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Spicy books have taken over BookTok, and the Publishers Association says the genre drove a rise of 18% in UK fiction revenue in 2024 (that year, according to The Guardian, romance and saga fiction made a whopping £69 million).
We’ve all been feeling the heat over best-selling dragon rider sex (Fourth Wing), drooling as myths turn into steamy realities (Neon Gods), and soaking up some kink (Lights Out). Even sex scenes in mainstream fiction books are getting longer, hotter, and bolder.
At Cosmopolitan, we’ve been making ‘best erotic novels’ lists for years, but lately there’s been so much great sex and romance in popular fiction, we had to do another round-up. Haven’t devoured any yet? These reads will get you started. And while you’re at at, keep an eye out for more can’t-look-away sexual tension and re-read-worthy sex scenes in our very own books (two of which are below!) published by Cosmo Reads.
Let’s be honest here: we’ve all read some spicy fan fiction at some point. Iman Hariri-Kia’s Female Fantasy bridges fiction and reality in this unique (and very hot) ode to the romance genre.
Bodyguard romances have recently become one of our favourite tropes. They protect us, but they also have the power to break us. The hero knows exactly what he’s doing in Lauren Blakely’s latest small-town romance.
‘The Good Girl Effect’ by Sara Cate
In a sequel to the hit Salacious Player’s Club series, Sara Cate introduces a new generation of sexy BDSM practitioners who aren’t afraid to show off exactly what they want. It’s very possible you’ll uncover some new desires of your own while reading.
‘The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy’ by Brigitte Knightley
Loving someone is easy, but hating them raises all the stakes. This enemies-to-lovers plotline follows what happens when a healer is forced to help a killer. Let’s just say that along the way, they get to know each other in more ways than one.
Carley Fortune’s previous books tend to be tamer than most of the others on this list, but she really turns up the heat in her latest. Proof that best-selling authors are getting more comfortable making things explicit.
The ‘why choose?’ genre, where monogamy is not the goal, has upended the steamy book space. Elle Kennedy’s university campus romance reminds us that we all have options — and that when it comes to sex, sometimes more is more.
Omegaverse (a genre typically centered around werewolves) has moved from fan fiction to the mainstream. Lana Ferguson adds a fake relationship between coworkers that will change how you think about work trips.
Bodice rippers have long been set in the past, but recent titles offer more representation than ever. Here, a rum heiress who’s determined not to fall in love has to marry before she can take over the family business.
‘Delilah Green Doesn’t Care’ by Ashley Herring Blake
Bisexuality is still woefully underrepresented in popular fiction, but writers like Ashley Herring Blake are filling the void with stories that feature characters looking for love beyond heteronormativity.
‘Seven Days in June’ by Tia Williams
An erotica writer and an award-winning novelist reunite in this incredibly sexy second-chance romance. Tia Williams is a master at building tension that pays off while also spinning a love story that will leave you panting.
Tamara Fuentes is the current entertainment editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers TV, movies, books, celebrities, and more. She can often be found in front of a screen fangirling about something new. Before joining Cosmopolitan, she was the entertainment editor at Seventeen. She also leads Cosmo Reads, a new book imprint collaboration between Cosmopolitan and Sourcebooks that features books about romance, pop culture fiction, and other fun reads. She is a member of the Television Critics Association, the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, and the Writers Guild of America, East. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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