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Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Ottawa Citizen

9 hours ago

Ottawa Citizen

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Article content When a colleague talked to me recently about the growing popularity of 'smutty' romance, I was caught between a gasp and a laugh. Smutty? Is that what people are calling it? Um, OK. As a lifelong reader of a wide range of book genres, I was somewhat taken aback. I know some of my author friends would definitely bristle at the idea of their hot romance reads being described as smutty, like someone needs to grab a bar of soap and wash the pages down. Mind you, there are others who embrace such terms as a challenge and say, 'Yeah? What of it?!' A search of the term in connection to books turns up links to a plethora of Reddit threads, TikTok and BookTok stories, mainstream articles and blogs, even recommendations pages on Indigo and Amazon, among other sellers. Readers know what they want, and the digital world is ready to help them find it. Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, the heat level has noticeably gone up in many genres, not just romance. Sure, you could count on some very steamy stuff from historical writers such as Virginia Henley and Amanda Quick. Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts are undisputed masters at keeping the heat up in their thrillers. Now, however, a lot of authors are bringing the sex onto the page like never before. And it's not just the ones featuring a sexy knight in shining armour. Gone are the days when people almost defiantly admitted to reading 'mommy porn' a la Shades of Grey by E.L. James. It's not naughty anymore. It's just romance, bigger than ever, and the hotter the better. It is so popular, there are bookstores — online and bricks-and-mortar — devoted exclusively to romance, such as The Book Boudoir in Edmonton, Calgary's Slow Burn Books, and Pages of Passion and Leather and Lace, both in Saskatoon. Booknet Canada, a non-profit industry group, shows sales of romance books in Canada dipped slightly from 2017 to 2020 before increasing 11 per cent in 2021 and surging a breathtaking 54 per cent in 2022. Booknet also reported in a 2023 podcast that New Adult was the 'hidden growth' story of romance in 2022, which it describes as a bridge for readers between Young Adult and adult romance. New Adult typically centres around a passionate love story with characters between 18 and 25, give or take a few years, and lean toward dark and edgy. In 2021, New Adult sales were up 119 per cent over 2020, and those sales were up 120 per cent in 2022. Romance has spawned countless sub-genres, and authors and booksellers aren't shy about letting readers know exactly what to expect in promotional material and book cover blurbs. Sweet small-town romance? Check! Friends-to-lovers romance? Check! Reverse harem romantasy with a strong female lead and an HEA (that's Happily Ever After, for those who don't know) for everyone? Check! There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store ... Where once the more, shall we say, intimate moments between characters would be handled perfunctorily or off-page, now it's there on full, unabashed display in very explicit detail. There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store — you can probably borrow it from your library. And there will be a waiting list. While the heat level is going up, the popularity of the romance genre is nothing new. Beyond the vast catchall that was fiction and literature, the next largest section in the bookstore was likely to be romance, once the purview of women who would browse like a chocoholic indulging in a guilty pleasure. (Yes, I'm talking about me.) For decades, the romance genre was treated with a virtual sniff of condescension, as if the writing and storytelling were not worthy of the same respect as the output of more 'serious' writers. I'm not knocking Margaret Atwood or Carol Shields. To me, escapism is escapism, whether the reader gets it from a clever wallflower who catches the eye of the rakish Duke at a ball or a dystopian society where the few fertile women are concubines. As someone who truly appreciates the written word, I love the sheer variety of what's available to read. Gone are the days when you'd go into the bookstore — yes, an actual, physical bookstore — and scan the thin section of shelves where fantasy and science fiction shared space. And we're talking high fantasy along the lines of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and David Eddings' Belgariad rubbing covers with Frank Herbert's Dune and Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. If you were lucky, you could get that rare kind of crossover like Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. Sure, some characters might hook up, but that was entirely tangential to the world-building or a higher kind of courtly love. As a tween and young teen, I adored science fiction and fantasy. I didn't get into romance until my late teens, mainly historical with some contemporary romance thrown in. Some of it could be formulaic — not necessarily a bad thing, if you're looking to give your mind a break from the more serious aspects of life. Now, I can read my favourite genres all in one book, like maybe about shapeshifting aliens in a dystopian Earth of the near future. As a consenting adult, for me, that includes on-page intimacy. My theory about what has flung the bedroom door wide open is the explosion of self-publishing. It used to be only the desperate who resorted to self-publishing, those poor souls who couldn't earn the validation of a traditional publisher. And before a writer even reached a publisher, they had to attract an agent who was willing to work with them (it was not uncommon for bigger publishers to refuse to work with unrepresented authors). The entire process from submission of a manuscript to a title on the bookstore shelf took years. Naturally, that made publishers extremely choosy about the authors and subject matter they were willing to invest in. Enter: digital publishing. An author could publish their own work, and do a fast turnaround for impatient readers hungry for their next book. As the person footing the bill for editing, proofing, cover art, advertising and everything else, they could also write whatever they wanted, so long as there were readers willing to buy what they were selling. And many readers, it turns out, like some — or a lot of — on-page sizzle. As a rising tide lifts all boats, the rising heat levels in books that hit the bestsellers lists encourage other writers to do the same, be it romance or any other genre. This is further fuelled by the variety of affordable ways readers can consume stories. Beyond traditional print books — paperbacks, trade paperbacks and hardcovers — there are simply more options out there for readers. Download a digital copy and read it on your computer, phone, tablet or e-reader. Want your hands free to garden, exercise or, you know, play solitaire on your phone? There are audiobooks, which range from single and duet narration to full-cast narration complete with sound effects. You can subscribe to a service, buy outright or borrow from your library's digital catalogue. So the heat is up and the availability is expanding. With all that said, here is my entirely subjective selection of steamy, spicy and downright scorching romance plucked from my library to add to your summer-read pile, physical or virtual. Some are new, some are old faves, all are a fun way to bask in the heat. Contemporary Truly, Madly, Deeply, by L.J. Shen: Book 1 in Shen's Forbidden Love series is grumpy-sunshine all the way, with Michelin-starred chef Ambrose struggling to run a restaurant in his hometown in the face of a staff revolt and public outrage over his plans to sell the heritage property. His sister's out-of-work best friend, Calla, lands on his doorstep and refuses to be scared off by his cruel attitude. It doesn't help that they're both trying to keep a massive secret from his sister. This one is as hot as Ro's kitchen. Idol, by Kristen Callihan: The author's VIP series follows the scattered members of Kill John, one of the world's biggest rock bands, after a bandmate suffers a near-fatal drug overdose and they all respond in different ways. The series begins with drunken lead singer Killian crashing his motorcycle on the lawn of reclusive Libby. Her parents were part of the Nashville scene, and she has no desire to step into the limelight with Killian when he's ready to return to his world. Callihan has a deft touch with the heartbreak that happens when lifelong friends suffer tragedy and guilt, and the hope that comes with new love. Anger Bang, by Avery Flynn: Downside of Dating is the newest series by the author of The Hartigans books and The Ice Knights hockey romance series. There are two books so far, and Flynn has fun with the subject matter. Anger Bang forces shy paleontologist Thea to help her bridezilla sister plan her wedding on a reality TV show. With emotions running high, a sisterly spat goes nuclear when Thea retaliates by sleeping with the person her sister hates the most — the best man. As the puckish title implies, the book offers plenty of laughs with the romance. Dirty Billionaire, by Meghan March: The trilogy is named for the first book in the series, with protagonist Creighton bragging that he's a big ego with an even bigger bank account and that's all women care about and he could care less. Until, that is, he has an unforgettable one-night stand with a woman who refuses to give him her number or her real name. What's a guy with endless pockets to do? Put a bounty out on her, offering a reward to anyone who can identify her for him. Holly has her reasons for wanting privacy and is less than thrilled when he drags her into the spotlight. Books 1 and 2 end on cliffhangers. This is a great introduction to March's work, which includes more trilogies and duologies with characters in the same rarefied world. Royally Screwed, by Emma Chase: OK, so no subtlety in the title of the first book in six of the Royally Series, though it is meant to be tongue in cheek. Nicholas is the Crown Prince of the tiny, fictional nation of Wessco, who is known in the tabloids as His Royal Hotness. Olivia is a waitress at a Manhattan diner who gets swept off her feet one snowy night and, ahem, out of her knickers. The paparazzi love it. The Queen is not amused. Olivia isn't sure she can handle everything that comes with