Find romance books by steam/smut/spice/heat level: Open door

Written by Silke, updated 20 Jan 2023

On this page you can find immensely popular romance reads sorted by the varying degrees of explicit content. From chaste glances only, or strictly behind-closed-doors action to books with some explicit scenes or all out smut fests, we have compiled the best books from a variety of romance genres that just might match your current mood for spice.

Highly rated by our users, and vetted by me, I hope you'll find some great book recommendations based on your steam preferences.

Jump to contemporary romance
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Contemporary romance books

glimpses and kisses

behind closed doors

open door

explicit open door

explicit and plentiful

The couple engages in sexual activity in these contemporary books, but strictly off page. No details are mentioned. The complete list of behind closed doors contemporary books can be found here.

  • The Simple Wild - K.A. Tucker

    Calla Fletcher wasn't even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. But when Calla learns that Wren’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born. more

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  • Where One Goes - B.N. Toler

    I was never one to believe in spirits—until six years ago, when a bone-chilling accident changed my life…forever. My name is Charlotte, but most people call me Char…and I have a special gift. I talk to the dead... more

  • Slow Burn - Brenda Jackson

    ONCE YOU FIND Everything in attorney Skye Barclay’s life is fitting smoothly into place until she makes the startling discovery that she was adopted. Not only does she learn that her birth mother has died, but now Skye finds out that she has a biological brother: Vincent. Skye wants to track him down, and her parents support her. But her fiancé, Wayne, refuses to accept her decision…and abruptly ends their engagement. more

  • Love and Other Words - Christina Lauren

    Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away. But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve... more

  • Paper Princess - Erin Watt

    Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.  Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. more

  • Arrogant Devil - R.S. Grey

    Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot. more

  • Motion - Penny Reid

    Mona is a smart girl and figured everything out a long time ago. She had to. She didn’t have a choice. When your parents are uber-celebrities and you graduate from high school at fifteen, finish college at eighteen, and start your PhD program at nineteen, you don’t have time for distractions outside of your foci. Even fun is scheduled. Which is why Abram, her brother’s best friend, is such an irritant. more

  • Knight in Shining Suit - Jerilee Kaye

    Astrid has planned out her perfect wedding. That is before she found out that her fiancé, Bryan, is cheating on her with her cousing-slash-best-friend-slash-maid-of-honor, Geena. And worse, Bryan got Geena pregnant. Just when Astrid thought it couldn’t get any worse, she received a wedding invitation telling her that her wedding will happen exactly the way she planned it. Except that she is no longer going to be the bride! more

  • All behind closed doors contemporary romance books ❯

There is some intimate activity with the reader present, but the amount of scenes is fairly limited. The complete list of open door contemporary books can be found here.

  • Managed - Kristen Callihan

    It started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big...ego. I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London. That is until HE sat next to me. more

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  • Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez

    After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable. more

  • The Risk - S.T. Abby

    I didn't expect him. I didn't want to fall in love. But I can't let him go. Logan Bennett makes the world a safer place. He's brilliant. He's a hero. He locks away the sick and depraved. But while he's saving lives, I'm taking them. Collecting the debts that are owed to me. more

  • Sweet Dreams - Kristen Ashley

    Lauren Grahame is looking to reinvent herself. After leaving her cheating husband, Lauren moves to Carnal, Colorado, and gets a job as a waitress in a biker bar called Bubba's. It's a nothing job in a nowhere joint . . . until Tatum Jackson walks in. more

  • Kulti - Mariana Zapata

    When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to. It didn’t take a week for twenty-seven-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she’d seen in the international soccer icon—why she’d ever had his posters on her wall, or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies. more

  • The Hating Game - Sally Thorne

    Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual. more

  • Melt for You - J.T. Geissinger

    Socially awkward Joellen Bixby has a date every Saturday—with her cat, a pint of ice cream, and fantasies of the way-too-handsome Michael Maddox. She’d give anything to win over the unattainable CEO of her firm, but how can she when she blends in so well with her cubicle? The answer may be closer than she thinks. more

  • Paradise - Judith McNaught

    Meredith Bancroft, a serenley beautiful blonde, and Matthew Farrell, an intense, magnetic tycoon, are both haunted by their once-in-a-lifetime love...betrayed in a conflict of heartache and pain. When the Bancroft family empire is threatened by a hostile takeover attempt, Meredith is forced to turn to Matt. As tensions build between them, leaving them both uncertain, restless...and falling in love again... more

  • All open door contemporary romance books ❯

Contemporary books with a fair amount of steam, without neglecting the overall story. Usually, these contemporary romance books feature at least two intimate scenes with explicit language and a variety of sexual acts. The complete list of explicit open door contemporary books can be found here.

