Spice level
Also known as Spice · Heat level · Chilli rating
Spice level is a casual way of saying how explicit a book’s sex scenes are, usually rated from zero to five chilli peppers.
There’s no official scale. Every reviewer, shop and app has its own, so a three from one place might be a two somewhere else. Roughly, most people go with zero for nothing on the page, one for kissing and hints, two or three for on-page scenes with more detail, and four or five for frequent and explicit ones.
There are older, clearer terms too. Closed door means the story stops at the bedroom door and picks up afterwards. Open door means the scene happens on the page. You’ll also see “clean” used, but a lot of readers don’t like it, since it suggests explicit books are somehow dirty. “Sweet” or “low spice” are the usual alternatives.
Spice level is about fit, not quality. Readers check it for the same reason they check the page count or whether a book ends on a cliffhanger: to know what they’re signing up for before they start.
Spice level: common questions
What does a three-chilli spice level mean?
Usually explicit scenes on the page with some detail, but not all the way through the book. Since there’s no standard scale, it’s worth checking how that particular reviewer rates things.
What is the difference between open door and closed door romance?
Closed door cuts away before a sex scene and picks up afterwards. Open door keeps the scene on the page.