Your Next Romance Audiobook by Spice Level
By Erin Murphy
We’ll say it: our spice scale is way sexier than the Scoville.
We’ve ranked some of our beloved romances by level of spice so you can pick the swoon-worthy story that best suits your mood. From nostalgic teenage love to completely NSFW, we’ve got you covered–whatever you pick is between you and your headphones.
Sweet
Love blooms in these picks that don’t go further than good ol’ fashioned making out.
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and wipes the board with Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess. Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and as she rockets up the ranks, Mallory quickly realizes that the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating).
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
Bradley is a star football player and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine, who he ditched years ago for popularity. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?
Mild
The action in these audiobooks is for the lovers to know about, and us to infer through their tension and chemistry.
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
After Annie Walker overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” she starts to think the problem might be her. Enter: Will Griffin, sexy, tattooed bodyguard who has found himself tasked with helping Annie find love by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. In Practice Makes Perfect, amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie reconsiders her real dream guy.
The Déjà Glitch by Holly James
Ever since Gemma’s ex-boyfriend used her to get a record deal from her rock legend dad, she’s made a “no musicians” rule that’s becoming more like a “no dating” rule. So, when Gemma crashes into Jack one morning, she feels like fate might be doing her a favor…and also a funny feeling of déjà vu when she looks at him. But the truth is they’ve lived this day over and over for months. And while Gemma has been totally oblivious, Jack has been working on a theory to bring his own personal Groundhog Day to an end. Before the day is over, he just has to get Gemma to fall in love with him.
Warm
The door is going to close and the screen is going to fade to black before our lovers get too hot-and-heavy. Cue your imagination.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser that has felt too true. Until she receives the call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek—the man she spent six summers with, falling into friendship and then more, who she never thought she’d have to live without. Every Summer After is a big, sweeping nostalgic story of love and the people and choices that mark us forever.
Best Men by Sidney Karger
Max Moody is trying to live his best life in New York City with his best friend Paige. But then Paige suddenly announces she’s engaged and wants Max to be her man of honor. But it turns out there are two new men in Paige’s life: there’s the groom, then there’s his brother, Chasten. As the wedding draws closer, Max and Chasten realize they’re like oil and water. But can the spark between these two very different guys transform their best man supporting roles into the leading best men in each other’s lives?
Hot
Are we intruding? Our lovers are getting it on, and we’re flustered while washing the dishes. No complaints.
Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Iris Kelly doesn’t want dating, love, or romance. Ironic, because Iris is a romance author on deadline for her second book. And she’s completely out of ideas. While ignoring her problems at a bar, Iris meets a sexy stranger and it turns into the worst one-night stand she’s had in her life. To get her mind off everything, Iris tries out for a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, but comes face-to-face with her hook-up, whose name is really Stevie. Desperate to save face, Stevie asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend. But when Iris realizes the arrangement might provide her with romantic content for her book, she agrees. As the two women play the part of a happy couple, they’re left wondering who will make the real first move.
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. They have absolutely nothing in common…except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman. Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. It’s better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur…
Spicy
Have a glass of milk and a pen handy, because these are ghost pepper hot and leave no detail to the imagination. You’ll want to take notes.
The Nanny by Lana Ferguson
Suddenly unemployed, Cassie Evans is left with two choices: get a new job or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. Just when all hope seems lost, a live-in nanny position appears. It’s almost too perfect—until she meets her would-be employer. Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all, but instead someone who is very familiar with her…or at least, her body. In The Nanny, will the truth come out when temperatures start to rise?
Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in “ghostwriter” until her latest author doesn’t even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar. But when they have an awkward hookup, she decides this night is better off forgotten. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show. Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand mishap. Chandler’s determined to keep their partnership professional, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn’t as mind-blowing as he thought it was, they strike a deal: when they’re not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, if business or pleasure is more important.