dating a prince. New Adult Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas: Ryen and Misha meet in Grade 5 when their teachers match them as pen pals. When the assignment ends, they keep writing, telling each other things they never tell anyone else. They are best friends — on paper. But neither is who they seem, and they both have secrets. High school is almost over when Misha, without telling Ryen, decides it's time to meet in person. But the real Ryen is not his Ryen. Or so he thinks. A lot of angst in this one, folks, and a different perspective on mean girls. Dirty English, by Ilsa Madden-Mills: The British Bad Boys duology is a scorching introduction to Madden-Mills' writing style, starting with Dirty English, set on an American college campus. Elizabeth is a young woman with trust issues earned from hard experience. Declan is a tattooed hulk of a man she should be afraid of, but he's also the guy who saves her from a frat party gone wrong. He's got his own scars, inside and out, but is more than he seems. Burnout, by Rebecca Jenshak: The Holland Brothers series features a group of brothers — by blood and otherwise — who essentially raised themselves. The series starts with Knox, a former pro motocross racer with anger issues, and Avery, an ambitious college gymnast and Olympic athlete. Against her better judgment, he convinces her to work with him on tricks so he can get a team. These books showcase love, heartbreak, the importance of family and how even the strongest people need to accept help when it's offered. Twisted Love, by Ana Huang: The first book in the Twisted series features Alex Volkov, a ruthless man driven to see his plot for vengeance to its end, and Ava Chen, his best friend's sister, who is haunted by dreams of a past her waking self can't remember. This one has forbidden romance, organized crime, betrayal, violence and extremely hot scenes. The series title says it all — like a lot of Huang's books, this is a twisted dark romance that is twisty in all the best can't-put-it-down ways. The Graham Effect, by Elle Kennedy: Campus Diaries is just one of the new adult series Kennedy has under her belt, a follow-up to Briar U. There are three books in the series so far, starting with Gigi Graham and Luke Ryder. Gigi, the daughter of a Hall of Fame hockey player, is a college athlete who wants to win gold at the Olympics and turn pro. Ryder is the new co-captain of her school's men's team, courtesy of the merging of players from rival programs following a scandal. He's also the person she needs to help her improve her game. Think Hatfields and McCoys. Sparks fly, and so do clothes. Her Greatest Mistake, by Hannah Cowan: This author from small-town Canada admits on her website that she's a lover of hockey and alien smut. (See — there's that word!) Cowan's Greatest Love series features the adult children of the characters in her Swift Hat-Trick Trilogy, starting in Her Greatest Mistake with Maddox, golden boy of the NHL's fictional Vancouver Warriors, and his childhood sweetheart, Braxton. Successive books feature, among others, a social media influencer, an art history professor, a female boxer and a budding rock star. You've got second-chance romance, age-gap romance and friends-to-lovers, just to start. Deep End, by Ali Hazelwood: Hazelwood made her name with romance focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) characters. I tried to hold out but when I caved and read The Love Hypothesis, I loved it. Then I read everything else she wrote. I got sucked in by the brainiac women who were, after all, just women who had gal pals, family drama, school drama, research drama and everything else, drawn to intelligent, gorgeous guys. OK, and I liked the science. Deep End has the science, with the two main characters vying to work on the same research project for a beloved mentor, with the additional challenge of being Olympic-level athletes on the swim team. Overachievers R Us. Brains and brawn and steamy encounters. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, by Mariana Zapata: I'll admit it, the title is what drew me to this book. I was born in Winnipeg; I had to read it. Turns out the male lead, Aiden, is a linebacker from Winnipeg who is so desperate to keep playing football in a fictional pro league in Texas, he'll marry his assistant to get a green card. Aiden is broody, rude and completely focused on his career. Vanessa has just been waiting for an excuse to quit her high-paying job with him and focus on her own business as a freelance graphic designer. There's a reason Zapata has a reputation for being one of the best at the slow-burn romance. This book introduced me to her writing, and now she's a must-buy author for me. Her earlier books, including The Wall of Winnipeg, have been rereleased with additional epilogues and new covers. While the majority of them are sports-related, her newer ones include a superhero romance and a paranormal shifter romance. Note: it always makes me laugh when the two Canadians in The Wall of Winnipeg use 'eh' at the beginning of a sentence instead of the end. Know what I mean, eh? Challenge, by Amy Daws: The other kind of football — soccer. Readers are introduced to The Harris Brothers series set in London, England, with the story of Camden Harris and Dr. Indie Porter. The patriarch of the Harris family left his pro career when his wife was dying, leaving four Harris brothers and one Harris sister half-orphaned and emotionally abandoned by their grieving dad. The one thing that holds them all together is soccer. Aside from their skill on the pitch, the Harris brothers are known for the tabloid headlines they regularly inspire. Cam is a star striker looking to move up to the next league when he suffers a potentially career-ending injury. Indie is his surgeon, and the woman assigned to personally oversee his recovery. You like angst? These books have it in spades. They are also super hot and hilarious, a perfect balance for the tearjerker moments. As an added bonus, the romantic couple in a spinoff book, Blindsided, bond over their love of watching the 'heartwarming Canadian drama' Heartland. Mile High, by Liz Tomforde: The first book in the Windy City series focuses on a romance between Zanders, the most-hated hockey player on the Chicago team, and Stevie, an attendant on the team's plane. Stevie is no stranger to athletes and their egos, since her brother is a star NBA player. Zanders has a bad reputation with the ladies, but Stevie knows her worth and won't settle. The series covers a variety of sports. Hockey (because this is Canada and hockey deserves its own category) If You Hate Me, by Helena Hunting: This Toronto-area author offers the perfect blend of romance, sizzle, humour and hockey involving the players of the Toronto Terror, starting with If You Hate Me. Some of the characters from her other equally steamy hockey series, Pucked, make cameos. Trix rage-quits her job, abandons the apartment she shares with nightmarish roommates and is forced to move in with her older brother and his best friend, Tristan. Of course, the best friend is the broody, gorgeous guy she used to have a crush on when she was a teen. Both pro athletes are players in more ways than one and don't let her presence in the small condo's loft cramp their style. Trix has no time for Tristan's attitude, and he is determined to respect the bro code and keep his buddy's little sister at a distance. Good luck with that. I will just say that I laughed until I cried at some of the scenes in this book. Rookie Move, by Sarina Bowen: The Brooklyn Bruisers series starts six years after Leo's heart was broken and he's focusing on his NHL career after getting called up to play in the newly franchised team of the same name. Problem 1: his new coach despises him. Problem 2: the publicist he has to work with is Georgia, the ex who broke his heart. Once the press gets hold of their romantic history, they have to leap into damage-control mode. Bowen's writing tugs at the heartstrings and you can't help but root for everyone involved. The Boyfriend Goal, by Lauren Blakely: The inaugural book in Blakely's Love and Hockey series features shy, rule-following librarian Josie and Wes, her hockey player brother's off-limits teammate. Josie doesn't do flings and Wes doesn't do serious, so they agree to be just friends. When Josie decides it's time to get out of her comfort zone, Wes is the natural choice. Blakely is a prolific writer with a massive backlist that covers a diverse range of romance tropes guaranteed to keep readers who enjoy her easy style entertained for a long while. Kiss and Don't Tell, by Meghan Quinn: Start The Vancouver Agitators series with this book. Meghan Quinn writes a wide variety of romance, including sports romance, college romance, small-town romance and standalones. In all of them, her writing is hilarious. I mean laugh-out-loud hilarious. This series involving players from the fictional Vancouver team — sorry, Canucks fans — covers a variety of tropes, including brother's best friend, age-gap romance and grumpy-sunshine. The humour is only exceeded by the hot scenes. Playing for Keeps, by Kendall Ryan: The nine-book Hot Jocks series features the players of the fictional Seattle Ice Hawks, and begins with jaded player Justin, and Elise, the sister of his teammate, friend and roommate. What she thinks is a one-night stand he doesn't remember is the start of his determination to win her over and claim her for his own, no matter the cost. The books in this series are fun, fast-paced reads with lots of sexy banter and a high heat level. Romantasy A Deadly Education, by Naomi Novik: An awesome start to The Scholomance trilogy, which is excellent from start to finish. It is not hugely explicit, but it does explore a variety of relationships. I love Novik's writing in any form — if dragons are your thing, you must read her Temeraire series, an alternate history set during the Napoleonic wars where frigate-sized dragons are the air support — so didn't hesitate to read this romantasy. The best way to describe it is if you go to Hogwarts to learn magic and do your best to make it to graduation while the school tries to kill you. The Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole: Cole is known for her Immortals After Dark romance series, which features shapeshifters, vampires, witches, Valkyries and a whole slew of other paranormals duking it out in a Highlander-style game for ultimate power. The Arcana Chronicles — of which The Poison Princess is the opening book — fits