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From enemies-to-lovers fantasy novels featuring sexual tension you could cut with a knife (especially when they literally hold each other at knifepoint), to Greek mythology retellings with steamy takes on centuries-old storylines, Spicy BookTok is a goldmine for reading recommendations.
BookTok is a section of TikTok where users share their latest reads and recommend new favourites. Raunchy novels have become a BookTok phenomenon, complete with scenes that would make even Jilly Cooper blush.
However, with thousands of TikToks under the #spicybookrecs hashtag, those looking for their next guilty pleasure are overwhelmed with choices. PRUDE asked some of our favourite Booktokers to share their highest-rated erotica reads (5 pepper emoji ratings only!) and they were happy to oblige, providing recommendations that will satisfy any kink or craving.
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
“I can’t tell if I want to be Persephone or be with her! This Persephone and Hades Greek mythology retelling incorporates everything we love, sweet romance and steamy spice! I definitely went into this for the smut, but it has a great story along with it.” TW: sexual assault – @allireadss
Priest by Sierra Simone
“A spicy book that makes you rethink going to church. This is a forbidden romance with a priest who was devoted to his vow of celibacy until a certain little lamb changes his mind.” TW: talks of suicide and sexual assault. – @_tiktokharper
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
“Slow burn romance that makes you wait for it! This murder mystery takes place in 1872 New Orleans as seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau tracks down a serial killer. It does an amazing job covering important topics while keeping the reader engaged with a really diverse cast of characters, which is amazing to read.” TW: attempted rape – @allireadss
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
“A sapphic contemporary romance with a sprinkle of fantasy, this book is the most fun I’ve had with a read in recent years! The main romance is adorable and gives us moments of Tabasco-level spice, but then we’ve also got an incredibly charming handful of side characters that will have you smiling down at the page. Set in modern-day New York City, August has to help Jane, an old school punk rocker who’s displaced in time from the 1970s.” –@peachyqueen012
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
A great series for readers of historical fiction with plenty of steamy scenes. Readers follow Claire Randall who travels back in time from 1945 to war-torn Scotland in 1743. I personally love the setting and experience of the main character falling in love in a distant time period! TW: rape and sexual assault – @elvirreads
Hooked by Emily McIntire
“If you were in love with Captain Hook when you were younger, buckle your seatbelts for this modern-day rendition! Sexy, dark romance meets a classic fairy-tale. Magic so good, you can’t put this book down.” – @allireadss
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
“Honestly, I didn’t know what was going on in this reverse harem book [when a woman has multiple male lovers] the majority of the time, but the smut in this is wild. Roxy was sold to settle her father’s debt to the Vipers, four seductive men whose shady business rule the town. I was able to push through, and the smut scenes made this a good read for me. I might just have issues, but that’s another conversation.” TW: abuse/assault and violence. – @_tiktokharper
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
“A sexy prince of hell! Need I say more? You won’t be able to get enough. This book got me back into reading, the story is so interesting. The main character Emilia teams up with Wrath, one of the Wicked (seven princes of hell), to solve her sister’s murder. The chemistry between Emilia and Wrath is intoxicating! And the tension between the two, *chef’s kiss*.” – @allireadss
Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
“This book is soul-warming and a great read for LGBTQIA+ readers. It offers plenty of romance/steamy scenes that are written in a modest way, following an unexpected and powerful romance between an adolescent boy and his parent’s summerhouse guest. Definitely one of my favourites!” TW: age gap (adult/minor) – @elvirreads
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
“Not many people care for age-gap romances, especially when the girl chooses the father over the son. However, this one made me reconsider. Pike Lawson is definitely my favourite age-gap love-interest. He comforts main character Jordan, telling her she can do so much better than dating his son, and she does.” – @_tiktokharper
The Bargainer series by Laura Thalassa
“These books are perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash. With a badass siren as a protagonist and a fae [a human-size, sexier variation of tiny fairies typical in pop culture] king as the irresistible love interest, things heat up pretty quickly, leading to some of the best sexual tension I’ve ever read. There are plenty of spicy scenes to go around throughout the series, but you get a satisfying dose of intrigue and plot twists as well!” TW: sexual assault and abduction – @peachyqueen012
The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart
“One of my favourite contemporary romances. Even though it’s a Christmas story, I firmly believe this book can be enjoyed any time of the year; it’s funny, sweet, and sometimes heart-breaking. This book follows exes Eli and Whitney as they are forced to spend the holidays together at Whitney’s family cabin, and although you have to wait a while for the spice, it’s so, SO worth it.” –@peachyqueen012
Enjoyed this article? Read more here: Meet the erotica BookTokers: Why people are celebrating their love of smut