What Are British "Steamies?"

When I came across this article that mentions British "Steamies" I saved the link for a future post.

So what are "steamies?"

The London publishers Piccadilly Press describe steamies as “escapist romances, featuring young women, the same age as the readers, exploring their first sexual desires and their first sexual experiences.”

Then the author writes this:

In other words, porn.

Interesting. And I say this because most authors who write erotica and erotic romance will tell you how careful they are...