Latest research in Reactive Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) emphasizes enhancing on-demand routing mechanisms such as AODV, DSR, DYMO, and TORA to improve adaptability, scalability, and energy efficiency in dynamic environments. Recent studies focus on AI- and swarm intelligence–based optimization techniques, such as Enhanced Particle Swarm Optimization (EPSO), to minimize route discovery delay and energy consumption during frequent topology changes. Hybrid designs that combine reactive and proactive principles are gaining attention for balancing control overhead with rapid route recovery. Comparative performance analyses under various node densities and mobility patterns reveal that reactive protocols maintain superior throughput and packet delivery ratios in high-mobility scenarios. Additionally, blockchain-integrated and security-aware reactive routing frameworks have been introduced to protect route discovery from malicious attacks while maintaining low latency. Overall, current research trends highlight the evolution of reactive routing toward intelligent, secure, and context-aware routing strategies that ensure reliable communication in highly mobile and resource-constrained MANET environments.