in the new adult genre, where the characters range in age from their late teens to early 20s. It could also be considered dark romantasy or even apocalyptic fantasy. The characters initially live in the world as we know it, before everything goes sideways. It turns out they are the living incarnations of the major arcana in Tarot, including the Huntress, the Fool, Death and the Lovers, all with unique and very scary powers. As regular as clockwork, the Arcana are born on Earth to battle each other to determine which of them will set the tone for the next era (i.e. Death would be bad). In The Poison Princess, Evie is torn from her privileged life and forced to team up with Jack, a classmate from a much harsher background, as they struggle to tame their growing powers and prepare to face the other Arcana. Gild, by Raven Kennedy: The first book in The Plated Prisoner series, an innovative reimagining of the Greek myth of Midas, the greedy king of the ill-advised wish to turn everything he touches into gold. In this case, Midas is a king, but the main female character is not his daughter. It is set in a world where the fae are gone but their magic remains. It is limited to the ruling class, with the kings and queens the most powerful magic-users of all. This dark romantasy is delightfully twisty, with some surprises you see coming and others that you don't. Explicit in the extreme, this series is not for the faint of heart. Fire in His Blood, by Ruby Dixon: This postapocalyptic series is written in the same universe as the author's highly popular Ice Planet Barbarians series. (No, I'm not kidding; there are dozens of books in the main sci-fi romance series and more in its spinoffs.) This first book is set in Dallas, Texas, 10 years after a rift in the sky opened up and fire-breathing dragons as big as buses descended on the human world. Impervious to most human weaponry, the dragons destroy almost everything and decimate the populace. The survivors hole up in makeshift forts and endure ongoing attacks, with women on the lowest rung of society. Turns out the dragons are telepathic alien shifters and something about Earth maddens them when in their dragon form. They can resume their humanoid form only when they meet their fated mate. The women in these books range from strong-willed to victims, but stand up when it counts. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros: The first book in The Empyrean series, which is set to have five books. If you're into romantasy and dragons and haven't read this, where have you been? Published in 2023, this book has topped all the bestseller lists and has been a social media sensation. Daughter of an ambitious general, all 20-year-old Violet wants to do is lead the quiet life of a scribe. That dream is lost when her mother forces her to enter the war college that is a violent crucible to train the country's elite dragon riders. If the other students don't kill her for who she is, she is certain a dragon will. Features a strong-willed young woman, impressive dragon allies, the politics of war and intriguing frenemies. Gods and Monsters The Stalking Dead, by Eva Chase: Toronto author Chase — who also writes contemporary romance as Eva Chance — does some fun world-building with the books in her series, Gang of Ghouls. When Lily was a child, she did something so horrible that she was locked up in a mental ward. Not that she remembers what that something was. Four 'imaginary' friends kept her company until her release. All grown up, Lily returns to town intent on leaving her past behind her. As it turns out, her imaginary friends are the ghosts of four hunky gangsters who figure out how to rise from the dead to protect the woman they are obsessed with. First Grave on the Right, by Darynda Jones: Part-time P.I. Charley can see the dead. And they talk to her. Nag, really. All part and parcel of being a Grim Reaper. Over the course of the Charley Davidson series' story arc, Charley learns who she really is, what she can do and what she is fated to do. For all the silly comedy this book offers, it is a needed escape from the horrifying details involving some of the characters. Bonus point: Each book of the 13 total has the series number in the title, so you are never left wondering which one to read next. Huzzah! Broken Bonds, by J. Bree: The opening book of the six-volume Bonds That Tie series introduces a fascinating world where people have gifts that range from the benign, such as healing or lifting heavy things, to the terrifying, such as wielding fire or summoning monsters from another realm. These people form lifelong, intimate bonds with the group of other gifted who most complement their own. Unfortunately, a growing number of humans fear them and, no surprise, want to exterminate them. Broken Bonds picks up five years after newly orphaned Oleander ran away from the powerful men she was fated to bond with. Oli must learn to control her deadly gift and repair the bonds with the men who thought she abandoned them to suffer on a whim. Warning: Each book ends on a cliffhanger until the final book, Unbroken Bonds. Blood of Hercules, by Jasmine Mas: I'm a total sucker for a pretty cover, and this one made me read the cover blurb, then buy the first book of the Villains of Lore series. Plausible world-building is crucial when it comes to fantasy of any kind. It doesn't matter if it can happen in our world; as long as I believe it can happen in the world the author has built and the characters are engaging, I'm sold. Hats off to Mas. She has created a world where technology, magic and pure fantasy co-exist seamlessly. Mas has an engaging way of making her lead female character funny, strong and vulnerable without being whiny. In Blood of Hercules, Alexis's life is transformed when she is plucked from poverty and forced into an elite training school for demigods under the watchful eyes of four harsh, handsome taskmasters. Only the first book of her reimagining of the legend of Hercules — not-a-spoiler: Hercules is a girl — is out, with Book 2 available for pre-order. As soon as I put down Blood of Hercules, I preordered Bonds of Hercules and immediately started reading the first book in Mas' Cruel Shifterverse series, Psycho Shifters. Lucifer's Daughter, by Kel Carpenter: Ruby Morningstar runs a tattoo parlour, is the human(ish) mama to a pet raccoon and is being stalked by her loser ex. If you weren't tipped off by her name, she is also the child (or one of them) of the ruler of hell in the Queen of the Damned series. Apparently, she's also the bringer of the apocalypse, if she and the Four Horsemen don't do something to stop it. This is an action-packed series, with some intriguing ideas and steamy scenes. Burn For Me, by Ilona Andrews: In this first of the Hidden Legacy series, the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona Andrews (known for their urban fantasy Kate Daniels series) introduce an alternate Houston, Texas, where the most powerful families wield magic with ruthless cunning. Private detective Nevada Baylor is forced to ally with billionaire Connor 'Mad' Rogan, a one-man killing machine, to protect her small family's secrets. For fans of urban fantasy, the world-building is captivating, the plot action-packed and Nevada and Connor's romance as hot as the title. Dark Planet Warriors, by Anna Carven: The title of the first book is used for the name of the series. A damaged battle cruiser full of silver-skinned aliens is dragged into a wormhole and dropped virtually on top of an asteroid-mining ship manned by humans. Armed with superior technology, the warrior race quickly overwhelms the humans and commandeers their ship to ready it for the war that is coming. The alien warriors are arrogant and physically imposing, but no match for the stubborn, intelligent human women they try — and fail — to intimidate. Feral Sins, by Suzanne Wright: The Phoenix Pack series begins with Feral Sins. Wright builds a world populated by shifters with a zoo's worth of variety and a lot of relationship angst and politics (pack and human). Taryn, a 'latent' wolf shifter who can't shift, is kidnapped by Trey, the leader of a rival pack who is looking to leverage her father's connections. These books lean into the 'fated mate' trope with some triggering elements, but they're fun if you want quick and uncomplicated. The Mercury Pack series and The Olympus Pride series are in the same world. Hot and Badgered, by Shelly Laurenston: I love a good pun (mostly) and Laurenston's book titles deliver. Unsurprisingly, her books are a goofy kind of fun — like male lion shifters obsessed with getting good hair product (see The Mane Event in The Pride stories) — with slapstick violence, snarky dialogue and characters who want nothing more than a good party and a chance to kick butt. Hot and Badgered is the first in the Honey Badger Chronicles, featuring a gang of sisters who do things like raid the neighbours' bee hives for fun. A super-hot heat level and pure popcorn entertainment. Romance sub-genres of note Slow burn: An absolute will they-won't they situation. You see the chemistry developing for what seems like forever but the characters don't get together until quite late in the book, even close to the end. The reader absolutely knows it's coming, yet the best ones make you want to go back and read how it unfolds again. Enemies-to-lovers: They hate each other — until they don't. For some, it's a case of they doth protest too much. For others, it's genuine loathing. Eventually, the characters come to appreciate each other, proving that there is a thin line between love and hate (or hate and love). Bully romance: An extreme version of enemies-to-lovers. It is literally where the main character becomes involved in a relationship with the person who bullies them. Not tease or be a jerk, but is truly a horrible human. Ideally, the book gets into why the bully behaves the way he or she does and is redeemed. Grumpy-sunshine: Usually, the female character is the sunshine side of the equation and is the only person who can tolerate and/or light up the grumpy male lead. Dark romance: The characters are often morally grey, the themes dark and the situations horrifying. Some tropes include organized crime, stalking, kidnapping and violence or trauma — plot points that spur content or trigger warnings. Age-gap romance: The age gap between the characters often ranges between 10 and 20 years. While the central themes of love and desire are important, so are the challenges the characters face bucking societal norms.

