As the witching hour approaches, some literary heavyweights are embracing the eerie spirit of the season with a decidedly sultry twist: sexy romance novels.
Indeed, you heard correctly. Notable figures from BookTok have collaborated with Amazon Original Stories to present Scared Sexy, an intriguing anthology of six romantic tales that delve into the realm of iconic monsters—some of which defy the conventional narrative.
One standout contributor, author Katee Roberts, opted for a refreshingly gender-flipped narrative in her tale, Beautiful Nightmare.
“Currently, male monsters reign supreme in the fiction landscape, particularly in romance, but historical myths often depict female monsters designed to seduce,” Roberts shared with Us Weekly. “For instance, in some cultures, sleep paralysis was linked to the night hag, a female entity supposedly sitting upon your chest while you slept.”
And what happens when a demon in a role typically reserved for women is portrayed as “ineffective”? In Roberts’ tale, the protagonist’s experience with what she playfully describes as her “sleep paralysis demon” becomes an unexpected mix of humorous and alluring.
“With that premise, the punchlines practically generate themselves,” she chuckled. “She’s like a floundering intern—she’s got the basics down but is still figuring out her unique approach to spooking her human target.”
In a cheeky twist, it turns out this demon is not only “hot and sweet,” but her charm leads the story’s hero to react in ways he could never foresee.
With her well-known appetite for more such tales, Roberts expressed her excitement for the burgeoning sub-genre. “I’m all in for additional narratives like this; every author brings their unique flavor, ensuring it won’t lose appeal over time,” she told Us.
Scared Sexy is now free to read and listen to via Prime and Kindle Unlimited. Alongside Roberts, readers can enjoy stories from authors such as Ali Hazelwood, J.T. Geissinger, Ruby Dixon, and Kimberly Lemming.
Christina Lauren (the duo known as Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) eagerly accepted the challenge of creating yet another short tale.
“When crafting a short story, you bypass the common struggle of ‘mushy middle’ that often afflicts longer works,” they articulated their philosophy surrounding Falling for Scared Sexy, emphasizing a focus on “streamlined arc and pacing.”
They further noted that such a project served as a refreshing reminder to hone the fundamentals of storytelling without weaving in superfluous details.
The pair relished the idea of exploring a spookier narrative: “It was a delightful shift from our contemporary work, spurred by a chat with Hazelwood,” they shared.
“Romance knows no season, of course, but there’s something particularly magical about snuggling into your favorite chair with soft blankets and a flickering candle during spooky season,” the duo raved about the collection, which was made available on Tuesday, September 23. “It’s the perfect setting for indulging in romance.”
This talented duo—who previously crafted more traditional romances exemplified by last year’s The Paradise Problem—may have additional paranormal offerings in the pipeline.
<p“We began our writing journey amidst paranormal fanfiction, so it’s woven into the fabric of our collaboration,” they hinted. “We’re currently brewing plans to revisit that genre, exploring new characters, realms, and creatures. We can hardly wait to see where this creative venture leads us.”
Scared Sexy is available now through Amazon Original Stories.
