Spicy romance

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[edit] Spicy Romance

Refers to the level of graphic sex in a romance. Pianka listed three levels of sex in romances, but these days, we can list four:

The spicy romance has heavy making out, and/or pre- or non-marital sex known to be happening, but when it comes to the actual bedroom scene, the author "closes the door" and picks up when it's over.

The term is complicated, as of 2006, by Harlequin calling its erotic romance line "Spice".

Some houses take only sweet romances; some want only steamy romances or erotic romances. At present, finding a home for a spicy romance can be challenging. Certainly, it will have to sell on the strength of the story rather than the heat of the bedroom scenes. However, the pendulum is swinging back, perhaps because the erotic romances have made the steamy romances a bit tame, so the audience splits between those who want more than steamy and those who would want less: spicy, but not graphic. The Harlequin Romance (Mills & Boon Tender Romance) line specifically calls for a spicy romance:

"There should be high sexual tension between your hero and heroine — a chemistry that leaps off the page from the get-go. Couples can make love — before marriage, just as they do in real-life, but this should be within an emotional context and not described explicitly. It's fine to shut the bedroom door and leave them to it! However, if you don't feel comfortable with your characters making love before marriage, that's fine, too."