Romantasy Heat Levels
Working Title: Is that a hot pepper in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
Romance and fantasy writers, would you like to work with me? Head over to Book Bound Coaching. Folks that subscribe to this Substack get 10% off their first service. Spots in my calendar are limited, as I’m also writing book two of my romantasy series.
If you haven’t already read my Substack post on defining romantasy as a genre, click here. Then head back to this week’s discussion of my favorite feature of romantasy: HEAT, also referred to as SPICE.
Just as readers have their favorite tropes, many also have a preferred heat level in their romantasy reads. As a writer, you need to know the expectations of these readers and deliver in the earliest pages of your book. Part of these expectations will also be determined by the YA or adult label. While many adult readers enjoy YA, a book with a 16-year-old protagonist is marketed towards readers as young as 12.
Don’t write a reverse harem YA. At best, publishers will reject your manuscript. At worst, Amazon will pull it as soon as they’re aware of the issue and suspend your KDP account. The more you know!
There are a lot of ways publishers and writers refer to the amount of sexual content, or spice, in a novel. Some scales go from clean to erotic. Harlequin distinguishes between low, medium, and high sensuality. A lot of folks on TikTok will include a series of chili pepper emojis to convey if a story is sweet or steamy. After years of reading and writing romance, this is my take on the spice spectrum. For writers of romantasy seeking an agent: I’d refer to the level of heat in your query letter. Self-pub authors will want to incorporate this information into your blurb.
Sweet or Clean Romance, aka one chili pepper 🌶️
Sweet, clean romance is defined by the exclusion of the sexual act. Another term used in the industry is “wholesome”. The romance focuses on the emotions of affection, love, and longing. Any sex that occurs in these books must be closed-door or fade-to-black. By the end of the story the reader should be thinking, “Aww, wasn’t that cute?” (or if you’re me: Aww, I wish there was more spice).
What you can see on page includes:
Holding hands
Fluttery, flushed feelings
Kissing
Clothing remains intact
Sexual tension allowed, but not acting upon it
Similar to a PG-rated movie
Examples include:
Fierce Heart by Tara Grayce
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (old school—published well before the romantasy genre label came into common usage—but I stand by this assessment).
Mild Romance, aka two chili peppers 🌶️🌶️
Mild romance is also defined by the exclusion of on-page sex, though there is kissing and references to sexual encounters. The sexual tension can be enhanced through descriptions of physical attraction interwoven with the emotional element. These books also fade-to-black if the characters act upon their mutual attraction.
What you can see on page includes:
Acting on the fluttery, flushed feelings
Descriptive kisses
Roving hands
Clothing may come off, though undergarments should remain in place
PG-13 language
Examples include:
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Sensual Romance, aka three chili peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Though we’re discussing peppers, this is really the commercial sweet spot and often the type of romantasy that draws readers into the genre. It is also referred to in the industry as “sexy”. The romance in this category is meant to be titillating, and the physical attraction is based love and/or overt lust. Sex can be on page. However, in the sensual category, the author should try to use euphuisms rather than explicit language. While some readers mock this (read some of the reviews of ACOTAR), this is deliberate. If you write YA, this is as far as you can take your heat.
What you can see on page:
At least one door open sexual encounter between two consenting adult partners
Lyrical descriptions of anatomy, the sex act, and climax
Examples include:
Later books in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Steamy Romance, aka four chili peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Steamy romance has a lot in common with sensual romance, and some readers may object to having these as two separate categories. There is a lot of overlap, and since its a spectrum, one reader’s three could be another reader’s four. Some folks use the terms interchangeably, and honestly I believe ACOTAR is a 3.5. However, in steamy titles, adult language including the f-word, and anatomical detail is employed. There may also be refences to kink or toys.
What you can see on page:
Multiple open door sexual encounters between two consenting adult partners
Accurate descriptions of anatomy, the sex act, and climax
Examples include:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Erotic Romance, aka five chili peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Also called “explicit” content, as in you should be 18 or older to read. In order to be erotic romantasy rather than erotica, the book or series must include a happily-ever-after or happily-for-now. Furthermore, the sexual interludes must contribute to the story’s structure, such as character development or world-building. The reader may wish to be turned-on, but they are still expecting a fully baked novel. The point of erotica is the same as porn, so the story elements are secondary. No shame in this. But you do need to know your genre and reader expectations, and please include a trigger warning. Many titles that fall into this category are either self-published or e-book only.
What you can see on page:
Sexual encounters between two or more adult partners
Sexual encounters that include kinks and/or taboos. In the current market, why choose/reverse harem is incredibly popular.
Sexual encounters between humans and a variety of supernatural creatures.
What you CANNOT see on the page according to Amazon/Kindle Direct Publishing:
Rape
Incest
Anyone under the age of 18
Hard drug usage (marijuana is allowed)
Hate speech
Examples Include:
Thief of Silver and Souls by Eva Chase (trigger warning: reverse harem)
Bound by Sophie Oak (trigger warning: BDSM, M/F/M)
One last thing—since many romantasy books are a part of a series, know from the start if you are going to increase the heat levels, and then work towards that in an organic manner. The earlier titles in the Throne of Glass series are mild but move into sensual, which resulted in a change of tone in the writing. You may turn readers off by upending their expectations. At the end of the day, however, be true to your characters romance arc and the heart of your story. Until next week, happy writing!
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