In Week 4 of the August Read-a-Romance Book, it is time to provide details about the steaminess of the novel. Readers of Romance have very different comfort levels when it comes to the sexy times in a novel, so we have a spice meter.
Spice Levels
🚫 No Spice: Romantic moments are not on the page, except for what might happen around family members —blushes, hand-holding, a chaste kiss. Examples: Better Than the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #1) by Lynn Painter and To Charm a Lady by Joanna Barker.
🌶️ Fade to Black: The author fades to black after a romantic moment, and the reader uses their own imagination. Example: The Lodge by Kayla Olsen.
🌶️🌶️ Slightly Open Door: Fade to black may still be used, but not as quickly. The intimate moments support the natural progression of the romance. There may be some lingering before the lights go dark. The door might be open, and the reader knows, but the description is vague. Example: The Roommate by Rosie Danan or Elin Hilderbrand’s books.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Gentle Open Door: Some sexual encounters are described, and the details may be specific but tasteful. The intimate moments support the romance and provide an opportunity to show the natural progression of the story. There are perhaps 1-3 scenes in total, and the plot still unfolds between these moments. Examples: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey, or Emily Henry’s books
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open Door: Sexual encounters are described in more detail, and the intimacy may last for several pages. Sex supports the romance but is not the point of the story. If you do not enjoy spicy scenes, this heat level will be more than you want to read. Example: Butcher and the Blackbird by Brynne Weaver or Ana Huang’s books
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Wide Open Door: Romantic intimacy is the main plot driver. Lots of spice. Many pages of it. The description is graphic and detailed. Some of these stories contain upsetting subject matter. Example: Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton or Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
Look for these recommendations and other books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.
Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to make you one, too. For more recommendations or just to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com and on @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.
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