Vancouver Sun

9 hours ago

Vancouver Sun

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Article content When a colleague talked to me recently about the growing popularity of 'smutty' romance, I was caught between a gasp and a laugh. Smutty? Is that what people are calling it? Um, OK. As a lifelong reader of a wide range of book genres, I was somewhat taken aback. I know some of my author friends would definitely bristle at the idea of their hot romance reads being described as smutty, like someone needs to grab a bar of soap and wash the pages down. Mind you, there are others who embrace such terms as a challenge and say, 'Yeah? What of it?!' A search of the term in connection to books turns up links to a plethora of Reddit threads, TikTok and BookTok stories, mainstream articles and blogs, even recommendations pages on Indigo and Amazon, among other sellers. Readers know what they want, and the digital world is ready to help them find it. Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, the heat level has noticeably gone up in many genres, not just romance. Sure, you could count on some very steamy stuff from historical writers such as Virginia Henley and Amanda Quick. Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts are undisputed masters at keeping the heat up in their thrillers. Now, however, a lot of authors are bringing the sex onto the page like never before. And it's not just the ones featuring a sexy knight in shining armour. Gone are the days when people almost defiantly admitted to reading 'mommy porn' a la Shades of Grey by E.L. James. It's not naughty anymore. It's just romance, bigger than ever, and the hotter the better. It is so popular, there are bookstores — online and bricks-and-mortar — devoted exclusively to romance, such as The Book Boudoir in Edmonton, Calgary's Slow Burn Books, and Pages of Passion and Leather and Lace, both in Saskatoon. Booknet Canada, a non-profit industry group, shows sales of romance books in Canada dipped slightly from 2017 to 2020 before increasing 11 per cent in 2021 and surging a breathtaking 54 per cent in 2022. Booknet also reported in a 2023 podcast that New Adult was the 'hidden growth' story of romance in 2022, which it describes as a bridge for readers between Young Adult and adult romance. New Adult typically centres around a passionate love story with characters between 18 and 25, give or take a few years, and lean toward dark and edgy. In 2021, New Adult sales were up 119 per cent over 2020, and those sales were up 120 per cent in 2022. Romance has spawned countless sub-genres, and authors and booksellers aren't shy about letting readers know exactly what to expect in promotional material and book cover blurbs. Sweet small-town romance? Check! Friends-to-lovers romance? Check! Reverse harem romantasy with a strong female lead and an HEA (that's Happily Ever After, for those who don't know) for everyone? Check! There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store ... Where once the more, shall we say, intimate moments between characters would be handled perfunctorily or off-page, now it's there on full, unabashed display in very explicit detail. There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store — you can probably borrow it from your library. And there will be a waiting list. While the heat level is going up, the popularity of the romance genre is nothing new. Beyond the vast catchall that was fiction and literature, the next largest section in the bookstore was likely to be romance, once the purview of women who would browse like a chocoholic indulging in a guilty pleasure. (Yes, I'm talking about me.) For decades, the romance genre was treated with a virtual sniff of condescension, as if the writing and storytelling were not worthy of the same respect as the output of more 'serious' writers. I'm not knocking Margaret Atwood or Carol Shields. To me, escapism is escapism, whether the reader gets it from a clever wallflower who catches the eye of the rakish Duke at a ball or a dystopian society where the few fertile women are concubines. As someone who truly appreciates the written word, I love the sheer variety of what's available to read. Gone are the days when you'd go into the bookstore — yes, an actual, physical bookstore — and scan the thin section of shelves where fantasy and science fiction shared space. And we're talking high fantasy along the lines of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and David Eddings' Belgariad rubbing covers with Frank Herbert's Dune and Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. If you were lucky, you could get that rare kind of crossover like Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. Sure, some characters might hook up, but that was entirely tangential to the world-building or a higher kind of courtly love. As a tween and young teen, I adored science fiction and fantasy. I didn't get into romance until my late teens, mainly historical with some contemporary romance thrown in. Some of it could be formulaic — not necessarily a bad thing, if you're looking to give your mind a break from the more serious aspects of life. Now, I can read my favourite genres all in one book, like maybe about shapeshifting aliens in a dystopian Earth of the near future. As a consenting adult, for me, that includes on-page intimacy. My theory about what has flung the bedroom door wide open is the explosion of self-publishing. It used to be only the desperate who resorted to self-publishing, those poor souls who couldn't earn the validation of a traditional publisher. And before a writer even reached a publisher, they had to attract an agent who was willing to work with them (it was not uncommon for bigger publishers to refuse to work with unrepresented authors). The entire process from submission of a manuscript to a title on the bookstore shelf took years. Naturally, that made publishers extremely choosy about the authors and subject matter they were willing to invest in. Enter: digital publishing. An author could publish their own work, and do a fast turnaround for impatient readers hungry for their next book. As the person footing the bill for editing, proofing, cover art, advertising and everything else, they could also write whatever they wanted, so long as there were readers willing to buy what they were selling. And many readers, it turns out, like some — or a lot of — on-page sizzle. As a rising tide lifts all boats, the rising heat levels in books that hit the bestsellers lists encourage other writers to do the same, be it romance or any other genre. This is further fuelled by the variety of affordable ways readers can consume stories. Beyond traditional print books — paperbacks, trade paperbacks and hardcovers — there are simply more options out there for readers. Download a digital copy and read it on your computer, phone, tablet or e-reader. Want your hands free to garden, exercise or, you know, play solitaire on your phone? There are audiobooks, which range from single and duet narration to full-cast narration complete with sound effects. You can subscribe to a service, buy outright or borrow from your library's digital catalogue. So the heat is up and the availability is expanding. With all that said, here is my entirely subjective selection of steamy, spicy and downright scorching romance plucked from my library to add to your summer-read pile, physical or virtual. Some are new, some are old faves, all are a fun way to bask in the heat. Contemporary Truly, Madly, Deeply, by L.J. Shen: Book 1 in Shen's Forbidden Love series is grumpy-sunshine all the way, with Michelin-starred chef Ambrose struggling to run a restaurant in his hometown in the face of a staff revolt and public outrage over his plans to sell the heritage property. His sister's out-of-work best friend, Calla, lands on his doorstep and refuses to be scared off by his cruel attitude. It doesn't help that they're both trying to keep a massive secret from his sister. This one is as hot as Ro's kitchen. Idol, by Kristen Callihan: The author's VIP series follows the scattered members of Kill John, one of the world's biggest rock bands, after a bandmate suffers a near-fatal drug overdose and they all respond in different ways. The series begins with drunken lead singer Killian crashing his motorcycle on the lawn of reclusive Libby. Her parents were part of the Nashville scene, and she has no desire to step into the limelight with Killian when he's ready to return to his world. Callihan has a deft touch with the heartbreak that happens when lifelong friends suffer tragedy and guilt, and the hope that comes with new love. Anger Bang, by Avery Flynn: Downside of Dating is the newest series by the author of The Hartigans books and The Ice Knights hockey romance series. There are two books so far, and Flynn has fun with the subject matter. Anger Bang forces shy paleontologist Thea to help her bridezilla sister plan her wedding on a reality TV show. With emotions running high, a sisterly spat goes nuclear when Thea retaliates by sleeping with the person her sister hates the most — the best man. As the puckish title implies, the book offers plenty of laughs with the romance. Dirty Billionaire, by Meghan March: The trilogy is named for the first book in the series, with protagonist Creighton bragging that he's a big ego with an even bigger bank account and that's all women care about and he could care less. Until, that is, he has an unforgettable one-night stand with a woman who refuses to give him her number or her real name. What's a guy with endless pockets to do? Put a bounty out on her, offering a reward to anyone who can identify her for him. Holly has her reasons for wanting privacy and is less than thrilled when he drags her into the spotlight. Books 1 and 2 end on cliffhangers. This is a great introduction to March's work, which includes more trilogies and duologies with characters in the same rarefied world. Royally Screwed, by Emma Chase: OK, so no subtlety in the title of the first book in six of the Royally Series, though it is meant to be tongue in cheek. Nicholas is the Crown Prince of the tiny, fictional nation of Wessco, who is known in the tabloids as His Royal Hotness. Olivia is a waitress at a Manhattan diner who gets swept off her feet one snowy night and, ahem, out of her knickers. The paparazzi love it. The Queen is not amused. Olivia isn't sure she can handle everything that comes with dating a prince. New Adult Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas: