40 Romance Novels to Read This Valentine’s Day, Ranked by Spice Level 🌶

Spice Level: 🌶

The Rom-Commers is a fun, laugh-out-loud read. Emma isn’t a “failed” writer by choice, but when she gets the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write with her all-time favorite screenwriter, she takes it. Question is, is he everything she imagined? They say to never meet your hero.

Spice Level: 🌶

A TikTok sensation, this book chronicles a fake relationship between two scientists. But when their romantic experiment starts to feel dangerously close to combustion, Ph.D. candidate Olive realizes it’s complicated to put your heart under a microscope.

Spice Level: 🌶

This beautiful story follows America’s first plus-sized Bachelorette (on a reality show called Main Squeeze in this novel) and her reluctant, winding journey to finding love in the public eye. The protagonist is incredibly smart and likable, and her story takes so many riveting dips and turns.

Spice Level: 🌶️

Green writes about such lovable characters that immediately draw you in. This was a quick, humorous, and delightfully romantic novel that follows two friends as they try to make their exes jealous.

Spice Level: 🌶

Presley Ayers is a city girl through and through, but she wants to surprise her outdoorsy boyfriend with a vacation to a picturesque lodge in the forest. When he dumps her instead, she’s determined to go it alone. Handsome local Beckett Keller can tell right away that she’s a fish out of water, so to speak, and has no time for it. Still, the two complete opposites can’t deny the attraction they feel for one another.

Spice Level: 🌶

When Solange crashes one of her wedding planner cousin’s big events, she’s convinced the married couple-to-be isn’t a good match and makes it her mission to ensure the groom doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life. This cute rom-com doesn’t have a ton of spice, but it’s a sweet story nonetheless.

Spice Level: 🌶

Riley has spent all of her high school years trying to please her mom and losing herself along the way. The only solution she can think of to find herself again is to visit her childhood best friend, Tom, in New York for the summer. A long time ago, the duo co-authored their very own “Getaway List”—a list of all the adventures they wanted to do together. After reuniting, the two set out to check off everything on their list. But Riley quickly realizes it’s not all fun and games when her heart gets involved.

Spice Level: 🌶

Emily Henry‘s Book Lovers (she’s also authored the wildly popular books Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Happy Place, Funny Story, and Great Big Beautiful Life) follows literary agent Nora and her sister, Libby, as they take a summer vacation to North Carolina. But when Nora runs into Charlie, a book editor she knows from the city, their lives begin to intertwine, and the carefully-crafted stories they’ve written about themselves unravel.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

This cozy romance is an editor-favorite, and totally worth the read this Valentine’s Day. Single mom Lucie Stone isn’t in need of romance in her life until her daughter calls into a radio show asking for dating advice. Lucie’s story has the entire town of Baltimore wanting to help her find true love. Find out if Lucie will find her perfect match in this Sleepless in Seattle-esque rom-com.

The second book of the series, And Now, Back to You, hits the shelves February 24—the perfect back-to-back read this Valentine’s month.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

Sage Byrd’s five-year relationship ends with her ex getting engaged soon after, and she needs to find the perfect opportunity to show the town she isn’t a sob story. So, when former pro chef Fisher Lange shows up with his niece after he’s stripped of his Michelin-starred restaurant status, he and Sage work together to win the town’s annual summer competition. The food isn’t the only thing steaming in the kitchen.

This series also includes Left of Forever and Lost and Found (which comes out August 2026!).

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶

Emily Walker hasn’t been able to stand Jack Bennett for YEARS. When he leaves their small town—for what was supposed to be for good—he comes back into her life in an unexpected way. Can he help her steal something that is so important to her, or will they continue their rivalry?

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

As usual, author Helen Hoang delivers a story unlike any I’ve ever read. An unexpected couple becomes entangled in a romance neither of them saw coming. Esme moves from Vietnam to meet Khai, a handsome and taciturn Vietnamese-American man with autism who has no desire for love in his life. The two couldn’t be more different in personality or the ways they express themselves, yet their passion builds in the most delicious and surprising way.

Book two of The Kiss Quotient series, be sure to get your mitts on book one, The Kiss Quotient, and three, The Heart Principle, as well.

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Bearded bad-boy barber Knox doesn’t tolerate drama. But when Naomi runs away from her wedding and her life starts to implode, the least Knox can do is help her get back on her feet. Though this book is more than 500 pages long, readers are obsessed with Knox and Naomi’s story—and you will be too!

