Spicy romance has been simmering for decades, but it really started boiling over into the mainstream in the early 2010s, thanks in large part to the explosive success of Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. That trilogy cracked open the door for more explicit, emotionally intense romance to hit bestseller lists and dominate conversations.

     But the real wildfire? That came with BookTok—TikTok’s book-loving corner—which turned up the heat in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Readers began sharing their favorite “spicy” reads, complete with spice ratings and trope breakdowns, and suddenly authors like Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses) and Jennifer L. Armentrout (From Blood and Ash) were everywhere.

     Now, spicy romance isn’t just a niche—it’s a genre-defining force. It’s evolved to include everything from romantasy and dark romance to queer love stories and taboo tropes, all while embracing emotional depth, consent, and diverse representation.