In the menu of decent fantasy, there should be “The Hot Heroine.” Preferably with a superpower and/or being chosen. Instead, we’ll take a clumsy tomboy girl from some backwater village.
“A Dominant Hero with a Dark Past.” Better yet, add a crowd. Let’s include a snarky werewolf you want to kill more often than kiss.
We’ll replace the “love triangle” with Slavic magic, myths, and legends; fights to the death, not just for show. A pinch of the desire to dive headfirst into adventure (crossed out).
And we’ll spice it with a mysterious enemy—one only the most devoted lovers can defeat. Because they’d rather maim each other themselves than let anyone else have them.