Penguin Random House Announces New D&D Romantasy Book

Penguin Random House has announced The Feywild Job, a new D&D novel written by World Fantasy Award and Nebula-winning writer CL Polk. The new book is a romantasy novel, a popular and wildly growing book genre. The book features a rogue tasked with stealing a gem called "The Kiss of Enduring Love" and is teamed up with their ex-lover, a bard. The twist to the novel is that the rogue has a magical pact granting them powers in exchange for never falling in love.

The new novel is written by CL Polk, a writer with serious bonafides in the fantasy community. Polk's debut novel Witchmark won the World Fantasy Award in 2019 and their 2022 novella Even Though I Knew The End won the Nebula Award for Best Novella that year. Based on their website, this appears to be Polk's first foray into licensed media.

Below is the full description for The Feywild Job. The book will be released on June 30, 2026.

Sparks fly when bitter exes are forced to team up for an elaborate Feywild heist, in this cozy fantasy romance by the bestselling author of the Kingston Cycle and Even Though I Knew the End.

Saeldian has sworn never to fall in love. That oath isn’t just a personal promise, but rather a magical pact, granting them powerful abilities. The only catch? They must never give their heart away—a deal that Saeldian is perfectly content with. They’ve seen firsthand how messy love can get.

Saeldian prefers their no-strings-attached life as a con artist, pulling off heists and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind them. But when a grift goes horribly wrong, they catch the eye of a mysterious patron with a job offer they can’t refuse.

The mission? Steal a gem called “The Kiss of Enduring Love” and return it to the Feywild. Simple enough, until Saeldian discovers their ex-partner, Kell—a charming bard—is part of the team.
The last time Saeldian saw Kell, things hardly ended on good terms. A kiss became a betrayal, leaving Kell hurt and confused for almost a decade. But Kell can’t just walk away—not when this job might finally be his ticket back to the Feywild.

Forced to work together again, their adventure takes them from high-society parties to Feywild couple’s therapy. But as Saeldian and Kell rekindle their chemistry, they realize the gem is much more than a fey bauble, and their simple heist has summoned powerful enemies. . . .

 

[sevenbastard]

So I can make a Warlock Pact with Bachelorhood? Sweet deal.

 

[Von Ether]

Even Though I Knew The End won the Nebula Award for Best Novella that year. Based on their website, this appears to be Polk's first foray into licensed media.

In this day and age, award winning writer's can't turn down any project they feel they are a fit for.

On a related note Kij Johnson, also a multiple award winner for fiction, just had the ttrpg she submitted to Kobold Press hit the shelves. (Riverbank) Kij got her start in media tie-in at TSR, I believe.

Thread 'RPG Print News – Traveller, D&D, Mothership, and More'

Yesterday at 11:18 AM

A Traveller adventure for special war fighters arrives along with adventures for Mothership, Vast Grimm (alongside a solo rules supplement), Dungeons & Dragons, and Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. Two new animal RPGs with very different takes include Garbage & Glory and RiverBank. D&D also gets a supplement supporting druids and rangers as well as an African monsters book.

Heads up, this column is going every other week alternating with Egg’s coverage of TTRPGs on Kickstarter...

• Charles Dunwoody
• Replies: 2
• Forum: *TTRPGs General

• 

 

[Dire Bare]

I was wondering if D&D would jump on the romantasy genre. Not my jam, but a good move for WotC and Random House.

Curious to see how well the book does, I suspect it will do well.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

In this day and age, award winning writer's can't turn down any project they feel they are a fit for.

On a related note Kij Johnson, also a multiple award winner for fiction, just had the ttrpg she submitted to Kobold Press hit the shelves. (Riverbank) Kij got her start in media tie-in at TSR, I believe.

Thread 'RPG Print News – Traveller, D&D, Mothership, and More'

Yesterday at 11:18 AM

A Traveller adventure for special war fighters arrives along with adventures for Mothership, Vast Grimm (alongside a solo rules supplement), Dungeons & Dragons, and Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. Two new animal RPGs with very different takes include Garbage & Glory and RiverBank. D&D also gets a supplement supporting druids and rangers as well as an African monsters book.

Heads up, this column is going every other week alternating with Egg’s coverage of TTRPGs on Kickstarter...

• Charles Dunwoody
• Replies: 2
• Forum: *TTRPGs General

• 

Isaac Asimov wrote plenty of tie-in fiction. The idea that a successful writer "debases" themselves writing a tie-in is basically a notion that existed for maybe 20-30 years during the tail end of the paperback era.

 

[Parmandur]

I was wondering if D&D would jump on the romantasy genre. Not my jam, but a good move for WotC and Random House.

Curious to see how well the book does, I suspect it will do well.

I wonder if this ties into any game products brewing.

 

[Scribe]

 

[Belen]

Isaac Asimov wrote plenty of tie-in fiction. The idea that a successful writer "debases" themselves writing a tie-in is basically a notion that existed for maybe 20-30 years during the tail end of the paperback era.

Agreed; however, tie-in novels from publishers like Disney or WOTC seem to have a lot of drawbacks in terms of royalties etc. There have been a lot of horror stories there. Some of my favorite authors ended up destitute because their work in established properties did not pay a proper wage.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

Agreed; however, tie-in novels from publishers like Disney or WOTC seem to have a lot of drawbacks in terms of royalties etc. There have been a lot of horror stories there. Some of my favorite authors ended up destitute because their work in established properties did not pay a proper wage.

Anecdotally, I know people who've been naughty word over with work for hire and I know people who've made bank. The difference between those authors? Their agents.

 

[Hygge Halfling]

Hmm...I wonder if genre expectations will clash with corporate squeamishness here. I've read a handful of romantasy books my wife recommended, and they are incredibly graphic at times.