What is New Adult Fiction?

New Adult (NA) is a fiction category that focuses on characters aged 18 to 25, bridging the gap between Young Adult (YA) and Adult fiction. While YA often centers on teen coming-of-age stories, NA explores themes like identity, independence, love, power, and self-discovery in early adulthood. (Learn more about NA fiction on Wikipedia or read an industry perspective on Writer’s Digest.)

Key Features of NA Fiction:

Protagonists in their late teens to mid-20s (college-age, early career, navigating adulthood)
Mature themes (romantic relationships, career struggles, self-identity, trauma, and societal pressures)
A mix of YA’s emotional depth and Adult fiction’s complexity
Often features slow-burn romance, intense conflicts, and high-stakes decision-making
More mature relationships that avoid the cringeworthy “YA insta-love” trope

To better understand the differences, here’s a quick comparison of YA vs. NA:

Feature	Young Adult (YA)	New Adult (NA)
Protagonist Age	14-18	18-25
Themes	Coming-of-age, first love, self-discovery	Independence, career, mature relationships
Romance	Often sweet and PG-rated, sometimes instant-love	Deeper emotional connections, slow-burn romance
Conflict	High school struggles, parental figures, early life choices	College, careers, finding purpose, real-world stakes

2. The Rise & Fall (and Rise Again) of NA

The Birth of NA (2009-2015):

In 2009, St. Martin’s Press coined the term New Adult to describe books featuring protagonists in their early 20s, aiming to fill the space between YA and Adult fiction. The category exploded in popularity between 2012 and 2015, led by NA romance books like Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire and Easy by Tammara Webber. During this era, NA was defined by college romance, angsty relationships, and self-discovery.

The Decline (2016-2019):

Despite strong sales, traditional publishers stopped actively marketing NA as its own category, preferring to classify books as either YA or Adult. As a result, NA became an indie-dominated genre, with self-published authors continuing to push it forward. (For a deeper analysis, check out Book Riot’s article.)

The NA Fantasy Boom (2020-Now):

In recent years, TikTok, indie publishing, and BookTok have revived NA—especially in fantasy! Books like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent have shown there’s a huge market for NA fantasy, proving that readers never stopped loving it. (Read more about how TikTok revived NA fiction in The Washington Post.)

3. Why NA Fantasy is Dominating Right Now

If you’ve been on BookTok, you know that NA fantasy is thriving. Readers want stories that blend epic fantasy elements with intense character-driven narratives—and NA delivers exactly that.

Why is NA Fantasy So Popular?

Older protagonists who are past high school drama but still finding their place in the world
More mature romance than YA, with actual relationship development rather than instant attraction
High-stakes fantasy elements combined with deep emotional journeys
A balance of world-building and personal growth

(For a deeper dive, check out NPR’s discussion on the rise of fantasy romantasy books or The Guardian’s coverage of the fantasy romance boom.)

4. Why Arys is the Perfect NA Fantasy

If you love slow-burn romance, powerful heroines, and morally complex worlds, Arys is exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

Arys is the next must-read NA fantasy because:

✅ Arys is 19—navigating power, leadership, and the weight of destiny. ✅ Deep, emotional romance—a slow-burn relationship filled with tension, longing, and high stakes.
✅ Mature relationships where characters learn and grow together—not YA’s unrealistic love at first sight.
✅ Themes of self-discovery, destiny vs. free will, and the price of power.
✅ For fans of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.

New Adult Fantasy is finally getting the love it deserves, and I’m so excited to bring Arys into the mix. If you love books like Fourth Wing or The Serpent & the Wings of Night, keep an eye out—you won’t want to miss this.

Are You Ready to Dive into NA Fantasy?

If you’ve ever wished for fantasy books with mature themes, epic world-building, and deep emotional stakes, now is the time to embrace New Adult Fantasy. This category is growing fast, and Arys is ready to take its place among the best.

💬 What’s your favorite NA fantasy book? Drop a comment and let’s talk NA fiction!

E. Hope Grove