Need a spicy book to distract you? 5 worlds to take you away from all of this:
Where’s Calgon when you need it, am I right? (Chances are, very few will get that reference, but this is my lawn.)
Winter is not my favorite season, and here in Buffalo, March is a cruel tease. It gets beautiful—sunny, sixties, thawed—and then? Snow. Again and again and probably again. Every damn year, without fail, the daffodils will get their pretty little heads frosted.
There’s nothing to be done except get through it. Kind of like the current administration. (Although you can actually make your voice heard about that—I use the 5 Calls app.) And sure, you can complain about the weather, but come on. It’s Buffalo. We all know what we signed up for.
So, how do I cope? With a steady diet of sexy, escapist books. I’ve been setting sail with pirates, exploring a London sex club, flying to Alaska (again), riding cowboys (save the horses, ya know), and occasionally dipping into an old favorite by Barbara O’Neal.
If you, too, need to escape into another world (preferably one with better weather and hot men), here are five spicy books to take you far, far away from this frozen hellscape.
1. The Ever King by L.J. Andrews (Fantastic enemies-to-lovers. Still obsessed.)
If you ever wanted Throne of Glass but with more steam and Viking vibes, this one’s for you. The Ever King is a dark, magical fantasy romance featuring a tortured, vengeful king, a heroine who refuses to bend (even when kidnapped, which is honestly impressive), and enough tension to boil the ocean. Perfect for anyone who loves slow-burn spice, morally gray rulers, and enemies-to-lovers tension that will ruin your life in the best way.
2. Unfurl by Elodie Hart (For those who like their spice sizzling, their romance filthy, and their settings exclusive.)
If a London sex club run by a broody, dominant, secretive man sounds like your kind of escape, then welcome to the Alchemy London series (and a spin-off series called Seraphim). Unfurl is the first book (age gap, virgin heroine, priest kink). It’s scorching hot, full of deep emotional wounds, power plays, and, well, some very creative extracurriculars that will have you side-eyeing your Kindle in public. Think dark, kinky romance with complicated characters and serious heat. If you need a distraction from the cold, this book will set your Kindle on fire.
3. The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker (For those who secretly fantasize about running away to Alaska and falling for a rugged bush pilot.)
Okay, okay—not as spicy as the others, but sometimes you need a book that wraps around you like a cozy sweater… while still featuring a hot, bearded man who knows how to fly a damn plane. The Simple Wild is a slow-burn, opposites-attract romance between a city girl who is very much not built for Alaska and a grumpy bush pilot who has zero patience for her… until he does. If you love snarky banter, breathtaking wilderness, and a love story that sneaks up on you in the best way, this one’s worth the trip to the Last Frontier.
4. Cash by Jessica Peterson (For those who want a cowboy with a heart – among other things – as big as Texas.)
A steamy, small-town, grumpy-sunshine cowboy romance where the only thing filthier than the farm work is the hero’s mouth. Cash is a bossy, charming, emotionally wounded cowboy who falls hard for a woman who is very much not looking to be anyone’s cowgirl. Or is she? If you love cowboy romances with big emotions, small-town charm, and steamy barn moments, this one will DELIGHT you. (And I really dig the cover. I may let the vibe guide my current WIP.)
5. No Place Like Home by Barbara O’Neal (For when you want a deeply emotional story with a side of homecoming.)
Sometimes, you just need a book that will wreck you in the best way—and Barbara O’Neal always delivers. No Place Like Home is part romance, part personal journey, full of beautifully flawed characters, lush descriptions of food (seriously, don’t read this hungry), and a slow, aching love story that feels earned. It’s the kind of book that will make you feel things—longing, hope, maybe even the sudden desire to mend long-broken family fences. Less about spice, more about deep emotional satisfaction, this book is a full-body hug that makes me sob every time I read it.
Books, Books, Gimme all the BooksWinter isn’t over yet (ugh), but at least we have books to transport us somewhere warmer, steamier, and way less toxic than reality.
And if Buffalo decides to snow in April? (Because it will.)
Well, at least we’ll have our book boyfriends to keep us warm. 