  • Him - Sarina Bowen,Elle Kennedy

    Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died. more

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  • Against A Wall - Cate C. Wells

    My high school bully is now my fake boyfriend. Cash Wall has been messing with me since junior high. Nuisance stuff, mostly. Name calling. Pranks. Honestly, he's nowhere near the worst of my problems. Back in school, I had bigger fish to fry, and now, I've got a "scarlet letter" situation going on. The whole town hates me. more

  • Preppy - T.M. Frazier

    Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck. He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves. more

  • It Happened One Summer - Tessa Bailey

    Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington. more

  • Darling Venom - Parker S. Huntington

    I wasn’t supposed to be on that roof on Valentine’s Day. Neither was Kellan Marchetti, the school’s designated freak. We met on the verge of ending our lives. Somehow, the tattered strings of our tragedies tangled and tightened into an unlikely bond. more

  • Ruthless Empire - Rina Kent

    There’s a girl. Beautiful. Popular. Fake. And my obsession. Probably my damnation. Did that stop me? Do I care? No and no. more

  • You & Me - Tal Bauer

    We're a puzzle made of two pieces. Landon Larsen is the envy of all the dads in Last Waters, Texas. He's cool, confident, and put together. He and his son—the high school's all-star quarterback—have the perfect father-son relationship. He’s such a Super Dad, it's almost sickening. more

  • Long Shot - Kennedy Ryan

    Think you know what it's like being a baller's girl? You don't. My fairy tale is upside down. A happily never after. I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud. I was a fool, and his love - fool's gold. Now there's a new player in the game, August West... more

  • All explicit open door contemporary romance books ❯

Contemporary romance books that have several explicit scenes, depicting a variety of adventurous acts, dotted throughout the book. The complete list of explicit and plentiful contemporary books can be found here.

  • Church - K.G. Reuss

    The last time I spoke was eight years ago when my best friend tried to kill me. I never dreamed my silence would break with a scream... Being sent to Chapel Crest after my new stepfather deemed me a heathen seemed like a blessing compared to staying with him and my mom. I envisioned the religious academy would become my sanctuary. I was wrong... more

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  • Make Me, Sir - Cherise Sinclair

    Across the country, rebellious BDSM submissives are being systematically kidnapped, one from each club. When her friend falls prey to the slavers, FBI victim specialist Gabrielle volunteers to be bait in a club not yet hit: the Shadowlands. more

  • Twist Me - Anna Zaires

    Kidnapped. Taken to a private island... I never thought this could happen to me. I never imagined one chance meeting on the eve of my eighteenth birthday could change my life so completely. Now I belong to him. To Julian... more

  • 7th Circle - Tate James

    Five years ago, I masterminded the infamous massacre of the Tri-state Timberwolves. The streets outside the Wolves HQ ran red with the blood of the old guard, and not one of those members loyal to my father were spared mercy. Not a single one. more

  • Last on the List - Amy Daws

    Max Fletcher is Boulder’s infamous rich bachelor and…single father. Ladies, this is your hot single dad bat signal. Don’t worry, my plus-sized rump won’t be jumping in his line. Because this guy represents everything I hate—greed, power, status, sexy hair that always looks perfectly tousled. more

  • Brutal Vows - J.T. Geissinger

    If this arrogant Irish mobster my brother sold my niece to thinks I’m going to play nice over this arranged marriage BS, he should think again. I don’t care if this match with the Mob will make my brother capo of the Five Families. I don’t care how much money, territory, or power it will gain us. I especially don’t care that the Irishman is the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. more

  • Heated Rivalry - Rachel Reid

    Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night. more

  • Bright Like Midnight - Julia Wolf

    I swore to myself my second year at Savage U would be different from the last. No more hiding from things that go bump in the night. I’m dating now. Making friends. Living my life. But then someone starts leaving me notes and whispering my name in the dark, scaring me right back into my shell. more

  • All explicit and plentiful contemporary romance books ❯

Historical romance books

glimpses and kisses

behind closed doors

open door

explicit open door

explicit and plentiful

The couple engages in sexual activity in these historical books, but strictly off page. No details are mentioned. The complete list of behind closed doors historical books can be found here.

