it.