There is a new trend taking Booktok by storm. The hashtag medium spicy. What does this mean? Let’s take a look.
Romance novels range from clean to ghost pepper spicy, but what does that mean? Clean romance readers usually are looking for a story that focuses on just the relationship. NO sex on the page, NO cursing, NO premarital sex.
The other end of the spectrum is SPICY. There really is no limit as to what goes in the far end of this spectrum.
So, what is medium spicy then? From what I can tell, medium spicy is focused on the relationship, maybe some cursing, closed door or very short sexy scenes.
Check out www.tiktok.com/@author_kathrynbiel who has a video explaining her take on #mediumspice.
How do readers find this niche of books when it seems like Facebook, TikTok, Goodreads etc. are FLOODED with super spicy books?
You can follow the trending #mediumspicy on TikTok.
Or you can check out sites like Blush Free Books.
The creator of Blush Free Books, Pauline Baird Jones, wanted a space for readers to find authors who write steamier than clean, but closes the door on the sexy stuff.
See what Pauline Says about Blush Free Books:
“I’d like to introduce you to Blush Free Books, a website and newsletter dedicated to building a community of readers who love exciting, action-filled, and well-written books that are hotter than the clean and sweet, but close the door on the steamy scenes.
There are communities aplenty for steamy and inspirational books, but there is an underserved group in the middle: readers who crave well-written books with all the action, suspense, excitement, and romance without the graphic sex. These stories have the edge-of-your-seat action with a hint of spicy language and some of the sexual tension not found in the cleaner-sweeter stories.
There is no cost to readers or authors, just a willingness to share their favorite blush-free reads and the authors who write them. I will be sharing reader recommendations on Blush Free Book’s social media and in the newsletter.
Please hop over to the site and sign up for the newsletter (and get a free story!) and check out the blush free reads. And don’t forget to recommend your favorite books and authors!
(If you’re an author, check out the media kit: https://blushfreebooks.com/blush-free-books-media-kit/)
Whether you read sweet-clean romance, medium spicy, or ghost pepper hot, there is a place for you in the book community. You just need to find your people and your authors. There is so much joy in sharing the love of books with friends.
A Novel Choice LLC 
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