Spicy books have all but taken over BookTok, and romance novels—already the most popular fiction genre in America—saw a significant jump in sales last year. We’ve all been feeling 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 roundup. 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 reread-worthy sex scenes in our very own upcoming books (two of which are below!) published by Cosmo Reads, launching this October. ‘Female Fantasy,’ by Iman Hariri-Kia 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. ‘It Seemed Like a Good Idea,’ by Lauren Blakely Bodyguard romances have recently become one of our favorite 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.