Ryen and Misha meet in Grade 5 when their teachers match them as pen pals. When the assignment ends, they keep writing, telling each other things they never tell anyone else. They are best friends — on paper. But neither is who they seem, and they both have secrets. High school is almost over when Misha, without telling Ryen, decides it's time to meet in person. But the real Ryen is not his Ryen. Or so he thinks. A lot of angst in this one, folks, and a different perspective on mean girls. Dirty English, by Ilsa Madden-Mills: The British Bad Boys duology is a scorching introduction to Madden-Mills' writing style, starting with Dirty English, set on an American college campus. Elizabeth is a young woman with trust issues earned from hard experience. Declan is a tattooed hulk of a man she should be afraid of, but he's also the guy who saves her from a frat party gone wrong. He's got his own scars, inside and out, but is more than he seems. Burnout, by Rebecca Jenshak: The Holland Brothers series features a group of brothers — by blood and otherwise — who essentially raised themselves. The series starts with Knox, a former pro motocross racer with anger issues, and Avery, an ambitious college gymnast and Olympic athlete. Against her better judgment, he convinces her to work with him on tricks so he can get a team. These books showcase love, heartbreak, the importance of family and how even the strongest people need to accept help when it's offered. Twisted Love, by Ana Huang: The first book in the Twisted series features Alex Volkov, a ruthless man driven to see his plot for vengeance to its end, and Ava Chen, his best friend's sister, who is haunted by dreams of a past her waking self can't remember. This one has forbidden romance, organized crime, betrayal, violence and extremely hot scenes. The series title says it all — like a lot of Huang's books, this is a twisted dark romance that is twisty in all the best can't-put-it-down ways. The Graham Effect, by Elle Kennedy: Campus Diaries is just one of the new adult series Kennedy has under her belt, a follow-up to Briar U. There are three books in the series so far, starting with Gigi Graham and Luke Ryder. Gigi, the daughter of a Hall of Fame hockey player, is a college athlete who wants to win gold at the Olympics and turn pro. Ryder is the new co-captain of her school's men's team, courtesy of the merging of players from rival programs following a scandal. He's also the person she needs to help her improve her game. Think Hatfields and McCoys. Sparks fly, and so do clothes. Her Greatest Mistake, by Hannah Cowan: This author from small-town Canada admits on her website that she's a lover of hockey and alien smut. (See — there's that word!) Cowan's Greatest Love series features the adult children of the characters in her Swift Hat-Trick Trilogy, starting in Her Greatest Mistake with Maddox, golden boy of the NHL's fictional Vancouver Warriors, and his childhood sweetheart, Braxton. Successive books feature, among others, a social media influencer, an art history professor, a female boxer and a budding rock star. You've got second-chance romance, age-gap romance and friends-to-lovers, just to start. Deep End, by Ali Hazelwood: Hazelwood made her name with romance focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) characters. I tried to hold out but when I caved and read The Love Hypothesis, I loved it. Then I read everything else she wrote. I got sucked in by the brainiac women who were, after all, just women who had gal pals, family drama, school drama, research drama and everything else, drawn to intelligent, gorgeous guys. OK, and I liked the science. Deep End has the science, with the two main characters vying to work on the same research project for a beloved mentor, with the additional challenge of being Olympic-level athletes on the swim team. Overachievers R Us. Brains and brawn and steamy encounters. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, by Mariana Zapata: I'll admit it, the title is what drew me to this book. I was born in Winnipeg; I had to read it. Turns out the male lead, Aiden, is a linebacker from Winnipeg who is so desperate to keep playing football in a fictional pro league in Texas, he'll marry his assistant to get a green card. Aiden is broody, rude and completely focused on his career. Vanessa has just been waiting for an excuse to quit her high-paying job with him and focus on her own business as a freelance graphic designer. There's a reason Zapata has a reputation for being one of the best at the slow-burn romance. This book introduced me to her writing, and now she's a must-buy author for me. Her earlier books, including The Wall of Winnipeg, have been rereleased with additional epilogues and new covers. While the majority of them are sports-related, her newer ones include a superhero romance and a paranormal shifter romance. Note: it always makes me laugh when the two Canadians in The Wall of Winnipeg use 'eh' at the beginning of a sentence instead of the end. Know what I mean, eh? Challenge, by Amy Daws: The other kind of football — soccer. Readers are introduced to The Harris Brothers series set in London, England, with the story of Camden Harris and Dr. Indie Porter. The patriarch of the Harris family left his pro career when his wife was dying, leaving four Harris brothers and one Harris sister half-orphaned and emotionally abandoned by their grieving dad. The one thing that holds them all together is soccer. Aside from their skill on the pitch, the Harris brothers are known for the tabloid headlines they regularly inspire. Cam is a star striker looking to move up to the next league when he suffers a potentially career-ending injury. Indie is his surgeon, and the woman assigned to personally oversee his recovery. You like angst? These books have it in spades. They are also super hot and hilarious, a perfect balance for the tearjerker moments. As an added bonus, the romantic couple in a spinoff book, Blindsided, bond over their love of watching the 'heartwarming Canadian drama' Heartland. Mile High, by Liz Tomforde: The first book in the Windy City series focuses on a romance between Zanders, the most-hated hockey player on the Chicago team, and Stevie, an attendant on the team's plane. Stevie is no stranger to athletes and their egos, since her brother is a star NBA player. Zanders has a bad reputation with the ladies, but Stevie knows her worth and won't settle. The series covers a variety of sports. Hockey (because this is Canada and hockey deserves its own category) If You Hate Me, by Helena Hunting: This Toronto-area author offers the perfect blend of romance, sizzle, humour and hockey involving the players of the Toronto Terror, starting with If You Hate Me. Some of the characters from her other equally steamy hockey series, Pucked, make cameos. Trix rage-quits her job, abandons the apartment she shares with nightmarish roommates and is forced to move in with her older brother and his best friend, Tristan. Of course, the best friend is the broody, gorgeous guy she used to have a crush on when she was a teen. Both pro athletes are players in more ways than one and don't let her presence in the small condo's loft cramp their style. Trix has no time for Tristan's attitude, and he is determined to respect the bro code and keep his buddy's little sister at a distance. Good luck with that. I will just say that I laughed until I cried at some of the scenes in this book. Rookie Move, by Sarina Bowen: The Brooklyn Bruisers series starts six years after Leo's heart was broken and he's focusing on his NHL career after getting called up to play in the newly franchised team of the same name. Problem 1: his new coach despises him. Problem 2: the publicist he has to work with is Georgia, the ex who broke his heart. Once the press gets hold of their romantic history, they have to leap into damage-control mode. Bowen's writing tugs at the heartstrings and you can't help but root for everyone involved. The Boyfriend Goal, by Lauren Blakely: The inaugural book in Blakely's Love and Hockey series features shy, rule-following librarian Josie and Wes, her hockey player brother's off-limits teammate. Josie doesn't do flings and Wes doesn't do serious, so they agree to be just friends. When Josie decides it's time to get out of her comfort zone, Wes is the natural choice. Blakely is a prolific writer with a massive backlist that covers a diverse range of romance tropes guaranteed to keep readers who enjoy her easy style entertained for a long while. Kiss and Don't Tell, by Meghan Quinn: Start The Vancouver Agitators series with this book. Meghan Quinn writes a wide variety of romance, including sports romance, college romance, small-town romance and standalones. In all of them, her writing is hilarious. I mean laugh-out-loud hilarious. This series involving players from the fictional Vancouver team — sorry, Canucks fans — covers a variety of tropes, including brother's best friend, age-gap romance and grumpy-sunshine. The humour is only exceeded by the hot scenes. Playing for Keeps, by Kendall Ryan: The nine-book Hot Jocks series features the players of the fictional Seattle Ice Hawks, and begins with jaded player Justin, and Elise, the sister of his teammate, friend and roommate. What she thinks is a one-night stand he doesn't remember is the start of his determination to win her over and claim her for his own, no matter the cost. The books in this series are fun, fast-paced reads with lots of sexy banter and a high heat level. Romantasy A Deadly Education, by Naomi Novik: An awesome start to The Scholomance trilogy, which is excellent from start to finish. It is not hugely explicit, but it does explore a variety of relationships. I love Novik's writing in any form — if dragons are your thing, you must read her Temeraire series, an alternate history set during the Napoleonic wars where frigate-sized dragons are the air support — so didn't hesitate to read this romantasy. The best way to describe it is if you go to Hogwarts to learn magic and do your best to make it to graduation while the school tries to kill you. The Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole: Cole is known for her Immortals After Dark romance series, which features shapeshifters, vampires, witches, Valkyries and a whole slew of other paranormals duking it out in a Highlander-style game for ultimate power. The Arcana Chronicles — of which The Poison Princess is the opening book — fits in the new adult genre, where the