And when you’ve flipped the last page, don’t worry. Pick up the sequel, Things We Hide from the Light, and book three, Things We Left Behind, for more spicy goodness.

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

True to its title, this book teases a twice-in-a-lifetime encounter between Tate and Sam, who first meet as teenagers. Sam betrays Tate by revealing her deepest secret—the identity of her famous father—and they don’t speak for more than a decade. Their next encounter is years later on a movie set, where Tate is the star, and Sam is the tortured screenwriter. Their feelings for one another resurface, even through the hurt of the past. This is a sweet and unique story told with Christina Lauren’s usual sensitive dialogue and compelling characters.

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

When Katie first meets Cassidy in a conference room over legal documents, she’s put off by Cassidy’s arrogance and brashness—but she’s also intrigued. I felt the same way about Cassidy and steadily fell for this couple’s unexpected romance. Embodying that rare combination of witty, authentic dialogue and a heart-racing love story, this novel is one to really savor.

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Billed as a modern-day Pretty Woman, this story follows Lottie as she pretends to be engaged to a wealthy man named Huxley. But what happens when the two *actually* start to fall for each other?

When you’re done, pick up the sequels, So Not Meant to Be and A Long Time Coming. 

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

This is the ultimate tech-related romance (a niche category I really enjoy). The author, a former computer programmer, lets us into the fast-paced world of app development. Mel creates a new dating app that uses a peer-reviewed system to identify jerks. The catch? No one knows she’s behind the viral app, least of all Alex, the man she’s been dating. Equal parts revenge and romance, this book is a fresh take on the cutthroat world of online dating.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶

This book is a classic enemies-to-lovers tale following coworkers Lucy and Joshua as they compete for the same promotion at work. As the tension builds, so do their feelings for each other—but is this just another game? And if you can’t get over the book, watch its movie adaptation on Hulu.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶

Kristen and Josh have the ultimate meet-cute when they literally crash into each other moments before discovering their best friends are engaged to one another. This memorable first encounter grows into an intense and flirty friendship, sidelined by Kristen’s secret medical condition and their own stubborn natures. It’s engaging and completely relatable.

Be sure to check out books two and three in the series as well: The Happy Ever After Playlist and Life’s Too Short.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶

Set in a gorgeous restored castle/hotel in France, this book throws a former couple together with their young son in a summer of reconnection and rediscovery. The setting alone is worth the read, but there are many moments of genuine sweetness and romance, showing us that love lost can sometimes be rekindled.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶

I’d never read a political romance before this one by page-turning writer Jasmine Guillory, but her writing totally sucked me in. Lawyer Olivia and politician Max undergo a series of flirty, clandestine encounters together, culminating in an unfortunate revelation about their relationship that makes Olivia reconsider everything.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Indya Keller and West Haven were inseparable on the ranch throughout their childhood, but all of that changed after life events forced them to go their separate ways. However, years later, Indya is returning to Montana as the new ranch owner, and West isn’t quite sure how he feels about it. Filled with heartbreak and tension, Indya and West are at a crossroads.

Pick up Sun Light to continue on with another Western Romance.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal—but Alex has beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get ahold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S. and British relations take a turn for the worse. So, their handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the rivals. But what at first begins as a fake friendship grows deeper than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. The best part? You also watch the movie version on Amazon Prime Video!

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

Can old friends turned lovers rekindle a flame? Lucy visits an old family beach house to decide if it’s worth selling. When she surprisingly encounters her ex, she has to choose if all the twists and turns in their past relationship are worth saving.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

A small town scandal shakes Kallie when her childhood sweetheart, Jacob, is caught in a rumor that he’s having a baby with another woman. Kallie jets out of town but returns years later on behalf of her best friend. When Jacob sees Kallie, his heart fills with heartbreak and the truth he never got to share with her before she disappeared from his life. Add all eight books from the Southern Chance series to your TBR list. 

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

A favorite series of our CEO, Alaina, this Bridgerton-esque historical romance follows Annabelle Archer, a student tasked with recruiting men of influence to join the women’s suffrage movement in England. When she targets cocky Duke of Montgomery Sebastian Devereux, passions arise in more ways than one.

Enjoy A Rogue of One’s Own, Portrait of a Scotsman, and The Gentleman’s Gambit, all in February, too.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

A follow-up to It Happened One Summer, this book is about sexy fisherman Fox’s meet-cute and relationship with Hannah—even though they swear they’re just friends. Feelings begin to change when Hannah starts crashing in Fox’s guest bedroom, but Hannah has her eye on someone else. Will Fox be able to catch her, hook, line, and sinker?

