Come now, dear reader, and let us speak of matters most delicious—of enchanted realms where passion burns as brightly as dragonfire, and where love blooms in the most wicked of circumstances. For if there is one truth that transcends all worlds, mortal and magical alike, it is that the heart wants what it wants, and it rather enjoys wanting it intensely.
This guide shall serve as your trusted companion through the finest spicy romantasy books of 2025, 2026, and beyond—each recommendation arranged according to its particular warmth, from gently simmering to positively scorching. Whether you seek dragons, demons, fae, or vampires, there exists a passionate tale awaiting your eager hands.
What Makes a Romantasy “Spicy”?
Before we venture forth, a word on the matter of heat. Spicy romantasy books contain romantic scenes of an explicit nature—the sort that would make one’s grandmother reach for her smelling salts. These are stories where the door remains decidedly open, where passion is described in vivid, glorious detail, and where chemistry between characters fairly crackles off the page.
The books below have been carefully ranked using a five-flame scale, with one flame indicating gentle warmth and five flames signifying positively volcanic content.
The Spiciest Romantasy Books of All Time: Ranked by Heat Level
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 (5 Flames) — For Those Who Like It Absolutely Scorching
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
If one were to crown a sovereign ruler of spicy romantasy, From Blood and Ash would wear that glittering diadem without question. This tale of Penellaphe, the forbidden Maiden who must never be touched, and Hawke, the devastatingly handsome guard who touches her quite thoroughly indeed, has set hearts ablaze across the realm.
The story unfolds in the kingdom of Solis, where Poppy has been chosen to Ascend and please the gods. Her life of isolation shatters magnificently when a mysterious new guard enters her world. The tension between duty and desire builds to a magnificent crescendo, and when it finally breaks—well. One understands why this book won the Goodreads Choice Award.
The twist regarding Hawke’s true identity shall leave you gasping, though I shan’t spoil such delights. Suffice to say, Jennifer L. Armentrout understands how to blend worldbuilding, intrigue, and heat into one irresistible confection.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas herself declared this the most scandalous book she has ever penned, and dear reader, she spoke true. A Court of Silver Flames shifts focus to Nesta Archeron, Feyre’s fierce and fractured sister, and her explosive entanglement with Cassian, the battle-scarred Illyrian warrior.
What elevates this beyond mere titillation is how beautifully the intimate scenes serve Nesta’s healing journey. Each moment of passion mirrors her reclamation of her body, her strength, her right to feel pleasure without guilt. The book tackles heavy themes—trauma, depression, recovery—with a deft hand, all wrapped in absolutely scorching romance.
This instalment caused the series to be reclassified from Young Adult to New Adult, which tells you rather everything you need to know.
Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
A nine-book series of such sustained intensity that one marvels at how the pages haven’t spontaneously combusted. Twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega discover they are Fae princesses, heirs to a stolen throne, and must navigate a magical academy where only the strongest survive.
This is not a gentle school for magic with friends around every corner. Zodiac Academy is a cutthroat institution featuring bully romance, multiple love interests, and chemistry that threatens to set the entire establishment ablaze. If one desired a steamier, darker version of a certain wizarding school, this series delivers magnificently.
🔥🔥🔥🔥 (4 Flames) — Deliciously Hot
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The series that arguably birthed the modern spicy romantasy phenomenon deserves its place of honour. A Court of Thorns and Roses begins as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, following mortal huntress Feyre into the magical realm of Prythian after she unknowingly kills a faerie.
While the first book simmers with tension, the series truly ignites with A Court of Mist and Fury, which many consider the finest instalment. Dramatic, magical, and wonderfully romantic, ACOTAR has earned its position at the front tables of every bookshop and the front pages of BookTok alike.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Dragons, danger, and desire—Fourth Wing delivers all three in spectacular fashion. Violet Sorrengail was meant to become a scribe, living quietly among books. Instead, her formidable mother orders her into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College, where cadets either bond with dragons or die trying.
Enter Xaden Riorson, the brooding wingleader with a mysterious past and the sort of intense gaze that makes sensible thoughts flee entirely. The enemies-to-lovers tension builds magnificently, and when it finally releases—roughly three-quarters through the book—the scenes are graphic, steamy, and exceptionally well-crafted.
A television series is in development, which speaks to this book’s extraordinary popularity. The sequel Iron Flame and the recently released Onyx Storm continue the saga with equal passion.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Vampires and tournaments and forbidden attraction—oh my. Oraya is a human adopted by the vampire king, entering a deadly competition called the Kejari to win power from the goddess of death herself. Her forced alliance with Raihn, a mysterious and dangerous vampire competitor, sparks a romance as doomed as it is irresistible.
Publishers Weekly awarded this a starred review, declaring fans of dark romantasy cannot miss it. The action is intense, the worldbuilding rich, and the chemistry between Oraya and Raihn absolutely electric. This is the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, with subsequent instalments awaiting eager readers.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Set in nineteenth-century Sicily, this dark fantasy follows witch Emilia as she hunts her twin sister’s murderer—and finds herself entangled with Wrath, one of the seven demon princes of Hell. The enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-lovers progression builds with every sharp word and dangerous glance.