characters range in age from their late teens to early 20s. It could also be considered dark romantasy or even apocalyptic fantasy. The characters initially live in the world as we know it, before everything goes sideways. It turns out they are the living incarnations of the major arcana in Tarot, including the Huntress, the Fool, Death and the Lovers, all with unique and very scary powers. As regular as clockwork, the Arcana are born on Earth to battle each other to determine which of them will set the tone for the next era (i.e. Death would be bad). In The Poison Princess, Evie is torn from her privileged life and forced to team up with Jack, a classmate from a much harsher background, as they struggle to tame their growing powers and prepare to face the other Arcana. Gild, by Raven Kennedy: The first book in The Plated Prisoner series, an innovative reimagining of the Greek myth of Midas, the greedy king of the ill-advised wish to turn everything he touches into gold. In this case, Midas is a king, but the main female character is not his daughter. It is set in a world where the fae are gone but their magic remains. It is limited to the ruling class, with the kings and queens the most powerful magic-users of all. This dark romantasy is delightfully twisty, with some surprises you see coming and others that you don't. Explicit in the extreme, this series is not for the faint of heart. Fire in His Blood, by Ruby Dixon: This postapocalyptic series is written in the same universe as the author's highly popular Ice Planet Barbarians series. (No, I'm not kidding; there are dozens of books in the main sci-fi romance series and more in its spinoffs.) This first book is set in Dallas, Texas, 10 years after a rift in the sky opened up and fire-breathing dragons as big as buses descended on the human world. Impervious to most human weaponry, the dragons destroy almost everything and decimate the populace. The survivors hole up in makeshift forts and endure ongoing attacks, with women on the lowest rung of society. Turns out the dragons are telepathic alien shifters and something about Earth maddens them when in their dragon form. They can resume their humanoid form only when they meet their fated mate. The women in these books range from strong-willed to victims, but stand up when it counts. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros: The first book in The Empyrean series, which is set to have five books. If you're into romantasy and dragons and haven't read this, where have you been? Published in 2023, this book has topped all the bestseller lists and has been a social media sensation. Daughter of an ambitious general, all 20-year-old Violet wants to do is lead the quiet life of a scribe. That dream is lost when her mother forces her to enter the war college that is a violent crucible to train the country's elite dragon riders. If the other students don't kill her for who she is, she is certain a dragon will. Features a strong-willed young woman, impressive dragon allies, the politics of war and intriguing frenemies. Gods and Monsters The Stalking Dead, by Eva Chase: Toronto author Chase — who also writes contemporary romance as Eva Chance — does some fun world-building with the books in her series, Gang of Ghouls. When Lily was a child, she did something so horrible that she was locked up in a mental ward. Not that she remembers what that something was. Four 'imaginary' friends kept her company until her release. All grown up, Lily returns to town intent on leaving her past behind her. As it turns out, her imaginary friends are the ghosts of four hunky gangsters who figure out how to rise from the dead to protect the woman they are obsessed with. First Grave on the Right, by Darynda Jones: Part-time P.I. Charley can see the dead. And they talk to her. Nag, really. All part and parcel of being a Grim Reaper. Over the course of the Charley Davidson series' story arc, Charley learns who she really is, what she can do and what she is fated to do. For all the silly comedy this book offers, it is a needed escape from the horrifying details involving some of the characters. Bonus point: Each book of the 13 total has the series number in the title, so you are never left wondering which one to read next. Huzzah! Broken Bonds, by J. Bree: The opening book of the six-volume Bonds That Tie series introduces a fascinating world where people have gifts that range from the benign, such as healing or lifting heavy things, to the terrifying, such as wielding fire or summoning monsters from another realm. These people form lifelong, intimate bonds with the group of other gifted who most complement their own. Unfortunately, a growing number of humans fear them and, no surprise, want to exterminate them. Broken Bonds picks up five years after newly orphaned Oleander ran away from the powerful men she was fated to bond with. Oli must learn to control her deadly gift and repair the bonds with the men who thought she abandoned them to suffer on a whim. Warning: Each book ends on a cliffhanger until the final book, Unbroken Bonds. Blood of Hercules, by Jasmine Mas: I'm a total sucker for a pretty cover, and this one made me read the cover blurb, then buy the first book of the Villains of Lore series. Plausible world-building is crucial when it comes to fantasy of any kind. It doesn't matter if it can happen in our world; as long as I believe it can happen in the world the author has built and the characters are engaging, I'm sold. Hats off to Mas. She has created a world where technology, magic and pure fantasy co-exist seamlessly. Mas has an engaging way of making her lead female character funny, strong and vulnerable without being whiny. In Blood of Hercules, Alexis's life is transformed when she is plucked from poverty and forced into an elite training school for demigods under the watchful eyes of four harsh, handsome taskmasters. Only the first book of her reimagining of the legend of Hercules — not-a-spoiler: Hercules is a girl — is out, with Book 2 available for pre-order. As soon as I put down Blood of Hercules, I preordered Bonds of Hercules and immediately started reading the first book in Mas' Cruel Shifterverse series, Psycho Shifters. Lucifer's Daughter, by Kel Carpenter: Ruby Morningstar runs a tattoo parlour, is the human(ish) mama to a pet raccoon and is being stalked by her loser ex. If you weren't tipped off by her name, she is also the child (or one of them) of the ruler of hell in the Queen of the Damned series. Apparently, she's also the bringer of the apocalypse, if she and the Four Horsemen don't do something to stop it. This is an action-packed series, with some intriguing ideas and steamy scenes. Burn For Me, by Ilona Andrews: In this first of the Hidden Legacy series, the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona Andrews (known for their urban fantasy Kate Daniels series) introduce an alternate Houston, Texas, where the most powerful families wield magic with ruthless cunning. Private detective Nevada Baylor is forced to ally with billionaire Connor 'Mad' Rogan, a one-man killing machine, to protect her small family's secrets. For fans of urban fantasy, the world-building is captivating, the plot action-packed and Nevada and Connor's romance as hot as the title. Dark Planet Warriors, by Anna Carven: The title of the first book is used for the name of the series. A damaged battle cruiser full of silver-skinned aliens is dragged into a wormhole and dropped virtually on top of an asteroid-mining ship manned by humans. Armed with superior technology, the warrior race quickly overwhelms the humans and commandeers their ship to ready it for the war that is coming. The alien warriors are arrogant and physically imposing, but no match for the stubborn, intelligent human women they try — and fail — to intimidate. Feral Sins, by Suzanne Wright: The Phoenix Pack series begins with Feral Sins. Wright builds a world populated by shifters with a zoo's worth of variety and a lot of relationship angst and politics (pack and human). Taryn, a 'latent' wolf shifter who can't shift, is kidnapped by Trey, the leader of a rival pack who is looking to leverage her father's connections. These books lean into the 'fated mate' trope with some triggering elements, but they're fun if you want quick and uncomplicated. The Mercury Pack series and The Olympus Pride series are in the same world. Hot and Badgered, by Shelly Laurenston: I love a good pun (mostly) and Laurenston's book titles deliver. Unsurprisingly, her books are a goofy kind of fun — like male lion shifters obsessed with getting good hair product (see The Mane Event in The Pride stories) — with slapstick violence, snarky dialogue and characters who want nothing more than a good party and a chance to kick butt. Hot and Badgered is the first in the Honey Badger Chronicles, featuring a gang of sisters who do things like raid the neighbours' bee hives for fun. A super-hot heat level and pure popcorn entertainment. Romance sub-genres of note Slow burn: An absolute will they-won't they situation. You see the chemistry developing for what seems like forever but the characters don't get together until quite late in the book, even close to the end. The reader absolutely knows it's coming, yet the best ones make you want to go back and read how it unfolds again. Enemies-to-lovers: They hate each other — until they don't. For some, it's a case of they doth protest too much. For others, it's genuine loathing. Eventually, the characters come to appreciate each other, proving that there is a thin line between love and hate (or hate and love). Bully romance: An extreme version of enemies-to-lovers. It is literally where the main character becomes involved in a relationship with the person who bullies them. Not tease or be a jerk, but is truly a horrible human. Ideally, the book gets into why the bully behaves the way he or she does and is redeemed. Grumpy-sunshine: Usually, the female character is the sunshine side of the equation and is the only person who can tolerate and/or light up the grumpy male lead. Dark romance: The characters are often morally grey, the themes dark and the situations horrifying. Some tropes include organized crime, stalking, kidnapping and violence or trauma — plot points that spur content or trigger warnings. Age-gap romance: The age gap between the characters often ranges between 10 and 20 years. While the central themes of love and desire are important, so are the challenges the characters face bucking societal norms.