  • The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

    France, 1939. In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. more

  • Storm and Silence - Robert Thier

    Freedom – that is what Lilly Linton wants most in life. Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much! But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty. Lilly is at her wits’ end – until a chance encounter with a dark, dangerous and powerful stranger changes her life forever... more

  • Where the Lost Wander - Amy Harmon

    The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both. more

  • Honor's Splendour - Julie Garwood

    In the feuding English court, gentle Lady Madelyne suffered the cruel whims of her ruthless brother, Baron Louddon. Then, in vengeance for a bitter crime, Baron Duncan of Wexton—the Wolf—unleashed his warriors against Louddon's main. more

  • Jake - Leigh Greenwood

    The freedom of the range, the bawling of the longhorns, the lonesome night watch beneath a vast, starry sky--they got into a man's blood until he knew there was nothing better than the life of a cowboy...except the love of a good woman. more

  • Like Flames in the Night - Connilyn Cossette

    Strong-willed Tirzah wants to join her people in driving the enemy from the land of Israel and undergoes training for a secret mission inside the stronghold of Shechem. But soon after she has infiltrated the ruthless Aramean commander's kitchen, she makes a reckless decision that puts her and her allies in grave danger. more

  • Romancing Daphne - Sarah M. Eden

    As her first London Season looms before her, the thought of the impending social whirl fills Daphne Lancaster's timid heart with dread. She hasn't her sisters beauty nor their talent for conversing easily. Even her family's enviable connections may not be enough to prevent disaster. more

  • The Lion and the Rose - Kate Quinn

    As the cherished concubine of the Borgia Pope Alexander VI, Giulia Farnese has Rome at her feet. But after narrowly escaping a sinister captor, she realizes that the danger she faces is far from over—and now, it threatens from within. The Holy City of Rome is still under Alexander’s thrall, but enemies of the Borgias are starting to circle. In need of trusted allies, Giulia turns to her sharp-tongued bodyguard, Leonello, and her fiery cook and confidante, Carmelina. more

  • All behind closed doors historical romance books ❯

There is some intimate activity with the reader present, but the amount of sexual scenes is fairly limited. The complete list of open door historical books can be found here.

  • Jewel - Beverly Jenkins

    A proposal she had no choice but to accept . . . Though Eli Grayson is one of the most handsome, charming, and intelligent men in Grayson Grove, no one will take a chance on a confirmed bachelor. Unwilling to give up his dreams, Eli convinces his friend Jewel to pose as his wife. Their masquerade is to last just one night . . . but when word gets out, Eli and Jewel must tie the knot to save his career—and her reputation. more

  • Cold - Hearted Rake

    Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities . . . and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house . . . along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own. more

  • The Duchess Deal - Tessa Dare

    Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do. more

  • Subtle Blood - K.J. Charles

    Will Darling is all right. His business is doing well, and so is his illicit relationship with Kim Secretan--disgraced aristocrat, ex-spy, amateur book-dealer. It’s starting to feel like he’s got his life under control. more

  • Ravished - Amanda Quick

    From the cozy confines of a tiny seaside village to the glittering crush of the a fashionable London soiree comes an enthralling tale of a thoroughly mismatched couple . . . poised to discover the rapture of love. more

  • Slightly Dangerous - Mary Balogh

    All of London is abuzz over the imminent arrival of Wulfric Bedwyn, the reclusive, cold-as-ice Duke of Bewcastle, at the most glittering social event of the season. Some whisper of a tragic love affair. Others say he is so aloof and passionless that not even the greatest beauty could capture his attention. more

  • The Suffragette Scandal - Courtney Milan

    Miss Frederica "Free" Marshall has put her heart and soul into her newspaper, known for its outspoken support of women's rights. Naturally, her enemies are intent on destroying her business and silencing her for good. Free refuses to be at the end of her rope...but she needs more rope, and she needs it now. more

  • One Night of Passion - Erica Ridley

    Lifelong romantic Thaddeus Middleton is on the hunt for a wife. He hopes to find a woman more attracted to him than to money. Instead, he finds himself drawn to a spitfire who isn’t interested in him at all! At least, that’s what she says when she’s not kissing him beneath the stars... more

  • All open door historical romance books ❯

Historical romance with a fair amount of steam, without neglecting the overall story. Usually, these books feature at least two intimate scenes with explicit language and a variety of sexual acts. The complete list of explicit open door historical books can be found here.

