Question 1

What does 'spice level' mean in a book?

Accepted Answer

Spice level describes how explicit a book's romantic content is. A clean book keeps romance off the page entirely; a spicy book puts explicit scenes on the page without cutting away. Most fantasy and romantasy sits somewhere between those two poles.

Question 2

How does your spice rating scale work?

Accepted Answer

We use four tiers. Clean means no explicit content. 🌶 Cozy means kissing and romantic tension. 🌶🌶 Steamy means some on-page intimacy. 🌶🌶🌶 Spicy means fully explicit, open-door scenes.

Question 3

What is the difference between open door and closed door?

Accepted Answer

Closed door means the narrative cuts away before a sex scene. Open door means the scene plays out on the page. A closed-door book can still be romantic and tense — it just does not show you the explicit part.

Question 4

Can a series change spice level between books?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes — and it is one of the most common reasons readers get caught out. Throne of Glass starts essentially clean and becomes fully explicit several books in. Where a series shifts, our rating pages say so directly.

Question 5

Do you spoil the plot in these ratings?

Accepted Answer

No. Spice ratings describe the level and placement of romantic content without revealing plot twists or how the story resolves.

Book Spice Level Checker

The four-tier spice scale

Spice ratings (38)

Frequently asked questions

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