Calgary Herald

9 hours ago

Calgary Herald

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Article content When a colleague talked to me recently about the growing popularity of 'smutty' romance, I was caught between a gasp and a laugh. Smutty? Is that what people are calling it? Um, OK. As a lifelong reader of a wide range of book genres, I was somewhat taken aback. I know some of my author friends would definitely bristle at the idea of their hot romance reads being described as smutty, like someone needs to grab a bar of soap and wash the pages down. Mind you, there are others who embrace such terms as a challenge and say, 'Yeah? What of it?!' A search of the term in connection to books turns up links to a plethora of Reddit threads, TikTok and BookTok stories, mainstream articles and blogs, even recommendations pages on Indigo and Amazon, among other sellers. Readers know what they want, and the digital world is ready to help them find it. Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, the heat level has noticeably gone up in many genres, not just romance. Sure, you could count on some very steamy stuff from historical writers such as Virginia Henley and Amanda Quick. Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts are undisputed masters at keeping the heat up in their thrillers. Now, however, a lot of authors are bringing the sex onto the page like never before. And it's not just the ones featuring a sexy knight in shining armour. Gone are the days when people almost defiantly admitted to reading 'mommy porn' a la Shades of Grey by E.L. James. It's not naughty anymore. It's just romance, bigger than ever, and the hotter the better. It is so popular, there are bookstores — online and bricks-and-mortar — devoted exclusively to romance, such as The Book Boudoir in Edmonton, Calgary's Slow Burn Books, and Pages of Passion and Leather and Lace, both in Saskatoon. Booknet Canada, a non-profit industry group, shows sales of romance books in Canada dipped slightly from 2017 to 2020 before increasing 11 per cent in 2021 and surging a breathtaking 54 per cent in 2022. Booknet also reported in a 2023 podcast that New Adult was the 'hidden growth' story of romance in 2022, which it describes as a bridge for readers between Young Adult and adult romance. New Adult typically centres around a passionate love story with characters between 18 and 25, give or take a few years, and lean toward dark and edgy. In 2021, New Adult sales were up 119 per cent over 2020, and those sales were up 120 per cent in 2022. Romance has spawned countless sub-genres, and authors and booksellers aren't shy about letting readers know exactly what to expect in promotional material and book cover blurbs. Sweet small-town romance? Check! Friends-to-lovers romance? Check! Reverse harem romantasy with a strong female lead and an HEA (that's Happily Ever After, for those who don't know) for everyone? Check! There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store ... Where once the more, shall we say, intimate moments between characters would be handled perfunctorily or off-page, now it's there on full, unabashed display in very explicit detail. There is something out there for everyone's kink, and it's not found at the back of a sleazy sex store — you can probably borrow it from your library. And there will be a waiting list. While the heat level is going up, the popularity of the romance genre is nothing new. Beyond the vast catchall that was fiction and literature, the next largest section in the bookstore was likely to be romance, once the purview of women who would browse like a chocoholic indulging in a guilty pleasure. (Yes, I'm talking about me.) For decades, the romance genre was treated with a virtual sniff of condescension, as if the writing and storytelling were not worthy of the same respect as the output of more 'serious' writers. I'm not knocking Margaret Atwood or Carol Shields. To me, escapism is escapism, whether the reader gets it from a clever wallflower who catches the eye of the rakish Duke at a ball or a dystopian society where the few fertile women are concubines. As someone who truly appreciates the written word, I love the sheer variety of what's available to read. Gone are the days when you'd go into the bookstore — yes, an actual, physical bookstore — and scan the thin section of shelves where fantasy and science fiction shared space. And we're talking high fantasy along the lines of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and David Eddings' Belgariad rubbing covers with Frank Herbert's Dune and Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. If you were lucky, you could get that rare kind of crossover like Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. Sure, some characters might hook up, but that was entirely tangential to the world-building or a higher kind of courtly love. As a tween and young teen, I adored science fiction and fantasy. I didn't get into romance until my late teens, mainly historical with some contemporary romance thrown in. Some of it could be formulaic — not necessarily a bad thing, if you're looking to give your mind a break from the more serious aspects of life. Now, I can read my favourite genres all in one book, like maybe about shapeshifting aliens in a dystopian Earth of the near future. As a consenting adult, for me, that includes on-page intimacy. My theory about what has flung the bedroom door wide open is the explosion of self-publishing. It used to be only the desperate who resorted to self-publishing, those poor souls who couldn't earn the validation of a traditional publisher. And before a writer even reached a publisher, they had to attract an agent who was willing to work with them (it was not uncommon for bigger publishers to refuse to work with unrepresented authors). The entire process from submission of a manuscript to a title on the bookstore shelf took years. Naturally, that made publishers extremely choosy about the authors and subject matter they were willing to invest in. Enter: digital publishing. An author could publish their own work, and do a fast turnaround for impatient readers hungry for their next book. As the person footing the bill for editing, proofing, cover art, advertising and everything else, they could also write whatever they wanted, so long as there were readers willing to buy what they were selling. And many readers, it turns out, like some — or a lot of — on-page sizzle. As a rising tide lifts all boats, the rising heat levels in books that hit the bestsellers lists encourage other writers to do the same, be it romance or any other genre. This is further fuelled by the variety of affordable ways readers can consume stories. Beyond traditional print books — paperbacks, trade paperbacks and hardcovers — there are simply more options out there for readers. Download a digital copy and read it on your computer, phone, tablet or e-reader. Want your hands free to garden, exercise or, you know, play solitaire on your phone? There are audiobooks, which range from single and duet narration to full-cast narration complete with sound effects. You can subscribe to a service, buy outright or borrow from your library's digital catalogue. So the heat is up and the availability is expanding. With all that said, here is my entirely subjective selection of steamy, spicy and downright scorching romance plucked from my library to add to your summer-read pile, physical or virtual. Some are new, some are old faves, all are a fun way to bask in the heat. Contemporary Truly, Madly, Deeply, by L.J. Shen: Book 1 in Shen's Forbidden Love series is grumpy-sunshine all the way, with Michelin-starred chef Ambrose struggling to run a restaurant in his hometown in the face of a staff revolt and public outrage over his plans to sell the heritage property. His sister's out-of-work best friend, Calla, lands on his doorstep and refuses to be scared off by his cruel attitude. It doesn't help that they're both trying to keep a massive secret from his sister. This one is as hot as Ro's kitchen. Idol, by Kristen Callihan: The author's VIP series follows the scattered members of Kill John, one of the world's biggest rock bands, after a bandmate suffers a near-fatal drug overdose and they all respond in different ways. The series begins with drunken lead singer Killian crashing his motorcycle on the lawn of reclusive Libby. Her parents were part of the Nashville scene, and she has no desire to step into the limelight with Killian when he's ready to return to his world. Callihan has a deft touch with the heartbreak that happens when lifelong friends suffer tragedy and guilt, and the hope that comes with new love. Anger Bang, by Avery Flynn: Downside of Dating is the newest series by the author of The Hartigans books and The Ice Knights hockey romance series. There are two books so far, and Flynn has fun with the subject matter. Anger Bang forces shy paleontologist Thea to help her bridezilla sister plan her wedding on a reality TV show. With emotions running high, a sisterly spat goes nuclear when Thea retaliates by sleeping with the person her sister hates the most — the best man. As the puckish title implies, the book offers plenty of laughs with the romance. Dirty Billionaire, by Meghan March: The trilogy is named for the first book in the series, with protagonist Creighton bragging that he's a big ego with an even bigger bank account and that's all women care about and he could care less. Until, that is, he has an unforgettable one-night stand with a woman who refuses to give him her number or her real name. What's a guy with endless pockets to do? Put a bounty out on her, offering a reward to anyone who can identify her for him. Holly has her reasons for wanting privacy and is less than thrilled when he drags her into the spotlight. Books 1 and 2 end on cliffhangers. This is a great introduction to March's work, which includes more trilogies and duologies with characters in the same rarefied world. Royally Screwed, by Emma Chase: OK, so no subtlety in the title of the first book in six of the Royally Series, though it is meant to be tongue in cheek. Nicholas is the Crown Prince of the tiny, fictional nation of Wessco, who is known in the tabloids as His Royal Hotness. Olivia is a waitress at a Manhattan diner who gets swept off her feet one snowy night and, ahem, out of her knickers. The paparazzi love it. The Queen is not amused. Olivia isn't sure she can handle everything that comes with dating a prince. Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas: Ryen and Misha meet in Grade 5 when their teachers match them as pen pals. When the assignment ends, they keep writing, telling each other things they never tell anyone else. They are best friends — on paper. But neither is who they seem, and they both have secrets. High school is almost over when Misha, without telling Ryen, decides it's time to meet in person. But the real Ryen is not his Ryen. Or so he thinks. A lot of angst in this one, folks, and a different perspective on mean girls. Dirty English, by Ilsa Madden-Mills: The British Bad Boys duology is a scorching introduction to Madden-Mills' writing style, starting with Dirty English, set on an American college campus. Elizabeth is a young woman with trust issues earned from hard experience. Declan is a tattooed hulk of a man she should be afraid of, but he's also the guy who saves her from a frat party gone wrong. He's got his own scars, inside and out, but is more than he seems. Burnout, by Rebecca Jenshak: The Holland Brothers series features a group of brothers — by blood and otherwise — who essentially raised themselves. The series starts with Knox, a former pro motocross racer with anger issues, and Avery, an ambitious college gymnast and Olympic athlete. Against her better judgment, he convinces her to work with him on tricks so he can get a team. These books showcase love, heartbreak, the importance of family and how even the strongest people need to accept help when it's offered. Twisted Love, by Ana Huang: The first book in the Twisted series features Alex Volkov, a ruthless man driven to see his plot for vengeance to its end, and Ava Chen, his best friend's sister, who is haunted by dreams of a past her waking self can't remember. This one has forbidden romance, organized crime, betrayal, violence and extremely hot scenes. The series title says it all — like a lot of Huang's books, this is a twisted dark romance that is twisty in all the best can't-put-it-down ways. The Graham Effect, by Elle Kennedy: Campus Diaries is just one of the new adult series Kennedy has under her belt, a follow-up to Briar U. There are three books in the series so far, starting with Gigi Graham and Luke Ryder. Gigi, the daughter of a Hall of Fame hockey player, is a college athlete who wants to win gold at the Olympics and turn pro. Ryder is the new co-captain of her school's men's team, courtesy of the merging of players from rival programs following a scandal. He's also the person she needs to help her improve her game. Think Hatfields and McCoys. Sparks fly, and so do clothes. Sports Her Greatest Mistake, by Hannah Cowan: This author from small-town Canada admits on her website that she's a lover of hockey and alien smut. (See — there's that word!) Cowan's Greatest Love series features the adult children of the characters in her Swift Hat-Trick Trilogy, starting in Her Greatest Mistake with Maddox, golden boy of the NHL's fictional Vancouver Warriors, and his childhood sweetheart, Braxton. Successive books feature, among others, a social media influencer, an art history professor, a female boxer and a budding rock star. You've got second-chance romance, age-gap romance and friends-to-lovers, just to start. Deep End, by Ali Hazelwood: Hazelwood made her name with romance focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) characters. I tried to hold out but when I caved and read The Love Hypothesis, I loved it. Then I read everything else she wrote. I got sucked in by the brainiac women who were, after all, just women who had gal pals, family drama, school drama, research drama and everything else, drawn to intelligent, gorgeous guys. OK, and I liked the science. Deep End has the science, with the two main characters vying to work on the same research project for a beloved mentor, with the additional challenge of being Olympic-level athletes on the swim team. Overachievers R Us. Brains and brawn and steamy encounters. