The Ultimate Spice Guide for My Girlies

shelfobsessedbooks
Jun 23
2 min read

Hey girlies!

I just realized that somehow I never created a spice guide for Shelf Obsessed. I know everyone has different definitions and levels of comfort with spice in books, and I want to make sure you feel comfortable and confident when you start reading a book I’ve recommended.

I personally stick pretty closely to closed-door books—ones that have strong emotional buildup and very limited on-page intimacy. That said, I do feel comfortable with mild and limited descriptions, like what you’d find in Divine Rivals, The Summer of Broken Rules, and The Hotel Nantucket.

So here is my five-tiered spice guide for the girlies—so we can avoid any jump scares. ;)

Spice Levels Guide

Level	Label	Description
🫧💖 Squeaky Clean	No Romance	Friendship-focused with no romantic content.
🍭💜 Sugary Sweet	Innocent Affection	Light romance; G-rated. Think hugging, 1–2 kisses, hand holding—something you’d feel comfy watching with your grandma.
🚪❤️ Closed Door	Kisses & Chemistry	Hallmark-level or PG romance. Intimacy happens off-page. Emotional tension + more kisses, but still grandma-approved. 😉
🌙💛 Intimacy Implied	Fade to Black	Romantic buildup and passion. Scenes may lead to the bedroom, but everything fades out or happens off-page. A bit more suggestive in tone but still tasteful.
🔥🧡 Sassy & Spicy	Some Graphic Description (2–3 instances max)	PG-13 romance. Think Nicholas Sparks movie (just watched Safe Haven so it’s on the brain). They’re in the bedroom, but it’s all bed and blankets. Probably time to kick grandma out for this one lol.