Quote Of The Day By Sarah J Maas: 'I Can Write About True Love Because I Get To Live That Every Day...'

American fantasy author Sarah J. Maas is responsible for gifting the world her much-loved series "Throne of Glass," "A Court of Thorns and Roses," and "Crescent City." Maas grew up in New York City; she was adopted into a household of dual religions. Her mother was Catholic and her father was Jewish. Maas went on to pursue religion as a topic of study, graduating from Hamilton College with a degree in creative writing, minoring in religious studies. 

Maas' speciality is romantasy, a genre that blends fantasy with romance, and she leans on fairytales for inspiration. Romantasy is such a deliciously wonderful genre that it's one we wish Reese's Book Club would pick more often. After all, fantasy and romantasy account for some of the most popular books on GoodReads top 15 most read books of 2026, so all of these bibliophiles can't be wrong, Maas included. "Throne of Glass" plays with the Cinderella story, making Cinderella an assassin rather than a damsel in distress in need of rescuing. Similarly, "A Court of Thorns and Roses" leans on "Beauty and the Beast" as inspiration; but in every novel, Maas' signature strength is to give her female leads agency. This, and her ability to create wildly imaginative worlds, is one of many reasons for her global popularity. Plus, Maas doesn't hold back; her epic novels earn a place amongst the best books over 500 pages by female authors. Maas continues to deliver stunning love stories of wild imagination and that's why Maas is today's quote of the day. 

Sarah J. Maas famously once said, "This sounds very cheesy to say — but I think I can write about true love because I get to live that every day, and have someone that supports me and cheers for me, and is just rooting for me, and isn't threatened in any way by my success." Maas shared this beautiful tidbit of her marriage in a conversation with Jenna Bush Hager for Today in January 2024. While she began the conversation talking about her books, she inevitably ended up talking about the love in her life. 

Maas was, of course, speaking of her husband, Josh Wasserman. The two met at Hamilton College; Maas had just arrived as a freshman, while Wasserman was an RA in her dorm building. They married in 2010 and have gone on to welcome two children, son Taran, and daughter Sloane. While fans have wondered if Wasserman inspired Maas' beloved character Rhysand, Maas has clarified that her husband is not the inspiration for her fictionalized male lead. However, it's clear that Wasserman is so much more than a fantasy romance. He's her champion.

It's clear that for Josh Wasserman and Sarah J. Maas, their love is a defining force in their lives and a crucial component of Maas' success. What's so beautiful about their real-life love story is the sense of shared support. While Maas has built a literary empire on romantasy and the feel-good fiction of love, her relationship with Wasserman is the real deal. He supports her and stands by her, and that kind of bolstering is what real love is made of. 

Maas' beautiful description of her marriage is an inspiration. While everyone wants love to feel good, the world of fantasy isn't reality. Real love requires supporting one's partner, and graciously receiving that support when it's offered. Real love requires sacrifice so that one's partner can achieve their dreams. What makes a person brave enough to take a risk often comes from knowing that they have the support of a champion at home who believes in them, and for Maas, this reality has clearly paid off. On the "Call Her Daddy" podcast in March 2026, Maas told Alex Cooper about her dynamic with Wasserman. "My husband and I have been together actually since I was 18," Maas said, noting that he was her only boyfriend. "We are equals. We are partners in this," she added. True partnership is more important than butterflies and daydreams. Maas is living proof of this. 

• "There is a tendency for people to roll their eyes at things that bring women joy." 
• "I want to write about the real experiences of women (in a fantasy setting) — what would a woman do if she got her period while climbing Mt. Doom?" 
• "No. I can survive well enough on my own– if given the proper reading material." 
• "You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love."
• "You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That's what scares you most."