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, by Mariana Zapata: I'll admit it, the title is what drew me to this book. I was born in Winnipeg; I had to read it. Turns out the male lead, Aiden, is a linebacker from Winnipeg who is so desperate to keep playing football in a fictional pro league in Texas, he'll marry his assistant to get a green card. Aiden is broody, rude and completely focused on his career. Vanessa has just been waiting for an excuse to quit her high-paying job with him and focus on her own business as a freelance graphic designer. There's a reason Zapata has a reputation for being one of the best at the slow-burn romance. This book introduced me to her writing, and now she's a must-buy author for me. Her earlier books, including The Wall of Winnipeg, have been rereleased with additional epilogues and new covers. While the majority of them are sports-related, her newer ones include a superhero romance and a paranormal shifter romance. Note: it always makes me laugh when the two Canadians in The Wall of Winnipeg use 'eh' at the beginning of a sentence instead of the end. Know what I mean, eh? Challenge, by Amy Daws: The other kind of football — soccer. Readers are introduced to The Harris Brothers series set in London, England, with the story of Camden Harris and Dr. Indie Porter. The patriarch of the Harris family left his pro career when his wife was dying, leaving four Harris brothers and one Harris sister half-orphaned and emotionally abandoned by their grieving dad. The one thing that holds them all together is soccer. Aside from their skill on the pitch, the Harris brothers are known for the tabloid headlines they regularly inspire. Cam is a star striker looking to move up to the next league when he suffers a potentially career-ending injury. Indie is his surgeon, and the woman assigned to personally oversee his recovery. You like angst? These books have it in spades. They are also super hot and hilarious, a perfect balance for the tearjerker moments. As an added bonus, the romantic couple in a spinoff book, Blindsided, bond over their love of watching the 'heartwarming Canadian drama' Heartland. Mile High, by Liz Tomforde: The first book in the Windy City series focuses on a romance between Zanders, the most-hated hockey player on the Chicago team, and Stevie, an attendant on the team's plane. Stevie is no stranger to athletes and their egos, since her brother is a star NBA player. Zanders has a bad reputation with the ladies, but Stevie knows her worth and won't settle. The series covers a variety of sports. If You Hate Me, by Helena Hunting: This Toronto-area author offers the perfect blend of romance, sizzle, humour and hockey involving the players of the Toronto Terror, starting with If You Hate Me. Some of the characters from her other equally steamy hockey series, Pucked, make cameos. Trix rage-quits her job, abandons the apartment she shares with nightmarish roommates and is forced to move in with her older brother and his best friend, Tristan. Of course, the best friend is the broody, gorgeous guy she used to have a crush on when she was a teen. Both pro athletes are players in more ways than one and don't let her presence in the small condo's loft cramp their style. Trix has no time for Tristan's attitude, and he is determined to respect the bro code and keep his buddy's little sister at a distance. Good luck with that. I will just say that I laughed until I cried at some of the scenes in this book. Rookie Move, by Sarina Bowen: The Brooklyn Bruisers series starts six years after Leo's heart was broken and he's focusing on his NHL career after getting called up to play in the newly franchised team of the same name. Problem 1: his new coach despises him. Problem 2: the publicist he has to work with is Georgia, the ex who broke his heart. Once the press gets hold of their romantic history, they have to leap into damage-control mode. Bowen's writing tugs at the heartstrings and you can't help but root for everyone involved. The Boyfriend Goal, by Lauren Blakely: The inaugural book in Blakely's Love and Hockey series features shy, rule-following librarian Josie and Wes, her hockey player brother's off-limits teammate. Josie doesn't do flings and Wes doesn't do serious, so they agree to be just friends. When Josie decides it's time to get out of her comfort zone, Wes is the natural choice. Blakely is a prolific writer with a massive backlist that covers a diverse range of romance tropes guaranteed to keep readers who enjoy her easy style entertained for a long while. Kiss and Don't Tell, by Meghan Quinn: Start The Vancouver Agitators series with this book. Meghan Quinn writes a wide variety of romance, including sports romance, college romance, small-town romance and standalones. In all of them, her writing is hilarious. I mean laugh-out-loud hilarious. This series involving players from the fictional Vancouver team — sorry, Canucks fans — covers a variety of tropes, including brother's best friend, age-gap romance and grumpy-sunshine. The humour is only exceeded by the hot scenes. Playing for Keeps, by Kendall Ryan: The nine-book Hot Jocks series features the players of the fictional Seattle Ice Hawks, and begins with jaded player Justin, and Elise, the sister of his teammate, friend and roommate. What she thinks is a one-night stand he doesn't remember is the start of his determination to win her over and claim her for his own, no matter the cost. The books in this series are fun, fast-paced reads with lots of sexy banter and a high heat level. A Deadly Education, by Naomi Novik: An awesome start to The Scholomance trilogy, which is excellent from start to finish. It is not hugely explicit, but it does explore a variety of relationships. I love Novik's writing in any form — if dragons are your thing, you must read her Temeraire series, an alternate history set during the Napoleonic wars where frigate-sized dragons are the air support — so didn't hesitate to read this romantasy. The best way to describe it is if you go to Hogwarts to learn magic and do your best to make it to graduation while the school tries to kill you. The Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole: Cole is known for her Immortals After Dark romance series, which features shapeshifters, vampires, witches, Valkyries and a whole slew of other paranormals duking it out in a Highlander-style game for ultimate power. The Arcana Chronicles — of which The Poison Princess is the opening book — fits in the new adult genre, where the characters range in age from their late teens to early 20s. It could also be considered dark romantasy or even apocalyptic fantasy. The characters initially live in the world as we know it, before everything goes sideways. It turns out they are the living incarnations of the major arcana in Tarot, including the Huntress, the Fool, Death and the Lovers, all with unique and very scary powers. As regular as clockwork, the Arcana are born on Earth to battle each other to determine which of them will set the tone for the next era (i.e. Death would be bad). In The Poison Princess, Evie is torn from her privileged life and forced to team up with Jack, a classmate from a much harsher background, as they struggle to tame their growing powers and prepare to face the other Arcana. Gild, by Raven Kennedy: The first book in The Plated Prisoner series, an innovative reimagining of the Greek myth of Midas, the greedy king of the ill-advised wish to turn everything he touches into gold. In this case, Midas is a king, but the main female character is not his daughter. It is set in a world where the fae are gone but their magic remains. It is limited to the ruling class, with the kings and queens the most powerful magic-users of all. This dark romantasy is delightfully twisty, with some surprises you see coming and others that you don't. Explicit in the extreme, this series is not for the faint of heart. Fire in His Blood, by Ruby Dixon: This postapocalyptic series is written in the same universe as the author's highly popular Ice Planet Barbarians series. (No, I'm not kidding; there are dozens of books in the main sci-fi romance series and more in its spinoffs.) This first book is set in Dallas, Texas, 10 years after a rift in the sky opened up and fire-breathing dragons as big as buses descended on the human world. Impervious to most human weaponry, the dragons destroy almost everything and decimate the populace. The survivors hole up in makeshift forts and endure ongoing attacks, with women on the lowest rung of society. Turns out the dragons are telepathic alien shifters and something about Earth maddens them when in their dragon form. They can resume their humanoid form only when they meet their fated mate. The women in these books range from strong-willed to victims, but stand up when it counts. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros: The first book in The Empyrean series, which is set to have five books. If you're into romantasy and dragons and haven't read this, where have you been? Published in 2023, this book has topped all the bestseller lists and has been a social media sensation. Daughter of an ambitious general, all 20-year-old Violet wants to do is lead the quiet life of a scribe. That dream is lost when her mother forces her to enter the war college that is a violent crucible to train the country's elite dragon riders. If the other students don't kill her for who she is, she is certain a dragon will. Features a strong-willed young woman, impressive dragon allies, the politics of war and intriguing frenemies. Gods and Monsters The Stalking Dead, by Eva Chase: Toronto author Chase — who also writes contemporary romance as Eva Chance — does some fun world-building with the books in her series, Gang of Ghouls. When Lily was a child, she did something so horrible that she was locked up in a mental ward. Not that she remembers what that something was. Four 'imaginary' friends kept her company until her release. All grown up, Lily returns to town intent on leaving her past behind her. As it turns out, her imaginary friends are the ghosts of four hunky gangsters who figure out how to rise from the dead to protect the woman they are obsessed with. First Grave on the Right, by Darynda Jones: Part-time P.I. Charley can see the dead. And they talk to her. Nag, really. All part and parcel of being a Grim Reaper. Over the course of the Charley Davidson series' story arc, Charley learns who she really is, what she can do and what she is fated to do. For all the silly comedy this book offers, it is a needed escape from the horrifying details involving some of the characters. Bonus point: Each book of the 13 total has the series number in the title, so you are never left wondering which one to read next. Huzzah! Broken Bonds, by J. Bree: The opening book of the six-volume Bonds That Tie series introduces a fascinating world where people have gifts that range from the benign, such as healing or lifting heavy things, to the terrifying, such as wielding fire or summoning monsters from another realm. These people form lifelong, intimate bonds with the group of other gifted who most complement their own. Unfortunately, a growing number of humans fear them and, no surprise, want to exterminate them. Broken Bonds picks up five years after newly orphaned Oleander ran away from the powerful men she was fated to bond with. Oli must learn to control her deadly gift and repair the bonds with the men who thought she abandoned them to suffer on a whim. Warning: Each book ends on a cliffhanger until the final book, Unbroken Bonds. Blood of Hercules, by Jasmine Mas: I'm a total sucker for a pretty cover, and this one made me read the cover blurb, then buy the first book of the Villains of Lore series. Plausible world-building is crucial when it comes to fantasy of any kind. It doesn't matter if it can happen in our world; as long as I believe it can happen in the world the author has built and the characters are engaging, I'm sold. Hats off to Mas. She has created a world where technology, magic and pure fantasy co-exist seamlessly. Mas has an engaging way of making her lead female character funny, strong and vulnerable without being whiny. In Blood of Hercules, Alexis's life is transformed when she is plucked from poverty and forced into an elite training school for demigods under the watchful eyes of four harsh, handsome taskmasters. Only the first book of her reimagining of the legend of Hercules — not-a-spoiler: Hercules is a girl — is out, with Book 2 available for pre-order. As soon as I put down Blood of Hercules, I preordered Bonds of Hercules and immediately started reading the first book in Mas' Cruel Shifterverse series, Psycho Shifters. Burn For Me, by Ilona Andrews: In this first of the Hidden Legacy series, the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona Andrews (known for their urban fantasy Kate Daniels series) introduce an alternate Houston, Texas, where the most powerful families wield magic with ruthless cunning. Private detective Nevada Baylor is forced to ally with billionaire Connor 'Mad' Rogan, a one-man killing machine, to protect her small family's secrets. For fans of urban fantasy, the world-building is captivating, the plot action-packed and Nevada and Connor's romance as hot as the title. Dark Planet Warriors, by Anna Carven: The title of the first book is used for the name of the series. A damaged battle cruiser full of silver-skinned aliens is dragged into a wormhole and dropped virtually on top of an asteroid-mining ship manned by humans. Armed with superior technology, the warrior race quickly overwhelms the humans and commandeers their ship to ready it for the war that is coming. The alien warriors are arrogant and physically imposing, but no match for the stubborn, intelligent human women they try — and fail — to intimidate. Feral Sins, by Suzanne Wright: The Phoenix Pack series begins with Feral Sins. Wright builds a world populated by shifters with a zoo's worth of variety and a lot of relationship angst and politics (pack and human). Taryn, a 'latent' wolf shifter who can't shift, is kidnapped by Trey, the leader of a rival pack who is looking to leverage her father's connections. These books lean into the 'fated mate' trope with some triggering elements, but they're fun if you want quick and uncomplicated. The Mercury Pack series and The Olympus Pride series are in the same world. Hot and Badgered, by Shelly Laurenston: I love a good pun (mostly) and Laurenston's book titles deliver. Unsurprisingly, her books are a goofy kind of fun — like male lion shifters obsessed with getting good hair product (see The Mane Event in The Pride stories) — with slapstick violence, snarky dialogue and characters who want nothing more than a good party and a chance to kick butt. Hot and Badgered is the first in the Honey Badger Chronicles, featuring a gang of sisters who do things like raid the neighbours' bee hives for fun. A super-hot heat level and pure popcorn entertainment. Romance sub-genres of note Slow burn: An absolute will they-won't they situation. You see the chemistry developing for what seems like forever but the characters don't get together until quite late in the book, even close to the end. The reader absolutely knows it's coming, yet the best ones make you want to go back and read how it unfolds again. Enemies-to-lovers: They hate each other — until they don't. For some, it's a case of they doth protest too much. For others, it's genuine loathing. Eventually, the characters come to appreciate each other, proving that there is a thin line between love and hate (or hate and love). Bully romance: An extreme version of enemies-to-lovers. It is literally where the main character becomes involved in a relationship with the person who bullies them. Not tease or be a jerk, but is truly a horrible human. Ideally, the book gets into why the bully behaves the way he or she does and is redeemed. Grumpy-sunshine: Usually, the female character is the sunshine side of the equation and is the only person who can tolerate and/or light up the grumpy male lead. Dark romance: The characters are often morally grey, the themes dark and the situations horrifying. Some tropes include organized crime, stalking, kidnapping and violence or trauma — plot points that spur content or trigger warnings. Age-gap romance: The age gap between the characters often ranges between 10 and 20 years. While the central themes of love and desire are important, so are the challenges the characters face bucking societal norms.

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Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Best Amazon Prime toy deals: LEGO, Melissa & Doug, Nerf and more!

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Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

Romantasy is hotter than ever: 30-plus steamy reads to spice up your life this summer

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