Recently, I was stunned to discover that Sherry Thomas, one of my favorite writers, has never hit the NYT bestsellers list!

People! People, please! Do yourself a favor. If you haven’t already, pick up one of her books!

(Am I using enough exclamation points? Do you feel my urgency on this matter?!)

Now, I know many of you romance readers are ST fans. She routinely ends up on Best-Ever romance lists, and it’s never a surprise when authors claim her as one of their faves. But if you’re a fan yet? Get started!

I did a quick poll (very informal, and sadly, very small), and in this tiny pool, the two titles that came up most often as ST favorites were Luckiest Lady in London (that one’s mine) and Not Quite a Husband. Both excellent places to start.

But I don’t read historicals. Okay, that’s another post altogether, but really, if that’s your argument, you’re missing some of the best romances ever, even beyond Sherry Thomas! Tessa Dare, Eloisa James, Grace Burrowes, Sarah MacLean, just to name a few.

But if I can’t convince you to read historicals (yet!), Thomas also released a contemporary this year, as an indie title: The One in My Heart.

However, you should also know that Sherry Thomas wrote a YA fantasy trilogy that is fantastic. Fan. Tas. Tic. The third title, The Immortal Heights, comes out next week (The Kirkus reviewer and I disagree on this one.) Note: the first book in the series, The Burning Sky, is on sale right now at most e-retailers for $1.99.

Sherry Thomas writes this trilogy with the same romantic angst she brings to most of her work, so of course I love it. But she is so creative in her magical worldbuilding, and the enchanted but beleaguered Atlantis—think of the Harry Potter series when Voldemort has already taken over, though in a more icily civilized way, with a brave Prince Titus as a main character who fights in dangerous, underground ways—draws us in completely.

There are masks upon masks: magical masks as well as London Victorian masks; boarding school masks, gender masks (heroine mage Iolanthe pretends to be a boy for most of the series), romantic masks, social masks….

There is a magical book that Titus and Iolanthe use to secretly travel between worlds, with fascinating risks and benefits involved, and “great metaphorical commentary on what books are for book lovers.” (That insightful quote is from the author. See more from Thomas below.)

Really. You should read them. If you’re both a romance and a Harry Potter fan, chances are you will LOVE this series. My opinion, anyway.

I had a quick phone interview with Thomas to check in. I asked about the Elemental trilogy: why fantasy?

Thomas said:

“I love romance. But I also love other genres, especially sci-fi, mystery and fantasy. And I like to write what I like to read. Some of my favorite series are The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, so I was drawn to writing a fantasy.

Then I was able to write something that took what I loved from those series—action, adventure, magical creatures, emotional and physical danger, the fight between good & evil—and incorporate them into a strong love story.

I love Titus and Iolanthe’s romance. It’s epic. In many ways, it truly is the two of them against the world. But they are both talented and brave, and they form a true partnership. Neither of them can do what they need to do without the other, and in the process of working together to vanquish the enemy, they fall in love. And then they do everything possible to keep each other safe, in the face of every danger, and, it seems, fate….”

Yes. Yes! *swoony sigh* Did I mention I love these books?! So, what is Sherry Thomas working on now? Apparently, it’s a Victorian mystery series. To which my response was something along the lines of: what? Okay, alright—I mean, I’ll read Sherry Thomas’ to-do list—but there’s a romance in there right?

“Of course there’s a romance!” Thomas assured me.

Putting words in the mouth of one of my favorite romance novelists, I add in my head: “I am Sherry Thomas. There’s always a romance.”

Of course. What was I thinking?! Carry on. And, umm, hurry please? ;o)

Readers, do share. Are you a Sherry Thomas fan? Can you pick a favorite? If you haven’t read her yet, have I convinced you? Where will you start?

Bobbi Dumas is a freelance writer, book reviewer, romance advocate and founder of ReadARomanceMonth.com. She mostly writes about books and romance for NPR, The Huffington Post and Kirkus.