While the first book focuses more on tension than explicit content, the subsequent instalments—Kingdom of the Cursed and Kingdom of the Feared—deliver on all that delicious buildup. Gothic atmosphere, forbidden magic, and a romance that burns as hot as hellfire itself.
🔥🔥🔥 (3 Flames) — Satisfyingly Steamy
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone set in a world where gods walk among mortals, this series begins with a wager that cannot be won. Persephone, goddess of spring who cannot make anything grow, finds herself in a contract with the Lord of the Dead after a fateful night at his gambling establishment.
The first two-thirds crackle with denied chemistry as Persephone believes Hades evil while he attempts to prove himself. When they finally surrender to their attraction, the spice level increases considerably. The Hades x Persephone Saga spans multiple books, each hotter than the last.
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
A number one New York Times bestseller that brings fresh brilliance to vampire lore. Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane infiltrates the elite Uxlay University to find her missing sister, convinced the cruel yet captivating vampire bound to her family bloodline has taken her.
Comparisons to The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House prove apt—this is dark academia with bite, featuring Black vampires, Ethiopian mythology, and a unique magic system. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Kidan and Susenyos crackles with tension and danger. The worldbuilding alone merits attention, but the romance seals the deal.
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
In a world where dragons die and become moons, an assassin who has forgotten her past meets a dragon-riding king mourning his lost love. When the Moon Hatched weaves lyrical prose with undeniable chemistry, creating a slow-burn romance that builds magnificently.
The spice arrives primarily in a single memorable chapter, but the tension and emotional intimacy throughout make every page worthwhile. The sequel, The Ballad of Falling Dragons, releases in February 2026, giving you time to savour this first instalment properly.
🔥🔥 (2 Flames) — Warmly Romantic with Heat
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
Gothic romantasy at its finest, featuring a heroine who has danced with Death since childhood—quite literally. Signa Farrow arrives at Thorn Grove estate to uncover the truth behind her aunt’s mysterious death, with Death himself becoming both her guide and her greatest temptation.
The romance builds slowly, wrapped in murder mystery and Victorian atmosphere, but the chemistry between Signa and Death (yes, the actual personification of death) proves swoon-worthy indeed. Kerri Maniscalco called it “decadently atmospheric,” and the trilogy continues with Foxglove and Wisteria.
Under the Oak Tree by Suji Kim
Beginning as a Korean webnovel that won the Romance Webnovel Award, this tale follows Lady Maximilian, whose severe stutter has kept her isolated, and Sir Riftan, the knight of humble origins she was forced to marry. When he returns three years later as a renowned hero, their fractured marriage finally begins to mend.
The longing and desire between Maxi and Riftan builds across chapters, with scorching heat igniting as their love blossoms. Now available in English print, this phenomenon has captured hearts worldwide. The webtoon adaptation brings visual beauty to an already enchanting story.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
A cozy romantasy with warmth rather than fire, perfect for those seeking gentler heat alongside delightful wit. Cambridge professor Emily Wilde journeys to a remote village to study the Hidden Ones, the most elusive faeries, only to find her insufferably charming academic rival Wendell Bambleby already there.
The slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers dynamic unfolds with wonderful banter and genuine heart. The New York Times named it among their 100 Notable Books of 2023. This trilogy proves that romantasy need not scorch to satisfy—sometimes a warming fire suits beautifully.
Most Anticipated Spicy Romantasy Books for 2025 and 2026
The romantasy genre shows no signs of cooling, with magnificent releases on the horizon:
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (2025) — The third Empyrean instalment had readers cheering at bookstore release events. The dragon-rider saga continues with all the magic and passion readers have come to expect.
The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker (February 2026) — The highly anticipated sequel to When the Moon Hatched promises to continue Raeve and Kaan’s devastating romance.
Continued series from beloved authors — Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Caroline Peckham continue to expand their respective universes, ensuring no shortage of spicy content.
How to Choose Your Perfect Spicy Romantasy
Consider your preferences, dear reader:
For maximum heat: Begin with From Blood and Ash or A Court of Silver Flames
For enemies-to-lovers: Try Fourth Wing or Kingdom of the Wicked
For vampires: Explore The Serpent and the Wings of Night or Immortal Dark
For gothic atmosphere: Select Belladonna or Master of Salt & Bones
For cozy warmth: Embrace Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
For academy settings: Enrol in Zodiac Academy or Immortal Dark
Final Thoughts
The romantasy genre has blossomed into something magnificent—a garden of passionate tales where magic and desire intertwine. Whether you seek dragons or demons, fae courts or vampire academies, there exists a spicy story perfectly suited to your tastes.
These books remind us that love in all its forms—fierce, forbidden, healing, transformative—deserves to be celebrated. And if that celebration involves rather explicit detail, well. Some of us find that quite agreeable indeed.
Now fly forth, dear reader, and let these pages set your imagination wonderfully, gloriously aflame.