  • A Caribbean Heiress in Paris - Adriana Herrera

    Paris, 1889. The Exposition Universelle is underway, drawing merchants from every corner of the globe. Luz Alana Heith-Benzan set sail from Santo Domingo armed with three hundred casks of rum, her two best friends and one simple rule: under no circumstances is she to fall in love... more

  • Heartbreaker: A Hell's Belles Novel - Sarah MacLean

    Raised among London's most notorious criminals, a twist of fate landed Adelaide Frampton in the bright ballrooms of Mayfair, where she masquerades as a quiet wallflower--so plain and unassuming that no one realizes she's the Matchbreaker...using her superior skills as a thief to help brides avoid the altar. more

  • Something Fabulous - Alexis Hall

    Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally. It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again. more

  • To Catch a Raven - Beverly Jenkins

    Lying and cheating may be sins to some people, but for Raven Moreaux, it is a way of life. She comes from a long line of grifters and couldn’t be prouder…Until she’s forced to help the government. more

  • Sutton's Seduction - Scarlett Scott

    Lady Emma Morgan is desperate. After her father’s gambling debts leave her family in penury, she settles upon the only solution to preserving her younger sister’s chance for future happiness. Already deemed unmarriageable from a scandal in her first season, Emma will sell herself to the highest bidder. more

  • The Making of a Gentleman - Kathleen Ayers

    Miss Olivia Nelson has never done anything reckless in her life. Determined to be the perfect young lady amongst a field of wild Barringtons, Olivia strives for politeness. Modesty. Restraint. But when Lady Phaedra Barrington declares her to be boring and goads her into venturing to Elysium, Olivia reluctantly agrees. more

  • Impeccable - Darcy Burke

    Society’s most exclusive invitation... Welcome to the Phoenix Club, where London’s most audacious, disreputable, and intriguing ladies and gentlemen find scandal, redemption, and second chances. more

  • Beautiful Things - Emily Rath

    At twenty-two, Rosalie Harrow is unmarried and near-destitute. She has only two choices: snag a wealthy gentleman, or take work as a governess. Neither option appeals to headstrong Rosalie, who sees both futures as a kind of cage. more

  • All explicit open door historical romance books ❯

Historical romance books that have several explicit scenes, depicting a variety of adventurous acts, dotted throughout the book. The complete list of explicit and plentiful historical books can be found here.

  • His Grace, The Duke - Emily Rath

    James Corbin, Viscount Finchley, has two goals. First, guarantee his brother gets married. That path is made smoother now that George is finally engaged. Nothing will stand between George and the altar…not even George. more

  • Phoebe - Minerva Spencer,S.M. LaViolette

    Lady Phoebe Bellamy will do anything to save her family estate—even marry the devil himself… The Bellamy family has only four months before they’ll lose the very roof over their heads. While Phoebe’s older sisters venture out into the world to earn the necessary funds, Phoebe herself—plain, levelheaded, and responsible—stays home to care for her younger siblings and parents. But then she meets Viscount Needham, a fabulously wealthy, brand new peer, and everything changes. more

  • The Duke's Pursuit - Golden Angel

    When Philippa first debuted in Society, her black hair and sapphire eyes earned her the nickname “Lady Twilight,” as well as the attention of Everett Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington. But when Everett’s parents objected to the match, the spurned Philippa married the Earl of Essex instead. more

  • Into the North - Amber Huxley

    When Marcus’s legion is decimated and he’s taken prisoner at the hands of the barbarians, he has one thought on his mind—escape. But the man who has claimed him, the warrior with the gray eyes that seem to bore into his soul, has no intention of letting him go. more

  • The Playboy Peer - Scarlett Scott

    Lady Isolde Collingwood’s future was happily secured until the man she intended to marry threw her over for another woman. Heartbroken and betrayed, she has every intention of running wild across London and setting polite society on its ear. But when she becomes embroiled in a scandal with a wicked earl, there’s only one way to solve her latest dilemma if she wants to protect her sisters: marriage. more

  • Her Beast - S.M. LaViolette

    Malcom Barton is what the man who murdered his wife made him—a beast. Scarred and broken in mind, body, and spirit, he lives his life in the shadows. Until he sees her... Julia Harlow is the only light and warmth to shine into his cold, dead heart for years. Wild, spirited, and free, she’s…everything. more

  • War King's Bounty - Lacey Thorn

    War King Jamie Drake takes what he wants, and the blonde-haired beauty is no exception. One look and he knew he wasn’t leaving her behind. From the moment he claimed her, his obsession grew until only her admission of who she belonged to would satisfy his soul. Him. more

  • Iron Giant - Cassie Mint

    When the gruff blacksmith rescues me from a thunderstorm, what does my father do? He shames the man. He publicly warns him to stay far, far away from me. I could die, especially since the blacksmith was a perfect gentleman. I’m the one who could barely keep her hands to herself; I’m the one still flushed and restless days later. more

  • All explicit and plentiful historical romance books ❯