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

I love a good opposites-attract story, and this one certainly fits the bill. Cam is a brainy, acerbic, self-proclaimed nerd, while her roommate and best friend Tyler checks all the traditional boxes of eligibility. Their witty banter and chemistry is so enjoyable—and even more so when they finally realize they have feelings for one another.

Hart’s series also includes Love Notes and Pride and Papercuts.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

Unexpectedly unemployed, Cassie Evans finds herself between a rock and a hard place. She can either find a new job fast or revisit her once-promising OnlyFans career. When she accepts a job as a live-in nanny for a single father and his adorable daughter, the middle-aged man she expected to meet is actually hunky executive chef Aiden Reid. She quickly realizes Aiden is actually quite familiar with her… or at least the parts of her he’s seen online.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

Sally Thorne is a staple of contemporary romance, and it’s not hard to see why. In this book, feisty Darcy Barrett navigates her feelings for her brother’s best friend—a man who has been off-limits her whole life.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

This is the second installment in the wildly popular fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses, and according to our CEO, Alaina, it’s one of the sexiest of all the ACOTAR books. The only one that gets a higher spice rating is book four, A Court of Silver Flames. While there aren’t as many steamy scenes in this book, the romantic build-up between main characters Feyre and Tamlin is why it made our list.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶

When Rachel receives a dirty text from her husband, Matt, intended for someone else, divorce is imminent. As a politician, Matt sees his claim to the White House slipping away. He makes a deal with Rachel: one million dollars for her to play the role of trophy wife. All is going according to plan until handsome, 26-year-old Nathan comes into the picture. Rachel must decide—is he worth risking it all for?

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book-to-series adaptation is now streaming on HBO Max, and everyone has been raving about Heated Rivalry. If you’re looking for a book to heat things up in the bedroom, add this one to your list ASAP. In this epic enemies-to-lovers trope, pro ice hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are enemies on paper. But behind closed doors, they can’t get enough of one another. With their romantic involvement, they’re putting their careers on the line.

Keep reading the Game Changers series after you’re done with this spicy romance.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Even if you’ve already watched the 2024 film adaptation starring Anne Hathaway, the movie barely touches the spice found in the actual book. Follow along as 39-year-old mom Solène reluctantly tags along with her daughter to see her favorite boy band. Little does she know, she’ll have a chance encounter and form an undeniable connection with one of the hunky band members—even though he’s nearly two decades younger than her. If an age-gap cougar-fantasy is one you harbor, you’ll want to pick this one up immediately.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Few of us missed out on the Colleen Hoover craze of years past—and for good reason. CoHo’s romances have been uber-popular for quite some time thanks to TikTok, and this one is especially steamy. If you haven’t gotten your hands on it yet, now’s the time. Nurse Tate Collins starts a friends-with-benefits relationship with pilot Miles Archer. But will Miles’ mysterious and painful past get in the way when Tate wants more? (Please note this book’s trigger warnings include marriage affairs, emotionally hurtful sex, and neonatal death.)

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This adult romance stars a trans woman named April French, who sets out to have fun in a kink club but finds a lot more. This slow burn is a great read for Valentine’s Day that ends on a positive note.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

A romantic series set in the Scottish Highlands? Sign me up. Especially when the plot involves a single mother on the run and a brawny bodyguard. Perhaps the best part is that there are six books in the series, meaning we’re in for a treat time and time again.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

In the first book of this series, we enter the world of college for dragon riders. Having a target on her back, so to speak, Violet Sorrengail catches the glaring eye of everyone, including Xaden Riorson, the most powerful wingleader. There’s a reason why romance and fantasy go hand in hand 😉.

Fly right into book two, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, when you’re done with this read!

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Gigi Graham is trying to make the women’s national hockey team, and she’ll do anything to get there. If you’re looking for something as steamy as a hot steam shower, this is the book for you. When she encounters Luke Ryder, all signs point to him being the enemy, but he might just be her answer to get to her goal. Can she avoid their chemistry and resist his bad boy persona? Hockey isn’t the only game they’re playing.

Spice Factor: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Prince Edward Island is a safe haven for Lucy and her best friend. When she visits the first time, an unexpected fling turns out to be someone she’s sworn to never fall in love with. Can she keep their relationship a secret, or will their steamy relationship be revealed behind closed doors? Find out if this summer will really be different.

Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake, and One Golden Summer are also editor-favs.